I really liked the idea of found family and getting over trauma in this one by Ms. Webber. Both Emme and Cora Bee needed each other and needed healing.

Heather Webber’s In the Middle of Hickory Lane is the story of Emme Wynn who has always wanted a stable family life. As part of her life’s journey, at her grandmother's invitation, Emme moves to Sweetgrass, Alabama. Oh how her life will change. I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this well-written book about family, secrets, forgiveness, and healing. What a gem of a book!

Heather really writes about small-town charm well. Her books are always such a delight to read, and you enjoy seeing how the characters grow through the course of the book.

This is my first book from Heather Webber and I know it will not be my last. A little suspense, romance, family secrets and of course family sticking together. A novel to just sit back and read and enjoy and have some chuckles along the way.

Heather Webber's books are filled to the brim with love, family, and magic, and In the Middle of Hickory Lane is no different.

Just like all her other books, of which I've read them ALL, I never stop feeling happy, nostalgic, giggly, heartbroken, filled with joy, and smiling until the very end.

I'm a sucker for Magical Realism and Webber never, ever disappoints.

5 Solid Stars

This is another feel good book by Heather Webber. Emme, Cora Bee and Glory all have problems they are trying to deal with and secrets they are trying to keep. They are all looking for connections, trying to fit in and feel better about themselves. They find that and more on Hickory Lane.

Add this to the growing list of recommendations by Heather Webber. Her magical realism is *chefs kiss*
This one had slightly different feel just due to the heavy grief within the characters. The story grew so much with the characters. The relationship of Emme and Glory was extra special. I can’t wait to add this one to my shelf.

In the Middle of Hickory Lane is an absolute gem of a novel! It completely swept me away with it’s beautiful and charming story, excellent writing, lovable and memorable characters to get to know and come alongside, and a most delightful setting. Truly, I was completely transported into the story with the lovely descriptions that the author provided, making this a surprisingly atmospheric read that I couldn’t get enough of.

It is worth mentioning here that magical realism isn’t really my jam and I even tend to avoid it, but I am SO glad I gave it a chance here. Webber has such a talent for writing and storytelling that I found it was so wonderfully done and fit into the storyline so well, that I have no complaints and dare I even say, it’s one of the elements to the book I loved the most! (Here’s my nudge that if magical realism isn’t really your favorite either, to give this one a chance!). This book held all of that cozy small town Southern charm that is utterly irresistible to not get completely lost in. There is a perfect mix of romance, mystery, and feel-good feels here in this story of personal growth, friendship, community, and family, and it is one not to miss!

Many thanks to Forge Books and NetGalley for the gifted e-copy!

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a review.

You can count on Heather Webber to provide a nice story about family bonds, strong female friendships, and community. Webber sprinkles in an unsolved mystery and some magical realism to create a sweet story.

Careful, this sweet one might just give you a toothache!

For those unfamiliar with Heather Webber, she writes feel-good southern fiction with dashes of magical realism thrown in.

In this one, Emme is newly living with her deceased father’s family. She was raised on the run by her ne’er do well mother, and is very happy to have somewhere to call home.
However, there are quite a few secrets here that might destroy this reunion.

This is a really fun, uplifting read. I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley and Forge Books for my complimentary copy.

Thanks to Forge Books and NetGalley for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

Loved this heartwarming story of family, secrets, forgiveness, and healing. There’s a bit of romance and mystery, too, but what makes this so special is the element of magical realism.

The publisher's plot summary: “Emme Wynn has wanted nothing more her whole life than to feel like part of a family. Having grown up on the run with her con artist mother, she’s been shuffled from town to town, drawn into bad situations, and has learned some unsavory habits that she’s tried hard to overcome. When her estranged grandmother tracks her down out of the blue and extends a job offer—helping to run her booth at an open-air marketplace in small-town Sweetgrass, Alabama—Emme is hopeful that she’ll finally be able to plant the roots she’s always dreamed of. But some habits are hard to break, and she risks her newfound happiness by keeping one big truth to herself.”

I can’t give enough praise to this sweet, poignant, memorable drama. I highly recommend it!

This was another magical, 5 star read for me from this author! Let's start with the cover, is there anything more beautiful? I would put that on my wall! The setting is gorgeous. Hickory Lane ends in a cul-de-sac. In the middle of the road is a large, lush, circular garden. In the middle of this garden, there is a gazing pool that may offer more than the typical water feature. The characters are fully formed and each has something special to contribute to the relationships around them. Emme Wynn walks up this street on page one, invited by her estranged grandmother, hungering for a family connection. As she walks up the street, before she even knows which house belongs to her grandmother, she see's police activity in the beautiful garden and the mystery begins.

This is a novel with complicated family dynamics, a mystery or two to solve, wonderfully wise garden tips, and characters with the opportunity to heal and grow. I found myself wanting to linger in the pages and feeling hopeful and refreshed at the end.

Thank you to #Netgalley for an copy of this book to preview. I also bought my own copy of this book! I hope you enjoy this read as much as I did!

I discovered Ms. Webber this year and I have had a fabulous year reading her catalog.

This newest book does not disappoint. I was listening to the audiobook any spare moment I could because I NEEDED to keep going with the story. I adored the characters, the story, and want to buy the book so I can reread it.

“A little thunder doesn’t bother someone who’s lived in a storm”

Charming and full of whimsy yet deeply poignant and healing.

Growing up in Georgia, I haven’t ever given thought to relocating to Alabama. There’s never been an…ahem…*tide* strong enough to pull me in that direction. Oh but Heather Webber… if Sweetgrass truly was a place, she might convince me.

{And that, my friends, is one of the strongest endorsements I can give. Also, #godawgs }
*All in good fun, my AL friends.

Webber transported me right back to my southern roots, where time passes a bit slower and people almost always have a warm smile to share.

That doesn’t mean life is easy though. Cora Bee and Emme can attest to that.

Oh but there’s magic at play… Maybe it’s coming from Glory, my favorite character. Maybe it’s coming from the town itself. Or rather, it could be that unexpected love (familial, friendship, romantic) found in surprising places wields all the healing that’s needed.

This book was like a warm hug. Rather than shying away from hardship, Webber lays it bare in a way that deeply resonates. I found bits of myself in both characters. That kind of openness allowed me to explore complex emotions leaving my heart full to the brim in the end.

Trust me… you need this dose of book sunshine!

I partnered my physical book with the audio, and it was perfection. The narration by Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis (and their perfect southern accents) made both characters come alive in a rich way.

Many thanks to @forgebooks and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copy.

My new favorite author of magic-realism. Webber adds a little more romance and a mystery in her lastes book "In the Middle of Hickory Lane."

"In the Middle of Hickory Lane" was a heartfelt, touching delightful book! The characters, especially Emme and Glory were so interesting and vividly revealed just as you would expect from a small-town heartwarming story!
Heather Weber had me at Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe and she continues to allure me with her writing style and topics! Thank you for allowing me an early copy for review, NetGalley!
I highly recommend this book!
4 1/2 Stars

I've loved every book by this author and this one is no exception. Magic, small towns, kind people and a happy ending! If you like a little bit of magic and would like to be swept away to a lovely place, read this book!

Heather Webber has done it again by sweeping me clean off my feet and making me fall in love with one of her books.

What is there to say about the individual in this book? They are really fantastic, and ever since I began reading, I've longed to live with them and take part in this lovely tale. Emme, who has had a particularly difficult life, and Glory, who is so kind and caring, especially, I couldn't help but love them. Even Dorothy, who is deteriorating due to dementia, is an endearing character, and perhaps some of the odd things she says have more significance than her family is aware of!

This is what I imagine when I think of magical realism in small-town fiction. I want a town full of amazing people who are so entertaining and interesting that I feel like I've moved in. Lies, great characters, grief, misconceptions, and a sense of belonging are what I seek. All of the criteria are satisfied by this book.

Each chapter starts with a header that serves as a brief introduction to the language of flowers and contains a few pearls of wisdom. An additional nice touch and benefit.

In the Middle of Hickory Lane was undoubtedly a charming, heartfelt, and inspiring tale that moved me.

I highly suggest you can start with this book if any of you are interested in magical realism set in a tiny village.

In the Middle of Hickory Lane
Author, Heather Webber
Available now!

Thank you Forge books for the e- arc and finished copy of Heather Webber's latest magical novel!

Oh, how I love Webber's small town Southern charm and her stories that are filled with magical realism. In truth, magical realism was not a genre that I was interested in until I first read Webber's South of the Buttonwood Tree. Her heartwarming stories filled with family drama and endearing characters however, drew me right in. I only have Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe left to read!

Due to her mother's deceitful ways, Emme has never felt like she truly belonged anywhere. But when her grandmother Glory, whom she hasn't seen since she was an infant, reaches out and invites her to Hickory Lane in Sweetgrass, Alabama, it's an offer she can't refuse. Emme wants so much to be welcomed and to fit into her grandmother's beautiful and abundant life, but she's holding back because she's worried that once she gets to really know her, that she'll be forced to leave. But she doesn't know the capacity Glory has to love yet.

Meanwhile, her cousin and neighbor Cora Bee, is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders as well. Despite her best efforts, she's also having trouble letting people in and getting close to anyone. The two form a cautious, but eventual bond and together learn some hard truths about themselves and each other. Along the way. they share their passions, talents, and little bit of their magic.

Filled with long buried neighborhood secrets, strong friendships, and growing bonds between family, In the Middle of Hickory Lane allows readers to experience the value of community and learning how to love and forgive yourself.

4.5 stars!

Heather Webber's writing style is beautiful, and it is easy to fall in love with the characters of Hickory Lane. This is quiet, small-town fiction with a mysterious death, an outsider with a questionable past, and a magical pond that allows some people to glimpse the past. Perfect for fans of Sarah Addison Allen or Fannie Flagg, this is a sweet story of found family.