"Under a Summer Sky" by Melody Carlson

About this book:

  “High school art teacher Nicole Anderson is looking forward to a relaxing summer in Savannah, house-sitting and managing an art gallery for a family friend. The house is luxurious in a way that only old money could make it, and the gallery promises interesting days in a gorgeous setting. Yet it isn't long before her ideal summer turns into more than she bargained for: a snooty gallery employee who's determined to force her out, a displaced adolescent roosting in the attic, and two of Nicole's close childhood friends--who also happen to be brothers--vying for her attention.
   With a backdrop of a beautiful historical city, incredible architecture, and even an alleged ghost or two, combined with the opportunity for romance . . . anything can happen!
Bestselling and award-winning author Melody Carlson invites readers to spend the summer surrounded by beauty and tantalizing possibilities for the future.”


Series: Book #3 in the “Follow Your Heart” series. (Review of Book #1, Here! and #2 Here! But can be read as stand-alones.)

Spiritual Content- A couple Scriptures are mentioned & quoted; A few prayers & thanking God; A few talks about God; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, & sermons; Mentions of blessings & being blessed; A few mentions of religious paintings; A mention of a godsend; A mention of a miracle;

*Note: Nicole goes on a ghost tour (up to semi-detailed, but not truly scary); Many mentions of haunted houses and places (but not like at an amusement park), ghosts (some believe there are ghosts, but Nicole doesn’t), & ghost tours; A mention of feeling odd supernatural effects at a place.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘idiot’ and six form of ‘stupid’s; Some sarcasm & eye rolling; A party with adults and alcohol, only some young teens get into the vodka & get sick (barely-above-not-detailed); Drinking champagne; Many mentions of divorces, going through one, & parents fighting; Mentions of wars, battles, & deaths; Mentions of slavery & slave labor; Mentions of a house party with alcohol, shots, & a girl who had alcohol poisoning; Mentions of alcohol poisoning & throwing up; Mentions of alcohol (beer, wine, vodka, & champagne), a pub/brewery & drinking; Mentions of a possible break-in, a robbery, & intruder; Mentions of teasing, bullies, mean girls, & hatred; Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of a murder & suicide with the son finding his parents’ bodies; A few mentions of a fire & deaths; A few mentions of injuries; A couple mentions of a suspicious murder; A couple mentions of thieves; A couple mentions of pierces & tattoos; A couple mentions of lies & lying; A mention of poison; A mention of horror films;

*Note: Going to & Mentions of Starbucks; Mentions of celebrities (Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Adele, & the Kardashians); Mentions of brands (Range Rover, Mercedes, BMW, Hermès, & Ralph Lauren); Mentions of vampires; Mentions of the Munsters; A mention of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean.

Sexual Content- two barely-above-not-detailed kisses and a semi-detailed kiss; Touches & Embraces (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Smelling; a ‘hot’ and two ‘hussy’s; Many mentions of crushes, dating, dates, boyfriends, girlfriends, breakups, & exes; Mentions of noticing & attention; Mentions of falling [in love with] for someone; Mentions of flirting; Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of a couple who was pregnant when they got married; Attention from two guys; Love, falling in love & a bit of the emotions; 

            *Note: A few mentions of a skimpy nightgown & a man’s whistling at Nicole; A mention of a young girl wearing a bikini.

-Nicole Anderson, age 29
                                        P.O.V. of Nicole
                                                        300 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

The beginning held my interest, but as the book went on I started not enjoying it as much. My main problem was that the romances felt forced. Especially with that ending—it was very rushed and quite honestly just faded out as you read the last bit. No exciting big moment, at least, in my opinion.

I did liked Nicole at first, but during her interactions with the brothers, I was shaking my head at different parts. I don’t feel like she had a connection to either of them, honestly. I enjoyed the art gallery parts and found myself wishing there was more of that.

It was a decently cute read—there were a lot of mentions of ghosts and haunting houses that some might not like however—but I didn’t find it to be the author’s best or anywhere near her best book(s).  

See y’all on Wednesday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.