One Summer in Savannah

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.

If you're in the mood for a heartfelt, emotional read that will have you in tears—yes, I mean ugly crying—One Summer in Savannah by Terah Shelton Harris is the book for you. This debut novel is a deeply moving story about Sara Lancaster, who returns to Savannah after eight years to care for her ailing father and raise her brilliant daughter, Alana. As Sara navigates the challenges of coming back to her past, she crosses paths with Jacob Wyler, the twin brother of the man who assaulted her.

Harris's prose is stunning and adds so much beauty to this tough story about family, forgiveness, and healing. She tackles the sensitive subjects of trauma and redemption with incredible grace and compassion. Sara's and Jacob's intertwined journeys are compelling and full of unexpected moments that touch the heart. One Summer in Savannah is a powerful, soul-healing read that I would recommend to everyone. It's a book that stays with you long after you've turned the last page.

Great summer read, sweet love story, and a fantastic exploration of family and what that means.

Read this for free with the “Big Library Read on Libby”. I got about 60% through it and then dropped it. It was written well and I think I would have finished it if I didn't have a hold come in.

It's about a 2/5 for me - smooth read.

This was more of a personal touch story. The main character kept a child that came from SA. This handles things well and the author chats about it before the start of the book. People will have their own opinions on this. For me, I just thought the kid was annoying - This is why I don't really read things with a kid character because they are just kinda like plot device to me? Compared to J or YA reads when they are the main character on their own adventure. I had nothing against her decision to keep the child - this was this character's choice to make.

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.