Review: A story that's hard to put down!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 25, 2014
It’s not often I encounter a story I lose sleep over, but I do not regret reading “Tales of the Zingari: The Wizard’s Heart” by S.R. Howen longer than I should have each night.  The cover captured my interest, and the plot kept me hostage.From the first page, Novice Sorann,  4th daughter of the queen, draws you into her mind as a healer in training.  She possessed the power to detect and diagnose the cause of an illness or injury, but the ability to heal evaded her which forced her to retake Master Healer Fanzid’s “final” class three times.  After being accused of trying to kill Fanzid, Sorann’s best friend Cryant invites her to his home for supper.  Sorann is greeted by Cryant’s friendly animals, but in a panic soon finds herself sharing a pig’s muddy stall.  After getting cleaned up and eating a delicious meal Cryant cooked, she discovers she is able to heal and make well all of Cryant’s animals.  The problem is she took all night to do so and healers are forbidden to touch or mate with anyone.  News spread fast through the royal city.  Even though she proved Cryant didn’t touch her, failure to pass the healing test the following morning meant a lifetime stay at the Towers.  That evening, a chance meeting with a stranger led to her escape and a life among people whose traditions she had been taught to despise.Javert Stravos spent almost twenty years looking for his bride who had been sold to the royal family by her father.  When he finally located her drowning her sorrows with fermented drink, he helped her escape the guards ready to drag her to the Towers she dreaded so much.  Sorann held the key to him becoming king of his people.  He needed to consummate his marriage with this woman who had been betrothed to him since her birth and create a child with her.  However, for fear of losing her new found healing ability, she refused to let him join with her.  How would he ever fulfill the prophecy with the only woman with whom he’d ever wanted to share a lifetime?This story is filled with numerous twists and turn, keeping the reader glued to the pages.  I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys fantasy stories about magic and nomadic peoples.