This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
🌊 Book Review: This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
Affiliate link: Grab your copy of This Summer Will Be Different on Amazon 📚
🚨 Trigger Warnings
💔 Death of a family member (aunt)
🦪 Casual sex scenes (and a LOT of oysters)
🏃♀️ Avoidance / ghosting
🍷 Drinking
🌏 Moving far away (Australia!)
😏 My Quick Take
Okay, confession: I did not like Carley Fortune’s Meet Me at the Lake. At all. I finished it mostly out of stubbornness (and caffeine).
So imagine my surprise when I picked up This Summer Will Be Different and fell head over heels for it almost immediately.
The writing? Effortless.
The pacing? Slow and dreamy (but in that sipping-wine-on-a-porch way, not in the “OMG just get to the point” way).
The Prince Edward Island references? Chef’s kiss 👌 — especially for me, since I’ve been there, toured the Anne of Green Gables house, and eaten my weight in PEI oysters. This book made me want to hop on a plane and do it all again.
Is Lucy, our main character, kind of pathetic for melting every time a man with good hair and a smirk looks her way? Yep. Do things tie up into the happiest of happy endings? Absolutely. Did I still give it 5 stars? Also absolutely. 💁♀️
⚠️ SPOILER WARNING — Full & Complete Plot Summary Ahead
If you’re just here for vibes, stop now. If you’re here for the juicy details… pull up a chair.
🏖️ Meet Lucy “Bee” Ashby
Lucy’s 24, on a girls’ trip to PEI with her BFF/roommate Bridget. Bridget’s rules:
Eat oysters.
De-stress.
Don’t fall for her younger brother, Wolf.
Lucy is waiting for Bridget’s delayed flight when she meets Felix, a hot oyster shucker. Sparks fly, one thing leads to another… and the next morning she learns that Felix is Wolf. 🙃 Cue panic and a "we never speak of this" pact.
🔄 Five Years of Sneaking Around
The story flips between past and present as Lucy and Felix keep “accidentally” finding themselves alone and in each other’s beds. Meanwhile, Lucy’s working at her aunt Stacy’s flower shop, In Bloom, which she eventually inherits.
Felix’s ex-fiancée Joy? She was Bridget’s childhood friend, which is why Bridget doesn’t want Lucy anywhere near him. Lucy’s feelings grow, but she keeps their fling secret for years.
💐 Loss & Love
When Lucy’s 28, her aunt dies of cancer. Bridget sends her to PEI for comfort… but can’t come herself. Lucy stays with Felix, who’s nothing but sweet and supportive, and—yep—they sleep together again. This time Lucy realizes she’s really in love with him. But instead of confessing, she freaks out and runs.
💍 Bridget’s Wedding Chaos
Back in the present, Bridget’s wedding is looming but she’s acting weird. She calls Lucy to PEI in distress but refuses to say what’s wrong. Felix is around, being kind and irresistible, and Lucy’s resolve to avoid him crumbles.
Five days before the wedding, Lucy blows up at Bridget, storms off, and Felix follows her. He finally confesses his feelings. They kiss, they cuddle, they basically start dating for real.
💌 Secrets Out
Lucy confesses her relationship with Felix to Bridget… only for Bridget to shrug and say she already knew. 🙃 Bridget’s “big secret” is that Miles (her fiancé) took a job in Australia, and they’re moving right after the wedding.
They reconcile, the wedding happens, Felix visits Lucy in Toronto, but instead of jumping into living together, they take a break to figure out their own lives.
🌸 Happily Ever After
Lucy buys land on Prim Point Way in PEI for her dream cut-flower farm. After three months of no contact, she calls Felix. They reunite, move in together, and he literally builds her dream house.
The book ends with Lucy happy, Bridget visiting from Australia with her baby, and everything tied up in a big pastel bow.
🤔 Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a gritty feminist manifesto… this ain’t it.
If you’re looking for a soft, summery, romance with oysters, Anne of Green Gables references, and a swoony PEI setting—this is your jam.
It’s indulgent. It’s predictable. And I loved every single page. 🌊💙
📚 If You Liked This, Try:
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune — more nostalgia + romance
Happy Place by Emily Henry — vacation setting with second-chance vibes
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle — lush setting + emotional journey
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