One Golden Summer arrives like a gentle summer breeze, carrying with it the promise of healing, rediscovery, and the kind of romance that makes you believe in serendipity. Carley Fortune, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After and Meet Me at the Lake, returns to familiar territory with this third offering—a cottage country romance that proves lightning can strike twice in the same place, even years apart.
Setting the Stage: Barry’s Bay Beckons
Alice Chen lives her life through the lens of her camera, professionally photographing other people’s joy while maintaining a safe distance from her own. When her beloved grandmother Nan suffers a hip injury, Alice sees an opportunity for both of them to return to Barry’s Bay—the magical cottage country location where, at seventeen, Alice snapped a photograph that would alter the trajectory of her life. That summer produced that image: three teenagers grinning in a yellow speedboat, a photo that launched Alice’s career but also captured something ineffable about youth and possibility.
Fortune’s decision to weave photography into the narrative fabric works beautifully, serving as both metaphor and plot device. Alice’s natural tendency to observe rather than participate creates an interesting dynamic, particularly when she’s forced to step into the frame herself. The lake setting is rendered with enough specificity to feel authentic without drowning readers in unnecessary detail—though sometimes Fortune leans heavily on the “magical place” rhetoric, which can feel slightly overworked.
The Chemistry: Charlie Florek Takes Center Stage
Enter Charlie Florek, the now-grown-up subject of Alice’s famous photograph. At nineteen, he was just another cottage kid; now, he’s the owner of that same yellow boat and possesses what Fortune describes as “piercing green eyes” that seem to see straight through Alice’s carefully constructed defenses. The author handles their reconnection with care, allowing the relationship to develop naturally rather than rushing toward inevitable passion.
Fortune’s strength lies in her ability to write characters who feel genuine in their flaws and vulnerabilities. Charlie isn’t just a handsome distraction—he’s dealing with his own complicated relationship with the lake and its memories. Alice isn’t merely a shy photographer hiding behind her camera; she’s someone actively grappling with what it means to be seen versus seeing others. This mutual recognition becomes the heart of their connection, elevating the romance beyond simple attraction.
However, the narrative occasionally stumbles when Fortune relies too heavily on classic romance tropes. Charlie’s “shameless flirt” persona sometimes feels one-dimensional, especially in early interactions. Similarly, Alice’s tendency to overthink every moment can slow the pacing, though this does feel authentic to her character’s established personality.
Generational Threads: Nan’s Hidden Depths
One of the novel’s strongest elements is the relationship between Alice and her grandmother. Nan isn’t simply a plot device to bring Alice back to the lake; she’s a fully realized character with her own secrets and desires. Their dynamic adds depth to the story, showing how family histories echo across generations. The revelation of Nan’s own romantic past at the lake creates a lovely parallel structure, though the resolution of this subplot feels slightly rushed compared to the main romance.
Fortune handles the generational aspect with particular skill, showing how the lake holds different meanings for different people at different times. The way Nan’s stories illuminate Alice’s present situation works without feeling forced, and their conversations ring true to the rhythms of real family relationships.
The Art of Seeing and Being Seen
The novel’s central theme revolves around the idea of truly seeing others—and allowing oneself to be seen. Fortune explores this through Alice’s photography, her relationships, and her gradual opening up to love. While this theme sometimes becomes a bit heavy-handed (with multiple characters explicitly stating variations of “you see me”), it generally serves the story well.
The author’s prose is clean and accessible, perfectly suited to summer reading. She has a gift for capturing small moments—the way sunlight hits water, the comfortable silence between old friends, the nervous flutter of new attraction—without over-embellishing. Her dialogue feels natural, particularly in the banter between Alice and Charlie, though occasionally characters state their feelings too directly for the sake of plot advancement.
Pacing and Structure: A Leisurely Current
One Golden Summer unfolds at a deliberately measured pace that mirrors its lakeside setting. This works in the novel’s favor during quiet moments of character development but can occasionally make the middle sections feel sluggish. Fortune structures the book with alternating chapters that slowly reveal past and present connections, a technique that builds anticipation without resorting to artificial cliffhangers.
The novel’s resolution feels earned rather than rushed, though some readers might find the final chapters slightly predictable. Fortune doesn’t shy away from the complexities of combining two established lives, but she also doesn’t dwell too heavily on potential obstacles, keeping the overall tone optimistic.
Technical Craftsmanship: The Details Matter
Fortune’s writing style is relaxed and conversational, making the book an easy page-turner. She avoids overloading scenes with unnecessary description while providing enough sensory detail to ground readers in the setting. Her handling of intimate scenes is tasteful and emotional rather than explicit, focusing on the connection between characters rather than physical mechanics.
Small details—the way Charlie’s beard has grown in since their youth, Alice’s specific camera preferences, Nan’s gardening habits—create a rich texture that makes the world feel lived-in. However, some of these details occasionally repeat unnecessarily, suggesting the book might have benefited from tighter editing.
Comparative Perspective: Fortune’s Evolution
Readers of Fortune’s previous works will recognize her trademark blend of nostalgia and hope, her ability to make ordinary moments feel significant. Every Summer After established her as a master of second-chance romance, while Meet Me at the Lake showcased her talent for emotionally complex relationships. One Golden Summer feels like a natural evolution, combining elements from both previous novels while introducing new layers of artistic and family dynamics.
The book sits comfortably alongside contemporary romance by authors like Emily Henry (Beach Read, Book Lovers) and Casey McQuiston (Red, White & Royal Blue), offering readers the same blend of emotional depth and escapist pleasures.
Final Snapshots: Worth the Journey
One Golden Summer succeeds as both a romance and a meditation on how we capture and are captured by moments in time. While it occasionally retreads familiar romance territory and could benefit from tighter pacing in the middle sections, Fortune’s skillful character development and genuine emotional insight make it a worthwhile read.
One Golden Summer is a solid, satisfying romance that delivers on its promises without necessarily transcending the genre. Fortune has crafted a story that respects both its characters and readers, offering an escape that feels both comforting and emotionally authentic.
For readers seeking a summer romance with depth, characters who feel real, and a setting that practically begs for a lake vacation of your own, One Golden Summer delivers. It may not revolutionize the romance genre, but it certainly captures what makes a perfect summer read: the promise that good things really do happen at the lake, especially when you’re brave enough to step out from behind the camera and into the frame.
- Perfect for: Fans of Emily Henry, readers who enjoyed Fortune’s previous works, anyone seeking a thoughtful summer romance with emotional depth.
- Best enjoyed: With a cold drink by any body of water, real or imagined.