Let us know which books like Every Summer After we missed!
“Betrayals don’t cancel each other out. They just hurt more.”
If you fell head over heels for Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After – the heartfelt, nostalgic summer romance story about first loves and second chances – you’re probably on the hunt for books that capture the same magic. Fortune’s debut novel struck a chord with readers who adore emotional beach reads, tender coming-of-age stories, and the kind of second-chance romance that makes you ache and swoon all at once. But what should you read after Every Summer After? That’s where we here at What We Reading come in. We’ve rounded up our favourite books like Every Summer After – novels brimming with small-town charm, rekindled romance, and bittersweet nostalgia. Whether you’re craving more Carley Fortune books, looking for authors with a similar style, or simply want more summer romance books to add to your TBR pile, these picks are perfect for fans of unforgettable love stories.
Ever since she made the biggest mistake of her life, Persephone Fraser has swapped glittering summers on the lakeshore of her childhood years for a slick, stylish apartment in the big city. At least, that is until she receives a phone call that sends her racing back to Barry’s Bay, and into the crosshairs of Sam Florek, the man she never thought she would be able to live without.
For six summers, Percy and Sam were inseparable. Eventually, that friendship blossomed into something breathtakingly more. Until it all fell spectacularly apart. When Percy finds herself back at the lake, their chemistry is as electric as it has ever been. Yet, until she is able to confront the choices they both made all those years ago, Percy will never know whether their love could be bigger than the mistakes of their past. Told over the course of six sun-soaked summers and one weekend in the present, Every Summer After is a big-hearted, nostalgic look at love, and the people and decisions that define us forever.
We’re kicking off our list of the best books like Every Summer After with another one of Carley Fortune’s best books, Meet Me at the Lake. 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 spiralled into a daylong adventure in Toronto. The timing may have been wrong, but their chemistry was undeniable. But after making a pact together, they would find themselves apart for years.
Now at thirty-two, Fern’s life isn’t looking much like how she envisioned it. Instead of being in the heart of the city, she’s running her mother’s Muskoka lakeside resort. The place is in disarray, her ex is the manager, and she doesn’t know where to turn. Enter Will, nine years too late. He might be the only person to know how she’s feeling, and the only person who can help. But, how could she possibly trust this expensive-suit-wearing mirage who seems nothing like the young man she once knew? Will is hiding something, and Fern’s not sure she wants to know what it is.
Check Out The Best Books Like Meet Me At The Lake
Belle Wilde loves December. Sure, she’s just lost her job, and Christmas is hardly a good time to find yourself “financially challenged”. And yes, her parents are still reminding her about the fact that she really should have it all together by now. But Belle believes that in December, magic is possible.
Rory Walters hates December. Whilst it looks like his life is together, he’s still reeling from a winter’s night five years ago when his life changed forever. Now back at home, he’s certain that this will be yet another Christmas to endure rather than enjoy. But as midnight on December 31st draws nearer, Belle and Rory’s time together is coming to an end. With a little help from a Christmas miracle, could Belle find the one thing she really wants underneath the mistletoe in this cutesy festive-themed second chance story?
Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical, happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks down until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and, most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad.
Those two are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer – they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and almost everything in between. But, one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along. Full of summer nostalgia and messy love triangles, The Summer I Turned Pretty is a great follow-up if you loved Every Summer After.
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After a wild bet, a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich, and a cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously attractive carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come – the total opposite of the sophisticated city-gal Alexis. And yet, their chemistry is off the charts.
While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis isn’t looking for fame or glory. And the more time she spends with Daniel, the more she discovers what’s really important. Yet bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, but she can’t bring herself to give up the joy she’s found with him either. Similar to Every Summer After, with so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly decide between her world and his?
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Despite being complete opposites on nearly everything, Poppy and Alex have been the very best of friends. For most of the year, they live far apart, but every year they take one glorious week of vacation together. Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.
Poppy has everything she could ever want, but she’s stuck in a rut. So, she decides to convince her former best friend to take one more holiday together – lay everything on the table, make it all better. Thankfully, he agrees. In one of the best second-chance romance books like Every Summer After, People We Meet on Vacation follows Poppy and Alex over the week as they navigate the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?
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Spending her thirtieth birthday alone is the last thing that dating columnist Cleo wanted, but she is going on a self-coupling quasi-sabbatical – at the insistence of her boss – in the name of reenergising herself and adding a new perspective to her column. The remote Irish island she’s booked is a far cry from London, but at least it’s an opportunity to hunker down in a luxury cabin and indulge in some quiet self-care.
Mac is also looking forward to some time to himself. Unfortunately, a mix-up with the bookings means both solitude seekers have received the same one-bedroom hideaway on the same dates. Instantly at odds with one another, Cleo and Mac don’t know how they’re going to manage until the next weekly ferry arrives. Yet, as the days go by, they slowly no longer seem to mind each other’s company quite as much as they thought they might. Escape, self-discovery, and unexpected romance, Josie Silver’s One Night on the Island is the perfect book to read after Every Summer After.
Summer in Sand Lake isn’t complete without a trip to Meade Creamery – the local ice cream stand founded back in 1944 by Molly Meade, who began making ice cream to cure her love-sick girlfriends while all the boys were away at war. Since then, the stand has been owned and managed solely by local girls who inevitably become the best of friends.
Seventeen-year-old Amelia and her best friend, Cate, have worked at the stand every summer for the past three years, and Amelia is “Head Girl” at the stand this summer. When Molly passes away before Amelia has even had her first day in charge, Amelia isn’t sure if the stand can carry on. That is, until Molly’s grandnephew, Grady, arrives and asks Amelia to stay on to help continue the business. But, Grady has some substantial changes in mind…
Sandwiched between two exceptional siblings, Taylor Edwards has never felt like she stood out – except for her history of running away when things got too heavy. Then her dad receives sudden, unexpected news, and the family makes the last-minute decision to spend the summer together in the cramped quarters at their old lake house. Up at the lake, she is confronted by her former best friend, Lucy, and first crush, Henry Crosby. Taylor soon finds herself engulfed by memories she’d rather leave in the past – but she can’t run away this time.
As the days lying on the beach pass into nights gazing at the stars, Taylor realises that she has a second chance – with friends, with family, perhaps even with love. But she knows that once the summer ends, there is no way to reclaim what she stands to lose. From Morgan Matson, Second Chance Summer is one of the best books like Every Summer After for anyone looking for another second-chance summer romance read.
Check Out These Summer Reads To Take To The Beach
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
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