Under A Summer Sky (Follow Your Heart Book 3) by Melody Carlson

Melody Carlson is a writer for all seasons.  Under A Summer Sky is a wonderful addition for summer reading.  Travel first class to Savanna this Summer!  Vicariously, of course with Nicole Anderson, who leaves her Seattle home to manage an art gallery for an old family friend.  The gallery is owned by Vivian Graham, her mother's best friend through school.  While growing up, summer vacations were often spent with the Graham family. Nicole and her sister Kate spent a lot of time with the sons Alex and Ryan.

Arriving in Savanna, Nicole finds she is one step ahead of her old life as a high school art teacher. Staying in the Graham home for the summer home is a dream and when she steps into the gallery she feels like she has stepped into her true calling.  Except, of course, for her snarky coworker, Amyra, an unhappy woman who seems willing to go the extra mile to make things unpleasant.  Determined to make things work, Nicole maintains a positive attitude under pressure and begins to find her niche in the gallery business. It doesn't take long for her to put her own successful stamp on the business.

Nicole presents a positive impact on a situation that could be tough. I found her character admirable.  About the second night of her stay she heard unmistakable noises from the attic.  She called on Ryan to help her investigate only to find Alex's daughter Bernie camping out in protest to her parents pending divorce.  With great aplomb, our heroine embraces the girl in a positive way by allowing her to stay in the home and mentoring her at the gallery.   The way the author characterized Nicole makes her such a good role model for the other young women in the story.

As a single woman, of course there is romance for Nicole and I went back and forth on who I wanted her to choose in the end.  The handsome Alex, who she secretly had a crush on as a teen or younger brother Ryan, the former nerd, who may be more than meets the eye.  Melody Carlson once again played this well and I liked the ending very much.

Savanna in the summer, romance, patience and finding your true calling are woven together in this wonderful summer novel.  I recommend it as an addition to any beach bag or perhaps in that carry on bag you'll stow under your seat as you fly away for your summer vacation!