Overall Enjoyment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️
Synopsis:
Every Summer After by Carly Fortune tells the story of Persephone Fraser, a woman who can never go back to the place she once considered home. The lake where she spent nearly every summer vacation growing up holds memories of friendship, first love, and heartbreak. When she gets an unexpected call from her first love’s brother, informing her that their mother, a woman she considered a second mother to herself, has passed away. Percy must return and confront the mistakes and unresolved feelings she left behind.
Review:
Carly Fortune is a master when it comes to writing emotionally driven summer reads. She is able to capture the bittersweet nostalgia of childhood summers and the ache of knowing those moments can never truly be revisited.
While romance novels sometimes receive a reputation for focusing solely on the relationship, there is much more at work in Every Summer After. Fortune creates characters who feel authentic rather than curated, allowing their strengths and flaws to shine through. Yet even more impressive than the characters are the relationships she builds between them.
At the beginning of Percy and Sam’s romance, it is evident that they are too immature for the kind of relationship they desperately want. Fortune skillfully explores the consequences of poor communication and unresolved insecurities. More importantly, she highlights Percy’s deep desire to be wanted. At times, Percy seems less concerned with who is giving her attention and more concerned with receiving it.
The result is a story that is not simply about first love, but about growing up, making mistakes, and learning to live with the consequences of them. Every Summer After is the kind of summer read that lingers long after the final page.
I hope you enjoyed this review! Stay tuned for my next one! – Jules Grant, Associate Editor & Literary Critic