The Lights of Sugarberry Cove is a delightful book! It is magical, heartwarming, and filled with little pearls of wisdom that will change your view point on how you navigate through life. I felt the book started out with a slow build, however stick with it because it turns out to be the perfect storytelling cadence on the part of the author. It was just brilliant! I felt my heart flutter many times while reading this winner of a book. The story is filled with love, hope, healing, and yes a sweet touch of magic.
The story is told alternating between two sisters, Sadie and Leala Scott, and the setting is the family’s Bed and Breakfast in their hometown of Sugarberry Cove, Alabama. The timeline of the story is leading up to the very popular town’s annual event, The Festival of Lights on Laurel Lake. All of the characters are interesting and each has their own unique story. As each character is introduced, I found myself wondering how they would blend together for the story. However, the author’s character development was like putting together a jigsaw puzzle – they are all different in the beginning but their pieces fit perfectly together and in the end they created a beautiful story and an ending that is worth the wait!
This is my first book by Heather Webber and it certainly will not be my last.
I am grateful to NetGalley, Forge Books, and Heather Webber for an advanced copy of this beautiful book in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #TheLightsofSugarberryCove #ForgeBooks

Heather Webber's latest magical-realism tale is about two sisters, Leala Clare and Sadie, going home to care for their mother who recently had a heart attack. Sadie left home eight years early for epic reasons. Leala Clare has been emotionally detached from home for a few reasons not the least being their overly dramatic (to the point of being insufferable) mother. Can these sisters rise above and let bygones be bygones? Can they go home again? Various characters enter and exit with lessons to teach the two. They learn that the choices they've made brought them to this point.
I enjoyed the novel and the lesson that if one would stop looking for the meaning to life and try to live a meaningful life things might just fall into place. It's a nice thought. As with all magical-realism novels I just went with the flow of the story which made for a very enjoyable read.

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove by Heather Webber is a story about family, hope, choices, expectations, disappointments, and magic. I thought The Lights of Sugarberry Cove was well-written with vivid descriptions. The authors word depictions transport you to Sugarberry Cove. The characters are realistic and developed. They will remind you of your family members and friends. The story is told from Sadie and Leala’s point-of-view. They are sisters who used to be close but grew apart after Sadie’s fall into the lake. Eight years prior when Sadie was eighteen, she tripped, hit her head, and ended up falling into Lake Laurel. It was ten minutes before Sadie resurfaced forever changed. I like that we see events from each sister’s perspective. Their mother has a heart attack which has both sisters returning to Sugarberry Cove to help her. The weekend turns out to be a revelation for Sadie, Leala, their mother, and their guests. You can feel the emotions coming through the pages. Readers can relate to what the characters are experiencing because who of us has not dealt with heartbreak, concerns about a marriage, the loss of a dream, or feeling hopeless. It is the magic that sets this book apart. Imagine that you live near a lake where a lady will grant wishes on a certain day in August. Her magic weaves into the lives of those who live near the lake. But she does not grant just any wish. It really gets your imagination working. There are good life lessons included with my favorite being that our lives do not always turn out the way we thought they would. Events happen beyond our control. We need to find a way to move forward and find joy. My favorite phrase from the book is, “Everyone bears scars, inside and out. And behind every single one of those healed wounds is a story of strength and resilience and recovery. My scar is simply part of me, part of my story.” The Lights of Sugarberry Cove is a novel that is not be rushed. You will want to sit and cherish this story until the very last page (make sure that you will have uninterrupted reading time with a cool beverage and plenty of chocolate nearby). The Lights of Sugarberry Cove is my favorite book by Heather Webber. I am looking forward to her next spellbinding tale. The Lights of Sugarberry Cove is an enchanting story with a lady in the lake, haunting hair, rampant renovations, a mulish mother, a lost love, a cute canine, and lighted lanterns.

