ARC Review: The Blood Phoenix (Fall of the Dragon #2) By Amber Chen

 

The sequel to Of Jade and Dragons, a thrilling and epic silkpunk fantasy inspired by the legendary Qing dynasty. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Lim and Xiran Jay Zhao.

Two years after Ying leaves the Engineer’s Guild and the ghost of her father’s unjust death behind, life seems to regain a semblance of normalcy. But the winds of unrest continue to stir within the Nine Isles, and the aftermath of a horrific pirate attack by the mysterious Blood Phoenix fleet forces Ying back into the tense political world of the new High Commander, Ye-yang. And soon, Ying, Ye-yang and her former friends from the guild must work together to find a way to outsmart the cunning pirates who terrorise the straits—and the elusive mastermind who’s controlling them.  

Meanwhile, Ying’s sister, Nian, now lives in the capital, awaiting the day she will finally marry the High Commander. While her relationship with Ye-yang remains distant, she finds company in her friendship with the fourteenth prince, Ye-kan, and discovers her unexpected affinity for governance and strategy. But the capital is more dangerous than she expects, and when a dark conspiracy arises, Nian and Ye-kan must unravel the mystery in time to prevent the High Command from collapsing from within. 

New dangers arise at every moment, threatening to tear the Nine Isles apart. In order to sail through this storm, Ying and her loved ones must make difficult choices amidst terrible betrayals. With the world on the brink of destruction, will they find a way to defeat their enemies and survive? And will it be worth the cost?

Title: The Blood Phoenix (Fall of the Dragon #2)

Author: Amber Chen

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Expected Publication Date: June 17, 2025

Review:

Thank to you PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I was excited to read the conclusion to this story. Of Jade and Dragons was my first foray into Asian folklore and it hooked me from the start. I loved the characters and their story. I loved the action. It was great to read the conclusion of their story with this title.

This book picks up two years after the first one ends. Ying and Ye-yang are thrown into each other's paths when the mysterious Blood Phoenix pirates attack her new home. She returns to the capital to help secure the palace. She is reunited with her old friends, her sister, and even her brother.

This book is told from the dual POVS of Ying and her sister, Nian. Nian has been promised to the High Commander in marriage. But she doesn't know his past with her sister. Nor does she know him. I liked how she took on a more active role in this book, coming to the aide of so many of the characters and coming into her own romance at the same time. It was lovely to watch that bloom.

Ying continues to struggle with her relationship with Ye-yang. They parted on bad terms and she doesn't think she can forgive him for anything that occurred all those years ago. But she also can't help feeling a pull to him and they slowly rekindle the friendship they had in the first book.

It's hard to review this book without giving away things that happened in the first book as well and spoiling the story to this one. The book has a lot of action and continues to build on the steampunk aspect that was at the forefront of the first book. Ying rejoins her guild friends to help create a vessel to put the pirates out of business. 

Chen infuses great action and a nice amount of humor in this book. But she also tackles some hard things like the death of parents and friends. The characters mourn the loss of people but ultimately create strong bonds between them and come together in order to combat the evil that lurks in their mist.

The world building continued to be fun. I loved the water world part of this series. That was something we didn't get much of in the first book. And Chen paces the book perfectly.

If you haven't picked up this series, I highly recommend it. I loved all the new characters she introduced as well as how great it was to reconnect to the characters I already knew. I think Nian was my favorite. Getting to know her more in this book was fantastic and definitely changed my view of her from the first book. And I can see where Chen might write more in this world.

If you're looking for a fantasy steampunk with the back set of great folklore, try this series out!

Author:

Amber Chen is a Singaporean-Chinese author who writes in the genres of SFF and contemporary. Her debut YA novel OF JADE AND DRAGONS is forthcoming from Penguin Teen in Summer 2024.

She spends much of her free time living within Chinese fantasy novels and dramas, and also drinks one too many cups of bubble tea. One of her webnovels, The Cutting Edge, has been adapted for television.

ARC Review: Coming in Hot by Josie Juniper

A spicy Formula 1 romance pairs a journalist with a mysterious Team Principal, perfect for fans of Drive to Survive on Netflix and readers of Hannah Grace or Sarah Adams.

After a decade in journalism, Natalia Evans has reached the pinnacle of her career-lead reporter for Auto Racing Journal. Every season promises to be a thrilling adventure in the glamorous world of elite racing, surrounded by top-tier athletes and influential industry legends. The complication in Natalia's plans? One of those legends happens to be the enigmatic Emerald Team Principal, Klaus Franke-the handsome stranger with whom Natalia once shared an unforgettable night... that had to be forgotten.

