After absolutely loving Every Summer After, I had high hopes for Carley Fortune’s second novel, Meet Me at the Lake. Sadly, this one didn’t deliver for me. I gave it 2.5 stars — it was slow, frustrating, and filled with plot holes that were hard to overlook.
The Premise:
Fern Brookbanks has spent way too long thinking about Will Baxter. After a single, whirlwind 24-hour adventure together in their twenties, the two promised to meet again in a year. Fern showed up. Will didn’t.
Nine years later, Fern is back home managing her family’s lakeside resort, something she swore she’d never do, when Will walks back into her life with a suitcase and an offer to help. He’s different now, more polished and closed-off, and definitely hiding something. Fern has to decide whether she’s ready to forgive, forget, and fall again.
My Thoughts:
Let’s just get straight to it: this was a tough read. The pacing was painfully slow, and the romance didn’t feel earned. How are we supposed to believe that two people can fall in love after less than 24 hours together, not speak for almost a decade, and then suddenly pick right back up like nothing happened?
And when Will vanishes again, no text, no call, no real explanation. Fern still goes to his house to “take a risk.” The man clearly said he wasn’t looking for anything serious, but somehow this all ends with him moving into her resort and proposing? Sorry, I’m not buying it.
It felt predictable, emotionally inconsistent, and just... flat. I kept waiting for a moment that would make it all click, and it never came.
The Plot Twist IRL?
Here’s the wild part: apparently Meet Me at the Lake is being turned into a movie... by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s production company. Yes, really. I can’t say I loved the story, but I will absolutely be watching that adaptation out of sheer curiosity.
Final Thoughts:
This one just didn’t hit like Every Summer After did. The emotional payoff wasn’t there, and the characters’ choices didn’t make a lot of sense. If you're thinking about reading it, maybe wait for the movie and see if Harry and Meghan can work some magic on the script.
Still torn on whether I’ll give Carley Fortune’s third book a shot. If you’ve read it, or if you’re excited for the movie, let’s talk!
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