Robin’s Rave Reviews 2025
EVERY SUMMER AFTER by Carley Fortune is so good, I can’t get the story and characters out of my mind. It isn’t often I consume a book in 24 hours, but I couldn’t stop reading. My mind is still chilling at the lake in Barry’s Bay.
What luck to have read two contemporary romances that I loved consecutively! I recently blogged about THE SUMMER OF YOU AND ME by Denise Hunter, so when you finish that one, jump to this one–EVERY SUMMER AFTER by Carley Fortune. *Note that EVERY SUMMER AFTER is a bit spicier. It has THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY vibes, so if you liked that book series or Amazon Prime show, definitely don’t miss this one. EVERY SUMMER AFTER has also been compared to LOVE AND OTHER WORDS by Christina Lauren, although I haven’t read that one.
Book Summary
Six summers to fall in love. One moment to fall apart, A weekend to get it right.
Thirty-year-old Percy (Persephone) tells the story in first person with alternating timelines. I’m estimating that her present would have been around 2010 or slightly earlier, and the past goes back twelve years from then.
When Percy is thirteen, her family buys a vacation lake house in Barry’s Bay (Canada) next door to the Florek family. Percy spends all her teenage summers hanging out with the Florek boys, Charlie and Sam, but especially Sam. Although Percy has trouble socially at school in Toronto, Sam accepts her and loves her for who she is, quirks and all.
Over these summers, Percy and Sam become best friends, and their relationship gradually turns romantic. Readers will realize the present day adult Percy has some qualms about returning to Barry’s Bay and seeing Sam again. Obviously, something happened that has kept them apart all these years.
The story begins in her present with a phone call from Charlie. She’s surprised since she hasn’t had contact with anyone in the Florek family for twelve years. Charlie informs her of his mother’s death and expresses that she should be at the funeral since she was like family.
When Percy returns to the lake, she’s flooded with nostalgic memories. Chapters flash back to simpler days with Sam–enjoying the sun, jumping off the dock into the water, taking the boat out, talking for hours about everything and nothing, dreaming of the future, and watching movies in the basement to cool off.
When Sam and Percy encounter each other on her return, it’s apparent they still have a connection. This weekend is Percy and Sam’s chance to clear the air about past mistakes, to forgive, and to explore if it’s too late to rekindle their relationship.
My ThoughtsÂ
I loved the relaxed days of being a teenager at the lake. It’s a story of the awkwardness of the teen years and first love, but also the tidal wave of emotions that comes with it. It’s a second chance story with ‘the one that got away.’ The author spends more time in the past than the present, but I appreciated that. I was more interested in watching the teenage versions of the characters as they grow up.
You will probably see the story’s twist of what separates them coming from a mile away. I did. Although I didn’t want to see it happen, it doesn’t surprise me that an eighteen-year-old would make a stupid choice like this. Some readers who’ve reviewed the book can’t get past it and can’t accept that the action can be forgiven, but this is a romance which means it’s going to have an HEA (happily ever after) ending. I am happy to see that teenage mistakes had consequences, but they didn’t have to be held against them for the rest of their lives.
I didn’t like teenage Charlie much, but readers may catch snippets that point to him maturing as an adult. Even Charlie can become a better person. Let’s see how it goes for him in the sequel, ONE GOLDEN SUMMER, coming out soon. I preordered my copy.
EVERY SUMMER AFTER was published in 2022. The sequel, ONE GOLDEN SUMMER, comes out May 6, 2025. Consider purchasing through Bookshop.org to help support independent mom and pop bookstores. (I don’t receive a commission from these links. I simply want to help independent bookstores.)
About the Author
Carley Fortune is an award-winning journalist, having worked as an editor at some of Canada’s top publications. Now, she’s a #1 New York Times and #1 Globe and Mail bestselling author, as well.
Carley was born in Toronto but lived in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia until age 8. That’s when her family permanently moved to Barry’s Bay, a tiny lakeside town in Ontario, Canada, the setting for both EVERY SUMMER AFTER and ONE GOLDEN SUMMER. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband and two sons.
EVERY SUMMER AFTER was Carley’s debut novel. She is currently working on novel number five.
If You Like…
If you like EVERY SUMMER AFTER by Carley Fortune, check out the books I’ve already mentioned: THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY by Jenny Han and LOVE AND OTHER WORDS by Christina Lauren. (Again, I haven’t personally read the second one, but reviewers compare these books.) You can also check out my blog review for this enjoyable contemporary romance: JUST FOR THE SUMMER by Abby Jimenez.
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