What a beautifully written story. This is the first book I've read by this author, now I want to go back and read the other books in this series. If you are a fan of historical romance you will love this book. I received a complimentary copy from Shadow Mountain Publishing via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Love and Lavender is an unexpected romance. Two characters who many would determine to be unable to marry find a way to build a life together and find love in the process.

The premise of the series is that Elliot Mayfield bestows an inheritance on his family if they will marry. He did not marry as a young man and has regretted his decision. That is why he decided to "encourage" his family to find love and happiness.

This story is about Hazel and Duncan. They both have been given a "bribe" to marry. Hazel will have a dowery and Duncan will have the building that he works in. He will get the rent money from the tenants. It is unexpected for both of them. Duncan has autism and Hazel has a clubbed foot. Neither plans on accepting the inheritance until Duncan finds his work situation unbearable and hatches a plan that they marry each other as a business transaction.

I found this book to be endearing. Hazel has so much patience with Duncan as she learns his triggers and how he thinks. His pacing would drive me insane, but she is able to carry on a conversation and have meaningful and academic talks with him. Hazel is also ashamed of her twisted foot and has a hard time trusting Duncan with her infirmity.

I loved that two people who wouldn't have been considered marriage material were able to work out a life together and find happiness. This book is deep and not one of ballrooms and extravagance. The characters are humble people who come together in an academic way before they can develop any other bond. This book is worth reading. It helped me think outside of the box and shows illustrates that everyone is worthy of love.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for accepting my request for an ARC of Love and Lavender in exchange for my honest review.
This novel is perfect for fans of Regency Romance\ historical fiction and arranged marriages.

This is the story of Duncan and Hazel which both suffer from disabilities that make them have a relationship a bit hard especially back in the 1820s. However, an opportunity comes to them when their uncle makes a condition on them that each should marry to fulfil their uncle wish in exchange for getting what they want which will be revealed in the first chapters.
The story is nice but I found it long and slow-paced lacking the romance that I was looking for. The characters weren't likeable to me and I found myself skipping pages just to get done with it. So, overall it wasn't my cup of tea.

Will she see in time dreams are not frozen in time …

This is my first read by the author and it definitely will not be the last.
I loved how she brought these two “broken” people together. This is not a fast moving romance, nothing is rushed, it is a love only time and patience helped nurture and grow.
Duncan and Hazel’s first encounter is awkward at best, as she mistakes his straightforwardness for impudence, yet it was the beginning of a friendship of sort as despite their disparities, they are of similar minds.
Both being crippled, she physically, him psychologically, they find a sort of solace in one another’s presence. Duncan seing her beyond her physical limitations and Hazel accepting the way his mind works.

Hazel because of her foot deformity was considered as the ugly duckling and treated as such by her family. Sent far away until an uncle took an interest in her and improved her life conditions. From there, she devoted her life to learn then teach. With no other prospect, it became her existence path.
Duncan would be labeled today as an Asperger’s. He is a creature of habits, lost when out of his usual routines, he is single minded when focusing on a topic and he abhors others’ touch. But he is still a creature with feelings even if he tends to be forthright in his speech and might appear uncaring.

It is certain their “arrangement” suited him more than Hazel, at first. But as time passes, she explores things she would never have if not for their unusual marriage. And as she comes to enjoy this new life, she also keeps things compartmented, refusing to fully engage herself. She has for so long been told marriage was not in her future, she has drawn a path for herself without it, so she can’t accept and face the possibility of a change in her life’s course.
In some way, she is a bit like Duncan, not because of an impediment but by lack of courage. While she is strong on many things, a strength which made her the intelligent woman she is now. She cowardly avoids any confrontation about feelings because it would made her see things are not so perfect as she thought them. Yet she faults Duncan for his way of being but she is no better, as he can’t change how he acts and reacts but in his own way he made his own concessions allowing what were great changes for him, while she stands on her position, bottling everything inside her and granting no one close.

A moving tale of resilience and accepting things are not carved in stone. These two imperfect persons by embracing their differences complete one another and make them whole together.
5 stars

As being the last in a series, I am now curious to explore the previous books.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 kisses

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher Shadow Mountain, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

I didn’t expect this book to hit me in such an unexpectedly emotional way. Duncan and Hazels marriage of convenience brought tears to my eyes and filled my heart with understanding and love.

I really love underrepresented disabilities in romances. Duncan appears to be on the autism spectrum and Hazel has been dealing with a physical disability all her own. Both of these characters are bright and intellectual and bring out a really beautiful side to one another.

