Embark on a holiday to Provence! The Memory of Lavender and Sage is Aimie K. Runyan’s first full length tale in the genre of contemporary fiction. And while it is not quite as polished or well paced as her works of historical fiction (though I read an ARC), this novel has enormous heart and is resplendent with delightful characters and a sumptuous setting in a fictional small village in Provence to which the reader is transported. Runyan’s passion for both fine foods and France are evident throughout, and the sprinkling of herbs - and their healing properties - is at once intriguing and lends another element of fun to this story. Even the pet kitten is adorable. And the trope of the woman from the big city (New York City) migrating to and helping to save a small town will resonate with any fan of Hallmark Channel movies.

Highly recommended as a diversion from winter blues or a novel to pop in the beach bag - and to all who have enjoyed Runyan’s other delectable tales. A few featured recipes are included as a bonus.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

i really enjoyed this book. the characters really came to life and I felt like i was transported to France. I loved the “magical” element woven through the story and my mouth watered as Tempesta cooked up her dishes.

I really enjoyed this book. I felt transported to the French countryside and was invested in everyone in the town.
I wish I could have seen more of the village after the grant and updates. The final plan doesn't get mentioned until about 80% through the book so it doesn't get much detail or explanation.
Some moments were a little too long and talked about the same thing over and over but overall the level of description was good.
I like that while Tempesté moved to an out-of-the-way village the book didn't have her abandoning modern life totally. Just because she moved away doesn't mean she had to give up everything from her past.
There were good lessons about being open-minded and taking care of people close to you. Overall its a good reminder to slow down, savor small moments, and make time outside of the hustle of work.

I have so many thoughts about this contemporary debut (the author specializes in historical fiction), and I hope I can cover it all here. It's a book worthy of your Saturday evening with a glass of mint tea and a soft pillow to rest your neck on. At the end of the story, if you're anything like me, you'd want to hug this fragrant and sunshine-warm novel.

The title instantly reminds me of Joanne Harris' Chocolat and Sarah Addison Allen's Garden Spells, and it's been a while since I last read both of the said books—a magical Women's fiction featuring a magical female lead in a magical setting. The difference might be that Tempèsta is not aware of her 'witchy' abilities first and is navigating to live with it along with her new life in Sainte-Colombe. The coming-of-age aspect is in larger portion than the romance, hence contemporary Women's fiction, but if nowadays' romance books tend to intertwine with WF then there would be more romance books that suit my taste (read: won't complain at all).

Tempèsta, as the main character, has some relatable traits such as her struggle in childhood and how to deal with sudden facts about her family history. However, she could come across "preachy" too. She tells Estèva she should follow her heart when she is obliged to keep her grandfather's legacy in a dying town she cares so much, and that New York is boring when Estèva just expresses her admiration to the city. She could have put herself in Estèva's shoes before talking instead of pushing her own ideas. Maybe it's her Luddington upbringing? And sometimes I didn't feel the tension when something big happened, so the revelations felt flat and I needed to reread previous lines to get the feeling.

There's something interesting about the writing style, though. Since it's told in first person, I could see the shift between Tempèsta speaking French (+ a bit Occitan) and English even though it's entirely written in English. At first I sensed a little formality and "staging" when Tempèsta interacts with people of Sainte-Colombe, but after I switched the dialogue into French-ish (I don't speak French so I rely on accents and pronunciation of French I got from movies), it all started to come together. And it sounded beautiful!—at least in my head.

What's beautiful next is the star of the show: the setting. But don't Google Sainte-Colombe because it's a fictional village inspired by actual small villages in Provence region. I wish it was real because, wow. Reading Tempèsta's journey there felt like a heavenly escape without having to move your feet or spending your inheritance money. And that's the point, right? The greenhouse full of robust herbs, the house that unearths distant happy memories, the helpful and friendly villagers, including one charming carpenter—Tibèri, as green as healthy basil 💚 also the antique, made-to-last Sarraut's kitchenware, Occitan language lesson, cottagecore gown—and more. It's so dreamy and comforting. There are recipes too!

All in all, I had a pleasant time reading this book and despite small bumps I have written above, I can assure you especially contemporary readers that the tale inside is as enchanting as the cover design. Thank you Harper Muse and NetGalley for complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I absolutely loved this book, it had brilliantly crafted characters, a lovely sense of setting and a positive storyline.

When Tempesta's father dies and she sees he hasn't left her anything in his will, instead has left everything to her successful older brother, she feels hurt and betrayed and decides to return to a little village in France where her mother grew up. Once in the village, Tempesta instantly feels a connection to the place and enjoys settling in and making her home there.

