I received a gifted galley of MEET ME AT THE LAKE by Carley Fortune for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

MEET ME AT THE LAKE follows Fern, a woman dealing with the wake of her mother. They were both close and also a bit complicated as Fern didn’t grow up with the same dreams as her mother. Fern is now back at her family’s Muskoka lakeside resort, the place she left years ago with no plans to permanently return.

Years ago Fern met Will and they had an instant connection even though neither was in a place for a new relationship at the time. They made plans to meet at the lake the following year, but Will doesn’t show up. When he shows up at the resort in the present day after arranging with Fern’s mom to help out the struggling resort, Fern must sort out her feelings.

I really enjoyed the author’s first book a lot, so this was high on my anticipated reads list and thankfully I enjoyed this one as well. This follows a couple different timelines with Fern and Will’s relationship in the past and in the present, plus elements of Fern’s mom’s journals as well. Listening to this on audio I will admit I got lost a couple of times with the time jumps, but once I got further into the book I was able to follow much easier.

There are quite a few different characters and relationships to keep track of as the story goes, but I think the author did well at distinguishing the relationships. There were times where the lack of communication was a bit frustrating as well, but in the end there were reasons that I felt justified things.

This book also includes some great mental health rep and I appreciated the author sharing some of her own experiences with writing the book and with her own connection to the story. This is one where you definitely want to read the author notes at the end!

MEET ME AT THE LAKE is out on Tuesday 5/2/2023!

I feel like this sophomore book from the author of EVERY SUMMER AFTER absolutely has the makings of being another big summer hit… but I have thoughts.

I’ll start with some of the things that I enjoyed about this story. The first being the atmosphere and setting! Like ESA, this takes place in Ontario and you get a wonderful mix of being both at the lake (Muskoka) and city (Toronto). And as someone who loves lots of things Canada— I adored this! I also liked the themes brought up such as grief/ loss, finding yourself, happiness, etc and thought these moments were well written and honest. Also, really appreciated a lot of the secondary characters!

So what didn’t I like? Well sadly, it was the romance piece itself which being that this is a romance book… is a lot. The story switches between present day and flashbacks and you learn that at the age of 22, Fern and Will spent one day together and then that was it. In the ten years since, there was one broken promise, but otherwise zero communication or anything. When Will crashes back into Fern’s life they get their second-chance, but I had difficulty really connecting and rooting for a relationship because I just had a hard time buying into the fact these two spent one day together and then after radio silence for ten years, suddenly can pick up where they left off and be in love. It’s great if this trope works for readers! But unfortunately the fated-lovers & insta-love have never been for me.

I also was never a huge fan of Fern herself. Some of her behavior and actions, particularly later in the story didn’t bode well with me and its almost like she came off a tiny bit pretentious.

The last thing worth noting is something that ties back to ESA. I know there are readers who didn’t like the “twist” in it, and while it didn’t bother me, I understand why it was criticized. These thoughts happened to be top of mind for me while reading this, so I was a bit taken aback to realize this same element is used here, but in an emotional way. Sure there are some differences between the two, but after knowing some of the opinions readers voiced about ESA, it felt unnecessary to be included here. Plus it’s not like it was a minor detail in MMATL, but I would say it’s fairly prevalent and ongoing throughout the flashback chapters. In fact, I would argue this aspect could’ve easily been taken out and the results and impact of the story would’ve been just about the same.

“Let me tell you something about me: I am extremely picky about people. Most of them, I don’t particularly like. I have very high standards for the ones I let into my life these days. And you, Will Baxter, are my favorite of all of them.”

Big shout out to @netgalley for this eARC of one of my most anticipated reads this year!! 🩷 it’s out 5/2!!

