Shelf Life: Carley Fortune

Welcome to Shelf Life, ELLE’s books column. In this ongoing series, authors share an assortment of their most memorable reads: the books that have shaped their lives as writers and as human beings. Every month, ELLE will feature authors with a new and upcoming release of their own, asking them which stories have impacted their work most—and which stories they recommend you pick up next. Whether you’re on the hunt for a book to move you, calm you, or change you, consider a recommendation from the writers in our series. Perhaps one of their favorite titles will become one of yours, too.

A casual glance at the striking deep-purple cover of Carley Fortune’s latest romance novel, Our Perfect Storm, might not immediately evoke comparisons to Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. But Fortune nevertheless believes fans of one will appreciate the other, citing that her book’s protagonists share a “fiery and stubborn” dynamic born of childhood friendship, not unlike the bond between Jo and Laurie in Alcott’s 19th-century classic. (Devoted readers of Fortune’s latest will find plenty of other Little Women references sprinkled throughout Our Perfect Storm.)

But there’s also plenty that distinguishes the now No. 1 New York Times bestselling novel: For one, Our Perfect Storm is set not in Massachusetts but in Tofino, on Canada’s Vancouver Island, which Fortune describes as “one of the most stunning places I’ve ever visited—a remote place where rainforest and beaches collide,” and where, as she writes in the novel, mist surrounds the mountains “like a diaphanous belt.”

Fortune says it was this vista that inspired her first; it was only once she’d decided upon the setting that she sought “a story that could match,” she says. Thus, she came up with a sweeping romance between childhood friends Frankie and George: After Frankie is unceremoniously dumped hours before her wedding, her best man, George, insists she embark on her honeymoon anyway—but with him instead of her ex. As Fortune unwinds the friends’ decades-long history for readers, Frankie and George, too, are forced to reevaluate their past and determine what they really need from each other. The result is a fittingly tempestuous but ultimately tender love story from the beloved author of Meet Me at the Lake and One Golden Summer.

Fortune, 42, is based in Toronto; worked in journalism for 16 years before becoming a full-time fiction writer in 2021; prefers to do as much of her writing “by the water” as possible; finished the first draft for her first novel in four months; is an executive producer on the upcoming TV adaptations of her books Every Summer After and This Summer Will Be Different (for Prime Video and Netflix, respectively); and is already at work on her sixth novel.

Browse her book recommendations below.

Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden. I lived in Australia as a young child, and this is the first book in an Australian YA series. It was my first experience with waiting impatiently for the next book in a series to drop. I adored the descriptions of the Australian wilderness, which inspired my own love of writing about nature.

Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews. In elementary school, I somehow had three bouts of strep throat in one year. I was home from school a lot, and I devoured every V. C. Andrews book our little public library had on its shelves. The first multi-chapter story I wrote was about an impoverished girl living in the woods on a mountain—very V. C. Andrews-coded.

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White. I studied journalism at university, and this book was our writing bible. “Omit needless words” is a lesson drilled into my soul.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. One day I hope to write a book half as beautiful as this one.

Heart the Lover by Lily King. It came out late last year, but I just read it recently. I have two boys, and I finished it just before their bedtime, which was unfortunate, because I sobbed my way through their goodnights.

Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, which is out in October. I read an early copy of this, and I think it’s a genre-changing romance. It’s about a book critic and the author she pans (twice), and it’s so precisely written and sharply told. The tension is off the charts!

The Idea of You by Robinne Lee. It’s so hot, but the sex scenes are also all in service of the larger story.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. I fell in love with Prince Edward Island through Anne’s eyes long before I visited, and it’s one of the reasons my third novel, This Summer Will Be Different, is also set on the island.

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. It’s a large cast of characters—the sisters, parents, neighbors, love interests, love interests’ sisters, rakes, and friends—and every single character is a treasure.

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. I read this last summer—actually, I listened to the audiobook—when I was feeling pretty burned out and not vibing with a lot of what I was reading. It ended up being my favorite of the year, and I immediately listened to Charlotte’s other books. I love her singular, strong-willed female characters and her ability to write about nature and climate in these thrilling, action-packed novels.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy in audio. I’m a firm believer that listening to audiobooks is reading—and not a lesser form of reading. Celebrity memoirs voiced by their authors are such a great way to get into the habit, and this is one of the best.

The Writers Trust of Canada, which was founded by Margaret Atwood and Margaret Laurence, among others, 50 years ago to support future generations of Canadian writers with literary prizes, retreats, grants, and more.

AJ Bridel, who narrates my books. And Saskia Maarleveld. I love her voice, and her accents are astounding.

At the cottage on the lake. I take my book down to the dock with a drink in the evening and toggle between enjoying the view and the book.

Reading for fun. I stopped reading in my twenties and thirties because reading started to feel like work. It wasn’t until I stopped worrying about what I should be reading and started reading what I enjoyed that I got my love of books back.

Eclectic. Good writing is a must. The thread that seems to run through the books I love the most is empathy for the characters and humanity. I like books with heart, soul, and guts.