I have enjoyed all of Jenny Colgan's books, and this one was no exception. It was a good story with excellent character development and descriptions. The only thing that was a bit off-putting to me was all the technical language and description about flying-there could have been a lot less of this, in my opinion.
However, still a good read, and I won't hesitate to recommend it to our library patrons.

Morag McGinty is a third-generation pilot of a tiny plane-taxi service called MacIntyre Air that flies around the chain of islands off the north coast of Scotland. Morag loved the feeling of “bursting free the chains of gravity; soaring up through the clouds, bursting through, even on the grayest and dullest of days . . . the blue sky stretching ahead of you, the darker curve beyond all yours….”

She thought she should want more though, and now she was working out of Heathrow in London, co-piloting big planes, and flying around the world. She lost confidence, however, after a near miss, and had to take a work leave and attend some sessions with Hayden Telford, an HR consultant. Morag told him she was over it, because she didn’t want to lose her job, but she really wasn’t. Hayden was cute and seemed genuine, however, and Morag started dating him. Still, she struggled, and her family back in the tiny island town of Carso knew it.

She felt an obligation to return to Carso when the person who “did” for her beloved grandfather called. She told Morag Gramps was very sick with the flu, and they needed her to take over his routes for “a week mebbe.”

She agreed to come and help but only as a co-pilot. Gramps’ usual co-pilot, Erno, would pilot their plane Dolly, a Cessna Twin Otter, a plane Morag had been flying in since she was a little girl.

Erno grumpily agreed, but then events conspired to put Morag back in the pilot’s seat, and moreover, to cause her to get marooned on Inchborn Island, home of an ancient abbey, bird-watching station, chickens, a goat, and one ornithologist, Gregor Cameron, whom Morag regarded as a “monstrous weirdo.”

Gregor and the life he lived on his isolated island was in every way the opposite of Morag and her life, but offered Morag lessons she never knew she needed.

Evaluation: Jenny Colgan manages to be consistently satisfying in predictable ways but in such diverse circumstances in each book you hardly notice and certainly don’t object.

Her stories are lovely and charming, and you feel all warm inside after reading them.

"If you love teaching, you'll get promoted to being a headteacher and spend your time doing paperwork. If you love being a doctor, they'll make you head of hospital committees and so on. You'll probably end up a university administrator." So true.

AND… If you love the excitement of navigation and flying you’ll get promoted to long haul autopilot with sophisticated instruments flying… unless…

Jenny Colgan writes about Scotland and the archipelago with such love and pride. I read her books to be transported to green, lush isles surrounded by crashing seas and inhabited by flora and birds.

This story is about a young aeronaut figuring out her career path and looking for a romantic partner while feeling the pull of family and island life.

The writing is a tad bumpy in places, and the romance is typical strong, sometimes acerbic woman, with a need to rescue a troubled man… but then there is the background of Scotland and that’s where Jenny Colgan soars.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a sweet story. The real winner here was the Scottish islands and beautiful descriptions of the scenery. I love how Jenny Colgan can write dialogue so well. The interactions between Morag and Gregor were brilliant. And Dolly the plane’s ordeal felt very heart wrenching!
The perfect, easy, funny read for a rainy afternoon or laze on the beach. You will be passing it amongst your friends and discussing the mens charms and Morag’s stubbornness.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. Jenny Colgan writes another delightful tale.

Colgan does it again bringing us another wonderfully written story.
The First School by the Sea series is my absolute favorite!
But I'm loving the Mure books here.

The Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan was amazing as always,

With her diverse and wonderful characters. Jenny creates the most realistic and relatable characters.
I also love how she takes me away to a very different life! Her superb writing with vivid details and the ability to transport me to a gorgeous setting is honestly amazing.
This book was light, fun, and full of adventure.
A great little romance story.
If your looking for a good summer read grad a copy
Fans of Jenny Colgan will like this book.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.75/5
Spoilers!


Thanks Net Galley and Avon books for the copy!

I LOVED this enemies to lovers story told by the classic Jenny Colgan.

Love of the skies runs in Morag’s family’s blood. Her great grandfather started a small airline after returning from war, and every generation since has been obsessed with the skies since. When Morag has an incident in her commercial co - pilot job, she takes a call from her grandpa to come home and cover the airline for a bit. After returning home a freak accident leaves her stranded with a frustrating stranger on a isolated Scottish island. With the time to reflect on what matters and who she is, will she change the flight path of her life?

In the latest Jenny Colgan novel, she takes us again to the islands, this time via airplane. Morag is a commercial pilot who is involved in a mid-air accident. While she waits to get back in the air, she goes to visit her Grandfather's small inter-island airport. When an incident finds her stranded on one of the islands with the resident ornithologist, she finds 48 hours of technology free adventure. This book took a little while to get going, but it eventually found its rhythm and was an enjoyable read.
I received an advanced reader copy via NetGalley.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I loved this book! Jenny Colgan has written a story full of snarky snark dialogue, a lovely romance, a heartwarming journey of overcoming personal challenges, and a satisfying HEA. As always when reading a new book by Colgan, I promise myself that I will take it slow and savor it but, of course, once I started reading it I just couldn't put it down.

A wonderful story that I highly recommend.

Morag is a grows up in a family tradition of flying airplanes between the islands of upper Scotland. She moves away to the big city and is overcome with ambition. When she is in a near miss, she loses her confidence. Returning home to help her grandfather during an illness she finds her flying confidence again. Then comes a huge storm and she finds herself 'on a small island with one other person. Can she find the life she really wants? A good read.

Normally, I really like books by Jenny Colgan but I couldn't get into this story. There is a lot of flying detail, which I didn't mind, because my own father is a pilot, but the storyline was a bit jumbled for me. It really could be due to not being from England and not understanding the area. I didn't finish the book but thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy.

Sweet and escapist - exactly what a Jenny Colgan book should be. A recommended purchase for collections where lighter WF is popular.

Another sweet Scottish story from Jenny Colgan. Morag McGinty is a female aviator — heiress to the small, archipelago based airline (with one small and somewhat dilapidated airplane named “Dolly”). However, she has bigger plans: travel, big jetliners, and a permanent alliance with a recently met handsome HR rep. However, life has other plans and when lands on an all but uninhabited island, her life takes an unexpected but pretty interesting turn.

While somewhat predictable, I always enjoy Colgan’s uplifting books in one of my favorite parts of the world (Scotland). This one had perhaps a little more about aviation than I really cared for, but I did love the the descriptions of natural surroundings, particularly from an ornithologists view. And I quite enjoyed the non-gender stereotyping between Morag and a certain island based ornithologist…

Another Colgan feel good, find yourself story. A pilot who has had a close call and is now scared to fly heads home to help her grandpa run his island route. Along the way she meets an ornithologist who helps her save her plane after she is stranded on his island during a storm.