Klaus is icy, controlled, and utterly off limits. But the cracks in his reserve expose a heat Natalia can't resist as fate drags them together again and again. Both guarding their hearts, the pair are soon embroiled in a high-stakes sporting scandal that threatens to shatter more than just reputations and relationships. Natalia needs the scoop of the century. Klaus needs more time. But they soon discover that maybe they need each other more than anything else.

Title: Coming in Hot (Frontrunners #2)

Author: Josie Juniper

Publisher: Forever Grand Central Publishing

Expected Publication Date: June 17, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Forever Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I will say I honestly did not enjoy the first book in this series. I didn't even finish it. I am blaming that on how it was presented but also the fact that I listened to it on audio and really didn't like the narrators. But I wanted to give this author another chance and went in with zero expectations of what I would find. I'm glad I gave it a go. This presentation was much better than her first. My search for F1 books that truly present the sport in an easy and believable fashion has been wanting. Add in romance and there's the potential for disaster if it's not done right.

Things I enjoyed in this book:

The age-gap romance. While there was a gap, I didn't feel like it was so big the characters seemed like they would never truly be together. Both characters were mature enough to know what they wanted from life and where they wanted their lives to go.

The fast but slow burn romance. Since it starts with a bang and then falls back, I needed to watch that burn and love it. I did. There was chemistry, yes, but also a connection between the characters that was palpable.

The emotional turmoil of the characters seemed on point. I felt it to my bones when they suffered and when they felt joy. 

The pacing was good. I never felt like it stalled or like there were times I didn't want to continue reading. As a matter of fact, I read this title in a very short time.

Dual POV. I was happy with how it was presented. I love being in an MMCs head almost as much as an FMCs head. It was nice to have Klaus showing us who he was rather than just seeing it through Natalia's eyes.

What I didn't like:

Surprise pregnancy. Ok, I won't say I didn't like it totally. I knew it was coming. It was very obvious with how the author set up the relationship and with the conversations that were being had, I just didn't totally believe the things that happened when it was revealed.

The ending. It just kind of ends? There's no epilogue, no nothing. I feel like I was left wanting more. Wanting to know if there was a happily ever after. Wanting to know where their lives took them given their circumstances.

While there is mention of the characters from the first book, and things that happened that were important (yes I read enough of the first book to know things that were important), they are not built upon in any appropriate manner. The author assumes you've read the first book and know what happened. I needed more flashbacks so the story made sense. This elimination left plot holes. There's  a ton of overlap between book 1 and 2 and it seemed the author did not care to share why it was important. 

Given the characters ages, I felt like there was more drama than was necessary. For adults in their 30s and 40s, it was more like teen or young adult angst. I just didn't believe in it as much as I would have liked.

Would I recommend this book? I sure would, but only if you've read the first one so you have the background. And I recommend reading them one after the other, so the plot is not confusing or forgotten. Juniper does a better job with the F1 in this book, as well. In the first book, I felt like she shoved a lot of technical information at the reader. For someone who doesn't follow the sport, it was hard to absorb. This book was much lighter on that and easier to understand.

Author:

Josie Juniper writes high-steam romance featuring hot, angsty men who are dirty talkers with hearts of gold, and smart, snarky women with hilarious foul mouths. She works in mathematics and has been a staff writer and/or editor for four publications, winning awards for her sharp, funny, iconoclastic writing. She lives in Portland, OR and loves rain, swearing, lost causes, tattoos, F1 racing, and prime numbers.

 

ARC Review: Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady

 

Rivalry and romance spark when two bookstore managers who are opposites in every way find themselves competing for the same promotion.

Despite managing bookstores on the same Boston street, Josie Klein and Ryan Lawson have never interacted much—Josie’s store focuses on serious literature, and Ryan’s sells romance only. But when the new owner of both stores decides to combine them, the two are thrust into direct competition. Only one manager will be left standing, decided by who turns the most profit over the summer. 

Efficient and detail-oriented Josie instantly clashes with easygoing and disorganized Ryan. Their competing events and contrasting styles lead to more than just frustration—the sparks between them might just set the whole store on fire. Their only solace during this chaos is the friendship they’ve each struck up with an anonymous friend in an online book forum. Little do they know they’re actually chatting with each other.  

