The Core Conflict of Every Year After
Prime Video’s series Every Year After, adapted from the novel by Carley Fortune, centers on the life of Percy (played by Sadie Soverall). The narrative shifts between her formative years spent vacationing in Barry’s Bay and her adult life. Central to her history are the Florek brothers, Sam (Matt Cornett) and Charlie (Michael Bradway), with whom she shared her youth.
The tension in the show peaks when Percy and Sam attempt to reconcile after a long and painful separation. However, a dark secret looms over them: during a tumultuous period in their past, Percy had an intimate encounter with Sam's brother, Charlie. In the original novel, this revelation is eventually brought to light by Sam himself.
Addressing the Love Triangle Comparisons
Given the premise, many viewers have drawn parallels between Every Year After and another popular Prime Video adaptation, The Summer I Turned Pretty, which famously features a protagonist caught between two brothers. However, author Carley Fortune is quick to dismiss the label of a "love triangle" for her story.
«It’s not about a person choosing between other people. That’s what a love triangle is, when there is equal kind of tension in the triangle. It’s just not what it is. I think the show is very much about important places and those people and places that stay with us for many, many years. It’s about coming home,» Fortune stated.
She further emphasized that the narrative explores themes of personal growth and evolution, noting that the "younger versions of ourselves are always with us." According to Fortune, while the show captures the same sense of longing found in other popular romantic dramas, the core of the story is distinctly more mature because it focuses on the complexities of adult relationships rather than teen rivalry.
A Story of Forgiveness
Beyond the romantic entanglements, the series serves as a deeper exploration of human fallibility. The narrative arc between Percy and Sam is framed as a long-term "conversation of forgiveness." It touches upon the universal struggle of determining whether someone is truly capable of moving past betrayal and finding the capacity to forgive those who have hurt us most.
Every Year After is currently available for streaming on Prime Video.