What To Know About "Every Year After"

Carley Fortune’s 2022 novel, Every Summer After, spent 16 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list after it hit shelves and sold over a million copies worldwide. In short, the novel, which was Fortune’s debut, was kind of a big deal. Four years later, the story is getting another big-deal moment: on June 10, the Toronto-based author’s love story makes its small-screen debut in the streaming adaptation Every Year After (yes, it has a different title).

Here’s what to expect when the series drops on Prime Video this week.

It’s a faithful adaptation

Fortune’s novel tells the story of single stylish urbanite, Persephone “Percy” Fraser, who still holds a candle for lost love/local boy, Sam Florek. When Sam’s mother dies, Percy leaves Toronto and heads home, back to Barry’s Bay, Ont., to pay her respects. That trip to cottage country turns into a nostalgic reawakening of Sam and Percy's youthful six-year-long love story, including how it went wrong, and how the present may just see the couple reclaim the past. The Amazon Prime series, dubbed Every Year After, appears to hew closely to the novel’s past-present timeline toggling, and to the spirit of the story that puts a premium on the lasting power of first love.

The book’s considerable fan base has been factored into the drama, too. Showrunner Amy B. Harris told Entertainment Weekly she made sure to include “Easter eggs” for readers and that she views the series as a celebration of the book.

It’s filmed in Canada

Every Year After was reportedly shot on the West Coast, with B.C.’s Bowen Island cast in the role of Barry’s Bay. (No offence to Ontario cottage country, but the backdrop shift looks like a scenery upgrade.) If you’re curious about Barry’s Bay, however, Fortune’s website has a free travel guide that hits the rural lakeside community’s hot spots. (Fortune has become a chronicler of the nation’s most romantic settings, and her books which are set in communities across Canada are appended with similar bonus material that you can find on her site.)

There‘s more Fortune CanCon to come, too. Last month, Netflix announced its forthcoming adaptation of Fortune’s third novel, This Summer Will Be Different, will be filming on Prince Edward Island, where much of the story is set.

Percy and Sam are played by fresh faces

The series’ impact on its audience will hang largely on the quality of the chemistry between its lead performers, Sadie Soverall (Saltburn) and Matt Cornett (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Summer of 69) who portray Percy and Sam. These two are young and fresh-faced, and it will be interesting to see if they can capture a broad demographic of viewers who are hooked on the summer love theme.

It’s not just new young stars bringing the story to life. The cast is filled out by some familiar faces, too, including Aurora Perrineau (Westworld) and Elisha Cuthbert (The Girl Next Door). Harris is a sure hand when it comes to TV: she’s a former producer and writer for Sex and the City and the creator of the cult series The Wilds.

It’s a binge

Tie on your lobster bib: this one’s a binge-watch. Prime Video is dropping all eight episodes of Season 1 at once on June 10, which means there’s no need to be demure when it comes to how you choose to enjoy this entertainment. If it pulls you in close, as it aims to, you can watch the entirety of the series in a day or weekend should the mood strike. Based on anecdotal evidence, this can’t-stop-won’t-stop-till-it’s-over approach is also how many of the books’ most ardent fans consumed the love story, too.