Walley's Book Reviews
  • Home
  • Edee's Reviews
  • Ben's Reviews
  • Sam's Reviews
  • About
  • Contact

South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber

8/30/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Buttonwood, Alabama is home to a very special buttonwood tree and also two women who've led very different lives.  Blue Bishop has lived in Buttonwood all her life and her family's reputation has followed her every day in every way. Blue longs for a new beginning, but can't part from her sister or Marlo and Moe, who have been substitute parents for her.  Sarah Grace also would like a fresh start, but for different reasons.  Sarah Grace finds herself in a loveless marriage and wishes she had never walked away from her true love and high school sweetheart Shep, who also just happens to be back in town.  If Sarah Grace could only be her real self and open up her secrets to her family, would she find some peace in her life?  Blue and Sarah Grace have been distant acquaintances all their lives but then Blue finds a baby in the woods with a button from the Buttonwood Tree that says give this baby to Blue Bishop. Blue has longed to adopt a baby for some time, but Sarah Grace's demanding mother has decided the baby is the perfect solution to Sarah Grace's marriage problems.  Who should have the baby and more importantly, where did the baby come from?  

This magical novel is so vividly written that you can visualize the Buttonwood Tree and each colorful character as well.  I wanted to curl up and read a good book in Marlo and Moe's bookstore.  I also wanted to read one of Blue's picture books and see her illustrations.  When a book is so well written that you want to meet the characters and see where they live, I take that as a good sign.  I also liked the twist at the end and was taken by surprise in how that played out.  I hope you enjoy reading South of the Buttonwood Tree as much as I did.  Five stars!

I received this book courtesy of Forge Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.   

0 Comments

The Secrets of Love Story Bridge by Phaedra Patrick

8/23/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
It only seems right that Mitchell Fisher finds himself responsible for cutting off all the locks placed on "love story" bridge since he has put all things romantic behind him.  After losing his beloved partner Anita, Mitchell is focused on raising their daughter Poppy.  He takes pride in keeping everything to a schedule and making their lives run smoothly.  All that changes in an instant, when Mitchell makes eye contact with a woman wearing a yellow dress as she fastens a lock on the bridge, then unexpectedly jumps into the water. Mitchell doesn't have any time to think and simply jumps in to help her. This event sets up a chain reaction that ultimately pushes Mitchell outside of the confines of the life he has set up for himself and may begin to help him deal with the loss of his love Anita.  

Mitchell Fisher is a character that worms his way into your heart.  At times, I was so frustrated with how closed off he was and at other times, his heartbroken demeanor touched my heart. His daughter Poppy was a bright light in the story and I loved how her character was presented. It was a brilliant love story, with just the right amount of mystery and intrigue mixed in.  

I received this book courtesy of Park Row through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

0 Comments

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

8/22/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Ever since I read The Address, Fiona Davis has quickly become one of my favorite authors.  Each of her books have interesting female characters, complex multi-layered relationships and are centered around an iconic building.  

The Lions of Fifth Avenue begins in 1913 with Laura Lyons and her family.  Her husband Jack Lyons is the superintendent of the New York Public Library and their family resides in an apartment inside the Library.  Laura dreams of going back to school to become a journalist while Jack spends all his extra time penning his novel.  Laura can't believe her good fortune when she is awarded a scholarship and can finally begin her studies. Laura wants her reporting to make a difference and draw attention to issues important to women.  

In 1993, Sadie Donovan is serving as an assistant curator for the Berg Collection housed in the New York library.  Sadie hasn't made public her connection as granddaughter of the famous essayist Laura Lyons, and she hopes to possibly find something yet unpublished from her grandmother in order to secure her position as curator.  Things quickly become complicated as precious works from the collection turn up missing with no easy explanation for their whereabouts and putting Sadie's precarious position in even more jeopardy.  

I truly loved this novel.  Fiona Davis writes novels that make me feel like I took a trip to New York and traveled through time as well.  The library setting is perfect for any book lover.  I treasure her unique characters and the way each character develops over the pages.  As always, I am already eagerly awaiting her next novel as I know it will have a spot on my favorites shelf.  Highly recommend!  

I received this book courtesy of Dutton Books through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  

0 Comments

The Daughters of Foxcote Manor by Eve Chase

8/18/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
An old manor deep in the forest and a family full of secrets is the perfect recipe for  a suspenseful five star read!  

In 1970, Rita serves as nanny for the Harrington family and has been charged with caring not only for the two Harrington children Teddy and Hera, but also their grieving mother who is mourning the lost of her baby, as they spend the summer away from London in the deeply wooded home Foxcote Manor.  As new characters enter the story, Rita isn't sure who to trust and how to handle covertly reporting back to Mr. Harrington on Mrs. Harrington's mental status. Then young Hera finds the tiniest baby abandoned in the woods and it isn't long until a body is discovered in the woods as well.  

Some forty years later, Sylvie is in the midst of a divorce and trying to make peace with her daughter when Sylvie receives a call that her mother has been in an accident.  Suddenly, Sylvie must deal with her own uncertain past while trying to reach through her mother's coma and help her daughter make some life changing decisions.

This book truly intrigued me and even surprised me several times throughout the pages. I enjoyed the two differing plots and watching them connect.  It was definitely a 5 star read for me and I highly recommend it.  

0 Comments

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Ben's Reviews
    Children/YA/Teen
    Edee's Reviews
    General Fiction
    Historical Fiction
    Literary Fiction
    Mystery/Thriller
    Non Fiction
    Recommended For Book Clubs
    Southern Fiction

    Archives

    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.