I have so many feels after finishing South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber and I'm not sure that I'm even remotely ready to read anything else. It is a story of love, forgiveness and purpose. This book is so enchanting, you can't help but believe that maybe if you open yourself up, you might be lucky to experience the magic in the air. This story shows the continued struggles of the characters and how their ferocious love is undoubtedly the greatest gift of all. Before the book is over, you will find yourself surrounded by love, sadness and then warmth of family. -
-
Blue Bishop has continued to be haunted by her families past mistakes. No matter how good she is, the small tight-knit community of Buttonwood is saturated with judgment filled memories. Blue has always known herself to be different. She has a special connection to lost things. The wind speaks to her when things are lost, and this time it takes her to an abandoned baby.
-
-
I won't say anymore because I truly belive you MUST read this book. You can experience the secrets as they unfold. Before you know it the words will engulf you in a magical and familiar warmth. 🧡

What a wonderful, gentle tale of lost love and letting go of long ago grudges.

Blue Bishop can find lost things with the help of the wind, Sarah Grace can talk to houses and Marlo has the power to heal and they all live in a town where the Buttonwood Tree dispenses words of wisdom via buttons. This lick of magic moves this book from ordinary to beautiful. The characters are so well written and engaging and the mystery of who left the baby by the tree is subtle and unexpected. I so enjoyed reading this.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

One of the most heartwarming books I’ve read in years!⁣
⁣
The way the author weaves the characters lives together, and turns what from the outside looks like simple southern superstition into a real, well-kept secret of magic in the south is beautiful. The two main characters have their own small form of magic that they’ve known their whole lives, and as the story forms you find out about some others having some magic of their own.⁣
⁣
When I say magic I don’t mean the kind in a fantasy book, but closer to the real life magic of visiting a beautiful and very old forest. The contemplation of the possibility that maybe the people who grow up near some place so magical could have a deeper connection, and could maybe tap into that magic themselves.⁣
⁣
The contrast between Blue and Sarah Grace brings intense perspective to the story. Blue being from a family with such a terrible reputation, and Sarah Grace from one marked “perfect,” with bad blood between the two in generations past. It’s evident that Blue and Sarah Grace are fated to take on important roles in each other’s lives, and it’s nice to see that develop. ⁣
⁣
It’s fun to try and puzzle out what the bigger picture is and how the things connect, but once the puzzle is fully formed, I don’t think I could have ever accurately predicted how everything would fit together seamlessly.⁣
⁣
𝗔 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲, 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆, 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁. ⁣
⁣

Wow! This book is amazing. This is the second book I have read from this author. The first book I have read, The Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe was amazing. South of the Buttonwood Tree is the second book and certainly didn't disappoint me.

In a nutshell, Blue Bishop has a gifted ability to find lost things. But one day, she finds an abandoned baby near south of the Buttonwood Tree, which is actually a legendary tree that gives and grants wishes with the words in the button that the tree gives out. Then in another story, Sarah Grace is dealing with her own unhappy marriage and was worried about pleasing her mother, particularly if her mother knows about her secrets...
The baby will then change both the women's lives and this is the story about that.

Just like the Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, this book also deals about a folklore and how this folklore changed the small town of Buttonwood. The writing was good, the author doing a good job of engaging the reader into the story. The story is told from the perspectives of Blue Bishop and Sarah Grace so as a reader, we will get to know what type of secrets they are actually holding, their thoughts, their feelings and emotions. Towards the end, it was certainly a big twist--an unexpected twist that I did not expect. Also I like all the feelings that Blue is going through, simply because she was "Bishop" as the Bishop family are not very liked by the comunity.

Overall, this is an enjoyable, heartbreaking and emotional read, that will keep you reading until the end. Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for giving me an advanced copy for an honest review!

In Buttoneood, Alabama the Bishop name is synonymous with trouble. When Blue Bishop finds a newborn baby near the magical buttonwood tree, the entire town has an opinion on what should be done with the baby. As the story unfolds, we learn more about Blue and her family and their relationships within the community. This is a very sweet story about the dynamics of a small town and the definition of family. I was immediately invested in the lives of the characters and how they were each affected by the appearance of this newborn baby and the advice they received from the magical buttonwood tree.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC of this great summer read. I’m looking forward to reading more of Heather Webber’s books.

When Blue discovers newborn baby Flora under the magical Buttonwood Tree, her life as well as that of her friend, Sarah Grace, will never be the same. Will Blue finally find what she's been searching for?

This amusing and magical story touched my heart and kept my attention; there were SO many family secrets! I loved the idea of the Buttonwood Tree providing guidance to those searching for answers and that the main characters were also infused with a bit of magic! For instance, Blue was able to find lost items while Sarah Grace could hear houses... making her even better at renovations. If you love magical realism and stories about the power of love, then I'd recommend this one.

"Love is worth the risk. Love is life."

Midnight at the Blackbird Café (5 stars) remains my favorite by this author!

Location: Buttonwood, Alabama

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Blue Bishop grew up hating what her name stood for, and trying to atone for the misdeeds of her parents and her brothers. The townsfolk never let her forget she was a Bishop, no matter how much good she did. Now she was all grown up, owned her own home, and was the author & illustrator of a popular children's book series. The one thing she wanted more than anything was a baby. One day, during her daily walk in the woods, she found a newborn abandoned, no note, just a button from the buttonwood tree saying to give the baby to Blue Bishop. As Blue files for custody and then adoption of baby Flora, Sarah Grace Landreneau Fulton's mother is also insisting that Sarah Grace adopt the baby. As the police investigate the abandoned child and run the DNA on her, secrets come out, and lives are altered in unimaginable ways.
I loved this book. It had a great storyline with a magical twist to it. It had characters to really root for, and I got immersed in the story and I didn't want to put it down until it was over. This is definitely a must-read!

