So fitting that my first ever pre-release read is The Summer Skies - I always devour Jenny Colgan stories as soon as they’re released. They are lovely and comforting and give hope to my spinster existence. Though Scotland is always its own character, this time was different - the imagery and facts involved in the descriptions of flying were so unique and beautiful. The characters are relatable in their flaws and quirks but are somehow still ideal fictional crushes. I also appreciate that there are always musty books. Now I must go find a recipe for potato scones.

Soul nourishing! Reading a Jenny Colgan novel is the literary equivalent of snuggling up with a blanket and a cuppa in front of a roaring fire on a chilly, gray day. You can depend on a gaggle of quirky, flawed but fascinating and relatable characters, spunky and intelligent women, and being transported to gorgeous, interesting settings. The Summer Skies primarily takes place in a northernmost archipelago of Scottish islands, where pilot Morag McGinty finds herself marooned on an almost deserted isle and seeks to chart her course in life. I would not have minded a bit more bird-themed content and a bit less about the mechanics of flying planes, but I enjoyed learning in both arenas.

I loved this heartwarming and charming story! Perfect for beach reading and fans of Jenny Colgan and for fans of Trisha Ashley and Katherine Center, who similarly pen tales that inspire and spark joy and hope.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins / Avon Books for the privilege of a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

3.5 This title has been difficult for me to rate. The first half of part one required a lot of effort for me to keep turning pages. In part, because the pacing felt a bit slow, and the word count per page was dense (a.k.a. scant dialog). I was also finding it difficult to connect with the main character, Morag. By the second half of part one, though, as more characters began to be introduced and to interact on page, I became more interested in the story and relationships. As part two progressed, it became increasingly difficult to put the book down.

Some things I liked: the bantar between Morag and some of the other characters-esp. bff Nalitha, unenthusiastic pilot Erno, and "stupid beardy bird nerd weirdo loner guy," Gregor. Colgan can be quite funny! I also liked learning more about aviation and the industry. Colgan did a good job of expressing how deeply Morag felt about being a pilot and portraying this integral part of her identity and the value she ascribed to this aspect of living out her family's legacy. I also think Colgan did a lovely job bringing the NW Scottish archipelago to life and explaining elements of culture and history unique to that area. She always makes me want to visit whichever part of the British Isles she writes about!

I'm not sure if a U.S. edition will be released, but some of the English and Scottish references in this edition were unfamiliar to me. I googled some, and it was fun to learn new things, but it also disrupted the story flow. I think these references, which often obscured meaning or which were lost on me altogether, would enrich the experience for a U.K. reader. If a U.S. edition is released, I expect that some of these references and word choices will be modified to better accommodate American readers.

The e-book I read states that it's an "uncorrected proof," so I expect that the final edition available upon publication will differ somewhat from what I read. It's a bit of a challenge to review something that is still a work in progress. There were some plot points and character elements that I felt would benefit from more development. Sometimes the transitions between sections were a bit bumpy, and it took me a few rereads to reorient myself and understand or guess what was now happening or who was being referenced. Having said that, I will be interested in skimming the published version this summer to compare how it might differ from the version I read.

Thanks to #NetGalley, #AvonBooks, and #HarperVoyagerUS for the ARC e-book.
Publication date is Jul 11, 2023

Another lovely taste of Scotland from Jenny Colgan.
How can you not love a book with lines like '"Bork," said Barbara.' And it makes perfect sense.
The title feels slightly inaccurate, as most of the action takes place in less than one season.
Anyway, if you enjoyed the Mure books, you'll like this one, too!

This was a really good read. I don't read a lot of books that have a Scottish theme but I really enjoyed it. This was an easy read. I have read a few of Jenny Colgan books so I was excited when I got this ARC. Once I started I couldn't put it down.


Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

Another great read by Jenny Colgan. These are new characters and a new perspective of the far northern islands of Scotland. We learn that Morag is a commercial pilot and has initially learned to fly in her grandfather’s small aircraft service to the uppermost small Scottish islands. The story gets a bit slow here as we need to fill in the backstory of her failed relationship with a wannabe pilot boyfriend. Her grandfather’s business is in jeopardy due to an illness, and Morag has agreed to second chair a longtime employee to keep the vital routes open to bring passengers, food and supplies to the islands. The employee has a heart attack, which brings Morag to the dreaded first seat. Gregor is an ornithologist living on a remote island for six months. A storm arrives unexpectedly, and Morag has to make an emergency landing, stranding her on a remote island. Gregor’s solitude is abruptly ended by her arrival. We get to the juicy chemistry and fun part of the story with Gregor and Morag that only Jenny Colgan can write.

This is a lovely stand-alone book by Jenny Colgan, full of her trademark empathy and humor. #TheSummerSkies is a story about coming home again and figuring what makes you happy (vs. what you think should make you happy).

Flying is in the blood for Morag MacIntyre whose great-grandfather started their family business MacIntyre Air, serving the small northern islands of Scotland’s archipelago with a single puddle-jumper. Although Morag had left the islands to fly bigger jets, after a particularly challenging flight where the jet she was co-piloting almost collided with a much smaller unexpected plane, she is back home following retraining. She has one more simulator flight to pass before returning to her job. Once she gets cleared to fly again, Morag is planning to do long haul flights and move to Dubai to join her boyfriend, Hayden.

In the meantime, her grandfather, who is still the pilot for MacIntyre Air is sick and unable to fly. Morag agrees to temporarily help him out. A bumpy landing during a storm leaves Morag stranded for a few days on Inchborn, a small island bird sanctuary that is inhabited by Gregor, the latest in a rotating cast of orthinologists, who do six-month stints on the island managing the sanctuary.

