Carley Fortune has done it again. I stayed up until 2 AM to finish this because I just could not put it down.

In Carley Fortune's debut, Every Summer After, we learn about Percy and Sam and the thing that has kept them apart for a decade despite being child sweethearts and seemingly made for each other. Sam's brother, Charlie is the odd man out in their story and as Fortune states in the acknowledgements, fans have not stopped wondering what would happen to Charlie since.

Now, Fortune gives us Charlie's story. Alice and Charlie are a bit too insta-lovey but otherwise their story is so sweet and really touched me in places (I cried--a lot! how very Alice of me). Charlie and Alice's issues never feel contrived but you root for them no matter how much you see incoming disaster. I really loved this one and I am so glad that Fortune decided to return to Barry's Bay.

Synopsis: Head back to Barry’s Bay in this follow up to Every Summer After! Alice spent an idyllic summer at the lake with her grandparents back when she was seventeen - now, as an adult, Alice decides it will be the perfect summer escape for her and her Nan.

Thoughts: “Good things happen at the lake.” This will be one of the books of the summer! Carley is a master of writing the perfect summer setting and vibes. I would definitely recommend reading Every Summer After first if you haven’t yet. Without spoilers for either book - I loved ESA but did NOT love Charlie, so I was pleasantly surprised to adore him in this book. His character arc is so well done. And Alice - I related to her SO MUCH, and the way Charlie helped her be more herself was so sweet and tender. I loved the banter and chemistry between the two of them, and my heart absolutely melted at how sweet Charlie’s relationship with Nan was. I’m a sucker for found family, and their little trio was so sweet! A note on the audio: AJ Bridel’s narration is perfection! Loved it on audio!

Read this if you like:
🚤 lake setting
🚤 friends to lovers
🚤 found family
🚤 opposites attract
🚤 forced proximity
🚤 teenage nostalgia

All the stars. I can't. I loved this book so much. Stayed up til 2 am finishing it and as a mom of two young kids, that's the biggest compliment to a book.

Oh, this book! I loved every minute of it. Alice and Charlie…their relationship…Alice’s grandmother…the setting!! I could go on and on. It was such a beautiful and heartwarming romance of self-discovery and nostalgia of summers at the lake. if you enjoy romance books this book is a must. I adore Carley’s books and this one might be my favorite!

This book was perfection! I have been obsessed with Carley’s books since Every Summer After and it was so nice to be back in Barry’s Bay. Charlie is such a misunderstood character and I’ve always wanted to get his story, so I was ecstatic when Carley announced this book. One Golden Summer was the perfect summer romance and I loved every second of it. Alice and Charlie were perfect together, and this book exceeded all expectations. I highly recommend you add this book to your TBR!

Thank you to Carley Fortune, Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I relish a great Summer beach read novel and Carley Fortune delivers every year when I’m jonesing for a vacation when I can spend time immersing myself in a delicious setting, and complicated characters that make you want to root for them. One Golden Summer captures that feeling so well. Alice’s journey to find herself while capturing the love for photography while having a summer “friendship” with Charlie was easy breezy reading. It made me feel warm with happiness while at the same time tense with nervous anxiety. Just as with any good romance, there is a hiccup to happiness that they must overcome. I’ll admit I shed a few tears reading this novel but that’s a sign of a strong connection to the characters. I was hooked and stayed up until late in the early morning hours to finish this novel because I just couldn’t put it down.

If you’re in the mood for a summer romance, then Carley Fortune is the author you turn to, and One Golden Summer is another wonderful romantic page turner. To be honest, summer is my most dreaded season because I live in the south, where we have summer eight months out of the year, but that doesn’t dampen my love for summer romances. I would recommend this book to everyone. Actually, I would recommend ALL of Carley Fortune’s books.

Dare I say, this is Fortune's best book yet? There is just something about a romance with so so much hilarious banter and wit that I just gobble up. These characters are the best. Lake setting in the summer, perfection. I cannot get enough of this story and was truly sad when I finished simply because I wanted to stay on that lake with them. 5 stars hands down.

This might have just became my favorite Carley Fortune book?! Honestly, after Every Summer After, I didn't feel like I needed Charlie's book, but I am happy to report that I was wrong. I needed this book like a fish needs water. My biggest mistake was starting it right before bed because I didn't sleep until it was done (yes, birds were chirping and it was WORTH IT).

𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚
Good things happen at the lake. Or so that's what Alice's grandmother says.
Alice spent one summer at Barry's Bay. Her life changed that summer when her grandmother gave her a camera for her birthday. Shy and the turtle of her family, she never approached the other teens at the lake, but she did take a photo of three of them out on a yellow boat. That photo changed her life. Sixteen years later, she's a photographer who is booked, busy, and healing from a break up. When Nan has emergency hip replacement, Alice decides they could both use a trip back to the lake.

𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
• If you like banter, you need to meet Charlie.
• If you yearn to be seen and understood without asking, you need this book.
• If you've ever wished you did things differently in your past, this book is for you.

