Der Sturm zwischen uns

by Carley Fortune, Carolin Müller (Translator)

Eine geplatzte Hochzeit.
Eine Woche umgeben von Strand und Wellen.
Eine allerletzte Chance für wahre Gefühle.

Frankies Leben könnte kaum schöner Ihr Hochzeitswochenende im Kreis ihrer Liebsten steht kurz bevor. Doch dem Glück folgt die bittere Realität, als sie noch vor dem Jawort von ihrem Verlobten verlassen wird. Mit gebrochenem Herzen kehrt Frankie zum Haus ihrer Familie zurück, um sich in ihrem Elend zu suhlen – doch sie hat die Rechnung ohne ihren besten Freund George gemacht. Er möchte, dass Frankie in die Flitterwochen nach Vancouver Island fährt. Mit ihm. Eine Woche lang, im üppigen Regenwald und an den nebligen Stränden von Tofino. Frankie durchschaut Georges wahren Plan sofort. Das soll kein erholsamer Urlaub werden, sondern die letzte Chance, ihre Freundschaft zu retten. Auch wenn es bedeutet, Geheimnisse und unausgesprochene Gefühle ans Licht zu bringen. Und auch, wenn es bedeutet, sich endlich näherzukommen oder endgültig getrennte Wege zu gehen …

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Summer, Fiction, Summer Reads, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers

514 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2026

About the author

Carley Fortune is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After, Meet Me at the Lake, This Summer Will Be Different, and One Golden Summer. Her next book, Our Perfect Storm, comes out May 5.

Carley's books have sold more than four-million copies, have been translated into thirty languages, and adapted for television. Every Year After, the series based on Every Summer After, will premiere June 10 on Prime Video. This Summer Will Be Different is currently being adapted as a Netflix series.

Carley lives in Toronto with her husband and two sons. Follow her on Instagram @carleyfortune.

Reviews

[Larissa Cambusano · Rating 2 out of 5]

no one is more disappointed than me that I didn’t like this. I wanna say I LOVE CARLEY FORTUNEEEE!! this one was just a huge miss for me.

the FMC was so annoying and oblivious, you’re telling me she was engaged.. about to get married and then HE leaves her and now all of a sudden she loves george??? I just didn’t believe it at all. like girl THREW UP in the car from heartbreak and then we are suddenly GOOD??

the whole 7 days timeline threw me off, I really wish we had more time. and the third act conflict was INFURIATING LIKE WHY ARE U MAD??? I think that’s what really drove it home for me and made it a 2 star. up until then it was a 3 star.

the amount of little women and whale references killed me.

ok im done. i’m so sorry. the more I think about it the more I hate it. it was originally a 3.. now it’s a 2. who knows maybe i’ll fuck around, come back and give it a 1.

[Yana]

DNF at 44%, no one is sadder than me abt this… esp with her last book being 5 stars for me, like I might cry myself to sleep, but if I keep reading this I might develop anger issues

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so cheerful right now because I finally found my favorite book by Carley Fortune! This one completely won my heart.

The novel is irresistible, not only because of its beautiful depiction of Tofino. The breathtaking nature, the perfect coastal estate, and those pastoral ocean views are described so vividly that they almost force you to start checking plane tickets and hotel reservations immediately. But beyond the stunning setting, the real magic of the story lies in the slow and heartfelt evolution of Frankie and George’s relationship through the years.

From the very first waltz they share, you feel something special between them. Even though it happens during a rehearsal dinner where Frankie is about to marry someone else, there is this quiet, undeniable feeling that these two people are meant to be. Their journey is not just about romance; it’s also about healing. Healing after heartbreak, picking up the scattered pieces of your life, and facing past trauma that continues to shape your future, especially when it comes to complicated family histories. The way the story approaches those emotional layers feels honest and deeply relatable.

In some ways, the premise reminded me of a more dramatic, romantic version of that famous airport moment in Friends when Ross finds Rachel and asks her to join him for the honeymoon after his wedding collapses. Rachel says yes, of course. Thankfully, in this book Frankie doesn’t actually marry Nate, and she definitely doesn’t leave George alone at the airport. But still, when your wedding is called off and you decide to leave for the honeymoon trip with your best friend, it’s pretty obvious that unresolved feelings are going to surface sooner or later. And yes, a romantic escapade is almost inevitable.

The overall direction of the plot may feel somewhat predictable, but what truly elevates the story is the beautiful intertwining of past and present. We slowly discover how Frankie and George first met when they were children, both carrying their own sadness because of family struggles. George had just lost his mother, and his father, unable to cope with the grief, sent him away to live with his grandmother. Their childhood meeting almost feels like a gender-reversed version of The Secret Garden—quiet, tender, and full of emotional discovery. Thankfully, George’s grandmother turns out to be nothing like the intimidating figure Frankie initially imagines.

Watching these two reconnect years later in one of the most stunning places on earth is incredibly satisfying. Both Frankie and George are burned out from their demanding careers, and their attempts to rebuild themselves feel realistic and grounded. Their chemistry is wonderful, and the romance that develops is sweet, gentle, and deeply endearing.

I especially loved the quieter details in the story. The whale stories Frankie’s mother used to tell her were beautiful and touching, and George’s letters absolutely melted my heart. Those moments added so much emotional depth to the narrative.

And here’s something many readers will probably appreciate: there is no cheating in this story. If you’ve had hesitations because of certain elements in some of the author’s previous books, you can relax here. This romance feels honest, comforting, and emotionally satisfying.

The ending, especially the epilogue, left me with a big smile. Honestly, I can’t think of anything negative to say about this book. All I can do is happily hand over my five stars and recommend it to every romance lover out there.

This is easily one of the best romances of the year.

So what are you waiting for? Go grab your copy!

A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for sharing this highly anticipated romance with me in exchange for my honest thoughts, which I truly appreciate.

Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:

medium blog
instagram
facebook
twitter

[Ali Goodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I always love Carley Fortunes writing!! George was also such a perfect book boyfriend 😍🥹. Following the characters friendship through their life was also really cool and sweet. And I loved the opening drama of our main character getting broken up with by her fiancé.
My main complaint is I just didn’t feel like there was anything new in this book plot wise that I haven’t read in a ton of other romance books. And idk if that’s a me problem or a book problem as I know I have read a TON of romance books over the last few years. so fun and easy to binge while also not being super memorable to me.

[Sara Carrolli · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟 (rounding up bc why can’t I put .5 stars yet on here?)

Anyway this book was right book, right time & my favorite tropes done extremely well all within the perfect summer setting!!!!!

Frankie’s fiancé leaves her the morning of her wedding & her childhood best friend George ends up convincing her to go on the honeymoon she was meant to be on. We see them not only rekindle their friendship, but also get past chapters and understand where their history comes from (which I loved)

George is one of my new favorite MMC’s, I genuinely giggled many times at the things he said ‼️ A wonderful beach read & if you enjoy second chance or just need an atmospheric summer book, I recommend!!!

[chloé ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

THIS is how you write childhood friends to lovers.

i never thought i’d love a fictional man named George, but here we are.

what to expect:
☁︎ childhood friends to lovers
☁︎ single POV (the FMC. and it works SO well for this story)
☁︎ healing from a traumatic breakup (FMC gets dumped the morning of her wedding)
☁︎ FMC and her best friend (the MMC) go on the honeymoon/vacation instead of her ex-fiancé
☁︎ past + present timelines (throwback chapters to when they were younger together)
☁︎ gorgeous Canadian scenery (woods, beach, trees, forest, whales, etc)
☁︎ strong cast of side characters

what i loved:
☁︎ everything (no, but really)
☁︎ this book is the perfect example of how to write childhood friends to lovers. they really knew each other deeply and had incredible chemistry. the chapters set in the past stole my heart.
☁︎ the scenery was descriptive without taking anything away from the story or being too wordy. it was all beautifully done.
☁︎ the letters between them!! especially the letters from him to her
☁︎ their chemistry in general
☁︎ the main love story was perfect but i actually really enjoyed our main characters also grieving other things in life and healing in other ways. (for example… our fmc w/ her mom)

midway through this book i ordered literally all of carley fortune’s previous books for my shelves because i NEED to read more from her. i think i’ve found a new favorite romance author to add to the list.

if you need summer in a book, this is the book for you!!!

[ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you so much to netgalley for providing this ARC!

i really thought i was going to love Our Perfect Storm. it has all the elements i usually enjoy, especially childhood friends to lovers, which is one of my absolute favourite tropes, and reading the synopsis literally made me giddy. i have loved the other books by this author, so i really thought it would be the same for this one, but it just didn’t fully hook me.

the concept is solid, and there are definitely emotional moments throughout, but the writing felt a bit disjointed at times. because of that, i struggled to form a strong connection with the characters. i understood what they were going through, but i didn’t always feel it. the best way i can put it, is that i feel like it was missing the ‘magic/sparkle’ that you usually get from a favourite romance.

both main characters came across as quite immature in different ways, especially our female lead (which i always hate to say). i appreciate flawed characters, but some of the choices and reactions made it harder for me to stay invested. instead of feeling swept up in their journey, i found myself feeling slightly detached.

the romance also took a while to click for me. i kept waiting for that shift where everything would fall into place emotionally, and it didn’t really happen until the very end. when it finally did, though, it was genuinely sweet and satisfying. those last moments showed the kind of tenderness and growth i had been hoping for all along.

overall, it was an enjoyable read, just not as impactful as i expected. i just felt like i was always at arm’s length from the story. if childhood friends to lovers is your thing, it might still work really well for you, it just didn’t completely land for me.

[Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much-needed reminder of why I love the romance genre 🥹💜

[Cassie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Worst case of miscommunication trope ever and I am one of the only people on earth that loves the miscommunication trope 😭 I also lowkey have beef with George and Frankie

[bookluvr (semi-ia july ~ work + travels) · Rating 3 out of 5]

we started off so strong, and there were some good moments along the way, but this book was so inconsistent in its delivery. my opinion will probably age like milk because i know this one’s going to go down as well-loved…but it was just aight! i was partial to a decent amount of it…but i didn’t love it the way i adored one golden summer. some aspects didn’t land as hard as they could have, and i’m a bit disappointed to be even saying that.

this will be all over the place — a free-form dump of my thoughts, if you will.

first off, one thing i will always praise this author for is her ability to write a setting so vividly and how she captures the spirit of summer in the pages of her books. got me out here wanting to book a one-way ticket to canada, imagine that. the seasonal feel of her novels is so tangible and it’s what i enjoy most when it comes to her prose style. it really shone in here and because a large part of the book takes place in one location and she knows what she’s doing when it comes to describing the surroundings, this ended up being a huge pro in the plus column for this read.

one downside i had with the writing in this specific book however, is that there were times i felt like some of the transitions were choppy because the story is told in a non-linear way (not uncommon with a long-time friends-to-lovers trope). i don’t dislike the use of flashbacks on principle by any means, but it could have been smoother in here. even in the present timeline, some jumps between scenes and moments stuttered and the delivery felt disjointed, which affected my ability to stay immersed in what was going on all the time.

