Why this promising romance was wrecked

Sadie Soverall and Matt Cornett star in the new summer romance series.Image: Amazon Prime Video / Justine Yeung

Summer, the beach, compromised love and the secrets that come to the surface: Every Year After has all the ingredients to be the new summer hit. However, fans of the books at the origin of the series struggle to be seduced.

Michelle Nuhn / watson.de

Warning: the article contains possible spoilers for Every Year After!

Novel adaptations are currently experiencing a real boom. Not just in Hollywood: streaming platforms have also long understood the potential of popular books on Booktok and elsewhere. This year, Prime Video has focused on several adaptations. After the release of Off Campus in May, it is now the turn of Every Year After.

The series is adapted from the best-seller Tous nos étés by Carley Fortune, and tells the particularly moving love story of Sam (Matt Cornett) and Percy (Sadie Soverall). And even if the production immediately rose to the top of the rankings, it also attracted a lot of criticism from fans.

The series wipes critiques

Sam and Percy were once inseparable. As children, they met in Barry’s Bay, Canada, became fast friends and then, over the years, fell in love. Today, ten years after their last meeting, a tragic event brings them back to the place where it all began. Unanswered feelings resurface, accompanied by frustration and a secret that ended their relationship.

For readers of the novel, Every Year After was one of the most anticipated streaming events of the year. But if the enthusiasm was immense before its release, it has since fallen significantly. In question, according to fans, the lack of chemistry between the two protagonistsbut also the many changes made to the original work.

New characters, added plots or even a modified ending: the list of adaptations is long. The reactions of certain spectators are even more critical. On Tiktok, a user writes:

For others, the disappointment was even such that they abandoned the series after only a few episodes. While some call it a “bad adaptation”, one reader sums up his feeling quite bitterly:

Tout de même en tête des rankings

More Every Year After does not only receive criticism. On the contrary, some spectators appear to be totally seduced by this adaptation of Carley Fortune’s best-seller, changes included. Another Internet user writes:

Showrunner Amy B. Harris above all seems to have convinced the public on an emotional level. On TikTok, several fans show themselves in tears after finishing the series. Among the reactions posted: “Okay, so the series Every Year After is a million times more depressing than the book. I’m not well.” Or: “Perfection. 11 out of 10. One of my new favorite series. (adapted tom)