Last year I read EVERY SUMMER AFTER in one sitting, this year I read MEET ME AT THE LAKE in nearly 3 weeks 🫢 such is life lately 🫨 + I fear my inability to sit and read this in larger chunks than 15 pages at a time impacted my feelings toward it!! BUT STILL!! 🥹🫶

Ten years ago Will and Fern spent 24 hours together. Nine years ago Will never showed up for their reunion. Today Fern is back home running her family’s lakeside resort (something she never planned for herself) after her mother’s unexpected passing, when Will finally shows up…

You can expect:
✨second chance romance
✨yes, some insta-love
✨Dirty Dancing but make it Canadian
✨past and present timelines
✨grieving the loss of a mother
✨coffee lovers
✨saving a family business / stepping up for your siblings
✨mixed CDs

I rated it 4⭐️s - I really liked it!! It had both laugh out loud moments and ones that made you want to cry. It had sooome steam (not a lot) but also more than just romance. This is another home run summer read 🩷

To say that I (we!) had high expectations for this book is a massive understatement. I posted that I was reading this on my stories and so many of you responded “plz tell me this is as good as her first”! Tbh I get worried when I go into books that are this hyped because rarely do they ever live up to expectations. But I’m here to tell you that you guys are going to love this one!

This is written in alternating chapters following Fern as a college student the day she met Will and as an adult 10 years later when he shows up at her resort. I’m a complete sucker for second chance romances (especially ones the started as teenagers) and Fern and Will were 😍 The story of them meeting as college students made me swoon and I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough to figure out what happened on that day 10 years ago.

I adored the setting of the Muskoka resort. Carley’s writing is perfect and you feel completely transported. All I wanted was to be sipping martini’s with the Roses or eating Peter’s sourdough. If I could visit the actual resort, I would in a heartbeat.

The parts about grief felt so real and nuanced which I loved. So much of writing about losing a parent completely idealizes that person and your relationship with them but I loved that Fern’s relationship with her mother and her grief was much more complicated than that. Fern and her mom reminded me of Gilmore Girls a bit which I loved.

My main issue: I found Will to have some red flags on how he handled his family situation. I don’t want to give anything away but somethings he did gave me major ick. Like he was trying to be selfless but just ended up hurting everyone in the process 🙄

TLDR: nothing can top EVERY SUMMER AFTER FOR ME especially because I read it by the lake in Maine on vacation but this one is worth the read and will make you feel all the feels.

If you remember I was OBSESSED with her debut book “Every Summer After” and her follow-up novel did not disappoint. It had me feeling a bit “Dirty Dancing” a bit “November 9” and who could possibly dislike that?

In “Meet Me at The Lake” readers are once again transported to a location that has us booking summer getaways. New characters Fern and Will spend 1 day together that impacts both of them long after they go their separate ways.

Fast forward 10 years and a chance encounter brings the duo back together. What unfolds is a second chance at a real romance. A relationship that uncovers big secrets and deep hurts, a bit of growth for Fern and freedom for Will.

In what is becoming Fortune’s signature style, “Meet Me at The Lake” gives readers a story that is melancholy yet hopeful, full of big feels and moments, it gives us characters with enormous hearts and the true desire to find a safe place to land.

This book was a solid followup to Every Summer After, with the same kind of second-chance romance story, relying on nostalgia and summertime magic that made that book so special. I really enjoyed Fern's personal storyline, as it felt incredibly realistic for a character in her thirties to realize her dreams have changed since she was 22, yet without making it seem as though those dreams were foolish.

I also enjoyed the present-day romance between Will and Fern for the most part (although the ending felt just a bit rushed in resolving what seemed like fairly significant problems between the two). I think that I had a bit of a harder time with this story than with Every Summer After because I'm super conflicted on the "one day whirlwind romance" trope (ala Serendipity, Kiss Her Once For Me etc). It's not that I have a hard time buying the conflict that came up between them, it's just not my go to trope as it often feels a bit unrealistic.

That being said, this was a really strong romance, and I definitely want to read more romances with characters like Fern and Will, who aren't just easily achieving their original dreams from the beginning of the book, but rather balancing the competing challenges of adulthood that can make life complicated. That felt really thoughtful and well done.

