One Summer in Savannah
Author Terah Shelton Harris
Available now!

Thank you, @bookmarked and @netgalley, for the #gifted e- arc! I Saw this one new on Pango, and I immediately bought it so that I could have my own copy!

Eight years ago, after a traumatic assault, Sara Lancaster left her home in Savannah and fled to Maine. But now her father's health is declining, and she must return and inevitably face her past. She falls into a routine of caring for her father, reuniting with family, and running her father's bookstore, all while keeping her daughter, Alana, close and hidden from the Wyler's. Although her attacker, Daniel, is in prison, his twin brother, Jacob, is not back in Savannah as well. She was hoping to keep Alana a secret from Jacob and his mother.

But of course, Jacob comes to the bookstore, and he and Sara find that they are drawn together. Before long, their worlds collide, and they are unexpectedly navigating through the unknown path of forgiveness, love, and redemption together.

This brilliant debit is written with such tender emotion and insight that it was impossible not to feel for these amazingly imperfect and beautiful characters. With poetry metaphorically weaved throughout, Harris defines family and forgiveness in ways that seem utterly impossible. Gorgeously written- I just loved this unique story.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I thought that this book sounded intriguing and requested a copy. Unfortunately, I found parts if this story unappealing and hard to read. I also did not enjoy that the father spoke only in lines of poetry, which was so annoying as the book went on.

I ended up DNFing at the 40% mark, unfortunately. It wasn't that the writing was bad although it was certainly awkward at times, but I couldn't stay interested and the father talking only in lines of poetry made it very aggravating to read. I'm only rating this based on up to where I read--2.5 stars, a star removed for the father only speaking in poetry, which I know was a stylistic choice but was so awkward to read.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebook Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As One Summer in Savannah opens, we meet Sara. She fled her home in South Carolina after a traumatic event and has been living in Maine with her young daughter for the past eight years. Her only family member, her father, still lives in South Carolina where he and his companion run a bookstore. Their relationship has been over the internet for years until a medical crisis brings Sara and Alana back to South Carolina where they face family, small town history and old wounds.
Their story and history is beautifully told and weaves in the trauma, along with stories of life in a small southern town where wealth results in special treatment. The characters are all beautifully developed and I didn't want their story to end. The book opens with a very thoughtful author's note that describes some of the possible triggers in the book. The triggers are there...but dealt with very carefully, in my view.
One Summer in Savannah is a debut novel and I look forward to reading more of her "upmarket fiction with bittersweet endings".
Thanks to Sourcebooks/Landmark for the opportunity to read One Summer in Savannah in exchange for an honest review.

While exquisitely penned, this book ventures into challenging terrain, tackling weighty themes that require a certain suspension of disbelief to fully appreciate the story's message of forgiveness.

At its core is Sara, the main character, who faced a harrowing ordeal at 18—an assault that led to the birth of her daughter Alana, kept hidden from her assailant's wealthy family. As circumstances compel their return to Savannah years later, Sara befriends her attacker's identical twin, Jacob, enlisting his help in tutoring her gifted daughter while guarding her secret. An unexpected bond forms between Sara and Jacob, a connection that sparks a complicated romance. The identical twin angle certainly adds an intriguing twist.

This poignant narrative resonates as it navigates heartbreak, eventually leaving readers with a glimmer of hope. Sara's strength as she grapples with trauma and motherhood shines through, while Jacob's struggle to mend his fractured family tugs at the heartstrings.

One element of the writing that didn't quite click for me was Sara's father speaking solely in poetry, which, after a while, felt somewhat distracting. It slowed the pacing as I deciphered his poetic responses, and poetry was abundantly present throughout the book.

Barring this minor quibble, the story drew me in with its emotional depth. The journey of redemption occasionally posed challenges, yet the author deftly handles this uncomfortable terrain in their debut novel. "One Summer in Savannah" captures both heartache and healing in a beautifully intricate tapestry of storytelling.

One of the most emotional and brilliant books written! Sarah was taped by David Tyler son of one of the wealthiest families in Savannah. Sarah was attacked at a party and was in high school. She left school because she was pregnant and fled to Maine. Eight years after having her daughter who was a genius she had to return because of her father was ill. There was a trial before she left and David was convicted. His twin brother Daniel who changed his name left Savannah so she thought she was safe. The story goes on to tell us how Daniel met his niece. From that minute every changed for Sara, her daughter, her father and for Daniel. I couldn't put the book down. I can't wait to read more from this extraordinary author! Thank you for the chance to review it!

Loved the unique premise but the execution was saccharine and unrealistic. Not bad, just too Hallmark-y for such a heavy subject matter in my opinion.

Nidhi Shrivastava <shnidhi00@gmail.com>
10:22 AM (0 minutes ago)
to me

💐 Book Feature: A Summer in Savannah - A Novel 💐

⁉️: Have you been to Southern part of the United States?

There are a lot of cultural stereotypes that exist for the Southern United States, especially those that tend to be problematic and represent them with a broad stroke. Personally, I have only been to the urban Georgia around Atlanta and suburbs surrounding the main city. I will be going to North Carolina for a week tomorrow, and am excited to explore the Carolinas having heard so much about them.

In this vein, I would love to share this new book on Savannah, Georgia that wouldn’t have come to my radar without @booksparks introducing it to me. I am adding this to my list, and so should you.

Here is the synopsis below:

A compelling debut that glows with bittersweet heart and touching emotion, deeply interrogating questions of family, redemption, and unconditional love in the sweltering summer heat of Savannah, as two people discover what it means to truly forgive.

It's been eight years since Sara Lancaster left her home in Savannah, Georgia. Eight years since her daughter, Alana, came into this world, following a terrifying sexual assault that left deep emotional wounds Sara would do anything to forget. But when Sara's father falls ill, she's forced to return home and face the ghosts of her past.

While caring for her father and running his bookstore, Sara is desperate to protect her curious, outgoing, genius daughter from the Wylers, the family of the man who assaulted her. Sara thinks she can succeed―her attacker is in prison, his identical twin brother, Jacob, left town years ago, and their mother are all unaware Alana exists. But she soon learns that Jacob has also just returned to Savannah to piece together the fragments of his once-great family. And when their two worlds collide―with the type of force Sara explores in her poetry and Jacob in his astrophysics―they are drawn together in unexpected ways.

Thank you @BookSparks and @terahsharris for the gifted copy, and @bookmarked for the e-copy of the novel!

▪️REVIEW▪️

One Summer in Savannah ~ Terah Shelton Harris

What is a debut that absolutely sold you on an author?

Sara had good reason to leave Savannah. After having her daughter as the result of a sexual assault, she settles in Maine with the hopes of never looking back. But when her father falls ill, she knows she has to go back.

With her attacker in jail and her daughter’s existence a secret, Sara is tentative but open when she runs into Jacob, the twin brother of her rapist. They bond over their desires to escape the past and as they spend more time in the place they never wanted to return back to, their connection grows.

Loved this - I actually surprised myself with how much I enjoyed this book. I didn’t really want to read it but was trying to knock off some of my Netgalley ARCs and I was blown away. Honestly, I’m shocked that this isn’t a book that’s on my feed more - loved the combination of romance, depth, and emotional intelligence.

Despite the tough subject matter, Harris writes in a way that requires you to contemplate your own capacity to forgive and just how far your empathy goes. I love when a book forces me to look within while getting lost in the story at the same time. This ticked every box - romance, thought-provoking, character development, interesting supporting cast, and a satisfying resolution. Undoubtedly, a top 2023 read for me! My only hope is that this review gets this book into the hands of more readers because it’s worth it!

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy. Sara was raped during a high school party, and the rapist is sent to prison. She leaves town to get away from the situation and to start over, and plans to never return. But her father gets sick, and she has to come back to take care of him. And she has to face the people she never wanted to see again, and also show her secret-the daughter whose father is the rapist. As much as this premise sounds awful, I loved this book. The relationships she develops, her brilliant daughter, the father who speaks only in poems, the bookstore that her father runs, all of these things make the story draw you in. Great debut novel, can’t wait for her next one. #onesummerinsavannah #terahsheltonharris #familystory #motherdaughter #bookstagram #booklover #reader #bookblog #lovetoread #fictionreader #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook #readallthebooks #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #booknerd #whattoread #readingtime #bookaddict #ilovetoread #ilovebooks #needtoread #readallday #netgalley #advancedreadercopy

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

DNF at 35 %. Too many things felt unbelievable... the dad who only spoke in poems to his daughter (what kind of silliness is that?), several people dying and had died and Sara falling in love with her rapist's twin brother. I knew about that one though but combined with everything else it felt too exaggerated.

I did enjoy this and found the story to be compelling. However, i was having difficulty relating to the main character. In my mind, she was much older and farther removed from the assault, but since her daughter was only 8, she couldnt have been more than 30. She just seemed very mature for someone at a young age who was raped and raising a single daughter. For that same reason, i had trouble grappling with her ability to build a relationship with her rapist's brother since it really was still so fresh. Overall i liked the book, but i am not sure i would recommend it for these reasons.

An incredibly moving debut family drama about a single mother, her daughter, her dying father and the family of the man who raped her when she was eighteen.

This story covers tough topics but it was so well written and compelling. I loved Sarah and her uniquely gifted genius daughter. She returns to her hometown when she learns her father is dying only to be confronted with the twin brother of her rapist.

A story about the bonds of family, trauma, love and forgiveness and perfect for fans of books like Colleen Hoover's Reminders of him. Good on audio as well narrated by Zuzu Robinson. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

"Being a mother is a lesson in impossible love."

By far, one of the best books I've read this year. I loved all the characters. And the poetry. The writing and the heart-touching.

"Genuine is real. It's true and easy. Circumstance is obligation. It's stiff and hard. You'll know the difference."

Oh yes.

Thank you to the glorious folk at NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC of this book. I recommend it with all the pieces of my heart!

