A gardener must complete an impossible task to earn the hand of the girl he loves in this original fairy tale about true love, adventure, honor, magic and a basket of tomatoes.
Dash and Lillian are in love, but her wealthy father won’t permit them to be married because Dash is not a suitable match. He is nothing but the son of the family’s gardener. To be rid of the young man, Lillian’s father claims that the only way Dash could ever earn Lillian’s hand in marriage is to find his fortune in the time it takes a basket of fresh tomatoes to rot. Naturally, Sir Barrymore isn’t serious about this challenge, but Dash sees it as his only chance to win the hand of the woman he loves. He leaves immediately on a quest to find a way to complete this impossible task. Meanwhile, Lillian is doing her best to make her parents postpone her engagement to someone else in order to give Dash time to return. It is a whirlwind fairy tale adventure full of danger, cunning, magic, true love, and tomatoes.
Professional Reviews
Reader's Favorite 5-star review
"D. G. Driver’s romantic novella, The Tomato Quest, presents an unusual, unique challenge to prove the intensity of one’s love. The main characters, Dash and Lillian, are strong characters, intent on fulfilling their promises to each other. This fairy tale type story has all the key ingredients of a good romance, full of adventure and magic, and, of course, tomatoes. Who would have thought that tomatoes could be so romantic? The author weaves a compelling tale, full of marvelous descriptive narratives and strong character development through believable and plot-advancing dialogue. This is a sweet romance that demonstrates the power of the saying, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” A great read."
Monday Morning Indie Reviews
"There is humor, danger, and anguish! Tomatoes, ripe and unripe play a big part in the story. This novella will provide you with a few giggles, some serious thoughts about class structure, and romance. Take a chance, you’ll enjoy it!"
Books and Such blog review
Although I've never been a huge fairy tale fan, I've enjoyed the original stories in this series. The Tomato Quest can be easily read in an hour or so, and I finished it in an afternoon over Christmas. It's a sweet tale containing star-crossed lovers who are determined to be together despite the objections of their parents and the expectations of society. After being handed a near impossible challenge, Dash doesn't have a clear-cut plan for success. He encounters one roadblock after another, yet he shoulders on, and you have to admire his tenacity. In the beginning, I wasn't completely convinced Lillian was all in, but she proved me wrong. Her actions in defying her parents gave me some chuckles.
