South of the Buttonwood Tree is undoubtedly one of the best books I have read this year. In this book, Heather Webber takes her readers for a plunge into the world of magical realism. Blue Bishop is adept at finding lost things because the wind whispers all kinds of secrets to her. When she finds an abandoned baby under the Buttonwood Tree and decides to keep it following the Tree’s instructions, trouble starts brewing. What if the adoption agency deems her unsuitable for being a single parent? What is the identity of the child? Is Persy, her sister, hiding some secrets? What will happen to the bookstore once Moe, the owner, succumbs to dementia? Will Marlo’s magical abilities be enough to heal him?

I loved everything about this book, including the genre, the plot, the characters, and the messages it conveyed. The storyline was smooth and easy-flowing. As the story progressed, it revealed several long-kept secrets that would take the reader by surprise. The characters are probably the most valuable assets of the book. I rooted for Blue and Sarah Grace and wished them a happy ending. I wanted Marlo to be strong enough to heal everyone in need of her magical assistance. Even the not-so-pleasant characters garnered my sympathy once I understood their stories.

The tale, although saddening in some parts, warmed my heart. Webber highlights the fact that a family does not necessarily require blood relations; love is the glue that holds a family together. The story teaches us how important it is to forgive our past mistakes. It urges us to be a little less selfish and a lot more loving. The book has a feel-good vibe that will uplift the reader’s mood. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who loves a cozy, relaxing read.

There is something very soft about this book. Despite the razor edges of some of the problems our protagonists face, there is a cushion of magic thrown to catch them. I do not use the word magic as symbolic but directly pointing to the magical realism woven into the narrative. The extent to which the tale depends on the magic of the town is hard to put into words. I would not recommend this to those people who like just plain realism in their story.
The Bishop family has had it tough for several years. They began as a big, boisterous local family but ended up decimated and left destitute till the remaining two girls turned things around.
Each chapter begins with one or the other person voicing their own views about whether or not Blue Bishop should be allowed custody of a foundling. They made me tearier eyed the further into the book I dove. I wept freely for the revelation chapter.
I read this a few days before the writing of this review, but the calm that the book left me in is still just a feeling away. The writing was smooth and glided through introducing us to all the eccentric characters, none more so than the Buttonwood tree. I read this book at just the right time, and it energized me into restarting reading binges. There is a heavy dose of romance and familial bonding thrown in, and none of it made me cringe! I highly recommend this to anyone on the lookout for a comfortably great read.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

I needed something light and heartwarming with no politics and a happy ending. This was a charming entertaining read with pleasant characters for whom it works out.

This is a mystical story with a few twist and turns. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy.

South of The Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber

This book is a captivating blend of magical realism, heartwarming romance, and small-town southern charm.

This was a complicated story about family, relationships, and not knowing who you are and where you belong. It also wrote about ac magical tree. I recommend this book.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending an advanced reader’s copy for review.

I kept this title on my shelf for a long time, knowing it would be an emotional journey and not having the mental energy to put into it during a pandemic while locked in quarantine. I was right; this one pulls on the heartstrings.
The book is about Blue Bishop, one of the last members of the small town's wildest family with the worst reputation. She's the black sheep since she's never been arrested, never got into a drunken brawl. Blue wants one thing, to be a mama. But she also fears one thing, that whatever baby she brings up will face condemnation from the same town that's judged her.
When Blue finds a baby in the woods, an investigation is opened that turns everyone's lives upside down. Who's the baby's mother? Did she mean for Blue to find the infant? Will the rest of the baby's family come forward and steal the precious girl right out from Blue's arms? Can a woman who never experienced the love of a functional family be a good mama herself?
It's a good story, really good.

South of the Buttonwood Tree was the book I needed. I loved Heather Webber’s last book, and this one was just as good!
It’s similar to Blackbird Cafe in that it’s set in the south, a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business, and plenty of family drama!
Blue Bishop wants a family and when she finds a baby South of the Buttonwood Tree she sees it as a sign that it was meant for her. This starts an avalanche of secrets that are brought to light and Buttonwood, AL will never be the same!