As their rivalry heats up in real life, their online relationship grows, and when the walls between their stores come tumbling down, Josie and Ryan realize not all’s fair in love and war. And maybe, if they’re lucky, happily ever afters aren’t just for the books.

Title: Battle of the Bookstores

Author: Ali Brady

Publisher: Berkley

Expected Publication Date: June 3, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here aer my own.

I will admit, I didn't even read the blurb for this one. I saw it was Ali Brady and I requested it. I loved their book Until Next Summer, so I was convinced this one would win me over just as much. Then I read the blurb and all I could think was a book about bookstores? What book lover wouldn't love that story?

Josie Klein and Ryan Lawson are rival bookstore owners pitted against each other by their mutual boss. Both are determined to make their store the winner and keep their jobs. As their rivalry fires up, they both turn to their online book friends for advice. But when Ryan finds out Josie is really his online friend, he's determined to move them in the direction of real life friends, even if it means giving up the one thing that has gotten him through the toughest times in his life.

Josie was a fun character with so much emotion. She is a giver and someone who takes care of those around her. She gives a lot of herself. So much so, she is missing out on giving things to herself. I truly enjoyed her relationships with books. It was very relatable for me. I would have liked to see her grow just a bit more. Her trust issues don't resolve for me. 

I think Ryan was probably my favorite character in this book, besides the cats in the bookstore! I love that he has a found family. People who surround him and lift him up and show him his true potential. I also love his connection with books. How they helped him throughout his teens years and into his adult years. I will say it was hard for me to actually picture him. His a giant of a man with Clark Kent looks, but it just didn't click with me. My only issue with him was his knowledge of who Josie is, his online friend, and how he uses that to find out more information about her. It felt unethical and secretive. Knowing Josie's trust issues, I can't believe the guy who is falling for her would do this.

This writing in this book was very different from other Brady books I've read. I have to admit it didn't pull me in as much. I found it difficult to completely connect with the characters because of this.

The story gives a bit of You've Got Mail vibes with is online relationships where people are connecting through their love of books. I really liked this idea. It took You've Got Mail into this century. With all the online forums we have now (Discord, Reddit, etc), it was great to see this woven into a story line.

I will admit, I went into this story with very high expectations having loved Brady's other works. Unfortunately, it didn't meet them as much as I would have liked. Was it cute? Sure! Did the author make it fun to read? Yes! Did I want to put it aside? Nope. As a matter of fact, I read it rather quickly. I just didn't think the writing had the same quality as the other stories I've read. This one read almost like a YA book. The characters did not strike me as what age they were supposed to be. This is what kept me from truly loving the story. I was looking for an adult romance but I didn't get that.

The story is fun with good banter, some fun side characters, and some cute romance. I'll definitely be keeping Brady on my list of go to authors and hope future books are just a bit better than this one.

Author:

Ali Brady is the pen name of writing BFFs Alison Hammer and Bradeigh Godfrey. They are the USA TODAY Bestselling authors of romantic, heartwarming, funny novels including The Beach Trap, The Comeback Summer, Until Next Summer, and Battle of the Bookstores. Their books have been “best of summer” picks by The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Parade, and Katie Couric Media. Alison lives in Chicago and works as an advertising creative director. She’s also the Founder and Co-President of The Artists Against Antisemitism, and the author of You and Me and Us and Little Pieces of Me. Bradeigh lives in Utah with her husband, four children, and two dogs. She works as a doctor and is the author of psychological thrillers Imposter and The Followers.

ARC Review: Heir of Storms (Storm Weaver #1) by Lauryn Hamilton Murray

 

RED QUEEN meets SHADOW AND BONE in this explosive start to a YA romantasy trilogy about dangerous magic, forbidden love, and a cut-throat competition for the throne in an empire where crowns are not inherited -- they're won.

The very day Blaze came into the world, she almost drowned it. A Rain Singer born into one of the most powerful fire-wielding families in the empire, Blaze's birth summoned a devastating storm that left thousands dead. She's been hidden away ever since with a dark secret: the same torrential power that branded her an outcast disappeared that fateful day. And she’s not sure she wants it back.

When an unexpected invitation arrives for Blaze and her twin brother, Flint, to compete as future rulers of the empire, she’s suddenly thrust into the limelight again -- and into battle. Threats abound at the Golden Palace, where intrigue and romance await with not one but two handsome suitors: the enchanting Crown Prince and a dangerously alluring newcomer at court.

As Blaze explores her untapped power, she discovers the throne may be within her grasp. But in order to take it, she’ll have to leave behind the stories that others have told about her, and find the courage to write her own.

Title: Heir of Storms (Storm Weaver #1)

Author: Lauryn Hamilton Murray

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Expected Publication Date: June 3, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Blaze is a rain singer who almost drowned the world with her birth. She has hidden away from the world her entire 17 years. When an invitation comes to compete for a future as a ruler, she and her brother join the games. Blaze is forced to explore her untapped power. But there are threats to the palace and Blaze must forge her own path to write a new story for herself.

I must first comment on the beautiful cover of this book. I'm admitting to judging a book by it's cover. This one drew me right in and I don't think I even read the blurb before I requested it. But then I read the blurb and it sounded intriguing. While the blurb talks about The Red Queen and Shadow and Bone, it fails to mention The Hunger Games or even Avatar. While it's not quite the same, the story definitely has these vibes with the way the potential rulers go through challenges, challenge each other, and use elements as their power. However, this one is unique: people taking their powers from the elements of fire, water, wind, and earth. While I know it's been done before, the author really did give this story it's own unique twists and turns. And there is an added elements of being all seeing and knowing the future added in.

I enjoyed Blaze. She was, for me, a quite typical YA fantasy heroine. One who doesn't really know what power she holds until she begins to explore it and see what she can really do. I liked how she learned to control her water wielding. The emotion attached to her being able to rein in her power was an interesting twist. She is not fearless at all, but definitely becomes determined to prove herself. What I didn't love was not having the other characters fleshed out. The author just barely skimmed the surface with making us understand them. I feel like the first person point of view truly limited the character development.

The romance didn't hit me well. I just didn't feel the chemistry to author was trying to create with the Crown Prince. It seemed too superficial. Though, when I think about what was revealed later, this makes a bit of sense. But still, Blaze definitely fell into things a bit harder than I would have thought given the limited interactions with the Crown Prince before she was pining for him. The addition of a bit of a love triangle definitely made things more interesting. The romance scene with said third party was probably the best part of the romance in the book. I will say the romance is not the crux of the story. But if you're going to introduce this trope, I need it to work well and it just didn't really do that for me. I honestly think it could have been left out and just been a fantasy and left at that.

As for the pacing, it was all over the place. Some scenes were super fast and I had to actually back track to make sure I understood what was happening. But other parts of the book were so slow, I found myself skimming at times to just get to the next chapter. The final chapters of the book did explode, though, and I found my rating increase just because of how they were structured and where they took the story. There were some unexpected twists thrown in, which definitely helped keep me in the story.

Is the story totally unique? No, not at all. I definitely saw elements from pretty much every YA fantasy I have read. But the author does do a good job with keeping the reader engaged. I have seen some talk of racism and slavery and it not being handled well. I did not find this to be the case, personally but I can see where others may have felt this way. The politics of the story definitely lend themselves to this fact.

Overall, this one was just ok for me, nothing new and exciting and nothing that kept me wanting to truly turn the pages. I'm not sure if I will continue on with this series. I wanted to be more surprised by what was happening because that is exciting to me, but that just didn't happen. I wanted to love it but the plot was predictable and the creativity was lacking.

Author:

Lauryn Hamilton Murray grew up in Scotland writing stories about sad girls, secrets and storms. She holds a BA Hons in English Literature from the University of Stirling and a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh. She is happiest when reading in the sun and hiking with her dogs, Huxley and Ziggy. Her debut, HEIR OF STORMS will be published June 2025.

Fat Stack Friday May 9, 2025

 

Here's what I got this week!

NetGalley/Edelweiss:

A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan

The squee I squee'd when this approval came through was LOUD. And I was in the middle of a surgery waiting room as my son had shoulder surgery! I'm so excited to read this. I love McEwan. Her Glacian trilogy is great. You should go read it! And check out my reviews of all three on the blog.

Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood

This came through as a NetGalley read now earlier this week. The author has another book coming out and the publisher has put this one back up to garner hype of that one. I won't request that one until I read this and see if I like the author's writing as this author is new to me.

A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim

This one came from the publisher. It sounds great. I hope it is!

Immortal Consequences by I.V Marie

I had requested this one on NetGalley and was declined. I was going to request it on Edelweiss but yesterday the publisher emailed and asked if I'd be interested in reviewing. So of course I said yes!

The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer

It honestly doesn't matter what this book is about because I will read anything Marissa Meyer writes. The Lunar Chronicles is one of my all time favorite series. I hope this one turns out to be just as good!

