What do you think?
Rate this book
Sonnets of the Spice Isle #2
Lay Down Your Heart
Indian Ocean, Off the Coast of Zanzibar, Early 1866
RyAnne Hunter is shocked, and rather put out, that Papa refuses to turn back to Zanzibar. All her carefully wrought plans have come to nothing! Now, with Papa's health much worse than she first feared, her only option is to accompany him into the heart of the Continent so he won't die alone. But Papa insists she abandon her skirts and don men's trousers and boots! And to make matters worse, the irritating captain has decided she must learn to shoot a gun! In the face of all that, she's not giving up on her attempts to convince Papa to return to Zanzibar.
Captain Trent Dawson is most displeased to discover Miss Hunter stowed away on his ship. He's even more displeased when her father refuses to return her to Zanzibar, where she belongs. But when a slave woman is attacked by a crocodile and RyAnne puts herself in danger to save her, he begins to wonder if there isn't another side to the spoiled little heiress. Perhaps even a side he could admire?
A thrilling historical romance from the time of missionary explorer David Livingstone.
This is episode 2 of a 6 part serialized story.
RyAnne Hunter is shocked, and rather put out, that Papa refuses to turn back to Zanzibar. All her carefully wrought plans have come to nothing! Now, with Papa's health much worse than she first feared, her only option is to accompany him into the heart of the Continent so he won't die alone. But Papa insists she abandon her skirts and don men's trousers and boots! And to make matters worse, the irritating captain has decided she must learn to shoot a gun! In the face of all that, she's not giving up on her attempts to convince Papa to return to Zanzibar.
Captain Trent Dawson is most displeased to discover Miss Hunter stowed away on his ship. He's even more displeased when her father refuses to return her to Zanzibar, where she belongs. But when a slave woman is attacked by a crocodile and RyAnne puts herself in danger to save her, he begins to wonder if there isn't another side to the spoiled little heiress. Perhaps even a side he could admire?
A thrilling historical romance from the time of missionary explorer David Livingstone.
This is episode 2 of a 6 part serialized story.
121 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 12, 2016
20 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Lynnette Bonner
72 books401 followersLYNNETTE BONNER, the daughter of missionaries, was born and raised in Malawi, Africa, graduated high school from Rift Valley Academy, a boarding school in Kenya, and attended Northwest University in Washington, where she met her husband, Marty. A few years after their marriage, they moved to Pierce, Idaho. While studying the history of their little town, Lynnette was inspired to begin The Shepherd’s Heart Series with Rocky Mountain Oasis.
Marty and Lynnette have four children and currently live in Washington, where Marty pastors a church.
Marty and Lynnette have four children and currently live in Washington, where Marty pastors a church.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 27, 2020
"Sonnets of the Spice Isle" is a serialised story. "Lay Down Your Heart" is novella #2 in a series of 6. I recommend having all 6 of these instalments of the story ready to read one immediately following the other to keep the momentum of the storyline going as each novella ends at an exciting To-be-Continued point in time. This series is a fast-paced adventure that, although somewhat predictable, is highly entertaining, never-the-less.
February 26, 2019
An exceptional book
This series is spellbinding and will be very difficult to put down. The characters are very believable and the storyline while difficult to read about is very well done.
This series is spellbinding and will be very difficult to put down. The characters are very believable and the storyline while difficult to read about is very well done.
January 17, 2020
This draws you in
The farther you get in this story the more it draws you in. Well developed characters and a story that makes you want to know more. It’s a difficult subject but handled in an honest way.
The farther you get in this story the more it draws you in. Well developed characters and a story that makes you want to know more. It’s a difficult subject but handled in an honest way.
August 5, 2025
Ryanne and her father live on the eastern coast of Africa and travel with trent Dawson into the middle of Africa. Ryanne has a hard time seeing the slaves stored in the boats at the dock of "Lay Down Your Heart"
June 13, 2019
I absolutely loved this series!!!
September 11, 2016
Danger comes nearer & nearer...
Lynnette Bonner's excellent historical adventure continues in Lay Down Your Heart. More adventure and even more danger awaits RyAnne, Trent, and the rest of their party. As I read this episode in the story I found myself more and more sympathetic to RyAnne. In the first episode I wasn't sure I quite liked her or not. Of course, Lynnette Bonner's wonderful storytelling now has me anxious to read the next part. I've loved this style of historical novel, with the intrigue, exotic locations, and clashing romantic leads, since I was a teen and have enjoyed immersing myself in a new one of these rare gems.
(I received a copy of this e-book from the author in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.)
Lynnette Bonner's excellent historical adventure continues in Lay Down Your Heart. More adventure and even more danger awaits RyAnne, Trent, and the rest of their party. As I read this episode in the story I found myself more and more sympathetic to RyAnne. In the first episode I wasn't sure I quite liked her or not. Of course, Lynnette Bonner's wonderful storytelling now has me anxious to read the next part. I've loved this style of historical novel, with the intrigue, exotic locations, and clashing romantic leads, since I was a teen and have enjoyed immersing myself in a new one of these rare gems.
(I received a copy of this e-book from the author in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.)
May 11, 2016
I couldn’t wait to find out what came next for RyAnne and Captain Trent Dawson. Lay Down Your Heart is the second in the Sonnets of the Spice Isle series with a trek into East Africa.
Some favorite scenes:
“Up!” he shouted. “Pull us up! Hang on!” He clutched her tighter with his supporting arm, but she was taking no chances at slipping back into the water with a shark below! As the rope began a rapid ascent, she clamped both arms about his neck and her legs around his middle, squeezed her eyes shut, and hung on for dear life.
