Review: Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Title: Under the Southern Sky

Author: Kristy Woodson Harvey

Published: April 2021, Gallery Books

Format: ARC Paperback, 400 pages

Source: Author

Summary:
Two childhood friends discover that love—and family—can be found in unconventional ways in this timely, moving novel from the USA TODAY bestselling author of the “beautifully Southern, evocative Peachtree Bluff series” (Kristin Harmel, internationally bestselling author of The Winemaker’s Wife). Recently separated Amelia Buxton, a dedicated journalist, never expected that uncovering the biggest story of her career would become deeply personal. But when she discovers that a cluster of embryos belonging to her childhood friend Parker and his late wife Greer have been deemed “abandoned,” she’s put in the unenviable position of telling Parker—and dredging up old wounds in the process.

Parker has been unable to move forward since the loss of his beloved wife three years ago. He has all but forgotten about the frozen embryos, but once Amelia reveals her discovery, he knows that if he ever wants to get a part of Greer back, he’ll need to accept his fate as a single father and find a surrogate.

Each dealing with their own private griefs, Parker and Amelia slowly begin to find solace in one another as they navigate an uncertain future against the backdrop of the pristine waters of their childhood home, Cape Carolina. The journey of self-discovery leads them to an unforgettable and life-changing lesson: Family—the one you’re born into and the one you choose—is always closer than you think.

From “the next major voice in Southern fiction” (Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author), Under the Southern Sky is a fresh and unforgettable exploration of love, friendship, and the unbreakable ties that bind.

My thoughts:  It’s no secret that I love Kristy Woodson Harvey and her books. And this latest one, which was one of my most anticipated reads for this month absolutely delivers in every way possible. I think this may be my new favorite of all her books and that’s saying something as I have loved every single one!

One
of my favorite aspects of Kristy’s writing is her ability to create
characters that you are immediately drawn to. She  allows us to see the
perfectly imperfect world of her characters that any of us
can relate to and I think that’s what makes it so readable. You will
fall in love with them right from the start, cheering at their
successes, cringing at their missteps, and feeling humbled by their
hardships. 

All the characters are so well-developed, including the secondary ones. You can’t help but feel the emotional struggles that Amelia and Parker are going through. And I loved how Kristy brought Greer to life in this story through her journal entries. But I have to say, it was Aunt Tilly that tended to steal the show, and my heart, throughout the book.

This book is emotionally charged and takes you on quite the roller coaster. It is such a thought-provoking, captivating novel that will totally consume you. It really tugs at those heartstrings and delves into some moral questions that leave you wondering just what you would do. 

I know I won’t be forgetting this story anytime soon…these characters have left such an impression on me and this storyline is one that definitely got to me in the best way possible! Kristy Woodson Harvey is one of my favorite authors and I highly recommend picking this one up!