Every Summer After

Every Summer After gave me everything I wanted in a summer read. The nostalgic vibes were so real that I felt like I was living the story myself. The nonlinear timeline was perfectly done, capturing both the innocence and the complexity of youth & friendships. It explores the struggle of navigating relationships in your teenage years as well as in your 30s & how some bonds take hard work and are worth it especially when they are the one for you. I loved both characters in this relationship and I could relate to both of them, deepening my reading experience. The yearning in this story was raw and real, pulling at my heartstrings. There’s definitely some steamy moments yet it’s balanced with a fun, wholesome energy & summer vibes at the lake. It's lighthearted yet emotionally charged, making it a truly satisfying read.

Told across six summers and one transformative weekend, Every Summer After is a nostalgic second-chance romance set in the small lakeside town of Barry’s Bay. It follows Persephone “Percy” Fraser as she reconnects with Sam Florek—the boy she once loved and lost—after years of silence.This book absolutely captivated me from start to finish. Carley Fortune has this incredible way of writing that made me feel like I was right there in Barry’s Bay—swimming off the dock, flipping through pages on the porch, and holding my breath through the heartbreak. The setting felt like a character in itself, wrapping the whole story in that nostalgic, sun-drenched glow of first love and painful regrets.I couldn’t help but fall in love with Percy, Sam, and Charlie. Sam’s quiet depth and big heart tugged at my emotions in every chapter, while Charlie’s witty, borderline inappropriate banter had me laughing out loud. The sibling dynamics felt so authentic, and the chemistry between Percy and Sam was palpable—tender, complicated, and so real.What really stood out to me was how raw the emotions were. This wasn’t just a romance—it was a story about timing, forgiveness, and growing up. The way it explored grief, guilt, and what it means to find your way back to someone (and yourself) after everything changes… it was so much more than I expected, and it stuck with me.If you’re a fan of emotional, character-driven love stories with heart and depth, this is one you’ll want on your shelf.

I give this book 4.75 stars rounded up to five for the purposes of this review. I really liked this story and flew through! Anyone looking for a great summer romance can find it here. This was my first Carley Fortune book, but I’d like to read more (and plan to read the sequel to this one very soon).It was so fun to experience Percy and Sam’s relationship as it developed from close friends at the age of thirteen to something much more as they got older. Their relationship was so deep and respectful. They knew everything about each other and shared so many wonderful experiences together. It felt like a very natural evolution from friendship to romance (although I did want to smack Sam a couple times, but he was young, so I’ll give him a pass). And the setting of Barry’s Bay was a beautiful, relaxing place. I wish I could live in a cabin on that lake! There were some great side characters in this book too. Sue was such a kind, loving person. Charlie was sometimes difficult to like, but he really wasn’t a bad person. Delilah definitely annoyed me at times, but she turned out to be such a good friend to Percy. I wish we’d gotten a little bit more of Chantal, because she also seemed like an amazing friend.I don’t always like a miscommunication trope in terms of breakups in romances, but this one actually made sense, because Percy and Sam were so young and trying to figure themselves out, as well as their romantic relationship. So, that part of it didn’t turn me off the overall story. I loved the ending (it made me cry), although I wish Sue’s storyline could have been different.In my opinion, this was the perfect summer romance, so if that’s what you’re looking for, I would definitely encourage you to read it!

Finally a book this summer I couldn’t put down! I think this story is part of every little girls dream; fall in love with the boys next door and grow up together. It had its heartbreaking moments, beautiful friendships, and I loved ALL the characters. Must read of summer 2025!!!

I enjoyed it thoroughly and would’ve preferred that it’d be a little shorter and less repetitive. It was a really great good feel book given all the awful things that we are surrounded by every day. A happy ending is a valuable attribute.

Delightful Book! I read this book over a weekend while laying by the pool in Palm Springs. It was a very easy to read and have lovable characters. It has two story lines (present and past), which I typically hate. However, in this case both storylines were equally engaging so I was less annoyed when she would leave me hanging in one story line to revert back to the other. It seems a lot of authors do this including CH, which I read a lot. This is my first read by this author, and I truly enjoyed it!

It was a quick read, but I made myself read the last 100 pages or so in 1 sitting because I just wanted it to end. There was a lot of build up and I suspected early on what Percy's big secret was, so when it finally happened, it was pretty anti-climactic. The whole Sam at college storyline didn't really make sense, even when the character explains himself. This book is fine for a beach read.