Fans of historical fiction this is the perfect read for you. While the recent trend is WW2, this read is set during the time frame of the French Revolution. At the center of the story are two young impressionable characters, Gilles, a Jacobin, and Marie Caroline, a Royalist. Being mostly unfamiliar with these opposing political stances it was a learning curve for me in the beginning. As the story developed so did my interest in the politics involved. I so appreciated learning a great deal through the lenses of Gilles and Marie Caroline and their own developing relationship as they learn to tolerate/accept each other’s points of view. They captured my heart.
Many many thanks to Arlen Hawks, Shadow Mountain, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read this gem, published today.

Gilles, encouraged by his brother and friend, is a strong Jacobin. But his beliefs are challenged when he meets his employer's daughter, Marie-Caroline, who is an equally strong royalist - and happy to stand up for her beliefs and challenge theirs if given half a chance. Gradually, he begins to wonder how much true freedom the revolution is providing. Marie-Caroline on her part is slowly coming to the realisation that her initial opinion of Gilles is perhaps not very fair. But despite the undoubted attraction between them, love between a Jacobin and a royalist can have no future, surely? As the situation grows more desperate and Marie-Caroline's life is in danger, will Gilles stand up for what he believes (or believed?) or protect those he loves, whatever the cost?

This book is a bit heavier on the history side of things than previous books I've read by the author - which makes for a good change from my most common reading, but did at times hold my interest a little less well. It's perhaps particularly hard when both sides feel wrong or misguided! Nevertheless, there's something about people standing up for their beliefs that one has to admire, even if one considers the beliefs wrong. Admittedly, Gilles took some time to really work out what his beliefs were - but similarly, I appreciate characters who aren't so fixed in their beliefs that they can't change if shown they're wrong. In regard to content, it's clean and while there's violence (unavoidable given the setting), it's not overdone or graphic. All in all, not my favourite book of the year but still a good read. I hope to read more by the author in future.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

Beyond the Lavender Fields
By Arlem Hawks
Publish February 1st, 2022

I will be honest I had a hard time reading or getting through this book. I believe it is only because it was not my kind of story. I usually only read 1800s English or early America. I do not know much about France during this time nor French Revolutionary War so I didn't understand when they used the French term. BUT if you like French stories this really is an interesting book. The love story was good but I felt the end could have been a little different but still I enjoyed the story.
1792, France
Rumors of revolution in Paris swirl in Marseille, a port city in southern France. Gilles Étienne, a clerk at the local soap factory, thrives on the news. Committed to the cause of equality, liberty, and brotherhood, he and his friends plan to march to Paris to dethrone the monarchy. His plans are halted when he meets Marie-Caroline Daubin, the beautiful daughter of the owner of the factory.
A bourgeoise and royalist, Marie-Caroline rebuffs Gilles’s efforts to charm her and boldly expresses her view that violently imposed freedom is not really freedom for all. As Marie-Caroline takes risks to follow her beliefs, Gilles catches her in a dangerous secret that could cost her and her family their lives. As Gilles and Marie-Caroline spend more time together, she questions her initial assumptions about Gilles and realizes that perhaps they have more in common than she thought.
As the spirit of revolution descends on Marseille, people are killed and buildings are ransacked and burned to the ground. With their lives and their nation in turmoil, both Gilles and Marie-Caroline wonder if a révolutionnaire and a royaliste really can be together or if they must live in a world that forces people to choose sides.
Description is provided by the author and NetGalley. Everything else belongs to me.
Thank you @netgalley @shadowmountainpub @arlemhawks for the opportunity to read this story.
#BeyondtheLavenderFields #netgalley #bookstagram #booklover #ProperRomance #advancereadercopy #bookreview #bookstagrammer #arlemhawks #ShadowMountainPublishing

I loved this story. Gilles and Marie-Caroline have different views of the French Revolution. He is a Jacobin and she is a Royalist. Yet they really aren't that different. I loved how they found common ground. I loved their flirtations and their chemistry. This novel is very appropriate for our day as well. It is a beautiful reminder to stand with humanity, benevolence, and love rather than clinging to divisive labels. Arlem Hawks is a fantastic author. I can't wait to read more of her works!