Libby/Hoopla:

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store (Dream Harbo #2) by Laurie Gilmore

This series is so cute. Cozy romance and just fun. Nothing strenuous on the mind. I enjoyed the first book so figured I'd continue on. Perfect to listen to while at work!

What did you get this week?

ARC Review: A Letter from The Lonesome Shore (The Sunken Archives #2) by Sylvie Cathrall

 

The charming conclusion to the Sunken Archive duology, a heart-warming magical academia fantasy filled with underwater cities, romance of manners and found family, perfect for fans of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

Former correspondents E. and Henerey, accustomed to loving each other from afar, did not anticipate continuing their courtship in an enigmatic underwater city. When their journey through the Structure in E.'s garden strands them in a peculiar society preoccupied with the pleasures and perils of knowledge, E. and Henerey come to accept - and, more surprisingly still, embrace - the fact that they may never return home.

A year and a half later, Sophy and Vyerin finally discover one of the elusive Entries that will help them seek their siblings. As the group's efforts bring them closer to E. and Henerey, an ancient, cosmic threat also draws near. . .

Title: A Letter from The Lonesome Shore (The Sunken Archives #2)

Author: Sylvie Cathrall

Publisher: Orbit Books

Expected Publication Date: May 6, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I was excited for this second installment of this story. If you haven't read the first, you absolutely must in order to read this story. While the author does a good job reminding you of background, you will not understand much of what happens without reading the first.

Also, know this is told in epistolary (letter) format. I had not read anything like it before the first book and enjoyed it so much more than I ever thought I would. I truly thought I'd be bored. But the author does a fabulous job of presenting all different points of view to really shape the story and the relationships between the characters.

These books definitely are ones that have you stretching your imagination to understand the world. It's pure fantasy with characters living both above and within the water. The author really does a great job of building this world out even more than you know from the first book. She expands where they travel and how and with whom. Plus she introduces a new group of characters.

I will say there were times I had to back track to know what was exactly happening (thus only having a 4 star review from me). You definitely have to focus all your attention on the story and not be distracted while reading this.

I liked the mystery and how it unfolded. Plus it's ensconced in academia, which is always so intriguing to me.

There is a ton of diversity in these books ranging from mental health representation to LBGTQ+. Lots of characters with differing personalities and relationships to follow and understand. 

And the romance! Its sweet and endearing. If you're looking for sexy and explicit, you won't get that here. You get bare bones attraction and a love that grows organically.

If you're looking for a whimsical duaology set in a underwater/surrounded by water world with a fantastic array of different characters with tons of representation, check these books out!

Author:

Sylvie Cathrall writes stories of hope and healing with healthy doses of wonder and whimsy. She holds a graduate degree in odd Victorian art and has handled more than a few nineteenth-century letters (with great care). Sylvie married her former pen pal and lives in the mountains, where she dresses impractically and dreams of the sea.

Fat Stack Friday April 11, 2025

Check out all my goodies I got this week!

Libby/Hoopla:

Summer In the City by Alex Aster

I already have the Kindle version of this one but I put in for it at the library a while back and it popped up this week. Looking forward to listening to it!

 

NetGalley/Edelweiss

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins

I've read all of Perkins' books and I was super excited to hear she was moving into the adult realm. This one was read now on NetGalley and I jumped on it!

Jilted by Vi Keeland

I saw this one pop up on NetGalley audio. I had previously requested the egalley but was denied. When I saw this, I requested it and I got approved within minutes. Excited to give it a listen!

What did you get this week?

 

ARC Review: One Golden Summer (Barry's Bay #2) by Carley Fortune

A radiant, new escape to the lake from #1 New York Times bestselling author Carley Fortune

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 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.

Title: One Golden Summer (Barry's Bay #2)

