Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsGreat summer read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 May 2024
Reading the blurb for ‘This Summer Will be Different’ cemented that this was going to be a must-read for me. From the forbidden nature of their relationship, to how they cannot help but give in to their yearning for each other, and the promise of the summery backdrop of Prince Edward Island, the description of Lucy and Felix’s story instantly drew me in.
From the start of the book, Lucy and Felix’s attraction is immediate, and in some ways their relationship relies on the “insta-love” trope. This would typically prevent me from being able to connect to the book. However, by the end of their story I was wholly rooting for, and believed in, Lucy and Felix as a couple. Lines such as “He’ll be my oasis, and I’ll be his” encapsulate the tender and romantic atmosphere Carley Fortune was able to convey, even if their relationship was initially built upon physical attraction.
Something I thought was done extremely well was the sultry atmosphere. Carley Fortune built up tension perfectly, and although she describes it as her “steamiest”, it certainly did not feel overly descriptive or explicit - something that I find usually distracts from the feeling in a romance book. Instead, Carley Fortune created a sense of intimacy and connection through the steamy scenes. It was incredibly heartfelt and flirtatious.
The descriptions of the landscape on Prince Edward Island were truly transportative. This book also felt so cozy, partly because of the tender love between Lucy and Felix, and between Lucy and her best friend, and partly because of the sense of homeliness and belonging Carley Fortune crafted around the island setting.
This might just be Carley Fortune’s best work, and there were so many aspects I adored. There were moments of humor, so much gentleness in the scenes where Felix takes care of Lucy.