Attention all book clubs, this is the perfect choice!!

There is a lot to unpack with this one - complicated family dynamics, sexual assault resulting in a child, love, and at the core of it all forgiveness.

I am shocked that this is a debut novel. The writing was superb and pulls you in. Highly recommend for everyone looking for a deep emotional read. Watch the triggers before diving in.

Don’t let the length of this book intimidate you, it reads fast!

Short Synopsis:
Sara left her home eight years ago. But when her father is sick, she returns home for the first time with her daughter that she’s hid from the powerful family and man who “fathered” her through assault. But when the man’s twin brother shows up and is seemingly nothing like her brother, Sara doesn’t know how to feel.

My Thoughts:
Sometimes when I can’t decide what bool to read, I pick up a few different ones and read the first chapter to see what sticks. The Author’s Note on this one alone had me hooked.

It’s a story of family and growth and forgiveness and moving on. It’s was beautiful book. With impossible choices. And I really enjoyed it.

Read if You Like:
💫 Emotional Romances
💫 Poetry
💫 Wonderful debuts
💫 Thought-provoking books
💫 Genius children
💫 Science

TW: There’s some hefty trigger warnings in this one. Be sure to look them up or DM me if you have questions.

"𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅, 𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒅𝒐𝒐𝒓. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆."

I really loved this one and, in fact, changed my rating once I sat and thought on the book more. The plot, the characters, the path taken to tell the story, everything. Although the main subject at hand was a heavy one, there were several pieces to the story. Love, forgiveness (others and self), healing, and grief.

I think how the author presented each character and told the story throughout was great! I feel as though I got a sense and understanding of each of the characters and how they all played a big role in the book. The journey throughout this book made me pause and think, wondering how I would handle certain situations or decisions Sara made. She was such a strong woman, and I loved how she handled most decisions she made throughout as they came her way. I loved Jacob and how he cared, although he was in the middle of both sides. Loved the little genius Alana, too.

One thing that threw me off was Hosea's character and the way in which he spoke. I found myself rereading his words to get a better understanding of the poems he used to express himself. But, by the end, it all made sense, and I loved it!

If this one is not on your radar today, you should add it! This is a great debut novel!

I went into this book not knowing what it was about and thinking based on the title that it was a light summer read. Well…it is not that. This book covers some heavy topics and contains lots of trigger warnings so please make sure to check those out first before picking this up.

At its core, this is a novel about forgiveness. Some of the storyline seems a bit far fetched for me but I think if you can get past that, there are some touching messages this story offers.

If you’re looking for a summer read that doesn’t shy away from hard topics, then this might be the book for you.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

A master storyteller, Terah Shelton Harris's dynamic debut, ONE SUMMER IN SAVANNAH, is an exquisite winner out of the gate! A powerful, beautifully rendered, lyrical, thought-provoking, and character-driven bittersweet story of what it means to forgive.

Can you ever truly forgive if you cannot forget?

"Forgiveness I've learned, is like a door. You can open yourself up to it or close yourself off from it at any time. We can't rewrite history or change the outcome. Life is a series of choices. And we live in and with those choices we make."

Two powerful words, "I'm sorry."

Sara Lancaster left her southern home of Savannah, Georgia, for Maine eight years earlier. Her daughter, Alana is a true gift; however, she was conceived following a sexual assault (Daniel). She is highly protective of her daughter. Alana has built her life around TIME.

She has stayed away to keep her daughter from her assailant's powerful family, the Wylers, a broken family.

However, when her father Hosea's health begins declining, she must return home to spend time with her father and allow him to get to know his precious granddaughter. By returning to Savannah, she is forced to face her past demons while protecting her daughter, Alana. Her attacker, Daniel, is in prison, and his identical twin brother, Jacob, left town years ago.

One day, Jacob walks into the bookstore while Sara is helping out her dad at his store. He is back in Savannah as well and sees Alana. Their two worlds collide, and they are drawn together in unexpected ways. Can they trust one another?

"Sometimes the worst thing that happens to us turns out to be the best thing."

Told from POVs— Sarah and Jacob. Sarah knew that every decision she had made led her to the place where she would untether herself from her long and painful past. Both these characters grapple with the idea of forgiveness as Jacob testified against his brother.

What a beauty! The author's writing is lyrical and heart-rendering, told with compassion, an uplifting book of hope, compassion, healing, grief, love, redemption, and forgiveness. I LOVED THIS BOOK!

I enjoyed the lyrical prose immensely, especially Hosea (dad), who only communicates in poetry. I adored Alana—a genius obsessed with time— with every wristwatch she attempted to wear stopped working and Jacob as her tutor—also a big fan of Sylvia.

Fully immersive, Terah delves into the circumstances which brought these well-developed, relatable characters together. How something so horrible can be something beautiful? Many symbolisms and metaphors of life with a thought-provoking takeaway. I bookmarked so many gorgeous passages.