on the characters, i really liked the mmc george. he was verrrrrry written-by-a-woman coded 🤭. of course his clark kent ass was hot AND sensitive. deep and all night and heavy eye contact is all my brain can muster about him right this second. the slutty glasses go NOWHERE and that’s on that. it was very obvious he was in love with his best friend from near page one, but this is the case with many a childhood friends-to-lovers, so this lack of development when it came to his feelings over the course of the book didn’t deter me too much. i genuinely enjoyed him for the most part. he could have had a touch more charisma — he doesn’t have a ton of staying power BUT he was a pretty solid mmc for in the moment, i’ll give him that.

as for the fmc, i didn’t really find myself connecting with frankie all that much if i’m being honest. she was an ok character with a good amount of story to her, but i just never felt a strong draw to her nor did i feel an innate desire to root for her either. she could be way too obtuse and annoying at times and she came across a little too “i’m not like other girls” -coded for my taste. i didn’t actively dislike her too much, but yeah — something about her just didn’t have me invested. she just wasn’t my girl, but i can see others resonating with her character.

the romance was as you’d expect for a trope like this — sweet, a touch angsty, served with a heap of denial and tons of me screaming “open your eyes!!!” at my poor innocent kindle. it’s all very predictable, but i enjoyed some of the beats as we were going along — just not intensely so. i liked their friendship dynamic and they had good displays of intimacy here and there, but the book struggled to convert this into tight romantic and sexual chemistry in a fully convincing way (at least to me, anyways). something about this romantic / sexual chemistry between them felt too told and not shown enough, nor were they sparking off the page.

this leads me to my next point, which is that where i think this book suffers most is that the tension and chemistry wasn’t always very palpable and BECAUSE almost the entirety of this thing (outside of the beginning and near end) is just frankie and george on-page, they didn’t have enough aura as a pair to carry the vast majority of the book. to compensate, we could have benefited from some more side character interactions in the middle here to make the read more dynamic, but there wasn’t much to be seen.

the little bit of side character presence we DID get was just ok. one core annoyance i had here was that the names of frankie’s siblings were incredibly distracting. darwin and moby coz their mom was into nature and whale stuff? lawd 🙄. i wish there was more grandma mimi. carley knows how to write a fabulous elderly diva (i remember loving alice’s grandmother in one golden summer too) but she was severely underutilized in here.

on a couple more positives, i liked the letters in this book. i’m always a sucker for written expressions of affection in romances. i also liked the way food and the culinary scene was incorporated into this story as well — it was done SO much better than #thatotherbook, iykyk. recently read, four books back. this was nothing like that, and this aspect was actually well executed in here.

the third act was a bit inane and too formulaic. we didn’t need it, especially in the way it played out and the nonsensical and rash decisions made by the characters here. it was way too forced for my liking, so this ruined the last stretch.

maybe one last tangential observation i have is this: from pretty early on in this book, i almost felt like i was reading a mash-up between funny story and people we meet on vacation. my brain landed here, and maybe this is also what made the story feel a bit less impactful because i felt like i’d read this all before and not in a way where the sameness felt comforting. instead, it felt like the book played it too safe being reminiscent of other popular works. this could very well just be a me thing. i’m not accusing this of being a definitive copy pasta job (don’t shoot me) because it definitely diverged from those stories in several ways, BUT i just felt these strong parallels in a few others and it did impact my experience somewhat. when all was said and done, this didn’t feel fresh enough.

this would make a great movie though, methinks! as a book, it fell a bit flat but with the right chemistry-filled casting, this could eat at the box office. i better see david corenswet as george 😛. to wrap up, for the softcore romance lane this book is in, i see many absolutely loving this, especially as a summer read. rightfully so. i just wish i did more, too. charliealice, your crowns remain unsnatched. these two got nothing on you.

[Abbie Konnick · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟 love it :)

[Liana Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ 5 ⭐️ Our Perfect Storm is about a delicate love that grows between two childhood friends in a slow yet passionate and emotionally engaging way. In the setting of a lush coastal paradise, a broken heart is mended by the first love, first best-friend, first of everything. This is not simply a story about childhood friends turning lovers, it's about showing up for those who need it the most. It's about a precious friendship filled to the brim with silent understandings, support and protection. It's about the little things that we do for each other that make a difference in peoples lives. It explores family dynamics, specifically complicated mother-daughter relationships, forgiveness and moving forward. At its core, it's about understanding the flaws in your loved ones and accepting and embracing them just as they are. Frankie and George's love story is one of a deep understanding, a love that began out of unwavering devotion, protection and mutual acceptance. It’s literally the perfect storm 💜

Carley Fortunes settings always add a dreamy like allure to all her love stories. Her stories always evoke my summertime memories of my own childhood, first love, first friendships. There is so much of unspoken beauty in her words and she delivers them in an achingly raw and heartfelt way. In this book particularly, the wild unrelenting beauty of Tofino and the North Atlantic right whales not only adds awareness but a resonance to our own lives and experiences, particularly the ways we 'nurture' others (and perhaps ourselves too). As someone who has done some whale watching in Alaska, being able to sit, watch and swim with them echoed a sense of familiarity and harmony that felt deeply personal in how we nurture in life. Not only did Fortune capture that familiarity well, she was able to connect me as a reader to the main characters with such ease and make me feel vulnerable and emotional. This story brought back so many memories! Everything about this story was perfect. Everything felt rich, bittersweet, all-consuming.

If you love tender stories with heart, this one is for you. This is like a fairytale, one that is very real, very relatable. George and Frankie's story is passionate, full of yearning, you're going to want what they have! It's so earnest and healing. 5 star perfection!


This book is featured on BOTM for May! Grab your copy for $5 using this link: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
Cancel anytime at no cost! BOTM is great and always features early releases.

