Carley Fortune does it again! This was such a great read, the nostalgia you felt through the characters was great, the storyline was brilliant and the characters were written so well. It had me laughing out loud at times, the banter between the two MCs was so good. Can’t wait for her next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC to review.

I liked Every Summer After but didn't love it and have enjoyed Carley's other books much more. One Golden Summer was really good. I loved Charlie and Alice's story.

Charlie is cocky but has hidden depths and Alice is reserved but wants to have the summer she didn't get to have at seventeen. She goes to Barry's Bay to help her grandmother recuperate after surgery and meets Charlie. He helps her find herself and she cracks his armour.

Alice Everly has just gone through a bad breakup and is feeling burned out from her job as a commercial photographer when she decides to take her recently injured grandmother, Nan, to the lake house they used to visit in Barry's Bay. Shes Hoping to have a nostalgic summer redoing the trip she had when she was seventeen but she wasn't anticipating running into Charlie Florek. Handsome and charming Alice tries to keep him at a distance but it isn't long until she's falling in love and she's pretty sure he's falling in love with her too.

I loved this. Charlie and Alice were perfect for each other. Even though Charlie is an outgoing loud character seeing that inside he was battling with his self esteem in relationships and wondering if he was good enough for his own HEA was refreshing and i loved watching Alice come out of her shell and start doing things because she wanted to not to please everyone around her and realising what she really wanted from her life. Nan was such a well written character too and I loved her she was so vibrant and hilarious. This was filled with good banter and made me want to take a holiday at a lake house. I liked that we got to see how Sam and Percy were getting on in their life too. I wish I hadn't figured out the twist in here so early on but it didn't take away from the story I still shed a few tears. I highly recommend.

Everyone keeps saying how good it is to be back at the lake with Percy and Sam. Yeah, it’s ok and nice to catch up but…Alice and Charlie. Wow. The chemistry, the build up, the emotions knocked Percy and Sam to one side. Charlie was smouldering, a closed book but always there for Alice and her nan. Ah, Nan. She was a perfect character too and gave another dimension to the story about seizing the day and not letting cross words simmer away. I loved this. A perfect read on summer nights. I don’t think I’ll ever not love a Carley Fortune book.

I adored this. Alice and Charlie are fantastic. There are so many things happening in this book but they all go hand in hand and I loved watching Alice flourish the way she did in this book. Alice takes her Nan to a house down by the lake at Barry's Bay following a hip replacement. Alice has been here before when she was 17 but her Nan used to come a lot with her husband before he passed. Across the lake is Charlie, in his family lake house. He is also the handy man at the house Alice is staying in. Over the course of the summer, Ali and Charlie become close friends, ticking off bucket list items to make them feel like they're 17 again. The friends slowly becomes something more, but Charlie is still keeping Ali at arms length for one reason or another.

This was stunning. I loved the whole thing. The characters are incredible, the arcs we have are so good, and the banter back and forth with Ali and Charlie was brilliant. I also loved Nan's meddling. And although I haven't read Every Summer After yet, it's nice to get an insight into how Sam and Percy are doing (the couple from ESA).

The writing and atmosphere were great and every time I put the book down, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Highly recommend this one for sure. Perfect for the summer.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an eARC of this book.

4.5⭐️ this book proves I am a Charlie girlie. I was hoping for his POV especially after rereading ESA, but to even have his thoughts, his inner feelings about the events of ESA means the world to me!

Alice is such a relatable character. Loosing herself to a relationship, being something for everyone and forgetting to put herself first. Loosing a passion and just going with the flow.

Her and Charlie compliment each other and I swooned so hard.

The pace of their friendship/ relationship didn't feel rushed..sure there was an instant connection but they actually got to know.each other, they bcame friends and he helped her with ther list.

