Member Reviews
A wonderful story with likable, well written characters, a unique storyline and a beautiful beach setting. I loved it.
Amelia found out at 14 that she would never have biological children and the saw it as a sign that she wasn’t supposed to be a mother. Twenty years later, she feels the same. In fact, she has just written an article about her and her husband’s happy child free life when that life suddenly changes on her.
Despite her sudden separation, she decides to continue on with the story she has been pursuing. It’s a story about eggs left “abandoned” at a fertility clinic and what happens to them. She’s shocked when she realizes her friend Parker has his deceased wife Greer’s eggs stored there.
It has been three years since Parker lost Greer. He’d be the first to admit that he hasn’t even tried to move on, he hasn’t wanted to try.
Amelia breaks the news to Parker about the eggs and he feels like he’s getting a piece of Greer back. If he can find a surrogate, he will have Greer’s babies.
The thing that Amelia and Parker haven’t talked about yet is that they have their own history together. When Amelia makes a huge offer to Parker, they don’t know how the extra time together might make them feel about each other.
Can they open their hearts again and give each other a chance? And what if they don’t want the same thing in the long run?
Very enjoyable story. I wanted to see how it would end while not wanting it to end at the same time.
This author has become a must read author for me. I got an early ebook edition from NetGalley and I majorly lucked out because it was one of my most anticipated books to read this year. Thanks for sharing the book with me.
Kristy Woodson Harvey consistently writes books that are impossible to put down and that any beach-, fashion-, cocktail-loving person wants to crawl inside and live, even if the characters do experience heartache, death, and plain old bad days.
Journalist Amelia goes straight from discovering her husband's infidelity to interviewing a fertility specialist about forgotten embryos--discovering that one belongs to the boy next door and his deceased wife, Greer. Calling Parker to tell him about the existence of the would-be babies sets in motion a trajectory of events that will change their lives forever.
Amelia knows that Parker once had a crush on her, but the three-year age difference seemed much bigger when they were children. And now, as their friendship flirts with becoming something deeper, can she stand to have the constant niggling doubt that she's second best to his beautiful, rich, successful--but dead--wife, Greer?
UNDER THE SOUTHERN SKY has some of the cliched standbys of Southern lit (and I'm a little bit salty that that's even a thing)--crazy aunt, old family home. But it's easy to overlook those things (even Amelia's use of hot rollers. Really, does anyone who has never belonged to a sorority really do that?), because the book is just so damned much fun. Even the sad parts. #UnderTheSouthernSky #NetGalley
If it wasn’t for that pesky little thing called sleep, I would’ve read this book in one day. It was probably for the best, I was able to savor the ending which couldn’t have been more perfect!
I’ve only read one other book by Woodson Harvey (Feels Like Falling 5 ⭐️), but she has become a must read author for me. She excels at writing stories about love, loss, friendship and family; not just the family you were born into, but the one you gain along the way.
I received an advanced digital copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book was such a delight to read with all the southern charm and so full of all the emotions! Definitely a must read a tall glass of lemonade or sweet tea and a box of tissues! This is a story that I did not want to end and one that I want to visit again!
A tender story of love, loss, grief, friendship, family, and rediscovering yourself. “…love - and family – can be found in unconventional way.”
Ms. Harvey renders a tender story of Amelia, who no longer trusts her judgment in men after her husband left her for another man, and Parker, whose unbelievably beloved wife Greer dies of cancer. They both have emotional baggage and are not ready to move on. Parker and Amelia have known each other all their lives. Now Amelia and Parker find themselves back in their little hometown of Cape Carolina, North Carolina. And their mothers would love nothing more than for the two of them to get together. (A favorite quote from the book: “Southern mothers just meddle. It is in our DNA. We can't help it, and, for heaven's sake, who would want us to? Our meddling makes the world a better place.”)
I got a bit bogged down in the back-and-forth “love ‘em, love ‘em not”. After a while, I got impatient with that. Just get on already! Told from the perspectives of Amelia, Parker, and Amelia’s mother Elizabeth, the characters’ emotions and dilemmas felt real. The reader also hears Greer’s voice through the beautifully scripted journal entries she left behind. I could strongly identify with Amelia’s fear of living in the shadow of the deceased wife. And I loved the sensitive inclusion of Greer’s father in the story.
