Heather Webber just became an 'auto buy' author for me. I absolutely loved Midnight at the Blackbird Café and South of the Buttonwood Tree cemented her place on my favorites list.

Local legend has it if you ask the Buttonwood Tree a question, a small disc of wood with your answer will appear in the knothole of the tree.

Blue Bishop is a finder of lost things....and on this particular day, she finds an abandoned infant at the base of the tree. A wooden disc in the folds of the baby's blankets reads, "Give the baby to Blue Bishop."

I'm not a fantasy reader, not into world building as a rule, but I do enjoy a bit of magical realism, especially when its a thread within a larger plot. This author strikes the right balance in my opinion.

The investigation of who abandoned the baby, who Blue names Flora, begins to unravel all the long held secrets between the Cabot and Bishop families. Saying more may reveal too much of the plot and I want you to enjoy the unfolding as I did.

South of the Buttonwood Tree is a beautiful story of family, found family, family secrets, the pressure of 'keeping up appearances' and most importantly the life altering power of love and forgiveness.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Heather Webber and Forge for the complimentary digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

What a wonderful read. A touch of romance, a touch of mystery, a touch of southern mysticism, all combined into one. Blue comes from a family that has always been looked down upon in this small Alabama town. When she finds a baby by the buttonwood tree, with a button claiming she should be given the baby the wheels start turning. Blue has always wanted a baby, and was prepared to foster and adopt, but the leading powers of the town are fighting her on this. Blue's story is dominant, but so is Sarah Grace's story. The two women have a lot in common and find comfort in their friendship. Both find new loves too, and hidden secrets have a way of becoming unhidden. Highly recommend this book and author. Found it really hard to put this one down. First I've read by this author but will not be my last. Cannot say enough about the pleasure I found reading this one.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. I loved this book! The story begins in Buttonwood, a small tight knit community but one with long memories. There is something magical about this place. The Buttonwood Tree gives advice to the townspeople by dropping a wooden "button" after being asked for help with answers written on the button. You can only ask once a year or risk being cursed. Blue Bishop desperately wants to adopt a newborn baby and one morning she finds an abandoned newborn beneath the Buttonwood Tree. So many secrets begin unraveling but forgiveness brings those together that are looking for lost things. 5 Stars *****

This is a wonderful book with a feel good ending.

The story is told from the point of view of two women, and depicts their relationship with each other and their families.

The author blends magical realism into the story flawlessly.

I highly recommend reading it.

I received a free advance copy of this book. I am leaving my honest review.

South of the Buttonwood Tree Review

Achingly beautiful is how I’d describe the story in Heather Webber’s new novel South of the Buttonwood Tree.

I loved the vivid and imaginative characters she wrote about as she chronicled the lives and loves and joys and sorrows of the residents of the small town of Buttonwood, Alabama.

Bright colors came alive in her portrayal of the natural world as well as the clothes and homes of the men, women, children, houses and businesses of the town - even names of people like Blue Bishop.

Complicated and perplexing describes how the stories of the townspeople were intertwined over the years and the book does an excellent job of telling the reader how they turn out.

Heather Webber’s superb writing in this romantic adventure of magical realism is a delight to read.

You’ll be glad you did!

This is a delightful read. Some laughter. Some tears. Some up and some downs. I enjoyed it very much

I recently read Heather Webber's book, Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, and quickly feel in love with a new author. When I saw that she had a new book coming out this summer called South of the Buttonwood Tree, I immediately put it on my to-be-read list. I was fortunate to receive a ARC e-copy and I knew right away that I needed to read it soon. I thought that South of the Buttonwood Tree would have a hard time keeping up with Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, but I think I may even like it a little better! If you like a bit of magical realism, then you might want to check it out too. I loved the little town of Buttonwood, Alabama with the charming characters and special places like the local bookstore. The main character, Blue Bishop, has a habit of finding lost things and has found some pretty interesting things throughout her life. None of them are as unusual as finding a newborn baby girl at the Buttonwood Tree. The crazy thing is that Blue doesn't know where the baby came from or why someone thinks she should be the one to find her. There are several other great characters in the book that are both family and friends. Heather Webber has a wonderful way of weaving the characters and their stories together that pulls on the reader's heartstrings. I can't wait to see what Heather Webber writes in this genre next....she is definitely at the top of the list of my favorite authors. Thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge publishers & NetGalley for the review copy of this book.

There’s always a little magic in the air”. It is this premise that moves this story of living under the shadow of gossip and lies. Blue Bishop has kept her head low,offered no excuses for her hard living, ill prepared family. But family they were and will always be. Blue has moved through life with the help of forces beyond her control and embraced by her and her special abilities. Blue passes every day by the Buttonwood tree , which dispenses advice and help to those that ask,you are allowed one wish per year. Blue wants a family in the worse way,and the tree provides . A newborn with a note attached asking specifically for Blue to raise this child. Blue both artist and writer of a popular children’s book holds this child close to her heart from the first. Old family rumors persist and Blues hope to adopt this baby pits the town social leaders against each other. The hunt for the baby’s mother unearths truths and secrets long buried but not forgotten. All along Blue looks to the wind for answers and guidance. The future of both Blue and the baby Flora intertwine in are revealed with a whisper not a whirlwind.

My heart is full after reading this beautiful story! I don’t think I will ever forget any of the lead characters, particularly Blue Bishop and Sarah Grace. There is just the right amount of mystery, magic, and suspense to make a reader stay up half the night to finish.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! Webber will have you falling in love with every character she wrote. The characters are well-developed and demonstrate growth as the story progresses. The viewpoint changes from Blue’s perspective and Sarah Grace’s perspective as their stories become intertwined. The prejudice and hardship Blue’s family faced doesn’t diminish the difficulties of the more privileged Cabot family’s issues, but instead provides a great contrast and drives forward the idea that no family is perfect. Webber wrote this book beautifully and the inclusion of magic threads within the story really adds a different dimension of understanding to each character and their history.

This book has everything from happy moments, to sad ones, to the fairy and fantasy that allows you to escape into Buttonwood through the pages!

South of the Buttonwood Tree follows Blue Bishop, a young woman with a troubled past, who has recently been given a special gift from the Buttonwood Tree, something the whole town has an opinion on. This magical realism southern story is an exciting read and Heather Webber has made this book feels very much like sitting around with old friends over glasses of sweet tea and telling stories of those around town.

The characters in Buttonwood are extremely loveable and although the book starts a bit slow, it more than enough makes up for it, as I had a hard time putting it down as the story unfolded. The secrets of Buttonwood are devastating and exciting, with a surprise twist that I did not see coming.

What a wonderful story! Here's another that I just didn't want to put down.
Heather Webber weaves a flawless story that intertwines the lives of members of the Bishop family, with those of others in Buttonwood. The legendary Buttonwood Tree plays a big part in the lives of the community.
Blue Bishop and her sister, Persey seem to be the only members of their family to have escaped the issues of their older siblings and parents. Blue feels that she is still an outcast in the community, though, never realizing just how much the townspeople have come to care for her.
Sarah Grace Landreneau has come to the realization that she is in a marriage that never should have taken place, but she's not sure what to do about it.
The past of these families in particular is going to come out, and it will be a shock for everyone when that happens.
I loved everything about this book!

I wish I had the words to express how much I loved this book. The one word I would use to describe this book is MAGIC!

There is the magic of the characters and how they relate to each other. There is the magic of the town, and of course the real magic of the Buttonwood Tree.

I honestly didn't see how Heather Webber could top Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, but with this book she did.

I absolutely loved Blue, and as I read the book my heart broke for the blows life had dealt her, but I was also cheered by the strength of her character and her never say die attitude.

Ms. Webber's writing is very reminiscent of Sarah Addison Allen's lyrical prose, so be prepared to enjoy.

