Under a Summer Sky (Follow Your Heart): A Savannah Romance - eBook

Under a Summer Sky

By Melody Carlson

Under a Summer Sky is a lighthearted summer romance that will make you smile. Melody Carlson has brought us characters with humor, love, and depth. I enjoyed the story of Nicole and how she discovers that the love she thought she wanted may have always been there.

A high school art teacher, Nicole is feeling tired and worn out, unsure where she wants her future to go from here. When her mom decides that she needs to spend the summer away at an old friend's house, Nicole thinks the plan is crazy. Her mom's friend wants her to run her art gallery while she is gone on a world cruise for the entire summer. Feeling overwhelmed and under qualified, she tries to beg off, only to find that she really is on her way to Savannah, Georgia for the summer. She will not only run the gallery, but watch the house for them also. Little did she know, their two grown sons that she has known for many years would be competing for her attention. Also, one of them, Alex, has a teenage daughter named Bernie that Nicole finds hiding in the attic. As she tries to maneuver the summer at the gallery and deal with both men, Bernie, and a disgruntled gallery employee, Nicole finds herself almost over her head. However, she also finds herself loving Savannah and possibly one of the brothers. Will she find true love? Will her summer bring her the romance she is looking for? It is a delightful and fun story that brings a smile.

I received a copy of this story for free from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

A breezy beach read that will put a smile on your face and a flutter in your heart. Carlson brings the ambiance of Savannah to life in this captivating summer romance. Decadent descriptions and intriguing facts made me feel like I'd actually traveled south and was experiencing this historical city first hand. I do so love a good armchair travel story!

Love the artistic backdrop too -- from the gallery to the architecture to the artist/art teacher heroine. I don't think there's enough of the Arts featured in Christian Fiction so this one fed my creative loving soul.

And while this might look like one of those dreaded love triangle stories -- it isn't really. Well, there are two guys but it was pretty clear to me from the start who was going to come out the winner. So this wasn't an angst-riddled read -- at least not on that front. Loved the sibling dynamics and the friction that brought to the story but Nicole handled it with class.

A heartwarming inspirational love story that's perfect for your next summer escape read.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing and Graf-Martin Communications.

Not sure how this story falls under the perimeters of a Christian novel. Ryan's quick lunch-time silent prayer didn't cover obvious hurdles of working on Sunday, no mention of faith, and or lack of seeking God to fix some very misguided lives. That aside which character is likable? Alex, Lori, and Amyra are first class jerks. Ryan is clueless. Bernice is oppressed. Nicole is lost 85% of the time. Fin and Camille's cameo was the only perk for me. Ryan and Nicole end up declaring love based on a childhood memory - not the stuff of permanence and Alex takes a toddler step toward maturity. But that doesn't equate a good read.

Under a Summer Sky was a breezy little romance that takes Nicole Anderson from the comforts of her Seattle life to Savannah, Georgia for a memorable summer that will change her life. Nicole feels a bit stuck in her life; she is a teacher who has lost her touch, she is a woman closing in on 30 nursing a broken heart and dreams as well. Then an opportunity opens up for her to manage an art gallery for her mother's longtime friend in Georgia. Not only will she get to manage the art gallery, but she will also have time to pick up her painting, and to top it all off, she gets to house-sit in a beautiful renovated mansion.

I knew I was going to enjoy this novel as it has a little bit of a love triangle. She gets to meet up with her once upon a time childhood crush Alex (who unfortunately is in the middle of a divorce), and his brother, Ryan (who was a bit nerdy and had a crush on her). I knew things were going to get interesting. Throw in an assistant with the nickname Vampira, a house that goes bump in the night, or maybe its ghosts, and the deep, rich atmosphere of Savannah, Georgia itself and you have the makings of fun read.

This is a third in the series called Follow Your Heart and it is my favorite one. The stories are not linked to each other, just all about young women stepping out of their comfort zones to find and pursue new dreams and the romance that just seems to follow.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing. I was not required to post a positive review and all the views and opinions expressed are my own.

Melody Carlson is a writer for all seasons. Under A Summer Sky is a wonderful addition for summer reading. Travel first class to Savanna this Summer! Vicariously, of course with Nicole Anderson, who leaves her Seattle home to manage an art gallery for an old family friend. The gallery is owned by Vivian Graham, her mother's best friend through school. While growing up, summer vacations were often spent with the Graham family. Nicole and her sister Kate spent a lot of time with the sons Alex and Ryan.

Arriving in Savanna, Nicole finds she is one step ahead of her old life as a high school art teacher. Staying in the Graham home for the summer home is a dream and when she steps into the gallery she feels like she has stepped into her true calling. Except, of course, for her snarky coworker, Amyra, an unhappy woman who seems willing to go the extra mile to make things unpleasant. Determined to make things work, Nicole maintains a positive attitude under pressure and begins to find her niche in the gallery business. It doesn't take long for her to put her own successful stamp on the business.

Nicole presents a positive impact on a situation that could be tough. I found her character admirable. About the second night of her stay she heard unmistakable noises from the attic. She called on Ryan to help her investigate only to find Alex's daughter Bernie camping out in protest to her parents pending divorce. With great aplomb, our heroine embraces the girl in a positive way by allowing her to stay in the home and mentoring her at the gallery. The way the author characterized Nicole makes her such a good role model for the other young women in the story.

As a single woman, of course there is romance for Nicole and I went back and forth on who I wanted her to choose in the end. The handsome Alex, who she secretly had a crush on as a teen or younger brother Ryan, the former nerd, who may be more than meets the eye. Melody Carlson once again played this well and I liked the ending very much.

Savanna in the summer, romance, patience and finding your true calling are woven together in this wonderful summer novel. I recommend it as an addition to any beach bag or perhaps in that carry on bag you'll stow under your seat as you fly away for your summer vacation!