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Covered Buttons
288 pages, Paperback
Published April 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 8, 2026
I’m going to be honest—I was a little nervous going into this book.
Not because I doubted the writing, but because I care so much about Stephanie. When someone you love puts their heart into something like this, you want it to be everything you hope it will be.
And thankfully… it absolutely is.
I was honored to read an early copy of *Covered Buttons*, and from the very beginning, I was drawn into a story that feels both deeply personal and beautifully universal.
This is such a character-driven novel, and that’s where it truly shines. The people in this story felt real to me—so real that when I finished, I caught myself wondering what they were doing next. That feeling doesn’t happen often, and when it does, you know the author has created something special.
Thea especially stayed with me. As a young girl navigating loss, responsibility, and a life that feels small and predetermined, there’s a quiet restlessness in her that I recognized. When Helen enters her life—with boxes full of books and stories of a much bigger world—you can feel that shift begin.
And then there’s Grandma Betsey… full of warmth, wisdom, and just enough gentle guidance to open doors Thea didn’t even know existed. Through her, Thea begins to understand more about herself, about womanhood, and about the possibility of love—with a little help from stories, encouragement, and even something as simple as pie.
There is a tenderness to this book that stayed with me. It captures the beauty of rural Arkansas, the nostalgia of a slower life, and the quiet ways people shape each other’s worlds.
This is a beautiful debut from Stephanie Saunders—thoughtful, heartfelt, and full of soul.
I didn’t want this story to end.
Have you ever read a book where the characters felt so real, you missed them after the last page?
Not because I doubted the writing, but because I care so much about Stephanie. When someone you love puts their heart into something like this, you want it to be everything you hope it will be.
And thankfully… it absolutely is.
I was honored to read an early copy of *Covered Buttons*, and from the very beginning, I was drawn into a story that feels both deeply personal and beautifully universal.
This is such a character-driven novel, and that’s where it truly shines. The people in this story felt real to me—so real that when I finished, I caught myself wondering what they were doing next. That feeling doesn’t happen often, and when it does, you know the author has created something special.
Thea especially stayed with me. As a young girl navigating loss, responsibility, and a life that feels small and predetermined, there’s a quiet restlessness in her that I recognized. When Helen enters her life—with boxes full of books and stories of a much bigger world—you can feel that shift begin.
And then there’s Grandma Betsey… full of warmth, wisdom, and just enough gentle guidance to open doors Thea didn’t even know existed. Through her, Thea begins to understand more about herself, about womanhood, and about the possibility of love—with a little help from stories, encouragement, and even something as simple as pie.
There is a tenderness to this book that stayed with me. It captures the beauty of rural Arkansas, the nostalgia of a slower life, and the quiet ways people shape each other’s worlds.
This is a beautiful debut from Stephanie Saunders—thoughtful, heartfelt, and full of soul.
I didn’t want this story to end.
Have you ever read a book where the characters felt so real, you missed them after the last page?
April 23, 2026
Covered Buttons by Stephanie Saunders is an immersive, feminist, historical fiction novel with truly lovable characters. The story steadily develops into a powerful and inspiring narrative about family, love, and the privilege of autonomy. Historical fiction is not my go to genre but this book will definitely make into my favorites for the year! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Author
Stephanie Saunders pieces together the heartache, longing, humor and strength of these resilient Ozark women with a deft hand. The result is a glorious patchwork quilt of a novel that both dazzles and warms you. Saunders is an author to watch.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews