With THE MEMORY OF LAVENDER AND SAGE, bestselling historical fiction author Aimie K. Runyan takes readers on a journey to contemporary Provence in this heartwarming comfort read that had me wanting to jump on the next flight to buy a petite maison in a charming provincial town. Having traveled extensively in the locations she writes about, Runyan captures the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Provence perfectly.

This is a book that not only engages the senses, but also has great emotional payoff as main character Tempesta travels to France after her father’s untimely death and discovers secrets hidden in her Occitan mother’s past as well as the magical gifts she inherited from the generations of women before her.

Runyan marries touches of sparkling fabulism with healthy, grounded romance, relatable family dynamics, and a sense of cathartic self-discovery as Tempesta uses her skills to bring new life and purpose to the sleepy hamlet of Sainte-Colombe and its citizens. If you enjoyed Chocolat and Practical Magic, you will love this feel-good novel.

I am a fan of this author and this one was as good as the last one I read. Another great story with well developed characters, some you like and some maybe not so much. The story flowed well and I just couldn't put it down.

This is a story about family, acceptance, being the odd one out. And that is what Tempesta seems to be. Set in a small village in Provence, Tempesta sets out to find out more about her mothers past and while doing so finds friendship, a sense of community and so much more.

A great setting for this book which is in some ways magical, is very well written and brings such wonderful characters to life. The stories and characters developed throughout the story/book, flowed so well and was so easy to read but had the depth and intensity to make it a wonderful and truly great read.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Perfectly charming and a lovely getaway to Provence, that was just what I needed in the midst of our cold, rainy and windy winter.

THE MEMORY OF LAVENDER AND SAGE, by Aimee K. Runyan, is clearly a labor of love. This author’s passion for the French countryside and small village way of life, oozes from the pages like a baguette smothered in homemade butter. It’s rich with descriptive prose, gently salted with smart dialogue and smoothly spread from beginning to end with interesting characters and relationships that are melted together with herbs and spices in tantalizing ways.

If you enjoy coming of age stories, there are arcs to please. Family relationship story enthusiasts will find lots to follow with twists and turns and a wicked grandmother…

Runyan claims this is her first foray into full length, contemporary, women’s fiction but it reads far better than most debuts. There’s nuance to relationships rather than nonstop romantic nonsense and the dialogue is intelligent, each character having an unique voice; refreshing.

Because historical fiction is her primary body of work, she was able to incorporate a deep enough sense of place for the fictional town of Sainte-Colombe that gives it qualities enough to become a character in the story. I found myself cheering for the town and wishing I could book a month in a B&B.

My only quibble with the story is the hurried ending. This author joined the current trend for speedy HEA’s that wrap up plot points but leave me feeling cheated. Would a few more chapters really have been so difficult? For me, it’s the difference between 4-5 stars📚

Read & Reviewed from a First Editions eARC via NetGalley, with thanks

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Fans of Kimberly Brock's The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare and Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy will absolutely enjoy this read. If I were still in a foodie book club, I would suggest it to read!

It's a bit of a slow build (which works in its favor, a nice contrast to some other books I DNFed recently), and really beautifully fleshes out the Provencal region. (And, it blessedly includes recipes at the end--I'm excited to check them out soon!) I appreciated the author note at the end, and how she noted the struggle to not make it an "outsider saves the day" story--it was not that, hallelujah!

There's a bit of language, which was a bummer (and unnecessary), but other than that, it was clean. The book is not a Christian-fiction book, but I somewhat thought Runyan was an inspy-fic author as I'd read a novella collection she did with J'nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillan, who are (or at least some of their books are). Knowing now she's not, some of the story messaging's secular perspective makes more sense.

I did like this better than Runyan's contribution to the novella collection I read last year; the full-length book allows her to pursue the plot and characters to their full capacity and not be constrained by space. It's thoughtful and intriguing, and explores both family and town dynamics in unique and fresh ways.

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

Sweet and charming storyline, though I do wish there were no supernatural elements. That rather took me by surprise and took away whatever enthusiasm I had to continue reading. I appreciated the community and environment the story takes place in.

Overall, not for me.

This book was the first work of contemporary fiction written by this author who usually writes historical fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Tempesta, a young food critic in New York, unhappy with her life. After her father dies, she leaves New York for the small village in Provence her mother came from, hoping to learn more about her mother and start a new way of life. As she befriends Esteva, she becomes further enmeshed into trying to help the community revive, as Tempèsta also starts her own business. The setting is perfect, the characters likable, and the story enchanting. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I am a huge fan of Aimee’s historical fiction books so I was so excited to see she’s writing a new genre. I adored this story from the first page! Such heartwarming characters. Highly highly recommend

So many things about this novel appealed to me, the plot, the characters and the setting. And although I’m not a cook and don’t have a green thumb or speak more than a few French phrases, I could see heading off to Provence in a heartbeat! Merci pour le livre and bon voyage!

