Book Review - Under a Summer Skye
Book: Under a Summer Skye
Author: Sue Moorcroft
Time taken to complete: I read this book over around a week, picking it up periodically as and when I could around work and other commitments. It was definitely one of the books I was more eager to complete so finished it quicker than others.
Synopsis *spoilers!*
Thea Wynter, one of three adopted sisters, moves to the Isle of Skye looking for a fresh start under blue skies close to the sea. Believing she's left the troubles of her old life behind her, she settles happily into being head gardener of a country estate, where her sister Ezzie also works as an Assistant Manager.
A chance encounter with a handsome man and his dog have Thea thinking she's hit the jackpot, but unbeknownst to her at that time he's come to the island himself with a goal in mind... and it isn't a pleasant one. He unintentionally brings a lot of "baggage" with him in his mission to uncover secrets long laid to rest, alongside Theas late adoptive mother and father.
Thea finds herself in this book, in more ways than one, as she also actively searches for her birth family throughout as a plot woven into the pages but not sitting at the forefront of focus. There's twists and turns there too though, and she learns things about her adoptive family that you don't see coming.
My Thoughts
Though the running theme of this book is predominantly "loss", it also ends up being quite well balanced, with moments of feeling just about every emotion there is to feel. I cried, I laughed, I felt sad for her and happy for her. The main twist in the book had me *shooketh* and I audibly gasped when it came to light. You don't finish the book without closure and it doesn't leave you on a heavy cliffhanger, despite being the first of three in this series. Though it definitely does make you want for more.
I love the relationship Thea has with her two sisters and I can't wait to see how these develop in the further two books, or to read more into her sisters lives.
So, so worth the read. A solid 10/10 from me.