Acclaimed romance novelist Carley Fortune has revealed that her sixth book, Only in Summer, is set to be published on May 18, 2027.
Only in Summer transports readers back to the charming town of Barry’s Bay, Ontario, which serves as the backdrop for her earlier works, Every Summer After and One Golden Summer, and where she spent her formative years.
“Right before I began my writing journey, I purchased my own cottage by a lake near Barry’s Bay,” Fortune shared in a newsletter. “Since we sold our family home on the lake, owning a cottage has always been my aspiration.”
In Only in Summer, the protagonist, Eleanor Florek, aspires to achieve the same dream.
Eleanor, affectionately known as Ellie, is related to characters Charlie and Sam from Fortune’s previous works set in Barry’s Bay. Having spent her childhood there, Ellie has always wished to own a property in the town. However, when she finally manages to save enough money, she is shocked to discover that the modest house next to hers is being torn down for its attractive new owner to construct a mansion.
Although this is all that Fortune has disclosed so far, it is easy to speculate that a hesitant love story will unfold in this lakeside locale.
Based in Toronto, Fortune is a writer and journalist who has held editing positions at Refinery29, The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, and Toronto Life. Her other published works include Our Perfect Storm, One Golden Summer, Every Summer After, This Summer Will Be Different, and Meet Me at the Lake.
Meet Me at the Lake was a contender on Canada Reads in 2024, where it was supported by fashion influencer and model Mirian Njoh, marking the first time a romance novel appeared on the program.
Mirian Njoh champions Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune on Canada Reads 2024. (CBC)
Every Summer After was transformed into the Amazon Prime Video series Every Year After, which debuted this summer and has been renewed for a second season, based on One Golden Summer. In addition, Netflix Canada is developing This Summer Will Be Different into a 10-episode series.