This Summer Will Be Different – Complete Book Guide

Name: This Summer Will Be Different
Author: Carley Fortune

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Author	Carley Fortune
Published	2024
Genre	Contemporary Romance
Setting	Prince Edward Island, Canada; Toronto; Sydney, Australia
Narrator	Lucy Ashby (first‑person)
Main Characters	Lucy Ashby, Felix Clark, Bridget Clark, Joy, Farah, Miles Lam
Themes	Secrets and Honesty, Forbidden Love and Loyalty, Belonging and Home, Self‑Discovery, Friendship vs. Romance
Symbols	Sea glass, oyster shucking, flower farm, Green Gables visitor card

Short Summary

Lucy Ashby, a Toronto florist, has spent five summers in a secret, on‑and‑off relationship with Felix Clark – the brother of her best friend, Bridget. When Bridget impulsively returns to Prince Edward Island just days before her wedding, Lucy follows, only to be confronted once again by the powerful chemistry with Felix. As old rules and new crises collide, Lucy must decide whether loyalty to friendship or her own heart wins. The story weaves between past and present, exploring how buried truths can both protect and damage the people we love most.

Full Summary

The novel opens with a prologue set five years before the main plot. Lucy Ashby, alone on Prince Edward Island after her best friend Bridget misses their flight, meets an oyster shucker named Felix at Shack Malpeque. They share an intense night, and the next morning she discovers he is Bridget’s brother – breaking Bridget’s only rule: don’t fall in love with Felix.

From there, the story moves back and forth in time. In the present (the week of Bridget’s wedding), Lucy receives a frantic call from Bridget, who has fled Toronto eight days before her wedding. Lucy flies to PEI, where she is picked up at the airport by Felix. Tension immediately reignites between them. Felix has grown a beard, seems more serious, and has clearly not forgotten their past.

Over the next several days, Lucy and Felix orbit each other while trying to help Bridget, who refuses to explain why she ran away. Lucy and Felix visit Green Gables, share intimate conversations, and acknowledge their unresolved feelings. A key moment occurs at the Tyne Valley Oyster Festival, where Felix competes and places third; afterward, he kisses Lucy’s knuckles and holds her hand, but she pulls away, still seeing herself as a temporary guest in his world.

Flashbacks reveal the progression of their secret relationship. Thanksgiving three years ago, they slept together again, reaffirming their rule not to fall in love. Two years ago, Felix visited Lucy in Toronto after Hurricane Fiona, encouraging her dream of owning a flower farm. A year ago, after Lucy’s aunt Stacy died, Felix took care of her on PEI for several days, and they finally admitted their feelings – but Lucy panicked and left abruptly the next morning.

Back in the present, Lucy decides she must tell Bridget the truth. But before she can, Bridget and her fiancé Miles arrive together and announce they are moving to Australia for two years. Devastated, Lucy confesses to Bridget her long‑standing secret. To her surprise, Bridget already knew and gives her blessing, saying the whole family has been “shipping them.”

The wedding goes ahead. Lucy arranges a beautiful floral arch at the Gardiner Museum. At the reception, Lucy and Felix exchange tender “I relish you” lines. But after the celebration, when Lucy impulsively proposes moving to PEI to live with Felix, he refuses, saying it’s too soon and she would be using him to escape her burnout. They take a “breather.”

Lucy returns to Toronto, resolves to become self‑reliant. She delegates more to her business partner Farah, reads about flower farming, and sends Felix forget‑me‑not seeds. They begin a long‑distance exchange of books and seeds, rebuilding trust. On her thirtieth birthday, she tells her mother she is falling in love with Felix. She then purchases a piece of land on PEI sight unseen.

In a March visit, Lucy reveals the land purchase to Felix and gives him an annotated copy of Anne of the Island. Felix responds with a long, detailed declaration of love. They reconcile fully and spend the night together.

The final chapters show their deepening relationship across seasons, including visits to Sydney to meet Bridget and Miles’s newborn daughter, Rowan. Lucy commits to building a life on PEI. The epilogue, set one year later, finds Lucy and Felix hosting a housewarming at Primfield House, their new modern farmhouse. Bridget arrives from Australia as a surprise. Lucy reflects on how partnership has changed her, and the novel closes with the two of them in their bedroom, home at last.

