Lots of raw emotions, entrenched positions and questioning of life choices.
A family return to their country estate deciding to sell it to help them restart their lives after the death of their young twin daughter. Each family member deals with their loss in a different way.
They find that a ‘river witch’ who is also an injured war veteran lives in the woods on the property. She is well liked locally and provides midwife and other nursing help to the locals, free if necessary.
Battle lines are drawn with some split loyalties.
There is a strong message that money cannot buy happiness or satisfaction.
The story is told by several of the protagonists, which works. Good story telling and the strong emotions well managed.

Had me totally addicted , and I just sat for hours turning the pages, as there was no way I could put it down until the very end… this book is an absolute must-read , it’s just too good to miss.

I love Suzanne Redfearn but this one didn’t do it for me. It felt like so much was going on. So many little stories happening and it was hard to keep track. I did like Davina. I didn’t feel the grief that you’d expect of a family who lost a child 6 weeks prior. They were too happy. Also didn’t like that Brendon burned down the cabin and let someone take the fall for him AND have a relationship with her going forward.

I LOVED This!!!! I was such a fan of in an instant and this was another hit. I was obsessed with the writing, character development and all aspects of this book. It reminded me a lot of the style of writing that Kristin Hannah writes with a little bit of Elin Hilderbrand!!! 100% recommend

Suzanne’s book, In An Instant, is one of my most favorite books ever, so I knew I needed to read this! It did not disappoint! I was completely engrossed in the story within the first two chapters. It is such a heartbreaking story of grief and loss and how everyone deals with grief differently, but with lots of small moments of good in between. I fell in love with the characters, but especially loved Davina’s character—her kindness and willingness to help anyone who needed it, her intuitive nature and the way she lived despite all she’d been through was truly inspiring.

I was immediately drawn into this story that explores how the different members of the Egide family deal with the tragic drowning of one of the children. Marie, the mother believes that the only way forward is to sell their home and move, so they can put the past behind them. To do that, the family goes to Marie's grandfather's country estate that she had inherited, with the intention of fixing it up that summer to sell. That cash will enable them to make the move. What they didn't expect to find on the land was a witch. Well, not a witch exactly, but she's known around town as such for her heeling and herbal powers. Davina, a disfigured war veteran had been given permission by Marie's grandfather to live in a cabin on his land indefinitely and refuses to budge. A series of misunderstandings have divided the family. Who exactly is Davinia? These misunderstandings leads to even more tragedies and the Egide family now have suddenly turned into villains.

Thank you NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC! "Where Butterflies Wander" was definitely a five-star read and I highly recommend it!

What a wonderful, heartfelt story! Grief, loss, friendship and a bit of magic are woven into this beautiful novel.
There is no doubt that this story and these characters will be long remembered and a adored by many.
I loved the "River Witch" - Davina.
She learned and taught that life is hard, but we must continue on each day to survive.
She had survived a tough life, not without pain and hearbreak.

My favorite quote that Davina gave to a young girl who lost her sister: "Just 'cause someone's gone doesn't mean they're not still a part of us."

Suzanne Redfearn has truly written a winner once more! Do yourself a favor and sit with this book. I assure you it will touch your heart as it did mine.
Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Lake Union Publishing for this wonderful ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review. Ten stars!

Touching family of loss and healing. Relatable, well-rounded characters.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Where Butterflies Wander. I enjoyed how real the characters are and reading each characters point of view.
The story was so touching.. The loss of a child/sister is devastating to a family. Then adding the stress of moving to a new home and not fitting into the new neighborhood is an added stress. After meeting a beloved veteran who lives nearby, it changes the trajectory of the family dynamics & their healing.

Ah, be still my heart. This book is a brilliant portrayal of how one family manages grief, each in their own way, and the beauty of how a community bands together for one of their own. Each character has a distinct personality and it’s easy to get caught up in each of their plights.

When the Egide family suffers a terrible loss with the death of their young daughter, they feel like a fresh start will help them move forward in their grief. They must first move to New Hampshire to renovate an old family home in order to sell it as they need the money for their move. They are surprised to find that a war veteran, known as the “River Witch”, has made her home in a small hut on their land. When the family evicts her, a struggle ensues with the community, who rally around the River Witch, and the Egide family must choose the right path forward for all involved.

