Thank you so much Berkley and NetGalley for the free eARC!

Alice Everly is floating aimlessly after a breakup, feeling lost and losing herself in her work, booking photo shoots left and right, dodging real life. When her grandmother falls and needs surgery and starts acting kind of similarly to Alice, she whisks them both away to the one place she knows they both will feel alive— the lake.

Alice can’t help but think back to a photo she took in the last summer she was in Barry’s Bay, just beginning to love photography: three teens enjoying summer on a yellow speedboat, titled “One Golden Summer”. And then she runs into one of the boys from the photo, all grown up, hotter than ever, and with the undeniable pull of someone she needs to get to know (and be annoyed by).

Charlie Florek is unattainable and emotionally unavailable, but enjoys spending time with Alice and her grandmother, hanging out in the summer sun, and being insanely nice to look at. The two form a friendship, which turns into more, and then naturally, blows up, as all of these things tend to do.

I loved Alice’s relationship with her family, Charlie’s with his brother and sister-in-law (who I was so glad to see again from two books ago!) AND Alice’s Nan and the way this book unfolded. Carley writes really in-depth female characters who I so appreciate!

Bonus points for Alice being a photographer- I really love reading about headstrong women with creative jobs. Gives me a warm feeling in my soul.

One Golden Summer is yet another incredible story by Carley Fortune set in Barry's Bay. Charlie Florek and Alice Everly are everlasting. Their seventeen-year-old summer is one for the books, and I enjoyed every golden second!

Carley - I will read anything you write! Your books always go to my TBR list. So glad I was able to read this early. I loved the grumpy and playful banter between the characters. All the feels! Our library already has holds for this one!

I never pass up a Carley Fortune book and her newest release just as amazing as her others! I absolutely loved this story. I loved the characters and the chemistry they had. I did feel it went a little slow at times, but I still couldn't put it down. Definitely a must read for the summer!

Beautiful and brings all the nostalgic feelings. This made me really long for lake summers and I’ve literally never had one???? Charlie + Alice were so cute, and so perfect together. I had butterflies during every flirty sweet endearing interaction (all of them). And Alice made my heart melt truly, I really admire her and her growth!!!!!

Carley Fortune didn't come to play!!! This is her best book yet <3 the romance book of the SUMMER!!

This was so much fun. It literally gave me life and it made me so excited for summer. If there's something that Fortune knows how to do, is writing good imaginery and descriptive settings. This was nostalgic and it felt so pure, so it honest, so human, so SPECIAL and REAL!!!

Charlie Florek!!! My sweet, sad broken man. He and Alice made the perfect couple and seeing them overcoming their insecurities and finding solace in each other was beautiful to see.

"Good things happen at the lake." 🚤🌞📸🫂💘

Thank you so much Berkley for the reader advance copy.

“I think the older we get, the scarier shit becomes”.

Charlie Florek is an onion. The man has layers, that are slowly peeled away in One Golden Summer. Alice Everly is a caterpillar shifting into a butterfly. Quietly hiding behind a camera until she finally steps in front of it.

Readers have waited a very long time for Charlie’s story and believe me, it’s worth it. Carley has somehow managed to perfectly capture the allure of summer in her writing. I’m honestly still mystified by the glory of Barry’s Bay and appreciate the subtle nods to Toronto.

But no doubt, One Golden Summer is Carley Fortune’s Avenger’s Endgame, it’s her Super Bowl. Alice and Charlie’s story is mature, doesn’t have a dual timeline, and holds you. I also really loved Nan’s inclusion to the story it offered a sage perspective on life. Carley gathers up her beloved characters from Every Summer After and settle them back in Barry’s Bay for the reunion readers have been waiting for. Crumbled with little easter eggs and life updates while also infusing them into Charlie and Alice’s little bubble and love story. We’re on the outside gleefully looking in.

