Carley Fortune's "One Golden Summer" is a nostalgic and heartwarming second-chance romance. Set against the backdrop of a picturesque lake town, the story follows two former childhood sweethearts who reunite after years apart, forced to confront the choices they made and the feelings they still harbor for each other. Fortune's writing evokes a strong sense of summer and nostalgia, and the chemistry between the main characters is palpable. While it treads familiar ground within the second-chance trope, "One Golden Summer" offers a sweet and satisfying escape for readers who enjoy a dose of romance with a touch of wistfulness.

Carley Fortune does something special with each book. She paints the dreamiest, swooniest, settings with her words and envelops readers in stories that feel both fresh & new and nostalgic & familiar. Every Summer After readers will be thrilled to return to Barry's Bay and enjoy catching up with Sam and Percy (if only briefly). Charlie and Alice, our love interests, are supremely deserving of their own story, as are Alice and Nan, a love story of a different kind. Characters, plot points, and setting feel extremely real and make for a compelling, comforting, engaging expereince. I only wish I could read it again for the first time. 5 Stars.

One Golden Summer is hands down my favorite book by Carley Fortune to date. I’ve been a huge fan of her work for years now, with Every Summer After being the one that got me hooked on contemporary romance in the first place. I haven't missed a release from her since. What I adore about her writing is how she nails that perfect balance between wit, warmth and romance, without it ever feeling too corny.

Alice and Charlie’s story is gorgeous. The banter between them is witty, funny, and sexy, making their connection feel real and organic. I loved watching their relationship evolve from strangers who tease each other, to friends, to friends with benefits, and eventually to falling in love. The slow build-up was beautifully done, and you could really feel the trust they developed for each other throughout the story.

Charlie has quickly become my favorite Carley Fortune man. He’s sexy, definitely had me clutching my figurative pears and punching the sky over a fictional man. Behind his confident exterior, though, there’s so much depth to him. His struggles and trauma are raw and real, even though we never get the story from his perspective. And Alice—her persistence was at times difficult to read, but I was rooting for her every step of the way.. As women, we’re often afraid to be too forward, worried about facing rejection, but Alice’s belief in her bond with Charlie is what drives everything home for me.

At its core, One Golden Summer is a beautiful story about what makes a love last, what makes it worth fighting for. It’s about overcoming your fears and insecurities, about learning to be vulnerable with the people who truly see you and love you. There’s something so special about seeing a relationship grow from friendship and trust into a deep, lasting love. I LOVE CARLEY FORTUNE she is THAT girl.

Ahhhh!!! Carley did it AGAIN. If you aren't a Charlie apologist, I beg of you, READ THIS BOOK!! Fortune does and did such an incredible job of capturing NOSTAlGIA. I would love to experience a summer at 17 again... particularly one with Charlie Florek by my side!!

I have to admit, I was nervous that returning to Barry's Bay wouldn't feel as exciting as the previous times, especially since we already "know" Charlie. But this book exceeded my expectations! I loved the way CF developed Charlie's character and was grinning at my kindle from the very first time he spoke on page.

The way this story starts with a photo is lovely, especially because Carley's books always feel like a Polaroid snapshot to me - kind of hazy, but glowy and warm in the way that only Polaroids can be. Nostalgic and heartwarming and lovely.

Highly recommend this one. I couldn't put it down.

YUP!!! my fave carley fortune book yet!!! i loved the vibes and loved the depth to the characters. yes yes yes!!

I could feel the sun hitting my skin while reading this book. It brought the summer lake feeling to me while there’s snow outside my window. I couldn’t put it down. Seriously, I found myself practically magnetized to the pages.

Who knew I needed Charlie’s story in my life until I had it? And Carley? Oh, she served it up perfectly.

If you’re a fan of her work, you’re going to eat this one up. It’s everything you’d want from a summer fling friends to lovers.

Watching two people fall for each other is fun enough, but watching Charlie (who we first met in Every Summer After) and Alice do it? Chef’s kiss. Their chemistry and their banter is perfection. All this with just a dash of spice.

“Which is how I find myself making out with the boy across the bay on a raft on Kamaniskeg Lake. Just two people, figuring their shit out, kissing each other like there’s nothing better in this world than just kissing.”

This book brought back all the first book feelings… I may have even gotten choked up a few times— Idky either! It’s not a sad book, promise.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit—there is one teeny complaint that I’m sure everyone who reads this will have. I won’t spoil anything, but let's just say... something happens in the third act. It’s not a deal-breaker, for me, it was just enough to keep it from being a five-star read, though it was so close.

This is one of the most anticipated books of 2025, and I get why. It’s the perfect beach read.

