One Golden Summer | Book Review

Disclaimer: Spoilers Ahead

I have been waiting for this since I finished reading Every Summer After. I have been dying for Charlie Florek’s story, and I am so happy that I finally got to experience it. Experiencing the small moments where Sam and Percy appear created the feeling of content as we see their relationship come full circle with the eventual birth of their daughter, Suzy.

Now onto Charlie. Charlie Flores is hilarious and has just the right amount of cockiness sans arrogance. I literally could not stop smiling while reading and listening to this book (sorry to all of the people on the road who saw me with a goofy grin plastered on my face). I was in the gym completing my grueling sets with the biggest grin too. From start to end, I felt pure joy, humor, shock, fear, relief, and everything in between.

And Alice’s Nan? The perfect wing woman. I was here for it!

Furthermore, Charlie’s ability to perfectly fulfill Alice’s metaphorical acts of service jar had me swooning (especially since that is also my love language).

One Golden Summer was THE slow burn of slow burns. Was it worth the wait? Yes, of course. It just made my ability to put the book down to participate in real life that much harder.

Carley Fortune definitely knows how to write a man for the girls. This was probably the first time where I could not stay mad at the male protagonist for pushing the female protagonist away. His reason was SO valid! To not want to start a relationship with the person you know is the one because of the heart surgery you know you’re going to have that could result in complications is so noble. No one can convince me otherwise. It was the most selfless decision Charlie could make, and it made me love him even more.

As I neared the end it was so easy for me to imaging Charlie and Alice as an old couple. The ONLY thing I was missing was an inevitable proposal. I wanted to experience how Charlie would have popped the question to the love he never thought he would experience. I know he wouldn’t have upstaged Alice at her gallery show. I know he would have made the proposal so special and sentimental, and he would have had Alice’s family and friends in on it. Having that moment would have been my perfect ending to an already amazing book.

This book has been added to my “Would Definitely Read Again” category. I loved every second of it and cannot wait for the next Fortune novel coming in 2026.