One Golden Summer

Description

The radiant, breathtaking global bestseller from Carley Fortune, the undisputed queen of contemporary lake-house romance and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After, Meet Me at the Lake, and This Summer Will Be Different! One Golden Summer is a brilliantly written, fast-paced, and intensely atmospheric masterpiece that perfectly captures the sun-drenched nostalgia of first love, the magic of second chances, and the healing power of returning home. Brimming with razor-sharp witty banter, emotional vulnerability, and undeniable chemistry, this unputdownable book delivers a spectacular, multi-layered story that will keep you glued to the page until the very last line.

Good things happen at the lake. That’s what Alice’s beloved grandmother always says, and it’s a truth etched deep into Alice’s soul. Alice spent just one magical summer at a lakeside cottage with Nan when she was seventeen. It was during those fleeting, sun-slanted days that she captured a single, transformative photograph—an image of three grinning teenagers in a bright yellow speedboat that ultimately changed the entire trajectory of her life. Now, years later, Alice lives entirely behind a camera lens. As a professional photographer, she is most comfortable operating on the sidelines, observing the world from a distance and letting other people shine. Lately, however, she’s been itching for something more, a deeper creative and personal fulfillment. When Nan unexpectedly falls and breaks her hip, Alice engineers a high-performance plan for them both: a healing, month-long escape back to that magical sanctuary of Barry’s Bay.

But their peaceful, structured retreat is instantly disrupted by a roaring blast from the past—the unmistakable sound of a familiar yellow speedboat, and the dangerously magnetic man driving it. Charlie Florek was a carefree nineteen-year-old when Alice captured his youth from afar. Now, he is entirely grown up, a shameless and charming flirt who effortlessly manages to make Nan laugh and leaves Alice desperately longing to be seventeen again, back when life was simpler and photography was just for fun.

As the sun-soaked days melt into warm, starlit nights out on the water, Charlie’s presence becomes a soothing balm for Alice’s guarded soul. But when his piercing green gaze locks directly onto her, the rigid barriers around her heart begin to crack. Alice’s unique talent is that she truly sees people—it’s the exact reason she excels at her craft. Yet, she has never encountered someone who looks past her defenses and sees her right back. Pushed into close quarters, their casual summer arrangement rapidly transforms into a passionate, emotional combustion, forcing Alice to decide if she’s ready to step out of the shadows and risk her heart on a real-world love story.

Masterfully executing the second-chance romance, small-town/lake-house, forced proximity, grumpy-meets-sunshine, and childhood-crush tropes, One Golden Summer delivers a beautifully structured and emotionally satisfying narrative. Packed with Carley Fortune’s signature psychological depth, vivid summer atmospheres, and protective devotion, this premium Penguin paperback edition is a mandatory masterpiece for every contemporary romance enthusiast’s personal collection.