Kristy Woodson Harvey is one of my absolute favorite authors! She is the sweetest thing and I just adore her books. I mean is it even spring time without a KWH book? No—no it is not! Every spring I look forward to one of her new books and this year was no exception! Her books always have so much heart, charm, and general warm fuzzies!
Even the covers, I take one look at the covers and I can almost feel the soft sea breeze and sun on my skin. When I received the ARC of this one, it was early fall I believe and I couldn’t wait to read it but I wanted to save it for a time when I was really really ready for spring and April was the perfect month for that.
I sat down to start this one on a lazy early spring weekend and it was actually sunny out which made this one even more enjoyable to read! I read it quickly (a couple of days!) and couldn’t put it down. Every time I finish one of her books I am always left thinking that there is no way she can top that book and then a year later as I start another one of her books—-she somehow does just that!
Summary
One of Country Living’s 20 New Books You Don’t Want to Miss This Spring
One of Bookstr’s 8 Most Anticipated Reads of 2021
One of Frolic’s 12 Most Anticipated Books of 2021
One of BookTrib’s Most-Anticipated Reads of 2021
One of Brit + Co’s Books You Should Read with Your BFF
Two childhood friends discover that love—and family—can be found in unconventional ways in this timely, moving novel from the USA TODAY bestselling author of the “beautifully Southern, evocative Peachtree Bluff series” (Kristin Harmel, internationally bestselling author of The Winemaker’s Wife).
Recently separated Amelia Buxton, a dedicated journalist, never expected that uncovering the biggest story of her career would become deeply personal. But when she discovers that a cluster of embryos belonging to her childhood friend Parker and his late wife Greer have been deemed “abandoned,” she’s put in the unenviable position of telling Parker—and dredging up old wounds in the process.
Parker has been unable to move forward since the loss of his beloved wife three years ago. He has all but forgotten about the frozen embryos, but once Amelia reveals her discovery, he knows that if he ever wants to get a part of Greer back, he’ll need to accept his fate as a single father and find a surrogate.
Each dealing with their own private griefs, Parker and Amelia slowly begin to find solace in one another as they navigate an uncertain future against the backdrop of the pristine waters of their childhood home, Cape Carolina. The journey of self-discovery leads them to an unforgettable and life-changing lesson: Family—the one you’re born into and the one you choose—is always closer than you think.
From “the next major voice in Southern fiction” (Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author), Under the Southern Sky is a fresh and unforgettable exploration of love, friendship, and the unbreakable ties that bind. (summary from Goodreads)
Review
One of the things that I love about KWH’s books is that she always seems to strike the perfect balance between emotional and fun. Fertility and grief are difficult issues to tackle and often heavy. But what KWH does in this book makes it something beautiful and real with the right amount of heart, emotion, and love. I really enjoyed reading this one because of how warm the story was without being cliche. It was so great.
My favorite thing about the story was growing to love both Parker and Amelia. They both had their own independent issues and were each facing grief but yet were able to find comfort in one another. Sometimes that troupe doesn’t always work for me. It’s a tricky one because both are coming from serious relationships and life issues, having them come together in a romantic way or even in a platonic way can be difficult. I know that I have read books with this troupe before and it’s not always done well—-but KWH does it WELL. In this one we grow with Parker and Amelia and we grow into their feelings. It doesn’t feel rushed or insensitive. Both of them are very real characters and their struggles play out throughout the book in a believable fashion. I just adored this one.
The life lessons and heart in this one just made it such a great read and while it might have some heavy content, I read it super fast and loved my time with Parker and Amelia. I can’t say enough great things about this book. I don’t want to giveaway too much but just go and order it, you will not regret it. KWH has so much skill for creating real women characters and stories with heart, emotion, and yet they still manage not to feel oppressive or heavy. If you have read KWH’s other books you will know that this is like her signature storytelling style. If you are new to her books, this is a great one to start with and then you should immediately move to the Peachtree Bluff series which is just as good! I cannot wait for another novel from KWH! She is literally the best women’s fiction writer and and auto buy author for me! It’s on a ton of ‘most anticipated’ lists for a reason. It’s wonderful and I can’t rave about it enough!
Book Info and Rating
Format 400 pages,
PaperbackPublished April 20, 2021 by Gallery Books
ISBN9781982117726 (ISBN10: 1982117729)
Free review copy provided by publisher, Gallery Books in partnership with the Tall Poppy Writers/Bloggers, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 5 stars
Genre: womens fiction
The Lit Bitch 