Meet Me at the Lake

4.75 stars Meet Me at the Lake is the latest release from Carley Fortune, and an absolute winner for me! I was immediately drawn into this story and could hardly put it down. I found it utterly engaging and what I wanted. Fern and Will meet early in their twenties when they are both trying to find their own path in life. Both are tasked with a heavy sense of obligation to family, but have aspirations of their own. They spend 24 hours together touring the town and there is a click of recognition, a spark that ignites unlike any before. But life takes them in different directions and they promise to meet up in one year. Fast-forward ten years, life has not been easy for either one, as is often the case, and they are thrust back into one another’s lives. After the unexpected death of Fern’s mother, she comes back home to take over the family resort, not her first choice, and in walks Will…a decade late. He’s there with the purpose of helping the resort thrive and get back on it’s financial feet, and though the two resurrect their relationship, Will is still battling his own demons. The two have a lot to sort through, but Will is slow to open up. In a way, this is a coming of age story. It’s about discovering what you really want and how to balance your own needs with those of others. The romance felt authentic and fraught with real life struggles. There is a weightiness to this story, and layers that make it feel realistic and believable. It’s a thoughtful, feel-good story, and though it’s steamier than I’d prefer, it’s beautifully heart-warming. I’ve loved both of this author’s books and look forward to whatever she writes next. (And you can’t beat her gorgeous covers!)

It took me awhile to get into this book, but it was a decent read, It just didn't have great content to keep me interested to keep wanting to pick it up and read so it took me awhile to finish this one.

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 😉 ).

After reading Every Summer After, I had high hopes for Carley Fortune’s sophomore novel, and Meet Me at the Lake did not disappoint. While it’s definitely a romance, it feels much more grounded in the messy realities of adulthood, grief, and the "what ifs" that haunt us.

This was a really cute, well thought out story. I loved the dual timeslines and the diary entries. I loved how their were two newfound families that merged into one. I really love the authors writing style and I think its so cool how the author narrates her own books

Great book, has a slow build up but I love the ending. Finished this book fairly quick, great read and

The author is a gifted writer. I absolutely loved her first book, and was really looking forward to reading this book. I rate it 3.5*, but have decided to place my review under 4*. What was good: character development of the FMC, Fern. She felt real to me. I also understood and felt her attraction to the 22 year old Will. But 32 year old Will? No. Especially not after finding out what happened in the years between "then" and "now", and the typical conflict near the end, and the fact Fern had to grovel to get Will back. My main issue with the book is pacing and flow, some parts drag on. The author could have done more with Fern's grief and her mom's diary. Actually, I think I might be more interested in her mother's story, especially her relationship with Peter. Then, after the big conflict, the author ties the end of the story together in an unexciting manner. I scrolled through the last pages. The book is really good in the "then" part and not very good in the "now" part. Yet, it's not a bad book. Certainly not. At the end of the book, the author tells us she struggled with writing this book. I felt that in her writing. Flow, main characters that don't really mesh (anymore), it felt forced. I hope her next book is like her first. I will definitely read it!

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.

I loved it, it looked so real. The plot was si nice ! Thanks for this ! I need more I was hoping something and I found better

Loved this series

I read Every Summer After in 2022 and loved it so much – counted down the days until meet me by the lake would come out – and Carley kept her promise to write an amazing 2nd novel! great love story! she was able to capture the little details and challenges that we encounter when we grow up and the humanness in her characters. Personally I love writing just as much as reading good novels – and Carley is one of my biggest inspirations. Thank you for this book, I can't wait for the next one!

Like a warm cozy blanket. Memories of life and family flood to me . Read it twice now. Holiday read

I have read both Meet me at the lake and Every summer after and i can definitely say that Carley Fortune is an amazing writer! Ferm and Will fall in love in just one day but life events take them apart. Years later they find each other again. They are not the same people they used to be. Will their love overcome their life struggles ?