Beneath the Broken Sky

Wisteria Creek #2

by Emily Scotto

When a violent storm rips through Wisteria Creek, Madison Coleloses more than her home. She also loses the fragile stability she’s spent years building for her and her daughter. Forced to stay in the guest house of her best friend’s infuriating, undeniably attractive older brother, she finds herself confronting memories she thought she’d outgrown.

Seth Cunningham has always been the man she could never quite figure out. The boy who teased her, the teenager who kept his distance, and the adult who now watches her with a quiet intensity she doesn’t understand. Living steps apart was supposed to be temporary. However, beneath long summer evenings and soft moments they never meant to share, their friction begins to shift into something neither of them is ready for.

Under a sky broken open by storms, Madison and Seth learn that sometimes the pieces left behind create something stronger, deeper, and worth fighting for.

Frenemies-to-lovers tension, found family warmth, and the tender pull of a love written in the quiet moments, Beneath the Broken Sky is a heart-stirring small-town romance about healing, hope, and home.

249 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 6, 2026

About the author

Hi, I’m Emily! I’m a South Carolina romance author who believes in small towns, second chances, and happily ever afters. When I’m not writing, you can usually find me in the garden, curled up with a good book, or hanging out with my husband. My book, Pages of Our Past is our now, and Beneath the Broken Sky releases June 6th!

Reviews

[enchantedmelreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

☀️Single Mom
🌻Best Friend’s Brother
☀️Forced Proximity
🌻Frenemies to Lovers
☀️Found Family
🌻Small Town Romance


This was such a sweet, wholesome small town romance. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. I absolutely melted over how sweet and patient Seth was with Madison’s daughter, Olive. Their connection felt so genuine, and I loved watching both Seth and Madison secretly pine for each other while trying so hard to protect their hearts after past hurt. But when they finally let their walls down, the chemistry was everything.

I also loved how involved Blair, Greyson, and honestly the entire town were in helping each other after the big storm. The sense of community and found family made this story feel extra cozy and heartwarming. This was such a perfect small town romance and easily the kind of book you want to curl up with all summer long. Add this one to your summer TBR immediately!

[Ryann Henning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seth and Madison are so amazing! This book gave me so much love and comfort. Book 2 in Emily’s Wisteria Creek series gave small town vibes and cozy vibes. I felt like I was in Wisteria Creek! Seth is grumpy and closed off while Madison just wants to be loved with her Olive girl. That little angel has so much imagination and it was so refreshing to see! This slow burn was torture but so worth it. This couple deserves all the happiness and love and family. Thank you Emily for trusting me with Seth and Madison! I cannot wait for Maddox’s book next!

[Destin Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of ARC reading Beneath The Broken Sky by Emily Scotto, the second book in the Wisteria Creek series, and from the very first chapter, this story completely pulled me in. If you love small-town romances that make your heart ache, heal, and swoon all at once, then this is a book you need on your summer TBR immediately. The story follows Madison, a strong and fiercely devoted single mom doing everything she can to give her daughter Olive a good life. But when a violent thunderstorm tears through town and leaves their home partially destroyed and unlivable, Madison is forced to rely on the last person she ever expected… Seth, the town’s grumpy, emotionally guarded architect overseeing the repairs. Seth has spent years convincing himself that love, relationships, and family simply aren’t meant for him after being hurt in the past. But the moment Madison and Olive step into his life, and his guest house, everything he thought he wanted begins to change. What starts as forced proximity quickly turns into something tender, emotional, and impossible to resist. This book delivers everything I love in a romance book: small-town charm, found family, grumpy x sunshine chemistry, enemies to lovers tension, emotional healing, and perfectly balanced spice that adds to the story instead of overpowering it. But what truly made this book stand out was the heart. The relationship development felt authentic and emotional, and there were so many moments that made me smile, swoon, and genuinely root for these characters to find their happily ever after. Beneath The Broken Sky feels like the kind of story you curl up with for “just one chapter” and suddenly realize hours have passed because you can’t put it down. If you’re looking for a romance that feels comforting, emotional, and completely addictive, this one deserves a spot at the top of your reading list. I already cannot wait for my next trip back to Wisteria Creek!

[a r u s h i · Rating 3 out of 5]

i went into beneath the broken sky by emily scotto without reading the first book in the wisteria creek series and somehow that made this experience even more surprising because now i desperately want to go back and read book one. that alone probably says enough about how invested i ended up becoming in these characters.

at first, i’ll admit i struggled a little with the pacing because everything felt like it was moving very quickly. plot points rolled into each other almost too fast for me to properly settle into them and i wasn’t sure if i was fully connecting with the story. but chapter by chapter, something shifted.

what completely won me over was the relationship between madison and her daughter olive. their bond felt so warm and comforting and honestly became the emotional heart of this book for me. olive absolutely stole every scene she was in with the way she naturally glided into seth’s life. watching seth slowly settle into their dynamic and care for this little four year old girl was genuinely one of the sweetest parts of the story. there’s something so wholesome about seeing characters build a sense of family in small quiet moments and this book did that beautifully.

the story is told through multiple points of view mainly madison and seth with some blair chapters as well and while i usually enjoy dual povs, i did feel like the repeated mentions of the “storm” brewing in their lives became slightly repetitive by the end. it felt like every chapter closed on a similar emotional note which occasionally pulled me out of the flow of the story.

but despite that, i still thoroughly enjoyed this book. it ended up being a very comforting and heartfelt read with characters i genuinely cared about and now i’m surprisingly attached to this series. thank you to Emily Scotto and Naughty Nook PR for the arc copy!!

