Just OK for me, I really have a hard time with these, they are so sleepy and slow. The details were good, it was a fine story. The setting was amazing.
Lots of people will love this one, just not my cup of tea.

This book was very slow to get into. I chose to read it because I am a pilot and the whole flying storyline. It turned out to be a good book. I do love the descriptions of Scotland. Would love to visit someday. Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Jenny Colgan is my go to for comfort reads. I find her stories to be witty, charming and sweetly romantic, they make me want to curl up in front of a fire with a warm cup of cocoa. I love her quirky characters, envy the places they work, and long to visit the places she writes about. I’ve not read a Colgan book that hasn’t left me feeling warm and fuzzy and just plain happy.

The Summer Skies fell a bit short for me. I didn’t find it to be as charming and sweet as her other novels. The first half dragged on a bit and felt a bit disjointed from the second half. I did love the Scottish location, but struggled a bit with Morag, I thought she was whiny and not very likable. Things did pick up and I enjoyed the second half more than the first half. Overall, it was an easy read that allowed me a few hours to escape from real life.

A hearty thank you to Avon and Harper Voyage and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview an advance copy of this story. This is my honest review and the opinions expressed are my own.

Morag lives in the island of northern Scotland, flying a small airplane between islands and the mainland. She's a third-generation pilot and is considering leaving Scotland to fly bigger planes in Dubai when she's stranded on the mostly uninhabited island of Inchmore, where she has time to really think about the big life decision she's about to make.

Let me preface this by saying that I'm a big Jenny Colgan fan and look forward to the release of each of her new books. Two of her most recent titles, including this one, have been disappointing. The buildup and background of The Summer Skies takes up nearly the first half of the book, and it's very slow moving. Lots of details about planes and flying, which is great if you're into that, but can be too much if you're not. The setting is lovely, the storyline not so much. Also: please, Jenny, get a new editor. Multiple instances of repetition and mistakes.

This was a really great adult novel, with wonderful writing!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher

I so badly wanted to love this one, as Jenny Colgan is one of my auto-buy authors. However, I could not connect to the characters. The plot seemed to drag on and there didn't seem to be a driving force behind the narrative. A lot of details felt like filler, not like the cozy background information I am used to with Colgan's writing. I will, of course, try the next one she writes, but this was not a winner for me sadly.

The Summer Skies is a "comfort read" romance from prolific and talented author Jenny Colgan. Released 11th July 2023 by HarperCollins on their Avon Books imprint, it's 352 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

The protagonist is appealing and relatable, and the descriptions (especially food, as always) are superlative. There's an incredible amount of detail on aviation and aircraft in general included, so it's a bonus for flying interested readers (and, honestly, a bit of a slog in places for readers who don't care much about aviation). It's -about- an aviator, so they should be willing to go along for the ride, as it were.

The author really shines with the settings... and the descriptions of Scotland's archipelago islands and inhabitants are vibrant and engaging. The books pacing is very (very) slow in places, and readers will probably need some patience to get through the first third of the book.

There's a trope-y romantic triangle, which she handles surprisingly well. It's open ended, so there's potential for the author to revisit the characters in a sequel, though it's not explicitly foreshadowed anywhere.

Three and a half stars. Well written descriptions. It's one for the author's fans, although this book seems to be something of a departure from her regular style. It would also be a good choice for public library acquisition.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review—another beautifully written story by author Jenny Colgan. The characters were well developed and had a real connection, and the story kept me turning pages.

I love how Jenny can make us feel like we have been transported to another place. Such sweet, cozy vibes. Loved!!

This brand-new book brings us to northern Scotland, where Morag McGinty is a third-generation pilot. Following an accident in the air, Morag’s boyfriend wants her to move with him to Dubai.

Struggling and now fearful of flying, she returns home to fly her Grandpa’s route when he is sick. When she has to make a quick landing on a small island in a storm, she meets Gregor Cameron who might change everything.

Here’s the thing, I am TERRIFIED of flying so a book about planes isn’t going to be a favorite of mine, especially if it involves mechanical failures. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but if the subject matter doesn’t put you off, you might enjoy the newest Jenny Colgan book!

Jenny Colgan is one of my hands down favorite authors. Her stories are full of wit, romance, and Scottish charm.

She paints such a wonderful picture when writing her books. You can actually picture yourself being where the books are set, which is something I love as an American who is obsessed with Scotland.

This book is about Morag, a third generation pilot, experienced a scare while flying that she has to work through. She starts dating a man who wants her to move to Dubai with him, which would mean not staying at her families home airport. Due to a storm, she finds herself on a very remote island that is the home to only one man, a very grumpy man, named Gregor.

For the sake of not giving anything away, I won’t go into further detail. This is a book you should definitely read if you enjoy Scottish stories!

I love Jenny Colgan books - her stories are full of humor, adventure, a little touch of romance, emotions, and friendship, all set in quaint towns.

Due to time, I won’t be posting a thorough review, but I’m sure many will enjoy this book!

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for an ARC on exchange for my opinion.

Loved this! Sense of place was really strong and made me want to travel to Orkney immediately, get a chicken named Barbara, and learn to fly. The main character wasn’t always likable, but I feel like the story moved along quickly enough that I didn’t really mind.

Jenny Colgan has a gift for bringing the beauty, culture and history of Scotland to life and The Summer Skies is another perfect melding- and a great story of self discovery, too! Morag is an accomplished pilot who is reeling from the trauma of an accident when she returns home for a short stay before heading to the next stop in her upward trending life. The reconnection with her family legacy and the beauty of home help her rethink her plans and what she truly wants out of life. Charming and inspiring this book is comfort food for the heart.

Jenny Colgan is one of the best writers I have ever read. I love her voice and style. Her books are always an escape for me. I loved this one.

I enjoyed this as much as I have any other Jenny Colgan novel. It's always nice to escape to a quaint Scottish town.

The Summer Skies is a charming book that allows you to escape to another country with a little grumpy and sunshine romance blooming. One word only, PERFECTION!

Morag comes from a family history of pilots. Flying is in her blood. There is nothing like being in the clouds with the air beneath her and a roadless map of the sky that can take you to any destination in the world. Morag was involved in a flight accident and she now has a fear of flying, but she doesn't feel like she can share her fears with anyone. Morag will have to figure out how to overcome this fear and move on. How can one breath with no air?

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyage and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I used to live in Scotland, so any book about this magical place has my immediate notice. Morag, through no fault of her own, was involved in a terrible in flight accident, and it has made her afraid to fly. This story is about her overcoming that fear, and what happens next.

Morag has met Hayden, who seems to be the man of her dreams. They are both lined up to get exciting jobs in Dubai and life should be perfect. But then Morag has to make an emergency landing on a small island off the Scottish shores. What happens next will affect the rest of her life.

I listened to an audio version of this book, and the narrator was delightful. Jenny Colgan's books are always very cozy, and make me wish I lived in small village where everyone knew each other's business, but looked out for each other. And she draws the scenery so well with her words. When I've read too many dark mysteries, I love reading a relaxing, gentle book like this. I am not a romance book lover, but I like the warm and fuzzy feeling that Colgan's book give. I would rate this 3.5 but will give it a 4 star here as that closely reflects my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jenny Colgan, and Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Do you prefer a window seat or aisle seat when you fly? I always love sitting in a window seat and getting to see what is happening when I am on an airplane. I’m finishing up my summer reads and read The Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan earlier this month. I always love reading Jenny Colgan’s novels. I get swept away by the stories.

The Summer Skies is set in far northern Scotland. Morag McGinty has been born into a family of pilots. She works for a major airline, but after a near accident, she is working on being ready to fly again. During this situation, she has finally found a man she thinks she has a future with, Hayden. Together they plan on relocating to Dubai. Morag decides she can be the co-pilot on long haul flights and won’t have to face her fear of being the pilot in charge again. The family business is flying a plane service from island to island in northern Scotland. When Morag’s grandfather falls ill, she helps out by coming back home to help with the flying. Will she be able to overcome her fears of flying as the primary pilot again?

I always love how in Jenny Colgan’s novels, the primary character is a woman who is trying to find her way in the world. What does Morag really want for her future? She is not sure herself and it takes coming home and being put into a precarious situation that really makes her realize what is important. I love her side characters too – as there were many new and unique characters in this book. Another great element is the food. There is a mouth-watering description of bread in this book that made me want to go out and make my own home made loaf. The settings are also wild and wonderful as well. I really want to visit northern Scotland now. I wasn’t sure where this story was going, and I enjoyed the journey. I also have always loved aviation and enjoyed the elements in this story. I hope that it is the start of a lovely new series. I enjoyed reading this novel.

Book Source: Review Copy from NetGalley. Thank-you! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have dearly loved Jenny Colgan's series (Cornwall and Scotland) and thought I'd give this stand alone a try. It has been similar to sitting down with an old friend! Morag is relatable yet also vulnerable and you cannot help but cheer her on as she discovers where her heart lies. The descriptions of the Northern Islands of Scotland are stunning and I can't help but wish I could fly there with Morag. A really lovely read.