I love a good summer romance and One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune delivered. In this story we follow Alice Everly, a photographer who returns to her grandmother's lakeside cottage to help her recover from a broken hip. While there, Alice reconnects with Charlie Florek, a man that she once photographed when they both were young at the lake. I enjoyed the witty banter between Charlie and Alice, but there were some times when the pacing was a bit slow. The book explores themes or healing and self-discovery. Definitely a read to pick up this summer!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berley for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Favorite book of the year, hands down. My hopes going into One Golden Summer were SKY HIGH let me tell you, but even I couldn't have predicted how utterly perfect this book could be. Literal perfection. Cue the TikTok sound "no, no, I don't think you understand...I'm *obsessed* I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!

One Golden Summer
Favorite Parts

9% Charlie’s list (specifically the last bullet point! 😍‼️
14% “whoa”
18% the boat rescue
20% Nan hooting and clapping
22% a shirt that smells like summer
24% last sentence in ch. 12
26% “lucky Pegasus”
31% grocery store encounter/cake mixes
33% Charlie’s birthday gift to Alice
35% Percy and Sam! 🥰
36% the boat fireworks
40% reviewing the list
43% coming home after the date
45% the boathouse convo
47% the photograph connection
50% the dill pickles
53% “you might be the biggest surprise of my life, Alice.”
55% “I’ve been smiling too much,” I tell him. Charlie’s eyes flash with delight. “No such thing.”
69% Charlie’s IG
72% old fashioned selfie
72% “sorry, that one’s mine.”
72% keeping his shirt on
74% “nah, you love me”
75% what Charlie says while brushing teeth
76% the entire little section where Alice says “nerd” 🥰🥰
78% staying the night
81% the dark room surprise
83% “we met over cucumbers”
85% making pierogis together
92% “you look good in yellow” 🥺
95% “my Alice”
96% the cheesy rose petals and Rod Stewart
99% the epilogue

I swear Carley gets better and better with each book she writes. I absolutely loved One Golden Summer and Charlie and Alice and everyone in Barrys Bay. It was so good to go back to Barrys Bay and see Charlie get the happy ending he deserves. I did not dislike I single thing about this book. 10/10 on any scale.

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune is a heartwarming and enchanting romance that perfectly captures the spirit of summer. Perfect for your summer TBR, this novel will appeal to readers who enjoy friends-to-lovers tropes, nostalgic settings, happy endings, and emotionally rich summer love stories.

Set once again in the picturesque Barry’s Bay, the story revisits familiar ground for those who have read Every Summer After. This time, the focus is on Charlie Florek—previously introduced as a charismatic heartbreaker—and Alice, a reserved and gifted photographer spending the summer at the lake with her beloved grandmother. Their instant connection sets the stage for a compelling narrative filled with witty banter, emotional depth, and a slow-burn romance that’s easy to root for.

One of the novel’s standout elements is the strong depiction of family relationships, particularly the caring bond between Alice and her grandmother, Nan. Charlie’s respectful and warm interactions with Nan add another layer of charm to his character. Fans of Every Summer After will also appreciate the continued presence of Sam and Percy, whose enduring love and evolving friendships enrich the story and provide a satisfying sense of continuity.

Both Alice and Charlie undergo meaningful personal growth over the course of the novel. Their individual transformations and the way they bring out the best in each other make their love story feel authentic and emotionally rewarding.

While One Golden Summer can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading Every Summer After first to fully appreciate Charlie’s background and the returning characters.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The book of summer!! Carley fortune has done it again. I loved being back in the world of Percy and Sam and exploring Charlie’s side. It was so charming and emotional at the same time. Can’t wait to read it again!

Oh my goodness, I loved loved loved this book! I loved getting Charlie’s story! I fell in love with Charlie, and Sam, and Percy, Barry’s Bay in Every Summer After, and I am so glad Carley decided to write Charlie’s story! It was so wonderful to go back to Barry’s Bay and to see how Sam & Percy were and see Charlie find his love! This was such a wonderful, heartwarming story and I loved every minute!

If you are looking for the perfect summer book, that embodies people finding second chances, rediscovering who they are after losing their self, and ending in a happily ever after this book is for you.

Charlie is introduced in Every Summer After as the playboy who never commits to any relationship so I’m glad he got his redemption arc in One Golden Summer and how the author tied in his life with the life of the FMC, Alice.

Alice comes to the lake to rediscover herself and take a much needed break from work. She is struggling with her life after a breakup and her work just overtaking her life. She’s not satisfied with anything. She writes a bucket list she wants to do this summer and Charlie stumbles upon it one day (their lake cottages are next to each other).

He helps her with her list and they are having the best summer together. But summers always have to come to an end, and they have to go back to the city to their “real lives.” But what happens to them? Read it to find out.