Short Synopsis:
Fern meets Will one day when she’s about to leave Toronto and take over the family business of running a resort. But she doesn’t want to go. And her and Will spend a lovely 24 hours together. It’s now 10 years later and Will shows up at the resort.

My Thoughts:
Oy. I don’t know where to begin. It took me a long time to get into this book. (But then we learned about Will’s tattoos and I was suddenly hooked. 🤷🏼‍♀️😂)

I did end up enjoying this one, but it just didn’t have the same magic and hold on me like Every Summer After did. There were a lot of tropes I didn’t love (emotional cheating, surprise pregnancy, pining for a decade) … and I don’t mind messy romances, but it felt like it was trying to be too much. I was smiling towards the end and overall glad I read it though and if you loved Carley’s debut, then I’m sure you’ll want to read this one too.

Read if You Like:
🛶 Every Summer After
🛶 Tattooed Men
🛶 Dual Timelines
🛶 Summer Lake Reads
🛶 Before I Do by Sophie Cousens

Fern meets Will and they connect immediately. They spend a whirlwind day/night together and then bow to meet a year from then to reconnect down at a spot on a lake. But will no shows. Fast forward years later, Ferns mom has passed away and left her a crummy vacation lodge where Will shows up. Again they reconnect and then… well you gotta read the book. It’s a slow burn but once you get the burn, it’s hot. I was into Will and even though I don’t really like miscommunication tropes I found this book handled it well. I was a little frustrated at some of the communication but I enjoyed the back story, female friendships and setting. This won’t necessarily be a fave of the year for me but it was enjoyable and think Fortune fans will be pleased with the story.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for an advance copy of this book!

Carley Fortune has become an autobuy author for me here in 2023! I knew all about the buzz over Every Summer After last summer and bought the book immediately. And like every book influencer or reader will tell you that the to be read just grows and grows. But finally this spring, I read Every Summer After and was pulled into this Canadian summer vibe.

This book was no exception. After going to a book retreat at a resort that reminded me of the Brookbanks resort, I immediately had this picture in my head of how beautiful the landscape of it all was.

"It was my mom who saved my life, but it was Will who helped me figure out how to make it my own."

Just like its predecessor, Meet Me At the Lake is told in two timelines - current and past. Fern Brookbanks returns back to the one place she didn't think she would ever go back to. After her mother's death she was left with a resort that had been with her family for generations. She needs to decide if she wants to sell or keep the legacy going. Then a man from her past appears at the resort to help come up with a business plan to "save the resort" and all the feelings she buried 10 years ago comes back.

I actually thought we were going to get a love triangle at the start of this which I am so happy that was not the case. I thought it was refreshing to see a healthy relationship between two exes. Jamie seems like such a great guy and I'm glad he remained that way throughout the book. Even though we dodged a bullet with the love triangle trope, this book does not shy away from the miscommunication trope.

Fern & Will's relationship in the present time was interesting. As mentioned above a lot of the issues that they faced could have been solved with a really deep conversation. They have had many conversations but none that were of the real deep importance. She had been very upset with Will that he did not show up 9 years prior after they made plans to reconnect and they just never talked about it. In the last quarter of the book, communication was something that Will especially struggled with. Not sure if I fully bought the way things came together in the end (I don't want to say because of spoilers) but I guess it make sense. I did love seeing their story build between the past and the present. And the epilogue was just so incredibly beautiful!!!

In romances, it is not often you learn something new but I did learn that there was something called postpartum OCD. And that this not only occurs in new birth parents but also those that adopt and take on a parent role. And I love that Fortune gave this not to Sofia's mother but to the uncle who stepped in and helped his sister and child.

"I want to tell her I'm going to stay. I want to ask her for advice. I want her to tell me how proud she is. I want my mom."