Nan was utterly fabulous! and see Percy x Sam made my heart swell

Carley Fortune has done it again! She is truly my favourite writer of all time. What a beautiful love story for our other favourite Florek brother, Charlie - and deeply loveable Alice. Fortune has an incredible way of making you nostalgic for summers at lakes you never experienced, and her writing is so rich and deeply immersive, you can’t help but be completely engrossed in her novels. I actually tried to ration this book as much as possible, but devoured it in 1 weekend - I want to know what you put in these books, Carley! A truly beautiful, fun and flirty story with an unexpected twist - and that transports you back to being 17 again, and also touches upon the fragility of life, and the beauty of our human connections. This is THE read of the summer and I can only recommend!! 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 a huge thank you to Carley Fortune, Michael Joseph Penguin Random House & NetGalley for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest and rave review. I can’t wait for book 5 already!!

Carley Fortune does it again with a fabulous book. Alice takes her grandmother to the lake in the summer to help her recover and discovers the subject of a photograph that she took when was at the same lake as a teenager.

The friendship between Alice and Charlie blossoms although they both know that it will never be more than that although others that have seen them together aren’t too sure. Alice and Charlie’s characters both develop beautifully in this story and Alice’s grandmother gets to revisit part of her past too.

I highly recommend this book to everyone and I can’t wait to read whatever Carley Fortune writes next!

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for a review!

This was so good!! So fun and perfect for summer. I love Carley’s books - they’re so quick and easy to fly through and have the perfect blend of romance and plot.

This book has great banter, a beautiful setting and I loved the characters! Definitely would recommend if you’re looking for a perfect beach read!

I loved this novel. It’s the first one I’ve read but Carley Fortune and I can’t wait to read more. In One Golden Summer we meet Alice, a Canadian photographer who is more comfortable behind the lens. She spent summer at a gorgeous lakeside cottage with her grandmother when she was seventeen and they’re about to return for the summer sixteen years later. It’s a really cute plot with some fabulous characters that envelope you like a warm hug and stay with you long after you turn the last page. Thank you to NetGalley, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House and the author for the chance to review.

I personally enjoyed her other books better. I don’t know if it’s because I felt this was rather long. Alice and her grandma return to the lake for the summer to help her grandma heal. Alice is a photographer and sees pics and memories of her childhood everywhere she goes. She reconnects with Charlie and is kind of torn by him. Cute story. I lost focus in the middle. Would have liked it better if shorter.

we are back in the Bay and Carley does it once again. the perfect any time read because you just cannot miss these books. but mind the gap because you are about to fall into it. its going to get into your whole life for a whole time you read it and probably a long time after. this book captures all the things we love about Carley's books. delicious.

4.5 stars
Despite having a few of Carley Fortune’s books on my bookshelf, I finally picked one up while on holiday sitting by the pool. And this was the perfect summer/beach read.
It was escapist in the very best way.
I appreciated watching Alice grow and I loved the photography angle.
Seeing her attempting to complete the list of things that she would have loved to do aged seventeen, but was too shy to, felt really relatable and wholesome. Yet, there were still a few steamy scenes, as well.
It was, however, frustrating watching Charlie push Alice away and say that he wasn’t a relationship kind of guy. Especially when it's obvious how they both feel for one another.
But I liked the way that it ended and will definitely be picking up another Carley Fortune book before summer is over.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Reading Our Golden Summer felt like slipping into a memory I didn’t even know I had. Carley Fortune captures the ache and beauty of fleeting moments so perfectly that I found myself completely swept away. Her writing is warm, nostalgic, and full of heart, I could feel the golden sun on my skin and the bittersweet pull of first love with every page. This book left me longing for summers past and grateful for the ones still to come. It’s a story I know I’ll carry with me for a long time.

This was a brilliant book!
As soon as I saw it listed I was hoping I would be accepted! Thank you for the ARC copy of this I really appreciate it!