When reading, I was reminded of Colleen Hoover's Reminders of Him —different, yet the characters are on opposing sides in somewhat similar circumstances (5 stars) on the road to healing and forgiveness. Fans of authors Patti Callahan Henry, Catherine Ryan Hyde, Fredrik Backman, and Elizabeth Berg will enjoy ONE SUMMER IN SAVANNAH.

I enjoyed reading the inspiration behind the book and loved the Acknowledgments and the dedication to dreamers! Aren't we all dreamers who imagine something more? Thank you! Well done—and yes, I could live in Forsyth Park as well—Savannah is rich in place, history, and character, and I also love The Fern Bank in Atlanta. I enjoy revisiting Georgia, where I lived and spent most of my media career before South Florida. The historic B&Bs in Savannah are tops.

"Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could be different."
—Oprah Winfrey

I highly recommend ONE SUMMER IN SAVANNAH. Terah has been added to my favorite author list, and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next! Her passion for poetry and books shine through Hosea's character—an ideal pick for book clubs and further discussions. Reading Group Guide included and A Conversation with the Author.

My top Southern/literary/upmarket book for July!

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for a gifted ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Also purchased the hardcover copy.

Blog Review Posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: July 4, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars +
July 2023 Must-Read Books

This is a novel that is centered on forgiveness. I typically go into books blindly and this was one of those situations. But the book did not disappoint. Sara moves back to Savannah after her father falls ill. She has to face the past and learn how to move toward the future, while loosening the reigns she has on her daughter, Alana. So many times I tried to place myself into Sara’s shoes. As a mom, how would I have handled the choices she had to make.

This was so beautifully written. And the characters were easy to fall in love (or dislike) with.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. Further thanks to the author for this beautiful, bittersweet, and complicated story. I really wasn’t sure how I would feel about this book as it is an incredibly complex and challenging story. I ended up really loving it. Shelton Harris has developed beautiful characters and a plot that just would not quit. I truly loved everything about this book and look forward to reading everything the author writes in the future.

Wow. Harris said that the 2015 shooting at Emanuel AME church was the inspiration for this novel, because survivors and family members came to court to inform the shooter that they forgave him.
So this is a novel about forgiveness.
Sara Lancaster was 18 years old when she was raped at a Savannah party by Daniel Wyler, a young man from a very wealthy family. Sara tells the truth in court, and despite the efforts of the Wyler lawyers, Daniel is found guilty and sentenced to prison. After Sara discovers that she's pregnant, she leaves town for Maine, which has laws that prevent a rapist from seeking custody of a child. Her only thought is to protect Alana, her beautiful daughter, from the Wylers. But then Sara's father becomes seriously ill, and she and Alana return to Savannah. Many things have changed in the 8 years she's been gone, and she's still trying to keep the Wylers from learning about Alana. But then she meets Jacob, Daniel's twin brother, and learns that Daniel is about to be released from prison, and that he is dying.
The writing is beautiful, and the characters are not just believable, but seem to transcend the pages. I was sold from the author’s note at the beginning of the book, in which she suggests that the rape may be triggering for some readers, and she urges them to leave the story if the need to, in order to feel safe.

A wonderful debut novel. I loved this book about forgiveness. Some hard topics but well worth it. Flew through it.

Sara Lancaster left Savannah, Georgia years ago vowing to never return. Her father is really sick and she is called home for what she thinks is heart issues but turns out to be a problem with his brain. Her dad does not have much time. Sara’s daughter Alana is a brilliant girl. Sara was sexually assaulted and the person went to prison. A great guy shows up and wants to tutor Alana and it turns out to be the brother of the guy who assaulted Sara. They begin to form a relationship. This book deals with family tragedy and that good things can come from bad things. A definite must read. This author is amazing.

3.5
A story that turns an awful event into an opportunity of forgiveness and compassion.

It started 9 years ago in Savannah when Sarah was raped. The assailant was put in prison but there was backlash in the community towards Sarah. She left intending never to come back. But there's more to the story, Sarah became pregnant. Under difficult circumstances, Sarah returns to her hometown, with Alana, her daughter in tow. She is concerned what may happen.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but as it continued it started to feel overworked. There were a number of plot points that were over the top, a LOT was going on. The one that bugged me the most was Sarah's dad only ever spoke in poems. Like the whole book, his whole life. It was a little extreme. There was more than one major illness involved in a couple of the characters. A big accident happens. A child prodigy was in the making to solve the worlds most difficult unsolved math problem. It was just too much to a point that it was unbelievable. On top of these extreme plot points the main crux of the story was a story of forgiveness. I loved this aspect of the book, but it felt a bit insincere by the end because of all of the other drama. My attention continued to be pulled in all of the directions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advance e-copy of this book.

