Where Butterflies Wander

A Novel

By: Suzanne Redfearn

Narrated by: Kate Rudd, Vivienne Leheny, Jordan Cobb, Michael Crouch, Jess Nahikian, Joe Knezevich

Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

From the bestselling author of In an Instant comes the moving story of a family grappling with grief and a woman with the power to help them through it—or stand in their way.

After a tragic accident claims the life of one of her children, Marie Egide is desperate to carve out a fresh start for her family. With her husband and their three surviving children, Marie travels to New Hampshire, where she plans to sell a family estate and then, just maybe, they’ll be able to heal from their grief.

Marie’s plans are thwarted when she realizes a war veteran known by locals as “the river witch” is living in a cabin on the property, which she claims was a gift from Marie’s grandfather. If Davina refuses to move on, Marie won’t be able to either.

The two women clash, and battle lines are drawn within Marie’s family and the town as each side fights for what they believe is right, the tension rising until it reaches its breaking point. And the choice is no longer theirs when a force bigger than them all—fate—takes control.

©2024 Suzanne Redfearn. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“A poignant tale of blame, forgiveness, and the slender threads that weave into the tapestry of life. Redfearn takes her readers from heartbreak to hope, all the way making us see our ties to what’s been lost, and that even the most unlikely people can set us free.”—Gian Sardar, author of When the World Goes Quiet

“A captivating and thoughtful novel about resilience and grace in the face of tragedy. Nestled among memorable characters who will stay with you long after the last page, Suzanne Redfearn explores the lengths we will go to and the secrets we will keep to protect those we love.”—Mansi Shah, author of The Direction of the Wind

“Where Butterflies Wander is a heart-wrenching story about a grieving family and the different ways people cope with grief. Suzanne Redfearn is a master at placing her characters in challenging circumstances where they are forced to make impossible decisions. I stayed up much too late furiously turning pages to find out what would happen. I was so invested in all the characters that I didn’t know whom to root for, wanting everyone to get what they wanted. Davina and the Egide family will stay with me for a long time to come.”—Diane Barnes, author of All We Could Still Have and More Than

Frustrating beautiful

I was so frustrated at the mom at first, but I do understand her protective actions. this was a beautiful story.

The dichotomy between the characters

Marie's character was somewhat hard to like. Although she is a strong woman her harshness and selfishness made it hard to like her.

So good

Once I started to get into it I couldn’t put it down. It made me laugh and made me cry in a good way. That how good this book is

Development of the characters

It took me awhile to really get i to the book, but the characters were developed so well! I did enjoy it

Excellent!

I really enjoyed this book. The character development was excellent - I felt like I really got to know the characters. The story was different than any story I've read before, definitely not the same old-same old. Lots of twists and turns. Important message on family grief. And the narration was excellent. Looking forward to Suzanne's next book.

Hang on for the ride

The narration on this book is wonderful and I could easily tell who was who. The story is very different from any I have heard heretofore. Prepare for a little laughter, some warm fuzzies, a few cold pricklies and a little bit of weeping.

The performance was the best I have ever heard

This is a nice story, but the narrative was superb I don’t know how she changes her voice for each character and yet none of her voices are annoying.

Unique and sweet

I liked that it didn’t lull. I wanted to keep reading and know what happened. It is a feel good story and not sappy. It was so enjoyable

Loved the characters and their relationships

This was a good story with great characters but the ending was a bit abrupt for me.

Come hate Marie with me

I have seldom come across a character that I dislike as much as Marie. She is just horrible. The fact that I feel that strongly is a testament to great writing.