South of the Buttonwood Tree by author, Heather Webber
ARC

Buttonwood, Alabama~ the name of this charming little town alone, had drawn me in and left me wanting to know more about all its treasures just waiting to be discovered.

'Bishop'~ The family name tied to trouble. No matter the generations before her with their questionable family behavior, choices and bad decisions, a sordid past if you will...the label has stuck to Blue Bishop like molasses...

In being the black sheep of Buttonwood, she continues to deal with the town's petty judgements and grudges thrust upon her by escaping to, and sheltering within a world that only she can create. Her private world~ one filled with the fictional characters and places through her artistic creations of writing and illustrating children's picture books.

"The wind always led me to the lost."

With the ability of discovering what needs to be found, Blue is led to her most incredible find yet - an abandoned newborn baby nestled near a tree. But this isn't your average tree in the forest. It's something not of this world, with its mystical, magical properties, and its ability to counsel those who seek guidance. The Buttonwood Tree~ a legend in its own right.

Sarah Grace Landreneau Fulton... A woman who is responsible for upholding her high-place within the community, at least by her mothers standards, holds many secrets of her own.

Blue and Sarah's lives become intertwined in a way they never expected by the life altering discoveries that now surround them and come to the realization, things will never again be the same.

South of the Buttonwood Tree, with its wonderful characters and unique storyline, add depth, and meaning to this lovely story, one that has led me on an delightful yet mysterious journey with its heartache, unconditional love, and true Southern Charm. A captivating tale that has intrigued and entertained me throughout...

4 Stars

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Another winner from Heather Webber! I love the way the author infuses her books with magical realism. Reading them is like enjoying a warm beverage with a blanket on a cold day. She really makes you feel like you're a part of a Southern family and friend group.

In this story, a woman Blue, who thinks she is the town outcast, finds a baby in the woods. Her journey to adopt the baby involves friends and family old and new. This novel really shows how friends can make a family and how a community can become one to support someone they love. Conflict, secrets and romance all make an appearance in this charming Southern story.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars I REALLY liked it.

I absolutely adored this book. It had a touch of magic and a whole lot of family secrets! I will admit, it took me a bit longer to get into this one then it did for me to get into Midnight at the Blackbird Café, but it was still a fantastic read. I loved the growth of Blue and Sarah Grace's friendship, as well as the growth of each woman individually. I've actually read it twice now, once when I first got it and again, just before publication date!

There's so much love in this book, so much charm and a dash of mystery too, and I just couldn't put it down.

A lovely story my fans of "Southern lit" will enjoy. The writing painted a picture and the characters were engaging and relatable. I can't wait to share it...

South of the Buttonwood Tree

This book had the right amount of almost-fantasy, almost-magic and whispering winds mingled with tangled life situations that kept me turning the pages. Something in the wind, talking houses, and maternal tree that helped the community find itself engaged me to the very end. This is a quick read, and for me was fully satisfying.

I loved the characters, was thrilled with the outcome, and don’t want to spoil it for anyone.

I do have a question, though: where can we get our own buttonwood tree?

4 stars. All buttoned up.

A sincere thank you to Heather Webber, Forge Books and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

I have read Heather Webber books before (Lucy Valentine and Nina Quinn) and I have always enjoyed them for the easy style and the realness of the characters.
When I read some reviews I heard the words 'magical realism' and googled it.

This is a beautiful story about family and fighting for what you want in life. The story was quite original with the Buttonwood tree and the characters were real and endearing.

50+
13
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* Jones
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EXCERPT: It was the kind of day in Buttonwood, Alabama, where trouble slipped into town with the breeze, jarring awake sleepy springtime leaves on the massive oaks and sky-high hickories. It scraped parched dirt, sending dust skittering along the trail like it was running for cover. It whistled its warning, plain as day to anyone who cared to listen.

If anyone could recognize the cautionary tune, it was me.

I was a Bishop after all. My family name was practically synonymous with the word 'trouble'. Daddy, Twyla, and my three brothers had embraced trouble like long-lost kin, consequences be damned. And look where that had landed them - each now dead and buried.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Blue Bishop has a knack for finding lost things. While growing up in charming small-town Buttonwood, Alabama, she's happened across lost wallets, jewelry, pets, her wandering neighbor, and sometimes, trouble. No one is more surprised than Blue, however, when she comes across an abandoned newborn baby in the woods, just south of a very special buttonwood tree.

Sarah Grace Landreneau Fulton is at a crossroads. She has always tried so hard to do the right thing, but her own mother would disown her if she ever learned half of Sarah Grace's secrets.

The unexpected discovery of the newborn baby girl will alter Blue's and Sarah Grace's lives forever. Both women must fight for what they truly want in life and for who they love. In doing so, they uncover long-held secrets that reveal exactly who they really are--and what they're willing to sacrifice in the name of family.

MY THOUGHTS: 'What's that Dahl quote? 'Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.'

I found magic in this wonderful book. By the end of the first page, I knew that I had found something special. Heather Webber, whom I have never read before, reached out and touched my heart, enchanted my mind, and kept me enamored right through to the last page.

The characters are depicted so clearly and cleverly that they are never anything less than real. 'Sarah Grace.....if she were a book, her binding would be pristine, and her pages glued together to hide what was inside.' 'If there were a personification of Southern Gothic, it would be Oleta. Dressed in one of her overly starched, vintage short-sleeve shirtwaist dresses with matching pillbox hat, she was altogether nightmarish with her nearly skeletal figure, short grey hair, black eyes, sharp cheekbones, barbed tongue, and utter self-righteousness.'

The writing is gentle and enthralling. It is Southern. I could hear the characters in my mind. The story of this abandoned baby tore at my heartstrings and misted my eyes. Notice that I didn't say 'unloved.' Baby Flora is loved greatly, by a large number of people.

There is a lot of love in this book. Not romance. Love. Blue's love for this tiny baby left for her to find. Her love for her family, the notorious Bishops. Marlo and her love for her husband Moe, now suffering from dementia. And magic. The magic of love.

There is also a good dose of mystery in South of the Buttonwood Tree, and it's not confined to the identity of the baby's mother.

If you need a little magic in your life, or you want a wonderful read that will make you forget the current troubles in the world, this is the book that will do it.

❤❤❤❤.6

'In the book of life, everyone has chapters they don't like reading out loud.'

THE AUTHOR: Heather Webber, aka Heather Blake, is the author of more than twenty-five novels. She loves to read, drink too much coffee and tea, birdwatch, crochet, and bake. She currently lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, and is hard at work on her next book.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

*Many thanks to Heather Webber, Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
An engaging read with magical realism and Southern grit. I really enjoyed the descriptions of life in a small town with one special tree that influences the inhabitants.

It has been a long time since I have picked up a such a well told and whimsical story. The magical realism brought me so much joy, and I found the overall novel to be a balm for my soul. I would highly recommend this one for fans of Sarah Addison Allen, and fans of magical realism in general.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As I finished it I found myself smiling. Nice to read a book that ties everything together at the end in a happy ending. Just the kind of book that is needed right now. As it started I was confused as to who was who but as I continued reading I was able to figure everyone out. I didn't want to stop reading as I needed to find out what was going to happen to all the characters. The author described the characters so you could get a picture of them and felt like you knew them. Great writing, great story.

What a delight this book was. Southern charm with a dash of magical whimsy. It’s like if this book was caramel and the magic was the salt making it that much more delightful. Plus the magic elements just fit into the story and aren’t overly explained. The characters are human and flawed and therefore relatable and likeable. There are family secrets, a tree that dispenses wisdom and unexpected delights to be found within these pages.

For readers who like Katherine Center, Sweet Magnolias, and Hart of Dixie.

Finding lost things has always been easy for Blue Bishop. Things would just be there when Blue found herself walking around her hometown of Buttonwood, Alabama. She would come across pets, wallets, jewelry, and even trouble on occasion. The one thing she had never come across was a newborn baby, that was until now. While walking in the woods she happened upon an a newborn but she doesn't understand who could do such a thing to one so small and precious.
Sarah Grace has secrets and if those were to ever come to light her mom would definitely disown her. She has always done her.best to be a good person and choose do good things over the bad. Now that some of her transgressions are trying to come to light she isn't sure what direction she should take.
Blue and Sarah are both in for some major changes g their lives. They both must figure out which path to take and make peace with what they have chosen. With secrets making themselves known will either be able to follow the bath they both wish to journey down? This was such a lovely read that rugged at my heartstrings, I couldn't put it down once I picked it up.

Another beautiful book by Heather Webber. The Buttonwood tree makes predictions on small pieces of wood and settles questions for the residents of Buttonwood, Alabama. When a baby is abandoned near the tree decrees that the baby should go to Blue Bishop, a local woman from an infamous family who has knack for finding lost things. I loved this book. I won’t say any more about it as I don’t want to ruin its delicate magic.

I just love this author and the series! This is the second book and I would definitely recommend both of them. Very well written and engaging. Highly recommended!

