Cover Image: Lavender Blue

Lavender Blue

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Member Reviews

I feel like every time I review one of Donna's books I say it was my favorite, but I think this may really be my favorite. Though part of the Blue Hollow Falls series it can be read as a stand alone. I knew after hearing more of his story in Bluestone & Vine that widower, Will McCall's story was going to hurt my heart a little and I was right. Immediately after meeting Hannah Montgomery and learning about her background and own experience with grief I knew that she could be the one to help put Will's heart back together again. Hannah and her friends (also survivors of grief) moved to town to open a lavender farm. I'm hoping that we get to find out more about the friends in future stories. We get to reconnect with Will's son Jake and with neighbor Bailey (who is just delightful). I love all of the intricate details Kaufman included about processes, whether stone-masonry, lavender picking, wood working, farming or painting. I feel like I could attempt some of these things after learning about them in this novel.

This book was emotional and heart wrenching at times but also breathtakingly beautiful. Having experienced tragedy in my own life I feel like I would have better learned how to handle by grief from reading this story than the countless books on grief I consumed over the past 10 years. I really resonated with both characters and while watching them attempt to heal themselves also found a great deal of healing myself. Grab a box of tissues, grab a blanket and hunker down to enjoy this wonderful story fully of love, grief, humor and healing.

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This was such a lovely book from Kauffman. Especially the descriptions of the lovely lavender fields. This is the third book in the series and the cover is just delicious with the fields of lavender. As Hannah makes a fresh start with her lovely Lavender farm she helps to build a life not only for her but for her dear friends.

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This is the next installment of Blue Hollow Falls. This story is about Avery, the smart one, who is also part of the lavender farm. She has lived her life as a smart girl, who really never knew what to do with herself, or her smarts until she met her friends through a support group for grieving. The four friends own a lavender farm and each have a special talent. Avery gets a chance to meet the person who is filling in for their town vet, while he is away for the holidays, when she saves a goat. The new vets name is Ben and they immediately have so much in common and hit it off at the very beginning. This is a great story to read in the wintertime! I was given an advanced reader copy for an honest review.

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Since Wilson McCall appeared in the first book of this series, I have been dying to know his story. He obviously had some major stuff going on, but he definitely wasn't talking about it. Then he had an unexpectedly emotional reaction to Jake's learning to play the fiddle in Bluestone and Vine. That just broke my heart for Will, and I was thrilled for him to get his HEA.
The path to that HEA is very emotional. I didn't even try to count the number of times I had to wipe tears from my eyes in order to keep reading. Given the synopsis, that wasn't a big surprise. The surprise was how uplifting the discussions of loss were -- but in a realistic way, not a patronizing way. Everyone is this book has lost at least one important person, and they all have ideas about dealing with loss to bring to the table. If I had to pick a central message for this book, it would be that those of us who are still living have to find ways to honor and remember those we have lost while we live the best way we know how. Having just lost my mother last year, this resonated with me.
Hannah is a new character in the series, and I enjoyed getting to know her. She is very grounded and in touch with herself. She is also very thoughtful and compassionate. I loved her. She is exactly the kind of woman I would love to go to dinner with or hang out with.
I also really loved the friends Hannah brought with her into Blue Hollow Falls. Those women are hilarious, and I hope they are getting stories soon. I love this series, and the characters that populate it. I can't recommend it highly enough.

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Fantastic read for romance lovers!! This is the first book from this series that I have read, but I don't feel like I missed too much. There's always the reference of other couples, but that just made me want to go back and read their stories!!

Will and Hannah have a lot of emotional issues going on. Hannah has dealt with some, Will hardly any. I think their emotional connection was definitely brought to life in this one. They helped one-another overcome stuff perfectly. I loved their story and can't wait to read the others!! I also enjoyed reading about lavender and all the stuff you can do with it!

I probably would've given the book a 4.5 if I could've because there was a lot of inner dialog and I'm more of a multi-people convo-dialog (if you know what I'm saying). But that's really what this book needed since they were overcoming things so 5 stars it is!! :-)

I was given a copy of this ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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This was a lovely romance story with very interesting characters. Although I enjoyed the book I found it to be a bit wordy and found myself skimming certain pages. Still, it was a nice romance book.

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I'm mopping tears as I write this. This, dear friends, is a Kleenex book. But in the BEST possible way. I admit to a little skepticism when I saw who the next hero was because while Will most definitely deserved love, he seemed so broken, I couldn't imagine the woman who'd set that to rights and so often this setup can turn out like a hot mess. But oh! Hannah is perfect for him. And for Jake. They've all experienced and been shaped by great loss, and seeing Will and Hannah come together, working through all those powerful emotions was just a privilege to be on the sidelines for. Lavender Blue delivers on ALL THE FEELS. It's simply beautiful. Clearly this series has a special place in the author's heart and now, absolutely, in mine. (Reviewed January 28, 2019)

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Donna Kauffman has surpassed every other book in the Blue Hollow Falls series with this latest lavender Blue! And the previous books have been great reads! I loved the story of Hannah and Will, the ladies at the lavender farm and tearoom, the people who are in the BHF community and Jake. This is a stand alone story, but you really should read the series! This is my honest review in exchange for an ARC and I loved how the story ended. The setting of the mountains is calling me to explore!

