Love, Lies and Lavender by D.E. Malone Review

Hello Friends :)

I hope you're all doing well, and I want to thank you all for joining me for another book review here on The Preppy Book Princess.

Blogging has been a little bit trying of my patience as of late, as I'm so far not a fan of the new changes to the Blogger templates and the like. It's taken a lot of getting used to, but I'm hoping that sooner rather than later it'll start to feel like second nature again.

I'm excited to be sharing with you all today another review for an amazing book, and it's one that I really can't wait to read on further in the series. I'm sure all of you who are also fans of sweet romance will really end up enjoying this one, and I'm looking forward to sharing all about it with you all.

Love, Lies and Lavender by D.E. Malone:

Source: Complimentary Copy Provided By The Author

Publication Date: May 8th, 2020

Genre: Sweet Romance/Women's Fiction

Series: Blueberry Point Romance

Synopsis:

Old Scars Are No Match For a Second Chance at Love

Widow Hilary Larkin must fulfill her late husband's dream of opening a bed-and-breakfast adjacent to an old orchard. The small farms conference in the Minnesota Northwoods is supposed to be the boost to make it possible. But her fear of change turns to high anxiety when her sister-in-law misses the plane for their trip together after a family crisis.

Along comes Dane Porter, lavender farmer and guest speaker at the conference, and talk soon turns to more than just farming. Even though he locked up his heart after his ex-wife betrayed him, he's drawn to the beautiful and complicated Hilary. But the ring on her finger sets a boundary he would never cross.

Falling head over boots for Hilary, Dane still worries putting his trust in another woman could lead to heartbreak. And Hilary has her own shadows from the past, ones her meddling sister-in-law might use to ruin Hilary's chance of finding love again.

Will two people from different worlds overcome their pain for the perfect second chance?

(synopsis from goodreads)

My Review:

I loved getting to visit the Blueberry Point Inn, and found myself completely wrapped up in this beautiful story. Love, Lies and Lavender is a heartwarming, sweet romance that speaks to the importance of grieving, learning how to move on, and trusting your heart with a second chance at love. Dane and Hilary have both been mending broken hearts for vastly different reasons, and both have been carrying the scars ever since. When they both end up attending the same small farming conference, sparks are soon flying between them. With how much they both have to overcome, a romance seems at times almost unattainable. However, sometimes life works in ways that we never could have seen coming, and I think readers everywhere are going to love this beautiful romance that tugs at the heartstrings, and reminds us all of the important things in life.

D.E. Malone is an extremely gifted storyteller, and the setting truly comes to life on the page. While reading this one, I had a clear picture in my head of the Blueberry Point Inn, and both Hilary and Dane's family farms, and I felt like I was right there experiencing everything along with the characters. One of my absolute pet peeves in reading romance books is insta-love, and I was a little worried about the time line of this one when I first started reading it. However, I absolutely loved the way that Hilary and Dane's relationship is written, and I think the author did a fantastic job of making it seem not only swoon worthy, but also completely realistic and believable. This is a pretty impressive feat in today's romance novels, and I truly adored each and every page.

I had a hard time accepting Jorie's character for the first part, but she quickly grew on me, and I thought her character was a great addition to the plot points about grief and the non linear timeline towards healing and moving on. I honestly think this is one of those stories that has a little something for everyone, and the writing was truly phenomenal. I loved Hilary and Dane's budding romance, I loved the setting, I enjoyed the tough themes that are tackled throughout, and I can't wait for a second visit to the gorgeous Blueberry Point Inn.

This book is perfect for any fans of sweet romance, and it's definitely being added to my favorites list in this category. I'm really wanting to go back and read the author's previous sweet romance series now, as I've heard it contains some characters that are also present in this series. 

Final Rating: 4/5.

Thanks so much to D. E. Malone for allowing me to advance read this!

I received a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the author to voluntarily read and review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your week :)