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We're going back to Barry's Bay. Carley Fortune's sixth novel, Only in Summer, comes out May 18, 2027. It's the third book set in the lake town from Every Summer After and One Golden Summer. And this time, the heroine is a Florek.

Here's everything we know so far. That includes the release date, the official synopsis, how it connects to the earlier books, and where to preorder every edition.

📖 Preorder: Amazon | Bookshop.org | 🎧 Audible

Only in Summer Quick Facts

  • Author: Carley Fortune
  • Release date: May 18, 2027 (US and Canada)
  • Publisher: Berkley in the US, Penguin Canada, and Michael Joseph in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand
  • Length: 432 pages (US hardcover)
  • Series: Barry's Bay #3, after Every Summer After and One Golden Summer
  • Setting: Barry's Bay, Ontario
  • Main characters: Eleanor Florek and Owen Kolstad

What Is Only in Summer About?

Everyone in Barry's Bay knows Eleanor Florek. She grew up there, she reports for the local paper, and she's the town's golden girl. What she wants most is a cottage of her own on the lake. Somewhere she can let loose without the whole town watching.

She finally saves enough for a small A-frame. Then the original cottage next door gets knocked down to make room for a huge lake house. Eleanor plans to tell the new owner exactly what she thinks of that. Before she can, he's gone, and the house sits empty for years. That suits her just fine.

Then Owen Kolstad comes back. He's serious, he's buttoned up, and he has his own reasons for hiding out at the lake. Eleanor doesn't want to share her quiet bay with him. Becoming her friend isn't part of Owen's plan either. Neither of them is ready to fall in love, and definitely not this summer.

The publisher's tagline sums up the mood: "Only on the lake. Only right now. Only in summer."

Who Is Eleanor Florek?

Eleanor goes by Ellie, and she's the younger cousin of Sam and Charlie Florek. Sam is the hero of Every Summer After. Charlie gets his own love story with Alice in One Golden Summer.

That makes this the first Barry's Bay book where the heroine is a Florek herself. Percy and Alice both came into the family's orbit from the outside. Ellie is the family. No cameos have been confirmed yet. But One Golden Summer brought Sam and Percy back, so there's good reason to hope for more of the same.

Why This One Is Personal for Carley Fortune

Fortune spent part of her childhood in Barry's Bay. In her newsletter announcement, she shared that she bought her own cottage on a lake near the town right before she started writing Only in Summer. Owning one had been her dream ever since her family sold their lake house.

Ellie's whole story starts from that same wish. It's hard to read that and not expect this book to have a lot of heart.

Do You Need to Read Every Summer After First?

Fortune hasn't said whether Only in Summer works as a standalone. Each Barry's Bay book has its own couple, but they all reward readers who already know the Floreks. The safest plan is to read Every Summer After and One Golden Summer before May.

Need a refresher? My Every Summer After summary and ending explained covers the whole story. And the Carley Fortune books in order guide walks through all six books.

Only in Summer and Every Year After

This book lands while the TV adaptation is still growing. Every Year After, Prime Video's take on Every Summer After, premiered June 10, 2026 and hit #1 on Prime Video worldwide. It's been renewed for a second season, and that season will focus on One Golden Summer.

So a new Barry's Bay book is coming right as more people discover the town for the first time. If you watched the show first, here's every change the show made from the book.

Where to Preorder Only in Summer

US Editions

Canadian Editions

  • Penguin Canada hardcover (ISBN 9781037800030): Indigo
  • Indigo Exclusive Edition (ISBN 9781037806056): Indigo

UK, Australia, and New Zealand Editions

Michael Joseph publishes Only in Summer outside North America. Release dates there vary by format, from May 18 to June 20, 2027, so check your local retailer. The trade paperback ISBN is 9780241822883 and the hardback is 9780241822876.

One more reason to preorder: first-week sales are what put books on bestseller lists, and preorders all count toward that first week.

Only in Summer FAQ

When does Only in Summer come out?

Only in Summer comes out May 18, 2027 in the US and Canada. Some UK, Australian, and New Zealand editions follow a few days to a month later.

Is Only in Summer part of a series?

Yes. It's the third Barry's Bay book, after Every Summer After (2022) and One Golden Summer (2025). All three are set in the same Ontario lake town and center on the Florek family.

Who are the main characters in Only in Summer?

Eleanor "Ellie" Florek, a local reporter and the cousin of Sam and Charlie Florek, and Owen Kolstad, the neighbor who tore down the cottage next to hers and then disappeared for years.

Do you need to read Every Summer After before Only in Summer?

It isn't confirmed as required, but it's the best way in. You'll already know the Floreks and the town, so the returning faces will mean more.

Is there an Only in Summer audiobook?

Yes. The audiobook releases alongside the print edition and runs about 13 hours. The narrator hasn't been announced yet.

So tell me in the comments: are you a Sam and Percy reader or a Charlie and Alice reader? And if you want more release news like this, join The Weekly Bookmark for my honest weekly notes on what is worth reading and why.