I'm always fascinated by how authors take on the topic of grief in books. And from what I have read in recent times, they are all different which is how grief is. I thought Fern was incredibly strong but also had her moments where she wanted her mom and is angry (as she should be). I love that this touched on those teen years where I think majority of us have those complex relationships with our mothers. But I know for myself I had to get through those years to see how special the adult relationship is with her and I appreciate that especially with friends who have lost their mothers at a young age. Fern knows how special the resort is and can feel that connection with her mom there. We also got to know her mom through her journal entries which in some ways paralleled Fern's life.

And everyone, if you know me you know I have been trying to find a book that will melt my icy heart and I am happy to report I did shed a couple of tears from this. I am not sure if it was a mix of the emotions from the book and the subconscious feeling I had going to my first baby shower since my miscarriages (and post pandemic) and just the idea of my parents aging. I also finished this in the wee hours during an insomnia moment so there was a mix of different things but it hit me.

I will be recommending this to all my romance lover reader friends!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Carley Fortune, and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Receiving both this book and Happy Place by Emily Henry as ARCs from Berkley have been the peak of my professional life as a librarian! Fortune's first book (Every Summer After) was a surprise hit of last summer for me, so I have been ANTICIPATING this read for months, and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT!! As someone who self-proclaims that she does not reread books, I am already ready to reread Meet Me at the Lake by a body of water this summer because I simply adored it. I grew up next to the largest man-made lake in Texas, and although I didn't grow up on a resort, so many of Fortune's lovely descriptions of the lake and Fern's complicated feelings about her home brought up my own similar feelings. Seeing Fern and Will's relationship grow between the past and present is the perfect way to tell this story; I'm a sucker for the "one perfect day" trope, so I loved the past chapters. However, I loved getting to see them in the present as that's where their relationship really grows. Their connection was both magnetic and real, and set against the backdrop of summer, I can't think of anything more that I wanted from this book. The ending of this book was a bit too cliche for my personal taste, and I could have done without the epilogue, but it didn't detract from the story overall for me. What I appreciate about Fortune's books too is the added depth to her stories. Not only did we get to see a beautiful yet realistic love story grow, we also got to dive into deeper topics, specifically Fern's relationship with her newly-deceased mother. So much of their relationship reminded me of my own with my mom, and I appreciated this addition to the story. It truly helped me as a reader get a sense of place for the setting and a sense of who Fern was as a person. I didn't necessarily love the addition of her mom's diary chapters, as I didn't feel like they added a ton to the story, but I recognize what they were there to do. I also appreciated the representation of anxiety/mental health through Will, as we don't see that discussed in men a ton. I will end this already length review by saying that I think the author's note at the end of this book truly sealed the deal for me. I had already loved the book, but getting to read something so candid and real that Fortune included of her own will cemented it for me. Getting a raw look into some of her thoughts and process behind writing this specific book, as well as her speaking out about being adamantly pro-choice, made me have such high respect for her as an author. I cannot wait to return to the world of Will and Fern this summer as I reread, and I already anxiously await what comes next.

Overall, Meet Me at the Lake is a pleasant read that would appeal to fans of contemporary novels. However, the book reads more like a contemporary novel than a typical romance novel. While there are certainly romantic elements, the focus is more on Fern’s personal journey, grief, and her growth as a character.

The first half of the book does feel a bit slow and meandering, but the second half feels more like a romance novel.

Meet Me at the Lake is a decent read that would be a good choice for fans of contemporary novels with romantic elements.

This ended up being a do not finish for me. I thought Carley Fortune’s previous book was okay but I couldn’t get myself to even finish this one. The writing is so boring. I don’t like the main characters. Fern is super annoying. Will and Fern’s chemistry isn’t believable. They spent one day together and then magically connect and fall in love again? That seems so far fetched. The flashback chapters were too drawn out. Would not recommend

Wow. CF is 2 for 2 in making my heart feel like it's going to burst because of how full it is with emotion.

