Love & Saffron
A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Love
By Kim Fay
Copyright 2022.
What Audible Says
The Instant National Bestseller and #1 Indie Next Pick
In the vein of the classic 84, Charing Cross Road, this witty and tender novel follows two women in 1960s America as they discover that food really does connect us all, and that friendship and laughter are the best medicine.
When twenty-seven-year-old Joan Bergstrom sends a fan letter—as well as a gift of saffron—to fifty-nine-year-old Imogen Fortier, a life-changing friendship begins. Joan lives in Los Angeles and is just starting out as a writer for the newspaper food pages. Imogen lives on Camano Island outside Seattle, writing a monthly column for a Pacific Northwest magazine, and while she can hunt elk and dig for clams, she’s never tasted fresh garlic—exotic fare in the Northwest of the sixties. As the two women commune through their letters, they build a closeness that sustains them through the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassination of President Kennedy, and the unexpected in their own lives.
Food and a good life—they can’t be separated. It is a discovery the women share, not only with each other, but with the men in their lives. Because of her correspondence with Joan, Imogen’s decades-long marriage blossoms into something new and exciting, and in turn, Joan learns that true love does not always come in the form we expect it to. Into this beautiful, intimate world comes the ultimate test of Joan and Imogen’s friendship—a test that summons their unconditional trust in each other.
A brief respite from our chaotic world, Love & Saffron is a gem of a novel, a reminder that food and friendship are the antidote to most any heartache, and that human connection will always be worth creating.
My Thoughts
I downloaded the Audible version from the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled and loved the way the various narrators portrayed each character. This evening, Accessible World’s Fiction Old and New book discussion group will talk about the book, and the author, Kim Fay, will be there. The book’s synopsis piqued my interest, and I wasn’t disappointed.
I don’t like to cook, but I love to eat and read about food. I enjoyed reading letters Imogen and Joan wrote to each other, fascinated by their separate lives in separate parts of the country.
While I suffered from chills as a result of a recent COVID booster shot, my heart was warmed by Imogen’s account of how her husband made her an omelet when she wasn’t feeling well. My heart went out to Joan when she became involved in a romantic relationship that would have definitely been controversial back in the 1960’s.
The author’s note, recipes, and other material at the end of the book add a nice touch. If you love to eat and enjoy reading gentle stories about love, friendship, and food, this book is for you.
***
And now, I’m pleased to announce that all my books can now be downloaded from Smashwords in various formats absolutely free! This sale will last until the end of the month. You can click here to visit my Smashwords author page and download my books.
New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me
Copyright 2021 by Abbie Johnson Taylor.
Independently published with the help of DLD Books.
Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.
After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.
Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.
Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?
***
My Corner 
One thought on “A Gentle Tale #FridayFunReads#Fiction #Inspiration”