Completely invested from the first page, I stayed up to the early morning hours unable to put it down. I have longed to visit the French countryside most of my life. Thank you, Aimie K. Runyan for taking me there—oh, the power of a book and the beauty found within its pages.

I absolutely loved the story, the characters, and the setting, but I was crestfallen when the “magic/mystical” aspect of it was introduced to the story. Personally, I don’t read books that have anything of the sort in them, and would have loved for it to not have gone there. Having received an ARC, I felt a responsibility to finish the book and offer a review. So, once again I say, it was a beautiful story and I loved everything about it with the exception of the supernatural, mystical element.

A special thank you to Aimie K. Runyan, Netgalley, and the publisher for the honor of reading The Memory of Lavender and Sage before it was released.

Come and share The Memory of Lavender and Sage with Tempesta, her brother Wal and the friends in Sainte-Columbia, France where their mother grew up; who always smelled of lavender and sage. Where the sister and brother reconnected and they both found the love of family and new friends.
Aimie K. Runyan has made this family and town come alive in this family drama and coming to live life freely story.
It is a great book with so many wonderful characters and a fascinating story to tell.
I loved it. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own
#TheMemoryofLavenderandSage
#AimieKRunyan
#HarperMuse
#NetGalley

I’ve been reading Runyan’s work since her third novel, “Girls on the Line” which I really enjoyed. While I haven’t read all she’s written, her 2023 novel, “A Bakery in Paris” was really delightful. So, I knew – more or less – what to expect with a new novel, and therefore didn’t bother looking too closely at the summary when I asked for this ARC. Or, at least I thought I did. In fact, Runyan surprised me with this book on a few things. First, from what I can see, this is the first contemporary fiction book she’s published. That’s never a deal-breaker for me, so that surprise was a pleasant one. I was also glad that despite the mystery in our protagonist’s past (and that of her family), we didn’t get a dual-timeline here. That there’s a bit of romance here was not at all unexpected, since Runyan has always included at least one love interest in her stories (more about that below).

The thing that really amazed me in this book was the magical realism she included. Okay, so I’m calling it that, but I’m not sure this is the proper term for it. You see, Tempèsta seems to have “powers” or “gifts” for a few things. First, she’s got a couple very green thumbs. So much so that the way her herbs grow seems unnaturally fast and exceptionally abundant. That part wasn’t totally believable for me. Plus, she seems able to communicate with her plants, and they seem to send her vibes in return. Finally, if she’s feeling sad or angry or happy or wishful for something when she uses these ingredients, that emotion seems to seep into what she’s preparing. This also means that when someone consumes or uses what she’s made, that emotion gets transferred to the consumer/user. Yes, I agree that you can sometimes metaphorically “taste the love” that a chef puts into their food, but I can’t believe that you could “taste the hate” if someone was angry when they made the exact same dish.

As for the romance, thankfully, Runyan doesn’t make her protagonists’ main objective in life as getting swept off their feet with some knight in shining armor, which always pleases me. This is even more essential in a contemporary novel, because today’s modern women have far more opportunities and wider horizons, than their historical ancestors. Yes, I know, some women honestly do only want the adoring man who can provide them with the white picket fence and lots to babies. You know what, all power to them. I personally don’t think that makes such great fiction, but to each their own! No, I think that no relationship is ever that perfect, although I do believe in true love that can be mutual and last a lifetime. I also happen to believe that with all that, a marriage is something we have to work at, and that also means supporting each other as individuals. This is why I am glad that Runyan’s romances are more aligned with my experience, and that comes through beautifully in all her stories.

Finally, I should admit that I’m a bit of a glutton for home renovation TV shows, so having a protagonist buy a “fixer-upper” of a house, and slowly turn it into a home was another reason to enjoy this book. That this happens in the charming region of Provance was even better, which is beautifully depicted on the cover. Plus, I enjoyed how Runyan drew each of the characters, and how they grew/changed throughout the book (hence the “coming-of-age” bit). Finally, some of the descriptions of the foods… O.M.G (and yes, there are recipes at the end - YEAH)! This is the second time Runyan has made me drool (YUM… culinary fiction)! With all of this, Runyan really has delivered for me big time, and although she didn’t make me cry, Runyan did make smile a good deal. That’s why I’m very warmly recommending this novel, and giving it a hearty four and a half stars out of five!