Fortune handles challenging topics with great care. Yet, it's not a sad story with the humor and love shared between all the characters. I laughed. I cried. I've stared into space for 2 days since finishing it.

Her writing is deliciously descriptive without getting bogged down. I could have sworn I was at lake.

⚠️ If you have not read Every Summer After, this book contains spoilers. However, you could read this one on its own if you don't mind.

Hands down my favorite Carley Fortune book yet! I binged this book over the weekend, and it was exactly what I needed. I was giggling so loud and literally kicking my feet. One Golden Summer perfectly hits romance, comedy, and depth.

What I loved:
- Charlie mf Florek
- I ADORE Alice. Like…obsessively adore her. She’s such a relatable FMC. She’s an introverted people pleaser, but she also has a bite and an edge to her.
- The flirty banter and back-and-forth between Charlie and Alice is EVERYTHING.
- I love a slow burn, and this was done so incredibly well.

I had a hard time putting this one down, but I found myself slowing down because I didn’t want it to end.

One Golden Summer
By: Carley Fortune

Thank you to @berkleyromance for free e-book #berkleypartner #berkley All opinions are my own.

“It feels like all the greatest kisses in one. Like kissing your high school crush, and the best friend you’ve fallen in love with… It’s the starting gun and the finish line.”

I’m not sure I have the words to sum up how much I loved One Golden Summer but I will do my best to convey the depth for which my heart connected to this beautiful story. It has been my favorite read so far this year and I simply loved each and every moment of it.

When she was seventeen Alice spent one amazing summer at the lake with her Nan and took a breathtaking photo of three gorgeous teenagers in a yellow speed boat that changed her life. As an adult, Alice has become good at capturing what others want to see in her photos but she can’t remember the last time she took a picture just for fun. With her grandmother also struggling, Alice comes up with a plan for her and Nan to return to the lake where good things always happen. One of those good things, as it turns out, is Charlie Florek -- the boy from her photo who is all grown up but whose smile makes Alice feel like she is seventeen again.

There are so many things that I loved about One Golden Summer but the thing I love the most is Charlie. He is pure joy and sunshine and he brings so much warmth and happiness to the pages of this book. His love and friendship makes Alice stronger. He draws her out and makes her want to be seen. Her character grows leaps and bounds because of their connection and I was right there with her as she fell in love.

It is no surprise that Carley Fortune is an auto-buy author for so many of us romance loving readers. Infinity stars

Read if you like:

Summer Love
Opposites Attract
Character Growth
Interconnected Stories
Friends to Lovers
Found Family

The way I got an ARC from one of my favourite authors and I’ll forever be so thankful. 🥹🥹🥹

5 stars for this masterpiece. The banter, the flirting, the emotion, the story of Charlie & Alice… THIS was everything I expected it to be and more.

I’ve read everything this author has written and loved it all—so yeah, I knew I’d like this one. But I didn’t expect it to destroy me like this. I wasn’t ready. Not even close.

This book got inside me. The setting? Pure dream-state. The plot? A reflection of everything I’ve been through but didn’t know how to say out loud. That aching space after a breakup, where you’re tired of being the “good girl” and craving something more. Not just love or lust, but freedom. Recklessness. Feeling again.

And then there’s the photography. Oh my god—the way it’s woven in isn’t just aesthetic, it’s spiritual. It’s that desperate need to capture something real before it slips away. I felt every click of the shutter like it was my own heartbeat. That search for light, for truth, for something beautiful in the chaos—that’s me. That’s my life.

Even though it’s technically a sequel, it stands on its own. But if you’ve read the others, you already know: this author doesn’t just write books—they write emotions. They write moments that feel like they’ve been pulled from your ribcage and scattered across the page.

I cried. I lied. I melted. And when it ended, I just sat there, wanting more. More mess, more beauty, more blurry memories caught in golden light.

This book didn’t just move me. It saw me. And I’ll never be the same.

I will read absolutely anything that Carley Fortune writes. I have loved Charlie Florek since I first read Every Summer After three years ago. And this book didn't disappoint. I loved both of the characters, and the development of the plot was so relatable and beautiful. I loved following Alice and Charlie's journey.

I had so much fun reading this. It's just the perfect summer vibe book, with a lot of funny moments and banter but also some serious issues and a lovely slow burn development of a relationship. I'll be honest, I didn't read Every Summer After before this--I know! I should have!--but I don't think it really impacted my enjoyment of One Golden Summer at all. I will circle back around and read it and then maybe re-read this. I have read some of Carley Fortune's other summer romances and didn't realize this one was interconnected.

Alice was a very relatable character. I appreciated her depth; she is a people pleaser but not a complete push over, and I appreciate how well Charlie's nearly opposite personality actually complements hers well. I couldn't help but be frustrated with Charlie here or there, but ultimately, the irritation was mild and I was happy how the book finally resolved. Finally, the cottage country setting felt like almost its own character here. I loved the call out to specific institutions, like Kawartha Dairy, and I felt like there were so many tiny details that perfectly captured the setting (though I'll note that personally, I am always eaten alive by bugs on the lake and our characters seem to have escaped my fate. probably an improvement!)

I will definitely read Carley Fortune's next book but this also makes me want to go back and read some of her other novels that I haven't gotten to yet.

4.5⭐️! So many positives to mention about this book. We follow our female main character Alice as she revisits Barry’s Bay as an adult to help her grandma recover from a hip injury.

The descriptive language engages you and drops you right into the whimsical, magical, summery lake setting. The romance is full of tension, yearning, & the slow build is such a pay off.

We finally get Charlie’s book and really get to see just how much he has lived through. The chemistry felt real- both of our MC’s are guarded for different reasons but they learn to open up to each other slowly through mature communication. The twists i didn’t expect, but appreciated because they added context to the story. Charlie is a huge flirt that had me and Alice both giggling and blushing. Definitely an MMC i’ll be thinking about for a while..

Thank you net galley for the ARC!

OUT ON: MAY 6, 2025

Review: Carley Fortune is one of my favorite authors and I was over the moon to receive this book and to read it early (thank you so much @berkleypub | @netgalley for the advanced digital copy 🤍🥹).

This book was a wonderful depiction of self-growth, getting back to your roots and learning to trust (others and yourself). I never thought that I would want Charlie’s story after reading Every Summer After, but now that I have read it I honestly think I liked it even more than Percy and Sams! The way that Charlie was written speaks so highly to those who hide themselves away under a facade when they are hurting. Getting to watch a man unravel twenty-one years of pain for the woman he loves made my heart hurt in the best way. Alice was his perfect match in every way. I loved that she called him out and kept him on his toes!

The way that they have a “seventeen-year-old-summer” was evident in some of the more cringey moments, but I did enjoy it nonetheless. I didn’t love how lusty this book was, but I acknowledge that it was a key part of Charlie’s characterization, so I’ll let it slide for this one. I also enjoyed that this “bucket-list” didn’t dominate the entire plot, but was just a portion of it!

As always, the writing in this book was gorgeous. The amount of quotes I have highlighted throughout this one is a touch aggressive, but I couldn’t help myself.

Anyways, I thought this book was a great read and overall I have no notes but if you’re looking to read it without the spicy scenes (like I do), check out my open door warnings below!

⭐5/5 Rating

⛔️Open Door Scenes: 31, 37 & 45

📖Genres: Romance | Contemporary | Contemporary Romance

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune is a romance book set in Barry’s Bay, an interconnected standalone to her book Every Summer After. This is THE perfect summer romance book.

The way I just ate this entire book up, let me tell you. I’m not sure I can put into words how amazing it *felt* to read this. I loved it right off the bat—and all the way through.

The *vibes* in this book are everything. The banter is top notch. And I could literally 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 the connection between Alice and Charlie. I love how they make each other better, more their true selves. I also love the way Nan perked up to play matchmaker. I connected with Alice’s introvertedness immediately. Charlie’s confident cockiness is sexy AF. And, I also love the richness Nan’s character lends to the story as well.

I haven’t read Every Summer After yet, so I didn’t even realize these two are connected until I read the acknowledgments at the end. This book stands on its own just fine if you haven’t read the other first. But, I totally plan on reading it now to see Sam and Percy’s full story. And, what sounds like Charlie in his villain era. This story sounds like it’s Charlie’s redemption arc.

I highly recommend this book! It’s one of those books that I finished and immediately wished I could read it again for the first time. Definitely add this book to your summer bucket list!

I adore Carley Fortune’s books. Every Summer After broke my heart and put it back together in the most beautiful way possible, but I always wanted more for Charlie. And FINALLY, we get that. One Golden Summer was everything I’d hoped it would be. Alice is so relatable. She doesn’t like to ask for help, never wants to be a burden, and devotes her life to taking care of other people. She’s lost her passion for her job, and watching her rediscover herself and her love for photography was so healing. She thinks of herself as timid and well behaved, but she’s neither of those things around Charlie. He is confident (a little cocky even), charming, funny, and cheeky. He’s completely full of himself, but he’s also attentive, kind, caring, and sweet. Watching them start as friends and slowly fall for each other gave me butterflies. Alice falls hard and fast, and so does Charlie, but he’s adamant that they remain just friends. He wants so much more, but won’t allow himself to have it, and the yearning is unmatched. This book felt like home. It was nostalgic, heartfelt, emotional, romantic, and full of self-discovery and second chances. I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love. Read it immediately.

Thank you to Berkley Romance, Berkley Publishing, Penguin Random House, Carley Fortune, and NetGalley for the ARC.

📔One Golden Summer
✏️ Carley Fortune
📆 May 6, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🥒lake setting
🥒slowburn romance
🥒flirty banter
🥒reformed player
🥒golden retriever hero
🥒mutual pining
🥒will they or won’t they
🥒friends to lovers

I didn't realize I needed Charlie's story until I read it. He just seemed like that one last obstacle in Percy and Sam's story. But this book really fleshed him and gave him a life of his own. And Alice was a great FMC and really balanced him out, while having an interesting and relatable story herself. Wonderful new book from Carley Fortune!