One Golden Summer was such a perfect read—I truly adore Carley Fortune’s writing, and this might just be my favorite story of hers so far. I really loved Every Summer After, so returning to Barry’s Bay for Charlie’s story felt like perfect next step. I know some readers have mixed feelings about him, but, I’ve always had a soft spot for Charlie. It was wonderful to see how his story played out.

The way this novel tied into the events of Every Summer After felt like fate, like an invisible thread connecting the two stories. That sense of destiny is really my love language, and Alice was the perfect person to fold into Charlie’s story. I loved her. Their friendship is beautiful, and the progression of their relationship through this novel was so beautifully believable.

As a girl who is incredibly close to her own grandmother (she’s my inspiration in everything), reading a story that begins with a 30-something woman taking her beloved grandmother on a trip to the lake felt profoundly personal and relatable. The connection between them struck such a deep chord with me, and I know this story will live in my heart, rent-free, for a long time.

From a technical standpoint, Fortune is an exceptional writer. She has a knack for creating vivid, atmospheric settings that make you feel like you’re truly living within the world she’s built. The way she effortlessly captures the magic and warmth of summer, along with the deep emotional layers of her characters, is something really special. With every page, she wraps you up in her world, and you can’t help but be drawn into the intimate, heartfelt journey of the characters. It’s a story that lingers long after the final chapter.

I went into this so sure I’d love it, and I’m thrilled to say I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. I’m beyond excited for all of you to experience this beautiful story (and give Charlie a second chance) when One Golden Summer hits shelves in May. Trust me, you’re going to fall in love with it!

Arguably my MOST anticipated summer 2025 read and it did NOT disappoint!! I was OBSESSED with Every summer after and while this was great, it might not be as good as that book for me. That said, I LOVED going back to Barry's Bay, getting to know Charlie better and seeing him fall for photographer Alice who has a fun connection to the Florek's. We get cameos from Sam and Percy, get to know Alice's big, messy family and experience the joys of a care-free summer when flings turn into real feelings in this opposites attract romance. Full of nostalgia, emotional depth and heart, this is guaranteed to land in everyone's beach bags this summer and with good reason. HIGHLY recommended!! HUGE thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

CW: anxiety/depression, congenital heart condition (aortic valve stenosis and aortic coarctation)

Wow baby, this book is steamy perfection. I don't know if I've ever read something and wanted to restart it immediately after finishing because it is such a swoony love story.

Fortune's first book, Every Summer After, was incredibly good, with a devastating bomb of a plot twist at the end. This is the love story of ESA's MMC's brother, Charlie Florek, which takes place three years after the events from ESA. You don't need to read ESA to enjoy this book, though.

Charlie is spending the summer in his hometown and taking a break from his job as a trader. Charlie has always been a bit of a playboy, and the whole town won't forget it. It's written from the perspective of Alice, who is staying in a cabin with her grandmother for the summer while she recovers from surgery. Alice is at a crossroads with her career and uses the summer to reconnect with herself. She and Charlie complete a bucket list of what she thinks her 17-year-old self would deem a perfect summer.

Read if you like:
•Friends to Lovers
•Vacation flings

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Explicit Open Door: At least two intimate scenes, explicit language with a variety of sexual acts.

I am so happy with the story that Charlie was given. Alice was so endearing to me, and I saw so much of myself in her. I LOVED that there was no question from the first phone call and face-to-face meeting that these two were so down bad for one another. It just takes them a while to accept and embrace that fact. I just feel so much gratitude and love for these characters and their story, the hard things mixed with the good, the moments that brought me to tears and the ones where I couldn’t help but laugh. Nan and Bennett and Elyse all have my heart, and witnessing more of Sam and Percy’s story was the icing on the dark chocolate sour cream cake. This was a beautiful ride from start to finish, and another Carley Fortune novel that I can’t wait to reread once my physical preorder is in my hands.

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune is a perfect mix of second chances, self discovery, and a slow burn romance that will keep you hooked. Alice is longing for something more as she heads back to Barry’s Bay, a place that holds so many memories. And then there’s the charming and funny Charlie Florek (he’s back!), who has you falling for him right alongside Alice. This book is heartfelt, bittersweet, and leaves you with all the feels. Highly recommend for anyone needing a little lakeside escape!

