Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune is a heartwarming contemporary romance novel that will tug at your heartstrings. The story is about two strangers who meet for a daylong adventure in Toronto, make a promise that one keeps, and the other breaks, with life-changing effects.

The protagonist, Fern Brookbanks, is a thirty-two-year-old woman who is struggling to find her place in life. She's back home, running her mother's Muskoka lakeside resort, which is in disarray. Fern's ex-boyfriend is the manager, and she doesn't know where to begin. But her lifeline comes in the form of Will, a man who arrives nine years too late, with an offer to help.

The chemistry between Fern and Will is palpable, and the story is full of twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages. The characters are well-developed, and the writing is beautiful and engaging. You'll find yourself rooting for Fern and Will to find their way back to each other, despite the obstacles they face.

Meet Me at the Lake is a perfect blend of romance and contemporary fiction, making it an excellent read for fans of both genres. Carley Fortune's writing style is captivating and will transport you to the beautiful lakeside resort in Muskoka. If you're looking for a heartwarming and uplifting story about love, second chances, and finding your way in life, then Meet Me at the Lake is the book for you. Highly recommended!

4.5 Stars!

Another wonderful hit from author Carley Fortune!

Meet Me at the Lake follows the story of Fern and Will. Fern meets the alluring, Will, and spends an unforgettable 24hrs with him. With plans to meet up the following year, Fern feels on top of the world…that is until unforeseen circumstances keep these two apart. Now, 10 years have passed and fate has thrown the two of them together once again…

From the moment I picked up this book, I was absolutely consumed by Will and Fern. Told in present and past tense, readers will get a real look at who these characters are. Neither Will nor Fern could have predicted the path that their lives were going to take and the mistakes that would be made along the way. I enjoyed getting to see how Will and Fern met and just how intense their connection was. I wanted to know more about the circumstances that kept them apart and if there was any hope for them to find their way back to each other. The road to happily ever after wasn’t an easy one for Will and Fern, but the journey was so worth it.

Meet Me at the Lake is a well-written and heartwarming second-chance romance. Fern and Will will capture you from their very first encounter and will leave you begging for more. I had the absolute best time getting to know these two characters and couldn’t help but fall head over heels for them. In the end, Meet Me at the Lake left me with a huge smile on my face.

I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!

Fern Brookbanks is struggling to keep her mother's Canadian summer resort open after her mother's death. She is exhausted and giving up hope - when Will Baxter shows up unexpectedly to help. Fern's mother hired him before she died. And Will is the person who saved Fern's life 10 years ago - and she hasn't seen him since. They had made a pact to meet one year later - but Will never showed. What is he doing here now??

I remember that Every Summer after by Fortune was a little slow to get into and I think this one was too. Being very emotional and character-driven, it is worth the wait. I liked the characters and felt the plot was believeable.

A great summer read!

Meet Me at the Lake, like Every Summer After, is a second chance romance with alternating timelines. We follow the story of Will and Fern as they randomly meet in Toronto and spend the day together, falling for each other in a short period of time. They have to say goodbye, but agree to meet again a year later at Fern's family resort in Muskoka. Will fails to show, though, and in the process he breaks Fern's heart. When they meet again, the truth begins to surface and we learn what really happened all those years ago.

I thought Carley Fortune did a fantastic job slowly introducing us to various aspects of Fern and Will's relationship. As we worked our way through both timelines (the day they met to present day) we learn more about each character and their personal histories. I think this story is definitely more character-driven than plot-driven, which I love.

Carley also covered the topic of mental illness very well. I thought it was done in a sensitive and realistic way, and I found myself relating to the characters because of the accurate portrayal of anxiety.

I did struggle to like Will, though. I honestly couldn't see what would make Fern pine for him all those years later. But I'm also not very into the artsy types, so it could be a me problem. I also got very frustrated with the miscommunication on Will's end, but the author gave us an explanation for that in the end so that helped a bit.

All in all, I enjoyed this story! I think it was beautifully written and easy to follow. I find myself still thinking about these characters even several days later. I'm excited to see what Carley writes next!

I’ve never had to do this before, but Carley Fortune’s newest book has put me in a quandary. Do I review it with my head or with my heart? Let’s do a two-parter. Sorry, it’ll be a bit longer! I’ll give you my “head” review first, then share my “heart” review after. Sound good?