I never ever thought that I would get an early copy of this book. But here we are. Canadian stories matter now more than ever and I can't wait for the world to escape into the beauty of our nation, while also diving into Charlie and Alice's story. Thank you Berkley Publishing and Berkley Romance for the advance reader copy.

Good things happen at the lake, and in her newest novel, Fortune revisits characters from her first novel - Every Summer After. Charlie Florek takes centre stage as does Alice Everly who with her grandmother heads north to Barry’s Bay for the summer. A magical place for her grandmother, and a place for Alice to reset, unwind and of course you know from the outset - find love. A great snack of book. I am quite sure Fortune fans will be happy with the return to Barry’s Bay and the characters they have grown to love there. A friend’s to lovers romance with charm, wit and easy banter.
Perfect dockside summer reading.

I loved Every Summer After back when I read it in 2022, so you can only imagine how excited I was to hear that we were finally getting Charlie's story. Carley Fortune's writing is incredible, and One Golden Summer is truly one of the top books this year. Mark my words.

I think it might be physically impossible to not feel fully immersed in this book. I'm currently living through a freezing winter, but I felt like I was thrown into summertime at Barry's Bay. Not only that, but Carley's ability to write characters is truly remarkable (iykyk).

Charlie & Alice's characters are fleshed out so perfectly, it feels so natural in the way that we get to know these two. I absolutely adored the way that Carley built these two. A woman trying to live a life for herself, to find what makes her happy again. A man who lives in fear & grief, worrying too much about the "what-if" to allow himself the life he desires. Charlie & Alice are two beautifully written characters with so much depth, growth, relatability, and a sort of genuine feel that makes you feel like you're right there with them.

The romance in this was nothing short of perfect. Charlie & Alice's dynamic was everything I wanted it to be and more!!! The shy, blushing girl meets the cocky, flirty boy. A true embodiment of not only opposites attract, but also fate & soulmates. I loved their banter, their connection & their love story soso dearly. The chemistry & tension between these two radiates off the page and leaves you wanting more & more. I fell in love with these two as individuals and as the people they became with each other. I love them SO much!!!!

This book is one I'll hold on to forever, one I will certainly recommend to no end, & one of my favorite reads this year. I have yet to leave a Carley Fortune book without being in love with it by the end!!! Mark your calendars for this one!!!

“good things happen at the lake.”🚤🌊🌤️✨📸🏊🏼‍♀️

carley fortune, you have done it again. I am so amazed by this story. this book is for the people still trying to find a place in this world, and for the ones who feel very deeply but are afraid of truly being seen. I found so much of myself in this book, and when things like that happen it’s a really beautiful thing. from the very first page, I knew this book was going to be one of my favorite romances of the year.

I read every summer after in 2022, and it has been a book that has stuck with me since!! I fell for Charlie Florek early on and have always wanted to see more of his character. You learn so much about him in this book, and all I’m gonna say is he’s now in my top 10 book bfs list. the amount of times he made me laugh out loud… he’s such a funny character but also has such a beautiful depth to his personality. the last 10% of the book broke me because of how much I related to him❤️‍🩹

My sweet girl Alice!!! So I think Carley actually wrote about me? from the photography, to how she expresses love and wants to receive it, to how she feels so deeply for everything. Alice & Nan were such a sweet duo. I loved their time at Barry’s Bay together. And yes, we do get glimpses of Sam and Percy’s life together now. I missed them so much!!

if you can’t tell from this lengthy review, I love this book. definitely a new favorite. I read this at the right time in my life for sure.🤍

Carley the woman that you are!! Wow I LOVED every second of this book and truly believe this is going to be THE summer read of 2025. The tension and banter between our sweet and flirty Charlie and the daring new FMC Alice was absolute perfection. Not only did the romance have me giggling and kicking my feet but the sweet storyline between Alice and her grandmother was so tender. Carley Fortune has become an auto-buy author for me and I truly can’t wait for you all to revisit Barry’s Bay and melt into this book!

