One Golden Summer Audiobook By Carley Fortune cover art

One Golden Summer

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One Golden Summer

By: Carley Fortune
Narrated by: AJ Bridel, Carley Fortune
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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.©2025 Carley Fortune (P)2025 Penguin Audio Best of 2025 Coming of Age Editors Select Genre Fiction Women's Fiction Heartfelt Feel-Good

Critic reviews

"One Golden Summer was everything I wanted for Charlie and more! Alice and Charlie's chemistry is an absolute bonfire, the banter is perfection, and Nan is a treasure. Fortune's stories are rich and sparkling. She makes me believe that a summer at the lake is a necessary and formative experience in life."—Abby Jimenez, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Say You'll Remember Me

"[Fans] have been begging her to give Charlie his happily ever after for years—and she’s fully delivered with a sweet, summer love story."—E! News

"Carley Fortune has a knack for making the lake the most romantic place on earth, and, as such, One Golden Summer is a delight.”—ELLE

Editorial Review

Back to Barry’s Bay
Ever since Carley Fortune made her debut in 2022 with Every Summer After, fans have been clamoring for Charlie’s book. Now, it’s finally time for Charlie’s happily ever after. In One Golden Summer, Fortune takes us back to Barry’s Bay, Canada, and introduces us to Alice, a photographer who is returning to the quaint lakeside community with her ailing grandmother. To her surprise, the teenage boy she had a crush on during her first visit 16 years ago is now the charming local she keeps running into around town. Charlie helps Alice step from behind the camera and shift the focus to her own life and happiness, and their flirtatious friends-to-lovers slow-burn is full of laughter, longing, and sexy will-they-or-won’t-they vibes. Fortune’s go-to narrator, AJ Bridel, is back to perform this one, for a nostalgic and comforting listen that feels like a reunion with an old friend. —Margaret H., Audible Editor

Nostalgic Summer Romance • Engaging Storyline • Excellent Character Differentiation • Emotional Depth • Clear Storytelling

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This book was hard to get into. I honestly couldn’t believe anyone would be interested in her. She’s depressing and mildly rude and wholly uninteresting.

Main character is a wet blanket

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I mean EVERYTHING! Alice is perfect. Charlie is redeemed. Nan makes me miss my grandma!

This book is EVERYTHING!

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I love it when authors delve deeper into characters and storylines by creating a series or book #2. Sometimes readers just aren’t ready to move on or close the “chapters” and this is exactly what we got and needed in this book. Charlie- what can I say. Thank you for giving us more reasons to love him. Thank you for letting us get a little glimpse of Sam and Percy’s life. Loved everything about this book. Ready for book #3. 😍

A great sequel…

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I cried many times. Happy tears of course. It read as a “time travel” for me. We’ve all been there & yet as I finished this book today my mind is still wondering where did all my life go from so long ago. As said, it goes in a flash. Carly has such talent. My only regret is I didn’t catch this as book #4 when the email came in. I’ll start #1 tomorrow, as I’m still thinking about what a great read One Golden Summer has been. I didn’t want it to end. I’ve been married 40+ years & found myself looking back long ago in a similar story. Thank you Carly…for it all!

It totally captured my attention. The reality of it.

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One of my favorite books of 2025! I truly think this is one of the best summer reads I’ve read in a while.

The PERFECT summer read!!

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The characters relationship evolving was so sweet and natural. The chemistry was perfection. I’m hoping for a second book for Alice and Charlie already ….

Sad it’s over…. Such a great book and love story. I am in love with Charlie.

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Wow. This is a wonderful book. So full and beautifully written. I appreciated the journey there characters took, their growth, their perfectly flawed humanity.

Sadly, I did not realize this was a sequel so now I am anxious to read the first book and to read the other books that Carley Fortune has written.

I love her style.

"Good things happen at the lake."

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It definitely reminds me of summer's in my youth. Or relatable to think back to summers when your 17. cute story. enjoyable read.

cute romance summer read

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I love that Charlie got his own story, not just love, but healing, realization, inclusion and understanding. I love the 3 books so much, but I think this is my favorite. took me back to my youth and made me see myself with affection and grace. it touched on a variety of issues, but I felt like everything was explored enough. perfect series for a book club

nostalgia gives a second chance at life

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This novel is relatable to most age groups because everyone can recall their 17th or 18th summer even if not on a lake! The writer has captured the feelings of an 80 year old well even though she is not the main character and tells a love story surrounded by family sadness of two mid thirties adults. It’s a slow & sweet love story & I loved the voices that brought to life their genuine feelings! Very entertaining enough to make me consider the author’s first book!

Good combination of characters

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