So I’m happy to say that this book surprised me in the best way. It just felt like a comfort read from beginning to end. It takes place in a small Southern town and has great characters, family secrets, and some sweet love stories.⁣
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I’m not a fan of magical realism but there was just something about the Buttonwood Tree. I usually feel like magical realism is too distracting in a book or is used too conveniently to move the story in a certain direction. But I never felt that with this book.⁣
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The Buttonwood Tree and it’s magic are obviously a main part of the book, but it never felt like it overshadowed the rest of the story. I was able to focus on the characters and the plot all while the magical elements were naturally woven through. ⁣
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If you’re looking for a light book that’s a little quirky that will just make you feel good, or like me, are looking to give magical realism another chance, pick up South of the Buttonwood Tree.⁣
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Lovable characters will steal your heart in this southern saga. There’s magic in the air in Buttonwood, Alabama. A long ago tragedy brings people to the Buttonwood Tree to see what a bottom has to say to them. Grab this book and find out all the secrets that show how this town has forgiveness and love for Blue Bishop and all her family.
Thank you NetGalley and Heather Webber for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

"And with this final piece of the puzzle, suddenly I knew deep in my soul that I'd finally found what I'd been looking for my whole life long. The thing with no name was me. I'd simply never realized it, because I hadn't known I'd been lost."
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4.5 glorious stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
South of the Buttonwood Tree is Heather Webber's latest novel. This was the first book of hers that I have read but it will definitely not be the last. I absolutely fell in love with her writing style and she is truly a master at drawing you into a story. I loved the magical realism elements that she subtly but masterfully weaves into her tale.
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Webber tells the story of Blue and Sarah Grace who live in a small Alabama town. The Buttonwood Tree is something of myth and folklore that not everyone believes in. It is known to tell the receiver of the button their fate/life's purpose. I absolutely loved how the author changed perspectives throughout the book, as the reader learned more and more about everyone's stories.
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I loved everything about this book and cannot wait wait to read more Heather Webber novels.
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Thank you so much to NetGalley and Heather Webber for the advanced copy. ARC provided for my honest review.

This time of crisis is the perfect time to escape into a novel of feel-good magical realism. Heather Webber, author of Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, has done it again with South of the Buttonwood Tree. She has delivered a heartwarming read that steadily lifts the spirits.

Blue Bishop finds lost things, but has always felt alienated from her community, despite all the help she gives them. Then she finds an abandoned infant near the Buttonwood Tree, and everything starts to change, for her and for others.

I don't know what it is about magical realism that just speaks to me and makes me happy--but, it's a genre that I can't seem to be able to get enough of lately. And don't be fooled--there are only a few authors who seem to be able to pull it off without it seeming childish or cheesy.

Heather Webber has absolutely managed to capture the heart of the south and all its intricacies. Obviously, stereotypes are just that--stereotypes. And, therefore, don't always apply to every one.

But, I can tell you, that there are so many points Webber manages to make with South of the Buttonwood Tree, and the southern way of life is what colors the story and makes it feel real.

Blue Bishop finds things--how? Well, that's the beauty of magical realism. She finds them because she's got some inborn, magical ability... Sarah Grace can "speak" to houses. She knows what they're feeling or trying to say--and sometimes they love her back with a ferocity that becomes protectiveness.

There's so much magic in this story. And there's so much reality, as well. The reality that is an older generation of southern women and their desire to appear a certain way. To be "better."

All the magic and south aside, this is a story of family, and hope, and new beginnings for people who really, truly, need new beginnings.

This book is right up there with Midnight at the Blackbird Café--I needed this read right now.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. My review will be posted, at the given link, on 7/30/20.

Looking for something a little light, a little fun with southern charm and magical realism??? Look no further!

<i>If you believe in magic, come along with me
We'll dance until morning 'til there's just you and me
And maybe, if the music is right
I'll meet you tomorrow, sort of late at night
And we'll go dancing, baby, then you'll see
How the magic's in the music and the music's in me </i>-The Lovin' Spoonful

Family, it not just the people you are related to, it is those you let into your heart. This book is full of Southern Charm, family, relationships, a tree that gives advice, a small town, women with special abilities and the question about who Flora’s mother is. Who indeed? Will the search for the truth unravel some secrets, will old grudges be forgiven, will love conquer all? Small towns are where you know everyone, and everyone knows you and your business.... or do they? This can be both a blessing and a curse.

These characters each have a journey to go on, each is interesting, vivid and real. When Blue finds a newborn baby in the woods, everything changes. Sarah Grace listens to houses. She has a knack for redecorating and well, she has her secrets and.... (read the book!)

I found this to be an extremely sweet, charming, light read. Perfect for the time we are living in. Who doesn't want an escape from time to time? I know I do! I look forward to more books by Webber.

I received a copy of this book from Macmillan -Forge Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.