This captivating novel by new author Anna Furtado, The Heart's Desire, is a delightful tale about two women who fall in love during the early Renaissance. The year is 1458 and Mistress Catherine Hawkins, who owns and runs "The Shoppe of Hawkins & Hawkins" in Willowglen Township, England, is getting ready for the Feast of St. Remi. Catherine, a truly extraordinary woman and purveyor of herbs, spices, and fine linens, is a well-known and respected member of the Spice Vendor?' Guild. She is well educated and has extensive knowledge of herbal medicine.

On the eve of the Feast of St. Remi, Catherine lays eyes on the most beautiful woman she has ever seen, she is at once smitten. Unbeknownst to her, this woman "Lady Lydia" is captivated by Catherine as well. Lydia, devises a scheme whereby she can get to know Mistress Catherine better. Catherine and Lydia are aware of their love for each other, but both are too afraid to reveal their hearts' desire. Not understanding her intense feelings makes it harder for Catherine to profess her love for Lydia. Lydia yearns to express her love for Catherine, but she too is afraid of offending her, and of losing her friendship. Will the women realize their dream?

Furtado has done her homework. The Heart's Desire reads as if it were written with a quill dipped into ink, made visible by candlelight, at a small shop, on a quaint cobblestone street in England. Everything from the tone of the book to its language is impeccable as this historical novel takes you back to the fifteenth century. From the very first page, to the last, you feel enamored to these brave women, as they fight circumstances beyond their control. I cannot emphasize how well written Furtado's novel is and how much I enjoyed it. I was sorry to finish reading it. The characters are so real that I felt I had actually made their acquaintance. The Heart's Desire is the first installment in the Briarcrest Chronicles with book two hopefully on the horizon. I highly recommend the book to all you romantics out there.