This was a book I truely savoured, I took a while to read it but could have gone on without any trouble.
Ever since her mother died when she was 13 yrs old, Tempesta has felt like an outsider of her family. She makes her own way from the family as soon as she can but when her father, heir to the Luddington Foundation dies suddenly, she doesn’t receive anything from his will but he does pass on a substantial amount of money that was her mothers.
She decides to go to France where her mother grew up and discovers a whole new life and this is where the magic happens. Loved the villager’s and their interactions, little bit of romance, little bit of magical realism and this was a beautiful story to loose myself in.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

The Memory of Lavender and Sage is a lovely contemporary story of a young woman, Tempesta Luddington, who pulls up roots in America and moves to her mother's small town in France. Her parents are dead, she has a brother who followed in his father's successful footsteps and a loathsome grandmother who does nothing but ridicule and scrutinize Tempesta. With her inheritance, she buys a sight-unseen old run-down chateau in France, and her life is changed dramatically.
I liked the characters (not the grandmother), but I felt the story dragged a bit and seemed a bit monotone. HOWEVER, I've read other books by Ms. Runyan and she writes beautifully. This story picks up toward the end.
I recommend !!

The Memory of Lavender and Sage by Aimie K. Runyan exudes loveliness with the cover, title, plants, food details and the Provence setting. As I live between Canada and the Mediterranean, I experience completely different lives distinct from one another, as does the protagonist. The lavender and scorpion thing is very real as is the luxury of fresh and wonderful ingredients. My hope was for realistic mentions of culture shock and challenges in restoring an old house along with km of residency paperwork. But maybe it's a good thing it's largely omitted. Life in a tiny ancient European village which drips with charm and character is incredibly enriching and fulfilling. Nothing better. The author captures that beautifully.

Food critic Tempèsta leaves New York after suffering terrible loss. She lost her mother at 13 and her father recently. Her father's estate went to her brother but her mother's nest egg went to her. What better way to invest in a new life than to go to the land of her mother's ancestry in Provence? She speaks the language adequately. She buys an old house in need of restoration in Sainte-Colombe and meets a handsome and good man in the form of a carpenter. She quickly meets villagers and even attends village meetings. Building on her culinary background, she jumps right in with cooking. There is a thread of pleasant predictability which takes a turn with village issues. It adds a different layer.

Snippets of magic appear here and there which isn't my wheelhouse but it was well done. My favourite aspects are the descriptions of quintessential France and expat experience. The characters didn't particularly endear me but this light read does inspire and will hopefully entice readers to travel and live long-term outside their comfort zone if that is their dream, family connection or not.

My sincere thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this charmer in exchange for an honest review.

The Memory of Lavender and Sage by Aimie K. Runyan was a great story and truly unique and an engrossing novel.
I loved the character development and was completely invested in them all.
The writing and the story with this book was done well.
A well-written and captivating story from Runyan it was truly fantastic, fascinating, and an enjoyable read.

Thank You NetGalley and Harper Muse for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I loved this book so much! This is not an action-packed book, but you are looking for something to read with vibes - this is a fantastic choice.

I loved reading about the village, the "magic", the village traditions and superstitions, the herbalist vibes, etc. The writing was beautiful and magical. I was swept away with all the descriptions and I didn't want this book to end.

I found myself googling similar places so I could picture the village in my head. The characters were also amazing and stole my heart (LOVE Jenofa).

If you want a slower paced, vibey read - pick this one up ASAP.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This feel-good novel checked several of my boxes – magical realism, small town in France, a life reboot, found family, romance, food and even a few tantalizing recipes thrown in.

After Tempesta’s French mother dies when she is thirteen, she is left living in New York with her workaholic father, younger brother, and vindictive grandmother. Fifteen years later her father dies, and Tempesta decides to take a leave from her newspaper food critic job and visit the small French town her mother came from.

This is the beginning of Tempesta’s revival – with her inheritance she buys a fixer-upper manor house in the small town of Sainte-Colombe, in Provence, makes new friends, develops a romance with a hunky carpenter, learns about her French family and heritage from the village elders, and discovers her mystical talent related to growing herbs and preparing food.

This may sound typical and predictable, but it’s really so much better than the usual. The novel was well-written, the characters authentic, and I found myself quickly turning the pages to find out what would happen next. Juxtaposed with Tempesta’s personal growth was the story of the small village on the brink of ruin being saved by the villagers using the tools at their disposal, and Tempesta was the catalyst to get the village to see the dire situation they faced while providing a creative solution.

After the life-changing decisions Tempesta makes throughout the novel, not only has she blossomed in her new environment and become more assured and confident, but she has made a difference in the life of the village. As another character tells her, “You deserve to feel at home. You deserve to feel like you belong. That you’re valued.” She had spent so many years convinced that she was unlovable and unworthy, that she began to think it was true. It was heartwarming to see Tempesta flourish and to carry on her family’s legacy.

I highly recommend this feel-good novel of revitalization (both Tempesta’s and the village’s), family, and realizing that more important than making a living, is to take the time to make a life.

I loved this story, one about a brave woman who changed her life. Beautiful setting and loved the characters. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. great story!

