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One Lavender Ribbon
Can a stack of long-hidden love letters from a WWII war hero inspire a heartbroken woman to love again?
Reeling from a bitter divorce, Adrienne Carter abandons Chicago and retreats to the sun, sand, and beauty of Southern Florida, throwing herself into the restoration of a dilapidated old Victorian beach house. Early into the renovations, she discovers a tin box hidden away in the attic that reveals the emotional letters from a WWII paratrooper to a young woman who lived in the house more than a half-century earlier.
The old letters—incredibly poetic and romantic—transcend time, and they arouse in Adrienne a curiosity that leads her to track down the writer of the letters. William “Pops” Bryant is now an old man living in a nearby town with his handsome but overprotective grandson, Will. As Adrienne begins to unravel the secrets of the letters (and the Bryants), she finds herself not yet willing to give up entirely on love.
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2014
1425 people are currently reading
5513 people want to read
About the author
Heather Burch
35 books1,049 followers Heather Burch is a #1 Amazon bestselling author whose books have been translated around the world.
She writes upmarket women's fiction novels that explore what it means to be a family. Her books have sold over half a million copies worldwide.
Heather also writes edge of your seat paranormal YA novels about swoon-worthy angels. Her Halflings series is a #1 New Release.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
She writes upmarket women's fiction novels that explore what it means to be a family. Her books have sold over half a million copies worldwide.
Heather also writes edge of your seat paranormal YA novels about swoon-worthy angels. Her Halflings series is a #1 New Release.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,191 reviews
November 16, 2021
¡Por fin terminé este libro! Sin ser una mala lectura, personalmente se me hizo muy cuesta arriba porque, salvo en las últimas páginas, nunca logró captar mi interés. Lo cogía de vez en cuando, con bastante pereza, y con suerte avanzaba un capítulo cada vez. Además, es extremadamente previsible; el misterio de las cartas lo ví venir casi desde el inicio.
Tampoco me convencieron los personajes y sus actitudes, sobre todo Will: qué hombre más desagradable y despótico, haciendo daño a todos los que lo rodean por considerarse el dueño de la verdad y la razón. Creo que su actuar roza el abuso psicológico hacia una pareja y, por lo mismo, considero que el único punto fuerte de la novela es cuando Adrianne se da cuenta de lo anterior y toma cartas en el asunto, pero lamentablemente la autora no se arriesgó y, sin profundizar mucho en ese conflicto, siguió por camino fácil.
Y qué decir de Adrianne, que lo único en que se fijaba era en que los hombres fueran musculosos y bronceados. Vale, lo acepto y disfruto en una novela guarra, pero en una que intenta ser intimista… no pega.
De no ser por el abuelo de Will y su historia, este libro habría sido un completo despropósito.
Tampoco me convencieron los personajes y sus actitudes, sobre todo Will: qué hombre más desagradable y despótico, haciendo daño a todos los que lo rodean por considerarse el dueño de la verdad y la razón. Creo que su actuar roza el abuso psicológico hacia una pareja y, por lo mismo, considero que el único punto fuerte de la novela es cuando Adrianne se da cuenta de lo anterior y toma cartas en el asunto, pero lamentablemente la autora no se arriesgó y, sin profundizar mucho en ese conflicto, siguió por camino fácil.
Y qué decir de Adrianne, que lo único en que se fijaba era en que los hombres fueran musculosos y bronceados. Vale, lo acepto y disfruto en una novela guarra, pero en una que intenta ser intimista… no pega.
De no ser por el abuelo de Will y su historia, este libro habría sido un completo despropósito.
June 22, 2014
Selected this from the Kindle First options from June and the fact that I didn't have to pay for it was the only good thing about the book. Will was so unlikable and although the overall story of Sara and what she did had potential the story felt flat. Sometimes I think maybe I could write a book and then I read a book like this and I think no you better just stick to reading because if you wrote a book it would be like this!
June 17, 2014
This book is really sweet..
I mean REALLY sweet.
Like sugar.
The kind you want to avoid unless you want to have an extreme "gag me" moment.
I loved the WWII talk, but to be honest this book wasn't really what I was expecting.
Not the worst read, but I like a bit more "salt" than sweet in my books.
The writing was amazing, I just didn't care for most of the story line.
I mean REALLY sweet.
Like sugar.
The kind you want to avoid unless you want to have an extreme "gag me" moment.
I loved the WWII talk, but to be honest this book wasn't really what I was expecting.
Not the worst read, but I like a bit more "salt" than sweet in my books.
The writing was amazing, I just didn't care for most of the story line.
July 6, 2014
About ten pages into this book, I had decided the childish, flowery, clichéd writing and delivery of this story had better improve quickly or I'd ditch it with a 1 or 2 star rating.
Due to its fantastic reviews and ratings, though, I soldiered on, hoping to see an actual story with substantial character development emerge. I really thought something of true substance would materialize. It was all set up to unfold beautifully: present day, heartbroken girl finds a soldier's old wartime letters and becomes engrossed in them. 1942, a love story begins, as does a war. Both bring trials and heartache, but also great strength. Present day, girl inspired to find this man and his sweetheart. Actually has to work for fruit to yield in her search, discovers sweetheart is dead, but that she has a sister. Resolves to continue looking for soldier and eventually succeeds. Winds up finding a family and falling in love, though it is hard-won on both sides. Actual substance exists in the relationship beyond physical attraction. Tearjerker end.
This is not what happens. I believe this was the intent, but it fails miserably in execution and depth of substance. There's this saying among writers: show, don't tell. This book does the opposite, which leads me to conclude that this is likely a debut novel and that this author has good ideas but doesn't know how to execute them, so her work likely won't be worth my time in the future.
Due to its fantastic reviews and ratings, though, I soldiered on, hoping to see an actual story with substantial character development emerge. I really thought something of true substance would materialize. It was all set up to unfold beautifully: present day, heartbroken girl finds a soldier's old wartime letters and becomes engrossed in them. 1942, a love story begins, as does a war. Both bring trials and heartache, but also great strength. Present day, girl inspired to find this man and his sweetheart. Actually has to work for fruit to yield in her search, discovers sweetheart is dead, but that she has a sister. Resolves to continue looking for soldier and eventually succeeds. Winds up finding a family and falling in love, though it is hard-won on both sides. Actual substance exists in the relationship beyond physical attraction. Tearjerker end.
This is not what happens. I believe this was the intent, but it fails miserably in execution and depth of substance. There's this saying among writers: show, don't tell. This book does the opposite, which leads me to conclude that this is likely a debut novel and that this author has good ideas but doesn't know how to execute them, so her work likely won't be worth my time in the future.
June 6, 2014
I will treasure the beauty and warmth of this story for a long time.
I would give this novel 10 stars if that was possible. I decided to read One Lavender Ribbon because I found the cover art intriguing but found the entire book to be intriguing, endearing and impossible to put down.
The story begins with Adrienne, a young woman determined to make a fresh start in her life after divorce. While she is remodeling her recently purchased Victorian home, she finds love letters dating back to the second world war. They were tied together with a lavender ribbon. Her determination to return the letters to their rightful owner brings mystery, curiosity, challenges, new friends and the possibility of a new love into her life.
The characters are people I would like to know. The story is compelling with realism, dreams, wishes, true friendship and love.
I highly recommend this novel to everyone.
I would give this novel 10 stars if that was possible. I decided to read One Lavender Ribbon because I found the cover art intriguing but found the entire book to be intriguing, endearing and impossible to put down.
The story begins with Adrienne, a young woman determined to make a fresh start in her life after divorce. While she is remodeling her recently purchased Victorian home, she finds love letters dating back to the second world war. They were tied together with a lavender ribbon. Her determination to return the letters to their rightful owner brings mystery, curiosity, challenges, new friends and the possibility of a new love into her life.
The characters are people I would like to know. The story is compelling with realism, dreams, wishes, true friendship and love.
I highly recommend this novel to everyone.
July 3, 2017
Ovo svakako nije veliki roman koji donosi nešto novo, do sada neviđeno. Roman je to za romantične duše, pritom i predvidiva, ali lijepa priča o prošlim nikad prestalim ljubavima, ljubavima koje znače nove početke, o ljubavima koje ne mogu opstati bez povjerenja...jedno lagano, opuštajuće štivo.
October 25, 2019
Me ha parecido una historia muy bonita (más la del pasado que la del presente), pero esperaba algo más impactante y sobrecogedor ...
Me ha entretenido mucho y me ha gustado el estilo de la autora.
Me ha entretenido mucho y me ha gustado el estilo de la autora.
October 30, 2021
Una historia entrañable del amor entre dos personas que envuelve pasado y presente.
Muy bonita
Muy bonita
July 12, 2014
This book is incredible and that is not something I say often in a review I write. It shows us that true love never dies even when apart for decades. There is the reminders of paying it forward and even going beyond that. Then there is taking chances because while the odds might seem insurmountable, it can be a great reward in the end beyond what money can buy.
Will was a by-the-book, organized man who cringed when things were not going a certain way, especially if it is outside the black & white box he has around him. This means he hates surprises and thought that if he controlled the environment around his grandfather then he would be there forever and ever, especially since he felt his parents had just abandoned him years earlier. But then Adrienne arrived in town when she bought a house with the money from her divorce settlement. While remodeling that house, she came across not just a box full of letters but a diary as well and decided that the man who wrote them while serving in Europe during WW2 needed to have them back. In her quest to find the author and give him back the gift that inspired her to anything she wanted, she met his grandson Will and there was a chance of finding love again.
