We are back in Barry’s Bay three years after Every Summer After, featuring Percy and Sam’s story, which also has Sam’s brother, Charlie.  I was upset with Charlie in that book, but he has a redemption in One Golden Summer. 

Charlie is this self-assured, sometimes cocky, ladies’ man, but he’s also charming, caring, funny, and attentive to those who really know him and he whom he cares for.   He grew up on the lake and returns for the summer for a break to reflect on some things. Alice visited the lake one summer when she was 17 and has returned to help her grandmother, Nan, recover from hip surgery and also take a break to find herself and  her passion for photography in the way she loves to take photos and not the way people expect her to take and edit them. The owner of the lake house they are staying at is a long-time friend that Nan has lost touch with. He is letting them stay there so she can heal and has Charlie help them with anything they may need. 

Throughout the summer, Charlie and Alice’s friendship grows, and they clearly start to fall for each other, but Charlie is adamant that they remain friends. 

I loved the chemistry between these two. They both brought out the best in each other and are able to really be themselves without any walls. This story felt so nostalgic, and I loved that Charlie always made sure that Nan was included throughout the summer. Percy and Sam also return.  

 Can you read this as a stand-alone? Honestly, you could, you just wouldn’t have the background on Charlie, Sam, and Percy. The reason I was upset with Charlie in the first book is brought up in this book, which would be a spoiler for Every Summer After. I do recommend reading it first, but you won’t be lost on this book if you don’t. 

Carley Fortune’s books are always so cozy in the feels when the book wraps up. You fall in love with the characters and the town. They draw you in, making you wish you were in the book either with the characters or one of the people among them. I absolutely loved being back in Barry’s Bay.

Thank you, Berkley Romance, Carley Fortune, and Netgalley for this gifted advanced copy.