Lavender & Mistletoe is a novella installment in Donna Kauffman’s Blue Hollow Falls series. Lavender Blue is the lavender farm begun by four very different women who came together in a time of grief but bonded in such a way as to form a family of their own. This story focuses on the youngest of the group, 26 year old Big Brain Avery Kent.

Avery completed her second PhD when 18. Soon after graduation her parents were killed in an accident putting much of her life on hold. Her parents were academics, she lived her entire life on a college campus. When her parents died, Avery was at loose ends until she bonded with her newfound family, the ladies of Lavender Blue.

As Avery and fellow Lavender lady Cheyenne McCafferty are leaving a holiday event, Avery spies the result of a vehicle sliding in the snow in a small hump in the snow. She hollers for Chey to stop, runs from their truck, and recovers a pygmy goat in the snow mound. Removing her own jacket, Avery wraps the small creature in the coat and returns to the truck. Chey heads for their local veterinarian, however he is away and young Dr. Ben Campbell is filling in during his absence.

There seems to be an instant connection between Avery and Ben, however Avery tries to ignore it and instead match the new veterinarian with her friend Chey. But Chey and housemother Vivi have other ideas. You see, Ben is a Big Brain too, and they see him a perfect match for Avery.

As the story evolves, the reader follows as Avery learns to open herself to the possibility of a real relationship with Ben despite her fear of where his job will lead him when their own veterinarian returns.

This is a lovely story. The characters are warm, the surroundings lovely. I did enjoy this story and I do recommend it.

Lavender & Mistletoe (Kindle Edition) Donna Kauffman This is the 4th book in the BLUE HOLLOW FALLS Series. Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for letting me preview this book. Donna has done a wonderful job again with this addition to the series.. by the way the books can be read as stand alone's ...but I suggest reading all of them. Avery Kent (super smart...running the lavender farm with her three friends) Ben Chandler( also super smart and a Veterinarian who is filling in for the regular vet) Avery thinks he would be perfect for Chey ....but he is perfect for Avery. This story won't let you put it down it has all the feels, laughter, tears, and a great love at first sight story that gets us to a very HEA. I am looking forward to the next book UNDER THE FIREFLY MOON which is Chey's story.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Informative Entertaining Happily Ever After Page-turner Romantic Easy-to-read Great world building Funny Wonderful characters

Donna Kauffman once again succeeds in writing another wonderful romance!
Amidst snowstorms and the mountains, Avery Kent thinks she has it all figured out when it comes to match making one of her best friends with Ben Chandler, but she finds out the tables are about to turn. Not only does Ben stir feelings in Avery she wasn’t expecting, but his intellect is a perfect match to Avery’s PhDs. Will the interim veterinarian become a permanent fixture in the community and Avery’s life?
Donna Kauffman once again succeeded in writing another wonderful romance!

I love Short stories and especially where there's an animal that's being rescued. A lavender farm where soaps and many other things are being made friendship are very close...
Donna writes so many books that are awesome and this one was just another one of those great books i recommend this book 2 anyone who loves animals friendships and sweet stories.

What a wonderful book. We got to visit with some of the family of Blue Hollow Falls, meet the new veterinarian, and watch Avery and Ben (the new vet) fall in love. Avery was a big braniac and did not communicate that much with others. Her brain was always working and she worked out problems as fast as they were thrown at her. It was fun to see the two very smart people react to each other. Learning about their back stories made them perfect for each other. Another sweet Donna Kauffman book. Bring on the next one!!

Chey and Avery are dressed in impractical clothes for the wintertime when they find a goat in the snow.Chey had horses and is an outdoors girl. Chey and Avery have a farm and they grow lavender for products. They are in the blue ridge mtns of Virginia.Hannah and Vivi are also partners in the farm. Avery has a PhD but the other women are not jealous or overwhelmed by this.there are Sparks flying when the women meet the substitute vet but which woman is the match?I didn't care for some of Avery's dialogue.