[emilybookedup · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book delivered!!! Carley Fortune fans will be happy when this is out this week!

per usual in her books, i LOVED the setting. it always impressed me how well she brings her settings to life and how they feel like a character of their own. this one is no exception, she has made me want to visit this coastal town immediately. it brought so much calming energy and romance to the story.

i also loved the friendship in this one. it was kind of feeling like FUNNY STORY by Emily Henry to me? loved the friends to lovers romance, even if there was quite a bit of miscommunication trope in there (my least fave hehe).

all in all there was a lot to like. i wanted a bit more at the end from things on our FMC’s end, especially with her job. but i loved the side plot resolution with the mom and daughter 🥹🥹🥹

TLDR; this will be a beloved hit when it’s out!! it was worth the hype for me.

thanks to Berkley for the early gifted copy. beautiful cover as always too!!!

[Karla Espinosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Undoubtedly 5 stars!! The most beautiful friends to lovers story I think I've ever read... the last 20% of this book was everything and more <3 also I don't think I'll ever get over Francesca The Whale🥺

[manas (traveling) · Rating 4 out of 5]

➳ 4 ☆

well...i finally got the opportunity to read this book and honestly? i had so much fun with this book. as always, this review is gonna is filled with my thoughts; take everything with a bucket of salt. i will be going through the whole book and there will be spoilers. some‼️SPOILERS‼️are in this review. i will be going into the details of why this worked, and why this wasn't a full five stars. my opinion is just that—MY opinion. if you hated this book, that is super valid too. please do not come into my comments are talk shit because i am not in the mood. this will only be a review of the book, NOT the author/fans of the series. i am not here to influence anyone so don't take this as a binding statement. please read whatever you like. <3

let's start with the basics. this book is objectively going a fun summer romance that many readers will be satisfied with. however, even with my four-star rating, i do see the flaws with this book. i haven't had much luck with this author, having previously read two of her books, so i was very very hesitant on picking this one up. unlike some of her other releases, though, this book does something different that really worked for me. that being, they maintained a close relationship for the entire duration of the novel. past and present. the two books i previously read from CF had the trope of: “we saw each other once and fell in love”...which is completely unbelievable and very strange to read about. as i mentioned before, this will not be for everyone because while it is a best friends to lovers' trope—they take a long ass time, hurt a lot of people, and are super delusional before their relationship goes anywhere.

to give a brief summary of the book: our FMC, frankie, is at her rehearsal dinner, the night before her wedding, getting ready to marry her fiancé...who's name i completely forgot. cue our MMC, george, who happens to the best man—and someone who is painfully in love with her. this is legit how the story starts and ends because this flop relationship barley lasts a chapter before her fiancé leaves her the morning of with a note. meet cute, i'd say. from here, we barley follow that man, as it's just frankie and her healing journey—which eventually turns into george taking frankie on what would've been her honeymoon...and it's their romance from here. and to everyone's shock...i liked it.

to be honest with you, the premise and the concept is nothing new—nothing crazy—so it does come down to individual characters and character traits. i can't really place my finger on why this worked so much better than some traditional romances with this traditional plot, but it did. i did an immersive read on audio—while simultaneously reading the book physically and that was the way the to go. both narrators brought so much life into these characters, and it was highly entertaining to listen to. even though summer is just starting, i could feel myself being transported to a beach/lake house while reading this book. she is great at creating an immersive atmosphere and transporting readers into a specific time and place. it really felt like i was a bug on the wall when reading this book.

to get into the specifics here, frankie DID in fact, annoy the actual fuck out of me. all the issues that other people have with this book seem to lie with her and they are correct. frankie, unfortunately, dragged this story a lot in the beginning and towards the end due to the very goofy, very childish, third act break up. i couldn't tell you much about her temperament but all i can tell you is, she was a lousy friend. it's very clear to us as readers that she has had feelings for george for a long time, and george has been pathetically in love with her from the start...that's fine, it really is. but my exasperation lies with the fact that frankie seemed so pissed and genuinely taken aback when her fiancé dumped her...to the point that she couldn't even get out of bed. she was suffering really badly but that doesn't make sense to me because she clearly gave zero fucks about that man and was using him as a rebound since her and george weren't together. why the fuss? why the dramatics? why even make the effort to point out her misery? questions. so many questions.

george, on the other hand—i loved. he was such a refreshing and steadfast character and i loved seeing his growth from the past chapters, to the present. he is the reason this book ended up having a much higher rating. one of the notable elements that i appreciate is how this is in one POV—frankie's. i am very wary of dual POV these days because a bad author can have two voices to mask the lack of chemistry, structure, and focus. it is, however, much harder to conceal that weakness when it's told through one a one-person lens. i truly believe i would've hated this book if we got george's inner monologue. he IS a standout character because we get to read about through the lens of our main character. the clark kent look just him him so much hotter. i love a man who knows what he wants.

i think friends to lovers is such. a. good. trope. if done correctly. this is one of the better cases, but towards the end—i was slightly irate. the big reveal—which i called from the start—is george telling the fiancé that he is in love with frankie...like everyone didn't already know that...and that man ditching her the morning of. boom, the big surprise that everyone clocked. now, at this point, these two have confessed their feelings and fully fucked inside and out, so color me surprised when frnakie gets angry and fucking breaks up with him...girl??? enough with the antics, please. i didn't even care that emotional cheating was such a massive segment of this book because i liked their banter and they had really good chemistry but that shit just pissed me clean off. if it weren't for that over dramatic and theatrical conclusion, this could've been rated higher. for a flop rebound fuck-fest, frankie cared too much about that man ditching her...which leads me to believe she was mad she wasn't getting attention anymore and someone was giving her a reality check. but this was ultimately an entertaining read. i’m here for a fun time, not a long time.

last but not least, as i previously mentioned, i did really enjoy this book. it's the perfect length for a fun summer romance and i do recommend this book. i thought i would give me reasonings for WHY this also could be a flop for people that were curious. i know that her books, every summer after and one golden summer are getting an adaptation into a show, but this book also deserves one. while some of the character choices were strange and the overall deportment of frankie was jarring, this could be such a good limited series. at times, i did feel like i was reading a movie/tv script. the cover is also stunning next to my other CF books.

give this a chance. it might work; it might not?