Author: Carley Fortune
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Expected Publication Date: May 6, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I cannot express how excited I was when I heard Fortune was going to write Charlie's story. I wasn't a lover of Charlie when I read Every Summer After, but I knew there had to be more to him than I saw in that book. I knew Charlie need his own HEA. And boy was I right! Warning, though, if you have not read the first book, I do not recommend jumping right into this one. The background the first book provides is pretty critical to who Charlie is and also to his relationship with  his brother, Sam, and Percy. You wouldn't be lost, perse, but you would not completely understand the dynamics at work.
This book picks up a few years after Every Summer After. It's summer once again and the lake is bustling. Alice Everly decides she is in need a break from life. Her grandmother, Nan, is recovering from surgery, her photography career is not going as she planned, and she's still struggling to get over her most recent break up. What better place to relax and rejuvenate than Barry's Bay! Alice has fond memories of the place and the photo that launched her photography career was taken there the summer of her 17th birthday. She's expecting to go there and feel what she once felt for her photography, what she's not expecting is Charlie Florek.
Alice is a great character. She's well developed and completely relatable. I really enjoyed watching her find herself at the lake. She arrives with only the thought that she must help her Nan get better but that's not all that happens. Along the way, she realizes many things about herself and grows from that. She takes hold of her life, she finds direction, and she finds love she wasn't expecting (even if it's not what was agreed upon). At first I thought she might be more timid than she was, but she's not at all. She's strong and resilient. She doesn't adapt easily at first but once she realizes she needs to open herself up to new possibilities, she becomes so very strong.
Charlie might just be one of my favorite book boyfriends. he's charming and has so much humor. But He's closed also off when it comes to love and he struggles with his own past and the luggage he seems to carry from his loss. He doesn't believe he's worthy of it from anyone. He believes all he is good for is fun and doesn't want to weigh anyone down with the baggage he has. But he wasn't expecting Alice and how her love language is to take care of others, including him. I won't get into his issues, as they become paramount to the story and I certainly don't want to spoil anything. But Charlie has secrets he holds close to his chest, things he doesn't want others burdened with.
If you're looking for an amazing slow burn romance, look no further. The flirting! The touching! The gazing! Not to mention amazing banter! It's all right here. Carley builds the relationship between Alice and Charlie in little spurts. Each time letting the characters open to each other, though Alice opens more than Charlie does (at least until the end). But don't overlook the other connections that are made in this book. The found family aspect is very strong.
And I would be remiss if I didn't mention this book contains some of our favorite characters, mainly Sam and Percy. While we don't get a ton of them, we get enough to show their HEA continues to shine. And I absolutely love the connection Alice finds with Percy. Being a woman who doesn't have many close friends, I connected with this part of Alice very well. So when she had the opportunity to have a strong, independent, loving woman come into her life and be her friend, I cheered it on!
The lake, oh the lake! So much nostalgia packed into this story. I spent some summers when I was younger going to my friend's bungalow colony in New York. Her father owned two and one was right on a lake. I remember our lazy days of swimming, boating, fishing, and just laying out on the floating dock. It was so much fun and these books never fail to bring back those memories and the feelings that go along with them. Like me, Alice seems much more relaxed and happy at the lake. Days are spent lounging and not worrying about anything from real life. It's its own little bubble world of summer and fun. Fortune paints a great picture of what it looks like. This book made me laugh, cry, smile, swoon, and just downright feel happy. Tears were shed, in a good way, and my heart was full at the end. That, my friends, is the crux of a good story. 
If I say the pacing in this one is fast, I would not be telling a lie. I truly didn't want to put it down. Fortune made me want to turn the pages over and over again so I could continue to bask in Alice and Charlie's story. I didn't want it to end, though. And, as I got closer to finishing it, all I could think to myself is when will Fortune be putting out another book? I love her plot lines. She does a great slow burn build with her characters. 
This book is not only about finding yourself and what makes you happy, but the journey getting there and all those people who stand beside you (friends and family) to lift you up and help you shine. It's about support and generosity and keeping your heart open to new feelings and opportunities. It's also about sticking to your guns and morals and making sure you feel right about where you are and where you're going. If I could give this book infinity stars, I would. It hit all my spots for a great romantic story without being overly dramatic. If you're looking for a hot flirtatious boy who meets an artistic and people pleasing girl who both find, in the end, their lives are so much better when they open their hearts to love, then pick this up, sit down with it, and thank me later!

Author:

Carley Fortune is the #1 New York Times and #1 Globe and Mail bestselling author of Every Summer After, Meet Me at the Lake, and This Summer Will Be Different. Her fourth novel, One Golden Summer comes out May 6, 2025. The book takes readers back to Barry's Bay, the setting of Every Summer After.

Carley is an award-winning journalist and worked as an editor at some of Canada’s top publications, including The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Toronto Life, and The Grid. She was most recently the Executive Editor of Refinery29 Canada.

Carley spent her young life in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia, and in Barry’s Bay, a tiny lakeside town in rural Ontario.

Carley lives in Toronto with her husband and two sons. Follow her on Instagram @carleyfortune.