The Lights of Sugarberry Cove by Heather Webber

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove

by Heather Webber

Sadie Way Scott has been avoiding her family and hometown of Sugarberry Cove, Alabama, since she nearly drowned in the lake just outside her mother’s B&B. Eight years later, Sadie is the host of a much-loved show about southern cooking and family, but despite her success, she wonders why she was saved. What is she supposed to do?

Sadie’s sister, Leala Clare, is still haunted by the guilt she feels over the night her sister almost died. Now, at a crossroads in her marriage, Leala has everything she ever thought she wanted - so why is she so unhappy?

When their mother suffers a minor heart attack just before Sugarberry Cove’s famous water lantern festival, the two sisters come home to run the inn while she recovers. It’s the last place either of them wants to be, but with a little help from the inn’s quirky guests, the sisters may come to terms with their strained relationships, accept the past, and rediscover a little lake magic.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

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The Lights of Sugarberry Cove, written by Heather Webber, is a charming novel full of magical realism, healing, and love, and it is such a gentle beast. It is a gentle soul waiting for the right reader to come along.

Sadie Way Scott is a beloved cooking show host. If that had been her entire story, that would have been enough. But Sadie is haunted by her past – a past where she nearly drowned at her family's lake.

Years later, Sadie and her family must come together to deal with the combined trauma and guilt that came from this moment. Will one family survive, or will they go their separate ways once again?

"Home. The word wound it's way around my heart and squeezed like it was giving me a hug."

The Lights of Sugarberry Cove is such a gentle and wonderful read. Before this book, I honestly never would have thought to apply the word 'gentle' to any novel or experience within the reading world. Yet that is the best term I can think of here.

Yes, this is a novel that handles grief, love, loss, and guilt. Yet those emotions are all so very human, and Heather Webber handles them all with care. The characters within this novel are fleshed out, scarred, and looking for ways to move on. It's a note that hit home for me, and I'm certain it will work for many other readers as well.

In many ways, The Lights of Sugarberry Cove felt like it was coming home. It was refreshing, evocative, and worked hard to pull me into the narrative. There were moments in this book that I don't think I'll ever be able to forget – and I'm okay with that.


Thanks to Forge Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks>

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 2 August, 2021: Finished reading
  • 2 August, 2021: Reviewed