Beyond the Lavender Fields is a timely historical fiction novel about enemies to lovers amid the French Revolution. One a Jacobin, the other a Royalist, can they find a way to be together despite their differing political beliefs – especially in such tumultuous times?

The rich, captivating novel is full of well-researched historical details, lots of action, and a sweet love story.

THE STORY

Beyond the Lavender Fields is set in 1792, Marseille, when Gilles Étienne, a Jacobin, meets the royalist, Marie-Caroline (the daughter of his boss). While he attempts to woo her from the start, she haughtily rejects his attentions.

Meanwhile, Gilles and the other Jacobins plan to overturn the monarchy and destroy Catholicism in Marseille. But Marie-Caroline has other ideas. She's a faithful Catholic who longs for a world of peace.

As Gilles and Marie-Caroline become closer, they both begin to question their initial assumptions about each other. But when he discovers she has a dangerous secret, will he support his revolutionary cause or protect the woman he loves?

THE ROMANCE

Ahhh ... The love story! The French Revolution is the perfect backdrop for a star-crossed romance. And the romance was believable and passionate between Gilles and Marie-Caroline.

Now, the two did feel a bit young at times because of their kissing flirtations, but I still think this book will appeal to a broad range of ages. However, it should also appeal to teens.

There were moments of tension with some lovely scenes, and I enjoyed how it all played out. Ultimately, readers should be pleased with the story's climax and ending.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Arlem Hawks' newest historical romance novel (she previously wrote the excellent book, Georgana's Secret) exceeds expectations as a great read! It is definitely something I recommend for those who enjoy historical fiction and wholesome love stories.

Where Hawks excels as a writer is with suspense. Once you get to the story's action (a little more than halfway), you can't put it down. Sure, the book begins a little slow. But it does pick up its pace, so keep on reading!

Overall, Beyond the Lavender Fields is an entertaining read that will transport you into the center of the French Revolution, all leading to a brilliant, suspenseful climax.

Adaptation Recommendation:

Beyond the Lavender Fields would make a fun period drama on streaming - perhaps on Netflix.

Content Note: The romance is wholesome and sweet, with nothing more than kissing. A few violent moments and discussion of the revolution give everything else a PG/PG-13 feel. Nothing graphic.

Overall Rating: 4
Romance Rating: 4

A tense and difficult time in history finds people divided and yet a romance still manages to bloom. A more unlikely pair you will not find. These two had a million reasons not to like each other and I enjoyed all of their encounters.
This historical romance was more intense than her last novel but equally as good.
I learned so much about the French and was holding my breath at how dangerous the times were back then. But I got my HEA and that’s all that matters.
Thanks Shadow Mountain via NetGalley.

This story that pairs a Jacobin with a Royalist during the French Revolution is enlightening, refreshing, and riveting. The characters were compelling and I found myself relating to Gilles. His perspective was definitely softened as compared to his contemporaries.

I found the underlying conflict relevant, especially as concerning some of the all or nothing perspectives I see recently. The line from the book that stood out most to me was “Doing what is right is more important than who is right, I think.” It captured the entire essence of the book. The conflict between your values and your beliefs and how those values and beliefs affect those that are not of the same heart and mind.

I felt the conflict, I felt the uncertainty of the time, I felt the hate that was a part of this time period. Arlem Hawks did an amazing job capturing the conflict of the French Revolution as well as the humanity that existed on both sides.