But would it work at all because they were so opposite? Would love overcome not only the odds but time and secrets? Or would it remain lost not just in one generation but several?
This is an incredible, page turning book that I will read time and time again always with a tissue box close by because by the time the books ends you will be bawling your eyes out.
(I received an advanced copy)
Will was a by-the-book, organized man who cringed when things were not going a certain way, especially if it is outside the black & white box he has around him. This means he hates surprises and thought that if he controlled the environment around his grandfather then he would be there forever and ever, especially since he felt his parents had just abandoned him years earlier. But then Adrienne arrived in town when she bought a house with the money from her divorce settlement. While remodeling that house, she came across not just a box full of letters but a diary as well and decided that the man who wrote them while serving in Europe during WW2 needed to have them back. In her quest to find the author and give him back the gift that inspired her to anything she wanted, she met his grandson Will and there was a chance of finding love again.
But would it work at all because they were so opposite? Would love overcome not only the odds but time and secrets? Or would it remain lost not just in one generation but several?
This is an incredible, page turning book that I will read time and time again always with a tissue box close by because by the time the books ends you will be bawling your eyes out.
(I received an advanced copy)
January 2, 2015
I loved the basic premise of this book and I was excited to receive it as part of the Kindle First program. However, it just didn't live up to my expectations. It's a good book but not a volume that I would have chosen to add to my collection if it was one I'd borrowed from the library first. Although I must admit that it was nice to read a love story that is clean. The characters were very flat one-dimensional (except Pops) and the dialogue was very forced. Nothing really happened. I wanted to know more of Sarah & Pops' history, especially from Sarah's viewpoint but there is very little in that area other than what was in the letters, which were lovely. I expected both love stories to twine together: the one in the past and the one in the future. That just didn't happen but it still could have been a powerful story full of healing, acceptance and forgiveness. Instead, although it still had all of that it fell flat because there was not really any chance to form any real connection to the characters.
July 26, 2016
I absolutely loved this one! Got it through the Kindle First program ahead of time and couldn't put it down. The WWII tie-in, the absolutely beautiful letters, the characters, the setting (S. Florida), the wonderful writing... I loved it all! There were some twists that were predictable, but they didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. If you love a wonderful romance, pick this up. The one thing I could have used was a little more sexy times. The kissing was great, the sexual tension was definitely there, but this is a romance for adult readers. I felt like it could have gone a bit further. Then again, maybe I've just been reading a little too much smut lately. Either way, check this one out! You won't be disappointed.
February 6, 2017
One Lavender Ribbon was a delight to read. It had that magical quality of pulling the reader in and not letting go, even when the book was finished.
I loved ALL the characters which surprised me. But strangely the character that moved me the most was Pops, the grandfather. He brought back several wonderful memories that I had of my grandfather. They both had that special quietly kind way of thinking and acting that I never encountered in this way before.
The writing in this novel was beautiful. I found myself savoring passages and going back to read them again. In a world that is complex and at times terrifying I found reading this story soothing leaving me hopeful.
I will be reading more from Heather Burch. I recommend this book highly.
I loved ALL the characters which surprised me. But strangely the character that moved me the most was Pops, the grandfather. He brought back several wonderful memories that I had of my grandfather. They both had that special quietly kind way of thinking and acting that I never encountered in this way before.
The writing in this novel was beautiful. I found myself savoring passages and going back to read them again. In a world that is complex and at times terrifying I found reading this story soothing leaving me hopeful.
I will be reading more from Heather Burch. I recommend this book highly.
May 29, 2021
برای همین داستان میخوانیم
میخوانیم که یاد بگیریم زندگی تنها از دریچه دید ما معنا پیدا نمیکنه.
هر اتفاقی، هر رویدادی خوب یا بد از زاویه دید دیگران بسیار متفاوت تر از آن چیزی است که ما فکر میکنیم.
لذت بردم .. به جنگ جهانی دوم رفتم به امروز آمدم با سارا و پاپس به ماهیگیری رفتم و با آدرین و ویل عشق را که تا قبل از آن برای هر دو امید بخش نبود ، امید بخش یافتم.
میخوانیم که یاد بگیریم زندگی تنها از دریچه دید ما معنا پیدا نمیکنه.
هر اتفاقی، هر رویدادی خوب یا بد از زاویه دید دیگران بسیار متفاوت تر از آن چیزی است که ما فکر میکنیم.
لذت بردم .. به جنگ جهانی دوم رفتم به امروز آمدم با سارا و پاپس به ماهیگیری رفتم و با آدرین و ویل عشق را که تا قبل از آن برای هر دو امید بخش نبود ، امید بخش یافتم.
