Under a Summer Skye – Sue Moorcroft | Book Review | #Giveaway | #UnderASummerSkye | @SueMoorcroft @AvonBooksUK @rararesources

A Scottish island. A stranger from the mainland. A summer of possibilities…

A chance encounter is about to change everything for Thea Wynter.

The moment she arrived on the Isle of Skye, life changed for Thea. Running from a succession of wrong turns, she comes to the island in search of blue sea, endless skies, and mountains that make the heart soar. Here, she feels at peace.

As head gardener at Rothach Hall, life is exactly how she wants it, with her days spent working in the glorious clifftop garden and her evenings in the cosy village pub..

But an encounter with a stranger from the mainland brings with it an unexpected turn – and she is left wondering whether he is friend or foe.

It seems that even on Skye, life can catch up with you, and Thea is soon faced with the past she left behind – and with it, the family she’s never met…

From old lives to new beginnings, lose yourself on the beautiful Isle of Skye with Thea as she discovers how many possibilities life can truly hold if you look hard enough.

MY THOUGHTS

My thanks to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for the invite and to Becky Hunter for the paperback copy on behalf of the publisher to review. Sue Moorcroft has been a favourite author for so many years and reviews of many previous books can be found by typing her name into the search bar.

Under a Summer Skye is the first in a trilogy featuring the Skye Sisters. Published by Avon/Harper Collins on 9 May 2024 in ebook, audio and paperback formats. As part of the blog tour, it’s a pleasure to share my thoughts – there is also a fabulous giveaway too, details are below.

Thea Wynter is loving her life as head gardener at Rothach Hall on the Isle of Skye, having made the move from Suffolk following a traumatic event nine years before – the intriguing prologue relating to this had me hooked. She has her own cottage, Thistledome, and spends time with her sister Ezzie, who also works at Rothach as assistant manager. However her peace is to be disturbed by a stranger and a rescued dog.

I loved the vivid and evocative descriptions of Skye and the author’s research trips bring the location to life. I’ve enjoyed holidays to Scotland before but have never been to that part however it is definitely a wishlist destination. Not only Skye but also the delightful looking Quimper, across the channel in Brittany, is also a tempting proposition after the story takes us there.

I so enjoyed getting to know Thea, the youngest of the three Wynter sisters. The eldest, lawyer Valentina lives with her family on the Scottish mainland and having had this introduction to the sisters, I’m looking forward to following their stories in future books. Thea was an easy character to like and engage with and certainly didn’t deserve all the unwanted attention she received from someone in her past. Having appeared on TV years before as part of a gardening/reality show, Thea was no stranger to publicity however now she just wants to live privately and quietly. All is not quite what it seems though and there are some surprises along the way for the reader.

As to be expected with a Sue Moorcroft book, there is a rather hot male lead. Deveron (Dev) Dowie, the ‘accidental gardener’ was well suited to Thea. Both may have made unwise decisions but ultimately they were good people with a natural charm. It is clear to the reader from the outset why Dev is at the Hall and I was on tenterhooks waiting for the inevitable fallout. Thea’s story and her history is the main focus here but there is more besides. The family unit is an important part of the story however that may be formed. The question of identity is raised, and how do we become the people that we are. Is it through genes or nurture.

There is more than just romance here with other background themes including the use and toxicity of social media to make money from someone else’s distress. And there is an adorable dog – I defy anyone not to fall in love with Daisy.

This was a warm and engrossing read from an author who never disappoints. With its superb location, well crafted characters, drama and romance, I thoroughly enjoyed this and I’m definitely there for books 2 and 3.

A Skye Filled With Stars is due to be published October 2024 with Over the Sea to Skye to follow in May 2025.

*** GIVEAWAY ***

Giveaway to Win a Signed copy of Under A Summer Skye, plus Sue Moorcroft Pen and Bookmarks (Open to UK Only)
Giveaway is hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources

*Terms and Conditions – UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author, and her novels have been #1 on Kindle UK and Top 100 on Kindle US, Canada and Italy. She writes two books a year for publishing giant HarperCollins and has won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Novel of the Year, Readers’ Best Romantic Novel award, a HOLT Medallion and the Katie Fforde Bursary. She’s the president of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Her novels, short stories, serials, columns, writing ‘how to’ and courses have appeared around the world.

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Purchase Links : Amazon UK | Amazon.com