Every Year After Review: Is This Prime Romance Worth It?
Looking for an honest Every Year After review? Prime Video’s adaptation of Carley Fortune’s bestselling novel delivers beautiful visuals and emotional nostalgia, but struggles with chemistry and pacing. Here’s what works and what doesn’t before you start watching.
Prime Video is back with another book-to-screen romance adaptation, Every Year After. Based on Carley Fortune’s bestselling novel, the show desperately wants to be your next summer obsession. It has the glittering lakes, the nostalgic sunsets, and the obligatory hot brothers next door.
But does it actually deliver? Let’s just say it behaves less like a steamy romance and more like an awkward family reunion where nobody wants to pass the salt.
The Plot: Two Timelines, Double the Frustration
The story tracks Persephone “Percy” Fraser (Sadie Soverall) and her childhood best-friend-turned-lover Sam Florek (Matt Cornett). The show splits itself down the middle across two timelines:
- The Past: Awkward teenagers falling in love at a cozy Canadian lakeside cottage.
- The Present: The same characters in their 30s, brooding over a “terrible mistake” that tore them apart ten years ago.
Instead of blending seamlessly, the show bounces back and forth like a hyperactive ping-pong ball. One minute you’re watching high school YA drama, and the next you’re dropped into heavy, adult existential dread.
Why This Every Year After Review Is Choosing Violence
While the young actors playing the teenage versions of Percy and Sam are genuinely adorable, the adult versions seem to have completely forgotten how human interaction works.
Here is exactly where the series misses the mark:
- Damp Chemistry: The romantic sparks between the lead adult actors never quite catch fire. They stare at each other with plenty of angst, but very little actual heat.
- The Silent Treatment: The entire plot relies on adults refusing to communicate like normal human beings. If these characters simply sent a text message, the show would be twenty minutes long.
- Episodes That Never End: Clocking in at eight episodes, the narrative loops back on itself constantly. You will find yourself watching the exact same emotional beats repeat without gaining any new perspective.
The Final Verdict
If you are strictly in it for the gorgeous lakeside scenery and the cozy cottage-core aesthetic, Every Year After might function as decent background noise. But if you are looking for emotional depth or a romance that actually sizzles, this one is a bit of a fizzle.
Is Every Year After based on a book?
Yes. The series is based on Carley Fortune’s bestselling romance novel Every Summer After.
Where can you watch Every Year After?
The series is available on Prime Video.
Is Every Year After a romance series?
Yes. It is a romance drama that follows Percy and Sam across two timelines.
How many episodes are in Every Year After?
The first season consists of eight episodes.
Is Every Year After worth watching?
Fans of slow-burn romance and nostalgic summer stories may enjoy it, though some viewers may find the pacing slow.