This charming, cozy, down-to-earth story had just enough magical realism to make me believe in the power of wishes. Full of small town Southern charm and a smidge of magically whimsy, THE LIGHTS OF SUGARBERRY COVE is a heartwarming story about second chances, forgiveness, community, love and a little bit of magic. The characters were well developed and the immersive writing kept me utterly enchanted. ⁣
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“Perhaps if you stopped looking for the meaning to life, you’d really that there is no meaning other than to live a meaningful life. Love your life.”

(I enjoyed 𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘊𝘢𝘧𝘦 and 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦 as well)

I knew I was in for a wonderful read from the first chapter because the author did an excellent job of featuring Sadie, the girl with the silver hair that was saved by the Lady of the Lake. I love when down-to-earth stories contain just enough magical realism to make you believe in magic; when characters bear a telltale sign/marking of a major transformation; and when characters are so courageous that they fumble their way through their hero/heroine’s journeys despite the hells and traumas they’ve experienced.

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove has all these things and more for my older, wiser, “midlife” romantic reads: multi-character focus, relationships in need of healing, a past to overcome, and hope that divine intervention has a hand in making everything right. From my work as a psychic medium, I know how much magic can affect us.

For writers, chapter 1 is one of the best and most interesting summaries that I’ve ever read! The rest of the book is also a thing of beauty. Ms Weber combines these different subgenres skillfully: magical realism, small town/hometown, sisters, and first love subgenres and the story arcs flow naturally. I will be studying her structure because there is no fluff and it is seamless.

As for the characters, all were relatable. Sadie is the sister who is saved by the lady of the lake and on a quest to understand why. Laela is a stay-at-home wife & mom, unhappy with her circumstances. Their mother had dreams she had to put aside to help her husband pursue his dream of running a bed & breakfast. However, he left her a widow with two small children and a b&b to run. She took over to make it a success to provide for her family and to keep a roof over their heads. Had the price been too high?

Then there are other characters intertwined: guests, workers, old loves, etc. They’re all realistic and interesting. I can’t wait to read more so I hope this is the first book in a series.

Read what I’m talking about. Pick up your copy today!

Time spent reading The Lights of Sugarberry Cove, by Heather Webber, is much like spending time watching a favorite Hallmark movie. Sweet southern charm peppered with family drama and topped with a little magic kept me turning pages until the end.

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove by Heather Webber is the story of a dysfunctional family struggling to put things right. Everything had fallen apart when Sadie Way Scott had fallen into the lake and was underwater for 10 minutes. By rights she should have been dead, but she wasn't. There were two things left to remind her: her hair had turned silver and she could feel no pain, well physical pain. She didn't go home often. She was too drawn to it. Plus, her job kept her on the road. She had a very successful YouTube program called Southern Hankerin' which was a mix of cooking and storytelling. When she was filming her latest story she got a text from her sister relaying the fact her mother had had a heart attack. Of course, she dropped everything and went home to the cottage. It was a B&B...her father's dream, but her had been dead since she was one. It was shabby. Her mother never changed anything. She had a sister there, Leala Clare, who lived with her husband and son, but was far from happy. Returning to Laurel Lake and Lady Laurel, the spirit (?) who had saved her was big for Sadie. She didn't know if she would do it.

This was a story about magic, some of it real, some of it emotional. Everyone deals with grief in their own way, and that was the root of the problem: how Sadie's mom had dealt with the grief of losing her husband all those years ago. And how that had turned into bitterness and misery for her two daughters. Mama was bossy. What mama isn't? Neither Sadie or Leala Clare responded well, which caused a lot of tension. Each strand of tension was on the surface, but no one would talk about it. It made home fraught with emotions, and these heart attacks of Mama's made it all worse. None of them communicated and that made it worse. But there was the magic. And magic it was, even if they figured it out later, it was still there. It all came right in the end, not that they didn't still face problems, but they were better equipped to deal with them now. Enchanting. That's how I describe this book, but the enchanting came later. Read it and find out.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Lights of Sugarberry Cove by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #thelightsofsugarberrycove

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove

3/5

Sweet and deliciously southern, The Lights of Sugarberry Cove is a heart warming and emotional tale of two daughters called back to their family’s bed and breakfast in idyllic Sugarberry Cove after their mother’s heart attack.

