This is the third novel from Carley Fortune, an award-winning journalist who worked as an editor at some of Canada’s top publications, including The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, and Toronto Life. Carley spent her young life in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia, and in Barry’s Bay, a tiny lakeside town in rural Ontario—the setting for her book Every Summer After. She lives in Toronto with her family and is currently working on her fourth book.
Lucy Ashby has just landed in PEI and is awaiting her best friend Bridgette to accompany her. While dining, she meets Felix, a handsome and charming local who offers to show her a good time. The chemistry between Felix and Lucy is off the charts, but there’s one big problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. When Lucy and Felix realize this, they both decide that the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is too long, and they vow never to be intimate again. With their intense connection and Bridgette linking them together, this is easier said than done.
Each year, Lucy escapes to PEl for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters, and quality time with Bridgette. And with every visit, Lucy ends up in Felix’s bed and leaves with regret, promising herself she won’t repeat the mistake again. As five years pass, Lucy takes over her aunt’s flower shop and becomes a workaholic, always looking forward to her escapes on PEI. When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. She intends to help Bridget through her crisis and finally resist her temptations toward Felix. But Felix has matured, and his sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new. Lucy, unable to avoid Felix’s attention, begins to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.
This book is a sweet and steamy romance set against the backdrop of beautiful Prince Edward Island. The author includes plenty of PEI landmarks and references to Anne of Green Gables and Lucy Maud Montgomery, which adds a lot of richness and charm to the story. The story features several popular romance tropes, including second-chance romance, best friend’s brother romance, and holiday romance. The book is also a perfect summer read or listen, with its many beach and island scenes.
The characters are all likeable and well developed in the book. One very attractive attribute of Felix is that he is an avid reader. There are several engaging scenes in the book where Lucy and Felix discuss books and their different perspectives on them. The story really revolves around two pivotal relationships: the relationship between Lucy and Felix and that between Lucy and Bridget. Lucy and Felix have an immediate chemistry from their first meeting, and all of their interactions are flirtatious and heated. In contrast, Lucy and Bridget have a beautiful and loyal friendship, one as close as family. One of the central themes in this relationship is the ability to find an alternative family when you’re not aligned with your own blood relatives. Lucy’s relationship with her aunt Stacey is also very meaningful. Lucy is more aligned with Stacey than her own mother, and there are several heartfelt and emotional scenes, especially when Stacey becomes ill.
The alternating timelines are very effective at depicting the evolving relationships in the novel, especially the relationship between Lucy and Felix. The audience also gets to see Lucy and Bridget evolve from early twenty-something postgraduate young women into career-minded, emotionally mature adults. For much of the story, Lucy is trying to discover what’s causing Bridget to be acting so unusual just days before her wedding. There are hints that something may be amiss in her relationship with her fiancé, but when her secret is revealed, it’s not quite as exciting or original as one would hope.
Narrator AJ Bridal is a perfect choice for this audiobook. Her stage experience shines through in her performance of Lucy, with a vibrant and engaging voice that draws listeners in from the very beginning. Bridal uses a wide range of emotions throughout the story, accurately presenting Lucy during the ups and downs of her life and relationship with Felix. The narration is also well paced and uses a variety of distinct voices for the various characters.
If you’ve enjoyed Carley Fortune’s previous novels or are looking for a sweet summer romance with an idyllic setting and memorable characters, then this book should definitely be on your list!