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I have been enjoying the Hollow Falls series by Donna Kauffman. Each book has characters from previous stories, but you don't have to read the first ones in the series to enjoy this one. Will McCall is a widower with a teenage son, Jake. He used to build, repair and play fiddles, but after the death of his wife Zoe, he never picked up another fiddle, and is now working in construction and as a handyman. Hannah Montgomery, and her friends Vivi, Avery and Chey are the newest residents to Blue Hollow Falls, recently purchasing a lavender farm, along with a rundown farmhouse. Each of these women have their own baggage, but they are eager to start a new life. Will is fixing up the farmhouse and he and Hannah seem to have an attraction to one another, although they are both fighting it. It is Jake, that binds them together. As they get to know one another better, their stories and their grief pours out of them.

This is a beautiful story. It is a story of dealing with grief, families, second chances and romance. I loved how Jake and Bailey helped Hannah share her feelings, both love and grief, while sharing about her son. Will learns that he doesn't need to feel guilt if and when he becomes attracted to another woman. While dealing with their feelings and baggage, it was wonderful to see the way their friends and family supported them and loved them. This story had me on an emotional roller coaster. There was humour, fear, sadness and grief, but overall, this was a HAE story with a lot of baggage being unpacked and put away properly. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

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I was only able to get half through this book. It was drawn out too much and I lost interest. Sorry.

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Will finally gets his happily ever after! Will McCall is a stonemason whose wife died at a young age, leaving him to raise their son, Jake, on his own. Will’s never gotten over the loss of his wife but with the arrival of Hannah Montgomery in Blue Hollow Falls, he may finally be ready to deal with his grief and move on.

Hannah buys a lavender farm with her three friends. She’s ready for a fresh start after losing her young son years ago. Although Hannah experienced a different loss than Will’s, she does understand grief. Together they learn how to move on with life after tragedy. There were more than a few tears shed through their journey to happily ever after.

Lavender Blue is the third full-length book in the series and should appeal to anyone who likes small town romances. The book can be read as a standalone.

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Hannah and her three friends are working the lavender fields starting a new life. Handsome Will McCall just wants to finish the job of fixing the chimneys. Fate brings them together. ARC

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I really love Donna Kauffman's writing style and how she always manages to create a town and people that draw you in and make you wish they were real. This is a book 3 in her new Blue Hollow Falls series and I really liked the first two books. Of course, I was excited for Will McCall's story, the stoic widower. I was super intrigued to find out who would be the woman to pull him from his shell...and we finally get to meet her in this story. Her name is Hannah and she is one of the new owners of the Lavender Farm that is being restored. The book definitely has the trademark sweet romance and genuine emotional connections, but this one was a little to emotional for me. This story revolves a lot around the loss of a loved one and dealing with grief, which I found to be a bit heavier than I typically look for in a contemporary romance. Though it was all very positive and I think the story contains really wonderful advice, it just made it a little hard for me to get through the story. I look forward to future stories in this series and getting to know the other ladies of the Lavender Farm.

I received a copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Kauffman is my go to author when I need a pick me up, and definitely doesn't disappoint with this novel that has quickly become a staple in my library.

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I liked this story. It is book 3 in the Blue Hollow falls series. Hannah and her three friends have bought a large lavender farm and have hired Wilson McCall to fix the chimneys and roof. Hannah and Wilson both are dealing with grief and Hannah has made it her mission to make Wilson smile. Will has appeared in the previous books and it's nice he's getting his own story. This is a story of friendship and healing. Can be read as a stand alone book. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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Hannah Montgomery buys a lavender farm with three of her closest friends and discovers the beauty of the blooming plants soothes her artist's soul. She also begins to feel an attraction to Wilson McCall, a local stonemason, and his teenage son that might reflect on the relationship to her own deceased son.

It's a beautiful story and a realistic one of the pain of losing a loved one. I have not read any of the previous Blue Hollow Falls stories, but I had no problem following the characters. Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC; all opinions are my own.

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Blue Hollow Falls is growing and expanding. An combination of four women who come together to grow and harvest an existing lavender field into numerous businesses. Lavender the plant being used in scents for oils, tea and baking. All while bringing life back into an old house and these women. Blue Hollow Falls is part of a revitalization of the arts in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Being a fan of author, Donna Kauffman I have read previous books of the series, this can be read as a stand alone. Yet most will want to go back and read previous books. I enjoy reading what became of an interesting small character in one book and now develops into their own story and meet new characters with the knowledge I will read about them in the future. A definite 2 thumbs up!

