Love & Saffron

The #1 Indie Next Pick, this clever and heartfelt book follows two ladies in 1960s America as they learn that laughter and companionship are the greatest cures and that food really does bring people together. It is in the tradition of the beloved films 84, Charing Cross Road, and Meet Me at the Museum.

A relationship that transforms lives starts when twenty-seven-year-old Joan Bergstrom writes fifty-nine-year-old Imogen Fortier a fan letter and a saffron gift. Joan, a Los Angeles resident, is a new writer for the culinary sections of newspapers. Although Imogen can shoot elk and dig for clams, she has never eaten fresh garlic, which is considered exotic in the Northwest in the 1960s. Imogen writes a monthly column for a Pacific Northwest magazine from her home on Camano Island, which is located outside of Seattle. Through their correspondence, the two ladies develop a bond that gets them through difficult times like the Cuban Missile Crisis, President Kennedy's murder, and unforeseen events in their own lives.

Food and a fulfilling life are inextricably linked. The ladies share this revelation with the males in their life as well as with one other. Imogen's long-term marriage grows into something fresh and exciting as a result of their writing, and Joan discovers that genuine love does not always manifest itself as we may anticipate. The ultimate test of Joan and Imogen's relationship enters this lovely, private realm; it calls upon their unwavering faith in one another.

Love & Saffron is a jewel of a book that offers a little escape from the chaos of our everyday lives. It serves as a reminder that friendship and food can heal most heartbreaks and that forming human connections is something that will always be worthwhile.