The new release by Kristy Woodson Harvey, UNDER THE SOUTHERN SKY, is a poignant tale that follows the changing relationship between childhood friends Amelia and Parker. The book did a wonderful job telling the story from multiple points of view beyond Amelia and Parker including Amelia's mother and journal entries from Parker's late wife to reveal important pieces of information.
Amelia seems to have it all having worked her way up to managing editor of a magazine in Palm Beach and a fabulous marriage. The book takes us through the trials and tribulations as her personal and professional life implodes and introduces us to her family and extended family which includes the boy next door, Parker Thaysden, and his family. In the course of researching a story, Amelia learns that embryos frozen by Parker and his late wife are thought to be abandoned and about to be destroyed. She decides to tell him even though he has been grief-stricken in the three years since his wife's death and has not been able to move on. The discussion between the friends leads to complex changes for both of them.
The story does not go in a straight line! I literally could not put this book down until the last page. I laughed out loud and cried as I read. I rooted for the characters and hoped for the ending I wanted for each character. All set in great locations of Palm Beach, Coastal Carolina, and New York City. I loved the intertwined side stories involving Parker and Amelia's mothers who are lifelong friends; Amelia's mentally ill aunt, and Parker's brother. UNDER THE SOUTHERN SKY is a book that you never wanted to end because you genuinely enjoyed reading about the characters and wanted to know more about them and what happened next.
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, Buxton Beach. 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.