Hello all! Back with an honest book review, South of the Buttonwood Tree which will be released on 21st July, written by Heather Webber. Here’s my review!

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.

No. of pages:- 330 pages

Date published :- 21st July 2020

Genre:- Magical Realism/ Women’s Fiction

Heather Webber (aka Heather Blake) is the author of more than twenty-five novels and has been twice nominated for an Agatha Award. She loves to read, drink too much coffee and tea, birdwatch, crochet, and bake. She currently lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, and is hard at work on her next book.www.heatherwebber.com | http://www.heatherblakebooks.com

This is the second book I have read from this author, the first book, The Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, which I did a blog on months ago. I got this free unedited copy from Netgalley and the publisher so I would really like to thank them for giving me this advanced copy.

Like in the Midnight at Blackbird Cafe, the story starts with Blue Bishop, who has an affinity of finding lost things. So one day, she finds an abandoned baby in the south of the infamous Buttonwood tree. Apparently, the Buttonwood Tree has a famous folklore story about advising and granting wishes by giving out buttons with the words of advise engraved on the button. If the advise is not followed, you are doomed to be cursed, hence is the folklore. Blue had been wanting to adopt a baby and she was amazed that this wish is granted. However, there were many people in the town who do not want the baby to be adopted by Blue, because she was a Bishop, since Bishops family are not very well liked by the community due to their criminal nature.

Meanwhile, Sarah Grace always tried to do the rights things, even though she was having an unhappy marriage. She was trying to impress her mother but at the same time she wants to do what is right for her. She is also hiding secrets that would make her mother disown her…

But the arrival of the new baby would change both Blue’s and Sarah Grace’s life forever.

So here are the things I liked about the book

• Just like the Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, the story deals with the magical realism and folklore tales. The Buttonwood Tree holds a certain folklore that is actually intriguing to read. Normally, I am not much into magical realism but this book made me intrigued to read more.
• The story is told from the perspectives of Blue and Sarah Grace–so as a reader we would know what each of the characters are feeling and also the type of secrets they seemed to be holding.
• Towards the end, it got more and more interesting, particularly the ending where you did not expect that unusual and unexpected twist!
• The writing was really good, quiet a page turner and author did a good job of making the reader engage into the story, as if the reader was also going on that rollercoaster ride with both Blue and Sarah Grace.
• The story, except for the folklore part was realistic.

Overall, this is an emotional, heartbreaking and quiet a page turning book, that will keep you into the story and you will not be able to put this book down at all. Worth five stars!

This book will be released on 21st July so if you are looking to buy the book, here is the link below