Jun 10, 2026 12:30pm IST
‘Every Year After’ Review: A Sweet and Warm Summer Romance That Could Do With Some Heat
There’s no way “Every Year After”, yet another young adult (YA) series book adaptation on Prime Video featuring one girl, two brothers, a deceased mother and a summer lake house, could avoid comparisons to “The Summer I Turned Pretty” (TSITP). Tough luck there, considering the latter remains an internet phenomenon. Yet, “Every Year After,” starring Sadie Soverall, Matt Cornett and Michael Bradway does have its own triumphs over “TSITP” as well as a shortcomings — it could do with some heat.
Based on “Every Summer After” by Carley Fortune, “Every Year After” is the story of Persephone “Percy” Fraser (Soverall), an obituaries writer at a local American newspaper, giving a speech at her best friend Chantal’s (Aurora Perrineau) engagement. Even as she runs off to hook up with the groom’s friend, her heart is with another. Then, an unexpected call from an old friend bearing bad news pulls Percy back to Barry’s Bay, Canada. Here she’d spent several summers by the lake that brought her peace, joy, inspiration and Charlie (Michael Bradway) and Sam Florek (Matt Cornett), two boys with whom her life was deeply intertwined.
A panic attack and teasers of a backstory reveal that the call Percy received was from the elder brother, Charlie Florek, to inform her that his mother, Sue (Elisha Cuthbert), has passed. Adamant to be there for the service, Percy is now anxious about facing her ex-boyfriend/best friend and the younger brother, Sam Florek, because of something horrible she did ten years ago. Percy’s friend Chantal, a workaholic and hotshot partner at a law firm, agrees to accompany her for moral support. And the trip to Barry’s Bay, and time spent with the Floreks, their friends Delilah and Jordie and the lake waters, turn out to be a revelation for both of them.
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There’s something about “Every Year After” that evokes summer more than “The Summer I Turned Pretty” did, probably because of how central a character the lake itself is in the story. The colors are warmer, the score by Tom Howe is soothing (with the occasional bop) and the natural pace of the story feels languorous.
But here’s a shocker — this is thankfully not a love triangle. It’s not hard to guess what Percy’s shameful secret from a decade ago might be — there are two brothers after all. And yet, because of their present ages, there’s less drama and a more mature dynamic between the characters. So Percy’s “mistake” does feel like a heat-of-the-moment mistake, and its fallout doesn’t overshoot its impact on the relationships.
The supporting acts have beautiful parallel arcs of self-discovery, too; the friendships among Percy, Sam, Charlie, Delilah, Chantal and Jordie actually feel like real, regular friendships. It won’t be a stretch to say that “Every Year After” feels refreshingly sensible in its treatment. At one point, Percy’s mother berates her for returning to the “toxic” boys. At another, Charlie actually puts his bond with his brother over any obligation he feels towards Percy. And Delilah is a constant reminder that people change, friends grow apart, and that it often can't all go back to the way it was.
That being said, as is the case with this summer romance trope, the characters feel rather one-dimensional. Percy is a cool, nerdy girl who loves horror films and wants to be a writer like Stephen King. Sam wants to be a doctor. Charlie is a womaniser with commitment issues who cannot imagine being in love. And that’s the extent of what we know about them.
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It doesn’t help that while the younger versions are played by different actors, the latter teen years are played by the same actors playing the adult versions. The two parallel timelines aren’t hard to follow for anyone not giving it a second-screen treatment, but it again doesn’t show growth because they seem the same.
And finally, the heat, passion, and yearning that could scorch feel lacking. There are plenty of moments where Sam and Percy turn yearners, throwing longing glances at each other. Soverall and Cornett have chemistry too. But it all just fizzles out, leaving you wanting more. The only person bringing some zing to this party is Abigail Cowen’s Delilah, who is like a more mature and nuanced version of Taylor from “TSITP.”
“Every Year After” season 1 resolves its one major conflict in its finale without scandal or melodrama and on a beautiful note that centers on friendship, love, forgiveness and happiness. With a few tweaks, Season 2 could actually win us over completely.
All episodes of “Every Year After” are currently streaming on Prime Video.
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