I received an early copy from the publisher VIA netGalley and this is my honest review

Arlem is a master at weaving history and a side of romance. The history in this story is rich with so much depth into the French Revolution! This story is the pinnacle of an enimies to lovers from two sides of a revolution.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

I want to point everyone to all of the previously written five star reviews and just say, "ditto".
I chose to study history for my major and took a couple of classes focusing on France. I largely studied French colonialism and the rise of the monarchy right up until Marie decided everyone needed to eat cake. This book essentially takes off from there. So while I wasn't super familiar with the Jacobin movement in France, I've read and studied about it in Scotland. The depth and breadth of Arlem's story in this time and space gave me all I want in a historical fiction with a sweet romance.
Gilles is the best example of what I want in a character arc that I've read in quite some time. His earnest heart and idealism shows clearly on page. Marie-Caroline provides the right amount of sass and devotion to her own set of beliefs to act as a catalyst for his growth.
I wouldn't read earlier reviews or talk to others much before diving in and I'm so grateful that I experienced it in that manner. I won't say anything else except that this was one of the easiest books to give five stars. I couldn't ask for anything else except another book from Arlem as soon as possible.
Thank you to Shadow Mountain and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

A well-written historical romance set during the French Revolution. Marie-Caroline is a royalist while Gilles is a revolutionary. An unlikely pair, yet Gilles can’t fight the pull he feels for her. Caroline causes him to rethink the things he stands for, and ultimately they find they have more common ground than they first realize. Gilles grows a lot in this story. I think the book does a wonderful job of showing the turmoil of the time, while still having hope. I enjoyed it.
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Beyond the Lavender Fields is a compelling historical romance set during the French Revolution. I was drawn to the premise of a royalist and a revolutionary finding common ground amidst the growing turmoil in 1792, as things are shifting in a more radical direction.
This book is incredibly well-researched, and I appreciate the detail put into depicting the situation at the time from both perspectives.
I found it an interesting stylistic choice to have Gilles’ perspective conveyed through standard prose, while Marie-Caroline’s was done through letters to others (and eventually Gilles himself). I had some mixed feelings at first, as it feels like we get a more objective view of Gilles over Marie-Caroline as a result, but it ended up working pretty well, with both of them ultimately endearing themselves to me.
I enjoyed them as a couple, and how they navigated their growing relationship, both with their differing views and the challenges their respective positions in the political climate at the time put them in.
This is an immersive, enjoyable read, and one I think readers of historical fiction or sweet historical romance will enjoy this.

It took me a long time to get into this book. The French Revolution is not my favorite historical setting, so perhaps that’s why. The atmosphere that the author created was truly impressive. I could visualize every moment and felt like I was in Marseilles along with Gilles and Caroline. And I appreciated that Hawks attempted to show all sides of the Revolution, but the setting in that time period and it’s atrocities was almost too much for me to stomach (which was probably the author’s intention - don’t repeat history).

I received a copy of this book from Shadow Mountain Publishing. All opinions are my own.

SA-WOON! I couldn't get enough of this book. We start with an arrogant MC who thinks he has the world at his feet. The other MC is a woman who has seen a lot and knows a lot but won't put up with shenanigans. It is a slow build that is perfectly timed. Sometimes, it can drag on and you just think..."COME ON ALREADY!". But this wasn't the case. In this book, you see the growth needed. You see how each person needs to develop before anything more happens. The slow burn and the gradual change is so sweet.

We also have the history. The French Revolution was such a divisive time and something we can relate to right now with everything. It was so fascinating learning more about it and having both sides represented. I loved this so so much!

Literally all the stars!

Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Beyond the Lavender Fields

Author: Arlem Hawks

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4.5/5

Recommended For...: historical fiction, French Revolution, romance

Publication Date: February 1, 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction Romance

Recommended Age: 17+ (romance, sexual content, violence, gore, death, language)

Explanation of CWs: There is romance and some slight sexual content in this book. There was some violence, death, and gore in this book. There is also some slight cursing in this book.

