One Summer in Savannah

A Novel

By: Terah Shelton Harris

Narrated by: Zuzu Robinson

Length: 13 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

A compelling debut that glows with bittersweet heart and touching emotion, deeply interrogating questions of family, redemption, and unconditional love in the sweltering summer heat of Savannah, as two people discover what it means to truly forgive.

It's been eight years since Sara Lancaster left her home in Savannah, Georgia. Eight years since her daughter, Alana, came into this world, following a terrifying sexual assault that left deep emotional wounds Sara would do anything to forget. But when Sara's father falls ill, she's forced to return home and face the ghosts of her past.

While caring for her father and running his bookstore, Sara is desperate to protect her curious, outgoing, genius daughter from the Wylers, the family of the man who assaulted her. Sara thinks she can succeed—her attacker is in prison, his identical twin brother, Jacob, left town years ago, and their mother are all unaware Alana exists. But she soon learns that Jacob has also just returned to Savannah to piece together the fragments of his once-great family. And when their two worlds collide—with the type of force Sara explores in her poetry and Jacob in his astrophysics—they are drawn together in unexpected ways.

©2023 Terah Shelton Harris (P)2023 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Readers will be completely swept up and absorbed by Harris's emotionally evocative storytelling, as she exquisitely probes the bittersweet depths of the human condition and the renewable nature of the heart and soul."—Shelf Awareness

Forgiveness

I love this book I own the book I just had to hear it on here. I'm a survivor of rape and her story was so moving it may not have been real but it was real for me. Forgiveness is key to a happier and healthier life.

Forgiveness and Choices

This book drew me in from the start. Beautiful story of forgiveness, the realties of rape and the choices one makes in the face of tragedy. The ending renders me speechless. Lovely.

Sylvia, I loved her personality and her role in facilitating Sarah and j connection

Loved how the story was told. Although there were other characters I enjoyed them keeping the narratives between two characters

Would recommend

Liked the fluid naïveté of the main character, Sara… definitely a good effort for a debut

A winning debut

👉🏻 Read if: emotional reads, single parent romance, found family, angst, overcoming trauma, messy families, book hangovers

𝑴𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒚. 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒘𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑫𝒂𝒛𝒛𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕-𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒖𝒍. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒕.

I abhor having to review books I loved. Where do I even begin?

As soon as I finished this breathtaking debut, I knew immediately it would be in my favorites of 2023. Easily one of the most beautiful books I have ever read, I find myself still thinking about these characters.

At its core, this is a story about family; the family we are born into and the family we seek out. But rich with layer upon layer of subplot, this book encompasses so much more. It deals with trauma in a very realistic and relatable way. It examines the ideas of forgiveness and acceptance, especially as it pertains to family. And it deals with finding love again in the face of life-altering trauma.

Jose unique communication, spiritual, religious elements and focus on intelligence.

The narrator pauses misplaced. Descriptive proses at times excessive. I enjoyed the story line and that, although major problematics family issues, not the run of the mill poor black family, drugs, etc.

Good story, not great performance

I think I would have liked this more if I had read it verses listening to it. The performance was extremely choppy. Almost as if the narrator was pausing after every word. I ended up listening to it on a much faster pace than I would have preferred to in order to get through it.

However, the story was great. I loved the development of the characters.

Forgiveness unlocks…

This book was exactly what we need. Forgiveness unlocks all the locks we have holding us back internally. Sara had every right to keep everything inside because of the heart and pain inflicted upon her and her family. But eventually she had to do what was best and release herself of a weight that had been holding her back, her family, her child back for far too long. The story line was electrifying, you were left wanting more. I would love to know what happens after forgiveness has been rendered. I feel as though there should be a sequel to come from this.

The story. The underlying thoughts.

I got a little confused by the voices, but I was driving at the same time. It will be a pleasure to listen again more carefully.

I just love this book so much!!!

This has now become my favorite book. I loved everything about this book. The pain and hurt and the love. How it all came together in the end. I certainly hope the author is writing more books. The narrator was great also. Her voice kept you listening. Kinda bummed I finished it so quickly.