Member Reviews
Jenny colgan is one of my favorite authors and I look forward to all her new books. The Summer Skies was slightly different from her previous books, as the lead character, Morag, was a third generation pilot facing major career decisions. The setting, like most of Jenny Colgans’s books, was far Northern Ireland, in the chain of islands off the northern tip of the country. The characters were all so real and relatable and once you read a Jenny Colgan book, you feel like you have been to the places she describes. Morag struggles with extreme stress on the job and job-related anxiety. In a visit home, she gets caught in a storm and is forced to look at life in a different way. Another wonderful, comforting up-lit book. Thank you NetGalley for the early release copy of this book.
Jenny Colgan’s many fans will be delighted by her newest, standalone book. They will literally be in the skies as they spend time with pilot Morag. The descriptions of flights and landscape are a lovely part of the novel.
When the book opens, Morag has had a crisis. There was a most unfortunate incident while she was flying. Although Morag puts up a brave front, she is reeling and a bit frightened of returning to her job. One upside though was the potential for romance with Hayden, a man from HR whom she met in her follow up to the incident noted above. Is he the one or will someone else be?
As Morag is struggling so is her grandfather. He is one of a line of pilots in Morag’s family and he needs Morag’s help. As a result, Morag returns to northern Scotland where he has offered a wonderful flying service to the folks of the islands. The story picks up from there with a big event being an unexpected landing and time spent with a scientist on a very small island. Here is the potential someone else as noted above.
Ms. Colgan offers her readers a lovely story as is her habit. Recommended for summer reading lists and those who enjoy romance/women’s fiction.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for this title. All opinions are my own.
The beauty of Jenny Colgan book is that I feel that I have become a friend of the folks in the story. I enjoyed Morag's story from her post traumatic stress syndrom due to a tragic near miss plane accident to her happy ending. And, of course. the beauty of the Scottish .scenery and the quirky characters are a pleasing bonus.
If you are like me, then you have an author you turn to whenever you need a guaranteed good book. For me, it’s Jenny Colgan, particularly her Mure series. I love a book with compelling characters, a lighthearted love story, and a happy ending. Please share your go-to authors in the comments!
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You can imagine my excitement when I found her next book, The Summer Skies, on @NetGalley in advance of its July 11th release. The story follows Morag, a commercial pilot trying to find her confidence again after a near miss. Though she fears flying now, she works hard to pretend all is well, especially as she and her boyfriend plan a move to Dubai where she will be working on long-haul commercial flights.
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Before Morag’s move, she’s called back to her family’s plane service to cover flights to the various remote islands in the Scottish archipelago during her grandfather’s illness. When her co-pilot experiences a medical emergency as a storm approaches, Morag is forced to crash-land the plane. She finds herself marooned on an island, seeking refuge from its only inhabitant, an ornithologist named Gregor who has a radically different view of life.
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Though this novel doesn’t quite hold the same magic as the Mure Series, I really enjoyed walking alongside Morag as she took an inventory of her life, separating the person she wants to be from the person she thinks she is supposed to be.
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If you are in need of a light beach read, then The Summer Skies is for you. But, be warned, it will have you dreaming of vacations to remote Scottish islands with endless beaches and long, bright summer nights.
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A big thank you to Net Galley and Avon for a digital review copy!
First, the good. As usual, Jenny Colgan offers up a feast for the eyes and the ability to travel from your chair. Her descriptions of the setting are divine and make you want to book your ticket to Scotland ASAP.
Now, the rest. The story is great, but I feel like it's lacking the depth of her other books. I adore the many Colgan books I've read so far and that's because her quirky characters had extensive exposition and were really fleshed out.
In this books, everything feels hurried. People are given brief bio sketches and then fade into the background. And that didn't help me love Morag when she was being prickly. I found her pretty surface for 3/4 of the book. It's a good read, but it's not Colgan's usual. There is a lot more to be mined out of these characters.
Quirky, relatable characters, lovely Scottish settings, and a sweet romance make for a satisfying summer read. Morag, a pilot who couldn’t wait to escape the small town where she grew up, finds herself stuck on a small island off the coast with only a bird researcher for company. She learns to slow down and figure out what makes her happy (as opposed to what others want her to do/be). How Morag winds up on the island is perhaps scarier than Colgan’s prior novels -- but nothing too awful. And the ending is as sweet and satisfying as all of Colgan’s stories.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.
I absolutely adore Jenny Colgan's ability to describe such interesting settings as well as create the most delightfully quirky characters. The Summer Skies is quintessential Colgan- full of heart and warmth as the main characters strive to find themselves and their sense of home. I just wish for a sequel because I'm not ready to be done with Morag and Gregor. A slow start but such a rewarding finish.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.
This was my first book by Jenny Colgan. I’ve seen her novels recommended by so many I “wished” for this title in NetGalley and was excited to be approved!
As a girl I always thought it would be awesome to be a pilot so We enjoys Morag’s pov. I enjoyed the interactions between Morag and Gregory. Two opposites who are alone on the isolated island. The writing was so descriptive I could picture the beauty of the Scottish islands.
At times it did feel as if the story moved slow and I did find myself skimming ahead just a couple times.
Overall a lovely summer read I would definitely recommend
Once again, Jenny Colgan pulls through with a book that makes me fall more in love with Scotland, with laughs and all the feels along the way.
I wasn't sure about this one to start. I wasn't too interested in the life of a pilot, or the technicalities of flying a commercial airplane. It was interesting, but not enough to keep my attention. It took me a few days of reading a chapter at a time before really got hooked. Around the time Morag returned to Scotland.
Jenny Colgan describing Scotland, from the food to the weather, the beauty and wildness of it all, is an immersive experience. It's like having a tour guide and a spell-weaver at the same time.
When Morag crash lands on Inchborn, an island with a year-round population of one ornithologist, during a sudden, massive storm, her first thought is surviving. She makes it to the cottage, where Gregor is less than pleased to see her. Despite treating her to a warm, luxurious bath, a whisky and dry clothes, Gregor makes it clear he's already missing his solitude. To Morag's dismay, she learns that there's no working radio, meaning she's grounded, her family possibly unaware that she was even alive.
With the power out on the main island, even when she finds a way to get a message out, rescue is a long way out. Gregor and Morag couldn't be more different in their approaches to life, but soon they fall into an easy routine. And Morag has to decide if she's ready to move on to bigger planes, less risk and a home far away in Dubai. Or if it's time to return home, to the life of her small islands and community.
While this didn't have the magic of "Bookshop on the Corner", I was still so happy to jump back into one of Jenny Colgan's worlds. Her books are always worth the read!
I read or have read several of Colgan's series ("Mure" is my fav), so it's nice to read a stand-alone for a change. "The Summer Skies" is still in Scotland, but focuses on aviation & a female pilot, Morag (not to be confused with the "Mure" one). There's also a bit of a love triangle involved. I preferred to bid guy, Gregor, to Hayden myself... I did think the first part was SLOW... but the second made up for it, glad I hung in there, but others might not... My sincere thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the complimentary DRC, my opinions & thoughts happily furnished.
I love books by Jenny Colgen, this was a sweet story, great characters, and the setting in Scotland was wonderful.
I am a Jenny Colgan fan and The Summer Skies did not disappoint. Lots of lovable characters trying to find their way, sweet families, lovely Scottish setting, just enough drama, and a sweet romance. This would make a great beach/poolside read! Romantic comedy fans and book clubs would also enjoy The Summer Skies. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Jenny Colgan for the ARC!
Morag is a pilot and heir-apparent to a small airline in the northernmost islands of Scotland. A series of midair emergencies cause her to end up marooned on a small island for a few days, completely off the grid and in the company of Gregor, a “hermit” bird researcher who is trying to escape demons of his own. Her time on the island with Gregor help Morag to reconsider her professional and romantic future.
I’ve read and loved Jenny Colgan’s books for years, but this is perhaps my favorite. Its life-and-death situations make it seem a bit edgier than her usual novels, yet the ending is as sweet and satisfying as ever.
A true five-star read for me. I can’t recommend it enough!
A glimpse at life in Scotland from the eyes of a pilot who is learning to slow down, discovering what makes her happy, and taking in the scenery, which may or may not include a grumpy man, a pet goat, and a chicken named Barbara. A cozy, summer read, which I'd say is quite tricky, but when it's still sweater weather in the UK at the end of May, it's very fitting.
I loved this book SO much - not only because Jenny Colgan has written another lovely story and characters into existence further exploring an island in a world we already know and love (looking at you Little Beach Street Bakery) but because I got to read it on my first trip to the Northern Scotland and London!
It felt so fun to be introduced to Greggs, Royal Mail, and potato scones while reading it on the pages. I was in the air to Heathrow when I started reading, on a "wee walk about" in Scotland in the middle, and on the tube in Hounslow as it was coming to a close.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I look forward to every book by Jenny Colgan, especially those set in Scotland. She is such a good storyteller, with delicate descriptions mixed with pure humor. I felt immersed in this tale of a strong woman moving through her fears and finding
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Morag McGinty is one of my favorite leading characters in any book. It's really about finding your true self. We tend to forget who we are when we're set to make changes and sometimes the most unexpected person, sets us back to where we are.
The Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan - written a book so well versed, it's set you in a beautiful setting and draws you into different realms of emotions!
I just reviewed The Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan. #TheSummerSkies #NetGalley
[https://www.netgalley.com/member/book/277081/review]
Just another great book my Jenny Colgan. I couldn’t put this down. I just loved the interaction between Morag & Gregor. I want a sequel!
Another delightful Jenny Colgan book to add to my “cozy read” list! I really liked the “Birds Eye” view of the islands of Scotland in this novel. Moray (the female protagonist) was smart, resourceful and took no sh*t from anyone. I really enjoyed the read, only wish it was longer! Can’t wait to see if there will be a sequel!
Colgan strikes again with another pleasant read with a happy ending. Our patrons adore her novels so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.
What a fun new read from Jenny Colgan! First off, Barbara is a new fav character! The plot moved along quickly, and Colgan has a gift for writing such lovely place descriptions that the reader has a vivid mental image. The text got a little too heavy on aviation terminology that many readers won't understand. Overall, a fun story that readers will devour quickly.