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LAVENDER BLUE by Donna Kauffman entertains, filled with family and misfits who find their way to this loving artists’ community. Kauffman has a knack for writing about the place I’d like to call home. I was easily taken in by the characters’ welcoming nature, while enchanted by their comradery and empathy when healing wounded hearts.

Even though this novel is filled with light, that doesn’t mean there isn’t deep emotion. Far from it. But the light is always there, teasing the shadows to dispel. There may be some triggers for anyone who has suffered loss recently. This book features recovery but determining whether you’re ready to witness it in multiples should be considered before reading it.

Four friends from grief counseling move to the Blue Ridge Mountains to run a lavender farm and open a tea room. Each with their own set of issues and talents, their armor-in-common binds them together. Illustrator and painter Hannah Montgomery hopes to create an artistic place for her talent to regroup, as well as learn the lavender business, after losing her young son Liam. Her friends Vivienne, Avery, and Cheyenne each lost someone close to them, so this new venture between them is self-preservation as much as financial.

Blue Hollow Falls is the perfect place to start a new business, especially an artistic one. The artist community is growing, expressly with Addie Pearl motivating the expansion. I really loved the music scenes and felt my loss for not reading BLUESTONE AND VINE, first. I’ll remedy that soon.

Getting acquainted with Will McCall and his son in BLUE HOLLOW FALLS set the stage nicely for their stories in this book. I was quite excited to see Will as the choice for Hannah. It was far from an easy journey, though, since he’s still overcome by the loss of his wife. Will’s grief nestles into his quiet demeaner. Hannah’s loss is just as fresh, but she has done the work toward healing. Can Hannah be the light Will is seeking, or is he too far behind Hannah’s recovery to make her feel safe in a loving relationship?

There are so many things to love in LAVENDER BLUE. An artist-themed story is always a preference and one of my favorite herbs is lavender. Having spent years taking classes and teaching them in herb-related themes, the location feels like home. Farming in general is a hot button, so I would have grabbed this title without Hannah’s background. Add in the artists’ community and a tea room and I’m ready to move in. Even though every theme and idea hit my favorites, this book didn’t match my love for the first novel, BLUE HOLLOW FALLS.

I think what put me off the most is Hannah going gaga over Will’s body, ogling him and going on about it every chance she gets in her mind. I get it. She’s into him – it just became a repetitive thought process. Being the type of reader who doesn’t like too much inner dialogue, it tends to annoy me if it’s repetitive. Other than that, I loved everything else about this book.

But I was shocked by something Addie Pearl did – she irritated me, and it seemed over-the-top busybody-ish. Almost mean and I wasn’t expecting that from her. Even though I adored Addie Pearl toward the end, I felt that if I was Hannah or Will, I’d be a bit more miffed than they were. Being especially fond of all the characters in this community, I can feel a bit protective. It’s that kind of place where you don’t want to close the book and see them go away.

If you’re new to the series, I highly suggest you read it from the beginning just for pure enjoyment. I skipped book 1.5 and book 2, in order to review this quickly and wasn’t confused, but I feel like I missed out on some of the fun. I’m glad I have the other two books in my purchased TBR so I can catch up. If you just want to know what all the fuss is about, it won’t hurt to start the series here and work backwards. LAVENDER BLUE is a fun book, so it’s worth the read no matter where you start.

There was one especially tender moment between Will and Hannah that spoke to me. Hannah made me cry, even though I tried to hold it together. She’s normally a very bubbly person, so when her emotion hits, it’s hard not to feel deep compassion for her. I love Donna Kauffman’s way of setting a scene between two people. She inserts their movement with the dialogue just enough so I can see their facial expressions as if they’re in front of me. Will and Hannah had so many telling, tender scenes like that.

About halfway through, this book slowed, and I had a hard time staying focused. That could have been my flighty January brain, or repetitive thoughts from the characters, that bogged me down. Repetitiveness is one of my pet-peeves, so whether that slowed the book for me or not, it was why I dropped my rating a point because of my own picky preferences.

I adored Will and Hannah, especially Hannah’s bubbly personality. Vivienne, Cheyenne and Avery are great additions to the cast. I’m especially excited that Avery’s story is next in LAVENDER & MISTLETOE because I do love a female Brainiac. I am sad that it’s only a novella because I’m sure I’m going to want more.

LAVENDER BLUE by Donna Kauffman is a fun novel to take you to a good down-home rendition of music, art, festivals and community. Grief recovery is a stand-out theme throughout, but it’s cathartic and not overly sad, with laugh-out-loud moments to buoy the mood. Hannah’s light is a big reason for the beauty of this book. A cute addition to the Blue Hollow Falls series.

Review by Dorine, courtesy of TheZestQuest.com.

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I love the Blue Hollow series. This book is a perfect addition to the series. The writing style is wonderful and the characters come to life on every page. I love the Va. setting. I recommend this book. Thank you netgalley for providing the free arc. The opinions are my own.

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I don't always like Donna Kauffman books but this was fabulous. Every page was wonderful and entertaining.There were so many great characters I don't think you can make any more important than another. I hope there is more to come.

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