[maria (will I fully comeback?)]

FRIENDS TO LOVERS STAN WE WON!!🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤭🤭🤭

Also the cover is gorgeous, I’m in love!💜

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want solid romance that embraces the drama that comes with relationships and family and celebrates the beauty of Canada, Carley Fortune is your girl. Once again, she’s written a story that will both touch your heart and likely make it race a bit too!

Frankie and George have been best friends since they were eight and she took her vulnerable new neighbor under her wing after he moved in with his grandmother. Now thirty, these two have years of experiences together but, despite their extremely close connection, have always stayed 'just friends', likely fueled by shared abandonment issues from childhood.

When Frankie’s fiance Nate pulls a runner right before their wedding, George is there to help her pick up the pieces in the months after. In fact, after years of their friendship slowly drifting due to careers and geography, he suggests a new adventure they can share: they’ll go on Frankie’s already booked honeymoon to Tofino - a beautiful town on Vancouver Island off of Canada’s west coast. He’s got a plan - literally, it’s called “The Plan” - to help heal her broken heart. Does it work?

It’s a very revelational week to say the least! Frankie and George may think they know everything about each other, but a week together is bringing out all kinds of things they didn’t know about each other and some things they haven’t wanted to admit to themselves! Will it redefine who they are to each other?

I liked this story. Frankie has some rough edges at times, but George is so patient and understanding with her, and together the way they celebrate and support each other is so heart-warming. The friendship George has with Frankie’s family, particularly her mother, is so sweet! I also appreciated that Frankie and George’s relationship evolved in a believable way, which doesn’t always happen in this genre.

The interspersed non-linear timeline chapters that jump around to various ages and stages of their lives may be a little tricky to follow if only doing audio. I tried this as an immersion read initially, but the voicing for Frankie just didn’t match how I “heard” her character in my head, so I switched to only my Kindle copy. The dual narration by A.J Bridel and Jack Copland is well done, despite it not being my preference for this particular book.

The story does get a bit descriptively spicy at times, so if that’s an issue for you, you may need to skip some parts. The one thing that dropped this a star for me was simply that I thought the ending dragged on too long and the requisite relational drama felt a bit forced and unnecessary, but overall I really enjoyed my time with these characters. Also, when can I go to Tofino? It sounds amazing!

★★★★

Thanks to Libby and my library for the Kindle and audio copies to enjoy. This is out now!

[ivy]

˒˒🌂 pre read ˒˒࿐· started may 9・xxvi 𖦞.˖
i disliked the last carley fortune book i read, but a few of my friends have convinced me to read this! so here we go 🤗💜

[ଘRory (Semi-Hiatus)]

A Carly Fortune book with winter vibes and no "summer" in the title? Take my money. I was convinced the world would end in fire or ice before we got this. My frostbitten heart is ready.

[Grace Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this 10🌟, I would. Here’s my full review💜

“I love you, Frankie. My love for you is fundamental to who I am. It’s deep in my bones. A sonnet written in the marrow.”

“You are everything I know about love.”

Fully in tears as I’m writing this right now. This just became one of my most favorite books of ALL TIME. Absolutely magnificent in every way. I don’t know how to even properly sum up just how much I loved this. I’d like to start it over from the beginning right now and read it again.

I can’t stop thinking about this book.

I’m saying it now and I know I’ll say it again: friends to lovers is elite (especially childhood friends to lovers.) The ANGST of secretly loving and pining after someone for nearly your whole life, but never fully acting on it because the fear of losing each other or the other not feeling the same or whatever it is, is too great a risk….. my god. I’m having chest pains.

The number of times I caught myself absentmindedly clutching and clawing at my heart because I couldn’t take it—the feeling this built in my chest 😭
I had noah kahan’s new album playing on repeat for nearly the entire duration of my read and it was perfect. End of August & Orbiter…? Yeah, those are their songs 😭😭 literally elevated my entire experience

THE LETTERS…. I just—I can’t. PLEASE just send me to the psych ward at this point. These sent me over the edge bro. I cried MULTIPLE TIMES throughout this book but yeah these just sent me into an emotional spiral LOL. I actually went back and re-read the last few chapters of the book and cried again because I couldn’t and STILL can’t stop thinking about frankie and george and their letters and how much i adored this love story and them UGHHHHH 😭

⇢ Prose & Settings
The prose in this was so beautiful. There’s something very special about Carley’s writing. The settings in her stories always evoke this intense nostalgia in me. It takes me back to moments in my life that felt the same. Everything felt rich and warm and layered with this hazy nostalgia. I truly felt like I was transported into the story. I also appreciated how well the pacing flowed alongside her prose. Nothing ever felt rushed. The scene always had space to breathe and you could sit in the moment with these characters.

Please just read this excerpt from the beginning of the book where Frankie sort of zones out in the moment and falls into a memory of her own:

“I never thought I’d get married, yet here I am, two days before my second wedding.

Not that the first one counted.

A pianist in a tuxedo and bow tie is playing something gentle on the Steinway, but for a moment, all of it falls away. Time slips, and I’m at that first wedding under the apple tree.

We recited our vows beneath its branches, a confetti of fallen fruit at our feet. My gown: fashioned from an old curtain as if I were a von Trapp child. My bouquet: a posy of violets plucked from the garden, stems tied with kitchen twine. There was a thumbprint-sized stain on his sweater from my mother’s apple-berry crisp—he was always eating and always making a mess of himself. I remember studying that tiny purple splotch before he started speaking.
Frankie, I promise…

A cool hand settles on my wrist.
‘Frankie?’
I blink back to the present. I feel the scaffolding of bobby pins digging into my skull as they hold my lion’s mane in a polite French twist. Taste the sticky cotton candy flavor of my lip gloss. Feel the slide of silk over my thighs. Sense my bridesmaid’s concerned gaze.”