This book had so much heart that it will stay with me for a long time. Everyone has secrets but perhaps none as interlinked as the residents of Buttonwood. All of the characters in this book will leave their mark on your heart but maybe none more than Blue Bishop. She’s never really felt like she’s belonged but she always find those things that are lost. With a bit of magic woven into this novel, it’s the perfect escape from what ails you.

I was intrigued by this premise and was engaged early on as the concept/workings of the Buttonwood tree were described. I also enjoyed the introduction of Blue and her family history. But then the story started to fall flat for me when Sarah Grace entered the picture. I struggled with that character, and the chapters that followed took on a Hallmark movie type feel, which is not my cup of tea. I ultimately DNF’d it, but do think the writing was good, and this story will be great in the hands of the right readers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for me review copy

South of The Buttonwood Tree is a beautiful women's fiction written by Heather Webber. I would say it's a heart-warming story of a strong and independent woman from a small town with a subtle addition of magical realism. 

Blue Bishop is famous for finding lost things, or I would rather say, the winds lead her to lost things that need to be found. When Blue finds a newborn baby under the buttonwood tree, she is absolutely taken by surprise and overwhelming happiness. 

Sarah Grace is another lead character of the story who is a self-made woman instead of depending on the power of her father. She loves renovating old houses and providing homes for those who are in need. Sarah Grace stands at a crossroads and has to make a decision about her life, her marriage and the secret that she has been hiding for years. 

Not only Sarah Grace and Blue Bishop, but there are many other women characters in this book that are special in their own way. South of The Buttonwood Tree is one of the few books with very strong multiple female characters.

I absolutely loved the small town setup. It would be unfair if I miss to mention The Rabbit Hole book store. I absolutely loved it and I can relate to it so well. Books are the best friends any child can have. 
The narration, character detailing, plot, story progression and the happy ending are perfectly written by Heather Webber. Absolutely loved the book and I would recommend this to all book lovers.

#southofthebuttonwoodtree #heatherwebber #forgebooks #netgalley #goodreads #theclippednightingale #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookstagrammer

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I LOVED (hearts, glitter, dancing type of love) Midnight at The Blackbird Cafe and so I knew when I heard there would be a second book- I had to get my hands on it. A handful of emails and some bookish luck on my side and I scored a copy which I promptly read and LOVED.

Heather Webber has a gift, ya’ll and if you aren’t reading her books and you LOVE Southern Lit- then we just can’t be friends till you read them. Seriously.

What I Liked:

The cover. I want to send the Forge book cover folks a bottle of champagne on behalf of Heather Webber for getting these covers so darn perfect. They will NEVER leave my shelf (unless I am re-reading them!)Blue and Sarah Grace. Gosh, I loved these ladies. The bond between them. ❤

The good feeling you get when reading this book and the emotional high it leaves you with 🙂



Bottom line: This book is just pure magic. Gives you so many good feelings! Put Heather Webber on your radar- NOW!

Heather Webber is emerging as the go-to author for magical realism. She's personally become my favorite author over Addison, Morgenstern, and Hoffman. Waiting for her next book.

Fans of Sarah Addison Allen will fall in love with South of the Buttonwood Tree. This gentle brand of Southern magical realism creates a town you want to live in and people you want as your found families. Clear villians and misunderstood family histories give this story the well-rounded feel good read we all need in this crazy world we live in.

This was a glorious book and I had a glorious time reading it! I admit that I could have finished it much earlier but then I wouldn't have been able to savour it. To me, reading South of the Buttonwood Tree was like reading a fairytale....a modern, original fairytale. It surely had all the elements of one and much much more! So much more! ☀️🌟💕💞

Five absolute glorious 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟!

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Macmillan-Tor/Forge Books and the author for Heather Webber for the e-Arc of the book.

This book was published on July 21, 2020.

A charming book that didn't go where I was expecting. I loved the light, whimsical magic of Buttonwood, and how the things that we thought were true at the beginning shifted over time.