First a little synopsis:

Thirty-two year old Fern Brookbanks recently lost her mother, Maggie, the owner and proprietor of Brookbanks Resort on Smoke Lake in Canada, which has been in their family for over fifty years. As an only child, she grew up on the property, yet resented all the time her single mom spent working there. This led to a rebellious teen phase where Fern told Maggie that she didn’t want a future at the resort as was always planned and assumed after her graduation. This decision was further solidified the day she met Will Baxter.

While at university and working her shift at a coffee shop one day, she meets Will, a recent art school grad there to paint a mural on the wall. They spend a whirlwind day together while he paints and on a day-long tour through Toronto afterwards, where they quickly bond over less than ideal family situations, among other things. Unfortunately, they also discover that they’re both in relationships, and Fern is moving back home to Brookbanks in a week. Clearly attracted, they agree to meet exactly one year later at Brookbanks resort on a dock by the lake. Will never shows up.

Nine years later, with Fern trying to manage the resort that Maggie’s death has left behind, in walks Will. Why is he there and what will this mean for Fern? Can she forgive being stood up nine years ago and let him back into her heart? Are they even the same people they were then?

All right. Let’s jump into my “head” review:

Carley Fortune is a wonderful writer. She’s SO good at capturing a mood, a feeling, an atmosphere that puts the reader right there with the characters. I could almost smell the fresh air and hear the rippling lake and sounds of resort guests enjoying the property. The resort very much felt like its own character, and the guests and staff their own special family. If you’re like me, and you’ve seen Dirty Dancing several dozen times, you’ll love her nods to it.

Just as in her amazing debut Every Summer After, she writes nuanced characters that you feel for. They have depth and a reason for their behaviors, both good and bad. Fern and Will are both likable, but emotionally complicated. I loved Peter, the pastry chef, who was like a surrogate dad to Fern, Fern’s lovable ex, Jamie, her best friend Whitney and Will’s sister, Annabel.

As for the romance, the spice level is moderate - mainly one multi-page extended play-by-play, but you can easily skip over it if you don’t like that stuff.

The story is beautifully written and full of charm, and I believe most readers who enjoy contemporary romance will find this a worthy sophomore effort from the author. Please read her author's note at the end. It's really worth a moment!

My feelings about the book are a little complicated, though, so now for my “heart” review:

Do you know that feeling when you start reading something and you’re sure in the first few pages that you know exactly where it’s heading and you get all excited? Yes?

Now, do you know that feeling when you find out shortly afterwards that you had it all wrong and you’re NOT, in fact, going to get what you had planned out in your head? D’oh!

If I’d been smart, I’d have read the blurb beforehand and known where things were headed, but in my complete adoration of Every Summer After - my favorite book of last year - I went into this blind.

Perhaps it’s just me, and everyone else LOVED Will and wanted he and Fern to find their happily ever after, but this weirdo here instantly adored her ex, Jamie, from my first introduction to him and was secretly hoping all along that Fern would find her way back to him! My heart really wanted THAT story. Jamie was loyal, funny, smart, caring and largely uncomplicated, in contrast to Will’s more moody, complicated, serious side. Don’t get me wrong: Will had plenty of charm and humor too, and he’s not a bad catch by any standard, but he felt so … typical. You know: hot, tattooed, tall, lanky, mysterious, blah, blah, blah. Jamie was my guy, and he played such a relatively small part in the story. The book also never really explained why he wasn’t good enough for Fern, who still openly has fondness for him. I kinda felt like he got a raw deal!

I could still enjoy Fern and Will’s story, but the heart wants what the heart wants, right? Perhaps Jamie will get his love story in another book. *hint, hint*

Putting my head and my heart together, my head gives this 4.5 stars and my heart gives this 3.5 stars, so I’ll put this firmly at 4 stars. I adore Carley Fortune’s writing, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

★★★★

A delightful second-chance romance story to give you some summer escapism at the beach, pool, or kiddie pool in your backyard. :)

The usual trope where a misunderstanding leads to the the two main characters not seeing each other for years and then one returns to town and the book holds it's breath to see if they can make it work and save a business/home/town together.

Nothing new here, but fun to read about all the same.

Loved this book - the characters were so loveable and genuine. The setting also played a large role for me as it took place in a small town with lots of loveable characters.