I absolutely adored ‘Every Last Summer,’ so it was such a relief to experience the same heart and soul in this sophomore novel.

I am a sucker for second chance romances and CF sure knows how to do them. The spark, the longing, the reconnection - all of it is done so perfectly. This story is the epitome of fated meetings, summer feelings, and heartfelt nostalgia.

I loved the authors debut so me not loving this one actually hurts but here we are. I think the main thing that made this not work for me from the start was that it was very hard to believe that Will and Fern spent one day together and then she spent ten years pining over him?! That just doesn’t make much sense to me and I never bought into it. I also didn’t really think Will was all that great either, pretty hard to root for a couple when I didn’t think he deserved her. Sadly a miss for me here.

This is such a gorgeous book. Carley Fortune is able to create the most nostlagic, tender atmosphere, and the sweetest love stories. Highly recommend!

Fans of Beach Read and Dirty Dancing will love MEET ME AT THE LAKE! I’d been waiting with bated breath for Carley’s sophomore novel and it did not disappoint!🙌🏼

22-year old Fern Brookbanks spent an unforgettable 24 hours in Toronto with a mysterious, attractive artist named Will Baxter. They make a pact to meet a year later, only for Will to ghost her when the time comes.

Fast forward ten years, Fern returns home to run her mother’s Muskoka lakeside resort, Brookside, after she passes away unexpectedly. The resort is in complete disarray when she arrives, and unbeknownst to her, her mother had hired Will to help Brookside return to its former glory before she died.

Being back at Brookside fills Fern with unresolved feelings as she misses her mom and comes to terms with this new normal. Those feelings are further intensified and even tinged with anger when she’s forced to face Will, wondering where he’s been the past ten years.

As the truth comes out, Fern forgives Will, and they begin what they were supposed to start nine years ago. However, Will doesn’t share more than necessary and seems like he is holding something back. What he is not telling Fern? Will he leave her high and try again?

The book, told in dual timelines, toggles between the past and the present. This character-driven novel was full of emotion and touched upon some very serious topics. Carley’s Author’s Note at the end was a nice touch; it put a lot of the book into perspective as she channeled her own postpartum mental health experiences into the book.

The character development was phenomenal and I loved all of the characters - even Will, though he frustrated me to no end!🤣 That being said, Carley is a fantastic storyteller and I absolutely love her writing! 4⭐️

A huge thanks to @berkleypub for the gifted book, and @prhaudio for the complementary audiobook! MEET ME AT THE LAKE releases on May 2!💕

I may have just read the best book of 2023.

10 years ago Fern and Will met one blistering hot day in Toronto. It was completely random but it was also fate. After 24 hours together they made a pact to meet on a one year anniversary of their first meeting at the lake of Fern's family resort. However, he never showed. Now, with their lives in turmoil and after much has changed, 9 years later they meet again.

Last year Carley Fortune stole my heart with her book "Every Summer After" about flawed best friends-to-lovers. I loved her craft, her flowy, effortless storytelling and how her characters weren't polished perfections but people who screwed up, sometimes time and time again. Her debut was nostalgia with angsty coming of age all in one. It was a book that made me feel so much and cry so hard. One of my favourite reads of 2022.

Therefore, expectations for "Meet Me at the Lake" were - naturally - sky high.

I was so pleasantly surprised when I saw an email invite to read an eARC of this book just casually sitting in my inbox awaiting my attention. Carley Fortune's 2nd book? Before the pub date?! But I am no one important!

Now, not to be dramatic, but Fortune's second novel solidified her as an auto-buy author for me from now on. It delivered on the promise of yet another summer nostalgia story but somehow made it even more poignant and meaningful. The writing was just as flowy and immersing. It is a testament to the writer's skill when their work reads so effortlessly and I know it is not an easy task to accomplish that. It may flow through one's mind like a river but it is hard work that makes it so during the writing process!

