A story of grief, loss, navigating a new path and both the beauty & ugly that comes with it.

With multiple POV's It took me a little to figure out who's who, but as the story develops i soon found my bearings. The short chapters kept me intrigued and i loved getting an insight to each persons thoughts and views.

I loved the view of when we lose someone, they're not entirely gone. The butterflies and the way Bee is still around hit home for me. That side of loss i felt was portrayed beautifully.

The story has many layers, showing how surviving tragedy can be figured out differently for each person. Whether that be the right or wrong way. Each character grows within the story and I'd say my favorites are Penelope & Davina. The story was slow at times but i felt it fitted with the theme and i felt like i was drifting along the river whilst reading along.

A beautiful read, one I'll definitely recommend to other readers!

Thank you to Netgalley & The publisher for the Arc <3

3.5 stars rounded up

Marie Egide and her family are grieving the loss of Bee after a tragic accident. Desperate for a chance of a fresh start, the family travel to New Hampshire to a property Marie has inherited but never lived in. The plan is to sell it and then move on to pastures new. However, Davina Lister, the “River Witch“ lives in a cabin on the property, the land given to her she believes by Marie’s grandfather years before. However, nothing is ever simple, things do not go to plan for either Marie or Davina as battle lines are drawn.

Suzanne Redfearne is the author of some lovely books and this latest has a very thoughtful premise and some powerful scenes. It starts by looking at the grieving of the Egide family and the portrayal of this is done very well and you feel the weight of its burden and it then examines how their grief changes. It also looks at what makes you happy and what is of value to you personally which is viewed through several characters lives, especially Davina. She is a wonderful magnetic character, she too has many burdens to carry and I love the wise woman/sort of fairytale element she brings to the storytelling. Whilst I appreciate Marie is struggling, she is a very hard character to like whilst her daughters Pen and Hannah charm you.

As the novel progresses, the multiple strands to the storytelling become clearer to see, especially what each of them is wrestling with or concealing. The atmosphere in the small community changes, there is a growing antagonism and anger as things could potentially get nasty and dangerous. The tension grows and that is palpable.

However, much as there is a great deal to praise here, I initially find the book confusing. There are too many points of view in my opinion and this halts the flow and the very short chapters don’t allow some situations to fully develop. It also means there’s a lot going on which sometimes gets a bit too much.

Although I think this book is good, it’s not in the same league as ‘Hadley and Grace’.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Lake Union for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

After suffering the tragic loss of their young daughter, Marie and Leo decide to move their remaining 3 children and themselves to the family home Marie has inherited from her grandfather. Although they intend to quickly renovate the home and sell it in order to move into a new property for a fresh start, the plan is quickly complicated by the fact that Davina aka the "River Witch" is residing on the property, as was promised by Marie's grandfather. When the family attempts to have Davina removed and she refuses, conflicts ensue and soon the whole town, and even the family members themselves, are forced to choose sides.

I will start off by saying that Suzanne Redfearn is an amazing author and I have loved everything she has written. This story is so multi-faceted and tackles so many topics- guilt, grief, loss, choices and consequences, and what it really means to be happy. I loved seeing the story through each character's unique POV. As with all of Suzanne's books this one was totally atmospheric and I could feel myself on the banks of the river meandering through the herb garden... A beautiful story that I highly recommend!

Thank you to Suzanne Redfearn, NetGalley, and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in return for an honest review!

GoodReads Review- 8.12.23: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125649201
Instagram Post- 8.14.23: https://instagram.com/the_books_we_love_?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

I loved this book. It was emotional, heart breaking and uplifting. I really enjoyed hearing the parts of the story from all the different points of view and found it easy to switch between the characters as all of them were well written.

After lost her daughter Marie and her family travel to New Hamphire to have a fresh start and hope they can heal from their grief. She plans to sell a family estate and find out there's a woman live in the cabin that part of the property. That’s the beginning of the conflict between that two woman and the other family member too.

People hate and condemn Marie for her deeds to evict Davina but when we try to see from her point she just wants to protect her family from this stranger that she think has a bad influence.

When we stamp in Davina’s shoes we can feel compassionate to the person that had gone through the pain experience. Davina has a big heart, whatever happened in her life she live gracefully and accept all her circumstance.

I love this book, good written and compeling character. There is so many things we can dig and discuss in this novel. We can learn about grief and empathy.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of Suzanne Redfean's work. I have read all of her books, and this one might be my favorite yet! Do not miss this one.