This was a beautiful, beautiful book and did not disappoint at all with the high expectations Every Summer After set for me. Carley Fortune is a beautiful writer and story teller and I loooooveeee the summer nostalgia and angst she captures with her second chance romances. Her characters continue to be beautifully human and flawed (sometimes a little too flawed making me want to scream at them to get out of their own way but its okay, I’ll forgive them every time) and she creates love that feels like such a little, precious pocket of peace in a “you and me against the world mentality” that I find so beautiful and comforting. Like Sam and Percy, Will and Fern feel like soulmates. And watching soulmates find their way back to each other is such a beautiful thing I feel honored to bear witness to. Overall I thought Meet Me At The Lake was both heartwrenching and heartwarming, sentimental, nostalgic, warm, and beautifully navigates realistic portrayals of grief (something I love in romances). Carley Fortune is so talented at what she does and I look forward to reading everything she writes in the future.

I always give an author two chances before I decide whether they are "for me" or not. Perhaps Fortune is not for me. Every Summer After and Meet Me at the Lake both fall a little lackluster for me. When it comes to this book its the character communication that did me in. I mean in general I don't love a miscommuication "trope" but this couldn't even be considered MIScommunication, what we have here are two characters who purposefully keep information from each other time and time again and for seemingly no reason.

SPOILERS:

I mean I am sorry but there really was no point in Will lying to Ferns face about having never come to the resort ten years ago, there was no reason for Will to lie to Fern about helping his sister raise he daughter, there was no reason for Will to lie to Fern about needing to leave because his niece was in the hospital.... see what I mean?

Yeah, so Carley Fortune's ruined me for all future summer reads. This book! I'm feeling every single one of the feels. A big-hearted emotional tale sure to be the IT book of summer. The perfect words, the perfect romance, the perfect (imperfect) lovers. Readers will fall in love with Will Baxter and this story. I have.

Fern Brookbanks and Will Baxter spent one unforgettable day together before making a pact to meet one year later at her family resort on Lake Muskoka. Will does show up…nine years late. Fern is now back home running the resort, which she vowed to never do, and the place is in disarray. Will arrives with an offer to help get the resort back on its feet. But he’s clearly hiding something and Fern isn’t sure she wants to know what it is. He saved her all those years ago, can she do the same for him?

Like so many others, I immediately dropped everything to read this book! It didn’t quite have the same magic as Every Summer After did for me, but overall I still really enjoyed it. The atmosphere, Dirty Dancing nostalgia, and well-written characters are just the tip of the iceberg! Watching Will and Fern find their way back to each other made me SWOON 😍 As for side characters, Peter has my heart. He was the perfect father figure for Fern and I loved that he was a pastry chef! But my one problem for the entire book was the emotional cheating. I really never encountered that trope much in the past, but now I’ve experienced it more and really don’t like it. Other than that, I LOVED this book and it definitely needs a top spot on your summer TBR! Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, NetGalley, and Carley Fortune for my gifted e-arc. This book is out 05.02.23!

I had enjoyed this author's first novel so I was looking forward to her latest, but this one felt a little disjointed and unfinished.

22-year-old Fern and Will meet in Toronto and spend an unforgettable 24 hours together. They make a pact to meet in exactly one year at Fern’s families lakeside resort called Brookside.
Will never showed up.

Ten years later, Fern is an accomplished business owner when she receives the news that her mother passed away. Fern returns to Brookside to take over the family business when she runs into Will. Unbeknownst to Fern, A year prior Ferns's mother hired Will to help with Brookside.
Will Fern find out why she was stood up 10 years ago?
Will Fern and Will rekindle what they once had?

One of my reading goals for 2023 is to branch out and try new to me genres. I’ve had so many romance readers recommend Carley Fortune to me, so I thought to Meet Me At The Lake would be a great book to dip my toes into the romance genre.

As much as I enjoy a dark and emotional gut-punch read, I have to say that Meet Me at the Lake was a nice change of pace. Although this is a lighter read for me, the story did have some emotional elements and it was well-written. Fern was a very dimensional character and of course, I rooted for her and Will.

After reading Meet Me at the Lake, I will definitely have to pick up Fortune’s debut novel and I look forward to diving even more into the romance genre in the future. Meet Me At The Lake by Carley Fortune will be available on May 2. A massive thanks to Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy!

