One Golden Summer

Written by Carley Fortune

Narrated by Carley Fortune and AJ Bridel

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! ∙ A radiant escape to the lake from #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After and This Summer Will Be Different

As featured in The New York Times ∙ People ∙ Good Morning America ∙ The Washington Post ∙ Cosmopolitan ∙ TODAY ∙ USA Today ∙ Harper's Bazaar ∙ Glamour ∙ E! News ∙ Buzzfeed ∙ ELLE ∙ Us Weekly ∙ The New York Post ∙ FIRST for Women ∙ Woman's World ∙ Katie Couric Media ∙ SheReads ∙ and more!

I never anticipated Charlie Florek.

Good things happen at the lake. That’s what Alice’s grandmother says, and it’s true. Alice spent just one summer there at a cottage with Nan when she was seventeen—it’s where she took that photo, the one of three grinning teenagers in a yellow speedboat, the image that changed her life.

Now Alice lives behind a lens. As a photographer, she’s most comfortable on the sidelines, letting other people shine. Lately though, she’s been itching for something more, and when Nan falls and breaks her hip, Alice comes up with a plan for them both: another summer in that magical place, Barry’s Bay. But as soon as they settle in, their peace is disrupted by the roar of a familiar yellow boat, and the man driving it.

Charlie Florek was nineteen when Alice took his photo from afar. Now he’s all grown up—a shameless flirt, who manages to make Nan laugh and Alice long to be seventeen again, when life was simpler, when taking pictures was just for fun. Sun-slanted days and warm nights out on the lake with Charlie are a balm for Alice’s soul, but when she looks up and sees his piercing green gaze directly on her, she begins to worry for her heart.

Because Alice sees people—that’s why she is so good at what she does—but she’s never met someone who looks and sees her right back.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Audio
• Release date: May 6, 2025
• ISBN: 9798217064007

Carley Fortune

Carley Fortune es la autora best seller de Todos nuestros veranos, un superventas internacional que escaló los puestos de la lista de libros más vendidos de The New York Times. Además, Carley es una periodista premiada que ha trabajado como editora en algunas de las publicaciones más importantes de Canadá, como The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Toronto Life o Refinery29 Canada. En su juventud vivió en Sídney y en Barry's Bay, un pueblo en los bosques de Ontario, pero actualmente reside en Toronto con su marido y sus dos hijos.

Reviews for One Golden Summer

[fatimasthilaire · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kinda sad I didn’t realize this was the second book in the series buuuut I don’t care, I’m hooked and I will DEFINITELY be reading Every Summer After and the rest of Carley’s books.

[brinicholenail · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Super cute story! Several of my predictions were wrong! Love when that happens!

[Laurie Copeland · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Kept waiting for evidence of a plot develop. Never did. Did I somehow choose a book from YA section? Very disappointing . Hate it when I pay for a book and end up with book like this.
Lacked substance.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love a good romance and this did not disappoint. Years earlier, at 17, Alice spent a summer on the lake with her Gran. She took a photo of 3 young adults enjoying the lake, which launched her photography career. Now, nearly 33, she returns to the lake to care for her grandmother who broke her hip. After a break-up with her boyfriend, she isn't ready to date. But, then Charlie happens. Charlie was in the photo she took at 17, and she can't stop thinking about him. Their quirky repartee is fun to read, and shows how love is built on a foundation of friendship. I suspected what Charlie was holding back, and hoped that all would work out. Of course, it does - it is a romance!! Great summer read.

[shazjhb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A lovely love story. I loved the lake. Alice and Charlie were complicated but very sweet. It was obvious he had heart disease. I don’t remember Sam and Percy