Every Summer After

Carley Fortune’s debut, *Every Summer After*, unfolds across two distinct timelines, weaving together the tentative, burgeoning romance of teenagers Percy and Sam with the fraught, almost-reunion of their adult selves. The narrative deftly transitions between these periods, using the cyclical nature of summer vacations in Barry's Bay, Ontario, to underscore both the constancy and the profound shifts in their relationship. Fortune’s prose is immersive, particularly in depicting the sun-drenched, lake-side setting, which becomes less a backdrop and more a character itself, intimately tied to Percy’s memories and emotional landscape. The initial spark between the young protagonists is rendered with a tender authenticity, capturing the intensity and awkwardness of adolescent love with palpable grace.

The novel’s structure, alternating between 'Then' and 'Now,' serves to heighten the emotional stakes, slowly revealing the precipitating event that fractured Percy and Sam’s connection years ago. This gradual unveiling is expertly managed, compelling the reader to piece together the fragments of their shared history. Fortune understands the power of withheld information, doling out clues with judicious precision that sustains engagement without resorting to cheap narrative tricks. The reader becomes invested not just in *whether* Percy and Sam will reconcile, but in understanding *how* such a profound bond could have broken, and what it would truly take to mend it.

Percy, as a protagonist, is rendered with a complexity that belies the often simplistic portrayals in romance novels. Her journey from a slightly insecure teenager to a successful, yet emotionally guarded, adult feels earned. Her internal monologue is rich with introspection, grappling with regret, forgiveness, and the indelible marks left by formative experiences. Sam, though slightly less developed in his adult iteration, still emanates a quiet strength and enduring affection that makes his pull on Percy understandable. Their chemistry, across both timelines, is the novel's undeniable engine, driving the narrative forward with a believable, deeply felt connection.

My primary reservation with *Every Summer After* lies in its occasional reliance on familiar romantic tropes, particularly in the 'big misunderstanding' that separates the protagonists for so long. While the emotional fallout is explored thoughtfully, the initial catalyst feels somewhat contrived; a more nuanced or truly unavoidable schism might have elevated the narrative’s depth. Moreover, the resolution, while emotionally satisfying, arrives with a certain predictability that, for a reader accustomed to more formally adventurous fiction, might feel a touch too neat, diminishing the lingering complexity of their reconciliation.

Despite these minor quibbles, *Every Summer After* stands as a testament to the enduring power of first love and the often-circuitous path to self-forgiveness. Fortune has crafted a novel that, by focusing on the intimate details of two lives intertwined, manages to resonate with universal truths about connection, loss, and the courage required to revisit painful pasts. It is a book that lingers, leaving the reader with a wistful appreciation for the summers of youth and the people who indelibly shape us, even when paths diverge.