South of the Buttonwood Tree

South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber is a magical Southern tale. I thought the story was well-written with developed characters set in a charming Southern town. I liked the Buttonwood Tree that dispenses advice when asked, but you had better follow it or be prepared to pay the price. The story follows Blue Bishop and Sarah Grace Fulton as they go on a journey. Blue finds a baby near the Buttonwood Tree with a note that the little girl is meant for her. No one is aware that this child will bring change to certain lives and hidden secrets will be brought out in the open. The story is well thought out and I liked how it all came together at the end. The magical elements are interesting and clever. The author’s vivid imagery brought the town, characters, and tree alive for me. I liked that the characters are realistic with their good traits and their foibles. I loved the descriptions of The Rabbit Hole, the children’s bookshop. Romance is in the air for two of our characters if they are willing to open their hearts. The chapters with various town residents talking to the judge were lively. It allowed readers to learn more about Blue and Judge Quimby. Forgiveness and family are the two central themes of the book. South of the Buttonwood Tree is a charming story that will delight those enjoy novels with magical elements. South of the Buttonwood Tree is a mesmerizing tale with an enchanted tree, an abandoned baby, a helpful house, whispering wind, surprising secrets, and a captivating crow.

Heather Webber is definitely becoming an auto-read for me, I just love the way she writes, with just enough mystical happenings threaded throughout the book to keep things interesting. The book is mainly about two characters, Blue (from the 'no-good' Bishop family/always trying to live down her family's bad reputation) and Sarah-Grace (from a 'good' family and always trying to do the right thing). Both Blue and Sarah-Grace have slightly magical happenings around them all the time though, Blue can find... anything! And Sarah-Grace, who renovates old houses, can hear what the houses have to say to her. I just loved this book, both main characters were so lovely and ended up really helping each other as the book went on. They were linked by the old family house Blue was selling to Sarah-Grace, against the wishes of her strait-laced Mother who hated the Bishops. Of course Blue finding a new-born baby under the mystical Buttonwood Tree really threw a spanner in the works, as she wanted to keep her and adopt her, but some people in the town were dead set against it. The judge had to decide and the little snippets of stories people of the town would regale the judge with throughout the book to try and help him make up his mind were lovely. Of course finally things came to a head when it was discovered who the mother of the baby was, and long held secrets were revealed - big surprises that I didn't see coming! Really lovely book that I would thoroughly recommend.