I tried to like Marie, or indeed just feel sympathy for her, and sadly I just couldn't.
Grieving or not, she was not my cup of tea.

The story was just an OK for me, I felt it was slow to go anywhere .
It did a good job giving each of the characters s voice, but unfortunately I didn't click with any of them.

This was such a fabulous novel about a family dealing with a tragic accident that resulted in the loss of one of their children. The mom, Marie, is desperate for a new start for her family, so they travel to her family's home in New Hampshire. They meet Davina who is living in a cabin on their property and who refuses to move so that they can sell. Will the family come out on the other side of their grief? And what will happen with Davina. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Quick read, interesting story. The mother could be frustrating, but the lack of good parenting overall for the son, Brendan, was more frustrating, especially because it was never addressed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Where Butterflies Wander
A Novel
by Suzanne Redfearn

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good book. I felt for Davina, as she only has a dead man's word for her property and Has PTSD from the military. I just could not make sense of Marie. Even the battle affects her children and husband,

This story takes you on the ups and downs of a family grappling with heart-wrenching grief after a devastating accident. The author weaves conflict and healing, pitting the determined Marie against the mysterious "river witch" Davina in a battle that goes beyond property rights. It got a little confusing at times with all the characters but they were well-developed and I could totally relate to story and all the unpredictable twists life throws our way.

Where Butterflies Wander by Suzanne Redfearn, published by Lake Union Publishing, is afull.length, stand-alone novel that had me in knots.
Told in multiple pov's tells it the story of Davina, Marie, Leo, Hannah, Brendon and Penelope.
And it all starts with the vanishing of a little girl, Rebecca. The turn of events lead to an anvalanche of lies, betrayal, a story full of twists and unexpected turns.
The author wrote an outstanding, fantastic book, that had me in suspense from start til the last page.
I recommend the book, 5 stars.

I loved Suzanne Redfearn's "In An Instant" and was looking forward to this one. Though it is hard to measure up to her previous work, this book also tackles grief and acceptance in a different way.

The author has a way with words and depicting the emotions in a very human and humane way. A great read

I’ve read other books by this author I’ve really enjoyed but this one did not click with me. I found the plot confusing and convoluted and there were way too many characters. I have enjoyed her other books much more.

Marie and Leo are at a loss after the tragic death of one of their children. Deciding a new start is just what’s needed, they sell their house and make plans to move far away from the memories. First, however, is a layover at the family home Marie inherited from her grandfather. The plan is to update the home and then sell it for a tidy profit. Those plans are thwarted when the family meets the “River Witch” who lives on the property. Conflict ensues when each family member views her presence differently. And Marie comes to realize that escaping the memory of a tragedy isn’t as easy as she had hoped. This is such a big story with so many layers. It’s about surviving tragedy, living with secrets, overcoming your past. A definite five star read!

Suzanne is a wonderful author. Always heartfelt and caring. Her books seem like real life situations. She puts you right in the mix. You feel everything. Every emotion is felt.

Wonderful story about grief, guilt, acceptance and love. I truly believe this author is an inspiration in her themes of loss of a child as many of her books have covered.

"where the butterflies wander" explores life, the value of money, and grief. a family is suffering the loss of a daughter, half of a twinset, who drowned. a water witch, davina, lives in a small cabin on their property and helps the family in small was that are not appreciated. as the family tries to evict the witch, they are confronted with their own selfish desires, the loss of a beloved daughter and sister, and the weight of making fast judgments.

this book is a bit slow, but rather interesting. it is a bit difficult to keep track of who is who at first, and the most compelling character is davina. i did enjoy this novel, i'd reccommend it to those who enjoy women's literary fiction.

Oh, small town politics, loyalties, judgements, and aspersions. Unfortunately this overall fell flat for me, perhaps because the short chapters and numerous viewpoints disrupted the flow - I would have preferred a more concentrated focus.

I became a fan of Suzanne Redfearn after reading In An Instant and Hush Little Baby. Her newest book, Where Butterflies Wander, did not disappoint. It was a powerful portrayal of how one family manages grief, and how a community comes together to support one of their own. It was a reminder to be mindful of quick judgements and impulsive choices. I enjoyed the story and complex characters. It was a fast read with short chapters told from the characters’ different viewpoints. I’d recommend it!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.