Season of Salt and Honey is a story of grief, love, family, and food. What Italian family doesn’t gather around food for any occasion? The family of Frankie’s doesn’t even need a reason to gather, they just enjoy being together. Until, Alex, Frankie’s fiancé, dies. Then Frankie runs away.

The story starts slow. Not painful, just with enough history to really understand the storyline and characters. Once the storyline is set the story goes full speed ahead. The love within the family is evident from the first time you see them together. I also enjoyed how the characters that lived near the cabin that Frankie runs to interact. They are like a family also. It is so wonderful how they accept Frankie, Bella, and their family into the world without questioning it. They also respect the privacy of others while never really leaving anyone alone.

The recipes were an added bonus. I do not have an Italian bone in my body, yet my mouth was watering at all the great food that was shared and eaten within this story. I loved that the recipes for many of these delicious dishes were shared with the reader throughout the entire book. Yet the recipes did not take away from the story. They were not in every chapter just enough to let the reader have their own taste of Italy if they were so inclined.

Men come and go, but sisters are forever. Or not?

Frankie Caputo's fiance is dead. Torn, she runs off into a forest cabin just to be alone.
But world follows - some genuinely care about her, some are neighbours, some might not be welcome here. Like Bella, her difficult sister. The bad girl, the one who might show her that she was not living the perfect life.

My problem with this book is that I can not relate to the heroine. Frankie is selfish and immature, the world is supposed to turn around her.
I hope that all the wisdom found in revelations small and big will make her a better person.

Overall I like the food mentions and all if the clichey, loud and warm Italian family. Not sure if this kind of family really exists, but surely it would be nice to have them having my back.

Hanna Tunnicliffe has written another wonderful heartfelt story about a woman named Frankie, her Italian family, and her relationship with Alex which is deeply touching. My heart went out to Frankie as she deals with her grief, and as I read this beautiful story I experienced overwhelming emotions from sadness to laughter and everything in between.

Not only does Hanna write stories with heart but she also takes you to another place with such detailed pictures that it is like you are actually there with all of her characters in the story experiencing everything they see, feel, and do. Plus she also makes your mouth water with descriptions of enticing Italian meals. Recipes are included so you can actually join the family when they sit down to eat.

“Season of Salt and Honey”, was a book I could not put down and actually read twice as it was such a pleasure to join Frankie and her family for a time and a delicious meal.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in order to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.