Thank you SO much NetGalley for this ARC :)

"Just see where the sun takes you. And don't forget: Good things happen at the lake."

I read this book in the middle of a New England winter and an entire snow storm, yet I felt like it was summer and I'm at a lake house in Barry's Bay. Her way of putting you into these scenes and characters emotions is what I love about her books.

Charlie is absolutely everything. He makes me giddy with the way he comes off so care-free and flirty. But his character development really shows how much is under the surface of him.

Alice coming out of her shell was also refreshing. They are a perfect match and watching their slow burn was chefs kiss 🤌🏼. They both show up for each other time and time again, they're honest, and open. I fell for these characters so quickly.

I also just feel like this is so nostalgic. Alice coming to the lake for her Nan, who spent most of summers here as well, took you through the complex relationships of families and old friends. The tie back to the first photo she took felt like fate and I loved that concept.

Needless to say, I adored this book. Thank you to Berkely and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you for the eARC, Berkley Romance!

In the highly anticipated follow-up to Every Summer After, readers return to the lake for Sam’s brother Charlie’s story. Charlie is taking care of the cabin that Alice and her grandmother plan to spend the summer in. At first, Alice finds Charlie cocky, flirtatious, and full of himself. Soon, she sees past his tough exterior to the kind, helpful, caring man that would do anything for those he cares for, except possibly give her the one thing she needs from him.

I absolutely loved Every Summer After, and this book was every bit as magical. Carley Fortune has the most amazing way with words that makes you feel like you are right there at the lake, breeze gently blowing and sun shining, enjoying the peaceful summer right alongside the characters. Charlie was such a lovable character, and I found Alice very relatable so they were such a fun couple to read about. I loved getting to revisit familiar characters and places, and for the best reading experience, I’d highly recommend that readers check out Every Summer After first because there is a lot of crossover and plot points mentioned in this book. This is the perfect summer beach, lake, or pool read, and I can’t recommend it enough!

Every time I think I can't love Carley Fortune more, she puts out another book and proves me wrong. The thing is that with One Golden Summer she said "Here look at how romance is supposed to be." This was to put it simply–her best book to date and I say this a lover of all of her previous books. This one was particularly special because we're back in Barry's Bay. Back to Charlie, to Percy and Sam. Every Summer After is one of my favorite books but One Golden Summer just completely killed me. This book is so romantic, so full of chemistry, with two main characters that are so great, and not only that but also a cast of incredible secondary characters. I didn't really expect to fall in love with Alice and Charlie quite as hard as I did. I adored Alice from the start and fell in love with the way she sees and perceives places, people, details, and emotions and her passion for photography. I think Carley managed to write such a beautiful portrayal of it. She's such a deep character. She feels so deeply and loves just the same. She's my favorite heroine Carley has written. I loved Charlie since I met him. But we got to see so much more and get to know him better and I loved him. He's immensely charming, so understanding, caring and feels incredibly deep. Now, Alice and Charlie together? Fireworks, sparks, explosives. They were PERFECT for each other. I can't explain how much I absolutely adored this book.

This book was an adventure into the summer romance all coastal girlies grew up dreaming about. The handsome, charming boy across the lake becomes the one to break down Alice’s emotional barriers over a decade after their first chance encounter - the encounter that began her career as a photographer. Sprinkled with familial love and turmoil, commentary on time and grief, and a dazzling setting every Canadian will find bits of themselves in, One Golden Summer is the perfect getaway.

One Golden Summer ☀️🚤🥟👙🎞️
5🌟
3🌶️

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free book! #berkley #berkleypartner

Do you ever read a book at a certain time in your life and it’s exactly what you needed because it’s exactly what you’re going through? One Golden Summer is that book for me. I recently had two family members get into a very bad car accident, and alongside my mom, have been working to take care of them. Every single word of Alice taking care of Nan felt relatable to me.

