Under The Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey-a Review

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Description:
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.

Review:

Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey is a wonderful standalone novel.  We meet our heroine, Amelia, who is a well know journalist, who discovers a story of abandoned embryos; to her shock, one of those embryos belongs to her childhood friend and his late wife. Amelia makes the decision to visit Parker, our hero, whom she has not seen in a few years, especially after the tragic death of his wife, Greer.   Under the Southern Sky focuses on three POV’s; Amelia, Parker and Greer.

Parker lost his beloved wife to cancer three years ago, and has not been able to move forward; just working and being by himself.  When someone knocks on his door, to his surprise, it’s a friend from the past, Amelia. She explains why she has come, and he realizes he has totally forgotten about the frozen embryos, and Parker asks Amelia to help him find a surrogate, so that in a small way he will have some semblance of Greer back in his life.

Amelia is also having a hard time recently, as she discovered her husband was having an affair with another man; unable to accept this, she files for divorce. Slowly the friendship between Parker and Amelia rekindles, as each helps one another move forward in their lives; especially after Amelia reviews the names on the surrogate list, and insists to Parker, that she will step up to be the surrogate, and go back to her normal life, leaving him with the child(s).  They return to Cape Carolina, the hometown they both grew up in and where both families still reside.  This was a wonderful part of the story, where the parents of Parker and Amelia, who are best friends and privately hope they one day they can their children maybe can be more than just friends.

Though the story line centers on Parker, Amelia and their family, we get to see the POV of Greer; when she met and fell in love with Parker, her wonderful happy life, her successful book career, the tragic news of her cancer, and planning to help Parker move on after her death.  The was a very emotional part, which was not only heartbreaking and very sad closer to her end.   When the embryos are not successful, both will go back to their own lives, keeping in touch, with their friendship and family.   This is a love story of Parker with two women he loved along the way, and Amelia knowing she had fallen for Parker again, but did not want to be second to his dead wife.  

What follows is a sweet slow build second chance romance and finding hope.  There is so much that happens pulling on our emotions along the way; with heartbreak, love, tragedy and anguish.  To say too much more would be spoilers, which would ruin the over all experience.  Under the Southern Sky was a fabulous heartwarming and heartbreaking emotional story of love, heartache, family, friendship and sadness.  I did love all the characters in this book that Kristy Woodson Harvey created, especially Amelia, Parker, Greer, and both families Thank you, Kristy Woodson Harvey for a wonderful story that I enjoyed thoroughly.  You should be reading Under the Southern Sky.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher