The Lights of Sugarberry Cove – Book Review

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove is a charming, delightful story of family, healing, love, and small town Southern charm by USA Today bestselling author Heather Webber.

Sadie Way Scott has been avoiding her family and hometown of Sugarberry Cove, Alabama, since she nearly drowned in the lake just outside her mother’s B&B. Eight years later, Sadie is the host of a much-loved show about southern cooking and family, but despite her success, she wonders why she was saved. What is she supposed to do?

Sadie’s sister, Leala Clare, is still haunted by the guilt she feels over the night her sister almost died. Now, at a crossroads in her marriage, Leala has everything she ever thought she wanted—so why is she so unhappy?

When their mother suffers a minor heart attack just before Sugarberry Cove’s famous water lantern festival, the two sisters come home to run the inn while she recovers. It’s the last place either of them wants to be, but with a little help from the inn’s quirky guests, the sisters may come to terms with their strained relationships, accept the past, and rediscover a little lake magic.

Content Warning:- Depression, death

This is the third book I have read written by Heather Webber and just like her two previous books (The Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe and The South of the Buttonwood Tree), this novel deals with magical realism as well as the relationship between the two sisters named Sadie and Leala with their mother.

Sadie Way left the small town of Sugarberry Cove years ago when she got into an “accident” during the lantern festival and has been working filming and posting the videos based on cooking with a story behind it. When her mother, who runs a cottage inn at Sugarberry Cove gets a minor heart attack, Sadie returns back to the small town. Leala is having a strained marriage with Connor and she too returns to the cottage to help with running the cottage. And as the two sisters work together, they realizes the secrets and the story talks about the relationships and emotions.

Like her two previous books, Webber’s writing is spot on, immaculate and descriptive that will make the reader draw into the story. The story is also told from Sadie’s and Leala’s perspectives so we will know as a reader of what each of them think of each other. We see that they both seem to have a good relationship although Leala seemed to be neglecting about Sadie’s work. The magical realism that is the backdrop of the story, about the lake also seemed to be fascinating to read which is how it affects the whole story.

I do like how the life in the south of U.S.A is portrayed in the book. Many of Webber’s books are based in the south so you can have a glimpse of what southern culture in U.S. is really like. The ending to the story was predictable as we all know eventually it will be a happy ending.

This book talks about the near death life experiences that each of the characters have faced.

Sadie was almost drowned in the lake. Leala had complications with childbirth that nearly cost her life and their mother had a heart problem. Leala was mentally depressed after giving birth that she turned her focused on yoga. So it was a bit interesting to see all near death experiences of all these characters.

If you are into books that talk about magical realism with beautiful writing, then this book is one for you. Worth five stars!