An emotional roller-coaster with a satisfying finish. A Sky Full of Love by Lorna Lewis proves that with the love and support of family it’s possible to overcome anything.
A Sky Full of Love Review
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Author: Lorna Lewis creates complex stories where characters must navigate complicated life’s circumstances from infidelity, infertility, betrayal and the power of forgivness.
Themes: love, betrayal, forgiveness, resilience, the power of family and community, the nuances of grief and trauma, rebuilding your identity after trauma, the beauty of second chances.
Representation: and OWN voices story, BIPOC characters and author, mental health representation for PTSD, anxiety and infertility
Content Warnings: kidnapping and sexual assault
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Synopsis
After being abducted and held captive for fifteen years Nova Lefleur’s wish of freedom finally comes true and she’s reunited with her family. Yet, a lot has happened within the family these past fifteen years. Like how her younger sister Leah has married Nova’s husband Quinton and is step-mother to her daughter Skye. Will the family survive these secrets or will the truth threaten to push Nova away?
Craft & Style
When it comes to how this novel was written and its themes explored it went above and beyond my expectations. The way Lorna Lewis discusses the darker themes regarding Nova’s abduction and the abuse she endured were written with care and grace. She manages to provide you with enough context to understand her atrocious experience. She doesn’t provide excessively graphic details. The primary focus is Nova’s emotional and mental state after her rescue and how she never released hope no matter how small that she would be reunited with her family.
The pacing for this novel was a cross between slow and medium as Lewis explored both Nova’s POV and Leah’s POV. I do question the choice to feature Leah’s narrative in third-person omniscient and Nova’s narrative in first-person this does at times make the story feel a little imbalanced but doesn’t prevent enjoying the meat of the novel.
Emotional Impact
This novel excavated my emotions as I felt so many various things. I disagreed wholeheartedly with Leah and her actions and thought processes. While I understood her feeling, fears and pain points. I felt for a woman who was a psychologist she was overly reactive and at sometimes petty towards Nova who was in a tough spot following her rescue.
Nova’s reactions and consequent emotional dysregulation, anxiety and PTSD tracked with what she experienced and I felt her family didn’t show enough patience with her recovery journey as they tried to skip this necessary part of her healing.
Quinton was also frustrating because he should’ve been honest and upfront with Leah about where his head was at and his feelings. Furthermore, his whole ridiculousness towards Lance really tried my nerves. Seriously, my guy you’re mad about an injury from playing high school sports?
Yet, these various complex family dynamics made this story such an engrossing read that I didn’t want to put down. I loved how each character in this novel had to work through their own persona trauma to better support Nova and work towards healing and becoming a family.
Representation
First things first, this novel is starring Black characters and written by a Black woman in a genre where Black stories and authors, especially those who are indie or from less popular publishing houses, get overlooked in favor of Black stories where narrative regarding “Black Struggle” and strife are centered. And while these stories are necessary and Lord knows I love them down. It’s so refreshing to read a Black contemporary fiction that explores trauma that isn’t centered around race.
While we’re on the subject when it comes to books about trauma and the nonlinear journey towards healing I feel this provides excellent representation. It shows the mental health struggles that come with recovering from a traumatic situation like Nova’s. And, it also highlights the importance of family involvement in the healing journey to create supportive environments.
Notable Strengths
Where this novel shines is in how Lorna Lewis developed Nova’s character and its beautiful exploration of its themes dealing with trauma and a family’s unbridled resilience under fire. Nova was arguably the strongest character in this novel. You’re able to connect with her intimately as you understand her trauma and the ways it’s colored her perception of the world around her including her family.
Much of this is attributed to Lewis’s choice to use the first person narrative with Nova and allowing that intimacy to develop. Regarding the themes of the novel they were thoughtfully written focusing on both Nova and Leah and how the past fifteen years impacted them in vastly different ways. Nova with her abduction and living in captivity and Leah with her grief, and infertility challenges.
Potential Hurdles
Some challenges you may experience with this novel involve the differences in narrative structure, the lack of depth with Leah and other supporting characters. Told in two points of view Nova’s and Leah’s we see the complete picture from Nova’s limited time in captivity to her release and reunion with her family and the events afterward.
However, the choice to have Nova’s point of view in first person narrative and Leah’s in third person omniscient felt disjointed which is probably why I connected with Nova more than Leah. Could this be the author’s intention? Maybe but it still felt a bit jarring and I struggled to feel much empathy for Leah and understand her motivations as she came across as petty and selfish much of the time.
Additionally, the other characters from Nova’s mother, her daughter Skye and her ex-husband Quinton also lacked depth for the roles they played in Nova’s life and story. Could including their points of view provided much needed depth and clarity? Definitely. That or perhaps focusing the story strictly on the sisters and taking these additional family members out of the primary narrative may have supported the themes and ending much better.
Deeper Reflections
Overall, this story’s theme regarding this family’s resilience was heartwarming. I loved seeing how throughout the difficulties they didn’t give up on one another and continued to fail forward. They never gave up on one another and went through the process of rebuilding their family in a way that made sense for them and this new future they were stepping into together.
Rating & Who I’d Recommend It To
This novel is perfect for readers who enjoy complex family dynamics with a touch of messy but finishes off with a heartwarming conclusion.
Join the Conversation
When it comes to Black contemporary fiction books what themes and topics do you wish were represented more? Spill in the comments below.
If you’re looking for Black representation in contemporary settings sans the Black struggle check out my review for one of my favorite reads of 2025 Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson. Ebby is a character that will bring you to tears and inspire you.
