One Golden Summer
by Carley Fortune
Sometimes love doesn’t hit you all at once—it sneaks in, shimmers, and changes everything.
The Quick Look
Set on the same sun-drenched shores as Carley Fortune’s debut novel Every Summer After, this companion novel follows
Sam’s older brother, Charlie Florek, and Alice Everly, a photographer caught between reinvention and reflection.
It’s a slow-burn that builds into something unforgettable. Equal parts sultry, sincere, and soul-soothing.
And don’t worry — Sam and Percy make a guest appearance that feels like coming home. Prepare your hearts!
- Release Date: May 7, 2025
- Pages: 370
- Genre: Romance
- Themes: Second chances, creative burnout, found family, personal growth, summer nostalgia
- Read if you like:
– Every Summer After (of course!)
– Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
– Summer love with a shot of emotional depth - Best for: Romance readers who want heat *and* heart, especially those craving a lakeside escape with layered characters and familiar faces
- Skip if: You’re not into introspective, character-driven romances—or you haven’t read Every Summer After yet
(Seriously, go fix that!)
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The Full Review
PLOT & PACING
The first fifty pages gently set the scene, but once the spark catches? It’s a full-on blaze. The story blends Charlie and Alice’s
unfolding relationship with a deep dive into personal healing, career crossroads, and the unspoken weight of the past.
It’s more of a simmer than a sprint… and absolutely worth the wait.
CHARACTER & VOICE
Charlie Florek steps into his own spotlight, and wow, does he shine. Alice is equally compelling—flawed, funny, and fumbling her way through heartbreak and reinvention. Carley Fortune has a gift for writing characters that feel like real people you once loved (or still do). And we have to talk about Nan, Alice’s sharp, soft-hearted grandmother whose quiet strength and second-chance subplot absolutely deserves its own novel.
“When you speak, he listens. When you smile, he smiles. When you need something, he offers help. When you give him something, he thanks you. You’re peas and carrots — I think you’ve found yourself a lifelong friend.”
“I’m lucky to have so much past, so many memories. It’s a gift to age.”
“That’s why you should grab onto whatever makes you happy now and hold on for as long as you can. Life’s short.”
“Good things happen at the lake.”
Nan
One Golden Summer
I need more Nan, please!
STYLE & ATMOSPHERE
Fortune’s prose is so deliciously readable. Smooth, swoony, and steeped in summer longing —
Like the hush of golden hour on a quiet dock.
THEMES & DEPTH
At its core, this is a story about choosing yourself and being brave enough to choose love.
About how our past shapes us — but doesn’t have to define us.
And about how timing isn’t everything, but sometimes it sure makes a difference.
PERSONAL TAKE
It’s impossible to believe Carley Fortune has only been writing novels for three years.
Her stories are already iconic in the summer romance world. This one took me a minute to sink into,
but once it had me, it had me. I flew through the last 300+ pages in two nights.
It’s sexy, soulful, and just the right amount of sentimental.
And seeing Sam and Percy again? I didn’t know how much I needed that until it happened.
The Final Verdict
A golden, glowing romance that hits the heart and the heat in equal measure — One Golden Summer
is everything a sequel should be and then some.
out of 5 perfect summer days (and more than a few tantalizing trysts! 
)