Tempèsta is a New York food critic with an unhappy family life. Her French-born mother died when she was 13 and she doesn't feel accepted by the rest of her family who own a huge Foundation. Her father and his mother always preferred her brother Wal and made no secret of the fact that they felt like she was too much like her mother for her to be a real part of such as prestigious family. When her father died, his entire estate is left to her brother - no surprise there - and it makes her want to make some changes in her life. She has a bit of money that was left to her by her mother so sight unseen she buys the house where her mother was born in Sainte-Colombe, a small village in Provence. When she arrives at the house she questions her decision to buy the run down and cluttered house where no one had lived for years. A local builder assures her that the house has good bones and that it will be magnificent when it's cleaned out and updated. She's also surprised at some of the negative feelings from the local residents who seem to be harboring bad feelings and memories about her mother.

Despite the shape the house was in and the negative feelings from some of the people in town, she decided to stay. She gradually makes friends and becomes romantically involved with the builder who is helping her renovate her house. She also finds that she has a special talent for growing herbs in her greenhouse that amazes her. The small town is close to losing its school which would mean more of the young members of town would be moving away when Tempesta has an idea that she thinks will save the town. Will the people in the town who dislike her go along with her plan and will her plan even work to help save the town?

This is a lovely book about family, friends and community and about learning more about previous generations of your family. It was great to see the main character change from feeling unloved by her family to creating a new family of people not connected by blood but made up of the people who cared the most about her.

What a gorgeous cover. It’s a damn shame the ARC is unreadable. Please fix formatting so we can actually read the books.

The Memory of Lavender and Sage is a remarkable story that reminded me why I love reading so much! The joy I got from turning each page is something I can’t quite explain but it’s a joy that I hope to carry with me throughout my 2024 reading journey!

This is a story about Tempesta and her desire to find a place and a family where she belongs. This journey takes her from the concrete jungle of New York to her late mother’s birthplace in a small Provence in France. There she discovers things about her mother she never knew from the very people who knew her as a child. It’s in this small village that she discovers she has quite the green thumb and she turns the things she grows in her greenhouse into delicious food and products that not only help others but bring them together. The more time she spends in this place, with these people…she realizes that she has finally found her home and calling in life.

I loved each and every page of this story! It’s a very immersive story as you find yourself wanting to smell the lavender that was planted to keep the scorpions away, the basil that is loving harvested to make a decadent pesto, the lemon verbena cookies as they bake and see for yourself the antiques in a local shop that each have a story to tell.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harper Muse and most of all Aimie Runyan for allowing for to read this gem of a novel before it hits the shelves! What a great way to kick off 2024!

Loved, loved, loved! What an escape! After reading quite a few serious books in a row, this way a joy! I wanted to live this woman’s life!!! A touch of magic, a beautiful setting, a grown up romance ooh it was wonderful!!

After really enjoying A BAKERY IN PARIS and THE SCHOOL FOR GERMAN BRIDES, I had no idea what to expect of Aimie Runyan's debut contemporary novel. THE MEMORY OF LAVENDER AND SAGE showcases Runyan's gifted versatility as an author. Like her historicals, it's filled with sharply observed details and memorable characters you want to root for. Reading it felt like taking an immersive trip to Provence—you can smell the lavender blooming, feel the warm sun, hear the clatter of footsteps on cobblestone streets. When I wasn't reading it, I found myself wanting to return to the charming world Runyan created. Bottom line: THE MEMORY OF LAVENDER AND SAGE is a delectable comfort read, like a warm bath with a glass of French wine after a long day.

Tempesta has always felt left out in her wealthy family because her mother, who was French, died when Temp was 13. Once her mother was gone it was as if Temp was also removed from the family, and particularly by her paternal grandmother, who came to live with them. When her father died and his estate was left entirely to her brother, she decides to take the bequest from her mother and move to France, where she found a new family. The story was a bit formulaic, but the people were interesting and likable. A good beach read.

“…there has to be more ways to live a life than cramming yourself into a tiny apartment and living shoulder to shoulder with people you don’t care about and who don’t care about you, all in pursuit of a job at a corporation that would happily replace you within two weeks if you died at your desk.”

Atmospheric, comforting and wholesome; this book was a wonderful way to start the year.

Tempèsta lost her mother at the age of thirteen. Her relationship with her father and paternal grandmother had been strained ever since and after her father’s passing she decided to leave the city life in New York and to travel to her mother’s home town in the south of France.

There were secrets to be discovered, some of which heartbreaking, but the idyllic setting, combined with the soothing life wisdom, balanced out the heaviest details.
I loved the community, the found family aspect, and the subtle hint of magic that made the book even more charming. Even though this was not exactly a romance novel, there was a love story that won over my romance loving soul.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am used to Aimie K Runyan writing pure historical fiction and she always knocks it out of the park. She's amazing at it. This is the first modern story of hers that I've read and it was nothing short of amazing. I absolutely loved the setting and the characters (except the few I hated). Tempesta was such a strong relatable character and her new community was just one I'd love to live in. I loved the sense of community, once they decided to accept her as one of their own. I loved watching how each character grew and developed as the story progressed. I truly enjoyed reading the entire process of restoring the house and getting to know Tempesta's mother's history. While I hope Aimie doesn't stop writing historical novels, I truly hope this isn't her last contemporary story. Clearly, it's a genre that she excels at. And, I've added another place in France that I need to visit.