Avery and Ben - both brilliant young people who research everything and anything that trips their triggers. Avery is trying to research how people fall in love, never even considering herself as a subject, even though her friends could see what was happening. Ben, a brilliant veterinarian is trying to make prosthetics for animals who lost movement in one joint or another. Both are somewhat socially awkward around others, but together they are perfect. A lovely wintery romance.

Avery is one of four ladies who own and run a lavender farm business in the beautiful sounding Blue Hollow Falls area, they are friends who met and came together through personal tragedies and are each working their way through it to a better life.

Avery is a genius, a child prodigy with a 'big brain'. and responsible for developing their lavender products. Her mind works at a rapid pace and she is always looking for new challenges. Then along comes Ben, their new locum vet, who is also a former child prodigy and a 'brain'. Avery initially feels a new project is needed to figure out male/female attraction, and feels that another of her friends/business partners, Cheyenne, is the one to match with Ben. But she gets very confused when Chey doesn't feel like that for Ben and Avery's feelings come into play and she is attracted to Ben herself, and he is definitely attracted to her!

A really lovely story, even though it was a short story and I would have loved a full book! I really love this series and can't wait for Chey's story next in 'Under A Firefly Moon' - there's a teaser at the end which I shouldn't have read as now I can't wait for the next book!

This was. Good book. Avery, hannah, vivian and chey own a lavender farm Chey and avery are going to a party but they find a goat in the snow. They take him to a vet named Ben. Campbell. Ben takes care of him. A romance starts. To hear more read the book

I enjoy my visits to Blue Hollow Falls, and 'Lavender & Mistletoe' was no exception. This was a unique story about two exceptionally bright people, and the insecurities that arise from such brilliance. The story was heartwarming, a little heavy on the sex which I just skipped over and full of yearning for family and a place in life. Donna Kauffman never disappoints, and I can't wait for Cheyenne's story to come.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A more attractive and loveable version of the romance between Sheldon and Amy (Big Bang Theory). Super smart individuals come together in a charming way. Skipped the intimate details, but the rest of the story is a delight. Have enjoyed visiting once again with the ladies on the lavender farm. Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to win a copy on Goodreads. When I entered I had forgotten that I had requested a copy on NetGalley. Donna Kauffman is a favorite author, so I didn't think, I just entered.

I've read a few Donna Kauffman books and she never disappoints. Lots of humor and romance. Lavender and Mistloetoe was no different. Can I just say how much I loved Avery and Ben? Both are big brained. Avery has had one romance in her past and that was more of a science experiment. Ben is a veterinarian who travels all over the world where his services are needed; kind of a Doctors Without Borders deal. Avery is convinced Ben & her friend Chey should be together. Ben has other ideas. My only complaint is that it was a novella! Short, fun holiday read. Now I have to go read the other books in this series! Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Lavender and Mistletoe
Donna Kauffman
September 24, 2019

Coming home from a holiday gathering, Chey is trying her best to stay on the road with icy snow coming down the mountain pass. While gazing out the window, thinking way too hard as usual, Avery asks Chey to stop the truck. Not certain what is going through Avery’s very large brain, she gets out of the vehicle as soon as it stops. Walking out into the snowy field, she mutters about dressing up and now needing to rescue the little animal stuck in the snow. Despite wearing heels and her dress coat she carried on until she could pick up the baby goat adrift in the snow. By the time she could get the kid back to the truck she was shivering and wet. They slowly drove through the dismal weather until they found the turn off to Doc Forrester’s vet clinic. Weary and damp the girls pulled into the area by his office and carefully carried the goat into the office to have it checked out. Chey said that Dr. Campbell should still be working despite the storm. He had traveled in to take Forrester’s place while he was doing a stint with Vet’s Global initiative. Confused, Avery worried about the small animal’s injuries. Into the office walked walked the new doctor in his white coat. The ladies gawked from his boots right on up to his wide shoulders and ended up smiling into his gorgeous, green eyes.
Introductions were made and Dr. Ben Campbell put the little goat on the exam table.
Throughout the exam, the snow blew. The goat needed warmth and food but he thought that it would be fine after a few days in the clinic. Feeling wet, tired and overwhelmed Chey and Avery headed out the door towards the truck only to find the roads impassable. They would not be getting back to Lavender Blue tonight.
Avery’s mind is always working on another plan. She thought it would be a great idea to try and fix up Chey with Ben Campbell. Perhaps someday soon he could come to dinner to meet Vivi so they could repay him for the generosity of allowing them to stay the night in the Forrester house. Despite her talents at engineering the lavender business into a successful economic adventure, she sometimes overthinks simple ideas. Dr. Ben Campbell found Chey to be a pleasant sort and very knowledgeable of her trade raising and training horses but he had no romantic feelings for her. This novella continues on to pair off Ben with someone Avery never expected him to be attracted to.
It is a fun look at the ladies who run Lavender Blue. I very much enjoyed reading this. I spent a lovely evening reading Kauffman’s latest book that will be published on September 24, 2019.
Lavender and Mistletoe by Donna Kauffman is published by Zebra Books from Kensington Publishing Corp. I appreciate them allowing me to read the advanced copy of her work. It is a pleasure to read such a charming story.

A sweet novel about individuals, having had a rough start in life, they make their own paths, making the best of their abilities.
Avery Kent, who was a surprise late baby to academic parents unready for a child, even one as brainy as her, and Ben Campbell, whose thrilled parents were unprepared for such a brainy child...but did everything they could to give him a life as normal as possible.
Avery made her lonely way as a scientist and Ben as a veterinarian. They meet due to a pygmy goat, and click almost immediately. As we watch them grow closer, they have a courtship any one would envy, talking and sharing everything....even a steamy scene or two. It was a delightful way to pass the day.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to peruse and recommend to lovers of contemporary romance, who like a little heat without explicit descriptions.

Donna Kauffman's latest installment in this visit to Blue Hollow Falls does not disappoint! This is the story of Avery, on of the four owners of the lavender farm and tea room in Blue Hollow Falls and Ben, a vet who has come to help the town vet while he takes a trip to see his family. Avery is a Big Brain, and wants to set up her friend Cheyenne with Ben, and watch the process and analyze falling in love - as she analyzes everything. Donna Kauffman is excellent in building her characters and her story and my only complaint is I'm never ready to leave BHF! Thank you Donna Kauffman and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest reveiw!

I will leave a review on Amazon on Sept 24. 2019

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I have loved all of the Blue Hollow Falls series, I happen to think this is my favorite of them all, Avery is so smart that she has a hard time interacting with others. Looking to figure out the love thing she intends to match up her friend Chey and and Ben the fill-in vet. Not realizing that she is interested in him herself. If you enjoy Christmas stories, I am sure that you will enjoy this wonderful book. I definetly would recommend this book to others.

Avery has the ability to think quickly and she was riding with her friend Chey and realizes that something was tossed out of a vehicle who came through before they did. Avery gets out and climbs down an embankment and rescues a baby goat. Chey and Avery carefully drive him to see the veterinarian Ben to have the goat checked out. The snowstorm is really bad so they spend the night at his place and head home the next day. Sometimes Avery is so busy with charts and graphs that she doesn't see what really is going on around her.

A cute story that I think you will enjoy. I really enjoyed the book

This is a great read! Being a novella, it is short and an easy read, but it still has a lot of depth. Great story of two people who often felt like misfits growing up, finding each other and their HEA. Add in a “found family” and very good friends, and this is a delightful return to Blue Hollow Falls. For anyone who hasn’t read the series, it’s an easy jump in point as well. Entertaining, captivating, and heartwarming.

I have to say this was not my favorite by Donna Kauffman. I became bored very early in the story. It was tiresome reading about Avery being a genius. I skipped through some of it to reach a very predictable ending.

Wow! A fantastic addition to the Blue Falls series of the Lavender Farm. Four unique women come together supporting each other as they embrace their past to have a future. Although this book can be a stand alone, I found more excitement after having read the previous books in the series. I am happy to see Donna Kauffman bringing the Blue Ridge mountains back to those who love and appreciate the area and the introduction to a new audience.