Not to exaggerate but the main characters of this book had me by my throat. I sympathized with their struggles, doubts about the future, the outbursts of rage or the bouts of anxiety. I felt it all. They were human, I saw them with my mind's eye as so fully fleshed out and realistic as if they were standing in front of me or as if I were reading someone's true account of their lives. They were flawed and beautifully so.

The last chapter and the epilogue (yes, there is one!) of the book, I read while I was walking from work to the train station. I do that sometimes when I am so hooked on a story that the thought of putting it down if only for a few minutes seems unbearable. It was unbearable. I couldn't put it down, I couldn't stop reading, I had to know everything immediately. I ended up walking onto the train's platform with my eyes glistening with tears.

Convinced yet?
Go grab it NOW.

**thank you so much to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for reaching out with an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review**

I was so nervous/excited about this book. Excited because Fortune's writing is stellar and Every Summer After was so good. Nervous because Every Summer After is so good AND I was a smidge worried about the cheating thing....But my worries were baseless. All was better than I could have imagined.

I believe we are in a run of books with dreamy heroes and I am absolutely here for it. I loved watching their love story unfold. I love watching them get to know each other both then and now. I liked the setting and the Dirty Dancing references (without it being too much). This felt second chance, and kind of it was, but it was so filled with longing and unanswered questions and so much growth that the second chance part was almost secondary. Fortune pulled my heart into this world and I am so glad for it.

Meet Me at the Lake has everything you want in a summer read. Swooning romance, brooding tension, and a summer setting to die for. Carley Fortune just has a way of recreating the nostalgia and allure of summer while adding the emotions of a tortured romance that makes her books unputdownable.

Fern and Will met 10 years ago, and that one day they spent together changed their lives forever. They left that day with nothing but memories and a promise to meet at the lake one year later. However, life happens, and they find themselves in a chance encounter once again. This time, with a lot more baggage and a lot more to gain...or lose.

So many things about this book were enjoyable. I loved the complexities of Fern's life - both at the lake and as she figures out how to navigate her loss while figuring out her future. Will had his own challenges with his family, and I found this to be so relatable. No way after 10 years could they come together without there being some kinks to work out, and boy do they have them. But this does not take away from the sheer chemistry of the two, I just kept rooting for them to figure things out for themselves and each other!

The side characters in this one were great too - that's the lake/camp aspect that I really enjoyed. That feeling of summer camp, in particular the staff who know each other and are connected by years of service to the lake and to each other.

Thank you to Berkley Pub and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Full review on my IG @manis.and.manuscripts close to pub day!

A summer love story, where the set up will instantly hook you in.

Ten years ago, our main character, Fern, meets Will, an aspiring artist, and they end up spending an entire day together. But at the end of the day, Fern never gets his full name or number. Only a promise to meet at her mother’s resort the next summer.

When Will no shows, we jump ten years later to the present.

I loved the way the author weaved in the timelines, tugging us back and forth to that one day that lit the spark between Fern and Will like a match.

But….

I would have loved a second POV. We never get Will’s perspective and that would have been helpful. He’s too mysterious in the present and not in a good way. It feels creepy. I lost interest in his intentions because I had no idea if he was really invested in a relationship with Fern. AND, there is way to much miscommunication. It is my least favorite trope. It’s aggravating to see two people who know they care for each other, who want a future together, but can’t figure out how talk to each other 3/4’s of the novel.

This could have been avoided if we had Will’s POV. I know what the author was trying to do with the reveal towards the end, but I think Will would have been a more appealing character had we fully understood his mental health, his backstory, and his attachment to his family.

A somewhat instant love story, with a sort of second chance romance (Will and Fern only met for one day and hadn’t seen each other for a decade), Carley Fortune’s sophomore novel transports you to a beautiful setting in Canada, with quirky hotel characters, and a main character who is desperate to try and figure out what she wants with her life.

Happy Reading ~ Cece