A strong, Tempesta Luddington has felt lost since her mother died when she was 13. An outsider, even in her own family, to no fault of her own, she can't seem to find footing in this life she lives. When her father dies, she receives a small inheritance from her mother. After a little coaxing, she decides she must go see the quaint village in France where her mother grew up. But the pull she feels is strong and she jumps with both feet, buying a home there, sight unseen, that could modestly be described as a "fixer-upper." She soon learns her mother's past and her legacy hold a very different story than she ever imagined. Her life, once void of affection and connection, begins to fall into place and she finds the home, and the people, she was always meant to know.

This book was un-put-downable! Aimie K Runyan's first attempt at contemporary fiction was a massive success. Having read her previous historical fiction, I knew this would be stepping out of the norm for her and she hit it out of the park. The vibrant details are woven beautifully throughout the pages and you can't help but fall in love with the place and the people she's created. (And you may get a little hungry because all of the food she creates sounds INCREDIBLE.)

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When Tempesta’s father dies suddenly, he leaves everything to her younger brother. However, she does inherit her French mother’s much smaller legacy. When her mother died, Tempesta was only 13. Her paternal grandmother took up residence with the family, and Tempesta’s life was altered even more. No longer was she welcome and loved in her own home. Her mother’s bequest allows Tempesta the opportunity to find out who her Provençal mother was, and, perhaps, answer her questions about why she was persona non grata to her grandmother. Tempesta decides to buy a ramshackle farmhouse (sight unseen) in Provence and find out everything she can about her mother. In the process, she finds herself. I loved reading about the herbs and their uses. I could smell the lavender, rosemary, and sage.

This is a feel good book with its share of unlikeable characters. Full disclosure: I am not a romance reader. The romance is subtle and fairly predictable. However, it is subtle enough that I enjoyed every page of this book, and it’s now on my list of feel good books that I love to recommend. As I write this, I’m smiling. Doesn’t that tell you everything?

This is a simply beautiful story of a woman finding her roots and true home in the village of her mother. The characters are written carefully to display their good and bad traits. The story flows easily and magic and truth blend seamlessly. An enchanting story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for allowing me to read an ARC ofthis book.

The title of this debut novel evokes the scent of spring herbs, and these scents, along with those of lovingly cultivated gardens, vegetables and flours, ervhr eperfumes, old houses and antiques, permeate Tempesta Luddington’s life Hwhen she impulsively leaves New York to resettle in Provence. Initially intending to use her mother’s bequest, released to her on her father’s death, just to visit her mother’s Provençal village, she soon finds that “Provence took every ounce of what was good and somehow made it…more.” It’s hard to argue with that, even if you haven’t been there, so rich is the lore of Provence.

Sainte-Colombe is charming, warm, relaxed and friendly, everything her New York life, where she worked as a restaurant critique, is not. Nor did that life offer her much likelihood of finding those things. Born into a wealthy and influential family, she had never felt true bonds with her younger brother or their father, and least of all with her cruel and domineering paternal grandmother. The death of her beautiful, artistic and enigmatic mother, Nadaleta, when she was thirteen, left her feeling all the more estranged and alone. She hoped that Sainte-Colombe, a tiny Occitan village where everyone knows her mother’s family, will help her understand why Nataleta tore herself away as a teenager and departed for New York when she met Walt Huddington. Her mother clearly loved the home she left behind, yet rarely spoke of it, or of the reasons behind her impulsive marriage to a virtual stranger. She wants to find her mother and herself, connecting to the scents, and the seeming magic she has inherited.

Not all the villagers welcome her into their fold. The stubborn, elderly and anti-progress mayor immediately takes umbrage when he sees her, the very image of her mother, proclaiming her to be a witch like Nadaleta, and ordering her to leave Sainte-Colombe before she causes harm. The handsome village carpenter, whose mother was Nadaleta’s childhood friend, is clearly attracted to her but very wary and often distant. And even the villagers who are happy to accept her as one of them, especially when she buys an empty old manor and proceeds to restore it, share the old mayor’s view that she is a “brueissa,” a witch, as were all her female ancestors. For the most part, however, they appreciate the old world gifts that allow her to grow herbs of phenomenal healing properties.

Tempesta’s experiences, good and bad, her developing trust in her feelings for the young carpenter as he learns to trust his own, allow her to finally deal with the truth about her origins. Although her father, younger brother and vicious grandmother had always known, it had somehow been kept from her, ostensibly to ‘protect’ her but really to protect the family’s wealth and standing. She summons the courage to confront her brother and grandmother, own her Provencale identity, and free herself of the chains of family and the big city corporate life all at once. There is a lot of sadness and loneliness in this story, but Tempesta truly does find her mother and her ‘self’, the real meanings of family, and a lifestyle that satisfies her far more than the life she thought she had to take.