Review: Lavender Blue

Title:  Lavender Blue

Author: Donna Kauffman

Publisher: 29th January 2019 by Kensington Books Zebra

Pages: 368 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: contemporary romance, womens fiction

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

In the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains lies a small town with a big heart—and a chance to begin again . . .

When Hannah Montgomery buys a lavender farm in Blue Hollow Falls with three friends, she’s creating a life she never imagined—one she hopes will honor the memory of the sweet young son she tragically lost years ago. Standing on the porch of the sprawling farmhouse, looking out on row upon row of those lush purple plumes, Hannah is ready to embrace this fresh, new start . . .

Then she meets Wilson McCall. The stonemason hired to fix their crumbling chimneys and leaky roof is quieter than most folks in the Falls. Hannah’s not surprised to learn the widower struggles with his own grief. Who could blame her if she finds joy in making Will laugh again, or if she feels a poignant kinship when she sees him with his teenaged son?  But her deepening friendship with Will reminds Hannah that there’s a part of her that still needs to heal—awakening a tender yearning to have a life that isn’t just good enough, but lived fully—even if that means taking risks once more . . .

My Thoughts

“Now was the time for building and restoring, for repairing and learning. The time for opening their doors, their lavender fields, their tearoom, and welcoming the world.”

‘Lavender Blue’ is a sweet story with many likeable characters set in a gorgeous rural location - stunning lavender fields of Virginia. I mean, what is there not to love about this book cover? At its heart, this is a book about grieving and healing and I think Kauffman does a worthy job for such heart wrenching issues. This book is the third in a series but can most definitely be read as a standalone. I have not read any others and had no problem at all following along with the story.

“I’ve become a firm believer that not everything that’s ever happened to us in life needs to be worked on or sorted out.”

Although it tackles the different ways people deal with loss, it balances this nicely with some light romance. It is, in fact, a mutual sharing of grief that brings the two lead characters together and their romance is of a more mature kind which makes for a nice change. However, as stated, much of the book is dedicated to learning to move on from sorrow and let yourself live happily again. I appreciated Will and Hannah’s honesty and the processes and considerations they granted each other to work through and come out the other side in starting afresh.

“... if it’s not affecting your life, your ability to live it as you please, then”—she shrugged—“who cares? The past is the past is the past. Focus on the now, look toward the future.”

That being said, there were parts where it became a bit too much and repetitive concerning the sorrow, doubts and reluctance. There are many conversations where matters are discussed over and over - still, it’s a good way for readers in similar situations to view how such matters can be handled. It has some solid thoughts on how to deal with grief over the loss of a loved one.

All up this is a pleasant enough read with the themes of sorrow, friendship, love, family and friends. A well balanced heartwarming and sweet tale of healing, providing thoughtful and compassionate characters that will appeal to many.

“I’ve spent many an hour pondering that landscape and my place in it. Puts the world in perspective.” She smiled. “I call it time well spent.”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release