This Summer Will Be Different Summary & Analysis: A Heartfelt Summer Romance

Book Summary Contents

Introduction: A Summer Romance That Stays With You

This Summer Will Be Different Summary is more than a recap; it’s an invitation into a sun-drenched story of romance, healing, and emotional growth. Written by bestselling author Carley Fortune, this 2024 novel is an evocative portrayal of love that spans years and seasons, rooted in a seemingly simple premise that becomes beautifully complex.

Quick Summary

A slow-burn, emotional summer romance
Forbidden love between best friend’s brother and protagonist
Set on stunning Prince Edward Island
Explores themes of timing, friendship, self-growth, and second chances
Carley Fortune’s most mature, emotionally resonant novel to date

This Summer Will Be Different Summary & Analysis & Review & Themes

What Is This Summer Will Be Different About?

Set on Prince Edward Island, the narrative weaves a slow-burning, forbidden love story between Lucy, a tourist from Toronto, and Felix, her best friend’s younger brother. But what begins as a fleeting summer fling evolves into a rich emotional journey marked by longing, restraint, and the discovery of personal truths. In this This Summer Will Be Different Summary, we break down the emotional depth, character arcs, and literary strengths that have made this book a standout in the romance genre.

What Sparks Lucy and Felix’s Connection?

Lucy Ashby escapes to Prince Edward Island each summer to reconnect with her best friend Bridget, unwind from her life in Toronto, and recharge with sea air, oysters, and sunshine. But a one-night mistake changes everything: a passionate evening with Felix, Bridget’s younger brother. Lucy doesn’t realize who he is until after their electric night together.

Despite their undeniable chemistry, the situation is too complicated—Felix is off-limits, both emotionally and socially. So, they agree to never repeat their mistake. But with each passing summer, their connection only deepens, and their attempts to stay away from each other become increasingly impossible.

How Do the Summers Change Everything?

Each summer brings new emotional complexities and relationship entanglements. Lucy and Felix navigate:

Emotional baggage from their pasts
Newfound maturity
The strain of keeping secrets
An evolving dynamic with Bridget

What began as physical attraction deepens into emotional resonance. Their connection becomes a safe harbor—and yet, one they’re not allowed to claim. This sense of restraint creates both tension and poignancy throughout the narrative.

Main Characters in This Summer Will Be Different

Lucy Ashby: The protagonist. An emotionally complex woman who uses her summers on PEI as an escape from her life in Toronto.
Felix: Bridget’s younger brother, charming yet grounded, offering a stark contrast to Lucy’s chaotic emotional world.
Bridget: Lucy’s best friend and Felix’s sister. Her wedding and personal crisis act as catalysts for the story’s climax.

These characters are crafted with nuance. Lucy and Felix, in particular, have a relationship that evolves organically, showcasing genuine emotional growth and introspection.

Key Themes and Messages

1. Timing Is Everything

The heart of the story lies in timing—meeting the right person at the wrong time. Lucy and Felix’s romance doesn’t bloom because of convenience; it endures because of emotional evolution.

2. Forbidden Love Done Right

Unlike clichéd portrayals of forbidden love, this book offers a mature, emotionally layered exploration of what it means to love someone you’re not “supposed” to.

3. Female Friendship and Emotional Honesty

Bridget and Lucy’s friendship is one of the story’s backbones. Their dynamic explores the strength of platonic love, trust, and the emotional labor of maintaining long-term relationships.

4. Finding Family Outside of Blood

The novel explores the idea that family isn’t always who you’re born to. Through Lucy’s strained relationship with her own parents, contrasted with her bond with Bridget and Felix, this theme rings strong.

5. Prince Edward Island: A Character in Itself

PEI isn’t just a setting—it’s a living, breathing part of the story. From red cliffs to seagulls and slurping oysters, the island enhances the sensual experience and makes the emotional beats more vivid.

What Makes This Romance Different from the Rest?

Realism in Romance: Lucy and Felix’s love story doesn’t rely on outlandish drama. It’s deeply rooted in emotional realism, showing how love can grow slowly, patiently, and imperfectly.
Character Evolution Over Time: Readers follow their emotional maturity through different life phases.
Sensory World-Building: The vivid descriptions of the island make you feel like you’re vacationing with the characters.

What Are the Readers Saying?

Praise:

“The summer vibes were vibing! Felix and Lucy’s chemistry was insane.”
“Carley Fortune has officially become an auto-buy author for me.”
“The PEI setting felt like a character itself. I wanted to live in this book.”

Criticism:

“Too many clichés and not enough emotional depth for some readers.”
“Lucy felt immature for almost 30. The conflict lacked real tension.”

These mixed reviews suggest that while the book isn’t universally loved, it profoundly resonates with fans of slow-burn, character-driven romances.

This Summer Will Be Different 10 Best Quotes

1. On Love & Devotion

“You.” He kisses me once. “I am so in love with you. Wildly. Deeply. Unrelentingly in love with you.”

“Felix, I brought you here to tell you that you are in every one of my dreams. I came here to ask whether I’m in yours, too.”

“I want cold February nights with him reading me books. I want July mornings in a blossoming garden. Felix will be my home, and I will be a place for him to return to.”

2. On Friendship & Chosen Family

“It’s how I learned that the families we make are as significant as the ones we’re born into. It’s how I learned that the greatest loves are not always romances.”

“She’s gossamer. She’s wind and air and cloud. The embodiment of happiness. So beautiful, my best friend.”

3. On Heartache & Growth

“But I take strange comfort in these waves of heartache. They’re like annotations in a book, a note in the margin that reads, This is important.”

“Sometimes I worry that as I’ve got older, I’ve shrunk my world instead of making it grow.”

4. On Hope & New Beginnings

“It’s the kind of night where I can feel something lock into place. This is it, I think. This is everything I want.”

“Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?” (L.M. Montgomery)

5. On Self-Worth & Living Authentically

“Live your life for you, and no one else.”

“I am here now, and everything is okay.”

Author Spotlight: Carley Fortune

Carley Fortune is a former journalist and editor who has turned into one of Canada’s bestselling romance authors. With works like Every Summer After and Meet Me at the Lake, Fortune has developed a loyal readership who appreciate her emotionally rich storytelling and vivid seasonal settings.

She has served as an editor for The Globe and Mail and Refinery29 Canada. Her deep understanding of narrative structure and emotional pacing shines in This Summer Will Be Different.

Her background in journalism helps ground her writing in realism, while her storytelling evokes nostalgia and emotional connection. Her next book, One Golden Summer, is set to release in 2025.

Follow her on Instagram @carleyfortune for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

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Conclusion: Why This Summer Will Be Different Summary Matters

If you’ve ever experienced a summer that changed everything, This Summer Will Be Different will speak to your soul. Through Lucy and Felix, Carley Fortune explores the nuances of love, time, and emotional growth in a way that feels deeply personal and universally resonant.

We created this This Summer Will Be Different Summary to help you understand not just the plot, but the emotions and themes that make this book an unforgettable beach read. Whether you’re new to Carley Fortune or a returning fan, this novel is a must-add to your summer reading list.

Try this heartfelt summer romance today and feel the difference!