Loved every page of this! This is a perfect summer romance book - with huge amounts of chemistry, heartache and friendship.

This starts off as a typical falling for your best friend’s brother trope but Carley is an expert at describing places to make you feel like you are there. I knew nothing of Prince Edward Island before but now I feel like I need to visit at least once in my life!

The chemistry between Lucy and Felix was ✨Chef’s Kiss ✨ and I was absolutely rooting for them the entire book.

I loved Every Summer After as well. Carley is now definitely one of my Auto-Buy authors!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.


#ThisSummerWillBeDifferent

Lucy can't believe it when she instantly connects with Felix while waiting for her best friend to arrive for their trip to Prince Edward Island. But what Lucy doesn't realise is that Felix is her bestie, Bridget's, brother. And that Bridget's one big rule is to not fall for her brother.

Guys!! Carley Fortune is BACK. If you loved her first book, Every Summer After, then I guarantee that you will love this one too. It had the same summery vibes with sizzling chemistry between our two main characters. I really enjoyed Bridget's side story as well which kept the storyline moving along. I read this book within 24 hours - the writing flowed so well and it was hard to put down once I got started.

Lucy and Bridget are best friends. Five summers ago Lucy’s planning to visit the island Bridget grew up on. A list of rules are set the third rule being don’t fall in love with her brother!

The book is set across five summers and now- with the run up to Bridget’s wedding. Lucy suspects her best friend is keeping something from her & in turn she’s keeping her own secrets!

Perfect read for those who enjoy:
- Stories that evoke emotion
- Gentle love stories
- Complexities of female friendship

With thanks to Penguin Random House, Michael Joseph and Netgalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

This was my first Carley Fortune book, and after reading This Summer Will Be Different, she has now become one of my autobuy authors!

Carley Fortune has a way of wrapping up emotion after emotion in her writing style. It's like reading a warm hug, eating your comfort food, relaxing in a hot bath with a glass of wine. She is a master of small town romance!

I instantly loved Bee and Bridget! Their friendship just translated so well across the pages. I guessed kinda early on who Felix was, but I didn't mind one bit. I felt it wasn't so much a secret to us, as the way Bee kept the secret from Bridget. It felt like we were meant to guess and be ahead of Bridget's findings so we were more empathetic to Bee's situation.

I loved Felix and Zach's bond too. Carley Fortune captures friendships in a beautiful way, you can feel people's love for eachother through the book. The intensity, the pain, the friction, the good and the bad.

I loved how Bee and Felix bring out the best in eachother. It felt so natural, the perfect summer romance! And I loved that they got their happy ending. This was the perfect cosy spring/summer vibes read, and I can't wait to add a physical copy to my collection when it's released.

Thank you to NetGalley, The Publisher Michael Joseph and the Author Carley Fortune for this advanced reader copy (ARC).

This was my first book by Carley Fortune and I went into it with high hopes as I have heard great things about her previous books.
This is a perfect book to binge during summer or to get you into the summer feels. It was fast paced, a fun read and filled with popular tropes including best friend’s brother and forbidden romance.

I thought the romance in this book was great. It did seem a bit insta-lovey and lusty at the start but as we got to see more of the interactions between Lucy and Felix throughout the years, the more I could see that they really had an emotional connection and as a result I was rooting for them. The tension and angst between them was crazy and there were definitely some memorable steamy scenes! Not only was this book heavy on the romantic relationship but it explored the friendship we see between Lucy and Bridget so beautifully. Their dynamic was so heartwarming to read about and their bond and loyalty to one another were some of my favourite things in this book.

The only reason why this book was not 5 stars for me was because I found certain parts of the middle of the storyline to drag on a bit as some parts were slightly repetitive and I felt we could’ve gotten to the point a bit faster.

Overall I’d definitely recommend this book and I look forward to picking up other books by Carley Fortune in the future!

4⭐️

Title: This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
Release Date: May, 9th, 2024

4.5 Stars


Lucy, a tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island, finds herself swept off her feet by Felix, a charming local. However, she's unaware that Felix is actually her best friend's younger brother. Despite their undeniable chemistry, they both know they should stay away from each other, vowing to never repeat their passionate night together.

Yet, when Lucy returns to PEI each year for a retreat with her best friend Bridget, she finds herself unable to resist Felix's allure. Determined to keep her heart out of the equation, Lucy convinces herself that she can enjoy Felix's company without getting emotionally involved.

However, when Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy rushes to the island to support her friend. Amidst the chaos, Lucy finds herself grappling with newfound feelings for Felix, whose demeanor has shifted. As she navigates her conflicting emotions, Lucy begins to question whether her heart is truly safe from Felix's charm.


"This Summer Will Be Different" delivers a delightful mix of romance, unbreakable friendships, and unwavering loyalty.I felt the sparks flying between Lucy and Felix, keeping me glued to the pages. And the bond between Lucy and Bridget? It's so beautifully depicted, I needed some tissues nearby.

With its perfect mix of laughter and tears, it's like riding a rollercoaster of emotions. Fortune's characters are so well-crafted, you'll feel like you're right there with them, experiencing every twist and turn of their journey. And let's not forget about the vivid setting of Prince Edward Island—it's like stepping into a painting that you'll never want to leave.

So grab a cozy spot and prepare to be swept away by this captivating tale!

Tropes:

Best Friend's Brother
Forbidden Romance
Instant chemistry
Opposites Attract
Second Chance Romance
Friendship and family




Thank you to The PublisherMichael Joseph, Penguin Random House | Penguin , The Author Carley Fortune & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

i’ve loved both of carley fortunes books so far and this was no different. i think every summer after is still my favourite but i really enjoyed this one too. i loved the friendships in this book and how it was about finding your found family as well as the romance. i’m also so happy there was no cheating trope in this one!! a perfect fun feel good beach read!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a preview read of this book.

This is the first Carley Fortune book I have read! I had seen her books all over last year, but hadn't got round to reading any. I was nervous that her books wouldn't live up to the hype, but this book did not disappoint! An ideal summer read. The story was full of romance, friendship and emotional moments that I just had to keep reading to find out what happened.

Although Lucy and Felix were the main storyline, I loved the friendship between Lucy and Bridget. It was really refreshing to see two characters whose friendship was important to both of them, not just the focus on the romance! I really enjoyed how the romance, friendship and family storylines joined together.

Fortune did a great job making Prince Edward Island come to life and I could imagine the story unfolding there.

This Summer Will be DIfferent is a thoroughly enjoyable read for the summer.
An excellent first book to read from Carley Fortune and look forward to reading her other books now too.

I am so pleased she did it again! Carley Fortune delivered another book which I was able to read faster than any other; the story was charming, spicy and deeply exciting with such romantic escapism and chemistry.
I loved the main characters Lucy (obviously), Bridget and Felix. I thought each were joyous to read about and I could not decide if I enjoyed the romance or friendship themes more. Both struck such emotional chords with me, and I enjoyed every second of them.

With a setting of Toronto, combined with Prince Edward Island, I was in love. The references to Anne of Green Gables took my breath away as so many of my favourite things collided. The references to Anne Shirley made this book for me!

There were so many lovely themes and quotes to take from this book. A story that will stay with me for a long time, with characters who seemed more developed and standalone than Carley’s previous focuses.

I could not recommend this book enough, and cannot wait for Carley’s next one! I am so happy I am keeping up with her releases. She is probably the only author I have ever had the commitment to do this for and she has never disappointed!

Firstly, thank you for the advanced copy of This Summer Will Be Different - easily one of my most anticipated reads for 2024!!
Carley Fortune became an auto buy author for me after I loved Every Summer After, I wasn't a big fan of Meet Me At the Lake but I definitely feel like TSWBD was just as good as ESA.
I immediately fell in love with the setting of Prince Edward Island and all of the references to Anne of Green Gables was just *chefs kiss* for me. Carley writes so beautifully, the descriptions of the setting are so vivid, as I reader I felt like I was right in the middle of it all. I loved the trope of 'best friend's brother' and was invested in the romance right from the first meeting, the chemistry and sexual tension between Lucy and Felix was so good.
I felt like this book was a bit steamier than the other 2 books, not that I'm complaining!
The only reason I haven't rated it five stars is because I was a little disappointed with how rushed the ending felt to me, I would have liked a bit more focus on Bridget's wedding after such a big lead up.
Another excellent book from Carley Fortune, I can't wait to see what's next. I will definitely be recommending to friends and family to pick up TSWBD as it's a perfect summer read.

