I loved this summer lake romance, the main characters were fun, sexy and I loved reading their friends to lovers story unfold. The setting was gorgeous, I could absolutely picture myself on a boat in the lake. A perfect summer read!

I think this maybe my favourite of Carley Fortune’s books so far, but I am a sucker for a friends to lovers romance. I am also a sucker for great character development and satisfying character building. I loved learning about their families and their traumas. I saw a lot of myself in Alice which was nice.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for this review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for approving me again for a Carley Fortune ARC.
I have read all of Carly Fortunes books which are all amazing but I think that this has topped them all!!
I loved being back in Barry’s Bay, the story of Alice and Charlie, and previous characters making an appearance too updating on their lives too!
I could not put this down, it would make a fantastic summer read, I almost forgot that it’s cold outside!
This will be one that all my friends will get as presents this year for them to enjoy too!

Good things happen at the lake…
Oh how I want to spend a summer here, it’s described so beautifully and everything feels so carefree and wonderful. Another great book from this author, she writes with such depth and serenity that you can instantly imagine the scenes. With some great characters and of course a love story what’s not to love!

Arghh, how can I put into words how amazingly perfect this book is?
An absolute page turned from the start.
The most amazing summer. This one will fly off the shelves straight to the beach bed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for approving me again for a Carley Fortune ARC. I was approved for the first time last year for This Summer Will Be Different which I loved. I have read every book Carley Fortune has published so far and I look forward to her summer reads every year. They’re always full of great romance and summer vibes, kinda like The Summer I Turned Pretty/Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants for adults.

One Golden Summer returns to the world of her debut novel, Every Summer After, which I loved. This book is about the older brother, Charlie and Alice. It took me a little longer to get into this compared to her other novels but once I was hooked, I was captured by the romance and the lake setting.

I really loved Alice’s character as she grew throughout the novel. She felt very real. Her failures, her worries, her insecurities were very relatable. Charlie’s large presence is felt throughout and even though his personality is questionable at times, you can’t help but love him and root for him. He’s the bad boy you shouldn’t fall for but you just can’t help it.

I had a few issues with this book. One is that I’m really starting to feel the lack of representation in her novels. I don’t think any of the main characters in her books come from a diverse cultural background. The other is that this was riddled with spelling mistakes, missing words, incorrect grammar. I understand this is an ARC but it needs a lot of editing, especially with the formatting of the speech as sometimes I couldn’t tell who was speaking which was confusing.

I loved this book but I didn’t love it as much as her last book, This Summer Will Be Different. That really blew me away and I felt I knew the characters so well and I couldn’t get them out my mind after I finished the book.

Ranking of Carley Fortune’s books

1. This Summer Will Be Different - 5 stars
2. Every Summer After - 5 stars
3. One Golden Summer - 4.5 stars
4. Meet Me at the Lake - 3.5 stars

Overall I rate this 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 stars as I did think about giving it 5 stars but it wasn’t quite as good as the others.

One Golden Summer is the epitome of smiling under the summer sun.

Alice, an individual with a keen eye for detail, and a passion for capturing what it truly feels like to be alive through the lens of her camera, has lost her spark. When Nan, her grandmother, needs some help over the summer whilst recovering from hip surgery, Alice leaps at the opportunity to rekindle her fire and jump back into her 17 year old skin. The summer when she was last in Barrys Bay. The summer that she's been clinging to for over a decade.

One thing that Alice never expected: Charlie Florek.

For too long Alice has been living life behind her lens. What happens when she remembers what it's like to truly live, breathe in the summer air, let her hair down, and laugh every once in a while. And most importantly, who helped her get there?

In vain of 'it'll happen when you least expect it', sometimes what may seem as life's grand surprise, was actually what you were searching for all along.

I read this book in under 24 hours, and if that doesn't say everything it needs to then I don't know what does. One thing Fortune never fails to do is write characters who wholly know each other. I'm someone who doesn't know if they believe in soulmates or not, but oh does Fortune make me hope and pray that they exist and that they're real. If all else fails, I can trust that they exist in between the pages of her books.

