Hazel Stillman was born with a club foot and has learned to rely on herself to get through life. Her uncle has offered her a substantial inheritance if she marries, an offer she finds offensive. Only someone who wants her money would marry her. An offer from the logical and precise Duncan Penhale makes her change her mind. Will a marriage of convenience turn into something more, or will Hazel's fear keep her from changing her dreams for the future?

I enjoyed the first two books of the series, but felt let down by the third. I wasn't sure what to expect from this one. It was interesting to have a main character (Duncan) who was Nero-diverse. I know little about what life if like or how someone might think. Duncan seemed like a sweet young man.

Hazel was a hard character to like. She was bristly, always on edge. Her anger at the world was understandable, but it was her way of looking at the world from a superior point of view that made me dislike her. I never really warmed up to her through the story.

The romance fell flat for me. It felt more like Hazel was mothering Duncan and he was more like a close friend. It was otherwise well written and the side characters were interesting. My rating would be more like a 3.5, but I am rounding up to be generous.

I adore Josi Kilpack novels and Love and Lavender did not disappoint. I simply devoured this book. I so enjoyed a different type of regency novel with Hazel and her club food and Duncan and his being on the autism spectrum. I loved having these characters because people just like them exist now and they existed then. It was beautiful to watch their love story develop over time. I thought the novel was so well-written in how each of their lives had been and how they became. The characters developed so much in just one book and I was cheering for them both to find their happy ending. Overall, this was such a delightful novel that I wouldn't change one bit.

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the eARC!

This is another wonderful addition to the Mayfield family series by Josi Kilpack. I loved how unique each of these characters were. They both had things that made it hard for them to believe that they would ever marry or be happy in a marriage. I loved how Josi showed how Duncan and Hazel’s marriage progressed from a marriage of convenience to a marriage of love even though it might look different then other peoples’ marriages. I really loved this story and thought it was very well done.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

This is a very unique and beautiful love story. I really enjoy Kilpack's writing style and grew to care about and root for these characters. This is definitely a slow burn romance and I felt like it took me a little while to get into this book. I loved the ending and message of choosing happiness. There were a few mistakes in the math problems/"terms" that I'm hoping get fixed before publication (I read an uncorrected copy). That bothered me a bit, but I feel like the average reader might not pick up on those. Overall though it was a great read! I've loved this series and highly recommend to fans of regency romances.

#LoveAndLavender #NetGalley

This the fourth book in the Mayfield series.

This book was different than any book I've read. I really enjoyed reading about Hazel and Duncan.
Hazel was born with a club foot and has always felt like an outcast in her own family.
Duncan is a highly functional autistic man. When Uncle Elliot insists that Hazel marry in order to claim her inheritance, Hazel, is angry because she knows she isn't like everyone else and no one would want to marry her.
Duncan just wants to own the building he lives in and works at, that also would allow him to branch out and own his own accounting firm.
Then Hazel and Duncan make a decision that will change their lives. Can they each bring something good into their relationship?
This book was unique and so well written. I loved it.

I actually really enjoyed this book. I have a nephew with high functioning autism and couldn’t help but think of him as I read this book. Although this book didn’t have the swoony romance scenes in many of Josi Kilpack’s novels I really enjoyed how they came to care for one another and support each other because that’s what real love is all about.

Josi S. Kilpack is back with the newest installment of the Mayfield Family series, and it’s her best yet. There were so many heartbreaking moments, and I found myself tearing up more than once, but there was such beauty in the heartbreak. Perhaps I simply related to this story more than its series predecessors, but Hazel and Duncan’s story will stick with me for some time.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing for sending me an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is such an unusual romance. I don’t think I’ve ever read a romance with a hero so definitely on the autism spectrum. Adding a heroine with a physical disability makes this doubly unique. Whether this scenario was probable during this era is above my pay grade. But the author makes it all so plausible that I want to believe it. What a brave soul for creating these characters and telling this story.

Having a daughter with high-functioning autism, some of the hero’s behavior is very familiar. The pacing, the hyper-focused and technical discussions, and the bouts of frustration are all very common occurrences. Serious kudos for making him so authentic.

I appreciate this story for its uniqueness and authenticity in describing people with disabilities. I enjoyed how this story explores what loves is and that its expression in a marriage is unique to each couple. This makes a great addition to the Mayfield Family series.

This book was amazing! I loved the different characters and how they aren’t the typical main characters! They have their oddities but instead of having it detract from the story, it made it even better!

Hazel was born with a clubbed foot and is fully aware that it will make her unmarriageable. She has never really known love from anyone, including her family, so she makes her own path with the help of her Uncle Elliott. She gains knowledge and is a mathematic wizard.

Duncan is the not related to Uncle Elliott but he has provided for Duncan from a young age when he lost both parents and his father's mistress cared for him until her death. Duncan is described as being a bit odd. From the description of his characteristics, I would guess that he was probably on the autism spectrum.