I’ve been a fan of Carley Fortune and Every Summer After for a long time now. I love the way Carley weaves stories and settings, and how she always has the most perfectly complex characters. After the twist in ESA, I was hesitant about Charlie as a MMC despite OGS being my most anticipated read of 2025.

Carley handles Charlie’s character progression and development really wonderfully. I found it within myself to forgive him for what happened in ESA, and I really started to root for him. I also really loved Alice’s entire character and development, and I really saw myself in her.

There is nothing like an up-north summer, and this book has me needing a Michigan summer, where I grew up, as soon as possible. There’s something so special and magical about summers up north, and Carley captures this within every single book in the best possible way.

While you can read this book without having read Every Summer After, I would absolutely highly recommend it to get the best experience out of One Golden Summer and to really understand the characters, their backgrounds, and how meaningful their progression truly is.

It Charlie’s turn! After reading Every Summer After and being introduced to Charlie there I wasn’t sure how I would feel about him in this one but I really enjoy him and this story!

Alice is a photographer who has always been comfortable on the sidelines but recently she feels like she wants more. When her grandma has a surgery she will need a bit of help recovering from Alice takes it as a sign to go back to somewhere they love, Barry’s Bay. Once they arrive non other than Charlie Florek makes his presence known by not only being the house care taker but being the handsome guy she had photographed years ago on her last visit to the lake.

Through all the flirting one thing is certain, relationships are off limits for the both of them.

I loved Charlie, Alice and her grandma Nan. Though This Summer Will Be Different is still my favorite Fortune book, I loved this one also!

Another fantastic summer read! Carley Fortune does it again!! Her books are always so great for summer reads. This has me wanting a summer day so badly!

I absolutely adored this book. My only complaint is that I don’t think Charlie’s exist in real life. But seriously this book was perfection. Spicy, sweet, surprising, just perfect.

This was a highly anticipated read for me this year and it showed up and exceeded my expectations.

Carley’s imagery is some of the best parts of her writing. You can vividly imagine Barry’s Bay it felt nostalgic after coming back after reading Every Summer After. One Golden Summer stands on its own but it’s so connected to Every Summer After, I highly recommend you read it first for the best character experience. Charlie makes some statements about himself that had been sobbing but would have been overlooked if you haven’t read Every Summer After.

I’ve read 4 out of 5 of Carly’s Books. I’d give this one a 2-3 (out of 5) spice ranking, making it one of her steamiest that I’ve read so far. It fit the characters love story and the slow burn was BURNING. There is some on page spice and some fades to black.

Alice was perfect for Charlie, and I am so glad Carly wrote their love story. I had so many mixed emotions with Every Summer After, THIS was the HEA we all needed.

Here’s to my new favorite book!! This will be the book of the summer.
Obsessed. Loved. Smitten. I could come up with so many more words to describe my feelings after reading this book. There’s something about Barry’s Bay that feels like home. The summers, the lake house, the boat rides, and the characters. This one is going to stay with me for a long time. It is just incredible in so many ways. I laughed. I cried. I fell in love again and felt those memories of being seventeen having the summer I will never forget! The yearning. The flirting. The carefree summer we always want. The summer nostalgia vibes and days spent at the lake are so perfect in this story.

One Golden Summer has everything we loved about Every Summer After but this is Alice’s and Charlie’s story. It takes place exactly three years after Every Summer After. There are so many woven layers into this story and I think so many people are going to connect with them on many levels. I felt so deeply connected with Alice and her character- this book spoke to me on many levels. Alice is in her thirties, living, but not exactly thriving. She is a photographer and has always committed herself to giving all she can to her work and relationships but many times not asking for help or receiving the same level of care she gives out. I felt so seen by this!! Charlie is in his redemption era trying to change who he was as a younger kid. I really enjoyed seeing his personality and his flirting behavior with Alice. Charlie says that Alice is funny, but Charlie and Nan were hysterical to me. Her old lady wise quotes and words had me laughing so much.

“Good things happen at the lake”