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Pages: 368

Synopsis: 1792, France

Rumors of revolution in Paris swirl in Marseille, a bustling port city in southern France. Gilles Étienne, a clerk at the local soap factory, thrives on the news. Committed to the cause of equality, liberty, and brotherhood, he and his friends plan to march to Paris to dethrone the monarchy. His plans are halted when he meets Marie-Caroline Daubin, the beautiful daughter of the owner of the factory.

A bourgeoise and royalist, Marie-Caroline has been called home to Marseille to escape the unrest in Paris. She rebuffs Gilles’s efforts to charm her and boldly expresses her view that violently imposed freedom is not really freedom for all. As Marie-Caroline takes risks to follow her beliefs, Gilles catches her in a dangerous secret that could cost her and her family their lives. As Gilles and Marie-Caroline spend more time together, she questions her initial assumptions about Gilles and realizes that perhaps they have more in common than she thought.

As the spirit of revolution descends on Marseille, people are killed and buildings are ransacked and burned to the ground. Gilles must choose between supporting the political change he believes in and protecting those he loves. And Marie-Caroline must battle between standing up for what she feels is right and risking her family’s safety. With their lives and their nation in turmoil, both Gilles and Marie-Caroline wonder if a révolutionnaire and a royaliste can really be together in a world that forces people to choose sides.

Review: I really liked this book for the most part. I thought it was a very well done and well researched story about the French Revolution. The book was well written. The book had well described characters and world building. The pacing was also on point. I really liked how realistic this book felt and I’ve become a fan of this author’s work now.

The only issue I really had with this book is that I felt like the plot got a bit away from the author in the middle of the book, but for the most part I enjoyed reading this one.

Verdict: It was well done! Highly recommend.

Set during the French Revolution, Beyond the Lavender Fields is a love story between a revolutionary and a royalist.

I enjoyed reading this book! I liked the political and ethical discussions between Gilles, Caroline, and the other characters. I thought the love story was engaging and I really hoped that they could be together by the end of the book. I also thought it was interesting that this book is set in Marseilles instead of Paris, and I think the different setting gave the revolution a new perspective.

I felt like some of the political and will-they-won't-they dialogue got repetitive as the characters discussed the same topics over and over. I think Gilles and Caroline said that they couldn't fall for a revolutionary or a royalist approximately 500 times throughout the book. However, I did like how thoughts shifted over the course of the novel and people's stances turned out to be more gray than they believed.

Overall, if you are interested in a good historical fiction read, I'd give this a read! 3.75 stars rounded up to 4 stars. Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy of this book!

Confession time. I struggle with the French language. I can't ever remember all the rules on how to pronounce things. As a result, my brain stutters over French words. There are a lot of French words in this story, therefore my brain did a lot of stuttering.

That being said, I still enjoyed the story. It did take a bit for me to get in to it, but after awhile, I was hooked. I couldn't figure out how Marie-Caroline and Gilles would ever make things work out. While I was rooting for them, I was equally horrified at all the things that were being done by the Jacobins and the sans-culottes. I had heard a little bit about the French Revolution, but only a very small bit. After finishing this story I had to Google it to find out more of the particulars.

Sadly, I see some parallels between what happened then and what is happening today with the complete intolerance for opposing viewpoints. I can only hope that we figure out how to be decent people again before the hatred and intolerance escalates even more than it already has.

Sorry, stepping off my soap box. It was another great read from this author and I look forward to reading many more in the future.

This is a very well-written historical romance. The French Revolution is not my favorite setting for a book, so I was a little apprehensive going into this but with how much I liked Arlem Hawks' previous book, Georgana's Secret, I couldn't pass this up, and I'm glad I didn't. Gilles was such an interesting character to me; his doubts and his concerns and questions just made him so realistic. (I think his questions about his own beliefs will resonate with readers battling with their own political beliefs and how they may agree with certain elements of a political party but not all.) I really enjoyed the ways Caroline challenged his thinking and how they came to understand each other better. The romance was sweet (and sometimes funny), which was a great balance to such a heavy setting. Really well done.
4.5 stars.