Main Characters

Character	Role	Key Trait
Lucy Ashby	Protagonist, narrator, floral designer	Loyal but secretive; learns to trust and delegate
Felix Clark	Bridget’s brother, oyster shucker	Rooted, patient, emotionally open by the end
Bridget Clark	Lucy’s best friend	Impulsive, fiercely loyal, eventually forgiving
Joy	Felix’s ex‑fiancée	Initially seen as a rival, later a kind friend
Farah	Lucy’s business partner	Practical, pushes Lucy to stop micromanaging
Miles Lam	Bridget’s fiancé / husband	Solid, supportive, catalyst for Bridget’s move

Key Themes

Secrets and Honesty: Lucy and Felix hide their affair from Bridget for years. Their secret causes guilt but eventually leads to a stronger foundation once confessed.
Forbidden Love and Loyalty: Lucy’s attraction to Felix conflicts with her promise to never fall for Bridget’s brother, testing the boundaries of friendship.
Belonging and Home: PEI represents a true home for Lucy, contrasting with her formal upbringing. She ultimately chooses to build a life there.
Self‑Discovery and Growth: Lucy evolves from a workaholic florist into someone who delegates, pursues a flower farm, and embraces vulnerability.
Friendship vs. Romance: Lucy balances her deep bond with Bridget against her romantic feelings for Felix, forcing her to decide which kind of love takes priority.

Important Symbols

Sea Glass: Felix gives Lucy a piece of sea glass during her grief. It represents healing, patience, and the beauty that emerges from brokenness.
Oyster Shucking: Felix’s skill symbolizes his roots in the community and the physical intimacy that draws Lucy back year after year.
Flower Farm: Lucy’s dream cut‑flower farm (sunflowers, dahlias, cosmos) stands for independence, creativity, and her desire to put down roots on PEI.
Visitor Card from Green Gables: Felix writes “This is Lucy’s happy ending” on a Green Gables visitor card, foreshadowing their future commitment.

Ending Explained

The novel ends with Lucy and Felix in a committed relationship, living together at Primfield House – the modern farmhouse they built on Lucy’s purchased land. Bridget has moved to Australia but returns for the housewarming, fully supportive. Lucy has permanently relocated to PEI while commuting to Toronto monthly. The final scene shows the two lovers stealing away to their bedroom, symbolizing that Lucy has finally found home and belonging both in place and in love.