Uncle Elliott has granted them both an inheritance with some conditions, one of which is they need to marry. Hazel and Duncan have formed a friendship with one another and Uncle Elliott and Aunt Amelia think that if they can bring the two of them together, maybe they would be perfect for one another.

Duncan and Hazel's story was beautiful in that they understood each other weaknesses and embraced their strengths. There is a happy ending to this story; one with which I absolutely loved. I have grandchildren on the autism spectrum so it was especially poignant for me to read this beautiful story.

I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.

Fourth book in the Mayfield Family series. Hazel Stillman was born with a club foot. Her family sent her off to school as a child because of it. Hazel did not have many opportunities in life and became a teacher at a private school. Her Uncle Elliott wants to give her a inheritance if she marries. She is offended by the offer. Uncle Elliot also makes a offer to Duncan who is a guardian for. Duncan is a odd man who never wants to marry. he has very quirky ways. When Duncan and Hazel meet they decide they would marry for the inheritance and then leave the marriage. This is a very good book with lots of emotions in it. The beginning is slow but then I found myself wanting to read more. This is my first book by this author.

This was a unique love story and I thought it was thoughtfully written. Both characters were very set in their ways and ovelooked by society. I always enjoy a bit of actual history written into a story and we got a bit of that. These characters were brought to life and I felt like I was on the journey with them. I could very much see thier POV. This has been such a great series. I'll be sad when the last is written. I love the connection of the story to the flowers and what they represent. I think Josi Kilpack did great in connecting the symbolism of the flower to this story. The h & H path and connection to each other felt natural and realistic. Theirs was a sweet romance. I reccommend this story, series and author.
*Thank you very much to Netgalley for an ARC of this story. Opinion is 100% my own.*

Love and Lavender was my first proper romance novel and so lovely!
The characters in this book were very unique for the romance genre, I feel, and a very welcome addition. Hazel is a mathematics teacher in her late twenties, born with a club foot. She feels her physical differences will impede her chances at marriage, and so has resigned herself to a life of teaching, until her wealthy uncle informs her he will give her a dowry of £50000 if she marries. Similarly, Duncan, who is an adopted nephew of sorts to Hazel’s uncle, is told the title of the large building Duncan lives and works in will be turned over to Duncan if he marries as well. Meeting by chance, and lamenting on their uncles well-meaning but also hurtful intentions, Hazel and Duncan hatch a plan to marry, and then live apart - meeting the terms of their uncles request and also enabling them both to live the lives they wish and solve each of their problems with their current employment. What they do not gamble on, however, is their uncles interference in their plans.
I really enjoyed this book, and the relationship between Hazel and Duncan (who would surely be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder). I’ll be sure to read another proper romance in future!

What a delightfully unique story! I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I curled up to read this one, but I should have known that it would be wonderful because it was penned by the lovely Josi Kilpack. She expertly crafts a memorable story featuring two unlikely protagonists. I loved how Hazel and Duncan both had to learn what love truly was and how to show love and communicate with one another. Kilpack twisted the marriage-of-convenience trope into a story set apart from any others I have ever read. I cannot recommend this story enough!

Given her station and status in life, Hazel Stillman is blessed with a rare gift — independence. Born with a clubbed foot, she has long accepted the fact that marriage is unlikely. However, she has found her passion and fulfillment working as a teacher in a private girls’ school. So she is less than happy when her uncle Elliot Mayfield sets aside a substantial inheritance with the stipulation that she must marry in order to receive it.

Hazel enjoys the freedom teaching gives her and has no desire in changing that for an inheritance. However, when rumors circulate that the school might close, Hazel has no choice but to consider other options.

Duncan Penhale is extremely intelligent; but, he knows his mind doesn’t quite work like those around him. He’s found contentment creating a life around order and routine, and surrounding himself by a small group of friends who don’t seem to mind his differences. A wife doesn’t fit the plan, so he doesn’t understand why his guardian would make marrying a woman of social standing a stipulation in order to receive the inheritance he needs to purchase the building that houses the firm where he works.

Hazel and Duncan have found the perfect solution to their problem — marry each other, claim their inheritances, and go their separate ways. But when Uncle Mayfield agrees to the marriage with the understanding that they must live together for one year before receiving the money, they discover their plan might not be as simple as they first believed.

A marriage-of-convenience set in the Regency era, I jumped at the opportunity to review Josi S. Kilpack’s Love and Lavender. The story contains everything one would expect of both tropes as well as two leads with disabilities — one physical and the other mental — which I found refreshing. Still, despite interesting characters, an intriguing premise, and solid writing, I couldn’t seem to connect with the story. In the beginning, I couldn’t put my finger on why and was at a loss for how I would write a review. Then the realization struck me. I went in expecting a romance. The cover itself says, A Mayfield Family Romance. Yet Hazel feels more like a mother or caregiver to Duncan than a love interest. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Hazel and Duncan’s relationship — as friends, as intellectuals, and fellow pursuers of knowledge and education, but at no point did they click for me as husband and wife. Kilpack never quite conveyed that romantic spark.