Through a rag tag host of characters and a good old tale of southern ‘Lake Magic’, Sugarberry Cove explores how families can find their way back, even when it seems impossible.

I really enjoyed the characters in Sugarberry Cove but struggled with how deep into the ploy of Lake Magic Webber sets up. While charming and a bit wholesome at first, the Lake and its power becomes too fantastical towards the end and ruins the tone of the story.

Thank you Net Galley, Forge Books and Harriet Webber for the arc!

For book summary, please see publisher’s provided book description.
This is one of those books that you’ll love to read and hate to finish. The characters are so beautifully written, realistic and relatable it is impossible not to invest in their individual stories and care about each and every one of them. Each character is wrestling with their own individual battles…battles all of us can relate to whether through our own experiences or the experiences of someone close to us. The story is told through alternating perspectives of the two sisters, Sadie and Leala, and each voice is vivid and engaging. Further, each character’s story is intricately woven into a broader, more beautiful tapestry of what it is to be human…with a healthy dash of Southern charm liberally sprinkled throughout.
Ms. Webber has a gift of storytelling that reaches deep into your mind, heart and soul and doesn’t let go. The characters will stay with you long after you finish the last page, as will the beauty of the lessons each learns through the course of the story. This truly is magical realism at its finest! Similarly to Webber’s Midnight at the Blackbird Café, you’ll finish this novel missing the characters, feeling buoyed from their lessons and anxiously awaiting her next book…I did and I am!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This novel is truly magical realism at its finest and made for a perfect summertime read. I felt connected to both characters (perhaps a little more so to Leala because of the season of life she was in) and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys family dramas.

One part of the ending I saw coming a mile away, but another left me so surprised. Some of the pacing of the ending happened too quickly but I was still satisfied as I turned the last page (well, clicked right to the last screen). I am forever a Heather Webber fan.

A special thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the gifted eArc in exchange for an honest review.

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove by Heather Webber is a small town southern charming tale with a bit of mystical realism to heighten the storytelling magic.

Sadie Way Scott hasn't been home to Sugarberry Cove in eight years since she almost drowned in the lake by her mom's B & B. When her mom has a heart attack she comes back to help her sister run the B & B. As these three women have to finally confront the secrets they have held since that near disastrous night they learn that wishes don't always come true the way we want and that not speaking our truths is as painful as telling lies.

With a full cast of delightful characters this novel had me in love with the people, the stories and the town. As a mom and a daughter I felt for Sadie and her mom knowing I have been where they were emotionally at times in my life. A cozy story for fans of Virgin River and Gilmore Girls. Also how beautiful is that cover!

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Reading The Lights of Sugarberry Cove felt like watching a Hallmark movie in the best sense of the way.
Family drama, a little magical realism, a B&B by the lake. What's not to like?
Get cozy in your favorite reading chair with your beverage of choice and sink into a book that feels like the hug you didn't know you needed!

As always Heather Webber has crafted a magical tale surrounding the relationships between women. I love that all her books are based off real places in Alabama. This book has so many touching moments of growth and exploring the depths of love that we can find in unexpected places. Heather Webber has become an automatic buy for me, and I look forward to all her books! She has become a powerful voice in the magical realism realm..

I loved this book. I enjoyed all the characters and the southern setting. If you have not read a Heather Webber book you need to read this one.

A feel-good story with a charming setting and likeable characters. and a bit of magical realism that deals with family relationships and grief.

Oh this is delightful! Sadie left home eight years ago after she fell in the lake, drowned, and returned to life with silver hair. Now, though, she's come back to help her mother and her sister Leala after her mother has a heart attack. She's got a successful business but is a vagabond. Leala, in contrast, is a stay at home mom who is chafing a bit, in part because her husband Connor isn't really present. There's magic in the lake, with a legend involving a loon, a lady, and wishes, and that magic touches everyone. Their mom's B&B is in financial trouble and she's on the outs with her neighbor and love interest Buzzy. One weekend changes everything as this small family finally spills its secrets and makes up with each other. Yes, there's a bit of the woo woo here but it so works. There's much more going on than I thought when I started this and it's got an absolutely wonderful (and surprising) ending. Webber is a terrific storyteller, able to rope in even a cynic like me,. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. This made me smile.

