The Egide family is dealing with the drowning death of one of their 4 children/siblings. They decide to take refuge on a family property in New Hampshire with the intent to prepare the property to sell, hoping that they can “move on”. When they discover that Davina, a disfigured war veteran is living in a ramshackle cabin on the property as per invitation by Marie Egide’s grandfather, the family is split over what to do with Davina., known as a healer and “the river witch”. Davina wins over Hannah, the oldest child by treating her relentless headaches and Penelope, the youngest child who has lost her twin. The story is told from six different POVs and each person gives voice to their own ways of dealing with grief.
I found this story to be touching and heartwarming, yet tense at times. The character development was good and each one had their own secrets and dealt with their grief in very different and sometimes frustrating ways. Davina’s backstory unfolded slowly and gave the reader glimpses into her traumatic past and losses also. It was nice to see how the small town supported Davina and how she continued to help the Egide family in spite of their opposition to her. The story developed in an inspiring way and was very enjoyable to read.

An emotionally charged story of how extremes can tear a mother, a family, and a town apart, yet bring them to the side of angels in the end. Any child's death will bring those around them to a stop. To move past the death takes energy and emotion that is just not there. But the family will make plans and start on the road, only to find themselves in the middle of another battle that is not of their making. Suzanne Redfearn writes with the skill to bring readers into the story. This book left me wrung out as the emotions veer so sharply. It's one I'll be sharing for a long time to come.

Where Butterflies Wander is an emotionally charged book. From page one, my heart was gripped, and even after I've read the final page and closed the book, the story is still on my mind. Loss, grief, pain, mystery, intrigue, redemption, and more fill the pages. There were times the story made me so angry that I had to close the book and walk away. There were other times when my heart swelled at the goodness. And there were moments where my tears stained the pages thinking about my own losses and grief, especially over my grandfather, who died a couple of years ago. Davina is the absolute best type of character along with Pen and Hannah. The ending was beautiful and redemptive, which I find to be the best types of endings.

Does money bring you happiness?
What does it take to be truly happy and content with life?

This is such a thought-provoking and beautifully written book. I have read many of Suzanne's novels, and she has returned with another mesmerizing and emotional tale. This one takes the reader on a journey of healing and redemption featuring a family reeling from grief and a "River Witch" haunted by the war. Also, how a community bands together for one of their own.

Told through multiple points of view touching on topics such as tragedy, grief, anger, family, healing, hope, and forgiveness. As always, the author pens her thoughts in a compassionate and lyrical prose that wraps around the heartstrings.

Make sure to read the author's note where she tells of her inspiration to write the book, and if you are in a bookclub, there are numerous questions at the end.

Thank you to Netgally, the author, and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy. My review was voluntary.

I just loved this story.
After a tragic accident that took one of her twins, Marie comes back to her grandfathers estate to get ready to sell so they can leave their house. Little did the know a “witch” lived on a cabin on their property. Follow the lives of the children, Pen, Hannah and Brendan getting over heartache and finding themself. All while the three adults learn a little something too.

Ok, first off I love Davina. I loved how she was portrayed. Hannah is definitely my second favorite character.
It’s a very good novel with a lot of great lessons for everyone.

I enjoyed Where Butterflies Wander a lot. I’m a fan of the author so was looking forward to reading this. This is the kind of book I don’t read very often because I tend to be drawn to dark, violent book and this is the opposite. It’s nice to let the light in every once in a while. This is an emotional, tear-jerker of a read. I felt sympathy for both Marie and her family and Davina. I could understand both perspective’s. This is an engrossing read I didn’t want to end. I’d highly recommend Where Butterflies Wander.

Ever since I read IN AN INSTANT, Suzanne Redfearn has been an auto-read author for me. I’ve also gotten into her pre-In an Instant backlist and have been impressed.

Where the Butterflies Wander tells the story of a family grieving the loss of one of their young twins. The family is planning a move and to finance the move, they plan to sell a country property bequeathed to the mom. It turns out that an elderly woman (a midwife/herbalist) lives in a cabin on the property and has been there for decades. Two of the kids make friends with the woman who gives the older girl an herbal remedy for her migraines. It works, but the mom is pissed (rightfully so) that someone is giving her kid something to ingest without parental permission.

The family moves to evict the elderly woman, which turns into an internal family battle where lines are drawn. At the end, this is really about how to process grief and move on without letting go of a loved one.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. What a beautiful cover and book, After a tragic accident, Marie feels her family needs a fresh start and they move into her late Grandfather's home. But when she gets there she forgets that Devina, the river witch, lives in a home on the property, Battles begin.

Such a beautiful heart story!
After a tragic accident Marie and her family need to get away, so they go to the home she inherited. The plan is to prepare the house so it can be sold. Once there they learn there’s a woman, Davina that lives on the property in a cabin.
This book is will draw you in quickly, the characters and story will be one you will remember. It’s so emotional, it hit all the right notes love, loss, friendship, grief and mending. Each time a new book by this author is written I claim it’s my favorite, well here goes again!

Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

My Scars Remind Me That The Past Is Real. Wait. Sexton. You're quoting *Papa Roach* to title your review of an emotional women's fiction tale? I mean, you've done some crazy shit in your reviews over the years, but come on, dude. Really??

Yes, really, because ultimately this is a tale of scars and the beauty and pain of healing from them - and of allowing them to get you stuck in the first place. Pretty well everyone in this tale has lost loved ones. For many of the perspectives we live in through this tale - a family who recently lost one of their youngest members - the scars are on the inside, and are eating them alive in various forms. For another of the perspectives we live inside in this tale, the scars are much more open and visible, though even these hide just as many internal scars.

And yet, with her usual skill, Redfearn once again turns in an excellent story of healing and hope, even in some of the darkest times unfortunately far too many face. Hopefully, you, the reader of my review, won't actually have these *exact* scars and thus the exact particulars here won't resonate *as* much with you. Read this book anyway, as it could well provide at least a touch of catharsis and magic for even your own scars, no matter what they may be.

And if you *are* one of those who happens to have some remarkably identical scars to our characters here... you have my sympathies and condolences. Read this book anyway as well, and perhaps find at least a modicum of healing and hope in these fictional words. Hell, maybe even learn a lesson from our family here and use this tale as a catalyst to talk to others about your pain and perhaps heal even more from that.

No rooms ever got particularly dusty while I was reading this tale, but I'm also not one who has suffered these particular kinds of scars. Still, the overall quality of the tale and the writing of it is Redfearn's usual excellence, and ultimately the story is truly quite good on so many levels. Very much recommended.

Although this author has written six novels, this is the first time I've read her work. Now her backlist is going on my TBR!

The setting was bucolic, and the characters fully fleshed out. With themes of loss, guilt, regret, justice, and learning what is important in life, this was didactic without being preachy.

The loss of an eight year old child in a tragic swimming pool accident spurs the Egide family to move away from the Connecticut home where the tragedy occurred. They go to New Hampshire, to Marie Egide's family home where she spent her summers as a child. The aim is to get the house ready to sell, so that they can relocate to another, more upscale address. The remaining children all take the move in different ways. Teenage Hannah copes well, mostly because of a local teenager to whom she is attracted. Adolescent Brendon hates the place. No internet, no friends, he cannot imagine any place worse. Eight year old Penelope misses her twin dreadfully, but is enamoured of this new life in the country.

"It's a huge thing to be understood."

Shortly after they move in they discover that a woman named Davina is living in an A-frame cottage on the property near the river. She was a trauma nurse in the army, and now is retired due to a devastating event that left her permanently disfigured. Davina turned out to be my favourite character in the book.

Marie and Davina lock heads. Davina has lived in her cabin for over two decades and loves it there. Marie wants her out so that she can sell the property. Their situation escalates when the local people side with Davina... Things spiral and people are outraged.

"In the end, we are the sum of our deeds".

"Where Butterflies Wander" was everything a novel should be in that it made you feel every emotion, while telling a story that made you think. What is really important in life? What  does it take to be truly happy?

The prose was almost lyrical. The topics were profound and thought-provoking. The story was poignant and moving. I loved it!

Marie and Leo Egide's family has suffered the tragic loss of one their twin daughters. Marie is adamant that to recover they need to move to a different house, which means they must also sell the house and property that had belonged to her grandfather. As they move into the grandfather's house to make repairs and prepare it for sale, they become aware of a woman also living on the property. Davina is a self-proclaimed river-witch, and the community relies on her for healing and medical care. She also has tragedies in her life, one leaving her physically scarred, and the other emotionally scarred. She claims to have been given her cabin to live in for life by Marie's grandfather- but as this was only a verbal promise, Marie is determined that Davina has to leave. However, the effect that Davina has on the rest of the family, Leo, Brendon, Hannah and Pen, causes even more difficulties to the situation. The battle between Marie and Davina tailspins into actions that change the trajectory of both of their lives, beginning with another tragedy that affects them both. Writing the book in chapters devoted to the different characters helped to move along the story and understand how each person was dealing with their own feelings of loss and their individual impact on the story being told. Enjoyed the story very much. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #WhereButterfliesWander

I enjoyed the style of the book mor3 than the book itself. Every chapter follows one character so you know exactly how they are dealing with the tragedy and trauma so that particularly because of the number of characters was a huge plus for me. However Davina was too unlikely for me. I really felt that her instant diagnosis of Bee’s migraine from a quick glimpse across the river was almost comical and these types of situations throughout the story spoiled it for me.

A family is crushed by the loss of a twin, each member affected differently. Mother Marie urges the family to spend time in an inherited home in New Hampshire, hopefully to rebuild their life. Clashing with long-time resident, Davina, a river witch, leads them all in different directions to hopefully survive their horrific loss. Well written.

This was excellent reading but a difficult book to review.

It had the human elements of sorrow, joy, anger, love and grief all represented throughout the story. There was remorse in plenty, forgiveness too and it ended neatly.

Starting with a child’s tragic death, a family without cleaving together seems to drift apart in their own little worlds of sorrows and what ifs. Coming in summer to a vast property they owned should have been good to rest and recuperate. It turned into a maelstrom of division. A resident Davina living on the edge of the property, a herbalist and a healer was the catalyst for Mum Marie and son Brendon. For the father and the two girls she spelt peace and understanding of their sorrows. Father Leo was actually torn between several worlds - his wife, very importantly his son whom he did not understand or respect and his daughters whom he adored.

The story of this torn family, the way the wife and son witch hunted Davina the herbalist and their remorse at the end, the reconciliation of the whole family and the beginning of their healing after Bee’s death was the crux of the story.

Very down to earth writing, emotional and heart wrenching in turn.

I adored this book so so much. Suzanne is back in full force with Where the Butterflies Wander. I love Suzanne’s writing because of how much thought and care she puts into her characters. In this story you can find loss, heartache, hope and lots of love. I loved and hated these characters in the best way. It’s an emotional journey that I really enjoyed being on. What I particularly enjoyed and related to was the author’s note. Definitely give it a read to get some insight of how this novel began.

4.5⭐️

Where Butterflies Wander is a beautiful tale of love and grief and growth. Filled with complicated characters and a family fractured by recent trauma, it was impossible not to be moved by this lovely story.

Thank you Suzanne Redfearn, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Marie Egide and her husband Leo have lost a child and reeling from the tragedy decide on a desperate move to New Hampshire to claim an inherited property and “start new.”

They hadn’t counted on Davina Lister, however, known locally as the “river witch.” Invited to stay on their property as long as she wished by Marie’s grandfather, Davina has made a comfortable home and enviable local reputation for herself but has no legal written document for her right to stay.

Marie is caught in an adversarial position and must doggedly pursue legal action with only Brandon supporting her.

Davina is an amazing character and has the support of the locals. A combat veteran, she suffered devastating injuries and for the most part tries to stay quietly away from the public but is generous with her healing powers of elixirs and potions.

The POV switches between the characters including the children. I really loved Davina’s character. She is well developed and engaging.

The author has an emotional, sentimental writing style that plucks at compassionate feelings and spears the appropriate moral objective (own the mistake, vow not to repeat, forgive yourself, move on?).

I’ve read several of her books and they are all good. I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts. Recommended. 4.5 stars

A book to add to my collection!! I was overwhelmingly touched by In An Instant and now this one...I'm emotionally spent..🥹 Losing a child has to be the ultimate loss for a family. A tragic swimming accident claims the life of 8 year old Phoebe "Bee" in their own swimming pool. The family decides to sell their home and move away. First, they must sell the family estate in New Hampshire and try to heal from their grief. One of the roadblocks for them is a lesson about having compassion for someone else in their time of need when they find a war veteran living in the cabin on the property. Marie's grandfather gave Davina, known as the "River Witch" in the community, lifetime rights but did not put it on paper. She was severely burned during an IED explosion so she dabs in herbal remedies for herself and the community.
Marie has so much anger built up that she takes Davina to court to remove her from the premises. This infuriates the town and some of Marie's own family members siding with Davina. As tensions rise, fate and life changing moments try to bring hope, compassion and understanding to all involved.
People cope and lash out in different ways to try to have some type of understanding to a loss. Healing comes through bitterness and sometimes anger, but there are stages some must make to reach a different way of life. This talented author has swept my heart up again!! Love her....
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this incredible ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was looking forward to reading this book after the author’s previous novel, In An Instant, was a surprise hit at my local book club.

This story is about a family coming to terms with their grief, their guilt and the changes in their life, following the death of one of the daughters. Each chapter is told from the point of view of a different character, which helps to identify how each member of the family is dealing with their loss.

As part of the changes the family meet Davina, a woman with her own history and trauma, who is living in a secluded hut by a river. The descriptions of nature and of Davina’s self sufficient life alongside the river were reminiscent of Where The Crawdads Sing.

I soon became engrossed in the story and was keen to find out what was in store for the characters and how their stories would be resolved. Through the character of Davina, in particular, the author offers suggestions on how people cope with trauma and the feelings of guilt which often accompany grief. Although some resolution is reached in the book, some things were left open ended. I wasn’t sure if this was intentional or a result of the author changing the focus of her novel part way through writing it, as she discusses in the author’s note at the end.

Overall it’s an engaging story that I felt invested in and would recommend to anyone who enjoys books focusing on family / community dynamics and the effects of change and trauma.