What hit me most was the theme of love. Love in all it’s forms. Everyone’s love story is going to be different. We have all consuming passionate love to small quiet flames. And while this begins as a flicker I think it was well done and impactful.

This is a slower paced love story that really goes into the background of each of these characters to really make the love story authentic to their situation.

This book isn’t going to be for everyone. And everyone will interpret it differently. But to see someone with all their faults and flaws and love them all the same is to truly have real love in a marriage.

The fourth book of the Mayfield Series. Probably my second favorite of the series (the 2nd book is my #1). Josi S.Kilpack has done it again with a very interestingly unique plot. And coming from someone who loves the “Marriage of Convenience” trope, this is by far one of the most memorable books I’ve read yet...Though I find some points in the story quite slow, I understand it is fitting since the couple is quite different from the norm. And it wouldn’t be the Author’s book if it isn’t a slow-burn romance (which I love and despise at the same time).

Overall, I loved this book, definitely recommend it for those who are looking for a book about a relationship between two very intelligent people who are learning how to communicate how to show love to one another.

Got this from Netgalley, courtesy of the Shadow Mountains Publishing (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.

As a mother of a child with disabilities, this was a breath of fresh air. I have loved all the Mayfield stories, but this one brought a hero who was a little different, and it was perfect. To know this is not to spoil the story, in fact it adds to the richness of this tale.

A little background, in addition to have a son with autism, I work with autistic people as a part of my career. It was interesting to see the characteristics that unfolded in Duncan. It was magical and I loved it. To add to the visibility in this book, Hazel, our heroine thought she would never be loved because of her clubbed foot.

At the time, a person like Duncan could have been easily institutionalized. I love that authors are starting to bring these disabilities into the main characters and not just the side characters. It helps fight stigma that so many face, sometimes even now.

In addition to this, the writing is what you would come to expect from Josi Kilpack and the story was rich and fulfilling. I can't wait for more.

I received an early copy from the publisher and this is my honest review.

What worked for me:

I loved Hazel’s character. She was smart and stoic, kind but not patronizing. I really loved her as a character and she’ll stick with me for a long time.

The pacing was spot on. I picked this up and could not put it down. I never felt bored, or like it was moving too fast or too slowly.

I appreciated the representation of disability and neurodivergence, but I’m not sure about execution (see below).

I loved that the characters were older - almost 30. It was nice to see their maturity.

The Dickensian story of inheritance, orphans, etc was compelling. I loved seeing working class characters. While they do have some level of privilege, it’s nice to see working class struggles as well. (Dukes are great but we can’t all marry dukes.)


What didn’t work for me:

Writing was a bit clunky, a lot of adverbs. Sometimes I was frustrated by the tangents. It seemed like the author had done some research on the time and wanted to talk about it, even though it wasn't relevant.

I felt uncomfortable about how Duncan’s character was portrayed. I’m not in a position to say whether or not this was an accurate representation of autism; I’d let members of the community speak for that. But it felt too on the nose to me; I would have appreciated more subtly. He just seemed like such a stereotype.

In the end it was Hazel who came back to Duncan, but I felt it should have been Duncan who came to Hazel. Hazel has to sacrifice a lot for a life with Duncan, and I felt resentful on her behalf. I think it would have been more powerful to have him overcome his dislike of travel to visit her.

I also was frustrated by the insinuation that Hazel’s love for Duncan should be unconditional. Yes, he has special needs, but still, love between a couple is actually very conditional. I wish I had more of his character arc as he learned to show Hazel his love.

I didn’t love this story, but I didn’t hate it either. The writing is really good and it’s definitely an interesting story. But I just couldn’t connect to the characters, especially Duncan. While he had a few moments, his inner voice was pretty bland and too straightforward for me. I realize he has a disability and I’m all for everyone getting their happily ever after, but I need more depth and romance. This story wasn’t very romantic and Hazel and Duncan read more as close friends than two people madly in love.

Elliott Mayfield 5th Viscount Mayfield has recently come into his title at a mature age.
He is saddened to see his nephews and nieces in difficult situations.

From a distance he has supported his niece, Hazel Stillman. She was born with a clubfoot, resulting in her rejection by her Society family. Sent away to school from a young age, Elliott has at least been able to pay for excellent schooling. Hazel is an intelligent young woman, now teaching advanced mathematics at a girls’ school.

