Meet Me at the Lake

I’ve never had to do this before, but Carley Fortune’s newest book has put me in a quandary. Do I review it with my head or with my heart? Let’s do a two-parter. Sorry, it’ll be a bit longer! I’ll give you my “head” review first, then share my “heart” review after. Sound good?

First a little synopsis:

Thirty-two year old Fern Brookbanks recently lost her mother, Maggie, the owner and proprietor of Brookbanks Resort on Smoke Lake in Canada, which has been in their family for over fifty years. As an only child, she grew up on the property, yet resented all the time her single mom spent working there. This led to a rebellious teen phase where Fern told Maggie that she didn’t want a future at the resort as was always planned and assumed after her graduation. This decision was further solidified the day she met Will Baxter.

While at university and working her shift at a coffee shop one day, she meets Will, a recent art school grad there to paint a mural on the wall. They spend a whirlwind day together while he paints and on a day-long tour through Toronto afterwards, where they quickly bond over less than ideal family situations, among other things. Unfortunately, they also discover that they’re both in relationships, and Fern is moving back home to Brookbanks in a week. Clearly attracted, they agree to meet exactly one year later at Brookbanks resort on a dock by the lake. Will never shows up.

Nine years later, with Fern trying to manage the resort that Maggie’s death has left behind, in walks Will.  Why is he there and what will this mean for Fern? Can she forgive being stood up nine years ago and let him back into her heart? Are they even the same people they were then?

All right. Let’s jump into my “head” review:

Carley Fortune is a wonderful writer.  She’s SO good at capturing a mood, a feeling, an atmosphere that puts the reader right there with the characters. I could almost smell the fresh air and hear the rippling lake and sounds of resort guests enjoying the property. The resort very much felt like its own character, and the guests and staff their own special family. If you’re like me, and you’ve seen Dirty Dancing several dozen times, you’ll love her nods to it.

Just as in her amazing debut Every Summer After, she writes nuanced characters that you feel for. They have depth and a reason for their behaviors, both good and bad. Fern and Will are both likable, but emotionally complicated. I loved Peter, the pastry chef, who was like a surrogate dad to Fern, Fern’s lovable ex, Jamie, her best friend Whitney and Will’s sister, Annabel. 

As for the romance, the spice level is moderate - mainly one multi-page extended play-by-play, but you can easily skip over it if you don’t like that stuff.

The story is beautifully written and full of charm, and I believe most readers who enjoy contemporary romance will find this a worthy sophomore effort from the author. 

My feelings about the book are a little complicated, though, so now for my “heart” review:

Do you know that feeling when you start reading something and you’re sure in the first few pages that you know exactly where it’s heading and you get all excited? Yes?  

Now, do you know that feeling when you find out shortly afterwards that you had it all wrong and you’re NOT, in fact, going to get what you had planned out in your head? D’oh!

If I’d been smart, I’d have read the blurb beforehand and known where things were headed, but in my complete adoration of Every Summer After - my favorite book of last year - I went into this blind. 

Perhaps it’s just me, and everyone else LOVED Will and wanted he and Fern to find their happily ever after, but this weirdo here instantly adored her ex, Jamie, from my first introduction to him and was secretly hoping all along that Fern would find her way back to him! My heart really wanted THAT story. Jamie was loyal, funny, smart, caring and largely uncomplicated, in contrast to Will’s more moody, complicated, serious side. Don’t get me wrong: Will had plenty of charm and humor too, and he’s not a bad catch by any standard, but he felt so … typical. You know: hot, tattooed, tall, lanky, mysterious, blah, blah, blah. Jamie was my guy, and he played such a relatively small part in the story. The book also never really explained why he wasn’t good enough for Fern, who still openly has fondness for him. I kinda felt like he got a raw deal!

I could still enjoy Fern and Will’s story, but the heart wants what the heart wants, right? Perhaps Jamie will get his love story in another book. *hint, hint*

Putting my head and my heart together, my head gives this 4.5 stars and my heart gives this 3.5 stars, so I’ll put this firmly at 4 stars. I adore Carley Fortune’s writing, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

★★★★ 

Thanks to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley and author Carley Fortune for this ARC to honestly review. It’s due to be published May 2, 2023.