South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber

☆☆☆☆☆
ebook, 299 pages
Expected publication: July 21st 2020 by Macmillan-Tor, Forge Books
About the Book:
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 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.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor, Forge Books and Heather Webber for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

#NetGalley