Elliott also supports Duncan Penhale. Not actually a nephew, but taken on by his sister. Duncan is different, (on the autistic spectrum) in a time when difference was not well tolerated. Elliott has arranged a place to live and an accountancy job which suits Duncan’s strengths.

Elliott wants all his nephews and nieces to find marital felicity and arranges dowry/ inheritance for each upon marriage to an appropriate partner he approves of.

Hazel and Duncan meet at Elliott’s house, when he announces his gift.
Hazel is furious with her uncle as she believes no-one will ever wish to marry her, except fortune hunters.
Duncan is suitably thankful (as his Dad taught him to be) but privately feels as Hazel does.
The only good thing that comes from the meeting is a correspondence between Hazel and Duncan on mathematical and intellectual matters.

When both Hazel and Duncan separately find themselves in need of money, Duncan suggests that they marry.
Elliott did not want them to have a marriage of convenience and refuses to pay up.
In a compromise, Hazel and Duncan find themselves committed to living together for a year. What unfolds is both sweet and painful.

This is an excellent book. Duncan’s autism is well portrayed. The sudden uncertainty when he thinks someone is laughing at him. His bewilderment at Hazel’s abandonment is heart-rending.

I loved Elizabeth the cat!


I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All views expressed are my own.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Love and Lavender is the fourth book in Josi S. Kilpack’s Mayfield Family series. It can be read as a stand-alone, however, readers might grasp a greater understanding of the family dynamics, particularly relating to the overall arc of an uncle interfering with each of his nieces’ and nephews’ love lives and trying to motivate them by reading the first book, which also is partially his love story.

This book is a really quiet and fairly low-drama read. Not that the previous books have been high-drama by any means (aside from meddling relatives), but I particularly felt the sense of coziness and quiet with this one. Both leads are fairly mature and practical, hence their situation, and that does lead to some of my issues with marriage-of-convenience, in that it’s a lot of will-they/won’t-they, and sometimes there just isn’t enough stakes to carry over the course of the book. I definitely felt that here at times, but I did enjoy the book for the most part, and ultimately the tone suits the characters.

I relate to Hazel a lot, because I too have physical limitations that have impacted my prospects. I also admired her for finding a vocation that suited her and rooted for her to find a way to persevere in that. Duncan was also relatable to me, because of his awkwardness and preference for being alone, in a way that would likely be diagnosed as autism today. I loved that, in spite of their perceived shortcomings that might make them less-than-ideal partners for anyone else, they developed a friendship fairly quickly, which formed a basis for their marriage, along with their mutual predicament. It’s a sweet love story that is ultimately endearing, as the relationship between these two quietly grows.

This book was a lovely surprise, and one I think fans of the sweeter/no-sex end of the heat-level spectrum will enjoy.

Though this wasn’t my favorite story, I can certainly see the reasons other fans of historical fiction will enjoy it. The story wasn’t particularly intriguing to me—I like more obvious romance—but Kilpack has a good voice. I also haven’t read any of the other books in this series yet but I don’t think that impacted my reading experience too much. 2.5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Hazel considers that her club-foot has put her out of the running for marriage, so she has made a career for herself as a maths teacher. But when the school is put up for sale, she expects to lose her position. Duncan does his accounting job well, but struggles to deal with an incompetent fellow-clerk and management who dislikes him. Interpersonal skills are not his forte! When Duncan and Hazel meet at the house of their rich relative, who is newly enjoying wedded bliss and wants to help others to find the same, they begin a correspondence that leads to an odd sort of friendship. Then one day Duncan comes up with a plan to allow them to each collect the benefits promised on marriage: marry each other, then continue their separate lives. Their relative is not happy with this suggestion but eventually agrees - on the condition that they live together for a year before going their separate ways. Will his plan to bring the two together work, or are they too set in their ways?

This was the first book I've read by the author, but I definitely hope to read more. I loved Duncan as a character, though his lack of sense of humour could be hard to live with. It feels very unusual to have characters like Duncan in books (particularly historical fiction?), so I appreciated that. I also liked the way that Hazel interacted with him - and the way that the two gradually came together was lovely to watch. In fact, I'm not sure I can come up with anything I didn't like about this book. It's clean and well written, the characters felt like real people, the secondary characters made for a good background, and the ending is highly satisfying. What more could one wish for?

