Every Summer After

Sam Florek is Percy’s love interest: He is presented as the one true love of her life. He is the same age as Percy, and the story follows him between the ages of 13 and 30 as well. Sam is the younger of two brothers. As a young boy, he is interested in science and nature; he wants to become a cardiologist because his father died from a heart attack. Sam is greatly driven by his academic goals. Smart and ambitious, he is focused on getting into the college of his choice and fulfilling his dreams of becoming a doctor.

Sam loses his father a year before he meets Percy, and he is still dealing with the aftermath of this when they become acquainted. Just as Percy needs a friend after the incident with Delilah, Sam needs a friend to help him through his grief. Sam immediately likes Percy and opens up to her over the course of the first summer they spend together. Sam is not an expressive or communicative person; he has been unable to talk to his friends about his father, but he grows comfortable enough to do so with Percy. Over the course of their friendship, Sam struggles to articulate how special Percy is to him, but he demonstrates his affection for her by choosing to spend most of his time with her and talking openly with her about most things.

However, Sam’s feelings and behavior are also significantly impacted by the dynamic with his older brother, Charlie. All through their younger years, there is an undercurrent of rivalry between the brothers, with Sam feeling insecure in front of his older and more outgoing brother. This rivalry intensifies when Sam’s feelings for Percy become common knowledge, and Charlie begins to flirt with her.

Sam’s rivalry with Charlie and his focus on his future medical career both impact his relationship with Percy when he goes to college. A third complicating factor is his perspective on love. Sam believes that he and Percy are meant to be, as he has loved her since he first met her. Initially, this leads him to take for granted that they will end up together, which is further complicated by his natural reticence and difficulty in expressing himself. By trying to keep his own fears and insecurities in check, he adds to Percy’s. Sam’s behavior contributes to his worst nightmare: Percy breaking up with him after sleeping with Charlie.

Despite the unhealthy ways in which Sam initially chooses to cope with heartbreak, he also demonstrates an ability to learn from his mistakes. He eventually stops partying and drinking. Instead, he focuses on school and achieves his goal of becoming a doctor. When Sam receives a second chance at love with Percy, he ultimately doesn’t squander it. Sam eventually confesses his true feelings for Percy and helps her see that it is possible to forgive past mistakes and rebuild a relationship again.

Charlie Florek is Sam’s older brother. He is handsome, charming, and gregarious, with numerous friends, and he almost always has a girlfriend. While Sam clearly clicks with Percy from the moment he meets her, Charlie’s feelings are less clear. Nevertheless, he also takes an interest in her as he comes over to the Frasers’ to introduce himself and Sam.

Charlie is cognizant of the tension between Sam and him, especially with regard to Percy, and he likes to wind Sam up by flirting with her. Being the older and more outgoing brother, Charlie understands Sam’s insecurities. However, there is also a lack of maliciousness in the way Charlie treats Sam, even when they are younger. On the contrary, Charlie seems to hope that his flirtation with Percy will push Sam to act. Charlie thinks that it is urgent for Sam to tell Percy how he feels, especially after she begins dating Mason.

Charlie’s genuine care and concern beneath his otherwise frivolous attitude become clear when Sam leaves for college. Charlie sees how unhappy Percy is and tries his best to cheer her up. The depth and intensity of Charlie’s feelings for Percy remain obscure, but his actions do not come as a surprise; Charlie is increasingly drawn to Percy following Sam’s departure. He only initiates things with Percy when he sees that she is hurt by Sam’s behavior, suggesting that he is motivated by genuine feelings for her.

Charlie also displays an empathetic and observant nature. Immediately after sleeping with Percy, he realizes how deeply she has been affected by it and does not push things with her; he gives her space. Charlie previously demonstrated how well he understood Percy when he suggested that she would enjoy swimming more than running, which proved true. Charlie is also the one to tell Sam about what happened between him and Percy; he understands that Sam needs more clarity about his breakup to find some closure. Furthermore, Charlie doesn’t shy away from telling their mother the truth about sleeping with Percy, showing a willingness to own up to his mistakes.

Older Charlie is a more mature and settled person, though he is still inherently charming. His genuine concern for Sam is evident now, even to Percy, who notes the different dynamic between the brothers. Charlie continues to care for Percy and wants her and Sam to be happy together. Hence, he is angered by what he views as Sam’s cowardice or indecision. He recognizes how much Percy and Sam mean to each other and is the one to call Percy when Sue passes away, agreeing with his mother’s suggestion that Sam will need her. Eventually, Charlie reconciles with Percy just as he has with Sam, and the three of them are close again by the end of the novel.