Romance author Carley Fortune's ability to capture the euphoric essence of summer love is evident in This Summer Will Be Different. The novel takes place primarily on the coast of Prince Edward Island, where the salt air and summer sun set the scene for an extra hot and lively romance.
Lucy's best friend, Bridget, gives her three rules before Lucy visits Bridget's hometown on the island: "Eat your weight in oysters," "leave the city behind," and "don't fall in love with my brother." But Bridget's arrival is delayed, so Lucy spends an unforgettable night with a handsome local named Felix, only to find out that he is Bridget's off-limits brother. Over the next five years, Lucy's yearly visits to PEI are filled with sandcastle competitions, oyster shucking, and a secret annual hookup with Felix. When Bridget unexpectedly asks Lucy to join her on the island nine days before her wedding in Toronto, Lucy is faced with Bridget's pre-wedding crisis and her own complicated feelings for Felix.
Fortune (Every Summer After, Meet Me at the Lake) intersperses chapters counting down to Bridget's wedding with chapters chronicling the past five years of Lucy's vacations. Lucy and Bridget's week of nostalgic activities conveys the importance of found family and unconditional love between friends. Lucy and Felix's long history slowly unfolds to reveal what happened the previous summer that turned stolen glances into avoided ones. Fortune builds delectable suspense, effortlessly balancing steamy passion with fulfilling platonic and familial love. The charming Prince Edward Island setting basks in sunshine that brings the characters closer to one another and their happy-ever-afters. --Clara Newton, freelance reviewer