Captivating story about a group of relatives held together on a small area of land. Back in 1965 one of the women had disappeared and rumor had it that she had been murdered by her abusive husband who also disappeared. On the same day that Emmy showed up to to meet his family, they discovered his body in a 10 foot sink hole.

This is a brief description of the set up to a book that will stay with me. It has all of the elements of a story to read on a dark winter's night. Several of the characters could read auras of the people around them. The story is very well written and the characters are so full of southern charm.

#NetGalley #HeatherWebber #InTheMiddleofHickoryLane #MacMillanAudio #ForgeBooks #HallieRicardo #StephanieWillis

In the beginning I had a very hard time following what was going on in this book. It was my first book by Heather Webber and I feel like I cheated myself by opting to listen to it on audiobook as opposed to physically reading it. There were several characters, and the narration made it difficult for me to differentiate who was who at the beginning of the story. I found it to be a bit slow moving and I was actually contemplating ditching it all together. I did manage to get past that and ended up enjoying it.

Now, about the book… the setting takes place in Sweetgrass, Alabama on a quiet street called Hickory Lane, where everyone knows everyone and friendships blossomed as the years went by. Full of heart-warming, southern charm with characters that are so easy to connect with. The resilience of these characters is absolutely astounding as they overcame many trials and tribulations over time. Strong women, indeed! The book has a magical feel, and ends with a nice little twist to tie it all together.

I highly recommend reading the actual book versus listening to it on audiobook. I think the reader will get a whole lot more from this great novel by doing so.

All in all in was a good book. I give it 4 stars, mostly due to the fact that it was so slow moving.

***Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved so many things about “In the Middle of Hickory Lane”, and it’s cast of unforgettable characters. For example, each chapter begins with a gardening tip from Glory. It was interesting learning about the different flowers and their meanings. The book had magical realism mixed with mystery, which made it fun and interesting. The unraveling of the secrets kept me on my toes and made me not want to stop listening, and so many parts of the book warmed my heart.

I enjoyed the narrators and felt like they did a great telling the story and making it come to life. I will add Hallie Ricardo & Stephanie Willis to my list of favorite narrators!

Emme Wynn wants nothing more than to be part of a loving family . She's invited to come live in Sweetgrass , Al by her grandmother and she can't pass up the chance. She could finally have the family she's always dreamed of...but she has a secret.

Cora Bee truly wants to love , to be loved...but can she open her heart after it was ripped wide open?

The garden's of Hickory Lane just might bring the healing they both need.

I received a free copy of In the Middle of Hickory Lane from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review of this audiobook.

The magic captured in this book through family , love , tears and a garden filled my heart to bursting. Another wonderful book by Heather Webber. The setting of Sweetgrass and all it's southern charm warmed my heart. The relationships that develop through these characters felt like they were a part of my family. If you read this book you'll want to read all of Heather's books.

Heather Webber is becoming my favorite authors in the magical realism genre. I have not been steered wrong yet. As with the rest of her books you're going to find that family love, past mistakes, redemption and of course a little magic. It's so easy to get carried away in every story, in every life you come across in these quaint towns. Hickory Lane is no different.

In the Middle of Hickory Lane
By Heather Webber

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Blurb] In the magical neighborhood garden in the middle of Hickory Lane, Emme and Cora Bee learn some hard truths about the past and themselves, the value of friends, family, and community, and most importantly, that true growth starts from within.

[Review] I am absolutely in love with this book and these characters. Well, minus Emme's mom. She can go on a long walk off a short pier. She sucks. But beyond that. I absolutely love this book and the world the author created. I love a cozy mystery; I love the mystical and magical elements. Also, I love everything about it. And lord do I love a HEA!

I want more from this world. I want to know more about Cora Bee and what comes next for her and her designs and her HEA

I want to know how Emme copes with staying in one place. does she itch. I love it so much!! I could goon and on about how much i love this book. but its just so sweet and cozy and perfect!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC audiobook of this book
Thank you Heather Webber for writting such a sweet book
And Thank you Hallie Ricardo & Stephanie Willis for bringing these characters to life!

