Every Year After is a romantic drama series on Prime Video adapted from Carley Fortune’s 2022 novel, set in the scenic lakeside town of Barry’s Bay, Ontario. The story follows Persephone “Percy” Fraser, played by Sadie Soverall, a young woman who returns to the town after years away, burdened by regret and unresolved feelings from her past. Percy believes she needs closure before she can move forward with her life, and that means revisiting the place where a formative summer changed everything.
The series moves between the present and flashbacks to 2011, when Percy’s family bought a vacation home in Barry’s Bay. As a teenager, she formed a close bond with her neighbor Sam, played by Matt Cornett, and their friendship gradually developed into first love. That relationship is disrupted by a painful event that continues to haunt Percy years later. Now, after the death of Sam’s mother, Sue, played by Elisha Cuthbert, Percy returns to confront old wounds, reconnect with the past and face the emotional consequences of what happened.
The show centers on romance, grief, memory and growing up, while also leaning heavily into the appeal of its male leads. Percy’s emotional journey unfolds alongside a trio of local men: Sam, his older brother Charlie, played by Michael Bradway, and Jordie, played by Joseph Chiu. Their presence gives the series much of its energy, with the review highlighting how the characters are framed as the show’s romantic draw. The lakefront setting, summer atmosphere and physicality of the characters are presented as part of the show’s fantasy of youth, longing and escape.
While the series contains familiar elements of young-adult romance, including love triangles, emotional confession and unresolved tension, it is also described as a glossy and escapist drama with plenty of melodrama. Percy’s return sets off a chain of emotional reckoning, with the story asking whether she can heal old divisions, reconnect with her past and decide what she wants next.
The review suggests the dialogue can be overly sentimental and the plot predictable, but it also acknowledges the charm of the setting and the cast. Barry’s Bay is portrayed as lush, serene and visually striking, with the lake functioning as both backdrop and metaphor for freedom, time and emotional turbulence. Despite its familiar formula, the series is presented as an easy watch for viewers looking for romance, nostalgia and summer drama.
Ultimately, Every Year After is a story about a woman returning to the place that shaped her, confronting the memory of first love and loss, and trying to make peace with the choices that still define her.
