This book is the 4th in the series and it's my favorite. I absolutely enjoyed the back story and build up of the romance between Hazel and Duncan. Both characters have led difficult lives and have little hope of change till their uncle makes them aware of a marriage settlement to be given to each of them upon finding and marrying a suitable partner. The couple write each other just as friends for over a year and come up with the idea of a marriage of convenience. I enjoyed the story of their growth as a couple. This can be read as a stand alone book. *I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

Another excellent book from Kilpack in this series with a very surprising approach to the main characters and their love story. While the author never spells out what Duncan deals with (other than mentioning it in her notes at the end of the book briefly), it was very obvious to me and I was intrigued how Kilpack would take his issue and weave it into a love story. Hazel is dealing with her own challenges and to accept Duncan's is both natural to her because of her personal issues but also a challenge as well, as she learns to help him, support him, and eventually fall in love with him.

This was the most surprising book for me in this series and so unexpected. I was unprepared to be so drawn into Hazel and Duncan's story and to be cheering for them to get along and to learn how to work through their personal issues with a partner, something neither one of them had been used to before, especially in a historical novel set in (Regency?) England. So well done and so engaging. Such a simple message by the end of the book too (without saying more but using the quote from the book of "Choose happiness"). Kilpack takes what was definitely taboo in that time period (late 1800s?) and what is even still taboo to many today and just makes magic with the characters and their interactions with one another and creates such an engaging cast of characters, setting, and scenarios that you can't help but be drawn into their lives and how real their pain, heartache, and everyday life is and how much you want them to succeed.

I am a bit disappointed that, from things mentioned in this story that it sounds like now all the Mayfield cousins have finally found love, so I would guess this book to be the last in this series, one I have enjoyed so much with the fun premise of Uncle Elliott trying to help his nieces and nephews find love and happiness. As this book is the 4th in a series, there is some mention of details from the outcomes of the other three books, not in major detail, but enough that (me personally) it is probably best to read them all in order.

If this is truly the end of the series, then Kilpack really saved the best for last. Bravo!!!

#loveandlavender #netgalley

This was a sweet romance with a twist. One of the main characters I believe has a form of autism. It was really cool to see how their romance developed and how they made it work with their many differences. Loved it!

Hazel was born with a club foot and shunned by polite society. Duncan had his own issues, what we today would probably be called being on the spectrum. They had both been abandoned and had to do so much by themselves to survive.

I love the story of these two. They have to overcome so many obstacles, mental and physical. They have to learn to love and forgive and move forward. They have to learn what happens means.

The characters were well developed. Their backstories are well explained and you can feel their pain. The changes they make feel real and you root for them.

Another home run for Josi S. Kilpack!

This is the second book that features a Neuro-diverse main character in as many months and I’m absolutely here for all of them! The hero in this story reminded me a bit of a historical Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. Very atypical in a romance novel. This is not an alpha male hero or a sweet hero who says all the right things. You probably won’t swoon over him or collect him as a book boyfriend. And yet the notes of the romance are just right. The heroine for him is just right. And the overall love story is just as beautiful, maybe even more so, for the story itself but also all the book is doing beyond just the telling of the story.

I was so excited to read this book, but something about it rubbed me the wrong way.

The two main characters have flaws that society can't seem to get past, but the only way for them to receive their inheritance is to marry, so they decide to marry one another. This loophole works for a while, but Hazel's complacency and Duncan's social inabilities get in the way.

I will say this, the writing was exquisite and the story was interesting enough. The reason I had a hard time with this book was the characters. Hazel was very stand-off-ish and didn't want to have anything to do with anyone really. All she wanted to do was run her school, which in itself is a magical and strong thing for a women of that era, but made her seem selfish.

Duncan on the other hand had obvious social flaws to the point that I would call him autistic. As a mother of three autistic children and having several autistic traits myself, it was really hard to read through his monologues and seemed very distant and unrelatable, although not every autistic person is the same.

As most of the reviews on Goodreads are raving review, as they should be, I couldn't find the joy in this one as I wished I would have. This is a personal choice with no reflection on the authors ability which happens from time to time. I would still encourage you to read this book as it was a sweet story of love that comes from the most unexpected places.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

4.5 stars

Interesting story. Hazel has had to be independant in part because of the treatment by her twin and family and in part because of her disability. Duncan appears to be autistic and finds it difficult to relate to other people. At one point they both have factors endangering their income so they take up Hazel's uncle offer of a marraige to finance their interests.

Not so much religious sentiment in this book which I appreciated and it's a clean read (I'd prefer more passion).. It's very well writen describing Duncan's viewpoint and Hazel's frustrations with her physical problems. We get her postives and negatives. It's not common to get a person's jealousies and angst but these are handled well.
Great explanation of Duncan's back story.