I wanted to love SOUTH OF THE BUTTONWOOD TREE. I adore the title. I like magical realism and southern stories. But there was just too much going on for my tastes. Too many characters, too much past drama/curses that are thrown at the reader, especially in the early pages. I lost count of how many characters were introduced in the first ten percent of the novel. I felt like so much is tossed at the reader that I didn't know what to focus on and as a result I didn't care as much about the characters as I expected to. I did enjoy the writing and how Webber wraps things up. I will look for her other books.

Loved, loved, loved this book! South of the Buttonwood Tree is everything magical realism should be....heartwarming and inspiring and familial. This is such a wonderful follow-up to Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe. I recommend this book for your book club if you are looking for something uplifting to read.

Magical realism is alive and thriving in Heather Webber's wonderful new book. In her small Alabama town, Blue Bishop may be known for finding lost things, but finding a newborn baby in the forest was more than she ever expected. Still, the buttonwood tree, a local legend for answering locals' questions said "Give the baby to Blue." With her family heritage of troublemakers, the town seems divided about whether she should be able to keep and foster the child. A story filled with secrets, lost loves, friendship and the power of healing. Including Blue the characters are special, well defined with depth and humanity, even when not likeable, at first. I tore through this book, only crying once, but the characters will remain me for a beguiling time.

I loved this book. It is set in small town Alabama and being from Mississippi I could relate. I loved the town and all of it's characters. It drew you in from the very beginning. The story is about a young woman from a family with a sordid past and how people see her and how she sees herself. As the book unfolds and secrets are revealed can the town change their minds on how they see her? It also has some magic and romance. I can't wait to read the next book by Heather Webber.

Heather Webber's 'Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe' was the highlight of my February reading...and I squeezed in 24 books that month! So imagine my absolute delight when I was given an ARC of Webber's summer release, "South of the Buttonwood Tree!"

I am a sucker for a dose of magical realism set in a small, southern town with a little light romance swirled in...and, boy, did Webber deliver. You will so quickly fall in love with this town and these characters...especially Blue, the finder of lost things.

Magical trees, a found baby, and so many family secrets! As much as I adored 'Blackbird,' I loved this one even more. RUN to your computer and pre-order this book immediately.

...absolutely a 5 Star read for me.

A HUGE Thank You to NetGalley and Macmillan/Forge Books for this ebook to read and review!

Here is what I can share with you without giving too much away (most comes from summary paragraphs on Amazon anyway). Blue Bishop reminds me of Josey from SAA’s Sugar Queen but instead of finding books she finds lost things. Also from SAA’s Garden Spells instead of an apple tossing apple tree it is a Buttonwood (Sycamore) tree that provides advice but you can only ask once a year. There is something tickling the back of my brain from Karen White’s On Folly Beach’s bottle tree. Just like Sidda and Vivi’s relationship from Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, Sophia Grace struggles with her adult relationship with her mother. This comes out July 2020 and if you read Heather Webber’s Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe you will see similarities pertaining to mother daughter relationships and magical realism.

Heather has out done herself again with coming up with southern names (Persy, Marlo, Flora, Moe) I have never or rarely come across before in any of my reading. I love double southern names too: Anna Kate and Sophia Grace.

You are in for a treat come July 2020!

There is a new star in the magical realism genre and her name is Heather Webber. Last year's Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe was great. South of the Buttonwood Tree is breathtaking and an experience that will leave you aching for more long after you have closed the pages.

The author's rich description of the woods, the town, and the titular tree pull you so deeply into the story that you forget you are not actually there. Main characters Blue Bishop and Sarah Grace Landreneau Fulton perceive themselves as flawed women, but have no idea of the strength within them. The strength to undo past wrongs, find happiness for themselves, and the ability to change the their small town forever. Add an orphaned baby and a tumultuous marriage and you have the start of a reckoning that will leave no character untouched.

If you love magical realism, then this book will surely become a fast favorite. A veteran pro of paranormal cozy mysteries as Heather Blake, Webber has shown her literary fiction abilities to be even more enchanting. I cannot wait to be transported to her next tale.