4.5

I liked this book I love the description of Sadies hair, and I love this it has some magical Aspect within the book.

Sadie Way Scott left home after she nearly drowned in the lake outside of her family's B&B when she was 18, and she never looked back. She only returned to Sugarberry Cove, Alabama for a handful of holidays and then she sped back out of town. She is the host of her own cooking show about southern cooking and family, but despite the show's popularity, she feels like that can't possibly be why she was saved that night. Sadie’s sister, Leala Clare, should be perfectly content, but instead, her marriage is on the rocks and she isn't sure they will survive. When Sadie and Leala's mother suffers a minor heart attack, the girls go to stay with their mother & run the B&B for her while she recouperates. It is the last place either one of them wants to be. However, a little lake magic may be what they both need to fix all of their problems.
I am a huge fan of this author, and was excited to read this newest book. Once again, she delivered a story filled with magic, mystery, love and family. The book is filled with colorful , interesting characters like Sadie who, when she drowned at age 18 her hair turned silver, like the color of the stars. If you are in the mood for a good story, then this is the perfect book to settle down with. I can promise you will be as enchanted as I was.

Title: The Lights of Sugarberry Cove
Author: Heather Webber
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

Sadie Way Scott has been avoiding her family and hometown of Sugarberry Cove, Alabama, since she nearly drowned in the lake just outside her mother's B&B. Eight years later, Sadie is the host of a much-loved show about southern cooking and family, but despite her success, she wonders why she was saved. What is she supposed to do?

Sadie's sister, Leala Clare, is still haunted by the guilt she feels over the night her sister almost died. Now, at a crossroads in her marriage, Leala has everything she ever thought she wanted--so why is she so unhappy?

When their mother suffers a minor heart attack just before Sugarberry Cove's famous water lantern festival, the two sisters come home to run the inn while she recovers. It's the last place either of them wants to be, but with a little help from the inn's quirky guests, the sisters may come to terms with their strained relationships, accept the past, and rediscover a little lake magic.

I enjoyed the magical realism in this story! The miscommunication/lack of communication between the characters causes all sorts of problems, but I really enjoyed the B&B setting and how the family worked out all their issues finally. This was a sweet, fun read, perfect for a summer weekend—especially at the lake.

Heather Webber lives new Cincinnati, Ohio. The Lights of Sugarberry Cove is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan-Tor/Forge in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 7/22.)

This was a good read. It's about a woman named Sadie who has been avoiding her family and home after she almost drowned in the lake and there is Leala who feels guilty about it. When their mother suffers a heart attack, they both return home to help where to start to grow their relationship and discover some magic. The author's writing was good but a little not for me. The beginning was a little hard to get into but once everything starts, the story gets a lot better. The pacing was a little slow for me but also it did work out for how short the novel was. I enjoyed the family theme and the whole reconnecting with the home as it was a loving book with a little bit of magic realism. This is for sure one of those books that can be turned into a Hallmark movie as it gave off those vibes.

I enjoyed how the novel was written from both sister's PoV. Both Sadie and Leala had great character development and relationship growth throughout the novel. The side characters were also enjoyable and my favorite was Uncle Camp. He was such an amazing and kind person that helped Sadie. I wish there were more main side characters in the story but I enjoyed the ones we got. There is no romance in this book so it's perfect for those readers who like contemporary books without romance in it. Though I have to say I was a little disappointed with it as I'm a romance sucker.

The ending was well done with the book with great healing and growth. I do have to say I was a little worried about how magic realism was going to be played into this book but I LOVED it. I think it was well written into the book. I did have a few very minor problems with the book which was mostly the pacing and lack of romance. Overall the story was well written and I recommend this book to fans of Marissa Meyer and readers who enjoy women's contemporary fiction.