Alice Everly is a freelance photographer, a loyal friend, a caring sister, and a devoted granddaughter. After a breakup leaves her feeling unmotivated, she takes it as a chance to pause and rediscover herself. After her grandmother’s hip surgery, Alice steps in to help with her recovery, and together they decide to rent a lakeside cottage at Barry’s Bay, a place Alice hasn’t visited since she was seventeen.
There she meets Charlie Florek, the boy she once captured in a photo she titled One Golden Summer. Now living nearby, Charlie quickly charms not only Alice but also her grandmother. I found their chemistry instant and heartwarming, with a nostalgic spark that made me smile as I read.
Some parts felt a little draggy, and the ending leaned a bit on the pretentious side, but the story still left me with warmth. What really carried the book for me was the tenderness between Alice and Charlie. Their bond felt sweet, genuine, and quietly powerful, like slipping back into a memory that still glows.
Overall, One Golden Summer is a cozy, nostalgic read that celebrates second chances, the pull of a long-ago crush, and the way summer can linger in the heart long after the season has passed.