I received an advance e-galley from the author via NetGalley. Opinions expressed here are my own.
Parker and Amelia are childhood friends both dealing with challenges of their own. Parker is grieving the death of his wife Greer, and Amelia is navigating the discovery of her husband cheating on her with a man. Their challenges bring them both to their hometown where they begin to lean on each other and navigate their next steps in life.
This book was stunning. It was hopeful, romantic, uplifting and emotional all at the same time. I loved the alternating narrators and appreciated getting to know each of the characters and their thoughts. I couldn’t put this one down, I was so enthralled in their world!
This is my first book by Kristy Woodson Harvey and it definitely will not be my last.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! This perfect summer read comes out tomorrow!
This was the perfect book to cheer me up! I loved the characters and the story brings up the question of what family means. This one tugged at my heart and it is a story that will linger in my head for awhile.
Childhood friends, Amelia and Parker, are both grieving the loss of their marriages. One to cheating and one to death by ovarian cancer. They turn to each other for solace, but will they find something else new and unexpected?
"Life is like that. Sometimes the nothing moments are everything."
Under the Southern Sky was a sweet and tender story of heartbreak and love that heals. Much to my delight, there were also a lot of shocking twists and turns as the characters' secrets were revealed. Just when I thought I’d figured out where the story was going, it veered in a totally different direction. Sky definitely made me smile and would be perfect if you're looking for a happy ending.
"Now I've given in to the pull of the moon, to the song of the sea, to the magical divinity that exists under the Southern sky."
The Peachtree Bluff series remains my favorite by this author.
Location: Palm Beach, Florida and Cape Carolina, North Carolina
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Sometimes a good small town, Southern women’s fiction title is just the perfect read. With a mixture or drama, sadness, joy and heartwarming experiences. I find myself hoping this is the start of another great series and the adventure in Cape Carolina isn’t over yet!
I loved this book! It was just like being on a vacation! With Kristy Woodson Harvey's richly detailed narrative and emotionally gripping story I was transported to a charming vacation in the south! Three characters, Ameilia, Greer, and Parker's lives have been turned upside down by the unexpected tragedies they've endured. What do you do when your life seems out of control and your dreams are shattered?. Do you fight the storm and try to hold onto to your life and the dreams you had, or do you trust the wind that is sweeping you away into a life you never dreamed of?
The one quote that I feels sums up this book is, "Writing a different story is what life is all about" What a beautiful sentiment!
Get your beach chair and sit back, even if your just in your own backyard! Feel the sun on your face, your feet in the sand, and smell the salty air! You're in for a treat!
I will leave a review on Amazon or B&N on April 20
Kristy Woodson Harvey is a new author for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. Growing up in the south, I love reading books that actually at set at times in that area. This book was a thought provoking one, making a person wonder what you may do under the same circumstances. This book had the ability to pull me in from the first couple pages, and kept me turning the pages all the way until the very end. I am sure I will be trying out more of this authors books. I most definitely would recommend this book to others.
I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and I am under no obligation to leave a favorable review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for a review copy of this book. I was intrigued by Under the Southern Sky after listening to Kristy Woodson Harvey talk about it in Friends and Fiction, and was very excited to be chosen for an egalley! This is my first book by her, and will definitely not be my last! I loved the voices that came through for each of the narrating characters, and the story was heartfelt and entertaining.
Amelia arrives home after gushing about her perfect marriage to find her husband in bed with… not her. Her good friend Parker, has always held a torch for her, but is reeling from the death of his wife three years earlier. A chance discovery for a story puts Amelia back into Parker’s life.
This story is beautifully written and grabbed me from the beginning. Secrets and intrigue are around every corner. I look forward to going into Kristy Woodson Harvey’s backlist soon!
Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey is one of those majestic novels that slowly unwinds as you wait for the characters to accept what you know should happen. While the book takes place in a couple of different sites, the main setting of the book is Cape Carolina, a small southern town near the ocean. Parker and Amelia have known each other forever. He is a few years younger than she, but that never stopped their connection. Both moved away, both marrying others.
Then one day, Amelia’s life began to unravel. All the constants in her life changed and she was left holding onto nothing. Until she discovered that Parker and Greer’s embryos were considered abandoned. Parker lived for his wife and knew she was a force to be reckoned with, so when the cancer came, they froze their embryos for later. Only later was not to come for them.