Carley Fortune takes us back to Barry's Bay, to that magical shimmering lake in the summertime and to that mischievous older brother, Charlie Florek. A book so full of joy and possibility and heart, you will not be able to put it down. I think it's my favorite one yet - get ready to fall in love with Alice and Charlie!

Perfection. Finished it in under 24hrs. Truly devoured it. I laughed. I cried. It was it hit straight to the heart on multiple occasions. It was easily everything I could want in a book. By far, me favorite Fortune read yet - her best work, in my opinion.

CHARLIE FLOREK, I WANT TO EAT YOU FOR DESSERT

this was the conclusion i didn't know i was craving. i didn't think i cared about charlie that much but apparently i did and seeing him happy makes me feel so content.

just another homerun for miss carley fortune. thank you for writing something that felt emotionally charged but in a good way, for once.

One Golden Summer was everything I was hoping it would be and more. Carley Fortune is my all-time favorite author since Every Summer After came out and this was the most perfect return to Barry's Bay anyone could wish for. Although not a sequel, this novel is set in the same world as ESA, except this time, focuses on the older Florek brother, Charlie. If you were hoping for a redemption story for him, you are in luck. We do get to see a good amount of Percy and Sam which fellow fans will love, but this story focuses on Alice as she returns to the lake where she had the best summer of her life at 17. The chemistry between Alice and Charlie sizzles off the pages, but their companionship, friendship and respect for each other will make you swoon. Plus, Nan is one of the greatest book characters to ever exist. One Golden Summer is about finding yourself, treating yourself with respect, and knowing what you want and what you deserve. Carley truly knows how to paint a picture of a place, and I found myself nostalgic for a place I've never been in real life. Like her others, this novel was sparkling, dazzling, sun-kissed, and swoon-worthy to the max, while still staying grounded and realistic. Good things happen at the lake, and good things happen every time Carley shares a new perfect story with us. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher. I'm so grateful to have gotten to read this early. Pre-order your copy today!

I devoured this book in a single day, and I LOVED being back in Barry’s Bay with these characters! I read a lot of romance, and Carley Fortune reigns at the top as one of the best. Her writing not only hits the heartstrings with vulnerability and authenticity through character development, but the descriptions of the lake and the town somehow bring nostalgia for a place I’ve never been. If you enjoyed Every Summer After, you will absolutely adore this book. If you didn’t enjoy Every Summer After, you will still absolutely adore this book. It’s wonderful seeing our familiar faces again in Percy and Sam (and others), but this is a new story of Alice, who I just adore (along with her Nan). You don’t need to read Every Summer After first, but of course it will only enrich your love of the book if you do. And Charlie. If you’re still mad at him, give this book a chance to make you fall in love with him in the most redeeming way. “Woah.”

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc! 5 Stars for this remarkable book. Now I want to book a cabin at the lake for the summer (and re-read this book).

After having read Every Summer After, this was absolutely a dream to read. I enjoyed reading Charlie and Alice’s story more than I thought I would have, but it also exceeded whatever expectations I had about the series!! I’m a huge fangirl for this one, the author really outdid herself. It’s a 5/5 for me (and will be a definite reread in the near future).