This story is a great example of how important "setting" is in the story. Who doesn't want a magical Buttonwood Tree in their town? Who doesn't want to "hear" houses? (And for the record, I'd love to hear old houses tell me their story!)

Besides the magical theme to the stories, there is heart and grit to the story as Blue and Sarah persevere to work through past wrongs and build their own path to happiness. Yes, Blue discovers a newborn under the Buttonwood Tree (with a button note stating the baby is meant for her to raise) but the story is also about a town, family history, and forgiveness. It's my first book by this author and I will definitely check her previous books out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this story.

Buttonwood, Alabama is home to a very special buttonwood tree and also two women who've led very different lives. Blue Bishop has lived in Buttonwood all her life and her family's reputation has followed her every day in every way. Blue longs for a new beginning, but can't part from her sister or Marlo and Moe, who have been substitute parents for her. Sarah Grace also would like a fresh start, but for different reasons. Sarah Grace finds herself in a loveless marriage and wishes she had never walked away from her true love and high school sweetheart Shep, who also just happens to be back in town. If Sarah Grace could only be her real self and open up her secrets to her family, would she find some peace in her life? Blue and Sarah Grace have been distant acquaintances all their lives but then Blue finds a baby in the woods with a button from the Buttonwood Tree that says give this baby to Blue Bishop. Blue has longed to adopt a baby for some time, but Sarah Grace's demanding mother has decided the baby is the perfect solution to Sarah Grace's marriage problems. Who should have the baby and more importantly, where did the baby come from?

This magical novel is so vividly written that you can visualize the Buttonwood Tree and each colorful character as well. I wanted to curl up and read a good book in Marlo and Moe's bookstore. I also wanted to read one of Blue's picture books and see her illustrations. When a book is so well written that you want to meet the characters and see where they live, I take that as a good sign. I also liked the twist at the end and was taken by surprise in how that played out. I hope you enjoy reading South of the Buttonwood Tree as much as I did. Five stars!

I received this book courtesy of Forge Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is Heather Webber 's second book set in magical fictional towns of Alabama. The first one was Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe. Even though I loved it I love this one even more. It is the story of Blue Bishop and baby Flora, the newborn she finds. It's a story about proving to yourself, while you prove to others, the strength you didn't know you had. Loved it!

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

4.5 stars.

This is my second Heather Webber read and I'm not sure which of her two books I have enjoyed more. Her writing and characters are magically reminiscent of Sarah Addison Allen and have a wonderful warmth to them. I adore the way she crafts her characters and gives the town such a wonderful set of diverse personalities and Southern charm.

The read itself is smoothly paced, with good side plots and a charming feel. There is a need to somewhat suspend reality, but isn't that what magical realism is all about? Some pieces are undeniably convenient, but I loved the writing enough that this didn't matter. It's just a good, light-hearted, pick-me-up read and I very much enjoyed it.

South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber is a magical Southern tale. I thought the story was well-written with developed characters set in a charming Southern town. I liked the Buttonwood Tree that dispenses advice when asked, but you had better follow it or be prepared to pay the price. The story follows Blue Bishop and Sarah Grace Fulton as they go on a journey. Blue finds a baby near the Buttonwood Tree with a note that the little girl is meant for her. No one is aware that this child will bring change to certain lives and hidden secrets will be brought out in the open. The story is well thought out and I liked how it all came together at the end. The magical elements are interesting and clever. The author’s vivid imagery brought the town, characters, and tree alive for me. I liked that the characters are realistic with their good traits and their foibles. I loved the descriptions of The Rabbit Hole, the children’s bookshop. Romance is in the air for two of our characters if they are willing to open their hearts. The chapters with various town residents talking to the judge were lively. It allowed readers to learn more about Blue and Judge Quimby. Forgiveness and family are the two central themes of the book. South of the Buttonwood Tree is a charming story that will delight those enjoy novels with magical elements. South of the Buttonwood Tree is a mesmerizing tale with an enchanted tree, an abandoned baby, a helpful house, whispering wind, surprising secrets, and a captivating crow.