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

A broken mind. A broken body. People of no worth?
What determines someone’s value. Does a physical handicap decrease worth? Does a mind struggling to understand social norms lessen value? These are the questions touchingly looked at with this book. Hazel was born with a club foot something that couldn’t be hidden from society, so at six years old she was sent to a boarding school to be more easily ignored by her family. She progressed through her schooling to become a mathematics teacher in a school where she was able to easier hide her disability and provide for herself. Duncan struggled with social expectations and expressing himself. Changes or unmet expectations led to extreme upset. Now as an adult working as a clerk, he realized that although he could work successfully as a clerk, he would never really fit into society. Both Hazel and Duncan are surprised to discover that they have the possibility of wealth to exceed all needs or expectations but to acquire it they must marry. But what man would want a cripple like Hazel? And what woman would consider a man as peculiar as Duncan? An excellent book about struggles, acceptance, empathy, and love where none was expected. The characters are realistic and show the strength often required by life. I received an early copy and this is my honest review. I highly recommend this book.

Mr. Duncan Penhale Is a very intelligent man. But he has also lived a very hard life. He enjoys his life when it is orderly and makes sense. He also loves Elizabeth, his cat. Since his mom died he has been alone but has thrived. He works hard and follows the rules.
Miss Hazel Stillman had been an outcast all her life because of her club foot. When she was six she was shipped off to school and rarely saw her family. She did get lonely sometimes. She would work harder. She and Duncan Wrote monthly to each other and they always enclosed a riddle to be solved.
She looked forward to hearing from him. The first time she met Duncan was at her uncle's when they heard about their inheritances.
It was such a wonderful book. The novel was well written. You could tell when Duncan became frustrated and began pacing. She would let him talk and after a short while he would calm down. Her nervous habit was twisting her fingers. The characters were exceptional and very thoughtful. I do highly recommend this novel, I loved it.
I received this novel from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Love and Lavender I have mixed opinions about. Depending on what you are reading it for will depend on how it is viewed.
If you are reading it for a story of two individuals facing their challenges in life then this is the perfect fit for you. It was beautiful how these took their challenges and kept a positive outlook. Both Hazel and Duncan weave their way thru finding companionship and accomplishing their life dreams. Duncan would today be considered on the spectrum and it was amazing to see the world thru his eyes.
If you are reading for the romance, this part was the struggle for me. I read this thinking of romance, especially with this series focusing on finding love. The book is more about friendship and Hazel deciding if her friendship with Duncan is worth staying for. They both use each other for their own gain, at least agreeing on it and understanding the terms. I know that those on the spectrum are capable of big big love and wish would have been more romantic tension or romance at all. The ending was pretty abrupt in the love department.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

This book surprised me, in a good way. I read some early and unflattering reviews that made me wonder what I’d gotten myself into. After finishing, I’m forced to conclude that I read an entirely different book than they did. I didn’t find either character to be stereotypical or annoying. Rather, I found them to be very real, flawed, and worth getting to know. Duncan reminds me so much of my cousin, who is autistic. His mannerisms were very much like my cousin’s. I realize that this doesn’t make Duncan a representation of everyone who is autistic, but it made him much more realistic for me. I enjoyed the inclusion of a neurodiverse character who wasn’t there as a token.

Hazel was the more flawed of the two, in my opinion. She was downright abrasive at times, but I feel like I get why. Her background and circumstances don’t lend themselves to “softness,” if that makes sense. She’s had to fend for herself in so many ways that she’s almost incapable of letting someone else in. I loved watching her grow.

Overall, I’m very satisfied with this story and feel like it’s a lovely addition to the Mayfield series.

*I received a review copy from the publisher in return for my honest feedback.*

3.5 stars, rounded down

Individually, Hazel and Duncan have come to accept that they will never marry and have moved on with their lives. But when they are presented with substantial inheritances if they marry 'appropriate' partners, they marry one another. Being required to live together as a married couple for a year before receiving said inheritances puts a kink in their plans. As the year progresses, their marriage of convenience becomes more than that, and they must decide if they still want to go their separate ways as planned.

I have read several of Josi Kilpack's cozy mysteries and enjoyed them enough to be intrigued by her historical fiction title, although a bit hesitant to commit to reading a romance book. I cringed at the difficulties Hazel and Duncan encountered due to their limitations, and Elliot's machinations infuriated me, but the story itself was good, although predictable. I'm sure this book will appeal to romance readers, but I found it to be only so-so and will stick to the author's mystery books from now on.

A lovely read! Josi always does a great job building characters that are relatable. You find yourself rooting for them as the stumble towards their happy ever after.

This is a beautiful story of love inspire of physical and mental conditions. It is proof that even those whose brain works differently than most deserve to find their love match.