Whilst exploring the village, Tempesta begins to learn about herself, her mother and her family too and soon realises that not all was as it seemed with her father's will.

There's more to life than just learning about her past though, the village is under threat and needs to be saved, but it's not as easy as Tempesta offering her skills to help - some of the locals are far from welcoming and seem to hold grudges against her family name.

I really enjoyed this as I felt like I was getting to know Tempesta and her family. The descriptions of the village and the smells of the herbs and everything were brilliantly crafted and made me want to go and explore little villages in France myself!

Very enjoyable read.

In Aimie K. Runyan's The Memory of Lavender and Sage, Tempesta has had it with her unsupportive family and the politics surrounding her restaurant critic job. So when her financial executive father dies unexpectedly and leaves everything to her younger brother and a bit for her nasty grandmother, she decides to finally visit the birthplace of her beloved mother, who died when Tempesta was 13. Fortunately, a small bequest held for her from her mother allows her to travel from New York to Provence, buy an old car and, on a whim, a rundown former manor house in tiny Ste. Colombe. It is one of a number of small villages in the south of France where the residents are trying to maintain their traditions and language (Occitan), while many of the younger inhabitants have departed for a more modern lifestyle in locations where opportunities are much greater.

Most of her new neighbors seem welcoming, except for Pau, the proprietor of the local vintage cookware store/town mayor, whose initial response is to call Tempesta a witch. He remembers her mother and fears that Tempesta may cause the kind of upheaval he attributes to her mother many years ago. Tempesta learns that she does indeed have some unusual skills with herbs and soon offers her marketing skills to Pau's daughter, Esteva, to help save their store, along with the town school and other local businesses. In the process, she gets some help from Tiberi, a handsome carpenter who has also helped her renovate her new home.

Things I particularly enjoyed are the feast for the senses in the descriptions, the immersion into a culture I had never heard about, and the story of persistence in achieving a common goal. While I found the characters of Tempesta, Esteva and an older townsperson relatable, I felt Tiberi is an underdeveloped character, which makes the very low-key, low-stakes romance with Tempesta less impactful. There were also some abrupt transitions and revelations (Tempesta followed up her finance degree with culinary school to prepare for her restaurant critic job--who does that?) that could have been further clarified or followed up, and the tinge of magical realism is pleasant but feels unnecessary. Nevertheless, I found the book to be very entertaining and will look for more from Runyan in the future.

My thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

What a delightful book. Good characterization. Would recommend to others. Hope the author has a follow up book planned to continue with the characters already in play.

Thank you net galley for giving me this opportunity to read the book, 'The Memory of Lavender and Sage.
Tempesta is a food critic for a newspaper and lives in NYC.
Tempesta lost her mom when she was a young teen.
Her family consists of her younger brother and grandmother.
Tempesta's and Wal's father has just pased away. The will is read and mostly everything is given to Wal.
But, Tempesta does get a little something from her deceased mother. With the money she receives from her mother she goes to Provence, France where her mother is originally from.
Tempesta buys a small house which needs some work. She isn't welcomed by most of the residents from the small village. As time goes by the residents begin to treat her as a local.
I absolutely loved this book, it had me in tears. Hopely, Aimie will write another contemporary novel.
Can I give it ten stars!!!

A tender story of a young woman trying to discover herself and her purpose. In doing so, young Tempesta finds herself traveling from her home in CT to the small village in France where her mother grew up. Having lost her beloved mother at an early age and never feeling completely a part of her family otherwise, Tempesta longs to know more of her mother’s birthplace. She finds a village that is a bit lost itself and together they start to thrive.
I struggled a bit in the beginning as this is a bit out of my typical genre. However, knowing the author has written several wonderful historical fiction novels, I continued on and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the rest of this sweet story. Aimie Runyan creates this lovely tale and makes me want to take a trip to visit a small village in France. She also makes me want to make some pesto and I happily discovered that she includes the recipe (as well as a few others!) at the end of the book!
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book. This critique is my own, honest opinion of the book.

A stunningly beautiful story about the bonds of family, self discovery and searching for your roots.

Tempesté lost her mother as a teenager and has just recently lost her father as an adult. Pushed aside by her brother and her paternal grandmother for years, she longs for the beautiful memories she has of her mother. Deciding it’s time for a change, she packs up and heads to a quaint little French town where her mother grew up.

This one decision puts her on a path that will change her life forever. She learns about her family and herself, finding her strength and a whole new group of people to call her own.

This was a lovely read that feels like a big hug. There is so much talk of the comfort of food, the ways in which it can be infused with good feelings and intention, set against an incredible French countryside backdrop.