February 3, 2017
3 y media en realidad
June 23, 2014
This book was just a bit of fluff. Adrianne has just left Chicago behind after divorcing a cheating doctor, Eric. She's fulfilling a dream of moving to Florida and buying a house by the water with her divorce settlement. It's an old Victorian beach house that needs a huge amount of TLC to restore it to its original charm and beauty, but she feels energized and is doing a great deal of the work herself. One day while rummaging through the attic she discovers a box filled with letters - letters from a WWII soldier named William Bryant to someone named Gracie. They are addressed to her house, so she realizes that Gracie must have lived here. Drawn to the letters, she begins to read them and is so enamored by this man's love and poetic romance that she wonders what happened to the couple. Since William is still living in the area and people in town know him, she soon locates his address and heads over to return the letters and hopefully learn more about his return after the war. A man more her age answers the door and sends her on her way. She learns the young man is William's very protective grandson, Will, a local banker. She decides to go back when Will is not at home and this time she and this wonderful old man meet and make a nice connection. Also, involved is Sara, Gracie's younger sister; and Will's parents who have been Peace Corp volunteers in Africa since he graduated from high school. Eventually the reader learns the back stories of each of them. Will and Adrianne, of course, are attracted to each other and date, but things get rocky every time he thinks she is meddling too much by trying to have his grandfather focus on the past. It's a very predictable book, even though there are a few surprises, and the romance aspects are just so, so. It's a book for the beach or a lazy, hazy day.
June 23, 2014
One Lavender Ribbon is an incredible story and a true modern romance. It was like reading two stories in one where you have the letters between two people in love back in WWII and the present where Adrienne was falling for Will. The amount of raw emotions in this book was so intense, I had tried even after I finished the book. Especially after I finished the book.
Story begins when Adrienne moves to a new house in Florida. She just got divorced and wanted to do something that will make her feel powerful and free. Her new house is a Victorian style fixer-upper but she loves it. Then one day when she goes in the basement, she discovers old letters from WWII veteran that he wrote to Grace, a woman who used to live in that same house years ago. When Adrienne decides to find the veteran, she becomes close with them which changes herself and her whole life.
I wasn't prepared for this story to change me. I wasn't prepared at all to feel like there's more out there than what I should feel like and understand that some of my silly problems were nothing compared to losing the one you love over and over and then finding them back again. I loved everything about this book and even though it was very sweet (which I'm not used to), all the characters were sincere and made me love them. Absolutely recommended!
Story begins when Adrienne moves to a new house in Florida. She just got divorced and wanted to do something that will make her feel powerful and free. Her new house is a Victorian style fixer-upper but she loves it. Then one day when she goes in the basement, she discovers old letters from WWII veteran that he wrote to Grace, a woman who used to live in that same house years ago. When Adrienne decides to find the veteran, she becomes close with them which changes herself and her whole life.
I wasn't prepared for this story to change me. I wasn't prepared at all to feel like there's more out there than what I should feel like and understand that some of my silly problems were nothing compared to losing the one you love over and over and then finding them back again. I loved everything about this book and even though it was very sweet (which I'm not used to), all the characters were sincere and made me love them. Absolutely recommended!
May 18, 2016
Eşinden boşanan Adrienne, hayatına yeni bir başlangıç yapmak için eski bir Vintage tarzı ev satın alır ve yaşadığı şehri değiştirir. Geçmişinden kurtulup sakin bir hayat sürmeyi planlarken yeni evinin çatı katında eflatun kurdeleye sarılı mektupları okumasıyla hayatına yeni bir heyecan gelir ve Adrienne'nin macerası asıl şimdi başlar.. Bulduğu mektupları okudukça yazan kişiye olan merakı artar ve küçük kasabayı biraz araştırdığında mektupların sahibinin hayatta olduğunu anlamasıyla William'ın kapısında bulur kendini. Tabi kapıyı torunu Will açınca hiçte planladığı gibi bir ziyaret olmadığını anlayacaktır :)
Merakına ve iç güdülerine yenik düşerek bir çok şeye müdahil olan Adrienne'mizin kalbi bir kez daha sınavdan geçerken gerçek aşkı hissettirecek sıcacık bir hikaye. Ben sevdim :))
"Zamanında olan şeyler, şu anda bizi olduğumuz kişi yapar. İyileri de kötüleri de.."
***
"Geçmiş acılarla dolu olsa da hatırlamakta sorun yoktur. Böyle iyileşir insan.."
***
"Kapanmaya hazır olmayan bir yarayı kapatmak, tüm bedeni zehirler sadece. Yaralar zamanla iyileşmelidir. Onlar nefes almalıdır."
Merakına ve iç güdülerine yenik düşerek bir çok şeye müdahil olan Adrienne'mizin kalbi bir kez daha sınavdan geçerken gerçek aşkı hissettirecek sıcacık bir hikaye. Ben sevdim :))
"Zamanında olan şeyler, şu anda bizi olduğumuz kişi yapar. İyileri de kötüleri de.."
***
"Geçmiş acılarla dolu olsa da hatırlamakta sorun yoktur. Böyle iyileşir insan.."
***
"Kapanmaya hazır olmayan bir yarayı kapatmak, tüm bedeni zehirler sadece. Yaralar zamanla iyileşmelidir. Onlar nefes almalıdır."
June 4, 2014
Amazingly wonderful
As a VA nurse and the daughter of a WWII veteran this book touched me. As a now single mother, someone who still believes in love, this book gave me hope and brought tears to my eyes. Heather Burch is an amazing writer. This is my first novel by Heather, it won't be my last. I'm already recommending this book to everyone I know. I'm looking forward to drifting into her words again. Thank you, Heather.
As a VA nurse and the daughter of a WWII veteran this book touched me. As a now single mother, someone who still believes in love, this book gave me hope and brought tears to my eyes. Heather Burch is an amazing writer. This is my first novel by Heather, it won't be my last. I'm already recommending this book to everyone I know. I'm looking forward to drifting into her words again. Thank you, Heather.
March 31, 2016
This was such a sweet story. I enjoyed the back and forth of the past and present of Will's love letters but also his grandson Will and Adrienne's growing affection too. Really sweet story.
April 30, 2016
ONE LAVENDER RIBBON by Heather Burch is a poignant love story, flashing back from past to present, with three generations of love, loss, joy and tragedy.
Adrienne Carter, 28 years old, is finally free of her verbally abusive and controlling husband of six years, and flees Chicago to start over on the Gulf Coast of Florida in Bonita Springs, Florida (near Naples).
South Floridian myself, (east coast), I often take weekend trips over to the (west coast) and one of my favorite places to stay is the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs (heavenly)!
The older bungalow needs many repairs and Adrienne becomes engrossed in renovation. While in the attic she discovers a box and finds love letters, from the early 1940s, addressed to Grace, written by William.
She is curious and has a strong desire to find these two people, and wonders if they are still alive. She dreams of a love this strong and becomes obsessed with finding them. In her search, she locates William Bryant (81 yr old veteran of WWII, residing with his not so pleasant grandson Will (bank manager), who is very overprotective of his grandfather.
Adrienne becomes intensely involved with this family, and is drawn to the letters, the time, and gets caught up in their lives. (as well as with the grandson), except he is a little harder to crack. The older grandfather’s wife has died; however, Adrienne becomes engrossed with reuniting these two, no matter what. There are several different stories involved and the author blends them seamlessly.
This is the most beautiful love story, and can honestly say, I enjoyed this book more than any other historical fiction I have read, recently. Even though I find multi-generational novels intriguing, sometimes they can get very boring when flashing back to the early days.
However, what made One Lavender Ribbon, so unique and held my interest-- was the tone and pace of the novel—it captures you, and keeps you engaged without being so overpowered by the past. The story connects all three generations, when things are not always as they appear. Each generation learns from the other.
Would highly recommend the audiobook, as a narrator can make or break a novel, and in this case, Emily Sutton-Smith was outstanding—her voice is so soothing! I took the day off from work, on a beautiful day, breeze blowing, enjoying a swing overlooking a lake, and hiked through the forest and the audiobook transported me to a serene state of mind. (with tears and smiles).
For those who enjoy old fashioned genuine romance, chick-lit, historical fiction, and contemporary. Fans of Nicholas Sparks, and Sarah Jio will certainly enjoy Heather Burch’s style, and fall in love with these lovable characters with a take away you will not soon forget!
This was my first book by Burch, and look forward to reading more from this talented author. BTW, Love the front cover and the amazing quotes!
“Someone strong, but not overbearing. Fiercely devoted, but not crazed. Someone who could protect me, but gentle enough to reach into my soul without destroying my spirit.”― Heather Burch, One Lavender Ribbon
JDCMustReadBooks
Adrienne Carter, 28 years old, is finally free of her verbally abusive and controlling husband of six years, and flees Chicago to start over on the Gulf Coast of Florida in Bonita Springs, Florida (near Naples).
South Floridian myself, (east coast), I often take weekend trips over to the (west coast) and one of my favorite places to stay is the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs (heavenly)!
The older bungalow needs many repairs and Adrienne becomes engrossed in renovation. While in the attic she discovers a box and finds love letters, from the early 1940s, addressed to Grace, written by William.
She is curious and has a strong desire to find these two people, and wonders if they are still alive. She dreams of a love this strong and becomes obsessed with finding them. In her search, she locates William Bryant (81 yr old veteran of WWII, residing with his not so pleasant grandson Will (bank manager), who is very overprotective of his grandfather.
Adrienne becomes intensely involved with this family, and is drawn to the letters, the time, and gets caught up in their lives. (as well as with the grandson), except he is a little harder to crack. The older grandfather’s wife has died; however, Adrienne becomes engrossed with reuniting these two, no matter what. There are several different stories involved and the author blends them seamlessly.
This is the most beautiful love story, and can honestly say, I enjoyed this book more than any other historical fiction I have read, recently. Even though I find multi-generational novels intriguing, sometimes they can get very boring when flashing back to the early days.
However, what made One Lavender Ribbon, so unique and held my interest-- was the tone and pace of the novel—it captures you, and keeps you engaged without being so overpowered by the past. The story connects all three generations, when things are not always as they appear. Each generation learns from the other.
Would highly recommend the audiobook, as a narrator can make or break a novel, and in this case, Emily Sutton-Smith was outstanding—her voice is so soothing! I took the day off from work, on a beautiful day, breeze blowing, enjoying a swing overlooking a lake, and hiked through the forest and the audiobook transported me to a serene state of mind. (with tears and smiles).
For those who enjoy old fashioned genuine romance, chick-lit, historical fiction, and contemporary. Fans of Nicholas Sparks, and Sarah Jio will certainly enjoy Heather Burch’s style, and fall in love with these lovable characters with a take away you will not soon forget!
This was my first book by Burch, and look forward to reading more from this talented author. BTW, Love the front cover and the amazing quotes!
“Someone strong, but not overbearing. Fiercely devoted, but not crazed. Someone who could protect me, but gentle enough to reach into my soul without destroying my spirit.”― Heather Burch, One Lavender Ribbon
JDCMustReadBooks
July 7, 2014
Oh my gosh...where to start. I broke one of my rules - to never buy an e-book with over 4.5 stars because they are always a disappointment. This was no exception. I love the premise (finding love letters from WWII) and I didn't have any trouble finishing the book but good grief...the main characters were just silly. He became enraged at the drop of a hat and she pouted, demanded an apology and carried on as if nothing had happened. It was just....unnatural. The dialogue seemed stilted to me and so I wasn't able to involve myself with these characters. This wasn't horrible but it didn't leave me wanting to read more from this author.
March 1, 2018
"Ljubav je uvek prava stvar. To sam sad naučio. Verujem ti. I mislim da si bila u pravu. Ponekad nije dovoljna sama ljubav. Ali ljubav i poverenje zajedno? Tome ne možeš okrenuti leđa."
Ja sam beznadežni romantik i zaista sam jako uživala u ovoj priči, koja pokazuje da nikad ne treba odustati od ljubavi bez obzira na to šta se sve desilo u prošlosti.
Dve divne ljubavne priče u jednoj knjizi. Obožavala sam Vilijamova pisma iz Drugog svetskog rata. Zaista emotivna i sjajna priča o drugoj šansi za ljubav.
Ja sam beznadežni romantik i zaista sam jako uživala u ovoj priči, koja pokazuje da nikad ne treba odustati od ljubavi bez obzira na to šta se sve desilo u prošlosti.
Dve divne ljubavne priče u jednoj knjizi. Obožavala sam Vilijamova pisma iz Drugog svetskog rata. Zaista emotivna i sjajna priča o drugoj šansi za ljubav.
October 7, 2014
enjoyable read. loved the way the words were phrased for beautiful writing.
September 14, 2015
THIS IS NOT A SPOILER-FREE REVIEW.
Kindle First books are usually hit or miss. Unfortunately, this one was a miss.
One Lavender Ribbon tells the story of Adrienne, who just moved to Florida after a bitter divorce. At only 28 years old, she feels like her life is over. After six years of putting up with her ex-husband's constant insults, she finally escaped and is pouring all of Eric's settlement money into renovating a Victorian home on the Florida coast. During her renovations, she finds a stack of old letters tied together with a lavender ribbon. Through the letters, she finds William Bryant, the World War II veteran who wrote them, and Will Bryant, his young, attractive grandson.
The premise of the book is fine, I suppose, but I had two questions that lingered in the back of my mind while I was reading.
The first was whether Eric was supposed to be older than Adrienne. He's a "brilliant cardiologist" who always put his work first... at 28? I doubt it. At 28, he likely wouldn't even be done with his residency yet, let alone the fellowship he'd need to do for anybody to take him seriously. Either a stunning lack of research on the author's part, or Eric is at least in his mid-30's.
Assuming this book takes place in the present day, William's age is way off. He talks about fighting at Normandy (1944). The book was published last year (2014). This means that Normandy was 70 years before the present day. William is 81. Was he 11 years old when he enlisted, or is he lying about his age? Or maybe, again, the author failed to do her research. "World War II? Those veterans are probably like 80, right? I'll make him 81. Yeah, that sounds about right."
These are the kinds of things that editors should fix.
As if the general lack of fact-checking wasn't bad enough, everything else was terrible, too.
The writing. "Apprehension crawled over her skin like fire ants." Really?
Adrienne. Why is she good at everything? She's a master party planner. She's a culinary genius. She can do any home renovation project on her own, even though she has no experience.
Will. Will is the actual worst. I don't understand what Adrienne saw in him, because he was mean to her literally from the first second they met.
"Will is not like Eric," she reminds herself every three seconds, because that's about how often he snaps at her.
"I'm going to get through this day because it's for Pops, but I swear, you have no idea how much trouble you're causing," Will says to Adrienne, after she literally PAYS FOR HIS PARENTS' FLIGHT HOME FROM AFRICA OUT OF HER OWN POCKET. After he told her how upset he was that his parents wouldn't be able to make it to Pops' birthday party. A normal person might say thanks, but Will thinks Adrienne should stop causing trouble.
For some inexplicable reason, Adrienne is drawn to Will. They're both grown adults... who think kissing is scandalous? I mean, I don't need my romances to be filled with sex, but come on. These two blush and giggle whenever the topic of kissing comes up.
So, anyway, clearly I was not a fan of the relationship between Will and Adrienne. I was actually really happy that, throughout the course of the book, Adrienne actually stuck to her guns and refused to let Will take advantage of her. She gave him several chances, all of which he threw away. She was, for once in her life, putting herself first.
Then, of course, Will decides to actually be nice for once... And her friend is like, 'You're avoiding him so you won't get hurt, but you're hurting yourself by avoiding him' and I'm just like... wait, what? Whose side are you on, Sammie? Am I supposed to think that's deep or something? No! Will has been continually acting like a petty child, and your friend is smart enough to put an end to it. You're really going to stick up for that guy, the one who accuses her of "causing trouble" whenever she does something nice for him? No. I almost stopped there. The notes on my Kindle for that chapter are "NO" followed by "nooooo" followed by "nope nope nope."
Finally, if you read my romance reviews, you probably know that my biggest pet peeve is this insta-marriage phenomenon that's plaguing almost every genre right now. Adrienne was 110% done with Will, and then out of nowhere, he interrupts ANOTHER WEDDING to propose to her. Again, what a child. Making everything about him. No, that is super rude to the couple getting married, and it's super inappropriate to put her on the spot like that. I can't believe Adrienne said yes. I was so mad. I actually threw my tablet on the ground and walked away. I'm still mad. Will was a jerk throughout the entire book, and Adrienne completely gave up everything that she believed in to marry him, just because he was nice to her one time. She completely disregards the niggling feeling that he's just like her ex. And this is supposed to be romantic? It's supposed to be a HAPPY ending that Adrienne realized her feelings and convictions don't matter and she should just listen to Will, even though he's a jerk. No. I can't get on board with that.
One star. Maybe less.
[see all my reviews at the bibliophagist]
Kindle First books are usually hit or miss. Unfortunately, this one was a miss.
One Lavender Ribbon tells the story of Adrienne, who just moved to Florida after a bitter divorce. At only 28 years old, she feels like her life is over. After six years of putting up with her ex-husband's constant insults, she finally escaped and is pouring all of Eric's settlement money into renovating a Victorian home on the Florida coast. During her renovations, she finds a stack of old letters tied together with a lavender ribbon. Through the letters, she finds William Bryant, the World War II veteran who wrote them, and Will Bryant, his young, attractive grandson.
The premise of the book is fine, I suppose, but I had two questions that lingered in the back of my mind while I was reading.
The first was whether Eric was supposed to be older than Adrienne. He's a "brilliant cardiologist" who always put his work first... at 28? I doubt it. At 28, he likely wouldn't even be done with his residency yet, let alone the fellowship he'd need to do for anybody to take him seriously. Either a stunning lack of research on the author's part, or Eric is at least in his mid-30's.
Assuming this book takes place in the present day, William's age is way off. He talks about fighting at Normandy (1944). The book was published last year (2014). This means that Normandy was 70 years before the present day. William is 81. Was he 11 years old when he enlisted, or is he lying about his age? Or maybe, again, the author failed to do her research. "World War II? Those veterans are probably like 80, right? I'll make him 81. Yeah, that sounds about right."
These are the kinds of things that editors should fix.
As if the general lack of fact-checking wasn't bad enough, everything else was terrible, too.
The writing. "Apprehension crawled over her skin like fire ants." Really?
Adrienne. Why is she good at everything? She's a master party planner. She's a culinary genius. She can do any home renovation project on her own, even though she has no experience.
Will. Will is the actual worst. I don't understand what Adrienne saw in him, because he was mean to her literally from the first second they met.
"Will is not like Eric," she reminds herself every three seconds, because that's about how often he snaps at her.
"I'm going to get through this day because it's for Pops, but I swear, you have no idea how much trouble you're causing," Will says to Adrienne, after she literally PAYS FOR HIS PARENTS' FLIGHT HOME FROM AFRICA OUT OF HER OWN POCKET. After he told her how upset he was that his parents wouldn't be able to make it to Pops' birthday party. A normal person might say thanks, but Will thinks Adrienne should stop causing trouble.
For some inexplicable reason, Adrienne is drawn to Will. They're both grown adults... who think kissing is scandalous? I mean, I don't need my romances to be filled with sex, but come on. These two blush and giggle whenever the topic of kissing comes up.
So, anyway, clearly I was not a fan of the relationship between Will and Adrienne. I was actually really happy that, throughout the course of the book, Adrienne actually stuck to her guns and refused to let Will take advantage of her. She gave him several chances, all of which he threw away. She was, for once in her life, putting herself first.
Then, of course, Will decides to actually be nice for once... And her friend is like, 'You're avoiding him so you won't get hurt, but you're hurting yourself by avoiding him' and I'm just like... wait, what? Whose side are you on, Sammie? Am I supposed to think that's deep or something? No! Will has been continually acting like a petty child, and your friend is smart enough to put an end to it. You're really going to stick up for that guy, the one who accuses her of "causing trouble" whenever she does something nice for him? No. I almost stopped there. The notes on my Kindle for that chapter are "NO" followed by "nooooo" followed by "nope nope nope."
Finally, if you read my romance reviews, you probably know that my biggest pet peeve is this insta-marriage phenomenon that's plaguing almost every genre right now. Adrienne was 110% done with Will, and then out of nowhere, he interrupts ANOTHER WEDDING to propose to her. Again, what a child. Making everything about him. No, that is super rude to the couple getting married, and it's super inappropriate to put her on the spot like that. I can't believe Adrienne said yes. I was so mad. I actually threw my tablet on the ground and walked away. I'm still mad. Will was a jerk throughout the entire book, and Adrienne completely gave up everything that she believed in to marry him, just because he was nice to her one time. She completely disregards the niggling feeling that he's just like her ex. And this is supposed to be romantic? It's supposed to be a HAPPY ending that Adrienne realized her feelings and convictions don't matter and she should just listen to Will, even though he's a jerk. No. I can't get on board with that.
One star. Maybe less.
[see all my reviews at the bibliophagist]
May 20, 2024
A pesar de que es una novela muy simple, me ha costado muchísimo acabarla. Me ha parecido una trama muy simple, muy muy anticuada en varios puntos y que podría haber tenido mucho más interés escrita de otra manera y con personajes mejor construidos.
June 12, 2021
This was a nice, sweet story. While the letters very intrigued me, they turned out to be a bit of a letdown. And I had the big plot twist figured out from the start. But the characters were real people with real problems and the romance was believable.
July 1, 2014
I reserve the right to go back and up my rating of this book if regular readers of romance can sell me on it, but in all honesty, I was only reading this because it was on Kindle First and I was willfully trying to get out of my comfort zone. Here's what I thought in a vacuum:
The whole letter-discovery thing has been done, and done better than this. Ditto WWII love tales. The story elements and character emotions vacillated between brilliant/touching and contrived/over-the-top. The generational and gender roles were sufficiently traditional that I found myself wondering if the demographic reading this novel would skew toward watchers of Fox News.
And despite this, I finished it, let my heartstrings get played with, and would probably watch the Lifetime movie that seems destined to get made out of this book, provided I was on a date of some kind. So you should probably ignore the insults of this grumpy old man and read it if you're into this sort of things--it's getting great traction on Amazon.
The whole letter-discovery thing has been done, and done better than this. Ditto WWII love tales. The story elements and character emotions vacillated between brilliant/touching and contrived/over-the-top. The generational and gender roles were sufficiently traditional that I found myself wondering if the demographic reading this novel would skew toward watchers of Fox News.
And despite this, I finished it, let my heartstrings get played with, and would probably watch the Lifetime movie that seems destined to get made out of this book, provided I was on a date of some kind. So you should probably ignore the insults of this grumpy old man and read it if you're into this sort of things--it's getting great traction on Amazon.
July 16, 2014
This is one of the sweetest books I've read in a long time. I really enjoyed every page and loved the WWII references. This book is a good reminder that love is real and finds it way to people in different ways. Very happy I bought this off of the Amazon monthly deals :)
November 29, 2017
One Lavender Ribbon is a delightful story that spans three generations and is full of charm plus the kind of characters that draw you in. I loved the letters the author weaves into the story and the insights they offer on love and life. Perfect holiday reading.
November 7, 2016
Una bonita historia sobre la familia, el pasado y las segundas oportunidades.
Sobretodo una historia sobre el amor, en todas sus versiones, familiar, filial, enamoramiento y amor para siempre.
Sobretodo una historia sobre el amor, en todas sus versiones, familiar, filial, enamoramiento y amor para siempre.
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