Reading the blurb for ‘This Summer Will be Different’ cemented that this was going to be a must-read for me. From the forbidden nature of their relationship, to how they cannot help but give in to their yearning for each other, and the promise of the summery backdrop of Prince Edward Island, the description of Lucy and Felix’s story instantly drew me in.

From the start of the book, Lucy and Felix’s attraction is immediate, and in some ways their relationship relies on the “insta-love” trope. This would typically prevent me from being able to connect to the book. However, by the end of their story I was wholly rooting for, and believed in, Lucy and Felix as a couple. Lines such as “He’ll be my oasis, and I’ll be his” encapsulate the tender and romantic atmosphere Carley Fortune was able to convey, even if their relationship was initially built upon physical attraction.

Something I thought was done extremely well was the sultry atmosphere. Carley Fortune built up tension perfectly, and although she describes it as her “steamiest”, it certainly did not feel overly descriptive or explicit - something that I find usually distracts from the feeling in a romance book. Instead, Carley Fortune created a sense of intimacy, yearning, and undeniable connection through the steamy scenes. It was incredibly heartfelt and flirtatious, and sexy in a dreamy kind of way.

The descriptions of the landscape on Prince Edward Island were truly transportive. It was beachy, hazy, and had me craving salty coastal air whilst actually being in rainy England. This book also felt so cosy, partly because of the tender love between Lucy and Felix, and between Lucy and her best friend, and partly because of the sense of homeliness and belonging Carley Fortune crafted around the island setting.

Lucy also mentions ‘Happy Place’ by Emily Henry in this book, and I certainly felt this as an influence throughout the story, specifically in the characteristically ‘Happy Place’ beach town descriptions. Despite this, Carley Fortune’s writing certainly stands on its own and feels uniquely heartfelt and tender.

This might just be Carley Fortune’s best work, and there were so many aspects I adored. There were moments of humour, so much gentleness in the scenes where Felix takes care of Lucy, and a constant feeling of passionate yearning.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. Carley Fortune has truly outdone herself with this sultry summer read!

Carley Fortune’s "Things Will Be Different This Summer" weaves a charming and heartfelt best friend’s brother romance against the picturesque backdrop of Prince Edward Island (PEI) and Toronto. The story follows Lucy (nicknamed Bee) as she navigates the complexities of friendship, love, and self-discovery during annual summer trips to PEI with her best friend, Bridget.

The novel’s premise is refreshingly trope-filled yet delightfully executed. Upon arriving in PEI, Lucy is immediately drawn to a handsome stranger, Felix, whom she meets at a local bar. Unbeknownst to her, Felix is actually Bridget’s brother - Wolf, as she knows him. The stage is set for forbidden attraction as Lucy grapples with her growing feelings for Felix while honouring her promise not to fall for her best friend’s brother.

Fortune masterfully develops the tension between Lucy and Felix, creating palpable chemistry that leaps off the page. The characters’ emotional journeys are nuanced and relatable. Lucy’s internal conflict - balancing her loyalty to Bridget with her burgeoning affection for Felix—adds depth to her character, making her a protagonist readers can root for.

The dynamics between the characters are another highlight of this novel. Bridget’s protective stance over her brother, stemming from his failed engagement with her former best friend, Joy, adds layers of tension and raises the emotional stakes. Lucy’s struggle to conceal her feelings from Bridget heightens the romantic tension, resulting in a captivating narrative that keeps readers engaged.

Supporting characters like Zach, Felix’s best friend, and Lucy's Aunt Stacy bring additional depth and humour to the story, enriching the overall reading experience. They serve as effective foils to the main characters and contribute to the novel’s lively and authentic atmosphere.

One of the novel’s strengths lies in its ability to explore themes of love, friendship, and self-discovery without sacrificing pacing or character development. The author adeptly balances moments of lightheartedness with deeper emotional introspection, making "Things Will Be Different This Summer" a well-rounded and satisfying read.

While the romance between Lucy and Felix is central to the plot, Fortune also skillfully weaves in themes of personal growth and independence. Lucy’s journey towards self-realisation and confidence is a poignant subplot that will resonate with readers.

