I received this book for free from the author as a free story in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the author as a free story
"Romance in Lavender Village"
by
Caroline McIntosh
cozy romance in a Kindle edition that was published by the author on January 1, 2022 and has 81 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads
A prequel in The Family Heirloom cozy romance series revolving around a chair at the bookshop. The couple focus is on Isabel Neale and Cameron Scott.
My Take
It begins on Christmas Eve, which naturally leads to remembrances of past Christmases for both Isabel and Cameron. And more memories of family.
This could be a cute story — although Isabel is such a weenie! What is with this woman that she can’t make a connection between blizzard and not the time to go for a long walk to a ruined castle? She takes another walk — on her broken ankle — to pick up Chelsea buns for Cameron. Yep, she can walk to the bakery and to take the treats to Cameron, but she can’t possibly go to work.
McIntosh uses third person protagonist point-of-view from Isabel’s perspective, so we know what’s happening through her eyes and her thoughts. A biggie is all her whining about men only wanting one thing. Yeah, it’s primarily true, but really??
I do love that phrase “lost in the snow”. A very showing remark *grin*.
The “twinkle” is an interesting euphemism. As for Cameron’s profession — and how he describes it (an explanation as to why Christmas is his busiest season) — and ain’t that a terrifying thought!
I was reading the excerpt on McIntosh’s web page, and it’s the first I’m hearing that Cameron is there for a job interview. I found out Cameron’s last name on that same web page. It wasn’t in the book. Where is her proofreader? Editor?
I enjoyed Cameron as the Good Samaritan and was curious as to Isabel’s acceptance of all his help. I do have to wonder if men all wanting one thing is because of Isabel. She was certainly quick to take on Cameron. Of course it could be a result of McIntosh’s leaving out huge chunks of story.
Between Isabel getting home and then the end of the story, I felt as if there had been chunks of story ripped out of the book. There was no sense to how the story ended. What was the chair about? How did we get from Isabel being angry at Cameron’s next-day reactions to a proposal? Why did Cameron go to the ruins? In the middle of a blizzard? What was the deal about Cameron having lived there before and now he’s coming back? If he really is there for a job interview, why is it taking place over the Christmas holidays? Was there some importance in Cameron renting the house? In fact, why is this family renting out their home over Christmas? Are they that hard up for money? If Cameron found the crutches in the basement, why did they return them to a rental place?
There’s just too much that needs explaining.
The Story
It’s all that lovely snow that entices Isabel to choose a long, thoughtful walk to the castle ruins. Fortunately for her, Cameron also has an appreciation for Eagle’s Keep and is able to rescue this lady in distress.
The Characters
The forty-two-year-old Isabel Neale is a single woman who works at a bookshop in Lavender Village. Hermione is her cat. Her mum, Sylvia Neale, is in a nursing home. Jones is Isabel’s handy neighbor.
Cameron Scott, a funeral director, is a stranger who is renting a house in the village. Gus is/was his brother.
Lavender Village
Oliver Livingstone owns Lavender Village Bookshop. Stephen is his son who also works there. Judy appears to be a friend of Isabel’s. Abigail Wren is mentioned; she lives on Blackberry Lane, a posh part of the village.
Eagles’/Eagle’s Keep ruins are a destination for Isabel and Cameron. Past jerky boyfriends included Anthony and Jason.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a pretty range of muted pastels with a very pale blue sky filled with fat raindrop-shaped snowflakes and a navy-colored car on a gray road framed by snowdrifts that zigzags past three houses in pale purple to a deeper lilac to a soft purple, all their windows lit up in a soft yellow light. Two lines of multi-colored Christmas tree lights span the cover from edge to edge. Scattered here and there are snow-covered pine trees. At the very top is the series info in purple. Below that is the navy and purple title that uses script. At the bottom is the author’s name in navy.
The title is truly about a “Romance in Lavender Village”.
