Audiobook Review – Tea and Empathy (Tales of Rydding Village, Book 1) by Shanna Swendson, Narrated by Elizabeth Sastre (4/5 stars)

Genre: Cozy Fantasy
Length: 6 hours and 16 minutes
Publisher: Audible Studios
Release Date: January 21, 2025
ASIN: ‎B0DT4PKMTB
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Tales of Rydding Village series
Source: Audiobook from Audible.com
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Welcome to Rydding, the hidden village you might stumble across if you need a home and a fresh start.

For Elwyn Howell, the village is a lifesaver when she finds it just as she’s run out of strength and hope while running for her life. The abandoned healer’s cottage welcomes her, even though she’s given up on that calling. She opens a tea shop instead, using her knowledge of herbs and her empathic gift that allows her to select the perfect tea for each customer. Soon, she’s feeling at home in the village community.

She’s afraid it’s too good to last, a fear that’s confirmed when she finds a wounded man unconscious in her garden. Was he sent by the people who are hunting her? Not even he knows, since he has no memory of who he is or how he got there. As she nurses him back to health, they develop a close bond, but the specter of both their pasts—the one she’s fleeing and the one he doesn’t remember—gets in the way. He doesn’t know what life he may have left behind, and she lives in constant fear that her old life will catch up with her and she’ll end up convicted of a murder she’s not entirely sure she didn’t commit.

They can’t hide forever, not even in Rydding, and if they want to have a future, they’ll have to confront their pasts.”

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Tales of Rydding Village series. I got this on audiobook from Audible.
Thoughts: I listened to this on audiobook and originally picked it up because it was a shorter audiobook thatI could listen to on a monthly road trip I go on for work. I enjoyed this; it is a light and cozy fantasy about found family and gaining confidence in yourself.

Elwyn was driven our of her place as a healer when one of her patients accidentally died and she was blamed. She’s been on the run trying to eke out a living when she stumbles into the village of Rydding and is adopted by a house there. She is trying to make a place for herself there as an herbalist when an unconscious armored man shows up in her garden. He can’t remember anything about his past. As his past is unraveled, both him and Elwyn realize that they will have to deal with the past in order to move forward with their futures.

This is a book about finding a place and family for yourself. It is also about new beginnings and gaining confidence in your abilities. I adored that the town of Rydding (and at least one of the houses in it) is portrayed as vaguely sentient.

All of the characters in this book are delightful. They each come with their own painful pasts and are determined to make brighter futures for themselves. It was delightful to watch Elwyn and Brin find a new place where they belong. I enjoyed that the characters act like mature adults and are considerate and thoughtful about how their decisions affect the people around them.

This is a pretty light story that has a bit of a day to day feel to it at points; the plot is not complex. There is quite a bit of magic in this book but the magic system isn’t very well explained. The story is very focused on Rydding Village and we don’t learn much about the broader world.

This is a simple story with quirky characters. The story flows well and is easy to engage with. It leaves you feeling hopeful and happy but is not complex or thought-provoking. It was an excellent audiobook to listen to while driving. The narration was well done and easy to follow.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this, it was a nice, light cozy fantasy read that was easy to listen to while driving. While there isn’t a ton of substance here; I did enjoy the idea of a sentient village and enjoyed watching the characters find happiness and contentment. This story leaves you feeling happy and hopeful and I greatly enjoyed the quirky characters. I plan to continue the series. I would recommend to those looking for a light, easy to read cozy fantasy about found family and new beginnings.