334 pages May 02,2023 publication date Berkley publisher
About The Book
THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
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A random connection sends two strangers on a daylong adventure where they make a promise one keeps and the other breaks, with life-changing effects, in this breathtaking new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After.
Fern Brookbanks has wasted far too much of her adult life thinking about Will Baxter. She spent just twenty-four hours in her early twenties with the aggravatingly attractive, idealistic artist, a chance encounter that spiraled into a daylong adventure in the city. The timing was wrong, but their connection was undeniable: they shared every secret, every dream, and made a pact to meet one year later. Fern showed up. Will didn’t.
At thirty-two, Fern’s life doesn’t look at all how she once imagined it would. Instead of living in the city, Fern’s back home, running her mother’s lakeside resort—something she vowed never to do. The place is in disarray, her ex-boyfriend’s the manager, and Fern doesn’t know where to begin.
She needs a plan—a lifeline. To her surprise, it comes in the form of Will, who arrives nine years too late, with a suitcase in tow and an offer to help on his lips. Will may be the only person who understands what Fern’s going through. But how could she possibly trust this expensive-suit wearing mirage who seems nothing like the young man she met all those years ago. Will is hiding something, and Fern’s not sure she wants to know what it is.
But ten years ago, Will Baxter rescued Fern. Can she do the same for him?
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed the author’s debut book and props to her for once again making my heart fill with such emotion while reading this.
Our main character Fern Brookbanks has met Wil Baxter ten years ago when he was hired to do some painting at her coffee shop. She is convinced he is her soul mate after spending just 24 hours with him and not seeing again for ten years. A chance meeting at her mother’s lodge has him checking in there to do some work for her mother.
Fern is shocked to see him there and the past ten years she has spent entirely too many hours dreaming about him. The author has my emotions ever changing in this one. At first I was mad at Wil and going away all those years ago with no explanation.
As we find out slowly, Wil’s backstory he does have a reason, but I still think he should have told her at the time.
I think we all love second chance romances.
They both have a lot of baggage they’re carrying; her mother has recently passed, and she is trying to run the lodge living up to her mother’s high standards. He also has had a lot of family complications and obligations he’s trying to fulfill. The summer is young, the lake is cool, and this heartbreaking emotional book may be just what you need for your next lakeside read.
Pub Date 02 May 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
About The Author
Carley Fortune is the New York Times and #1 Globe and Mail bestselling author of EVERY SUMMER AFTER. Her second book, MEET ME AT THE LAKE, comes out May 2, 2023. 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. She lives in Toronto with her husband and two sons. Follow her on Instagram @carleyfortune.
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