A great story that kept me hooked. I loved the mix of realism and magic realism, the descriptions of the setting and the great characters.
It's an engrossing and entertaining read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I enjoyed reading Midnight at the Blackbird café by the same author, Heather Webber, so when this caught my attention, I wanted to read it too.

I love how the author spun together all the problems the characters faced in this book along with a smidgen of magic. From the main character, Blue, who has never been able to live down her family's reputation even though she has always been kind and good to the woman who encouraged her and was always there for as a child who now has a husband with Alzheimer's the problems are very real. The characterization is very well done and because the emotions are so well portrayed, I could thoroughly empathize with the characters and the problems they were struggling with.

The thing I didn't like was a small amount of cursing in the book. It's a shame when an author throws in words that dishonor God.

South of the Buttonwood Tree is a beautiful story of love and second chances with a touch of magical realism. This book gave me all the feels. I loved the concept of the buttonwood tree which offers advice to its visitors by way of a message carved into a button. It is often what motivates the characters in the story. The outcomes for better or worse. The influence and importance of books is another theme weaved through the story which I connected with as an avid reader. I wish I could visit this town and the Rabbit Hole Bookshop where the matriarch of the story watches over her 'little bunnies'.
Author Heather Webber expertly weaves a tale of family, love and loss while neatly buttoning it up in the end (pun intended).
Thank you to netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an early copy. My opinions are my own.

Set in a small town in Alabama, Blue Bishop has fought all her life against her family’s reputation. She has urges to follow the wind and finds lost things. At the center of her walks is the buttonwood tree which answers one question per person per year. However, today’s walk to the buttonwood tree leads Blue to find a lost baby.

This is the story of the dynamics of a small town. Sarah Grace and Blue are finding a way to work together. But they never expected what life would bring them. I loved this story and the characters.

This is magical realism at its best. I appreciated the vivacious characters and small Southern town setting. Of course, secrets and a form of redemption make a satisfying read. I received this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

This book contains all of my favorite book elements: a lovely southern town, warm and realistic characters, a pinch of a little magical realism, which gives a sense of mystical powers and a bit of drama to draw you in. Ms. Webber beautifully puts these gorgeous elements together in her second book of the series. It is the perfect summer beach read, especially this summer, where we all use a mental escape. I highly recommend this book. It was an incredible read and I really didn't want it to end!!

I would like to thank Heather Webber, MacMillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I loved Heather Webber's 2019 release Midnight at the Blackbird Café so I jumped at the chance to review her latest novel, South of the Buttonwood Tree. Just like MatBC, SotBT is full of small town gossip, family dramas, and my fave--magic realism. This book has cemented Heather Webber as one of my auto-buy authors. I recommend this book if you love The Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and the quaintness of small Southern towns.⁠
⁠
Publisher's Summary:⁠
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.

This book had all of my favorite things; a southern town, warm and realistic characters, a dose of magical realism that gives us a sense of having access to some mystical power and protection. Webber weaves these and so many other gorgeous elements together in this book; it's the perfect summer read, especially in this summer of needing to check out and unclench. Highly recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this review copy that I was so looking forward to. It surpassed my hopes and expectations.

LOved the magical realism aspect of this book. The buttonwood tree with its advice dispensing buttons was an original concept that was well executed. The story was well-plotted and moved along nicely. The one small comment I have is that there was too much similarity in the character voices and at times I had to look back to check and see whose voice she was in.

First, thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book. I read and enjoyed Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe so I was pumped that I was able to read this before it was published.

I really enjoy books with Magical Realism in them and this one had just the right amount. Many of Webbers characters have subtle abilities that help give the story an extra special spin. I related to several characters in this story because of my current life situation and family history. This book also had some perfectly executed plot twists, both a mix of some I predicted and some I didn't see coming. There were several different plot strands going on throughout the book but I appreciated how all of them were satisfyingly wrapped up by the end. Several books I've read lately have plot threads woven in that are never resolved and I HATE that.

Overall solid 4 star read! I hope Heather Webber continues to put out novels like these.

It's been a while since I've read a magical realism novel but this book makes me want to read more! I loved the characters and the storyline so much!

I received this book from NetGallery.com for a honest review. Thank you, Netgalley.
Heather Webber has absolutely out done herself with this book. The book focuses around a girl, Blue Bishop, that has a gift for finding things and a Buttonwood Tree, that will give advice, when asked. It was a beautifully written story of love. Love of family. Love of your past. Love of finding new. I could not stop turning the pages of this book. If you are thinking about reading this book, take the chance. It is so worth it!!!!

This book was so enchanting, not just the title and the cover but the inside too. I love southern fiction but this added a little magic to it as well. Heather Webber has created characters that are fully developed and interact flawlessly as participants in this well paced story. They fuss and struggle and learn to love each other with ferocity. This is a unique story and in all the thousands of books I’ve read, there’s not been anything else like it. This is special and you’ll be affected. The story is dialogue driven and the dialogue is magical. I laughed out loud many times as the pages flew by, but I also felt sadness and warmth and love. Not just romantic love but love for children and friends.

The characters were achingly real, the dialogue authentic, the emotions raw, and the plot had just the right twist to remain plausible with the rest of the story. This book pulled me in from the beginning; wrapping me in the mythical plot-line, charming me with every interaction. The tragic twist reveals itself in such a natural, unforced way. It broke my heart in all the best ways, and I predict it will stay with me for a long time.