A novel of forgiveness. Sara has raised her eight year old daughter Alana as a single mom in a tiny town in Maine but now she's home in Savannah because her father is ill. Alana is brilliant- a STEM sort of genius and are her father and uncle, the people Sara is avoiding. David assaulted Sara and changed their lives, as well as the lives of his family most especially his brother Daniel, now known as Jacob. A chance meeting at a science museum and later when he visits Sara's father's bookstore. pulls Sara and Jacob together, at first to help Alana but then....There's some melodrama here- David is in prison and dying of leukemia while Sara's dad could die at any moment. And then there's the fact that Sara's father speaks only in poetry, which I suspect will annoy some readers but which I liked. For one thing, it makes you slow down to appreciate the poem and it opens you to thinking a bit differently. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A very good, emotional read.

Eight years ago, Sara Lancaster was sexually assaulted by a scion of a well-connected and wealthy Savannah family. She fled her home and began living a life as a poet in coastal Maine with her genius daughter. But now her father, a bookstore owner, is ailing and summoning her home. Although fearful and desperate to keep her daughter’s existence a secret from the powerful Wyler family, Sara has always known this time would come. What Sara didn’t anticipate was meeting the twin brother of the man who assaulted her. What Sara didn’t anticipate was getting in touch with feelings and emotions so long held back inside her. What Sara didn’t anticipate was the support from those around her and tapping into the power of forgiveness. This is a novel of character, hope, and redemption. Highly recommended. A debut book that augers well for Terah Shelton Harris. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this title.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This is a dual point of view story and it was absolutely heartbreaking. There were heavy themes through out so be prepared for possible triggers. The writing was really good but I ultimately had to reduce my rating because of how sad the story elements were. Some triggers to be aware of may include rape, pregnancy, medical complications, vehicular accident, suicide references, and death of a family member

Sara, raped as a teen and having given birth to a daughter as a result, must come back home to Savannah, to her family (and the rapist’s), when her father falls gravely ill. She’s spent eight years hiding her daughter away, wanting to protect her from the truth and his wealthy family.

As coming home so often does, things you’ve wanted to hide have a way of coming to light. And no matter how hard she’s tried, when she encounters her rapist’s twin brother, she’s faced with a reality she’s wanted to avoid.

The aftermath of a sexual assault may be triggering for some readers. However, Terah Shelton Harris writes so beautifully and the tragedy becomes a lesson in forgiveness. It’s a story that will undoubtedly spark conversation and open some hearts.

This debut novel is a stunning mix of poetry and prose, and I can’t wait to read what Harris brings next.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

“Trauma changes you, hardens you, leaves its scars.”
I have been waiting for a book that I can’t put down, that would take my breath away, One Summer in Savannah is it.
A woman wronged viciously, in turn protects the outcome of that savagery with all she has. Running, hiding, then finally fighting and trusting someone other than herself takes a lot of work.
Don’t let the cover fool you, this is not a trivial piece. (Sorry, a better cover is needed please!) Harris’ novel is heavy then light, with poetry, astrophysics, mathematics and genius, rape, victim shaming, fear and forgiveness, One Summer in Savannah gives you all the feels, in so many ways.
Wholly unique in its plot and delivery, artfully executed and heartbreakingly real, I was not expecting the breadth of this story and that made it all the better.

A woman who was raped and became pregnant as a teen returns to Savannah when she finds out her father is dying. She has spent the 8 years of her daughter's life keeping her a secret from the rapist's (who is in prison) family. There is an uncomfortable love story here and also a story about forgiveness but I just couldn't fully buy into the whole situation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for a review.

In the political environment we are in, this book will get people talking and thinking, and then talking again. There are two narrators, the first is Sara who is raped as a teen by Daniel and then finds out she is pregnant and runs away from her hometown of Savannah to avoid the rapist’s powerful (and brilliant) family discovering her daughter’s existence. The second narrator is Jacob (fka David) who is the rapist’s identical twin brother who also escapes the town because he doesn’t want to be associated with his family. After 8 years they both return, Sara’s father and Jacob’s brother are both dying.

Then there is Alana, the gifted genius of a child who is the result of the rape and eerily resembled Jacob and Daniel’s dead sister.

Jacob comes back to Sara’s family for forgiveness and instantly bonds with Alana while Sara slowly grows to trust and love him. It’s a story of forgiveness and how deep family bonds can go.

In the end while I did really enjoy the novel, there are a few holes that left me from being completely engrossed in the book – for example how can a woman fall in love with someone who looks exactly like her rapist? I also just could not get past the one-dimensional character of Birdie who is the mother of Daniel and Jacob – she didn’t ring true to me. Also, I couldn’t get into the father character who spoke only in poetry (and I enjoy poetry). Additionally I felt that there were some issues that the author was trying to tackle that just didn’t go deep enough for me. Because of these and a few more, this remained a bit superficial for me and therefore it’s a 3.5 star review.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel

This book was as good as I’d hoped it would be. I the characters were well developed and the prose well written.
I loved reading the poetry and how the author used it as one of the character’s way of communicating.
A satisfactory ending, too.