One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
on May 6, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Romance / General, Fiction / Women
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
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Carley Fortune has done it again—but this time, she’s truly outdone herself. One Golden Summer is a luminous, emotional escape to Barry’s Bay, blending sun-drenched nostalgia with the kind of romance that lingers long after you’ve turned the final page. This is, without a doubt, my favorite of hers so far.

At the heart of the story is Alice, a photographer more comfortable behind the lens than in the center of the frame. When her beloved Nan breaks her hip, Alice decides to return to the lake cottage where she spent a life-changing summer at seventeen. She’s searching for peace and perhaps a little reconnection with the carefree girl she used to be—but she doesn’t expect Charlie Florek.

Charlie, once a teenage blur in the background of Alice’s most iconic photo, is now a man who’s impossible to ignore. Charming, flirty, and full of heart, he stirs something in Alice that even she can’t capture on film. Their chemistry feels effortless, and their connection—grounded in friendship, memory, and unspoken longing—absolutely shines. Friends to lovers isn’t usually my go-to trope, but Fortune nails it here, balancing emotional depth with swoony, lakeside moments.

The setting is another star of the novel. I could practically feel the sun on my face and hear the hum of a boat motor skimming across the water. It was so vivid, I kept turning to my husband to ask when we could get our own boat out!

What makes One Golden Summer so special is how all the elements come together: the pitch-perfect pacing, the richer character development, and the emotional honesty Fortune brings to the page. It’s a story about second chances, seeing and being seen, and the golden glow of a summer that just might change everything.

If you loved Every Summer After or This Summer Will Be Different, this one will completely steal your heart. I think each of these books could be read as stand-a-lone but if you read them in order, you will have a better understanding of who the side characters are. In my opinion, you could start here!