My favorite Carley Fortune book yet! I have been waiting on Charlie’s story since Every Summer After, and it delivered! The friendship into love was such a beautiful story between Charlie and Alice. Loved all our side characters as well. The setting was beautiful and despite it being an extra cold January, I felt like I was on the lake in the summer along with everyone in the story.

This is by far Carley Fortune’s best book. I felt like I was transported into another world where I’m at Barry’s Bay in Canada, with the sweetest neighbors. I feel like I am Alice, watching Charlie Sam and Percy having one of their many iconic summers across the lake.
I got to fall in love with Charlie’s swoon, kindness and his big heart who’s in desperate need of love. I got to watch Alice slowly help Charlie step out of his shell. I got to watch Charlie slowly help Alice step out of her shell. I got to watch them slowly learn more and more about each other. I got to watch Charlie get his endgame like Sam did.
I didn’t know I could feel nostalgic about something that didn’t happen in real life but I felt nostalgic about Every Summer After. I got to see Sam and Percy. I just love them and watching them and reading about them from Alice’s perspective. I just loved this book. I loved Carley’s amazing writing that is always so descriptive it feels like you are sitting on the dock of the lake listening to kids fool around and Sam and Charlie arguing. I feel like I’m basking in the summer sun reading for hours knowing I have nothing to do. This book is summer. It feels like.. One Golden Summer.

This is a really great book as a stand alone AND sequel to Charlie Florek.
This story was well developed, thoughtful and cheerful. I loved the banter between Alice and Charlie!
I am conflicted with Charlie’s past indiscretions, but overall wonderful book. Top two favorites of Carley Fortune’s novels!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for this eARC!

"Good things happen at the lake."

We're back in Barry's Bay, and if they were nothing else, these books would be an incredibly effective advertisement for Canadian cottage country. I WANT TO GO!

Alice, a photographer, is at the lake with her (adorable!) grandmother, nan, who is recovering from surgery. Charlie, a native of Barry's Bay (and brother of Sam from Fortune's first book) is there for the summer, taking some time off work in Toronto and working on a treehouse for his niece to be.

Both of them are on a break from their real lives and together they embark on a seventeen year-old summer, based on a silly bucket list Alice created. This was very cute and WHO amongst us would say no to a little vacation from our lives at the lake?!

Summer home books truly have a hold on me, even though that is unfortunately not my life, and I really enjoyed this one. Everyone is going through it, but being at the lake might just make that a little easier. If you liked Fortune's other books, this one will hit that same sweet spot!

Now how do I become friends with a cottager?!?!?

She did it again. A fresh story in a familiar place with appearances by beloved characters? Sign me up! Do I think I need to vacation in Canada now after reading all of Carley’s books? A little bit. As an avid reader, librarian and book cryer this was everything I needed and more. I look forward to sharing this book with library patrons, my monthly book club and anyone who ever asks me about what book they should read.

As with her other novels, this one centers around the main characters time at the lake. Fortunately for the reader of this one, it is a setting we have been introduced to before, in her first novel Every Summer After. One Golden Summer follows the story of Charlie and Alice (Charlie is Sam's brother...yep that one). Charlie, in my eyes, redeems himself in this novel and I found myself liking his character much more than Alice's. I liked that both were messy and "real", but did not love how Alice acted so childlike with her decisions. I loved the snippets of Percy and Sam we were able to see and the evolution of Charlie and Sam's relationship progression. It wrapped itself up in a messy, but good way. The writing was on par with her other novels and made me long for a lake house and summers spent on the water. I enjoyed this one and finished it fast. If you're already a fan of Fortune and of Percy and Sam, you're also going to love this one!

I loved having Charlie’s story. I am sad there was so much held up in one event (that could have been explained easily), but Carley writes such beautiful romances that leave you immersed a world of love. This story was beautiful. Both characters were gorgeous and full of life.

Good things happen at the lake. That’s the mantra throughout this book, and Alice is trying to convince herself it’s true. She’s in a low place and the neighbor across the lake knows exactly how to lift her up. The problem is, he’s in a low place too, and doesn’t believe he deserves to be lifted up. I raced through this book because I loved it so much. I honestly didn’t remember Percy and Sam even though I read every summer after. This is an incredible book that stands alone, and you’ll be feeling uplifted after you finish it.

another solid cottage read from our local queen! it feels like this january has been Extra Cold and Extra Snowy so this book made me long for summer BAD 😭 get me to a lake immediately!!! with an iced tea!!!

every summer after is her strongest for me still, but i think fans of carley will be happy with this follow up! of course charlie is a fan fav, but the relationship between alice and her nan was my fav of the book. it made me miss my nan and wish we could spend a summer together reading at the lake too

also books that take place in your city/province are always such a thrill!!! Kawartha Dairy??? YEAAAA I know that ice cream!! gonna pick up a tub of salty caramel truffle tomorrow thanks 👍

I love all the books written by Carley Fortune and One Golden Summer is no exception. It is the right amount of humor, emotion, sexy, and fun.