I recommend this work.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a beautiful story. I love the depth of each character. Duncan pulls on my heart strings. As awkward as he may seem, it gives us a little look into the mind of autism. The relationship that builds between Duncan and Hazel warms the heart and I had a hard time putting this down!!!!

Love and Lavender by Josi S. Kilpack, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2021. $16.
Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Hazel wants to continue teaching young girls mathematics, and Duncan wants to enjoy his clerk work again without his incompetent coworker. With their current contentment threatened, Hazel and Duncan agree to marry for convenience to receive their inheritances and secure their individual futures. Futures that must wait to begin because the man granting their inheritances requires that they live as man and wife for a year first.
Communication is key to relationships, and I love how Kilpack highlights this principle. With Duncan’s need for transparency, Hazel has to become comfortable with feeling vulnerable and saying what she means. Clear communication is also addressed by Hazel’s brother, Harry, when he expresses a desire to change their relationship to an uplifting and supportive one instead of the sarcastic one they have used to cut each other down. Finally, Hazel must also learn how to interpret her emotions, or the communication between her mind and her heart. There are several references to the previous three books in the series, but this one stands well alone. The mature content rating is for discussions of sex.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

I enjoyed this story and the representation of physical and mental disabilities, their strengths and weaknesses. I admit it took me some time to get into with such atypical romance characteristics, but I found it very touching and likely realistic.

A wonderful story with great disability representation, cleverly interwoven into the plot and showing in the characters’ actions, behavior and lives.
Duncan and Hazel, the protagonists of “Love and Lavender”, by Josi S. Kilpack (Shadow Mountain Publishing), are such great characters. The insight into their issues reveals an exhaustive historical and clinical research. Kudos for that!
Watching Duncan was delightful, sometimes poignant and a bit tiring, but always authentic. I loved how Josi S. Kilpack explored so many facets and dimensions of his condition, really showing it through his personality. The awkwardness, directness and sincerity are charming. The bond with Elizabeth, the cat, was so cute. The quirks, the need for order, symmetry and routine, the difficulty in social interactions and reading social clues – are all fantastically written.
The love story was sweet and endearing. Hazel and Duncan are generous, goodhearted people and I loved the kindness between them and how they grew together and learned with each other. And also the fact they sort of had given up and nonetheless find love and their HEA.

'Love and Lavender' by Josi S. Kilpack really made me think. It was heart wrenching to consider the fate of characters with 'special needs' in another time and place. The harshness of Hazel and Duncan's childhoods was hard to formulate and left me with intense compassion for those who are different, in any generation. It wasn't an easy read because of the emotion it evoked, but I highly recommend it.

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

I really enjoyed LOVE AND LAVENDER by JOSI S KILPACK . It is a well written historical romance about two damaged people who find love in the most unusual way. Although sad in parts, there is underlying humour. The gentle and fragrant lavender plant plays a part in the story.
Hazel Stillman and Duncan Penhale have both endured extremely hard childhoods as their families could not deal with the fact that they were different. Hazel, with her club foot, was sent to boarding school when she was six years old and has very few childhood memories. Duncan was taken in by Catherine, his father's mistress, after his mother left him because she could not handle him. When Uncle Elliot comes back from India he comes up with a plan to help his nieces and nephews, as well as his sister Catherine's adopted son. Both Hazel and Duncan are brilliantly clever and have received a good education due to Uncle Elliot's generosity.
I like to see the development of the various characters and their interactions with one another.
I highly recommend Love and Lavender as a thought provoking and really good read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Shadow Mountain. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Love and Lavender captured my interest in the opening pages and held it all the way through. Meeting and getting to know Hazel and Duncan was such fun. This a sweet romance worth reading.

“Hazel.” Hazel stared at the desk for two seconds before lifting her head and meeting Sophie’s eyes.
“Choose happiness.”

Hazel and Duncan both recieved similar propositions from their uncle; once they marry, they'll recieve their inheritance.

But Hazel's deformed foot hindered any chances at a proposal that might have once come her way. And Duncan's autism makes him socially awkward and feeling the odd one out in most interactions.

Somehow, the two social misfits hit it off during their first meeting and as they begin writing to eachother, they find they have much in common.

It doesn't take long to realize that they are the best solution to eachother's matrimonial problems. A marriage of convenience and in name only, would allow them access to their inheritance and then they could go back to living as they had.

Their uncle is appalled. The purpose of the stipulation was so that they find the love he enjoys in his own marriage. He allows the match, but only if they spend a year together, before they go their separate ways.

I loved Hazel and Duncan's relationship. They were so perfectly awkward together and yet shared a certain familiarity and understanding with one another that the other people around them, couldn't relate to.

Because of his autism, Duncan had difficulty reading between the lines or understanding social nuances we usually take for granted. Each conversation had to be frank and to the point. This forced them also to be less delicate about what would have usually been more intimate topics. I didn't find that this compromised the clean rating or made me too uncomfortable.