After the book hangover that EVERY SUMMER AFTER caused, my expectations for this book were very high! But Carley Fortune has proven she's far from a one hit wonder. This book made me laugh and cry, and wish the book could have gone on forever. Especially appreciated the nuanced depiction of grief.

Excuse me, Ms Carley... What have you done???

This book was absolutely everything I was hoping for AND MORE. I loved every minute of it. I can't wait to get the audio version for a reread. Bravo!

This sophomore novel was amazing. The dual time and past journal entries all flowed together and gave this second chance romance the perfect timeline.

I loved the meet cute in this story. The day that Will and Fern spend together is perfect and made me want to visit Toronto again. I just loved how they clicked.

But I also loved a the resort she grew up at. The Dirty Dancing nods and vibes were everything I didn't know I needed.

Just like her debut novel Fortune handles the topics of grief in such a special way. She doesn't overly dwell on it but it isn't glossed over either. I loved how organically the conversations came up and how maturely most things were handled.

I loved the romance between Will and Fern too. It wasn't an easy one. They both had a lot of personal issues to work through but I loved how they eventually processed through everything. I really do love the relationships where work is put in to make them work.

I loved the overarching themes of the importance of family in this book and also that family doesn't have to be strictly traditional.

I will warn you that I needed Kleenex handy for this book - but in a good way since in my experience only 5 star books make me cry.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Will and Fern spent one amazing, adventure-filled day together in their early 20s with a promise to meet up again one year later. When Fern shows up and Will doesn't, she is heartbroken.

Now, nine years later, Fern has inherited the lakeside resort that she never wanted to run, her ex-boyfriend is the resort manager, and she needs help. When Will shows up at the resort with an offer to help get things back in order, she doesn't know if she can get over her old feelings and trust him again. The nuances of the relationship between Fern and Will are wonderful as the story moves back and forth between the past and present.

I absolutely loved this book. Set between Muskoka and Toronto, it reminded me of my childhood and teenage years! This is an absolute must-read romance novel!

Thank-you Berkley for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Fern Brookbanks' life hasn't turned out the way she wanted. She swore she would never end up back home running her family's lakeside resort. But after a tragic accident, she finds herself stepping into her mother's shoes whether she likes it or not. Now thirty-two, Fern is no stranger to office management, but the resort is overwhelming, her ex-boyfriend is the manager, and she doesn't know where to begin. Then along comes Will Baxter.

The first and only time Fern met Will Baxter was in their early twenties. He was a good-looking artist hired to paint a mural on the wall of the coffee shop she worked at, and Fern needed a distraction. The pair spent twenty-four hours together, exploring Toronto and opening up in ways they've never done with anyone. The timing may have been off between them, but their connection was undeniable. In the morning, they made a promise to meet up in a year at the lake of Fern's resort. Fern showed up, but Will didn't. In his expensive suits, Will seems nothing like the guy from Fern's memory, and it's clear he's hiding something from her, but the pull between them is still there. But one thing is clear: ten years ago, Fern let Will walk away from her, and she isn't willing to let that happen again.

I adored Every Summer After, so I couldn't wait to dive into this one. I was hesitant because some of the themes and structure felt like I was reading the previous book all over again. While there are a few similarities, it holds up on its own. Fern and Will were so interesting to follow. I loved seeing how they met and following along with them on their whirlwind adventure. I usually have trouble believing a couple is meant to be after they've only spent one day together (especially if that day was years ago as it was here), but something about their connection felt real. Watching them reconnect in the present and forgive their past mistakes was so satisfying. Fortune, once again, crafts a story that manages to be angsty, tender, and honest all at the same time. If you enjoy second-chance romances, this is the one to pick up.

Another perfect summer read with unforgettable characters by Carley Fortune. I think she needs to write a book with all her great characters in it - Percy, Sam, Charlie, Will and Fern.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

Carley Fortune's debut novel, Every Summer After, featured one of my least favorite tropes and left me with mixed feelings last year. However, I had high hopes for Meet Me at the Lake and I am happy to say I was not disappointed.

Will and Fern's story was heart wrenching and devastating, but it was also a second chance love story that had just the right amount of angst, optimism and redemption. Their reunion was not easy and Will's reluctance to open up to Fern was a source of great frustration, but the resolution and epilogue made up for (most of) it.

I loved the world that Carley Fortune created in Meet Me at the Lake and hope that someday maybe we can read about Will's sister Annabel getting her own happy ending? Just a thought.