Meet Me at the Lake

This one was so much better than her first book (in my opinion) - I felt like the book was better written, the characters were more likable and relatable and the writing style had improved for sure! I almost didn't get this book because I didn't care for the first one, but this one changed my mind about this author.

The story is a bit predictable, the reader figures out most of what is going to happen pretty quickly, but there are a few surprises thrown in for them throughout the book. The story does flow quickly and the reader can't help but zoom through the pages as they don't want the story to end, but they also need to know what is going to happen...it's a hard decision to make for the reader to read it all in one sitting or to stop reading it and take their time.

This one is more "the book of summer" than her previous book - for me anyway - add this one to your TBR list and move it to the top, it's worth the read!

First time reading Carley Fortune & I totally get the hype. Read this with my sister’s for our recent family trip/sister’s book club. I think we officially have a new tradition!

I love a dual timeline & this one was phenomenally done. There were times where I’d be so engrossed in one timeline I’d be sad to jump back into the other… just to feel the same in the new timeline. I loved seeing Fern & Will connect during their one day in Toronto & then again throughout his stay at the resort in the present day timeline because they’re truly 2 different love stories that meld together. Overall this was a quick/easy read. It took me a minute to get into it, but once I did I kept wanting more. There’s spice & while scenes aren’t fade to black, I’d say the door is more slightly ajar than fully open. So this is a great entry to a smidge more spice.

When I read the description of MEET ME AT YHE LAKE it would have taken a lot to keep me from reading it. Instalove - check. Secrets - check. Jealousy - check. Unrequited love - check. If only … - check.

Both Will and Fern are complex characters and the secondary relationships in the story are unique and memorable.

The only thing I didn’t like was the dual timelines - sometimes three timelines it’s not my favorite way to tell the story. The mood gets ramped up and suddenly it’s deflated when the switch to the other timeline occurs. Aside from that, I liked the book a lot.

In the scope of easy beach reads, this one is tops. If I was ranking, I think Fortune’s previous book (Every Summer After) is definitely my favorite but this one is great!

The setting is a Dirty Dancing-esque resort in Canada, which is so fun (especially if you loved that movie as much as I did). The characters are stereotypical but lovely. The plot is predictable but still highly entertaining.

For all the romance readers…I recommend this go on your Summer 2024 Beach Reads list. It’s quick, easy and pleasing.

P.S. If you haven’t read Every Summer After…definitely add to your list. I think it’s my favorite beach read ever.

P.P.S. Fortune has a new book out…This Summer Will Be Different. I’ll be reading it!

This was my First Carley Fortune Novel and I have a lot of thoughts…

This book wasn’t bad (the writing was very well done, and I enjoyed that aspect) but, I struggled a little through it.

I didn’t love the main character, Fern. I also feel like I didn’t get as much information about Will as I would’ve liked; he had the bones of a great male lead, but just wasn’t as fleshed out as I think he could’ve been.

Also, the biggest issue was… I felt like the story required some pretty STRONG suspension-of-disbelief.

In a nutshell: girl meets boy, then falls in love with him after 24 hours (even though they’re both in seemingly healthy relationships) she then pines after him for the next decade. I’m not saying it’s not possible, but I had a hard time buying it

The real kicker, Though? She didn’t even break up with her (super sweet, loving) boyfriend after unapologetically emotionally cheating on him. Instead she forced him into breaking up with her!(?) and yet, ten years later, it seems like the poor guy is still carrying a torch for her and treats her super well despite everything — it’s just not at all believable.

(also, the emotional cheating that happens between Fern & Will was so, so exhausting)

BUT, despite all that, I do feel like this book could absolutely be someone’s cup of tea (like I said, it’s not bad and is written well!)

I’ll continue to explore Carley Fortune’s other books, and would still recommend giving this a shot, if you can just pretend the aforementioned issues don’t bother you too much.

3 stars

Do you ever feel bad for the author when writing a less than perfect review? Because that’s how I feel right now especially after having read the author’s notes in which Carley explains that she really struggled to write this one.

But I swore to always be honest in my reviews so here we go, no matter what.

Is that book bad?

No.

There are plenty of things that I loved like: -The set of side characters. From Fern’s best friend looking like an overenthusiastic puppy to the Roses, the old eccentric guests making cocktails, to Peter’s solid and discreet presence, they all helped me see that world, make it real.

-The setting. A resort alongside a Canadian lake. I could see myself swimming or hiring a canoe. I heard the birds in the trees, saw the dining room with guests etc. It felt like being on holiday.

-The pacing. It was just right for the story. We switch between past, when Fern met Will and now, ten years later. It was steady, not too fast nor too slow and fitting to have the story unfurl slowly, recounting past events and present traumas.

-The meet cute. Fern and Will’s day in the city ten years ago was the perfect romantic meet. It felt like a bubble in time where everything is ripe with possibilities. Will was the promising and handsome artist, Fern was prickly and undecided yet about her future. Both on the brink of a new life.

-Fern. I think Carley Fortune wrote Fern very realistically. She is full of doubts, is looking for her path in life. Past Fern had her demons, understandably so and went through a wild phase. New Fern is more mature but still struggling after her mother’s death. She will grow a lot in the story.

-The ending. Thank god we had these last 10 percent! That helped explain a lot about Will’s decision and had me feeling a smidge better.

But

I am a reader and reviewer very much driven by my emotions and feelings.

And what I felt very often was extremely frustrated!

I was angry with Will. He never showed up nine years ago and now that he is back, he gives no explanation, no excuses. And Fern chooses to go with it??? Sorry but if you don’t show up and you make a mistake, you GROVEL! You explain and hope it’s a fantastic explanation to beg for forgiveness. Not knowing what happened had me keeping Will at arm’s length. I didn’t trust him and didn’t warm up to him, even if he was kind of a baby whisperer. And I didn’t understand Fern in her decision to take a risk, knowing that her heart could be crushed again. Even if at the same time I admired her bravery. As a character driven reader, not liking Will really dampened my enjoyment and is the main reason for my low rating alongside the lack of groveling.

What I would have liked to see more of was grief. Fern just lost her mom. We get passing mentions that she misses her mom and see her reading her diary but I think the story would have gained even more depth if we focused more on the grief stages. I don’t mean to make it a sob story or the core of the book but it was nearly brushed under the rug. Or at least, that’s how I experienced it.

As you can see, that book has a lot of assets but also missed the mark for me. Does that mean that Carley Fortune is a “one book” author like she feared? Certainly not as she has proven that she can write. I just hope for her that her next story will “spill out” of her like Every Summer After did.

Also, I haven’t looked at any review yet so I might be in the minority here. So go check other opinions (like I’ll do now 😉 ).

3.5

After reading and loving the authors previous book I knew that I would be reading this one and was excited when it was picked for a book blub pick. I love how this one was told in past present timelines, and I really did like seeing how the MC's came together, and I loved seeing how it all played out in the present. I am in the crowd of "it was one day, how are you still this upset 10 years later' crowd, but personally to me I think I would be less concerned about the one day we spent together 10 years ago and more concerned with how shady Will was present day. Present day Will was just not my favorite at all. I liked Fern enough as the FMC, and I enjoyed them together when Will wasn't being shady, but I just didn't see love at all. I will say I am not a fan of instalove and this was that in both the past and present. I liked the setting, and I like the secondary characters. My favorite part of this was the inclusion of Fern's relationship with her mom (and her mom's diaries) and I really loved the epilogue. I felt like the last chapter was so rushed, but the epilogue tied it together very well.