Book Review: Love, Savory, and Sweet: A Romance Novella by Ronnda Eileen Henry

                                                       

                                                       Synopsis -

This is a historical-like novella set in a world that is not of our own. Lady Krysantha is a young widow with a son, a large mansion in the city, and just enough of an annuity to pay for living there. If she's going to provide her child with the future his father intended, she must earn an income; but how? Her stepsons, who were on bad terms with their father and whom she's never met, will do nothing to help their half-brother. In fact, they wish he would put on the house and gone.

Noblewomen aren't supposed to work like commoners and the only things she brought to the marriage were her family's impoverished title, a small dowry, and her grandmother's cookbook. With the help of an older widow from her late husband's regiment, she buys a business and works, without appearing to. When a handsome officer from her husband's regiment offers to help them for a time, she accepts, without revealing her secret. But has he really come to help, or is he a spy for her stepsons?

"Love, Savory and Sweet" is about a young woman who experiences two very different relationships with two very different men.

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON    

REVIEW

Love, Savory, and Sweet is the third installment in what will soon be called “The Flowers of Penruddock Romance Novella Collection”. Each of her previous romance tales (Read their reviews here and here) take place in the historical fantasy world of Penruddock in different times and settings. In her third installment Love. Savory, and Sweet it’s a tale of widowed love. We first meet the widowed Colonel William who finds love again in the young Krysantha who becomes the heroine of this tale as tragedy strikes (Which I am still distraught over. The moment his character is introduced you cannot help but fall for him!). It is now the newly widowed Krysantha that discovers the same thing her widowed husband discovered in her, that you can find love again. Well, it’s that mixed along with sweet and savory teacakes and a step parent’s nightmare.

Overall this tale of widowed love would be depressing if it was not so dramatically romantic. Henry again writes smooth and poetically placing shocks and surprises just at the right moment to keep you on board throughout the whole tale.

****4 Star Rating

Check out Henry's previous novella's all available on AMAZON

        

                        

About the Author

Ronnda Eileen Henry is originally from Michigan and was raised in California and Virginia. She read a lot of history, biography, science fiction, and Regency romances when she was young, and her two favorite authors are Jane Austen and William Shakespeare. She has the heart of a romantic and believes romance is for people of any age. Sweet romance is her favorite, whether it's for a teenager or a person in middle age.

Retired now, she lives in Florida.

BOOK REVIEW:Golden Skye of Ansgar 2nd Edition (A Windflower Saga Middle-Grade Novel) Along with Short Story Fly Percy, Fly! by Aleksandra Layland

Synopsis

This is the second edition of the middle-grade fiction novel "Golden Skye of Ansgar" from the epic fantasy book series, the Windflower Saga. It also includes a non-fiction short story about the real Percy the Parrot, after whom a fictional bird character is named.

Set in a medieval-like world, "Golden Skye of Ansgar" is a short middle-grade story based on characters from the epic fantasy novel "Of Wisdom and Valor: The Art of War. The Path of Peace." (Part II of the Windflower Saga trilogy). It features a royal family with young children aged from toddlers to twelve years old, their friends, and their animals including horses, ponies, a dog, a cat, and three parrots.

Golden Skye is the name of a beautiful golden warhorse mare sent to Queen Keridwen as a gift. In the stable of the Royal Palace, she makes many new friends. Everyone likes her. She is gentle yet brave, calm yet strong, playful yet ready to work hard. Whenever her friends need help, they know they can count on her, and Skye becomes involved in several adventures.

                Available Now ON Amazon!!!  

REVIEW

Layland revives herself in glory in this second edition of Golden Skye of Ansgar (Review my review of the previous edition here.) The special changes she made turned this story golden.

Golden Skye of Ansgar tells the precocious tale about a special golden coated horse name Golden Skye and her adventures to finding her destiny. Youth readers especially horse lovers will find Golden Skye’s story adventures engaging and gripping. The real star of the tale though may just be a parrot named Percy. Layland’s sweet writing tone will instantly lull young reader in making them feel at home in this sweet tale that unfolds for them.

Golden Skye also includes a special short story Fly Percy, Fly! that tells the tale of the real-life Percy the parrot that inspired the Percy in the story, which I thought was beautiful. I thought it gave the story that little extra something and brought it to a nice conclusion.

Rating ****4 stars



About The Author

Aleksandra Layland is a retired civil engineer and a federal civil servant who worked primarily for the United States Air Force as a senior installation engineering manager responsible for buildings, airfields, infrastructure, fire protection, and emergency preparedness. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Western Caroline Islands where she helped build school classrooms and cafeterias, low-income housing, and simple village water distribution systems. Her other interests include arts and crafts, family genealogy, religion, and spirituality, fostering peace in the world, and enjoying retirement with family and friends.
The Windflower Saga series is comprised of the following volumes which trace the lives of members of the fictional Ansgar ducal family against a background of struggles between forces such as good and evil, love and hate, and war and peace. The series is a unique blending of traditional love stories and adventure and action stories in an "other world" setting, with serious spiritual and moral themes which are addressed in an overall uplifting tone. For all that the characters may face harsh realities, the story of the Ansgar family is a happy one.

Part I of the Trilogy: 
"Ansgar: The Struggle of a People. The Triumph of the Heart."

Novellas and Stories Related to Part I:
"The Feathered Crown"
"Far Endeavor"
"Three Brothers of Ansgar" 
"Bright Star, A Pony of the Kimbrii, A Windflower Saga Story for Kids"
"Tiyo, The Dog Who Saved Ansgar, A Windflower Saga Story for Kids"

Part II of the Trilogy:
"Of Wisdom and Valor: The Art of War. The Path of Peace."

Novellas and Stories Related to Part II:
"Bind Not the Heart"
"Leofric of Longridge"
"Keri and Kalina, A Windflower Saga Chapter Book"
"Golden Skye of Ansgar, A Windflower Saga Middle-Grade Novel"

Part III of the Trilogy:
"Far Haven: A Quest for Certitude. A Fight for Justice."

Novellas and Stories Related to Part III:
"Albina"
"Courage of Ansgar"
"Swords of Ansgar"

(being written) "The World of The Windflower Saga, An Illustrated Companion and Author's Commentary"