Sometimes it did feel like I was missing a bit of backstory on some characters, probably because I haven't read the rest of the series. But in general it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.

You won't find a more adorable or awkward couple and you'll love them for it. You'll love their intellectual conversations, Duncan's "experiments," their inability to express themselves while simultaneously having to be completely blunt and at times tactless to get their point across.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars for the quirkiest couple I have read all year😂

(Josi S Kilpack, you could have given us that 'under the mistletoe' kiss though. Don't be stingy😉🤭)

"Love and Lavender" was a very nice book, and I especially liked that it featured a neuroatypical individual (the hero, Duncan, is autistic, although there was no such diagnosis at the time) and a physically disabled protagonist (the heroine, Hazel, has a clubbed foot), because this kind of character is too rarely shown in historical fictions, and this allows us to acquire a different view of history once we shine light on the people who may have stayed on the sidelines at the time.

"Love and Lavender" is the fourth book of the Mayfair series (after "Promises and Primroses", "Daisies and Devotion, and "Rakes and Roses" - and may I say, I absolutely love the titles of this series!!). It follows Hazel, a young, independent women working at a girls' school, and Duncan, a businessman. Both characters need money to achieve their dreams and solve their problems. A family relation has the solution to their problems, but they must marry to obtain the money. A marriage of convenience it will be then, but the contract stipulates that they must live together for a year.

However, for Hazel, marrying means leaving the school she has just bought thanks to her marriage, and only return to it a year later. Unfortunately she becomes a little obsessed with her school and forgets to see what she has in front of her, while Duncan, because of his unusual understanding of the world, does not really get Hazel's point of view, which leads to misunderstandings and heartache for both. Although the story was really sweet, it didn't feel like the characters really, deeply fell in love, it seems that they just both liked each other very much and enjoyed living under the same roof.

Overall, I find the story a little flat and not very exciting. But I did enjoy it nevertheless, and Duncan even sometimes made me laugh. I also appreciated the originality of the story.

3.5 stars

*I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion*

This book is 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. For the most part, I enjoyed this book.

I will admit that I found Hazel frustrating, which really dampened my overall enjoyment. Her attitude towards certain things (like her brother, her marriage, and her dislike of religion) bothered me. I know her life experiences led to this outlook, but it still frustrated me. I did really admire her determination to make a difference in young girls' lives through education, and she did show extreme resilience in overcoming the many obstacles life threw her way. And she was a great complement to Duncan, for the most part, even though I thought she got annoyed/irritated with him a tad too many times for my liking. Duncan was an absolute treasure--the best part of the novel. Everything that came out of his mouth made me smile. He was so straightforward, analytical, and blunt. It cracked me up and endeared himself to me at the same time. Maybe that's why I am being a bit unfair to Hazel. I loved Duncan so much and got so defensive on his behalf that I basically wanted Hazel to be a saint, not the girl who was planning on leaving him for most of the novel. Plus, her actions near the end of the book made me angry. Basically, if I were a character from this book, I would be Dolores. That's not fair of me, but that's how I feel 🤷‍♀️ The ending was great, though.

I still recommend this story. I seem to be the only one so far that struggled with Hazel's character, so feel free to completely ignore what I just said. I am definitely the odd one out here. I really wanted to love this book, but I just didn't. But Duncan is the sweetest person ever and I love him. You should read this book just for him.

A beautiful love story of a marriage of convenience turning into a everlasting love. I loved the characters and their back story I definitely recommend if you are into historical romance and love great storytelling what a beautiful heart felt love story..

Phenomenal. This book was phenomenal. The very best in the series.

The story revolves around two characters (extremely) rarely represented in historical fiction, much less historical romance: one with a clubbed foot and one with autism. And it was SO well done.

I've always loved the Mayfield family plot line. Add to that a cast of interesting characters, complicated human relationships, relatable tension, personal growth, and changing dreams. It's a recipe for perfection.

I loved it so much that I immediately started reading it again after I finished because it was just wonderful and nothing else would do.

Can't recommend enough.

It took reading a couple of chapters for me to connect with this story; but once I did, I loved it! This is not your typical “romance”. Duncan and Hazel are not your typical hero and heroine! They each have personal challenges that leave them with insecurities in many areas of their lives. Hazel aptly describes their challenges as “my broken body and his broken brain.” Facing an uncertain future, can a marriage of convenience be the solution to their insecurities? This well-crafted story combines humor and angst. The characters are well-developed and endearing. The intellectual discussions and number riddles that Hazel and Duncan share are delightful. Ms. Kilpack’s expressive prose enables you to feel the emotions of the relationship. Their “differences” are handled with sensitivity. Love and Lavender is Book 4 of the Mayfield Family but works well as a standalone. I highly recommend this poignant, heartwarming Regency romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Shadow Mountain Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own.