3.5 stars!
Photographer Alice, burned out from demanding clients and their visions, takes a brief hiatus to bring her depressed grandmother Nan, recovering from a broken ankle, back to the lake house they rented when Alice was seventeen. Alice has fond memories of falling in love with photography there, and still has a copy of the first shot she ever sold: three teens on a yellow speedboat on the lake. Lo and behold, the lake house caretaker is the older boy in the boat who Alice developed a crush on. Now, Charlie is a banker on sabbatical, doing handyman work and building a treehouse for his nephew–so he has plenty of time to help Alice with the list of brave and daring things she’s come up with the help her recapture her seventeenth summer, from reading a smutty book to skinny dipping to making bad art and trying low-key drugs... to kissing a cute guy. Charlie's all bravado and flirtation, and strikes up a pleasantly antagonist repartee with Alice, who sees her role in the family as the shy reserved turtle. Over the six-week recuperation, they become friends, acknowledge their attraction and the ways they each find the other like no other, but are determined to take things slow, and prolong the foreplay, until the inevitable consummation, which ends with Alice vocalizing her catching feelings, and Charlie’s rejection.

While Fortune vividly captures lake life, the photography profession and artist’s vision, and the delicious banter between the love interest, this novel was not as smooth and well-crafted as previous ones. There are some inconsistencies editing didn’t pick up, like Charlie’s offer to pick up Alice’s niece Bennett for a week on the lake when Alice’s older sister, Heather, cancels due to work committments–but then drives up and drops off Bennett herself. The additional siblings, twins Lavinia and Luca, are charming chaos monsters, but don’t necessarily add much to the plot except teasing their sister. The characterizations are complex, with Charlie changing his playboy ways and still grieving his mother, and Alice’s wrestling with commerce versus art

A subplot of Nan’s friendship with widowed John, the cabin’s proprietor, has a lot of secrecy with a low payoff. Most of all, I found it hard to believe, after Alice relays the trauma of her first friends to lovers romance gone wrong, that Charlie would do the exact same thing as her college friend turned crush. Alice says she’s never felt like this, but in describing a previous relationship, the narrative seems contradictory. I appreciated Alice’s codeswitching in other ways, like transitioning from rumpled artist in a bikini and caftan, or shorts and sweatshirt, to a glammed up slick photographer in work clothes. Charlie’s reveal about his brother Sam’s wife Percy dovetails really beautifully with Ever Summer After, pierogis make a return, and I loved the interactions between Percy and Alice. I also really loved the everything but intimacy and drawn out rounding of the bases, which helped cement the checklist plot. Charlie’s health obstacles are deftly foreshadowed, and the ending is satisfying–though a copy of the chocolate sour cream birthday cake Charlie bakes for Alice would be a nice recipe to add to my own repetoire.

For more stories about summer on the water, dive into Carley Fortune’s back catalogue or anything by Elin Hilderbrand. Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn, Until Next Summer by Ali Brady, The Suite Spot by Trish Doller, qnd Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein are also solid choices.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #OneGoldenSummer via #NetGalley, courtesy of #Berkley. Review will post to HLBB on 5/5/2025.

Another Carley Fortune book that had me smiling ear to ear while I read. Funny, romantic and a perfectly nostalgic nod to summer love.

This author seems to get a lot of grief, and much of it seems to be connected with ESA, because of the 'twist' at the end which seems to get some folks, and not always in a good way. Despite that? ESA was a phenomenal book, it made me feel all the feelings; all warm and fuzzy and nostalgic for something that I'd never even had!

This was even better. It feels like maybe these last three books have just been Carley warming up, and she's finding her stride with a marvelous return to Barry's Bay. I'll just let you know that I TRIEEED to savor this. Truly. I had this whole plan, how I'd stretch the book for a week, minimum.
Me: It's gonna be great! Tooooootally fine.
Also me: Disregards all pre-made plans and reads in two sittings. Darn you, Carley Fortune!!!

OGS is the redemptive story every ESA reader has been waiting for. Charlie? SWOON-WORTHY. Seriously, can we HAVE just an entire series with these people? And what about Harrison? Do we get his story next? Listen. I'll do anything to return to Barry's Bay.
You knocked it out of the park. This is currently tied for my top 2025 read (which, if I were not an ARC reader, would not sound that impressive because it's JANUARY.) My only complaint is that...now? I have to wait a whole year for the next book. WHYYYYY is it over!