We’re 2 weeks into the new year, and I can say with 100% certainty that I’ve already read my favourite book of the year. ⁣
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Let me start by saying that when I finished this book, I was covered in goosebumps, with shakey hands and a tear-stained face. But I promised you all a spoiler-free review, so here it is. What I will say is that going into this book completely blind is a gift and something I HIGHLY encourage. ⁣
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#OneGoldenSummer is set in the same story world as #EverySummerAfter but it is not a sequel. This is Charlie Florek’s redemption story - in every. single. sense. YES there are endearing and heart fluttering moments of Sam and Percy, as we get a quick glimpse into their future, but that’s not even the best part. One of the greatest gifts in this book are the 2 new characters Carley has introduced… Alice and Nan. A granddaughter/grandmother power duo that is so refreshing to read and literally feeds your soul. ⁣
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The other best part of this book is Charlie Florek. Perfect in every. single. sense. He is the epitome of a dream “book boyfriend”. He is quite literally what dreams are made of, and it felt so gratifying getting to read his redemption story. ⁣
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At its core, #OneGoldenSummer is a romantic love story, a familial love story, and a love story to the lake in Barry’s Bay. It’s a book about letting your guard down and letting people in, knowing when to accept help… but also when to offer it, it’s about putting yourself first and being selfish — even if it means risking it all. ⁣
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I never thought I’d read a book that would live up to that unique feeling I felt when reading Every Summer After a few years ago. That feeling is literally like catching lightning in a bottle. I’ve experienced it 4 or 5 times in the 300+ books I’ve read. But One Golden Summer is one of those books.

4.5 stars!

When I tell you I screamed when I got the galley...

Carley Fortune is amongst my favourite writers of all time. Each of her books always connect with my soul in a way that makes me feel like they were written just for me. Being back on the lake in Barry's Bay with Charlie, Sam, and Percy felt like coming home. And I LOVED getting to know Alice and seeing her meld with the crew that already holds our hearts.

If you loved the "high-achieving woman needs to take a break and feed her soul" aspect of THIS SUMMER WILL BE DIFFERENT, you'll find the same treat here in ONE GOLDEN SUMMER. This storyline ALWAYS gets me.

This one's a slow burn, folks. We spend a lot of time re-calibrating with Alice, and yearning for the boy across the bay. Reading ONE GOLDEN SUMMER felt like being 17 again in the very best way possible. Can confirm that being 17 again from the perspective of your 30s is significantly better than being 17 from the perspective of your teens. Carley captures all the best parts of feeling that age, with no side of awkwardness, trauma, or any of the other icks that comes with ACTUALLY being 17.

My heart is whole after reading this book.

I was always curious about Charlie. And this book satisfied every curiosity I had about the hot older Florek brother. This book is so special. I love the through line about life and being present. This is a love story that shows you are never too old for a summer romance. Alice and Charlie are so fun, flirty, and hot. I wanted them to talk, flirt, and banter more, more, more.

The way I squealed aloud when I got the email from NetGalley with the ARC approval for One Golden Summer. Thank you!

Carley Fortune is a favorite writer of mine who is so gifted at bringing the reader right into the settings of her books. I could feel the sun and breeze on the bay, envision the yellow flash of Charlie's boat speeding across the water, and see Alice's auburn waves. If you had a bit of a crush on Charlie Florek when you read Every Summer After, you are going to full on swoon for him in One Golden Summer. There is so much more to Charlie than we got see the first time around and getting to know him again was a treat. He is more than a handsome face and he wants so badly to love & be loved but is guarded behind his outward bravado & charm. Alice is trying to get back that spark of artistic joy & inspiration reminiscent of the summer she got her first camera at 17 and took her favorite picture of 3 teens in a yellow boat on the water of Barry's Bay. She brings her Nan, who is recovering from a surgery, back to Barry's Bay for the summer in an attempt to reconnect. She didn't expect Charlie Florek and let's be real, Charlie Florek didn't anticipate Alice Everly.

Love this book so much! Fortune's books keep getting better and better and her characters feel so authentic. I will recommend her books whole heartedly every time I see customers perusing the romance section.

Alice’s personal journey of stepping out from behind her camera and opening her heart is incredibly relatable, and Charlie’s playful yet sincere presence makes this story all the more enchanting. The chemistry between Alice and Charlie is palpable, and their slow-burn romance will have you rooting for them from page one. It has everything you could want in a summer escape: warmth, heart, a touch of nostalgia, and, of course, a swoon-worthy romance.

Possibly my fave Carley fortune. A culmination of her previous books. Her writing remains amazing. I finished this in 24 hours.

I love all of Carley Fortune's books they are so perfect for a beach read or, if you are me, reading inside wrapped in a big fuzzy blanket while it snows outside!

What a lovely surprise to discover this is Charlie's story, the older brother from Every Summer After! This was a breezy delight.