One Summer in Savannah
Ratings13
Average rating4.1
15
Ratings13
Average rating4.1
A compelling debut that glows with bittersweet heart and touching emotion, deeply interrogating questions of family, redemption, and unconditional love in the sweltering summer heat of Savannah, as two people discover what it means to truly forgive.
It's been eight years since Sara Lancaster left her home in Savannah, Georgia. Eight years since her daughter, Alana, came into this world, following a terrifying sexual assault that left deep emotional wounds Sara would do anything to forget. But when Sara's father falls ill, she's forced to return home and face the ghosts of her past.
While caring for her father and running his bookstore, Sara is desperate to protect her curious, outgoing, genius daughter from the Wylers, the family of the man who assaulted her. Sara thinks she can succeed―her attacker is in prison, his identical twin brother, Jacob, left town years ago, and their mother are all unaware Alana exists. But she soon learns that Jacob has also just returned to Savannah to piece together the fragments of his once-great family. And when their two worlds collide―with the type of force Sara explores in her poetry and Jacob in his astrophysics―they are drawn together in unexpected ways.
Reviews with the most likes.
A family of geniuses, a grandpa only talking in prose, and that twin situation at the heart of it - too much to take.
A poignant and touching tale of trauma, unconditional love between a mother and daughter, and a poignant touching love story as we follow the journey of Sara, raped years ago and raising the daughter Alana that came from that incident, only to encounter her rapist's twin brother Jacob when she relocates back to her hometown to care for her aging father. Lyrical writing from this debut author and powerful reflections on the nature of grace, I look forward to reading more from this author. If you're someone who craves more than plot from your reading, this is one that provides lots to think about as it explores the fragility of human emotions and the idea that people can move beyond trauma to a reintegration and wholeness through understanding and forgiveness.
Excellent story around some rather potentially triggering events for some. The characters were developed very well. I felt like I was in Savannah with them. The ending was somewhat of a stretch... but given the right circumstances, the right people... it could be possible.
Highly recommended. and free this month from Libby. I'm definitely going to be looking for other books by Torah Shelton Harris.
One Summer in Savannah is a beautiful novel. I wasn't crazy about the premise, selecting it based solely on its setting in a Savannah bookshop. But the writing kept pulling me in. The poetry was a nice surprise, and I think there was just a little bit of magic that pulled the strings together. I didn't want it to end, and am still thinking about the characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this novel.
