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Book Review

Publisher's Note:

Heather Webber's Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is a captivating blend of magical realism, heartwarming romance, and small-town Southern charm. Nestled in the mountain shadows of Alabama lies the little town of Wicklow. It is here that Anna Kate has returned to bury her beloved Granny Zee, owner of the Blackbird Café. It was supposed to be a quick trip to close the café and settle her grandmother’s estate, but despite her best intentions to avoid forming ties or even getting to know her father’s side of the family, Anna Kate finds herself inexplicably drawn to the quirky Southern town her mother ran away from so many years ago, and the mysterious blackbird pie everybody can’t stop talking about. As the truth about her past slowly becomes clear, Anna Kate will need to decide if this lone blackbird will finally be able to take her broken wings and fly.…

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Overall Book Review:

“Seems to me…there’s a whole lot of people around here carrying around a heap of pain tied to the past. Might be time to start letting that go and start healing.”

Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is a delightful novel, sprinkled with Southern charm and a good dose of magic. Narrated by the book’s two female protagonists, the story examines themes of love, loss, and second chances.  Author Heather Webber creates a small town feel with vivid, colorful descriptions and larger than life characters. Webber is a strong writer and many of the characters’ lines are poignant, beautiful, and delivered in a steady Southern accent. While there is plenty of teasing and clever banter, the book has many tender moments that will likely pull at readers’ heartstrings. Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is a little mystery, a little romance, and whole lot of fun. Grab a copy for a perfect summer read! 

Review of an Advance Reading Copy

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Forge Books


Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  22 religious exclamations, 14 mild obscenities.

Violence/Gore:  A few secondhand reports of violence, including time spent as a soldier and car crashes that result in death; a fire destroys property with no casualties. 

Sex/Nudity:  A few instances of hand-holding and kissing; a brief sexual reference; a few implied incidents of sexual activity, resulting in a child born out of wedlock. 

Mature Subject Matter:

Anxiety, panic attacks, and mental illness, loss of family members, divorce, recollections of fatal car accidents, terminal illness, mention of gambling and debts, lying, foreclosure, grief, strained relationships, brief mention of suicide. 

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Secondhand account of underage drinking and driving. 

Overall Book Rating
Profanity/Language
Rating:
4
10
Violence/Gore
Rating:
2
10
Sex/Nudity
Rating:
3
10

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About the Reviewer

My mother was the one who sparked my love of books. Long before school instruction, she sat me down and taught me to read. My childhood was filled with trips to the library and bookmobile to find great books. My first loves were The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Pippi Longstocking series by Astrid Lingren. Now as a mom and speech pathologist, I am constantly looking for good, clean books to use at home and in therapy. I enjoy reading many different genres, but my favorites are usually historical fiction. I married my best friend, the “boy next door”, and we have a beautiful little girl who we often find sprawled out on the floor, flipping through picture books. Together our family likes to swim, run and play tennis. Besides reading, I also love to bake, garden and travel.