I seriously felt so emotional throughout this entire book. She’s just so talented at being able to able to create this emotional weight that sits underneath scenes and setting descriptions, even in moments where there isn’t anything dramatic happening in the story. I think these flashbacks or time slips really mirror the longing, desire, fear, and grief that Frankie is experiencing all at once. Right before she falls into this memory, she’s looking around her at the rehearsal dinner and you can sense the gradual discomfort & anxiety she’s starting to feel about this not being what she pictured for herself or what she truly wants. I think it was purposeful that in this very moment, she finds herself slipping into the past for comfort and warmth—remembering & longing for these tender moments she’s had with George. It’s immediately contrasted with her snapping back to the present where she can feel every discomfort digging into her.

⇢ Food
I also really loved the way food was utilized in this. Part of Frankie’s growth is seeing her get inspired in her work again. I think her struggle to be inspired really mirrored where she’s was at in life. She completely burned herself out and then settled for what she thought was safe. Until she’s jolted out of this stagnation, she then starts to feel a new zest for life again. You see her grow and learn to take charge of her life and what she truly wants out of it.

I also loved that it was always more than just food for Frankie, plates she made were all actually pivotal moments in time and memories that she held dear to her heart.

“I think of all the meals we’ve shared together, first when I was learning to cook with my mom and all the evenings we spent in the kitchen later as roommates. I think of the linguini we were making the night George told me he was moving out, and the ravioli we made when he returned after the fires. The dinner party I held at Nate’s house. A lifetime of stories told through food.”

This was a theme all throughout the book and it was done so well. Again, it also really contributed to that nostalgia that is weaved through this story, making it even more beautiful & impactful.

⇢ George george GEORGEEEEEEEE.
Oh my GOD SWOOOOOON 😭😭🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🥰🥰🥰🥰 I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM. Oh how I loved this sweet, YEARNING angel 😭 I actually am so in love with him (though you probably get that by now)😭😭❤️ I mean first of all, we have tall, dark, & handsome with his slutty little glasses and blue eyes…. Yes, I need him expeditiously. The way this man quietly loved Frankie as a best friend and as a lover from the very moment they met… 😭🫶🏻 He was so intensely loyal and caring with Frankie. He could anticipate every one of her needs in a way no one else could. I could physically feel his longing for Frankie and how much he loved her. As we got farther into the story it only felt more intense and I was increasingly more unwell LOL.

"This is what it's like to be truly known by someone. George sees me, even when I don't want to see myself."

Like… frankie’s words here say it too 🥹🥺

I’m not going to bother to look at any reviews because I loved this way too much to do that to myself. HOWEVER, I can guess that if anyone has issues with this, it’s likely because of Frankie.

⇢ Frankie 🤍
Personally, I loved that Frankie wasn’t written as effortlessly perfect. I think what makes her relatable is the fact that she doesn’t have it all figured out and showed that even when you do your best to construct careful control over everything in your life—not everything is within that control because life is complicated and messy. In general, I related to that leaden emotional uncertainty that Frankie carried. Her fear of waking up one day and finding that the people most important to her wouldn’t need her anymore and might leave her behind. After all, this is something she had experienced at one point as a child. It only makes sense this is something she carried into adulthood.

Frankie is also in her early 30s, just had her life flipped upside down and is trying to navigate her next steps in a time where she was convinced she was safe from change. Unfortunately to do that, she dulled parts of herself so she could squeeze into this box in order to become this “perfect” girlfriend or wife.
We also tend to see her avoiding difficult emotional truths until they literally force themselves to the surface. She’s filled with emotional uncertainty and fear. But I really think people misread her character because I don’t think any of these things are written with the intention of being “quirks” of Frankie’s personality. These things genuinely hurt her sometimes. They make her misread situations, they cloud her judgement, they make her more resistant to change. Frankie is forced to confront these things head on after her world is flipped upside down the morning of her wedding. George doesn’t allow Frankie to stay stuck. He not only allows her the space to process her feelings & emotions, but also guides her into being the best possible version of herself.

Look, I’ll admit that in the first 30%, I hadn’t completely decided how I felt about her. Only because there was obviously multiple times I even wrote in my kindle notes like ‘GIRL IS U BLIND HE’S IN LOVE WITH YOU !!!!’ But then it clicked and I just understood her. In addition to everything I stated above, we learn that even as a kid, she never really had an overwhelming desire to date or get married one day—which made George never want to tell her how he felt. Frankie is like me in the sense where I never like to overestimate my importance to people. A man could be so in love with me and if he doesn’t tell me exactly that to my face, I will never assume that’s the case. Frankie is also this way. As much as I wanted Frankie to just see what was right in front of her face, George also waited years and years hoping for some perfect moment to come so that he could tell her how he felt. They both were so afraid of ruining their friendship, which I thought was incredibly valid. So much is at stake when you’re dealing with a 20+ years long friendship. Not to mention, they were BEST FRIENDS. I actually could throw up thinking that he was about to take his feelings to the grave and just watch her marry someone who was so wrong for her. Like bye that makes me physically ILL to think about😭

Like I said though, there were many moments I wanted to shake them and be like HELLO?? UR SOULMATES!!! 😭 BUT I also think if you can just let yourself appreciate the slower burn to this, it pays off in the best way and in a way that I think compliments both of their character arcs in the most impactful way 💜 Frankie needed to be shaken out of this rut she unintentionally put herself in. And life will do that to you sometimes.