The matter of fact that they described the guillotine (louisette), "to need to bribe the executioner for a clean cut, it is quick, efficient, and humane. ...as though they were discussing an unclear passage of Rousseau rather than a killing machine".

Marseielle, France-May 1792
Historical Fiction lovers will be all over this novel,since this novel certainly was not the typical time period or country found this populare genre. I believe reading this novel as a ebook has the advantage due to having the translation from French to English. Without the translation, much of the content would be lost. On a side note, I loved the mention of Moliere's play Tartuffe, which is one of my favorites.

Gilles Ettiene belonged wiith the Jacobin where he attended meetings and believed that the monarchy brought only pain to the country. Ettienne was the headclerk in a soap factory where he worked to save money in order to go to University and pursue a medical degree. He and his fellow clerks played a game of banter over who would kiss the pretty female clientele, not realizing that one such female was Marie-Carolne, the daughter of Monsieur Daubin the owner of the soap shop where Giles was employed.

Much of this novel appealed to me, mainly the French vocabulary and the Revolutionary War. I wish I had time to read this book twice, since there was so much to unpack, plus I would have liked to research many of the historical elements. Interestingly, the novel was told through Gilies's point of view, however, Carolinine's point of view was told through her letters, which added much to the story. I believe this novel will appeal to a large reader base. I appreciate the opportunity by Alem Hawks, NetGalley, and the publisher to read this ARC and this novel is a five stars out of five, and in exchange for an honest review.

What I liked most about this book is that it made me feel. I have never understood how people could rejoice in violence and frankly, I tend to avoid books that cause me anxiety but I was glad I read this one. I felt abhorrence in people's behavior, disgust in some of the characters, love in other characters, horror in people's pain, sweetness in the romance, devotion in relationships, pain in grief, fear and anxiety in unknowns, as well as relief that the author didn't give us a play by play of the violence. We know it is happening but the reader doesn't have to "watch" it. I very much appreciated that.

The romance is a slow burn. And the pacing of the story matches that. Second half picks up the pace along with the romance.

While I loved the letters that Marie-Caroline wrote her cousin I spent the entire book scared that they would be her downfall and she wrote so much incriminating evidence in them! No spoilers though. Just know my heart was in my throat with every letter.

I loved the main characters, especially as they began to see that they were more alike than one might think. And I think they learned to appreciate each other's point of view. They really had the same goals but were looking at them in different ways. I think Gilles especially grew in maturity and understanding.

Gilles' relationships with his parents were interesting. He had great respect for his mother and when she chastised him, he listened and changed his behavior after realizing she was correct. His relationship with his father is rocky and at first I thought it was just a bad relationship but even in their difficulties, as Gilles began to see life more clearly, he found himself quoting his father and gaining more respect for him.

My one negative about this book is due to my own downfall of never having studied French. There is a bit of French used and I didn't always know what it meant, though context helped and especially how to pronounce it. There is actually a guide at the end of the book but I didn't know that until the end of the story. It didn't take away from the story but I could see how knowing French would have been useful as I read.

All in all, this was an enjoyable historical romance.

Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: yes
*I received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review this book.

I have seen so many wonderful reviews for this book on Instagram, and I am here to add to those reviews today! This story is well-written, full of historical details, and has beautiful character growth.

I have read multiple books set during the French Revolution, but I don’t think I had read any that took place in Marseille, nor do I think I had read any that featured Jacobins and Catholics until this one. This book also talks about grand scale politics, not just the politics involving the monarchy. I loved the theme of true freedom, and it meant so much to me to see Caroline and her faith.

Another aspect I enjoyed about this book is that the book is mainly written from Gilles and his perspective, but Caroline’s perspective is shown through letters that she writes. It was very well done!

4/5 stars

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