One Golden Summer. By Carley Fortune. Audiobook

Emma Smith

My camera has always been my shield. It's simpler, I've found, to observe the world from behind the lens than to step out in front of it. At seventeen, a summer spent at my grandmother's friend's cottage on Barry's Bay yielded the photograph that would define my life - a shot of three carefree teenagers on a sun-bleached yellow boat. To this day, it remains my proudest work. But now, photography feels like a chore, its magic faded. So when my beloved Nan, recovering from a broken hip, needs help, I see my escape: returning to that same, now-empty cottage. I throw myself into crafting a perfect summer for her, falling into my familiar role as the quietly compliant granddaughter, hoping to rekindle a spark for life in the place I've always loved.

What I never planned for was Charlie Florek. Charming, grinning, impossibly attractive Charlie Florek. I recognize him instantly - he's one of the boys from that yellow boat, from the summer I spent wishing I knew the kids who lived across the lake. Charlie, who's been looking after the vacant property, arrives to safety-proof the cottage and, in doing so, brings a light back to Nan's eyes I haven't seen in years. He becomes a constant in my days, whisking me away to tackle my summer bucket list, making me feel truly seen for the first time in ages. The chemistry between us is undeniable - stolen moments in the darkroom, sleepovers under the summer stars - yet Charlie holds a part of himself back. I'm falling fast, caught in a freefall without the certainty he's falling too, though I catch glimpses of it in fleeting snapshots of our time together. When summer ends and I finally discover why he kept his distance, I'm stunned I missed the signs. And I realize it might not be too late to reclaim that golden spark we shared.

In essence, "One Golden Summer" is a dreamy, deeply romantic, and hauntingly emotional journey. T. J. Carley possesses a rare gift for weaving the very essence of summer - its light, its laziness, its potent nostalgia - into the fabric of her stories. Reading it, I felt I was walking hand-in-hand with Alice; her heartaches were mine, her hopes felt personal. And Charlie? I could never bring myself to dislike him. After "Every Summer After," I was desperate to know more about his big heart and untamed spirit. Unraveling his past alongside Alice revealed a profound depth of hurt from loss and regret, and this story only made me adore him more. The connection between Alice and Charlie might be Carley's most beautifully rendered yet - it's ethereal, a powerful, larger-than-life love conveyed with stunning economy. I turned the final page with tears in my eyes and a heart full of summer's glow.

This book is a captivating escape, perfect for losing yourself in. I wholeheartedly recommend diving into its pages - or, for an equally immersive experience, listening to the superb audiobook narration that brings these characters and their golden summer vividly to life.