I just loved these two together. They bring each other to life in the best way. They make each other better. Seeing their moments in the past as kids made me connect to their love story even more. I felt so connected to who they were in the past and who they are in the present.

One last thing I want to mention is I really loved the side story with Frankie’s mom. I thought it was very important to Frankie’s character growth. Moreover, it added a lot of depth side characters and another layer to the storyline. Frankie’s complicated relationship with her mom echoed the complicated relationship Frankie had with herself and the issues she struggled with. The whale story and everything about her mom made me so emotional. I loved that we got to see that come full circle as well.

I actually can’t believe there are people out there that don’t love this book like I do. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around LOL that’s how much I loved this.

This is truly one of the most magical books I have ever read. Maybe it found me at the perfect time or maybe it’s just PERFECT 💜 I’ll say it’s both.

Any negative review on this can kick rocks. I’ll defend this book with my life—come at me 🙂‍↕️

I probably forgot some things I want to say so I might periodically add some things to this after posting this.

I’m not going to put a lot of quotes like usual because I did already put some throughout this review, but I also think the joy of it is getting to read them for the first time in the story 🤍

“A promise for a promise,” George says.
Our best one yet.

“I wouldn’t mind belonging to someone if they belonged to me, too. If we belonged to each other as well as to ourselves.”

“I feel as if I’m twelve years old, at the starting line on Track and Field Day. George is beside me, and I am determined to win. A lifetime of competing with him plays in the back of my mind while I wait for the waves. Who can run to the creek first. Who can make the biggest splash in the pool. Comparing marks on essays and exams.
And then suddenly, I’m not twelve anymore. I’m a thirty-year-old woman, lying on a surfboard in the Pacific Ocean with her lifelong best friend at her side. I ache with the joy of it.”
⇢ The aching beauty of this moment for Frankie. It was another turning point for her

_______________________________________________
pre-read 🤍🌊🏄🏼‍♀️

i’m a friends to lovers girl at heart. pls be a win 🙏🏻

[Jaime Fok · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

Carley Fortune just writes so beautifully. I'm always in awe of how she captures the Canadian landscape within words so well. As a Canadian myself, I just get this visceral feeling of nostalgia every time I dive into one of her books - and I absolutely love that! From the small, specific references that only a local Torontonian would understand, to larger scale picture of the nature and wildlife of the country, I just love it so much.

Her strength in writing also extends to being able to write character dynamics incredibly well. I completely believed George & Frankie's longterm friendship and the depth of their connection from the way their interactions and dialogue were written. There is this sense of bluntness and familiarity that you get only from knowing someone for a VERY long time - and I 100% trusted that George and Frankie had this level of comfort with one another. Their lifetime of friendship and partnership felt completely real, and I also enjoyed how their younger timeline chapters actually felt young - I could sense that feeling of innocent wonder and curiosity, and loved it!

I also loved the dedication to wildlife preservation & whales throughout the book. Gave the overall story more substance vs just being any other romance book. The Little Women references and parallels also gave me so much joy. And the FOOD DESCRIPTIONS? You know I love when food is described in detail in books, and the fact that Frankie was a HUGE foodie worked so well for me.

When you strip down the writing however, just to the base plot points. You just get 2 characters who are honestly pretty oblivious to everything that is happening around them, and also to how their actions affect the people in their lives. So to the core, I got the impression that both our main characters were just quite selfish and I wasn't able to fully love either of them. I'm also just having issues with a lot of classic 3rd act conflicts in romance books, and so I had very little patience with the third act here. Felt like it dragged on for longer than it needed to, and honestly - with the amount of character development and struggles we went through in the book... I honestly don't think we needed to throw in a conflict at the end, just because!

All in all, beautiful writing. Perfect for the summer!

[Alyssa Nieves · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 6 star MASTERPIECE!!!! 😭

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Frankie’s fiancé Nate leaves her with a goodbye note on their wedding day, she is nothing but shocked. After wallowing in grief, her somewhat estranged best friend, George, convinces her to take her honeymoon in British Columbia with him, in hopes of reigniting their friendship and helping her recover from the loss of her engagement.

It is not summer without a Carley Fortune book in my hands. Easily one of my favorite romance authors, Fortune continues to shine when it comes to emotional, angsty romance that makes you swoon as much as self-reflect. Her books are endlessly addictive (I literally could not put this book down once reaching the halfway point) and replete with summer nostalgia that makes her readers long for the days of childhood innocence bathed in sunshine and wrapped up in friendships that seem never-ending.

Her books are like warm hugs; and while they can include heavier topics such as grief, abandonment, and loss of identity, more often than not, you will find yourself utterly charmed with the characters, the story, and the beautiful Canadian setting. Before you know it, you've completely devoured it- sad with the knowledge you will never be able to read it again for the first time.

As a huge sucker for friends to lover romance, this was an almost instant favorite. I was immediately taken with Charlie (and his grandmother Mimi) and found him to be a down-to-earth, endearing heartthrob with a heart of gold, bespectacled à la Clark Kent to add to his insanely swoony vibe. While Frankie took me more of a minute to warm up to, once I did, I was all in for her, her incredibly relatable struggle to find her inspiration, and her insanely deep friendship with Charlie. Of course, I, like many, wanted to scream at her at times for her inability to see the inevitable, but even that had a way of adding to the charm of her naiveté.

Trust me, this is worth the read, especially in print. While I cannot visit Tofino myself, I have a feeling I will be thinking about Frankie, Charlie, Kevin, Mimi, the gang, and the whales for much of this summer, and I am sure no one will be surprised if I just so happen to sneak in a reread before fall is upon us.

Read if you like:
▪️coming of age
▪️friends to lovers
▪️forced proximity
▪️travel romance
▪️emotional love stories
▪️epistolary format
▪️British Columbia setting

✨ 2026 Favorites List

Pubs: May 5, 2026

Thank you Berkley Romance for the advanced copy.

[jasmine ☆₊⁺&#x1f9a2;&#x1fabd;₊⁺★]

i’m putting this book on pause because i really need to catch up on my arcs! but i will continue this once i’m at a good percent 😊

—

ᝰ.ᐟ ⛈️ ⌗ pre read┆started june 5ˎˊ˗
i forgot my kindle at my grandma’s house and i’m already at the airport, so… 😠🔫 i just bought this book because ‘in stormy weather’ is downloaded on my kindle 😔 just like that would be my first chelsea curto book, this is my first carley fortune book! hopefully it’s good

[Lottie Smalley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ carley fortune just has such a way with atmosphere!!! she can really set a scene. tofino was genuinely stunning & it made me want to book a trip immediately ✈️

this book is about lifelong best friends, frankie and george, who go on a last minute “honeymoon” trip together after frankie’s fiancé calls off their wedding. it turns into this will-they-won’t-they situation where they’re forced to finally confront everything they’ve been avoiding…

i flew through it. the pacing really worked for me! and i also appreciated the quieter details like the whales, the family dynamics, the therapy component, and just the overall introspective vibe! she writes with so much warmth.

but ultimately i do feel like the writing did a lot of the heavy lifting for me. i liked the characters and enjoyed being with them, but i didn’t fully connect? there was just something missing. like that extra sparkle or emotional punch that makes a romance feel unforgettable. idk!

all that said, her writing always wins me over. even when i have little gripes, i’m still completely swept up in the story. and once again, i am convinced of another place i need to visit in canada 🇨🇦✨

thank you to berkley romance for the advanced reader copy! all thoughts are my own 💌

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn’t emotionally connected with anyone and it took way to long for tension to brew. Predictable and forgettable.

[Madison Kait · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 set & setting on point, romance... leaves something to be desired

[lauren‎♡₊˚ &#x1f9a2;・₊✧ (ia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5💫

ugh i just LOVE CARLEY FORTUNE SUMMERS

i absolutely binged this. it was so fast-paced, atmospheric, and such a beautiful story. friends to lovers but they YEARN and UGH its so good. gosh i just loved this so much

i loved our two main characters. the history of their friendship was so sweet and the way that george and frankie supported each other through every stage of their life was so comforting and ugh so perfect. i loved the flashback chapters and how it added so much depth to their relationship.

george was so thoughtful and considerate helping frakie heal and i loved The Plan that he came up with while on the "honeymoon." i just really enjoyed this story and these characters and their relationship so so much

DID I MENTION THE TATTOOS

i wish we got more insight into george after the fire because she kept referring to how he was different but we didn't actually see how he had changed.

gosh PLEASE READ i absolutely loves this perfect summer read. carley fortune, you did it again!!!!!!!

[Adi · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of a sudden I’m rating friends to lovers romances 5 stars left and right am I okay?!? This book was magic. The vibes, the tension, the YEARNING. I need my own George. I loved, loved this one so much. Read it under 24 hours because I just couldn’t stop!!!

[carolina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I’d love our perfect storm, because childhood friends to lovers is one of my favourite tropes, but something was missing for me. And it’s frustrating, because this is not a bad book but the urge to skim over it was strong sometimes and I often felt like I was merely reading words on paper.

Carley knows how to set the scene and the backdrop for this story was stunning! Everything else felt dull in comparison. The writing felt disjointed and the pacing didn’t allow for a smooth reading experience. Flashbacks/ alternative timelines are often used in romances like our perfect storm, and it’s something I tend to enjoy, but every time there was a switch from present to past, it felt abrupt. There wasn’t a chance for connection with younger Frankie and Georgie, which made it hard for me to truly grasp their friendship and love in the past.

I felt like I was in the outside, looking in. The characters seemed blurry, little dots in the distance I had to squint really hard to distinguish. I wanted to love them, feel for them, empathise with their issues and root for their success. Despite spending so much time with Frankie and George, and them both having backstories and traumas, I struggled to get to know them. I didn’t feel connected to them at all. George was okay, even though he acted stupid sometimes, but Frankie infuriated me. And it pains me to say this, because I hate criticising female characters, but she came across as immature and bratty. I can see why she behaved a certain way, and I think most of it has to do with her mom, but I wanted to shake her so badly. It’s obvious the author tried to make her like Jo, from Little Women, and it’s like she took all the things that irritate me about Jo and put them in Frankie. While I’m on this topic, the amount of Little Women references got on my nerves (and I’m a huge Little Women lover) and as someone who never shipped Jo and Laurie, the way Frankie and Jo were written to resemble them irritated me!

The romance didn’t convince me. I won’t deny that there was angst and yearning, but it wasn’t enough. What bothered me was this: Frankie was going to get married, the wedding didn’t happen, she broke down because she was abandoned and she had abandonment issues, and then she spends a week with George where suddenly her eyes open and she sees him as a man and falls in love. I didn’t buy it and that’s because it didn’t feel believable. The flashbacks show her being attracted to George in some moments, because he’s handsome, but that’s it. I can believe that he was in love with her for a long while, but I can’t believe that she was and it felt so rushed that she fell in love in just a few days. What annoys me most is that the last chapters were good, the love confessions and the letters were heartfelt and cute and I wish the rest of the book had felt like that to me.

Our perfect storm kept me at arm’s length, never letting me get close. I couldn’t see the big picture, only a disjointed version of it. I’m sure I’m in the minority here because I can see so many people loving this, but it lacked depth and feeling and it felt too similar to books I’ve read before. Nothing about it stood out to me.