Overall, "Things Will Be Different This Summer" is a delightful summer romance with captivating characters, a picturesque setting, and a storyline that strikes a perfect balance between heartwarming and emotionally resonant. Carley Fortune’s narrative prowess shines through, making this novel a highly recommended read for fans of contemporary romance. With its relatable characters and engaging plot, this book garners a solid 4.5-star rating from me.

First of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH Carley Fortune, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and NetGalley for my first ARC on my most anticipated read for 2024.
 
I am an avid fun of Carley Fortune's writing and as always, she delivers!!!
 
This book takes you to how Felix & Lucy's relationship develops over 5 years of strong and undeniable chemistry to each other. As the book goes on, the longing between the characters and the slow burn immerses reader's emotions, that the anticipation that the book wanted you to feel over Felix & Lucy's relationship over the timeline of 5 years carried out very well throughout the book. The temptations between Felix & Bee get you so excited and giddy, like a sneeky teenager.
 
I could be bias because I love dual POVs, but although I love the suspense on the 'NOW' and 'THEN' timeline - I think it would be perfect if the timeline is also written in dual POVs. As I find myself kept flipping back to the previous pages to make sure I was on the right track.
 
However, as always Carley Fortune thought the story out very well, transporting you to the place and relating with the characters’ (Bridget & Bee's friendship as well as Felix & Lucy romance) emotions & their situations. Ending the book with a truly satisfying happily ever after 💕
 
This Summer Will be Different might be my less fave out of all her 3 books but I still enjoyed reading it. I think it's a perfect summer reading.
 
Tropes: Summer escape, Best friend's brother, forbidden love, secret relationship, friendship 💕
 
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read Fortune’s first book and wasn’t the biggest fan of the cheating trope and because of this, I avoided her second book. It’s still sitting in a box, I’m too scared to take it out.

When I saw this one was available to request on Netgalley I had a ‘why not?’ moment and requested it. God, am I glad I did. This was such a beautifully written story. Its genre is obviously romance, but for me the biggest character arc was seeing Lucy discover that she was okay on her own. She could live life and be okay. The found family was also such a beautiful tale in this book. Whilst you can’t choose the one you’re born into, you can choose your Found Family.

This is as much of a love story between Felix and Lucy as it was between Bridget and Lucy. Both complex in their own way, but so beautiful and dealt with so healthily during the story, I feel in love with all of the characters of this story.

I knew I wouldn’t be let down by this one. The best friend’s brother trope was 10/10. Carley Fortune truly knocks it out of the park every time!

ARC Review

4:75⭐️

Tropes ~ Forbidden love, best friends brother, five year time span, all the summer feels

✨ I went into this book with no expectations and not really knowing what is was about and I was blown away!! The writing is incredible and I felt like I was in the story alongside these characters, this is the perfect summer read☀️

✨ Bee and Felix felt like they were meant to be from the start and their story was heartbreaking whilst being sweet. I loved that as much as they clearly wanted to be with each other neither of them was sat around pining they both tried to live their lives. This book travels over a five year time span and ive never felt so strongly towards two characters ending up together!!!

✨ The friendship in this book was beautiful and seeing two girls grown into adults together with all the changes of relationships and life was so heartwarming and realistic, I truly adored their friendships.

✨ This book just has everything you could ever want in a summer read and I can honestly say I will be reading this book again this summer, this was my favourite book by Carly to date!!

Read this in one sitting. I like the FMC. I think this would be a great romance for those who have a crush on their best friend's brother! It's a cute, easy read which is exactly what I was looking for.

I am a huge fan of Carley Fortune and have been super excited for THIS SUMMER WILL BE DIFFERENT. It was everything I had hoped it would be - such a beautiful, engaging read, and I didn't want it to ever end.

I can’t even put into words how much I loved this book🤩. If you loved the summer I turned pretty but want something with more depth then this is your vibe. And Yes I know that she writes the same books with slight variations but this one was amazing. The chemistry was electric. I fell in love with the characters and the story. It’s very rare for a romance book to be 5 stars but here we are🥰

Such comfy and cozy book. Sweet romance. So glad I got this arc. So much better than the book from last year. So sweet and fun read.