Title: Meet Me at the Lake Author: Carley Fortune Publisher: Berkley Genre: Contemporary Romance Thank you @librofm and @prhaudio for the listening copy of Meet me at the Lake; one of my most anticipated reads for May! This one is dual narrated by the author Carley Fortune and A.J. Bridel. I find it can be hit or miss for me when the author narrates their own book, but this one was excellent.
This book is everywhere and probably doesn’t need a deep dive review, so let me just start with the positive. This author absolutely excels at the atmosphere and scenery in her books. Man, do I want to go to a lake this summer!! It all feels very real, the cabins, the canoeing, and those perfect summer meals with a glass of wine. Now the not so positive . . . Maybe I am too much of a cynic, but I just couldn’t get on board with idea that our main characters meet at 22 and spend 24 hours together in Toronto and are still pining for each other 10 years later and fall back into sync without really missing a beat. Let me say it again . . . They only spent 24 hours together!!!
Fern is 22 and graduating from college in Toronto. Will has already graduated and is an artist. They meet in a chance encounter when Will is painting a mural at the coffee shop Fern works at. Fern is supposed to be leaving to work at her families lakeside resort. Except she doesn’t really want to. Her and Will spend 24 hours together showing each other their favorite spots in the city and have an undeniable connection, but the timing is all wrong. They make a list of secrets, hopes and dreams; then decide the will meet in a year at Fern’s resort. Only Will never shows up. 10 years later when Fern is running the resort and grieving over the loss of her mother, who walks in to check into a cabin? Will. Only he is no long an artist but an executive there to help the struggling business.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Hmmm, maybe the second chance trope is the one that is the most hit or miss for me!? I think you need to be a hopeless romantic for this one. I needed the characters to at least spend a week together. I thought the author also did an excellent job portraying grief in this book. It’s still a fun fast read or listen for your beach bag!
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