Being stranded on island with no power gives Morag space to think about what is really important to her. It was a pleasure to read about her journey—and to learn about flying and birds along the way!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #AvonBooks for the ARC!

What a delightful read! Thanks @Netgalley for the preview! The Summer Skies is a warm tale of people finding their destinies in courses far different than imagined. @JennyColgan brings to life characters I genuinely liked, with dialogue that doesn’t feel contrived, and that has wit and quirks that made the banter lively and fun to read. Set in Scotland, Jenny weaves intelligent characters, science, cooking, and flying into a beautiful tapestry that is wrapped with a bow of friendship and listening to one’s own heart. All of these elements makes for a book I loved and highly recommend! #TheSummerSkies #Scotland #fiction #Netgalley

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
3.5 stars
Promising start, kind of dragged for me in the middle (hence my rating), then picked up again with a strong finish. Great characters, can't go wrong with a Scotland setting. Jenny Colgan does it again. I love her writing. I was particularly drawn to Gregor who turned out to have a great sense of humor and the chemistry between him and Morag was a lovely, sweet build-up.

Expected release: July 11, 2023

Jenny Colgan is a must read author for me, as I always enjoy her Scottish settings and plots that generally include a bakery or bookstore of some sort.

In Summer Skies we again return to Scotland, and are introduced not to a baker or bookseller, but instead to a young female pilot, Morag.

Morag is a third generation pilot who recently experienced a significant in-air emergency and is unsure if she can continue to fly but returns home to help with her grandfather’s island-hopping air service anyway.

Not surprisingly, Morag finds herself torn between two romantic interests while she also tries to do the hard work of figuring who and what she wants to be in her life.

I enjoyed the writing, storyline, and characters in this book. The humor is also spot-on.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Another wonderful read by Jenny Colgan. This book is set in the Scottish Highlands and surrounding islands( a beautiful area that should be on everyone's bucket list to see). Our main character, Morag, follows in the family tradition and becomes a pilot. But after a near miss while she is flying, her confidence is shattered. Returning home to help her ailing grandfather with his flight business, she discovers family and friends and what is really important to her. An enjoyable read,

I'll always purchase (and read) Jenny Colgan. This one was a very slow build...I almost put it aside. But once Morag landed on Inchborn the usual charm of Colgan's books took over.

What can I say? It’s Jenny Colgan! Except…this one was a bit of a snoozer. I have to be honest, it didn’t have the usual Jenny Colgan charm I have come to love. Just wasn’t for me, and come to think of it, neither was her last book. But the cover is a stunner!

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

Another enjoyable read from Jenny Colgan! Morag has grown up in her grandfather's plane, and started flying as soon as she was able. Now she lives outside Heathrow, After a near miss with another plane, through no fault of her own, Morag is afraid to fly, but manages to fool those around her. When her grandfather becomes ill, she has to go home to Scotland to take over the route for a few days.

Once home, she realizes what her life has been missing, and maybe her fast paced London life isn't what she wants and needs?

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Thanks to Jenny Colgan and NetGalley for this digital ARC. Another gorgeous atmospheric book from Jenny Colgan, this one had a different feel than many of her other titles.

We are immersed in Morag's world of aviation from the start, and watch as she tries to navigate the pull of her old life. After an in-air emergency, she questions whether she will ever be able to pilot again. But answering the call to return home to help her Grandfather's aviation business, will she finally be able to put the fear away for good? A few unexpected days on a remote island will help Morag find the healing she needs.

Author Jenny Colgan spins another tender story set in the remote northern Scottish islands. The telling is gentle and the characters are well developed as souls are laid bare and challenges met. I find myself charmed by each book of hers which I have read and this one was no exception.

Morag McGinty, a commercial airline pilot, experiences a mid-air emergency which rattles her so fully, that she is uncertain whether she can continue. However, she convinces everyone that she is fine and ready to carry on. Then while on leave, she is summoned back home to the northern Scottish Isles to help out with her grandfather's island-hopping air service, while he convalesces. She convinces herself that as long as she is the co-pilot, she'll manage. When the day finally comes which tests her mettle, can she regain her moxy and be that strong, fearless person her loved ones believe her to be? Only time will tell.

I thank publisher, Harper Collins for having provided a complimentary copy of this advance reader's e-proof. Their generosity, however, has not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Harper Collins
Anticipated Publication date: July 11, 2023
ISBN: 978-0063260429
Pages: 352

Jenny Colgan writes books for when I need a break, or need to feel happy and this one did not disappoint!! I love all her books

The Summer Skies
by Jenny Colgan
Pub Date: July 11, 2023
Harper Collins
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the digital file of this book.
New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan takes us to the gloriously windswept islands of northern Scotland, where we meet young Morag McGinty, who runs the puddle-jumper flights that serve the islands’ tiny but proudly feisty population.
I loved this book and will recommend it to readers.

Colgan has a gift of writing dialog, and this book is superb. The description of the islands is delightful.
4 stars

Happy sigh....another wonderful read by Jenny Colgan. Morag is a pilot. She comes from a long line of pilots but she's the first female pilot in her family. This is a lovely story about bravery, family loyalty, and figuring out what is really important in life. And now I want to go to the far north of Scotland...

I really enjoyed this lovely stand-alone novel by Jenny Colgan. Her characters are always diverse and quirky with more depth than you originally expect. And the setting, the northernmost islands off the Scottish coast are beautifully described. Morag, whose successful career as a pilot is based on skills she learned from her grandfather's island to island plane service. When he needs help she agrees to come back and fly his route for a few days. An incoming storm strands her on a remote island with one inhabitant, Gregor an ornithologist, living in an old abbey. And the sparks fly from there. This is a fun read and highly recommended.