I’ll have to admit that I struggled with this one for the first 20-30%. This was my first book by this author so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I love a story when a person finds themselves, so I really enjoyed that element of the book. I also loved the fact that it took place in France. Overall, it was a good read

I really enjoyed this book. The story was inspirational and the interactions between the main characters was believable. I loved the slight touch of whimsy with Tempy possible having a bit of magic for plants. It was just an enjoyable read and hard for me to put down.

Loved it! I thought it was going to be a historical fiction story, like the author's previous books that I read. It was completely different in a wonderful way. Loved that there was a bit of magic. Tempèsta definitely needed to get away from New York and her mother's village was the perfect place for her. It felt like Walt and his mother tried to erase Nadaleta's existence from her children. It was obvious Grandmother Luddington despised Tempèsta. She did everything she could to exclude her granddaughter from the family. Walt should have been stronger and stood up to his mother. The family pretty much chase Tempèsta out of the house after the funeral, but want her to return when they need her. Loved the relationship Tempèsta and Wal end up having once he visits her in France. He needed to get away from the Luddington control and embrace his French roots. I couldn't wait to find out why Nadaleta left France and never returned home. Learning about Tempèsta's mom was heartbreaking. It had to be destiny that she ended up buying the Bastida house. Loved getting to know the people in Sainte-Colombe. It was wonderful when they finally acknowledged as one of their own and not an outsider. Tempèsta definitely found the family she needed there. There's no way Tempèsta would have been able to afford all the work that the house needed. She was lucky to find Tiberi. It was easy to see they were perfect for each other. Although, Tiberi did accuse her of putting a love spell on him. Astre the cat was the perfect companion for Tempèsta. Every village witch needs a black cat.

Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, writing style and story. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Loved the cover of the book.

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

This was the first book I have read by Aimie K . Runyan and it won't be the last. This was a well done book, I loved the small town village where this took place and made you want to be there to enjoy this experience. This is a slow build, teasing us with a little more in each chapter. The characters were written and felt realistic. I would definitely recommend this beautiful story!!


Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

Tempesta is at a crossroads with her job and family. She lost her beloved mother at an early age, her father has just died leaving her younger brother his full estate, Tempesta only receiving a small inheritance from her mother. Her grandmother is cold, always making Tempesta feel unwanted, unloved, an outsider. Tempesta is a food critic who is cautioned about writing an honest review. This leads her to taking time off to reevaluate her goals and life and in this leap, finds herself and a new passion.

From the beautiful cover to the descriptive writing of a small village in France, this is a treat to the senses. From the food to life in a small, struggling village to finding one’s passion, and add a little magic to the mix. This is a slow build, teasing us with a little more in each chapter. The characters are realistic, their personalities coming thru strongly. However I felt a sort of disconnect in their interactions, not truly feeling the relationship developing between Tempesta and Tiberi, or Tempesta and Wal. The characters on a whole felt one dimensional. The ending felt slightly rushed, trying to tie things up neatly in a bow. When I think of France, my thoughts are always of Paris, but after reading this book, I want to visit the small villages to get the full experience. I look forward to reading this author again, will definitely look into her historical fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

The Memory of Lavender and Sage is a tender story of a young woman trying to find herself. This is a different kind of story than my usual picks, but found it a nice change. I did struggle a bit in the beginning but Aimie Runyan creates a lovely tale.

This is a story about Tempesta and her journey that takes her from New York City to a small town in Provence, France. When her late mother leaves her a small inheritance and with her father passing away she embarks on this journey to France where her mother grew up. The more time she spends there with these people the more she realizes that she has finally found a place where she feels at home and loved.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced copy of this book! It is out on February 13!

I really enjoyed this book. It takes place mainly in small town France, and it’s very atmospheric. I loved the connection between Tempèsta and her mother and how Tempèsta was able to explore her mothers native city and learn more about their family history. I also really liked the magical aspects, especially Tempèsta’s talents with plants. Tibèri was also an amazing character! I thought the first few chapters were a little out of place and perhaps we could have learned of the Luddington family history in flashbacks or something, but once the main character moved to France everything flowed nicely. I definitely recommend checking this book out!

Extremely slow moving plot where not much of anything happens. I found it difficult to stay engaged and started skimming the chapters.

The Memory of Lavender and Sage is an enchanting novel about friendship and family with a hint of magic in a French countryside setting. Tempèsta Luddington has finally found the home she has always longed for when she leaves New York and moves to a small village in Provence where her mother was born. The book has a wonderful feel of community and neighbor helping neighbor. I loved this book. The beautiful cover drew me in, and Tempèsta and Tiberi's love story held me captive to the last page. Thanks to author Aimie K. Runyan, publisher Harper Muse, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A lovely story about finding your history and then yourself, Tempesta inherited from her mother, who died when she was a teen, but she's not been to Provence before, Now, she's there and discovering there was more to the woman than she knew or was told. It's atmospheric and engaging with a well drawn protagonist. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.