Good things really do happen at the lake. I didn’t know I needed Charlie Florek’s story - he seemed perfectly suited to his side character role in Every Summer After - but apparently I was wrong about that. This is a meeting of two multi-layered souls. Charlie is confident, relentlessly charming and hiding his deep-seated fears about life and love, and people-pleasing, slightly lost Alice is his perfect foil, something everyone but the two of them sees for a long time. From their initial messaging through an awkward first meeting to a burgeoning friendship, their connection just sizzles on the page. I really liked Alice’s character development, as she takes a carefree summer for herself and learns to stand up for what she wants even when it’s uncomfortable - when that manifested itself in the way she deals with Charlie in the later parts of the story, I felt weirdly proud of her. It was great to see previous characters (Sam and Percy, three years on) and also meet some wonderful new ones like Alice’s siblings and the irrepressible Nan, and the descriptions of Barry’s Bay make me want to find a small Canadian town on a lake and escape for a summer. I think this is Carley Fortune’s best one yet - it’s certainly my favourite.

4.5 ⭐️
one golden summer was a sun-drenched whirlwind of nostalgia, longing, and taking a second chance on <i> yourself</i>. it perfectly captured that bittersweet ache of revisiting a place that once meant everything—and i devoured every golden page.

plot ―୨୧⋆ ˚ this was such a beautifully bittersweet exploration of timing, missed chances, and what it means to come back to a version of yourself you thought you left behind. i lived for the summer town setting—it was so atmospheric and added so much weight to the story.
the pacing was honestly perfect—it unfolded slowly but never dragged, and the tension between the two leads kept me totally hooked. i loved the mentions of alice's photographs and the added dimension this adds to the story and seeing the summer / charlie through this lense was so special.

alice + charlie ―୨୧⋆ ˚ absolutely loved the banter and the genuine friendship these characters had, it truly felt like they were reliving their teenager summers and i loved that aspect of their relationship.
the problems they encounter towards the end of the book are frustrating (obvi a lack of communication ) but it actually allows alice to finally grow as a person and fully flourish. actually made me ugly sob embarrassingly .

overall, this felt like a warm summer memory pressed between pages—faded around the edges, but still glowing. it was tender and aching and so full of heart. 🥹✨

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael J Books for the early e-arc ❤️

I adored this book!!! Carley’s writing has a way of making you feel every emotion and picture everything through my kindle. I read Every Summer After just before this one and I’m so glad I did as I really felt like I was a part of both stories. Loved diving into Charlie’s story and adored all the characters, especially Nan 🥹

This is definitely going to be the book of the summer and I can’t wait to hear everyone else’s reviews once they get the chance to read this!!

Another auto-buy author for me, absolutely loved it!

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️ 🌶️

Expected release date - 8th May 2025

OMG, it was everything I needed! The story follows Alice, a photographer who heads back to Barry’s Bay with her grandma, Nan, for another magical summer. Seriously, the setting is so vivid and charming – I could almost feel the sun on my face and the lake breeze.

Alice's journey is super relatable. She reconnects with Charlie Florek, the guy she once photographed from afar, and let me tell you, their chemistry is off the charts! Charlie is such a lovable character – a total flirt who makes Nan laugh and Alice's heart race. Their sun-kissed days and warm nights on the lake are pure magic.

Carley Fortune's writing is beautiful and full of heart. She totally nails the essence of summer and that feeling of coming home. I loved how the story dives into themes of love, family, and finding where you truly belong.

If you're looking for a feel-good romance that will leave you grinning, One Golden Summer is a must-read. It's the perfect escape, and I can't wait to see what Carley Fortune comes up with next!

One of the greatest discoveries this past year was my discovery of Carly Fortune's books. After reading Every Summer After recently, I fell in love with Charlie Florek (how could I not?) So I was especially excited to find out that One Golden Summer was Charlie's story, and it was better than I could have dreamed.

I finished this is 24 hours because I just couldn't stop reading!

It's tender. It's incredibly sweet. But it's also funny, and as sexy and charming as you would expect from a book about Charlie.

Alice is a wonderful character who compliments Charlie perfectly. I related to her inner monologue instantly and found myself grinning from her banter with Charlie.

The perfect summer romance. I've already preordered my copy and might just have to read Every Summer After and One Golden Summer again ASAP.