Sara is forced to return home years after she'd been SA'd when her father is in bad shape Healthwise. She brings with her the child that was conceived and is desperately trying to keep the assailant's family from finding out. Jacob, twin brother to the assailant, just recently moved back to Savannah as well, and poetry brings them together in an unexpected way, as well as the secret Sara is determined to keep from coming out.

Wow. for it to be the author's first book, she did an astounding job. I did not want to put this book down once I started and it kept me hooked right from the start. It had so many twists and turns, as well as secrets, that once they came out, changed each and every character. This book is definitely going to be one of my notable books of the year. I will be sure to keep a lookout for the next publication from this author.

Sara thinks that keeping her daughter Alana a secret will keep her safe But Alana is different. She is a genius. And she inherited it through a tragic event. She was conceived in a rape from a well born family from Savannah.
When Sara received a call to return to Savannah from her father, who is dying from a brain aneurysm, she panics. But does go home and helps at her father's bookstore. There she meets the rapists twin brother Daniel, she is scared. But grows to care for him. Can she trust someone who looks so much like her enemy? Can she keep the secret of Alana safe? Or is she finally able to face her past and make a future for herself and her family?

This book covers several very difficult and painful topics. The author begins the book with a content/trigger warning, and I would encourage readers to tread lightly if any of the topics listed are triggers, because the entirety of the plot is based on a sexual assault. I think the author did a masterful job of highlighting the emotional struggle of a woman who raises a child that is the product of assault. There are strong familial themes, redemption, and healing.

I did not connect with some aspects of the plot - they just didn't work well for me. Without spoiling, there is a love story that for me did not feel as authentic as I think it could have. I can see a lot of readers enjoying it, because it certainly makes the reader think and feel. Again, the author did a fantastic job of weaving the storylines together and making the reader dig deep inside themselves. What would I do in a similar situation? How would I really feel? Would I have made the same decisions as the characters? I think this book would be great for a book club, as there is a lot to discuss and very polarizing issues.

One Summer in Savannah is the debut novel for Terah Shelton Harris. This is a must read book, it has absolutely catapulted to my top read this year. This story was so heart-achingly beautiful and devastating at the same time and one that will stay with me for a long time, the end has absolutely wrecked me.

One Summer In Savannah explores the theme of forgiveness. Are some things too great to give forgiveness for? How does that change when it's family?

But, it's also a story that explores loss and grief, and not just in the traditional sense of a death of a loved one. But the grief over a life that once was and what could have been. And it's a story about strength, courage, and love.

The sweetest love stories develop in this book, one of first love, but also the love that develops between an uncle and his niece, a niece he didn't know he had. And it's the absolute sweetest thing.

As I said, this story was just so beautifully written. I didn't want to put it down. There was such an interesting element to it where the main characters father spoke in lines of poetry. And so there was quite a bit of poetry quoted throughout the book, and although I'm not a poetry reader, the poetry added so much to the beauty of this story.

Wow, is all I can say. I'm not sure I can write a review that truly captures my feelings for this book. You must read for yourself!!

Reviwed on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvp-t3Agdwf/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Posted to Goodreads and Amazon

Sara must return to Savannah when her father falls ill. She hasn't been back since her beautiful and brilliant daughter Alana was born. This place has too many painful memories.

Alana was conceived when Sara was raped at a party. While Daniel Wyler, her attacker was put in prison, she couldn’t face the people in town and left quickly, leaving most people unaware she was pregnant from the assault.

Jacob Wyler, Daniel’s identical twin has also been called home to Savannah. When he runs into little Alana he immediately knows it must be Daniel’s child. Sara and Jacob connect, and although she cannot believe she would ever fall for a man related to her attacker - Jacob is not Daniel.

I cannot do this book justice in this small space. We are privy to both Sara’s and Jacob’s POVs. We see how Sara had to raise her daughter on her own, sheltering her daughter from the stigma and trauma of the past. But yet we see how Jacob’s family was ripped and torn apart by the action of Daniel - they all suffered because of the one.

The author brilliantly uses poetry like I’ve never experienced before. Sara’s father only speaks in poems. The story is filled with incredibly intelligent people - but hurting people, people who have hurt others, made mistakes - people who need forgiveness.

This is such a powerful story! It shows how we tend to see one side of the story - ours. I’m not a crier, but the ending had me choked up. Bitterness and hatred steal so much from us; forgiveness and love sets us free.

Thank you @bookmarked for a gifted book.

I enjoyed this one. Lots of trauma in the story so trigger warnings abound, but the author handles it well. Sara Lancaster left her home and her family eight years ago after finding out she was pregnant, at age 18, with a baby conceived by a rape. The boy who raped her, Daniel, was from a wealthy family, and she was basically run out of town. She hid the baby from his family and raised her daughter in Maine. Now, her beloved father is ill, and she has to head home to Savannah to help take care of him. She is terrified of running into the family. We also hear from the perspective of Jacob, the twin brother of Daniel. Jacob feels so different from his brother and his own family, who has had a lot of trauma themselves. Jacob meets Sara and her daughter, and slowly, starts falling for both of them. Will it work? Will Sara tell Daniel and his family who her daughter is? I liked this book, and I really liked the characters.