Book Review: Meet Me at the Lake

Earlier this summer I read Every Summer After by Carley Fortune and loved it. I had heard mixed things about her second book, Meet Me at the Lake, but wanted to read it for myself to see if I liked it or not.

So I went in to the book knowing some of the critiques from people who didn’t care for the book and I was pleasantly surprised and happy that I liked the book!

The book goes back and forth in time from present day and to a day in June 10 years ago. It follows Fern Brookbanks, who in present day is in her early 30s. She is back at her family resort at a lake a few hours outside Toronto after her mother’s sudden passing and trying to get the business back on track after learning it hasn’t been doing too well. Then one day as she’s working at the front desk a guy comes in to check in. It is Will Baxter, a guy she met in Toronto when she had just finished college 10 years ago. They spent the whole day together, had the best time, and felt like they really understood each other. But, Fern had a boyfriend back home and Will was casually dating someone, so nothing happened between them. However, they had such a connection that they made a deal to see each other in 1 year at the lake. They wouldn’t exchange contact information or friend each other on social media. They would just meet in 1 year. But, Will never showed up.

Now he’s here and not just as a guest but as a consultant to help the resort get back on its feet. What was the reason for Will not showing 10 years ago? Do Fern and Will still have the same connection they did that one day 10 years ago?

So some of the critiques I saw of this book were that it was too slow and that the connection the two had all those years ago didn’t seem significant enough to be so impactful for so many years. But, I actually loved the story and the slow pace did not bother me at all. I actually did not even think it was slow, but that could be because I was just really wrapped up in the story. Did I think Will needed to grovel a bit more (another critique I saw)? For sure, but it wasn’t a deal breaker for me with the book. Will not groveling enough did knock it down a star for me, but it was still a solid 4 stars.

As for the critique that their connection wasn’t enough to be so memorable all those years later, I personally think it was. But, I think that’s just my personality too where I can get very attached quickly lol. So for me, I can see why that day would be so impactful for both Fern and Will even all those years later.

The book also made me tear up not because of her relationship with Will but her memories of her mom and her regrets.

Overall, I’m so glad I read this book. I really did love the story and the characters.

Read this if you want a second chance romance with the right person wrong time trope and some spice.