Book Review Tuesday No. 10

Things have been a bit hectic the last few weeks, with the holidays and my Etsy shops, but they should settle down I hope.

This week's review is of a lovely book by Diana Norman called "The Morning Gift". I started reading Diana Norman's works actually under her pen name Ariana Franklin and the Mistress of the Art of Death series. That is an excellent series, which I will likely review at another time.

"The Morning Gift" is set in the 12th century in England, and follows the life of a young Norman noblewoman Matilda, who at a young age was married to a much older man (isn't that how it normally goes). Her first husband dies, leaving her with a small keep he gave to her on a whim. This property is in the fen, where the people have a particular way of life that is much different than her own.

Through struggle, hardship and growth the Matilda learns to love the fens, and the freedom it brings. But as England is thrown into turmoil of civil war, Matilda's small world comes crashing down life.

I love how Diana Norman writes romance, yes, this is a romance, but you wouldn't know it at first. She is so good at telling a love story that is realistic, and that is intertwined in the story but not the main portion of the story.

I'm going to have to rank this as one of my all time favorite books, I love it! The world will surely miss Mrs. Norman's works, I know I will, she was an exceptional writer.