Meet Me at the Lake Book Review - No Spoilers

Plot Summary

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune follows Fern Brookbanks, a 32-year-old who returns to run her late mother’s lakeside resort in beautiful Muskoka. Ten years earlier, she shared a perfect day and a promise with Will Baxter. He vanished—until he reappears, now hired to help save the struggling resort. As Fern confronts grief, family legacy, and old heartbreak, the novel unfolds as a gentle second-chance romance. It weaves nostalgia, loss, and healing into a warm lakeside setting, grounded by Fern’s journey toward forgiveness and purpose.

Why I Love This Book

I love how this book blends heartache with hope. Fern’s grief feels real and layered—it doesn’t feel painted on. I love the way the lakeside resort comes alive in my head. I can see the pines, feel the summer heat, smell the coffee. I love that the connection between Fern and Will stays emotional and slow-burning. The pages breathe with longing—not flashy passion, but real, gentle pull.

I love the dual timelines too. Sliding between that electric day in Toronto and now brings depth to their history. I feel their regret, their what-ifs. I love how secrets—like what Fern discovers about her mom or what Will held back—add weight to their reunion. It’s not just romance. It’s also about choosing yourself and honoring someone you lost.

And I love the side characters. Fern’s ex, Jamie, and her friend Whitney ground her. Peter, the pastry chef, is quietly wonderful. These small roles bring warmth, realness, humor. I love how this story feels like summer and healing wrapped up in one.

Who Will Like This Book

If you like second-chance romance set against nature, quietly emotional stories, and characters with real grief and growth—you’ll connect with this. If you enjoy romance that heals instead of just excites, you’ll find it meaningful.

⚠️ Trigger warning: This book deals with death of a parent, grief, and unresolved emotional trauma. It isn’t graphic, but these themes may hit close.

Tagged As

second chance romance, contemporary romance, women’s fiction, healing, small town, lakeside setting, summer romance, family legacy, emotional growth, dual timeline, found family, indie romance, standalone, slow burn, sweet romance, character-driven

Steam Level

The romance builds slowly and tenderly. There are intimate moments, but they’re heartfelt and emotional rather than explicit. It’s romance that warms rather than burns.