Genre: Fantasy
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
“Will I always be so alone, living as a dragon among the sheep?”
Jane Dawson is an American on a journey of midlife makeover. Abandoning a tech career in Boston, she and her sheepdog, Moss, move to Wales in search of a simpler life, connection and community without the filter of the Internet. But who knew she would stumble over the red Welsh dragon, y Ddraig Goch?
Actually, she stumbles over her own suitcase and falls on her face in the middle of Main Street. But her plea for help (or maybe it was just swearing) is answered by the shy local dragon who doesn’t know he’s a dragon—Stewart Rygby.
But what rational, sane person believes in dragons and fairies? Why have such myths and legends persisted in the misty green hills of Wales over the aeons? And why does Moss need to mark everything in sight—including her new landlord?
Join us as our dragons awaken from their slumber in Green Hills and Daffodils—the exciting first book in the Green Hills Series by Celyn Kendrick!
The Review
At forty-five, Jane Dawson has had many life experiences and has traveled extensively. She’s going to leave Massachusetts to make a new life and home in North East Wales. She has already leased a place to live, where she will start a new experience as a sheep farmer. She’s very enthusiastic about the move, and doesn’t let her high functioning Autism stop her.
She also has a big, lovable support dog, Moss, who is her constant companion. At times she talks a lot, and sometimes it causes issues, but she never means to hurt anyone. Now she is struggling with the Welsh dialect, but she tries to do her best and learn as much as she can. She takes a tumble, with no help from Moss, and Stewart Rygby comes to her rescue.
At thirty-two, Stewart is very shy. He stutters and wears thick glasses, but he’s also a brilliant artist with an eidetic memory. He spends the majority of his time taking care of his blind mother in their five-hundred-year-old cottage and little farm. He also runs the family leather works business. He’s often seen at the “Cock and Ram” Pub, watching and listening.
Stewart escorts Jane to the Quim Cud Sheep Farm, where she meets the grumpy and gruff landlord, Rhys Kellan. At forty-seven, Rhys is alone, but has his faithful companion Meg. He was once married but suffered a tragic loss. Rhys has concerns about the legacy of Cam Cudd in the little town of LLwyncudd, and wants to preserve it for generations to come.
As Stewart and Jane become closer, he spends time with her at the farm. The walls are very thin there, and Rhys hears lots of things that are getting under his skin. He and Stewart know each other and seem to be friends. Most people in the village know of Stewart and what he has dealt with for years, but no one has really told him the truth. Stewart never knew who his father was, and he was abused by Maelog, whom he always believed Maelog was his father.
Then there’s eighteen-year-old Michael Dougal, who loves music and wants a better career. His parents, Callum and Deidre, own an art gallery, and are old friends with Rhys. They used to live in Quim Cud, and are looking to move back.
When Stewart starts finding out more about his past, secrets come out start to change his life.
Kendrick’s story is filled with an abundance of unique characters in this first book in “The Green Hills Series”. There’s also small-town drama, gossip, secrets, humor, confusion, budding romance, love and humor.
Jane and Rhys are very interesting characters who go from being disagreeable to friends and then more. But the most intriguing characters are Michael Dougal and Stewart Rygby -Michael is younger, enthusiastic and outgoing. Stewart is older, intelligent, an artist, and is shy and has secrets that he has to deal with. They both take a journey to a type of spirit realm of dragons and fairies, and there are more surprises to come.
I highly recommend Green Hills and Daffodils, but it’s not a quick read. Readers will want to take their time to savor all the interesting aspects in this novel. This is the first book in “The Green Hills” series, and I’m ready to take on the second book, Green Hills and Dragon Tales.
I commend Kendrick for the outstanding understanding they bring to all of their characters and the lives that they lead. I also appreciate that they didn’t shy away from using the Welsh language – it makes the story very entertaining.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