[Soha Amer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emotional warmth, chemistry, and comforting romance vibes. Beneath the Broken Sky by Emily Scotto is a soft, emotional small-town romance built on healing, quiet love, and the kind of connection that grows slowly in the middle of chaos.

After a devastating storm changes everything, Madison is forced into close proximity with Seth Cunningham—the one man who has always managed to frustrate and unsettle her in equal measure. What begins as tension and unresolved history gradually turns into something much deeper through shared space, vulnerability, and small everyday moments.

The strength of this story is its emotional intimacy. Rather than relying on dramatic twists, it focuses on comfort, trust, and the slow rebuilding of stability after loss. Seth’s quiet care and Madison’s emotional resilience make their dynamic feel warm, believable, and deeply heartfelt.

What stands out most:

* small-town romance atmosphere
* forced proximity / guest house trope
* older brother tension
* single mom representation
* emotional healing journey
* soft, quiet romance moments
* found family warmth

The romance feels tender and grounded, with emotional moments that hit hardest in the quiet scenes rather than the dramatic ones.

[Annie Pruitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Stars — Absolutely Heart-Stealing!

Beneath the Broken Sky by Emily Scotto completely swept me away. This story is packed with emotion, healing, hope, and one of the most swoon-worthy romances I’ve read in a long time.

Madison is a heroine you can’t help but root for. She’s strong, vulnerable, and doing everything she can to build a better life while carrying the weight of her past. Then there’s Seth—kind, patient, protective, and absolutely deserving of book boyfriend status. The chemistry between them felt natural and heartfelt, and watching their relationship develop had me smiling through so many chapters.

But the true scene-stealer is little Olive. She brought so much warmth, humor, and sweetness to the story that every moment involving her melted my heart. The bond she shares with Madison is beautiful, and seeing Seth become part of their world made the emotional moments hit even harder.

Emily Scotto crafted a story filled with tenderness, resilience, and the reminder that even after life’s hardest storms, love can still find a way through. The romance is swoony, the characters feel real, and the emotional depth kept me fully invested from beginning to end.

If you love heartfelt romances featuring a strong single mother, a hero you’ll fall head over heels for, and an adorable child who steals every scene she’s in, Beneath the Broken Sky is a must-read. I laughed, I teared up, and I closed the final page with a huge smile on my face.

Highly recommend! 💕📚✨

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book so so much 4.5 ⭐️. The standout part about this book was Seth and Olive. One of my favorite things to read is when a child softens either the FMC or MMC. This book was just a good time happy read.

Madison was such a great mom to Olive and I loved their little family of two was cute. The way the author wrote their scenes I could vividly picture it. She was rightfully guarded and loved watching her walls come down.

Seth - I highlighted a lot of what he said or thought. He genuinely cared for Olive and it was so sweet and so special to read. It was fun watching his walls break down and once they did… he went all in for both Madison and Olive. They’re trio family of three was so cute.

I also really liked that there wasn’t any drama regarding Olive’s dad randomly coming back in the picture or Seth’s ex randomly showing up.

[Daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a wholesome read. Madison and Seth both had these walls up because they both have been hurt but the way they slowly brought them down for one another was the best. I loved little miss Olive. Every time she was around she managed to steal the moments with her cuteness and the imagination she had was amazing. The way she had Seth melting in her hands from the moment they showed up to his guesthouse. The way she knew he belong in their life from that moment she called him Uncle Seth. I loved the found family dynamic within the community and the slow burn was definitely worth it. The spice was the exact amount that this story needed to just add a little razzle dazzle!

[Jamie Ruocco-Daurity · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED the second book in the series. It was a very sweet, slow burn romance and I really loved the single mom angle as it resonated with me. As a single Mom it's not easy to date as you are always thinking about how the person will interact with your kid. The author handled all the tough topics with a lot of sensitivity which I appreciated. Can't wait to to read Maddox's story❤️

[Shouty · Rating 5 out of 5]

IF HAVING A STORM DAMAGE MY ROOF COULD LEAD TO *THIS*, BRING IT ON*!!!!

*JUST KIDDING, I LIVE IN FLORIDA, PLEASE DO NOT BRING IT ON

[Shannon Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good book. It captured my attention from the beginning. It’s a great book if you love small town, found family, single mom, best friends brother. I loved Seth and Madison!