I long for a summer I fear I can never have in Barry's Bay, and it's all Carley Fortune's fault.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the e-ARC! I am so so grateful.

p.s. I absolutely loved being reunited with Percy and Sam. From reading their story many moons ago in Every Summer After to seeing how happy they are in One Golden Summer just made my heart so happy.

I loved this book. 4.5 stars -- I read Carley Fortune's other books in this series and really liked how she tied the characters together in her own cinematic/literary universe. However, even though the main character Charlie is 'redeemed' in this book, I kind of felt that the Alice was too forgiving of him without enough internal monologue to realize how much of a red flag he was... anyways, this was a perfect summer read and I finished it in one sitting. Overall, the world-building was incredible, but also the character development. I did think it dragged on towards the end, even though all the plot-line was necessary

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the ARC!

I gave this book a 4.5 stars. I loved all the characters in this book but especially Charlie, the way he treats Alice was so healing to read about. Being someone who insanely relates to what Alice is experiencing in this book and seeing her grow as the book progresses definitely was one of the many highlights of this book. This book was like a warm hug so definitely recommend to read.

I knew I was going to love One Golden Summer from the first chapter. Alice is immediately likeable, she's had her heart broken but she's tough and determined. She's the shy one in her family but she's also the most caring and loyal - so when her Nan needs someone to look after her, and distract from her health issues, Alice has the solution. Together the pair will travel to a friend's cottage by the lake and stay for two months for some sun and relaxation. What Alice doesn't realise is that then man she first spotted when she was just 17 will be there, intensely gorgeous (woah) and incredibly flirty. But there's more to Charlie than first meets the eye. He's not just a good looking lake boy, he's got a good job in the city and he's deeply invested in his brother and sister-in-law since he lost his parents at a young age. He might be cocky, but he's sweet and thoughtful too, and Alice doesn't know if she can resist him.

Something about Carley Fortune's writing makes me brace for the inevitable heartbreak that's going to hit me like a brick. I love her other novels and this one is no exception. We know that these two damaged people will be perfect from each other - but they don't know it yet themselves.

I only realised about halfway through (duh) that Charlie is THE Charlie from Every Summer After and I loved seeing more about his life and the HEA that Sam and Percy get featured in this book. But if you hated the (SPOILER) cheating in Every Summer After - then you might not appreciate Charlie being painted in a much more redeeming light in this book.

The side characters were also great, Percy, Sam and of course the wonderful Nan added depth and detail to this romantic novel. The lake setting was gorgeous and made me incredibly excited for a summer spent by the water.

Highly recommend this novel, a moving romance that will make you smile and (maybe) cry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph's for the eARC.

I’m a massive Carley Fortune fan so I was beyond excited to be able to read this advance copy! This s my most anticipated release of this year and Every Summer After was my favourite read of 2022, so I couldn’t wait to go back to Barry’s Bay!
What can I say about this book…… I read this in half. A day, I devoured this book and did not want to put it down!
I think this is Carley Fortunes best work yet and I just fell in love with Barry’s Bay all over again.
Charlie Florek is just a beautiful specimen of a man, my new book boyfriend.
This is the perfect summer / holiday read, a slow burn, friends to lovers toe curlingly good Romance with some fabulous character development!
I really felt like I was there on the lake with them watching the story all unfold!
The must pick up Romance of 2025……. I absolutely fell in love and cannot recommend it enough.

I really enjoyed This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune so I was super-excited to get an ARC of One Golden Summer via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn’t read Every Summer After first (although I’ve added it to my Wish List now) so just like Alice at the beginning of OGS, I didn’t know anything about the Floreks before I started reading. My first impression of Charlie was that he was a playboy intent on having a good time.

There’s an immediate connection between Alice and Charlie even when he’s just teasing her over the phone before she and Nan arrive in Barry’s Bay. Charlie encourages Alice to have the fun summer she could’ve had when she spent the summer in Barry’s Bay aged 17 if she hadn’t been so shy. Alice gives Charlie the opportunity to be seen for who he is now without being judged for his past mistakes and as the book progresses it was interesting to peel back the layers and reveal the much more complex character underneath. Nan is a great secondary character and she and Alice have a really special relationship.

In the same way that I fell in love with the setting of Prince Edward Island in This Summer Will Be Different, Barry’s Bay in OGS is almost a character of its own because the author describes it so beautifully. I can totally understand why it would be the perfect place to spend a summer and escape your life in the city. One Golden Summer would make the perfect beach read.

Carley Fortune has done it again with Old Golden Summer, delivering a heartwarming story that feels like a cozy embrace. From start to finish, this book is a nostalgic journey through the warmth of love, friendship, and the unspoken magic of summers gone by.

Fortune’s ability to craft a story that balances sweetness with depth is on full display. The characters are rich, relatable, and endearing, making it impossible not to root for them. The setting, too, is beautifully depicted—like a dream version of a perfect summer. It's the kind of place that feels timeless, filled with long days, golden sunsets, and memories that will stay with you long after the book is over.

It’s the kind of book that you just want to sink into, like wrapping yourself in a soft blanket. There’s a sense of peace in the storytelling, but also an undercurrent of growth, self-discovery, and second chances. You can’t help but feel like Fortune’s characters are your own friends.

If you're a fan of heartfelt, character-driven stories that leave you with a smile, Old Golden Summer is a must-read. Carley Fortune has absolutely slayed again—this book is like a big, warm hug in literary form. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a feel-good escape.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for the ARC

I think this is Carley Fortune’s best work yet !! I adored the development of both the main and side relationships. I felt so invested from the very beginning and I loved the way it all turned out - one of the best romances I’ve read in a while!

Firstly, I am so beyond grateful for the opportunity to read and review One Golden Summer. Every Summer After is one of my favourite books, and Carley Fortune is an auto-buy author for me.

One Golden Summer is my favourite read this year. Hands down, the easiest 5 stars. It made me giggle and kick my feet SO many times, Charlie Florek is an incredible character, but beyond that, I was moved to tears and completely and utterly inspired by Alice’s story. I haven’t identified with a character as much as Alice Everly in such a long time, as a budding photographer myself - one who has lost her passion and creativity somewhere, I am so inspired by this whole story!

I haven’t read a good friends to lovers romance in such a long time, and this was delicious. The chemistry between Alice and Charlie was flawless, as well as the interactions between Charlie and each family member. I loved the respect between both of them, and their unapologetic way of supporting each other with the truth, but still being careful with each others hearts.

I loved every single thing about this one, and this story will be staying with me for a while.

BRB - ordering a physical copy to transfer all my digital annotations over to!

This book started off really strong and I was really enjoying it. I liked both the main characters and the side characters, they all felt like they had their own personalities. Their miscommunication really took away from the story. Our FMC seemed almost desperate for him at times. The third act “breakup” really brought the story down in rating for me. The ending felt very rushed and there was loads of issues that needed quick resolution and then the book ended so it felt rushed. I still enjoying a lot of aspects of this book but it just fell a bit flat for me.

I was absolutely obsessed with Carley Fortune’s debut, Every Summer After, back when it first came out. I completely fell in love Percy and Sam’s story and the way Fortune entirely transported us to Barry’s Bay. Since then I’ve looked forward each year to reading whatever Fortune gifts is next, though I had always hoped we’d get more of Charlie and so to say I was excited when One Golden Summer was announced is an understatement.

One Golden Summer begins with a photo, one that Alice Everly shot at 17 that went on to change her life. It was a shot taken across the lake, featuring two brothers and a girl, captured at the height of summer and full of joy. At 32 Alice finds herself back at the lake to take care of her grandmother after a fall but also to give herself the time and space she so desperately needs. What she’s not prepared for is Charlie Florek. Sun-kissed days and warm nights out on the lake with Charlie are a balm for Alice’s soul, but when she looks up and sees his piercing green gaze directly on her, she begins to worry for her heart. Because Alice sees people – that’s why she is so good at what she does – but she’s never met someone who looks and sees her right back.

I adored being back and Barry’s Bay and yet again Fortune makes the setting as vital and alive as the characters themselves. The lake is such a huge part of this story and as Nan says ‘good things happen at the lake’.

I really liked Charlie in Every Summer After and even then you could see there was so much more to him than his flirtatious behaviour, and so it was such a treat to get to know him even more in One Golden Summer. He is a man who cares deeply for those that matter to him and boy does he show it in so many beautiful ways; his pride in his gift to Sam and Percy was especially wonderful. I will say that I guessed what he was holding back from Alice pretty early on but that in no way spoilt my enjoyment but instead made him feel so much more for him.

I really liked Alice and thought she was a brilliant FMC. She is so incredibly thoughtful and kind in helping others, but is then left feeling as though she cannot burden others by asking for help. She’s stuck between her principles and the need to please others at work and is just off the back of a nasty break up- our girl has had it rough. This made her finding herself, and allowing herself to simply be at the lake such a dream.

I loved how evenly matched Alice and Charlie were and how they brought out the very best in each other by simply allowing the other to be exactly who they are. Their chemistry was brilliant and the evolution of their friendship worked so well. My goodness was I rooting for them.

This story was an absolute joy, five stars just isn’t enough. I will always look forward to reading whatever Fortune writes next.

My favourite of Carley’s books has to be Every Summer After, and it’s one I always recommend. When One Golden Summer was announced, I was so excited to revisit Barry’s Bay and the characters I love so much. I knew that this book would be good, but I did not expect it to affect me so much. It’s safe to say that this book is now my favourite Carley Fortune!

One Golden Summer follows photographer, Alice Everly, who, after her Nan takes a fall, takes a break from her photography career to take them back to Barry’s Bay for the summer. After all, it’s where Alice took the photo that catapulted her career - a beautiful teenage boy driving a yellow speedboat. That boy shows up again now, but he’s all grown up. Sun-kissed days and warm nights out on the lake with Charlie Florek are a balm for Alice’s soul, but when she looks up and sees his piercing blue gaze directly on her, she begins to worry for her heart.

Firstly, the setting! The author did a great job of setting the scene of the small, idyllic lake town of Barry’s Bay. I loved seeing Alice and Charlie tick fun activities off of Alice’s summer bucket list, and spending afternoons floating in the lake or speeding around in Charlie’s boat. I want to spend a summer in Barry’s Bay, please.

I also loved the way that photography is used as a story-telling tool in this book. It added an extra layer to the story.

As for the characters, I adored them. Charlie is charming and gorgeous (and god does he know it!). While he is a little cocky, he never comes across as arrogant, and is such a thoughtful person. Under all of his humour, he is struggling to cope with his losses, and doesn’t feel that he is deserving of a HEA. Alice has always been careful, and is still licking her wounds after a break-up. A summer fling is exactly what she needs!

The tension and chemistry between Charlie and Alice was electric, and the banter between them was fantastic. This book has my favourite type of spice, where it’s not overly explicit and is beautifully written. While these two are so different, they are perfect for each other, and their love story was so beautiful to read.

The character development was fantastic. I particularly enjoyed seeing Alice stand up for herself more in her career, and ask for help when she needed it. I also really enjoyed her relationships with her family, especially Nan, who Charlie also became great friends with! It was also so nice to see Sam and Percy from Every Summer After make some appearances, too!

There was a little twist at the end, which I did suspect. It was very clever, and made me look at the whole story a little differently (in a good way!). This book really makes you think about life - how you only get one shot, and should live it to the fullest.

The ending and epilogue were everything I wanted, and I finished the book absolutely sobbing. I am so thankful that I got to read this amazing story early, but part of me wishes I could erase it from my brain and read it for the first time again. I cannot wait to see what Carley Fortune writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph/Penguin for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

At this point summer isn't summer without a new Carley Fortune book. I loved this - Alice was such a great protagonist and as always I loved Fortune's writing style, particularly how tangibly she evokes her magical settings. It was so nice to be back in the world of Every Summer After and I would definitely recommend that you add this book to your beach bag this summer.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I really loved this story and glad we finally got to see Charlie‘s redemption arc and a shot real love. I thought the book was very easy to read so if you’re looking for a quick enjoyable read this is a good option. I really liked at the photography elements and a glance into Alice’s family. Her relationship with Nan really shone through. The actual romance was a bit of a slow burn, and with the twist thrown in at the end I wasn’t sure what to make of it? Kinda wish we’d had a few more hints throughout and maybe dropping that earlier in the book so we can see Charlie and Alice deal with the aftermath more!