I love this book. The characters grow so much and learn to live more fully. There are family secrets that are revealed. There is deep caring in a time when many in the real world seem to withdraw from each other and ignore issues.
I started out not being sure about Emmie Wynn and Cora Bee. Their introduction initially makes you wonder what type of people they are. They are like any one of us in our insecurities and protective tendencies that we use to try to shield ourselves from hurt.
I like the bees and the gazing pool and the garden.
Possible triggers: abuse that we learn about by looking into the past at the beginning of most chapters.
I enjoyed the narrator.
I recommend In the Middle of Hickory Lane.
Thanks to Netgalley and McMillan Audio for the chance to listen to the book.

Another wondefully woven story by Webber.

With all the charm of the South, her previous novels, and a draw like Virgin River, this was another wonderful enstallment by Webber. She knows how to create settings and characters that her readers will ache to know and love to dream about..

Emme is a girl who grew up without a sense of security and place. She travels to Alabama to create memories and a sense of family and self with her paternal grandmother.

While here, she seems to find magic in the air. A reflecting pool that shows her the past, a buzzing of years past in the ground, and a second cousin who can see auras. Plus a pesky sink hole or two.

When her mother returns, she threatens to tell Emme’s secrets and ruin the sense of belonging that Emme has just built. There are others who are skeptical of Emme, and many who fall in love with the girl she is. Will these secrets (both present and in the past) make it to Emme loses the home she has grown to love?

Extremely well done. I simply love the charm of Webber’s novels. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillin Audio for the opportunity to read and rate/review this book with my honest opinions.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I love how Heather Webber intertwines characters and stories in a way that I just can't stop listening to her books. While I liked some of her others better than this one, it was still a lovely story.

In the Middle of Hickory Lane is a breath of fresh air. Listed as Women’s Fiction, this is a genre I typically don’t read, but after a lot of dystopian and domestic thrillers, Hickory Lane was the exact break my brain needed to reset. Sweetgrass, Alabama is filled with the southern charm and down home likeability, with characters who make you care.

Emme Wynn grew up with a con woman mom and no place which felt like home. She’s got hard edges, and a dark past, so when her Grandmother offers her a job, Emme sees this as a chance to set down roots. The book is delightful, with strong women and females with heart. Arriving just in time for a long buried body to be unearthed, Emme and her family have to examine the past to embrace the future.

I am unfamiliar with the author Heather Webber, but she is skilled in bringing people and places to life. The reader is transported to the vibrant, colorful, whimsical, magical place and roots for the characters. There is an actual investment in the outcome and healing of the people. A book I did not expect to relate to, was very relatable and I connected emotionally to the women. Wow. That rarely happens.

I can easily recommend this one, and am adding Webber to my list of authors to explore.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen in advance of the July 26, 2022 release.

Thank you to MacMillan audio for the review copy of this audiobook and allowing me to enjoy Heather Webber's In the Middle of Hickory Lane in this format.

This story is a wonderful addition to Ms Webber's work; she always brings warmth and gentle, subtle magical realism into stories of southern charm and tradition (food, family, love of home) and stories of self growth and community. The main characters Cora Bee and Emme are both struggling to overcome past challenges as they return to their roots and home, helping family and friends process a possible resolution to a long standing missing person case; there is a focus on the power of connection and the value of giving and receiving help and love, and a story of moving into confidence and happiness. I loved the touches of magical realism with themes on intuition and insight.

This is a wonderfully charming and nicely narrated audiobook. I am a fan of Heather Webber's Southern magical realism stories and this is the first time I have listened to one of her books; the narration from Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis added a strong emotional resonance that added to my enjoyment of the story. I found that Emme and Cora Bee (main characters) were narrated in a way that brought their feelings of loneliness and sadness to life and that they each effectively voiced a the characters' movements towards connection, self growth, and confidence.

Emme Wynn has had a sketchy past, learning bed habits and bad behavior from her mother. Now, her grandmother has invited her to live with her in Sweetgrass, Alabama and help run an open air market, but when Emme arrives, human remains have just been found on a nearby property. Cora Bee keeps busy to keep her mind off her past and to keep people at bay, the last thing she wants is s relationship of any kind. But when an injury forces her to rely on others, Cora Bee finds that the only way to face her past is to embrace her present. A sweet, southern tale of friendship and love