What comes next with the two characters is figuring out what they want and what is important to them. Learning about how to move forward, how to recognize and work for what is important. With interfering mothers, a crazy relative, a fishing competition, and new opportunities, perhaps there is a chance for a redo.
The novel made me cry and laugh. I loved the writing. I loved the characters. I loved the reminder that families are who you choose. Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey was a great read.
I fell in love with Kristy Woodson Harvey's endearing characters and charming Southern settings after reading her Peachtree Bluff books, and starting Under the Southern Sky felt like being introduced to a new friend. Harvey writes about triggering topics with such grace and sensitivity. I read this book on my spring break, and it was the perfect vacation read.
Harvey is officially an auto-read author for me now, and I can't wait to see what she writes next!
Such an amazing, charming, and emotional southern read...one that is unputdownable! I absolutely loved this precious southern tale of first loves, second chances, and finding true love where you least expect it....and let’s not forget, following your dreams. Amelia and Parker are fabulous characters that you easily fall in love with and invest in them early in the book, so you want things to work out! Definitely a 5-star read that’s worth every minute it takes you to read it.
I think this was my favorite Kristen Woodson Harvey book that she has written. Parker and Amelia's story has been in the making for years as they grew up together. Amelia has experienced a lot of heartbreak recently with her divorce and loss of job. Amelia is a journalist and while investigating a story she learns that Parker's deceased wife's embryo's are about to be destroyed. She tells Parker about the discovery. It has been three years and Parker still hasn't moved on from his wife Greer's death. He decides he wants to have her baby to continue to hold on to her. Amelia decides to be his surrogate. They decide to live together as they begin this process so Parker can be there for it all. Of course they start to realize their feelings for each other that have been there all along. The IVF doesn't work so Amelia flees to NY for a new job. Amelia continues to deny her feelings for Parker and begins to date Harris. Parker begins to awaken to his feelings for Amelia and wants to pursue her. Their story has lots of issues to resolve from wanting different things and a dead wife being between them that they have to work out to have a HEA. Loved this one!
Read this story in two sittings. Lovable characters move through a meaningful story of love and loss and finding love again. Two families, whose lives have been intertwined for decades are the backdrop for this story of two grown adult children struggling to get their bearings after losing love. Enter two meddling mothers and one eccentric aunt and the story weaves itself together flawlessly.
Amelia and Parker have known each other their whole lives as they grew up as neighbors. Life led them in different directions but they see each other often as their families run in the same social circle. When Amelia finds out Parker and his wife Greer, who past away three years ago, had frozen embryos thought to be abandoned, she must tell him. What unfolds is a wonderfully intriguing story.
One thing I loved about this book was that the Southern Woman was almost a character in the the story. I’ve never lived in the south and reading about what the “southern woman” would do such as loud whisper instead of yell was wonderful.
This is a story of love, heartbreak, lost chances, gained chances, and so much more. The story did not play out as I thought it would and I could not put it down. It’s a wonderful story.
Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced electronic copy of UNDER THE SOUTHERN SKY. This was my first book by Kristy Woodson Harvey and it will definitely not be my last. I generally read thrillers, domestic suspense and for a break between heavy reads I read Christian fiction. I'm not sure what category this would fit. I wasn't sure what type of books she wrote, but I was thinking this would be a light read. and it was a lighter read but with some heavy duty topics. I loved the characters and could relate to them to a degree. It was somewhat predictable (though most books are) but there were surprises too.
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Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey
I finished this book weeks ago and I think I’m still experiencing a book hangover. I was hesitant to start because I was worried about the hype. But I was being foolish because this was so so good. Sweet Southern fiction about second chances, small hometowns, life after loss and falling in love.
Somehow, this book made me have tears in my eyes within the first 10%. All the feels. I loved the shifting perspectives. I love the level of respect KWH treated such delicate and sensitive topics. This was my favorite read from KWH yet (I haven’t read the Peach Tree Bluff series yet, but I have all the books waiting on my shelf.)!
Proceed with caution! Several trigger warnings for anyone who has lost a spouse and experienced infertility issues. This book made my heart absolutely ache.
I absolutely loved my time with book and I’ve had a very hard time moving on.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Under the Southern Sky is available on April 20th! Thank you @netgalley and @gallerybooks books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review