Nonetheless, Love and Lavender offers a nice read and I would recommend it to readers who like leads who depart from the norm. For romance fans, you can definitely enjoy the story just go into it expecting a meshing of two minds rather than two hearts.

Love and Lavender is a great addition to the Mayfield Series. I really enjoy how the author makes her characters so realistic. Their flaws make them relatable and make for a realistic story. Sure, marriages of convenience aren’t common these days, but making the main characters have disabilities really brought some much to the story. My heart strings were tugged and I loved the love and growth displayed throughout the story. We were really able to see the good traits in both Hazel and Duncan by how they treated each other. I have really enjoyed getting to know the Mayfield family through this series.

I very much enjoyed this book. I thought at the very beginning I was not going to like it till I got a little deeper in the story.
I loved how the author gave such great insight into how people on the Autism spectrum operate. I enjoyed learning something a little more deep from a regency novel. Both characters had disabilities and still found ways to be productive members of society in their own ways.
The whole book was so well done. It was a little more realistic and believable than most romance stories. There was also humor peppered throughout and most importantly there was a happy ending!!
I have read the other books in the series, but I think if you picked this one up first you wouldn’t have a problem understanding and enjoying this book as a stand alone.

This was such an inspiring story. It did not have a lot of drama or angst or sex. It was a very nice read about two people who do not meet society's expectations, yet try to solve their independent problems as partners.
The heroine, Hazel, is a 28 year old teacher of advanced math in an all girls boarding school. She was never raised to expect marriage or be acknowledged in society by her family because she was born with a clubbed foot. She has a distant cousin, the step son of her aunt, who is what would be called in today's terms, "on the spectrum". The hero, Duncan, is exceedingly smart and works as an accounting clerk. Their mutual uncle both offers them a marriage inheritance, but they have to be married. After meeting during breakfast on a visit to the uncle's home, they begin a written correspondence that lasts almost two years. Duncan is encouraged to approach Hazel about a marriage that will allow them to get their inheritances and their uncle gives them a one year living together stipulation.
This story is so touching because it delves into each character and how they have dealt with their infirmity in the past and what they plan to do into the future. This story does not have rich, sensual drama, but a sweet love that transcends physical love. Once the two of them meet, it is like a miracle has occurred. I feel that Hazel has the most to lose, because her standing is determined by her husband. But her husband, even with his isolating problems, has managed to carve a niche for himself in his home town. He is aware that he is not like other men, but he works hard to overcome his handicaps. This is a successful pairing because both have empathy and compassion in their hearts. The way this author was able to depict where they started and where they ended is a magical tour. I recommend reading and give 5 stars all the way!

Love and Lavender is a regency period romance novel. I haven't read a book from this genre and era in quite awhile, so I was happy to be given the chance to read this one from @netgalley.

I enjoyed this slightly unusual romance between Hazel, a young woman mathematics teacher, and Duncan, an accountant whom I would consider to be autistic or to have aspergers (although this was not something that would have been diagnosed during this time period). Hazel and Duncan are distant cousins connected by marriage. They are both given a boon when their uncle chooses to bestow a doury upon them if they were to find someone to marry.

Hazel and Duncan meet at their uncles house and soon after begin a correspondence that continues for over a year. Of course one wonders if they will fall in love and marry. Don't worry, no spoilers here. This story gives us more than just romance though. We have two characters, both with real impediments that have caused them grief and pain throughout their lives, who teach us that there is more to a person than what the eye beholds. When we take the time to be fully invested in learning to really know someone and to be kind in our interactions with others, we are becoming better ourselves. I really enjoyed the lessons this story tells without actually telling us in so many words. If you enjoy good, clean romances-then this is the book for you.

I enjoyed the opportunity to read the next book in this unique and entertaining series. Hazel is an independent, intelligent woman who has found her own way in the world despite the challenges that she has faced financially and as a physically disabled woman, with a club foot that severely impacts her mobility. Early on she meets Duncan and recognizes his need for accommodation and respects his needs from the start. I appreciated that her experience as a teacher helped her become more inclusive and understanding of his unexpected responses and non traditional manners. Today we'd label Duncan as autistic, but during this time period they did not have the understanding or language that we are familiar with today when it's comes to accommodation and inclusivity. This was a story of growth for both our main characters as they each pursue a marriage of convenience in order to accomplish personal goals and growth. The time they have together enables them to see one another in new and vulnerable moments, helping them to learn about each other's needs and figure out how to pursue their heart's true desire. While the pacing felt a tad slow in portions of the story, I truly appreciated reading about this disabled and neurodivergent couple as they work their way through the trenches of daily life to carve a path for their own, well deserved, happily ever after. Many thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Content: abandonment, inheritance, perceptions of others, inclusion