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“I love books with kissing in them,” jokes bestselling author Carley Fortune. A chorus of laughter breaks out in the Hot Docs theatre, where a flurry of fans, affectionately dubbed ‘Fortunates,’ gathered last week for an exclusive chat about the Toronto native’s highly anticipated—and super steamy—new romance novel, This Summer Will Be Different.
Perhaps the *spiciest* addition to Fortune’s repertoire, the book’s swoon-worthy plot unfolds against an enchanting maritime backdrop. Lucy, a tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island, meets Felix, a local who shows her a good time. The twist? Lucy discovers that Felix is her best friend’s younger brother.
After the success of Fortune’s debut novel Every Summer After and buzz around the soon-to-be Netflix adaptation of Meet Me at the Lake (thank you, Harry and Meghan!), it’s unsurprising that the author’s third novel has garnered much attention since its recent release—including ours.
“I wanted to deliver a book that transported you somewhere and felt like a bit of a thrill ride,” says Fortune. True to her word, This Summer Will Be Different is anything but a slow burn. Filled with page-turning prose, Fortune’s novel delivers the heat and warms hearts in the process. You won’t want to put it down. Here’s why.
Be prepared to book a PEI trip, stat!
Inspired by a PEI trip Fortune took years ago, the novel’s East Coast setting serves as the perfect romantic backdrop. “It stuck with me,” says Fortune. “The island is so beautiful, and more magical than I expected.” Fortune takes readers on a dreamy adventure around the province, relishing its picturesque scenery. From sandy shorelines with serene glittering waters to hikes up rust-coloured cliffs, the descriptions are so vivid, you can almost taste the salt-kissed breeze.
Lucy and Felix’s romance will leave you breathless.
Felix’s relation to Lucy’s best friend only heightens the intensity of their forbidden love. Yet despite the circumstances, they are undeniably meant for each other. Lucy can’t help but ogle over Felix’s oyster-shucking skills and his charming coastal accent. And Felix shows his admiration for Lucy, surprising the protagonist with bottles of her favourite vinho verde and chauffeuring her from the airport with a smile.
Oh, and did I mention the steamy love scenes? Throughout the novel, romance entwines with sizzling sexual tension, building to moments that are as passionate as they are tender. The magnetic pull between Lucy and Felix is so captivating, it practically leaps off the page.
The Anne of Green Gables references are peak Canadiana.
Several parallels can be drawn between L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables and This Summer Will Be Different, including Lucy’s name, her fascination with the Canadian classic and the setting shared between both books.
It’s fitting that each section of Fortune’s novel begins with a quote from the series. One in particular—“Everything that’s worth having is some trouble”—perfectly captures the complex relationship between the protagonists. In a charming nod to the beloved classic, the pair even visit Green Gables together, where Felix softly whispers another iconic Anne quote into Lucy’s ear: “Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it.” These cheerful references not only pay homage to the original work but also beautifully complement the evolving love story at the heart of the novel.
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