Chapter‑by‑Chapter Table

Chapter	Key Events
Titles by Carley Fortune	Lists the author’s previous novels (front matter).
Prologue	Lucy meets Felix at Shack Malpeque; they sleep together; she learns he is Bridget’s brother.
1	Bridget calls Lucy from PEI eight days before the wedding; Lucy agrees to go despite painful memories.
2	Lucy flies to PEI, reflecting on her friendship with Bridget and fearing past mistakes.
3	Bridget picks Lucy up at the airport; Lucy spots Felix and feels intense physical reaction.
4	Flashback: Lucy and Felix create secret rules after their first encounter.
5	Felix picks up Lucy and Bridget; tension is palpable.
6	Felix calls Lucy “friends”; Lucy feels the house as home; Felix leaves for work.
7	Lucy and Bridget visit Thunder Cove beach; Bridget breaks down crying.
8	Lucy sees a photo of Felix staring at her; Bridget proposes “full PEI” with three rules.
9	Lucy worries about the wedding; Farah criticizes her workaholism; Felix arrives to stay.
10	A dark‑bathroom encounter leads to accidental physical intimacy; Lucy pulls away.
11	Flashback: Lucy is devastated when Aunt Stacy closes In Bloom; she and Felix are partners in sandcastle contest.
12	Flashback: Lucy and Felix negotiate a one‑time bathroom encounter.
13	Morning after: Lucy lies to Bridget about awkwardness; Felix leaves for work.
14	Lucy and Bridget go on a nostalgia tour; Lucy apologizes to Felix; he says she owes him breakfast.
15	Trivial Pursuit; Felix presses Bridget about the wedding; Bridget breaks down.
16	Felix and Lucy share a blanket on the beach; she reveals her flower farm dream.
17	Flashback: Lucy meets Joy at a Thanksgiving party; realizes Joy isn’t a villain.
18	Flashback: Lucy and Felix have sex on Thanksgiving three years ago, reaffirming no‑love rule.
19	Lucy wakes late; Bridget cancels Green Gables trip; Lucy and Felix go alone.
20	At Green Gables, Felix gives Lucy a foot massage; he writes “This is Lucy’s happy ending” on a visitor card.
21	Flashback: Felix visits Lucy in Toronto after Hurricane Fiona; encourages her flower farm dream.
22	Flashback: Lucy and Felix meet at a wine bar; exchange dahlia seeds and a book.
23	Lucy confronts Bridget on the beach; commits to staying until both share truths.
24	Oyster Festival; Lucy meets Joy again; feels jealousy.
25	Felix places third in shucking competition; kisses Lucy’s knuckles; she resolves to tell Bridget.
26	Flashback: Lucy grieves Aunt Stacy’s death; Felix cares for her on PEI; gives her sea glass.
27	Flashback: Lucy wakes in Felix’s bed after intense night; panics and lies about work emergency; leaves abruptly.
28	During a storm, Felix confesses he has been trying to get over Lucy for a year; they have sex on the beach.
29	Lucy and Felix spend a blissful day together; plan to tell Bridget.
30	Morning intimacy; they agree on a slow, exclusive long‑distance plan.
31	Bridget and Miles announce they are moving to Australia; Lucy confesses secret; Bridget already knew and blesses them.
32	Lucy and Bridget return from beach; Felix comforts Lucy; they face future together.
33	Wedding day: Lucy arranges flowers, delivers a speech; she and Felix exchange “I relish you.”
34	Lucy impulsively offers to move to PEI; Felix refuses, says it’s too soon; they take a breather.
35	Lucy tells Farah the full story; resolves to become self‑reliant.
36	Lucy drives Bridget to the airport for her flight to Australia; they say a tearful goodbye.
37	Farah confronts Lucy about micromanaging; Lucy agrees to delegate more.
38	Lucy reduces work, exchanges books and seeds with Felix; purchases PEI land unseen.
39	Lucy visits Felix in March; shows him the land; gives him Anne of the Island; Felix declares his love.
40	Relationship deepens; they visit Bridget in Sydney; Lucy commits to the flower farm and living together.
Epilogue	Housewarming at Primfield House one year later; Bridget arrives as surprise; Lucy and Felix are home.
Behind the Book	Author Carley Fortune describes her 2008 trip to PEI and the novel’s real‑life inspiration.
Discussion Questions	Discussion prompts for book clubs.
Books I Read (and Loved)	A list of nine novels the author enjoyed while writing, including Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Fourth Wing.

Common Questions and Answers

1. Why does Bridget run away before her wedding? She feels overwhelmed by the prospect of moving to Australia with Miles and needs space to decide. She doesn’t reveal the move until later.

2. Did Bridget really not know about Lucy and Felix? She knew all along. The entire Clark family had been “shipping them,” but they waited for Lucy to confess.

3. What is the significance of the Green Gables visitor card? Felix writes “This is Lucy’s happy ending,” directly linking her future to the island and referencing the Anne of Green Gables theme of finding home.

4. Why does Felix refuse Lucy’s offer to move in right after the wedding? He believes she is using him to escape her burnout and loneliness. He insists they need to build a healthy relationship slowly.

5. How does Lucy’s flower farm dream come true? She buys land on PEI sight unseen. With Felix’s support and her own growth, she turns the dream into reality by the epilogue.

6. What role does Joy play in the story? Joy is Felix’s ex‑fiancée. Initially seen as a rival, she becomes a friend to Bridget and helps Lucy realize that the past is more complicated than she assumed.

7. Does Lucy ever tell Bridget about the affair? Yes. In Chapter 31, after Bridget announces the move, Lucy confesses. Bridget reveals she already knew and gives her blessing.

8. How does the book end? One year later, Lucy and Felix live together at Primfield House on PEI. Bridget visits, and the couple has built a life around their flower farm and each other.