This was such a joy to read and I loved every single moment.

I really enjoyed Aimie K. Runyan’s charming fiction.
The Memory of Lavender and Sage is a quick read and a well written story. Lovely characters!
Really worth reading! You won't be disappointed! Will grab your attention at each chapter!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Muse and NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this book! It was so atmospheric. I loved the community, the setting, the friendships, the herbs and all the food! But, I especially liked the characters, and watching them develop throughout the book. It was just a joy to read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I'm glad that Aimie Runyan is branching out into contemporary fiction, and I thoroughly enjoyed THE MEMORY OF LAVENDER AND SAGE. Ultimately, this is a story about what family really means. Tempesta has always felt out of place in her family. She sets out to learn about her French roots, ultimately becoming part of the small town where her mother had spent significant time. Now she will get some answers -- and perhaps find love.

I will say that the writing is a little bit cliche/cheesy in parts. Also, the pacing lags a bit; this definitely could have been a shorter book.

However, despite these minor quibbles, I enjoyed this novel very much, and I look forward to Runyan's next book.

Family is a place where we should all feel wanted, loved and accepted, But in some cases this is far from the truth. All her life as the eldest daughter Tempesta has always felt like an oddity. Her dad works like a maniac keeping the Luddington Foundation thriving and her younger brother Wal is rightfully taking his father's place in the hierarchy of the Luddington family. When her father dies, Tempesta is not surprised that the majority of the family wealth goes to her brother. Her mother though had left her a modest inheritance of her own. Suddenly Tempesta's world is opening up right before her and a trip to find out more about her roots in France is about to happen. .
She becomes part of the small town where her mother was such an important cog and yet Tempesta knows little about that time in her mother's life.
What unfolds is a true coming of age (even though she is well into her adult life). So many thiings about her childhood did not make sense and now she is getting the answers to all those nagging questions she had while growing up.
This book is a very good read and so enjoyable. The characters are wonderfully portrayed that you can almost see them. Kudos to the author for writing a story that really does pull you in.

Many many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read The Memory of Lavender and Sage by Aimie K. Runyan. This is a book I want on my shelf so I can go back and re-read it from time to time. It's just a lovely, magical book.

I loved this book! The title caught my attention first; once I started to read the book, I could not put it down. I love the characters, the descriptions of the country, usage of herbs for cooking and medicinal purposes, etc. I can almost smell the herbs and spices as I write this review. The book centers on a woman's return to a small area in Provence where her mother grew up and left when she was a young woman. Past family secrets are revealed and new relationships are formed. Wonderful debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author.

My first book by Aimie K Runyan to read and I must say there is a depth to this book that gratifies the reader. At the same time, there are some characters the reader will love to hate simply because of their attitudes.
When Tempesta's father dies and leaves her none of his estate, Tempesta's brother reveals that her mother had her own estate that went entirely to her. Tempy's mother was from Sainte Colombe in Provence in France, and so Tempy decides to move back to France to get to know her mom better through the people in her town. Her welcome was at first rather cool, except for Jenofa, a woman who had watched Tempy's mom grow up. Tiberi shows up to help put Tempy's house to rights, and there is a lot that needs to be done. Tiberi and Tempy work together to bring the hundreds years old house into the modern age, and then they work together to revitalize the village. There are some recalcitrant citizens of the village who don't want the progress or the influx of tourists that Tempy's ideas will bring, but they are soon won over.

Aimie has done such a masterful job of developing her characters in this book, the reader feels a kinship with some, a strong distaste for others, and still others fall somewhere in between. The settings she has included in the book make the reading far more interesting.

This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and an herb garden that will help and heal your ills.

Harper Muse provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

This book was an absolute pleasure to read.The name of the book got my attention immediately. The characters were relatable and the description of the village in France made wish I was the there. The cooking was amazing and the few recipes at the end of the book was a nice touch. I throughly enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend this book.

THE MEMORY OF LAVENDER AND SAGE is an enchanting and exquisite story about family, placing roots, and starting anew. Sometimes we just need to be replanted in a more nourishing soil to help us thrive and grow. For Tempèsta, that's living in rural France, growing plants with her tender loving care in her greenhouse, and creating salves and delicious recipes for her community to delight in. With her journalism and finance background, Tempèsta does what ever she can to help save the town her mother grew up in. I loved the setting in a small village in France, with the countryside in the backdrop. I can just smell all the fresh lavender, basil, fennel and rosemary and picture the old house Tempèsta buys, filled with character and charm as she makes it into her own.

I will say that I wouldn't categorize this novel as a romance but more in the general fiction genre. But overall, a great story about family, history, and community. Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the digital advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.