This is a multi-faceted story with so many intertwined emotions and struggles. It’s easily a 5-star read and one of my favorites of the year. Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. You can pick up a copy on February 6, 2024.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I was super excited to get this ARC as I have heard multiple good things about this author. The book itself was great, however, left me wanting a little bit more. I think this is due to the big expectations I had from hearing such great things!

This novel follows so many different characters (although they are all in the same family besides Davina), that it took me awhile to remember who was who and what their role was in the family. Davina and her loving personality was definitely my favourite character. I also felt like some parts of the story drug on, while others were glimpsed over way too quickly. In my opinion, there were a few parts that could have been dug into more.. such as the ended which ended far too abruptly. Even though I felt it lacked a few things, the novel beautifully covers grief & loss as well as found family.

Thank you NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Where Butterflies Wander draws the reader in from the beginning with a story of loss, heartbreak, and a family struggling to put their lives together after the unimaginable. From the moment the reader is led through the forest on a hunt for a butterfly to the references to The Butterfly Effect throughout, the idea of interconnectedness is weaved throughout the story. I found myself rooting for both "sides" of the story as Davina fought to keep her home and the Egides' struggle to put themselves back together after the loss of Bee. The plot pulled me through the book as I anxiously awaited how it would play out for all characters, but the ending left me wanting so much more information! Suzanne Redfearn's novels are brilliantly written and I can't wait for the next one!

Just finished this book and I loved it. The author did an excellent job with character development. I felt involved in the story till the end. In the beginning it was a little confusing with the difference characters in each chapter, but it didn’t take long to catch on and the story flowed easily. Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for opportunity to read this prerelease copy for an honest review.

I enjoyed this read with the different pov's. It deals with multiple different topics and the pages keep turning to find out what would happen next. I would recommend.

This is an emotional and thoroughly captivating read.

We begin with a family grieving after a tragic accident. Desperate for a chance of a fresh start, they go to New Hampshire to a property Marie has inherited. I feel like this inherited property storyline is a tiny bit cliche b/c we see it a fair amount. However, the story takes off from there, especially when the family encounters Davina Lister, who is squatting on the property and claims it was given to her by Marie’s grandfather.

The conflict keeps the pages turning.

Marie's daughters are sweet and charming. I especially enjoyed Davina's character because she is unique.

There are quite a few POVs to keep up with, but the patient reader will be rewarded.

I received a complimentary e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

As usual Suzanne Redfearn creates a captivating, emotional story. One that resonates with anyone who suffered a loss of a child.a definite recommend.

Thank you publisher and Netgalley. All thoughts are my own and aren't influenced by anyone else

I really enjoyed this book, and the way the author arranged the chapters talking from each characters perspective. I do think I little more should have been done with the fire starter,
I found it a page turner never knowing what was going to happen next whilst being an easy read.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, the author and Net Galley for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I've been a fan of Suzanne Redfearn's previous books, and this one is no exception. Losing a child is the worst thing that could happen to anyone. An accident claims the life of one of Marie's children. Marie, with her family, tries to put the pieces back together by moving them to New Hampshire to settle a family estate.
The "River Witch," a war veteran is living in a cabin on the property, She says the cabin is hers, from Marie's grandfather. They'll have to settle the past before either can move on.

Suzanne Redfearn is a master story teller, especially family sagas. After losing a child, a family tries to heal. Spending the summer at the old family estate, getting it ready to sell, they come together in expected ways.

Where Butterflies Wander is, on the surface, a story about a land ownership dispute between a grieving family and a war veteran. I liked it because it was fast paced and an intriguing story. I do feel that some of the stories and characters didn't get addressed properly. There were so many subplots, and I felt like I still had questions by the end of the novel. I also didn't really care for either of the main female characters. Maybe to some there was an obvious person to root for, but I couldn't quite feel the sympathy I think I was meant to. But overall I find Suzanne Redfearn has become a reliably good author for me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.