#BookReview The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey @kristywharvey @uplitreads @SimonSchusterCA #thesummerofsongbirds #kristywoodsonharvey #SimonSchusterCA #gifted Title: The Summer of Songbirds

Author: Kristy Woodson Harvey

Published by: Gallery Books on Jul. 11, 2023

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Hardcover

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada, Uplit Reads

Book Rating: 9/10

Four women come together to save the summer camp that changed their lives and rediscover themselves in the process in this moving new novel from the New York Timesbestselling author of The Wedding Veil and the Peachtree Bluff series.

Nearly thirty years ago, in the wake of a personal tragedy, June Moore bought Camp Holly Springs and turned it into a thriving summer haven for girls. But now, June is in danger of losing the place she has sacrificed everything for, and begins to realize how much she has used the camp to avoid facing difficulties in her life.

June’s niece, Daphne, met her two best friends, Lanier and Mary Stuart, during a fateful summer at camp. They’ve all helped each other through hard things, from heartbreak and loss to substance abuse and unplanned pregnancy, and the three are inseparable even in their thirties. But when attorney Daphne is confronted with a relationship from her past—and a confidential issue at work becomes personal—she is faced with an impossible choice.

Lanier, meanwhile, is struggling with tough decisions of her own. After a run-in with an old flame, she is torn between the commitment she made to her fiancé and the one she made to her first love. And when a big secret comes to light, she finds herself at odds with her best friend…and risks losing the person she loves most.

But in spite of their personal problems, nothing is more important to these songbirds than Camp Holly Springs. When the women learn their childhood oasis is in danger of closing, they band together to save it, sending them on a journey that promises to open the next chapters in their lives.


Review:

Absorbing, nostalgic, and sweet!

The Summer of Songbirds is an uplifting, compelling tale that takes you into the life of three childhood friends, Daphne, Lanier, and Mary Stuart who, after discovering that the place they met and holds such a special place in their hearts, Camp Holly Springs, is about to be lost join together to do whatever they can to raise the money Aunt June needs to keep this summer sanctuary for girls open for generations to come.

The prose is rich and vivid. The characters are creative, reliable, and loyal. And the plot is a heartfelt, delightful mix of friendship, family, heartbreak, introspection, support, forgiveness, tragedy, loss, drama, community, new beginnings, tender moments, and love.

Overall, The Summer of Songbirds is a sophisticated, sensitive, romantic tale by Harvey that once again highlights her innate ability to delve into all the psychological and emotional dynamics that exist between friends and reminds us just how meaningful, important, and powerful female friendships can truly be.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

 

Thank you to Uplit Reads & Simon Schuster Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Kristy Woodson Harvey

Kristy Woodson Harvey is the USA TODAY bestselling author of six novels, including Feels Like Falling, The Peachtree Bluff series, and Under the Southern Sky. A Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s school of journalism, her writing has appeared in numerous online and print publications including Southern Living, Traditional Home, USA TODAY, Domino, and O. Henry. Kristy is the winner of the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for Excellence in Creative Writing and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize. Her work has been optioned for film and television, and her books have received numerous accolades including Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Beach Reads, Parade’s Big Fiction Reads, and Entertainment Weekly’s Spring Reading Picks. Kristy is the co-creator and co-host of the weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction. She blogs with her mom Beth Woodson on Design Chic, and loves connecting with fans on KristyWoodsonHarvey.com. She lives on the North Carolina coast with her husband and son where she is (always!) working on her next novel.

Photo by Jay Ackerman.