This books just FELLS like summer. Hot, fun, maybe a little sunburnt at times.

I love this little corner of the world Carley has built and it felt so good to be back in this space. Carley’s stories are always heartwarming but emotional - and I never escape without crying at LEAST twice. This book was no exception.

I loved this book! Carley Fortune completely captures the nostalgia and vibes of an Ontario summer cottage. I loved Charlie's story and the glimpses of Percy and Sam. Alice was a heroine in her own right, and I loved her growth, especially within her family dynamic. And give me all the beautiful, wise, sassy old grannies.

Carley Fortune’s best yet!!!! The perfect summer read and the perfect companion to Every Summer After.

Forced proximity, friends to lovers, and exceptional banter that will have your toes curling!!!!

Alice’s grandma always tells her that good things happen at the lake. Last time Alice was spending summer at the cottage with Nan, she was 17, and took a photo of 3 teens in a speedboat, a picture that was life-changing for her. Now as a photographer, Alice finds herself back for another summer in Barry’s Bay. Alice sees the familiar yellow boat, with the man driving it being Charlie, who she hasn’t seen since she was 17…

The nostalgia, slow-burn, and steamy moments in Barry’s Bay between Alice and Charlie was chefs kiss!!! Carley’s writing was so detailed, I felt like I was at the cottage with them. Not only did I really love the relationship between Alice and Charlie, but I really loved her Nan and their relationship as well.

My favorite so far from Carley, and this is one I will be recommending all summer!

No one writes nostalgia like Carley Fortune—her books just feel like summer. The scenery is stunning, cozy and so vivid you can practically smell the lake water and sunscreen.

Every Summer After was one of my favorite books of 2024, and when I heard we were getting a “sequel” I was nervous it wouldn’t live up to everything I hoped for. I had nothing to worry about. It truly felt like a genuine continuation of the characters (glad we got to see Percy and Sam again 🩷) and I was so glad to be brought back to the familiarity of Barry’s Bay.

I know Charlie isn’t everyone’s favorite, but honestly, I loved getting his story. I’m always drawn to characters who are messy and imperfect—it makes them feel more real. I loved his sarcasm and playboy banter from Every Summer After and I’m glad we got even more wittiness and flirtiness this time around for Alice.

This book gave me all the feelings, I didn’t want this book to end. Sweet, emotional, sentimental and just the right amount of angsty. Carley really is back and better than ever!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I didn’t think I needed Charlie’s story after Every Summer After, but I’m glad I got it!

Carley Fortune took us back to Barry’s Bay with Alice, who discovered her love of photography there at 17. Now 33, she returns with her grandmother to help her recover from hip surgery and take a break from her busy and less-than-fulfilling photography career. She has never forgotten about the photo she took there 16 years ago: 2 boys and a girl full of joy on the lake. The cottage caretaker is none other than Charlie Florek. Alice quickly realizes that Charlie is one of the 2 boys from the photo. The two couldn’t be more different. Alice is shy and reserved. Charlie is a flirt who seems to think a lot of himself. As the two get to know each other, they find they have more in common than they think. What starts as a summer fling grows more complicated as the two get to know each other on a deeper level.

There’s a lot of positive to say about Charlie and Alice’s romance, but Fortune’s story covers so much more. The way she writes about Alice’s career and how she won’t compromise is refreshing to see. I also loved Nan and her character development as she confronts her own past at Barry’s Bay. Fortune has mentioned how she strives to immerse readers in the settings she writes about, and she knocks it out of the park. You don’t have to read Every Summer After first, but I recommend it to get the most out of One Golden Summer. Lastly, the ending was happy without being cheesy. If you’re looking for a beach read or just a book that makes you feel like you’re on vacation, look no further!

I find it very hard to find 5 star romances but One Golden Summer is undeniably one of them!

In this story we follow Alice, a people pleaser who constantly puts others before herself (relatable!). For this summer, she decides that she is finally going to start doing things to make herself the main character in her story as she takes a vacation at the lake she visited in her teen years. Upon arrival she meets our male lead Charlie. The rest is history!

Our female lead, Alice, was relatable, endearing, and likable. You don't even want to get me started on our male lead. Charlie Florek. Men written by women are always a treat but there is something irresistible about Charlie. He's straightforward, confident, and witty which made the banter throughout the book sexy, flirty, and fun. Fortune does a really good job at SHOWING who the characters are and not just telling.

Romantically, I think the pacing was incredible and I was always left wanting more from them (which is not common for me with romances). It was so tastefully done. Fortune knocked this one out of the park. I could read an entire series about Charlie at this point.

Short synopsis: Alice takes her Nan to the lake house she spent her childhood in, and runs into Charlie. She soon finds out he was the boy in the photograph she took when she was 17.

My thoughts: Take me to the lake! I’ve adored Charlie since reading Ever Summer After, and I’ve been dying to read his story.
Alice was the perfect HEA for him! I loved how they were so opposite, but fit so perfectly together and brought out the best in each other.

I’ve always loved a friends to lovers story, this is an adults friends (with benefits) to lovers. I adored their chemistry, the slow burn, and how Charlie pushed Alice to complete her bucket list.

And as always, Carley writes such amazing realistic side characters. My favoring Nan. She had such great commentary and spunk!

This is going to be the romance of the summer, hands down.

Read if you love:
* Strangers to Friends to lovers
* Forced proximity
* Opposites attract
* Lake vibes
* Bucket lists

This book…. Carley Fortune, why do you do this to me every year?? 🥹

It was so good to be back in Barry’s Bay, especially to spend time with Charlie. Charlie and Alice were perfect together and I adored seeing Percy and Sam again. Also, Alice’s grandmother was the best side character!

I loved everything about this story and finished it in a day, I did not want it to ever end.

🌟4.25

the best words to describe this book are peace and comfort. carley fortune’s writing is so beautiful, lyrical, and radiate all the warm, fuzzy feelings. our main character is very shy and timid and has a hard time standing up for herself which balances out perfectly with the mmc counterpart who is radiant, outgoing and sweet. i love their story and how it tied to the first book and revisiting barry’s bay was so nostalgic.

♾️/🌟
I full on sobbed for an extended amount of time while I read a part of this book. And I don’t mean some tears tricked out but I cried so hard that at some point while you’re crying you ask your self if you’re about to start your period because you are bordering on hysterical levels of crying.

This was so beautifully written. It made something deep in my chest fill with so much yearning. From the storyline, the depth of the connection and the underlining knowledge that something was driving what Charlie was doing and having a very sick feeling you knew how bad it might be. I just, I cried, and I laughed and I smiled and my heart swelled to unimaginable levels.

This was so much fun to read. Although I wish I had re-read Every Summer After before this, I still enjoyed it. This was definitely a book that didn’t need to be written, but I’d like to thank the people for being so persistent and making sure that it got done lmao

I LOVED that this was a companion novel but this is also completely it’s own thing. Like even if you don’t know Charlie’s history, you’d still enjoy this. Yeah you get a really big spoiler, but I would say it would have made me more interested in trying to find out what happened and how they got there. But I mean, I get it if it doesn’t make you want to know more. This one is a tough one, because I know that hearing what happened might scare someone off, so I will say its understandable if you don’t want to.

In other news, I loved seeing Charlie’s story. I did NOT know how smooth he was lol And I’m talking about Alice AND her grandma. He was every bit of a flirt, but definitely still one of the sweetest humans. He annoyed me so much in the beginning, but I think it was because I was annoyed with the events from the last book. But as the story went on it got better and I was less mad at him. Now Alice?She was ok, but she seemed so strict and rigid. I get it because she was trying to take care of her grandma, but like she needed some fun. I was glad she found Charlie because they were so different.

Them finding each other was so much fun to watch tho. Charlie was so cocky and he just kept working on her nerves lol When they finally got together I was glad because she needed someone like him. He helped bring her out of her comfort zone and got her to realize that yes she was there to take care of her grandma, but she also needed to take care of herself too. I DID get mad at Charlie tho because he was doing too much trying to push her away. They both needed each other and I wished that we could see the things we saw in them.

The setting was still beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever read an author that made me want to be sucked into each book so bad. The way she describes the water, the boats, the sun, just everything, was so good. As someone who literally named her blog after traveling through books, this one really made me want to get to visit Canada.

I really hope to see more from this lake house. I know there’s so many more stories from others who visited before. I’m glad we got another story here, but I still want more!

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

Every summer I look forward to a new book by Carley Fortune, and this one was even more exciting since it's the companion novel to Every Summer After. We finally get Charlie's story and I really enjoyed it!

Alice and her grandmother go back to Barry's Bay for the summer so Nan can recover from a broken hip. Alice plans on spending the summer taking photos and trying to figure a few things out for herself. One thing she doesn't plan on though is Charlie. She tries to keep him at a distance, but he quickly wins over Nan - and Alice. Charlie is dealing with a lot of personal things, and that actually explains a lot about his character. He and Alice balance each other out well, once they finally open up to each other.

This is a great summer read with many of our favorite tropes - forced proximity (across the lake!!), slow burn, vacation romance....

Definitely read Every Summer After first, because you need the back story, but I think this book is deeper and hit a bit harder. Also there's quite a bit of Percy and Sam and this book and it will ruin a few things for you! I actually wish I had reread Every Summer After first as a refresher. I actually might do that, because off the top of my head, I liked Every Summer After better, but after rereading it, I might change my mind..

THIS IS THE BEST BOOK of 2025. There hasn't been a single day that has passed since I read it where I haven't thought about it