Book Review - The Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan

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Title: The Summer Skies

Author: Jenny Colgan

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Sphere

Publication Date: 8th June 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Born into a family of successful pilots, Morag is used to flying high. But when a tragic accident above the clouds grounds her, could the future she'd always imagined be suddenly out of reach?

When she receives a call telling her that her beloved grandfather has been taken ill, Morag leaves her fast-paced life in London to return home to the tranquil Scottish Highlands. With her grandfather out of action, Morag has no choice but to take over flying the local route in his rickety old plane, ferrying locals across the beautiful islands of the archipelago.

But as the weather takes a dramatic turn, Morag is forced to crash-land on a remote island and suddenly finds herself far from civilisation and all alone. Then she discovers Gregor, the gruff and reclusive ornithologist taking care of the island for the season. Though the pair don't see eye to eye, Morag is forced to seek shelter at his cabin and it seems the pair are stuck together until help arrives. However long that may be . . .

As she awaits rescue, might Morag discover that a remote Scottish island, cut off from real-life, is exactly the place she needs to be?

Wowser! That is one fantastic book, about a flying, and regaining your confidence and finding your place in the world. 

Once again Jenny Colgan has transported me to the small islands of Scotland, and conjured up a setting that is wild, remote, fairly dangerous in some weather conditions, and made me want to visit them myself, despite really being a person who definitely prefers non remote places. 

I was gripped throughout and found this to be an addictive and easy story to read, while being totally absorbed to the extent I was petrified I would miss my stop on the tube, as I was so involved.  Especially during the more dramatic scenes. 

I was also in some respects quite glad I wasn't reading this while I was flying, as that may have unnerved me slightly. But wow the descriptions of flying, and the feelings it evokes in Morag is spellbinding. 

And  when stranded on a remote island which only has one hermit like inhabitant, well the book really ramps up from there, but in a very calm and serene manner, as we get glimpses of what a very different life would really be like. 

Jenny Colgan has an innately brilliant talent at writing books that I can't get enough of, and that perhaps bring different aspects of life into my thoughts.

This is almost certainly amongst her best books, and I believe I've read them all! There aren't many authors I can say that about.

Can't wait to see what she writes next. 

Thank you to Sphere and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.