Author: Carley Fortune
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Coming-of-Age / Second-Chance Love
Ideal For: Readers who love wistful nostalgia, lake-side summers, emotional reunions, and romances shaped by time, mistakes, and memory.
Introduction
Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After is a novel soaked in sunlight, longing, and the kind of memory that clings to you years after the moment has passed. It is a warm, addictive, emotionally immersive read — one that captures not just a love story but an entire era of youth, family, and the places that shape us.
Fortune’s writing blooms with nostalgia: sunburned noses, lake water on skin, childhood bedrooms, the taste of berries, and the dizzying rush of first love. And beneath the sweetness lies something far more complex — the heartbreak of aging, the guilt of hurting the people we love, and the discomfort of returning to the places we once fled.
This is a second-chance romance, but it’s also a story about forgiveness, identity, and the way time reframes everything we thought we knew.
Plot Summary (Spoiler-Free)
The novel alternates between Past and Present, a structure that works beautifully for a story so anchored in memory.
The Past — Six Summers at Barry’s Bay
Teenagers Persephone (Percy) Fraser and Sam Florek grow up in neighboring cottages by the lake, becoming best friends and eventually something much deeper. Their summers unfold like a dream — long afternoons reading on the dock, nights spent whispering secrets in the dark, shared ambitions, teenage heartbreak, and a slow-burn love that feels inevitable.
The chemistry between Percy and Sam is tender, youthful, and earnest. These scenes are the heart of the novel — golden, atmospheric, and effortlessly immersive.
The Present — Twelve Years Later
Percy, now living in Toronto and carrying the weight of an unnamed guilt, has not returned to Barry’s Bay in over a decade. She and Sam have not spoken since their final, disastrous summer.
When she learns that Sam’s mother has passed away, Percy returns home — and everything she thought she buried resurfaces.
The present-day storyline becomes a negotiation of grief, regret, and hope — can two people who once meant everything to each other rebuild their connection after so much silence?
Fortune balances the dual timelines so well that each chapter reveals emotional depth while building toward the truth of what broke them apart — a truth Percy has been running from for years.
Carley Fortune’s Voice: Lyrical, Vivid, and Emotionally Sharp
Fortune writes with the kind of sensory precision that makes you feel the air, smell the lake, and hear the screen door slamming shut. Her prose is warm and cinematic, often carrying the rhythm of gentle waves or a long exhale.
What stands out most is her ability to capture emotional texture: nervous anticipation, buried resentment, unresolved desire, and the raw ache of wanting something you’re not sure you deserve.
She excels at portraying nostalgia without sentimental excess. Instead of idealising youth, she lets us feel its intensity — the confusion, the hope, the impulsiveness, the belief that love can’t break.
In the present timeline, her writing deepens. The tone becomes heavier, more restrained — a clear contrast that reflects the emotional distance between who the characters were and who they’ve become.
The Romance: Slow-Burn, Intimate, and Bittersweet
The relationship between Percy and Sam unfolds slowly, organically — beginning with a friendship that feels as natural as breathing. Their banter is sweet, their trust is deep, and their emotional intimacy is beautifully drawn.
What makes their romance compelling is its believability. They communicate like real teenagers — shy, hopeful, impulsive, scared. Their bond grows quietly, through shared books, laughter, and late-night conversations.
When romance enters the picture, it feels both inevitable and overwhelming. Fortune handles the evolution of their relationship with sensitivity, never rushing their emotional arcs.
The present-day chemistry is just as powerful — but tinged with loss and grief. Their conversations crackle with tension and longing, as though every word carries both hope and danger.
This is not a fluffy romance. It’s tender, messy, and painfully human — which is exactly what makes it resonate.
Themes: Memory, Mistakes, and the Seasons of a Life
1. The Inescapability of the Past
The novel questions whether time truly heals all wounds — or simply buries them. Percy’s return to Barry’s Bay forces her to reckon with her younger self, and the narrative becomes an examination of how we hold onto our own memories.
2. Guilt and Forgiveness
Percy’s mistakes are significant, and Fortune doesn’t excuse them. Instead, she delves into the complexity of forgiveness — how difficult, painful, and necessary it can be.
Sam’s arc is equally nuanced. His grief, resentment, and emotional guardedness are portrayed with empathy, allowing readers to understand how deep his wounds truly go.
3. First Love as a Formative Force
Fortune captures the all-consuming nature of first love — how it shapes our sense of self, intimacy, and longing. But she also explores its dangers: how intensity can blind us and how breaking someone’s trust can alter a life permanently.
4. The Transformative Power of Place
Barry’s Bay is not just a setting — it’s an emotional landscape. Fortune presents it as a character of its own: a nostalgic refuge, a reminder of trauma, and ultimately, a place of reconciliation.
What Works Beautifully
1. The Dual Timeline Structure
The alternating chapters build suspense while developing emotional depth. Each reveal in the past adds clarity to the present.
2. Vivid Atmosphere
Readers are transported to the cottage summers of their youth — the freedom, the stillness, the promise of time slowing down.
3. Honest Character Work
Percy’s flaws make her compelling. Sam’s quiet strength and emotional openness make him unforgettable.
4. Perfect Balance of Romance and Coming-of-Age
This isn’t only about two people falling in love — it’s about growing up, messing up, and carrying the consequences.
Where It Falls Short (But Still Shines Overall)
Despite its many strengths, there are areas where the novel feels slightly uneven — the reason for its four-star rather than five-star rating.
1. The Final Twist Feels Rushed
The reveal of what ultimately broke Percy and Sam apart arrives late and resolves quickly.
2. Present-Day Conflict Could Be More Developed
While the nostalgia sections are rich and immersive, the present-day storyline sometimes feels more compressed — leaving certain emotions less explored than they could be.
3. Supporting Characters Stay in the Background
Percy and Sam’s love story overwhelms the rest of the cast. While this is intentional, a bit more nuance around other relationships could have enriched the story.
None of these issues undermine the emotional impact of the novel — but they do hold it slightly back from absolute perfection.
The Emotional Core: A Story About Love, Regret, and Redemption
The heart of Every Summer After lies in its emotional honesty. It portrays love not as a magical fix, but as something fragile and easily broken — and also something worth fighting for.
Percy’s journey is one of growth and reckoning. Sam’s is one of vulnerability and courage. Together, they navigate a relationship shaped by the push and pull of youth and adulthood, pain and forgiveness.
The ending offers hope without erasing the consequences of their choices. It’s tender, bittersweet, and deeply satisfying.
Why It Earns Four Stars
Every Summer After is stunning — sun-drenched, emotionally immersive, and beautifully written. But its structural pacing and slightly rushed final act keep it from full five-star status.
Even so, it remains an unforgettable love story — one that lingers in your chest long after the last page.
Fortune writes with the emotional insight of Sally Rooney, the nostalgia of Taylor Jenkins Reid, and the atmospheric touch of Emily Henry. Her debut is breathtaking in its vulnerability and charm.
Final Thoughts: A Gorgeous, Heartfelt Meditation on First Love
Every Summer After is a rare gem — the kind of book you read in a single sitting, then hug to your chest because it broke your heart just enough.
It’s nostalgic without being saccharine, romantic without losing depth, and emotionally truthful in a way that feels raw and resonant.
Carley Fortune has crafted a story that captures the entire emotional arc of a life lived through summers — their promise, their heartbreak, their lasting imprint.
It is a beautifully crafted second-chance romance full of emotional depth, nostalgia, and unforgettable characters.