“a young baby, not more than eighteen months, peering at her around one of the huts. The combination of black hair twisted into tiny braids that poked from her head in all manner of directions, round pinchable cheeks, and sparkling eyes drew RyAnne a step nearer.”
And great lines like:
“fidgeting like a lad with a lizard in his trousers”
“the moonlight spilling like a milky gloss over the obsidian tabletop of the water”
“She’d never been more relieved to hear the captain’s voice! He tore into the water beside her with a feral yell.”
“She played sorrow for a world gone so terribly, terribly mad. And with a sigh of release, she let the last note linger long as she slowly pulled the bow along the final refrain.”
There are dangerous people and critters. RyAnne has shooting lessons. Their journey deeper into the unknown requires a lot of change. Enjoy!
Some favorite scenes:
“Up!” he shouted. “Pull us up! Hang on!” He clutched her tighter with his supporting arm, but she was taking no chances at slipping back into the water with a shark below! As the rope began a rapid ascent, she clamped both arms about his neck and her legs around his middle, squeezed her eyes shut, and hung on for dear life.
“a young baby, not more than eighteen months, peering at her around one of the huts. The combination of black hair twisted into tiny braids that poked from her head in all manner of directions, round pinchable cheeks, and sparkling eyes drew RyAnne a step nearer.”
And great lines like:
“fidgeting like a lad with a lizard in his trousers”
“the moonlight spilling like a milky gloss over the obsidian tabletop of the water”
“She’d never been more relieved to hear the captain’s voice! He tore into the water beside her with a feral yell.”
“She played sorrow for a world gone so terribly, terribly mad. And with a sigh of release, she let the last note linger long as she slowly pulled the bow along the final refrain.”
There are dangerous people and critters. RyAnne has shooting lessons. Their journey deeper into the unknown requires a lot of change. Enjoy!
April 19, 2016
The second installment in Sonnets of the Spice Isle is just as exciting and beautifully descriptive as the first -- from the beauty, spicy scents, and serenades of cicadas in exotic Africa -- to the danger of crocs, snakes, and spider infested grasslands!
RyAnne Hunter, realizing that her dying papa is determined to start a mission and continue on to the heart of Africa, must make the agonizing decision to go with him. Accompanied by Captain Trent Dawson, she encounters much more than she bargains for. Endangered African slaves, treachery, hungry crocs, and equally dangerous feelings for the handsome Trent. But to him she is nothing but a nuisance...or is she?
Lynnette Bonner has written an exhilarating, heart pounding adventure -- guaranteed to cause readers' emotions to run the gamut! I can't wait to devour the third episode in this fantastic, well-written saga!
RyAnne Hunter, realizing that her dying papa is determined to start a mission and continue on to the heart of Africa, must make the agonizing decision to go with him. Accompanied by Captain Trent Dawson, she encounters much more than she bargains for. Endangered African slaves, treachery, hungry crocs, and equally dangerous feelings for the handsome Trent. But to him she is nothing but a nuisance...or is she?
Lynnette Bonner has written an exhilarating, heart pounding adventure -- guaranteed to cause readers' emotions to run the gamut! I can't wait to devour the third episode in this fantastic, well-written saga!
April 14, 2016
Our episode starts with RyAnne being discovered on the ship and ends with having to make a decision wether to continue the journey or not. “Yet, if she joined him on this journey, she must go with her heart in the right place.”
This episode mostly dealt with an incident concerning a slave and the issue of the value of the life of a slave. It was interesting to see a few new details on how the slaves were dealt with and the advantage a slave owner would take because of his ownership. I got a kick out of the captain’s ship being called The Wasp and his steamboat is The Bee.
Knowing that the author was raised in Africa gave just a little different flavor to the story for me. Though I will probably never visit the continent, she made me feel is if I was there.
“Saving you is beginning to be a full-time occupation.”
This episode mostly dealt with an incident concerning a slave and the issue of the value of the life of a slave. It was interesting to see a few new details on how the slaves were dealt with and the advantage a slave owner would take because of his ownership. I got a kick out of the captain’s ship being called The Wasp and his steamboat is The Bee.
Knowing that the author was raised in Africa gave just a little different flavor to the story for me. Though I will probably never visit the continent, she made me feel is if I was there.
“Saving you is beginning to be a full-time occupation.”
April 12, 2016
This second part of the serialized historical takes place mostly on the high seas. RyAnne Hunter has stowed away on the ship that is taking her father to Africa in hopes that when they find her they will be forced to turn around and that way she can get her father back to Zanzibar. But to her surprise Captain Trent Dawson refuses. He is on a mission and he is not about to let a spoiled young lady mess it up for him. There are surprises and intrigue in this second installment. You will want to read this entire series. Lynette Bonner does a fantastic job of writing this adventure series.
I was given a copy of this book by the Author for my honest review. All views expressed is my own.
I was given a copy of this book by the Author for my honest review. All views expressed is my own.
October 16, 2023
Listened on Audible (Included).
Listened to the first two episodes in this series on Audible. The narrator kind of got on my nerves with her style—too much breath. Ugh. The story isn’t bad, but I’m not going to invest anymore of my time on this serial. The story just wasn’t compelling enough for me.
Listened to the first two episodes in this series on Audible. The narrator kind of got on my nerves with her style—too much breath. Ugh. The story isn’t bad, but I’m not going to invest anymore of my time on this serial. The story just wasn’t compelling enough for me.
July 16, 2016
RyAnne is a remarkable woman. She is trying to get her father to go home. The way she helped save Nyanja and her daughter was amazing. Captain Dawson has his work cut out for him trying to keep RyAnn safe. You will feel God working throughout this whole book.
April 16, 2016
This is the second book in the series and it continues with a bang. I am in love with the characters and loving the adventures taking place. It is a fun and easy read. I highly recommend it!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews