Thought this is the fourth and final book in the Mayfield Family series it is the first I have read. I enjoyed it so much though that I will be looking for the others in the series as well.

Every time I read a regency romance from this author I just fall more in love with her writing.

Hazel and Duncan are settled in life, used to routine and don't like when it's changed. She has limited mobility due to a club foot and because of it she doesn't expect to marry. She's happily settled into her routine of teaching.

Duncan is extremely smart, visiting other businesses around town and learning all he can from them in his spare time. Duncan is also autistic; has a few quirks and doesn't think he'll be able to find anyone to marry that can put up with his originality and exacting ways.

In this early 1800's regency taking place in London the characters are both a bit quirky in their own way. When it becomes known there is an inheritance for each of them, but they need to marry and live as husband and wife for one year first.

A marriage of convenience is born with neither of them going into this for love. I enjoyed seeing the interaction between the main characters and how he set out to prove how he really felt about her time after time giving her all the time and space she needed. Will love grow or will these characters go their separate ways after the required year is up?

The characters are complex and have difficult backstories but together they are able to move forward and past these times.

Wow, this book is so sweet and emotional. The love story was realistically and beautifully brought to life.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed reading this regency romance that was very different from the usual stories. The main characters were not the typical perfect man and woman who have their struggles but work through it eventually. Hazel was born with a clubbed foot and Duncan struggles with some social situations.I really liked Hazel and Duncan in their own ways and it was fun to watch them respect the other and grow closer in their lives.

This book purports to follow some of the modern trends in historical romance such as education for women (bluestockings) and characters with disabilities but ends up being a covert treatise for the patriarchy. Hazel could have been an interesting character, but we don't get a clear explanation for her values (e.g., she's "not a churchgoer" but it would have been more compelling to explain why she, a disabled person who has always been treated poorly by her family, would be skeptical about religion). And then she has to give up every goal she has and compromise on every boundary she draws for "happiness," although her married life didn't make her very happy in its first year.

What is really annoying about the book is that it mentions characters and incidents in other books in the series without explaining them. It seems it was truly not meant to be standalone.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an opportunity to review a temporary digital galley. Opinions are my own.

I love the book. This is one of my favorite authors. She writes clean romance. It Was sweet and enjoyable read.

Even though this is the 4th in the series, it can also be a stand-alone due to having it's own storyline. The romance was a little on the unusual side not your typical historical romance, but still good. Love comes in all shape and sizes.

Such an interesting and unusual story! The romance is a subtle slow burn, but it is worth the journey.

We have some epistolary elements, but it's not 100 percent—a nice balance. And I highlighted some instances of great prose.

Each of our main characters has a central limitation, a handicap of sorts. Hers is physical, affecting her mobility. It also affects her belief that she could one day marry. Who’s going to want an imperfect woman? I loved that she was entrepreneurial, intelligent, a leader in her circle. She’s resourceful, independent, competent, and struggling. We root for her.

Our hero’s special needs, though unnamed, were fascinating. At times they were so relatable, at others I could understand other characters’ frustration with him. But to him, he was perfectly comfortable thinking and living as he had done. Incredibly intelligent, he learns from everything and everyone around him. He demands routines and feels safest within them. The author skillfully expressed his undiagnosed condition. This historical setting doesn’t lend itself to diagnoses of Asperger's or autism. I felt she handled this element very, very well.

The characters meet at their place of need and intelligence. They can discuss challenging topics together. I liked how this author subtly tackled gender limitations for a modern audience. I.e., our heroine is a top teacher, highly intelligent, capable of intense conversations, surpassing the intelligence of male peers. That approach in historicals is satisfying for today’s audience. There's also the element of helping other females rise through education as well.

Each of the MCs is either able to overlook the other’s limitation or work with it. What used to be a deal breaker no longer stands in the way, but love is still out of the question.

I liked the arranged-marriage, fake-relationship, and marriage-of-convenience tropes. I enjoyed the unusual characters and their limitations. I found the autistic element interesting and well portrayed.

The whole novel is getting them to see themselves differently, to reconsider what’s possible, to dare to redefine themselves, their world, their perspective. Using their outward limitations to mirror this is a fascinating approach, and one that may have readers rethinking their own assumptions and self-imposed limitations.

Josi Kilpack is a new to me author. I enjoyed this novel, especially that some of the characters had their own unique challenges mentally and physically that impacted their entire life. This was a sweet and uplifting read. A little wordy at times but enjoyable.

I maintain Kilpack is one of the strongest historical romance writers currently in the industry. I love her deep research, wonderful locations, vulnerable characters and the effortless way she presents real people with real human struggles, foibles and fallacies that echo through the ages. There is always a warmth and humour ( not to mention a beguiling romance ) and every time I crack the spine ( or turn an ebook page) of a Kilpack book, it feels like home.

Josi Kilpack has a talent and this series is one of them. Each Mayfield book gets better and better. The characters are quite wonderful and I appreciated how they both had struggles with their "disabilities". I appreciated the way their stories were told.

I enjoyed this novel, especially that the protagonists had their own unique challenges: one being on the spectrum, and one with a physical deformity that impacted her entire life. This was a sweet and uplifting read. A little long at times, but otherwise an enjoyable read.

84Cheryl-Lynn
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Cheryl-Lynn rated a book it was amazing
5 months ago
Love and Lavender by Josi S. Kilpack
Love and Lavender
by Josi S. Kilpack (Goodreads Author)
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You know an underrepresented group in books, especially as main characters? People with disabilities. You know who took that task on and rocked it? Josi S. Kilpack!

Despite being born gentry, Hazel, our heroine of the story, teaches advanced math at a girls school- something almost unheard of during her time. Hazel's father and brother both have squandered the family's fortune and with her painful clubbed foot she knew she could not rely on marriage as her way out. Hazel excels as a teacher and relates well to her students. I enjoyed her compassion and intellect she displays throughout the book.

Duncan is a very literal man who is also socially awkward- today he would most likely be considered "on the spectrum." He has built a comfortable life for himself surrounded by people who understand his "eccentricities." I was fascinated by Kilpack's ability to write from his point if view.

When a business contract aka marriage of convenience brings them together we get to experience a melding of two different but kind people. Hazel seems to understand Duncan in ways others cannot and Duncan finds he wants to bring comfort to Hazel in ways he has never cared to for others.

I highly recommend this sweet romance not only as an enjoyable proper romance but as a way to think about and understand the world of those with disabilities.

I received a complementary ecopy of this book from netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

This is a heart wrenching book about two people with disabilities: Hazel has a clubbed foot and Duncan is on the autism spectrum--learning to live together and falling in love. It took a few chapters to get me hooked, but stick with it, this is a wonderful book. Thank you Net Galley.

Ok. I adore reading romance stories with autistic heroes. They hold a special place in my heart. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and these two characters. A marriage of convenient never looked so sweet.

This book just didn't spark my interest and I had trouble getting invested. I love a lot of other books by the author, this series just might not be for me. Still a clean regency romance read for anyone looking for that kind of content.

Josi Kilpack does it again! I love her regency romances! It is weird reading books different from her culinary series but she is a great writer!

I have enjoyed this series. I especially loved reading Hazel and Duncan's story. Hazel is physically broken and has been emotionally harmed by her families treatment. Duncan thinks very literally and seems very strange in his mannerisms to most people. When a marriage of convenience get them both financial gain, it is so endearing to see the progress they make in their personal growth and as they learn to love, regardless of what other's think of them.

I read a lot. This should be a surprise to no one! But with so much reading, sometimes I struggle to really connect with a book. I've read several good books lately, but none that I found myself thinking about throughout the day ... until Love and Lavender came along. There's something about Duncan and Hazel, two unlikely romantic partners, that completely captured my interest!

As this is a marriage of convenience romance, there's no question about whether Duncan and Hazel will fall in love; the question is how and when it will happen, and the joy is in the journey. In this case, they become great friends first, and the feelings sneak up later. (Well, Hazel's feelings sneak up. I think Duncan fell in love fairly quickly, whether he recognized it or not.) I loved how Duncan was so truthful and matter of fact about everything and how Hazel accepted him as he was. That's not to say she wasn't uncomfortable at times; she had to decide if she could live with Duncan's peculiarities, just as Duncan had to decide if he could live with Hazel's disability.

I really appreciated reading about two people who, especially in Regency times but even today, would have difficulty finding a marriage partner. I pulled so hard for their happiness! This is definitely a slow burn romance, and it's ultimately very satisfying. I highly recommend it!

This was a charming story of a marriage of convenience and unlikely love. I enjoyed it!
Many thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The love story was a little slow for me this time around. I happen to enjoy Josi's flow and writing, especially when she chooses unusual heroes and heroines.

Romance, sweet, period; series, but stand alone read
Hazel and Duncan's story was so poignantly told. Hazel's disability, and Duncan's disability both came together as they supported each other in their best way that they could. Hazel's perception, patience, and growing understanding of Duncan's condition, her intellectual strengths make her a perfect partner for Duncan.
J.S.K. writes a sensitive narrative of living with a person on the Autism spectrum. Duncan's care, concern, and love for Hazel, in his own way, while different from typical love and devotion, was sweet, constant, and devoted. J.S.K. writes the small moments and emotions that make characters come alive so well, their worries, cares, concerns, and the sweet moments that make a tender romance 'real'.
Beautifully written, sensitive, poignant addition to the Mayfield Family series.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review, my opinions are my own.