Women’s fiction

Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey “I picked up this book off my shelf expecting a quick beach read, but it ended up being so much more,” says Patty Bontekoe, FIRST Executive Editor. Still reeling from the recent unexpected end of her marriage, journalist Amelia Saxton soon uncovers personal information about her childhood friend Parker’s late wife. When she shares what she knows with Parker, it forces them both to make some big decisions—and this ends up changing both of their lives in ways they never planned. “The story is told mostly from Amelia and Parker’s points of view, and I enjoyed seeing how these old friends dealt with their heartbreak—and how they helped each other heal,” says Patty. “Woodson Harvey kept me guessing with a few surprises along the way, and in the end, this story reminded me that life is never what you expect…and that can be a good thing!” (Gallery, 2021)