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La Vie en Roses #4
A Kiss in Lavender
A hardened exile
It had taken Lucien Rosier fifteen years at war to rebuild himself after he lost his family. To remake himself, he had left behind even his name. Now a captain in the Foreign Legion, the last thing he wanted was to face his past. Even for her...
A woman longing for a home
Lucien Rosier had been her hero once, when everyone else had turned away. Now it was Elena Lyon's turn to rescue him. If she could teach him to believe in love and family again, she would pay back her debts. But after a lifetime of abandonment, she wasn't about to make the mistake of believing in love herself. Not even for him...
Could two broken hearts find in each other exactly what they needed to heal?
From international bestselling author Laura Florand, a sensual and heart-warming tale of love, family, and redemption. Explore the south of France, a world of heat and fragrance and tales as old as time, through the stories of the five Rosier cousins, and the women who win their hearts.
It had taken Lucien Rosier fifteen years at war to rebuild himself after he lost his family. To remake himself, he had left behind even his name. Now a captain in the Foreign Legion, the last thing he wanted was to face his past. Even for her...
A woman longing for a home
Lucien Rosier had been her hero once, when everyone else had turned away. Now it was Elena Lyon's turn to rescue him. If she could teach him to believe in love and family again, she would pay back her debts. But after a lifetime of abandonment, she wasn't about to make the mistake of believing in love herself. Not even for him...
Could two broken hearts find in each other exactly what they needed to heal?
From international bestselling author Laura Florand, a sensual and heart-warming tale of love, family, and redemption. Explore the south of France, a world of heat and fragrance and tales as old as time, through the stories of the five Rosier cousins, and the women who win their hearts.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2017
19 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Laura Florand
30 books909 followersLaura Florand is the international bestselling and award-winning author of fifteen books, including the Vie en Roses series (Once Upon a Rose), the Paris Hearts series (All for You), and the Amour et Chocolat series (The Chocolate Thief). Selected by NPR for their Top 100 Romance list, her books have appeared in ten languages, been nominated for RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book of the Year, received the RT Seal of Excellence and numerous starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, and been recommended by USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.
She was born in Georgia, but the travel bug bit her early. After a Fulbright year in Tahiti, a semester in Spain, and backpacking everywhere from New Zealand to Greece, she ended up living in Paris, where she met and married her own handsome Frenchman, a story told in her first book Blame It on Paris. Now a lecturer at Duke University, she is very dedicated to her research into French chocolate. For a glimpse behind the scenes of some of that research as well as recommendations for US chocolate, make sure to check out her website: www.lauraflorand.com.
She was born in Georgia, but the travel bug bit her early. After a Fulbright year in Tahiti, a semester in Spain, and backpacking everywhere from New Zealand to Greece, she ended up living in Paris, where she met and married her own handsome Frenchman, a story told in her first book Blame It on Paris. Now a lecturer at Duke University, she is very dedicated to her research into French chocolate. For a glimpse behind the scenes of some of that research as well as recommendations for US chocolate, make sure to check out her website: www.lauraflorand.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
September 14, 2017
I guess it was too much to hope for, that this book would pull me out of my reading slump. For one, it's more like a novella: it's linear and short and simple. (Does that mean it's more like a bad novella?) For another, I've got too many bookmarks of language so sloppy I stopped, rolled my eyes, and then noted for ~posterity. Some examples!
Laura Griffin writes masculine men who aren't stereotypes, but who are familiar because of stereotypes, and who then take on that escapist-romance-thing. (The stereotype itself might be escapist, in a way, but I'm too tired to untangle that now.) In contrast, Florand puts the escapist angle first, so you get someone who's strong and a soldier, but also anti-violence and sensitive, and perfect for Elena given her history with men. Lucien doesn't get enough time to be a person; he doesn't even get enough time to be a stereotype. It's not unusual to get a wish-fulfillmenty, scattered, too-perfect hero - and don't get me wrong, I appreciate the idea of having the woman be the center of the story and the male character deliberately crafted to fit her life! - but in reality it means Lucien, and even Elena, aren't developed well enough, aren't believable.
There's also a suuuuper weird mix of feminism and comments on all-male militaries and being anti-violence (domestic violence, of course). And there are opioid epidemic references and a strange not-quite-joking analysis of the word "easy" and really, when you get down to it, this book reads like it doesn't quite know how to be a feminist romance novel.
It can be done, especially when writing a contemporary novel.* But it can't be done with buzzwords and mixed messages and thinly developed characters and
*I mean, writing is hard. Writing anything is hard. Writing more-than-wish-fulfillment historical romance with characters today's readers don't find repulsive or unknowable might be the hardest writing job of all, though. (Katie, I'm thinking of that Rosamund Hodge interview!) This isn't historical romance, so maybe I'm dinging it unfairly. But it's also a barely-there sloppy story which comes with MAKE-SURE-YOU-BUY-THE-NEXT-BOOK sequel-bait comments every couple of pages - and with assurances (so many assurances!) that Everyone is Very Happy.
And I don't like it. There's no there there.
This 1 AM review has been brought to you courtesy of the hyphen and the dash. Apparently I punctuate when I'm tired.
Trying to find Tristan before they got in trouble after the kid snuck away from them in his determination to hike to the sea by himself, since no one would drive him. That time Damien had cut himself up trying to catch the moon, which Tristan had also been involved in now that he thought about it.HOW, IF THE PHONE IS OFF? SLOPPY SLOPPY SLOPPY, WHERE IS YOUR EDITOR. Most of these are tacked-on clauses and imprecise pronouns and stilted language overall (a surprise, coming from Laura Florand!) but there's also a lot of - how best to express it -
Big now, a man whose body showed its muscle and his jaw a tendency to shadow, Matt seemed to have grown into the patriarchal-heir role he had filled so clumsily as a teenager.
She turned off her phone and put it on her nightstand. Tucked her hands under the pillow... And then reached out and played the audio one more time.
Laura Griffin writes masculine men who aren't stereotypes, but who are familiar because of stereotypes, and who then take on that escapist-romance-thing. (The stereotype itself might be escapist, in a way, but I'm too tired to untangle that now.) In contrast, Florand puts the escapist angle first, so you get someone who's strong and a soldier, but also anti-violence and sensitive, and perfect for Elena given her history with men. Lucien doesn't get enough time to be a person; he doesn't even get enough time to be a stereotype. It's not unusual to get a wish-fulfillmenty, scattered, too-perfect hero - and don't get me wrong, I appreciate the idea of having the woman be the center of the story and the male character deliberately crafted to fit her life! - but in reality it means Lucien, and even Elena, aren't developed well enough, aren't believable.
There's also a suuuuper weird mix of feminism and comments on all-male militaries and being anti-violence (domestic violence, of course). And there are opioid epidemic references and a strange not-quite-joking analysis of the word "easy" and really, when you get down to it, this book reads like it doesn't quite know how to be a feminist romance novel.
It can be done, especially when writing a contemporary novel.* But it can't be done with buzzwords and mixed messages and thinly developed characters and
*I mean, writing is hard. Writing anything is hard. Writing more-than-wish-fulfillment historical romance with characters today's readers don't find repulsive or unknowable might be the hardest writing job of all, though. (Katie, I'm thinking of that Rosamund Hodge interview!) This isn't historical romance, so maybe I'm dinging it unfairly. But it's also a barely-there sloppy story which comes with MAKE-SURE-YOU-BUY-THE-NEXT-BOOK sequel-bait comments every couple of pages - and with assurances (so many assurances!) that Everyone is Very Happy.
And I don't like it. There's no there there.
This 1 AM review has been brought to you courtesy of the hyphen and the dash. Apparently I punctuate when I'm tired.
January 31, 2023
LUCIEN MY HUSBAND HAS COME HOME FROM WAR-
Come on, it's almost a given that I would love this. Lucien's story is everything I hoped it'd be and more.
Full review to come.
Reread: September 2019
Narrator: The full review did not come.
ANYWAY,
I reread this again and ughhhhhh I miss this entire world. I know I said Damien Rosier's my husband but Lucien... I'm weak when it comes to men named Lucien (read: Luci-en of the Monts).
Sending all positive mojo to Laura Florand through the oceans because I NEED ANTOINE VALLIER'S BOOK, DEMMIT-
Reread: January 2023
WELL. Still no Antoine Vallier (and Laura said in her reply to my note that she's not writing ::sobs::) but anyway,
LUCIEN ROSIER. His gentleness with Elena just unraveled me, honestly. Would 11/10 still climb him like a tree.
Come on, it's almost a given that I would love this. Lucien's story is everything I hoped it'd be and more.
Full review to come.
Reread: September 2019
Narrator: The full review did not come.
ANYWAY,
I reread this again and ughhhhhh I miss this entire world. I know I said Damien Rosier's my husband but Lucien... I'm weak when it comes to men named Lucien (read: Luci-en of the Monts).
“Loving you is always going to be just a bit easier for me than it is for you.”
Sending all positive mojo to Laura Florand through the oceans because I NEED ANTOINE VALLIER'S BOOK, DEMMIT-
Reread: January 2023
WELL. Still no Antoine Vallier (and Laura said in her reply to my note that she's not writing ::sobs::) but anyway,
LUCIEN ROSIER. His gentleness with Elena just unraveled me, honestly. Would 11/10 still climb him like a tree.
September 13, 2017
I found the pacing in this a little strange, but ultimately Lucien and Elena are lovely together. I really liked that he was the one to bend for her, because she needed him to. And I liked the familial reunion aspects a lot, needing space to decompress struck me as something that would be incredibly necessary for Lucien.
I'm very much looking forward to what will (hopefully) eventually become the last book in this series. I have become very invested in Antoine and want his story very badly.
I'm very much looking forward to what will (hopefully) eventually become the last book in this series. I have become very invested in Antoine and want his story very badly.
August 18, 2024
2024 is such a yearning year between rereading laura florand and listening to the prophecy. elena and lucien's romance is so beautiful and full of emotions, i will alway tear up reading it. also it's 2024 & i still need antoine's to be the last rosier lover boy
me, a cynical parisian french : i am emo
me, a cynical parisian french : i am emo
October 21, 2017
LAURA FLORAND, JUST TAKE MY MONEY
i really, really, really need that antoine book.
i really, really, really need that antoine book.
December 16, 2017
3.5 to 4 stars. A sweet romance in a beautiful setting. This one worked better for me than the last couple of Paris Nights books. The writing seemed more accessible. It could be read as a standalone, but part of its enjoyment was reading little tidbits about characters from the previous Vie en Roses books, as well as the main storyline being about a long-lost Rosier cousin, Lucien.
Lucien has been away in the Foreign Legion for fifteen years when he is tracked down by Elena Lyon, working on behalf of his grandmother. Lucien agrees to come home for his cousin's wedding, and realises how much he has missed his home in beautiful Grasse, in France. And his extended family of cousins who were once like his brothers.
And then there is Elena. There is an immediate and strong attraction between them, and Lucien isn't going to deny that. But Elena has trust issues due to her crappy childhood, and it takes time for her to really believe that this can work between them long-term.
Lucien and Elena's romance develops in a believable way, and of course there are lots of likeable secondary characters peopling the book as well. And then the gorgeous settings. Fields of lavender in the moonlight. The valley where the roses grow and are harvested. The beautiful Mediterranean. Some scenes in Italy and Corsica. Sigh. And Lucien, like all of the Rosier men, is gorgeous! :D
An enjoyable read.
Lucien has been away in the Foreign Legion for fifteen years when he is tracked down by Elena Lyon, working on behalf of his grandmother. Lucien agrees to come home for his cousin's wedding, and realises how much he has missed his home in beautiful Grasse, in France. And his extended family of cousins who were once like his brothers.
And then there is Elena. There is an immediate and strong attraction between them, and Lucien isn't going to deny that. But Elena has trust issues due to her crappy childhood, and it takes time for her to really believe that this can work between them long-term.
Lucien and Elena's romance develops in a believable way, and of course there are lots of likeable secondary characters peopling the book as well. And then the gorgeous settings. Fields of lavender in the moonlight. The valley where the roses grow and are harvested. The beautiful Mediterranean. Some scenes in Italy and Corsica. Sigh. And Lucien, like all of the Rosier men, is gorgeous! :D
An enjoyable read.
January 2, 2018
Laura Florand does it again--yet another irresistible novel to this collection. I love each and every one of her stories so much and will be sad to see this series end with the next novel. But, as always, *fingers crossed* for yet another series from this author who, well over ten books later, always delivers.
January 5, 2019
I have a hard time rating this one. I really liked the heroine and didn't really like the hero, but the ending saved it all for me.
Laura Florand's writing and I just have good chemistry. There's something about her turn of phrase, her pacing, and her alpha heroes who aren't OTT that appeals to me. I like how she brings the French countryside alive with all its sounds, colours, and smells. And I also like how her stories aren't erotica- she has a character driven story to tell, and it isn't diluted by too many or too-detailed sex scenes.
As for this particular story, the heroine resonated with me. I didn't feel like she was too sensitive or too ridiculous. Given her background, I'm surprised she wasn't even more dysfunctional. And I like how she stuck up for herself and didn't become a doormat to suit the H.
Unfortunately, the H's backstory was less than compelling. As a reader, I could forgive his teenage impetuousness, but what I couldn't get over was how he stayed away for fifteen years. Fifteen years later, he was still busy hiding from his old life, never thinking about how it was affecting his family. All he had to do was ask: Hey, does anyone want me to come back? And if they all said no, then that'd be it. But that's not what he did. He hid like the big baby that he was and avoided potentially hurting himself at the cost of hurting others. And all the talk about making a new family and a new life for himself, well, that was just him justifying that it was ok to treat the family that raised him like garbage. Don't get me wrong: military service is admirable and I respect anyone who can give up having a regular family life for it. But in this hero's case, he was just using it to escape from a reality he didn't like and couldn't handle. And then when the h found him and basically guilted him into coming back, he was so mean to her.
All his talk about doing what was hard didn't really apply to his life outside of the military. Sure, he did a lot of physically and mentally challenging things. But emotionally with his loved ones? He was an infant. Plus he mentioned that one night stands were just a habit to him now but one that left him feeling empty inside. If that were really true, why didn't he just stop and try to find someone long-term? Even at the beginning of this book, he was still looking to hook up with strangers. So, no. I didn't feel bad for him feeling old and tired and empty from his one night stands. I don't believe that a manho lived that kind of life for fifteen years and who was still living it would all of a sudden want a decent life with someone for the long haul. No matter how beautiful the h was, I have a hard time trusting that. At least we were spared any and all details of his past. I don't think I could've stomached that. There was also no OP drama, which was much appreciated.
So, the end is really what saved this book for me. Not that the heroine's story wasn't compelling. But the fact that she didn't just give into the H and that he was willing to make some big sacrifices for her, without any angst, fuss, or cheating (a low standard, I know) was pretty great. I wished that there was more of an epilogue expounding on all the HEAs for the couples in this series. I liked seeing the couples from the previous books, and Jean-Jacques, Collette, and Antoine. He really needs his own book.
Laura Florand's writing and I just have good chemistry. There's something about her turn of phrase, her pacing, and her alpha heroes who aren't OTT that appeals to me. I like how she brings the French countryside alive with all its sounds, colours, and smells. And I also like how her stories aren't erotica- she has a character driven story to tell, and it isn't diluted by too many or too-detailed sex scenes.
As for this particular story, the heroine resonated with me. I didn't feel like she was too sensitive or too ridiculous. Given her background, I'm surprised she wasn't even more dysfunctional. And I like how she stuck up for herself and didn't become a doormat to suit the H.
Unfortunately, the H's backstory was less than compelling. As a reader, I could forgive his teenage impetuousness, but what I couldn't get over was how he stayed away for fifteen years. Fifteen years later, he was still busy hiding from his old life, never thinking about how it was affecting his family. All he had to do was ask: Hey, does anyone want me to come back? And if they all said no, then that'd be it. But that's not what he did. He hid like the big baby that he was and avoided potentially hurting himself at the cost of hurting others. And all the talk about making a new family and a new life for himself, well, that was just him justifying that it was ok to treat the family that raised him like garbage. Don't get me wrong: military service is admirable and I respect anyone who can give up having a regular family life for it. But in this hero's case, he was just using it to escape from a reality he didn't like and couldn't handle. And then when the h found him and basically guilted him into coming back, he was so mean to her.
All his talk about doing what was hard didn't really apply to his life outside of the military. Sure, he did a lot of physically and mentally challenging things. But emotionally with his loved ones? He was an infant. Plus he mentioned that one night stands were just a habit to him now but one that left him feeling empty inside. If that were really true, why didn't he just stop and try to find someone long-term? Even at the beginning of this book, he was still looking to hook up with strangers. So, no. I didn't feel bad for him feeling old and tired and empty from his one night stands. I don't believe that a manho lived that kind of life for fifteen years and who was still living it would all of a sudden want a decent life with someone for the long haul. No matter how beautiful the h was, I have a hard time trusting that. At least we were spared any and all details of his past. I don't think I could've stomached that. There was also no OP drama, which was much appreciated.
So, the end is really what saved this book for me. Not that the heroine's story wasn't compelling. But the fact that she didn't just give into the H and that he was willing to make some big sacrifices for her, without any angst, fuss, or cheating (a low standard, I know) was pretty great. I wished that there was more of an epilogue expounding on all the HEAs for the couples in this series. I liked seeing the couples from the previous books, and Jean-Jacques, Collette, and Antoine. He really needs his own book.
October 22, 2017
3.5 stars
This had a lot of what I love about Florand's other books, but lacked that certain something extra to make me love it fully. There were a lot of phrases and sentence level writing issues-some awkward and some grammatical-that kept pulling me out of the story and making me aware of the writing. I also felt like we were being beaten over the head with hints about Antione in this book. However, there was also about it that I really liked, though my favorite parts were the ones with Tante Collette and Pepe. (I really wouldn't want to be whichever Rosier is responsible for leaving Antione in the cold when Pepe gets a hold of him. Yikes.) The main characters didn't have as much an impact on me as the ones in the previous books in the series did. I almost wonder what this book would have been had Laura Florand waited until after her break to finish and release it. It felt rushed and incomplete in many ways. I hope she didn't feel unduly pressured by readers. (Though I think it would be hard not to feel that way.)
This had a lot of what I love about Florand's other books, but lacked that certain something extra to make me love it fully. There were a lot of phrases and sentence level writing issues-some awkward and some grammatical-that kept pulling me out of the story and making me aware of the writing. I also felt like we were being beaten over the head with hints about Antione in this book. However, there was also about it that I really liked, though my favorite parts were the ones with Tante Collette and Pepe. (I really wouldn't want to be whichever Rosier is responsible for leaving Antione in the cold when Pepe gets a hold of him. Yikes.) The main characters didn't have as much an impact on me as the ones in the previous books in the series did. I almost wonder what this book would have been had Laura Florand waited until after her break to finish and release it. It felt rushed and incomplete in many ways. I hope she didn't feel unduly pressured by readers. (Though I think it would be hard not to feel that way.)
September 13, 2017
I FUCKING LOVE LAURA FLORAND BOOKS!
Fucking. Love. Them.
She is hands down the best romance author ever. I love her. She is my favorite romance author. Her books make me so fucking happy I can hardly bear it.
I loved this book. Loved it. An actual hero who knows what he wants and chases it. And a heroine who is strong but vulnerable. Who pushes away but still loves with all she has. Fucking gorgeous writing. Beautiful setting that makes you feel like you are actually there.
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE
Fucking. Love. Them.
She is hands down the best romance author ever. I love her. She is my favorite romance author. Her books make me so fucking happy I can hardly bear it.
I loved this book. Loved it. An actual hero who knows what he wants and chases it. And a heroine who is strong but vulnerable. Who pushes away but still loves with all she has. Fucking gorgeous writing. Beautiful setting that makes you feel like you are actually there.
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE
September 20, 2017
Lucien has been a ghost throughout the previous "rose" books, spoken about frequently, but never seen, so I was more than a little curious to see what he'd really be like when he showed up, and he didn't disappoint! He's every bit as layered, complicated, and swoony as Laura Florand's other heros. And I just loved Elena. She fought her way through a heart-breaking past to become an accomplished, confident adult, but still carrying scars from her childhood. The conflicts between Lucien and Elena felt believable and real, as did their final resolution. I love reading about smart adult characters, working their way toward happiness together. I hope Laura Florand is going to write more books in this series, because I love the vivid setting in the South of France, and I just LOVE the Rosiers.
November 9, 2017
I’d die for them and everyone else in this family that is all.
March 26, 2018
Even a so-so Laura Florand book is better than most contemporary romances out there.
I liked it, but felt that with a bit more time and editing this could have been better. Some parts felt a little rushed, underdeveloped or awkward. Florand could have toned down the swearing a bit too.
I still don't really care much for Florand's military fetish, and she stillll has a problem with pacing her relationships (here they go from strangers to planning marriage and kids in a month).
Elena talked about going to a therapist, but did she actually do it? Because she needed to.
I liked it, but felt that with a bit more time and editing this could have been better. Some parts felt a little rushed, underdeveloped or awkward. Florand could have toned down the swearing a bit too.
I still don't really care much for Florand's military fetish, and she stillll has a problem with pacing her relationships (here they go from strangers to planning marriage and kids in a month).
Elena talked about going to a therapist, but did she actually do it? Because she needed to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2017
The best book of this series, I reckon.
September 20, 2017
Lucien and Elena’s story #4 in the La Vie en Roses series, portrays two people who for different reasons have lost their families. Lucien abandoned his family after a revelation so devastating that he left the Rosier clan to join the French Foreign Legion. He has been gone fifteen long years fighting a war of a different kind rather than face the battle for his battered heart and soul. Elena’s abandonment by her family very early on to years of foster care marked her deeply. She kept trying to open her heart to people who might love her only to be rejected. Elena Lyon has built a protective barrier around herself so as not to be ever again exposed to that wrenching kind of heartbreak and loss. Lucien’s family never gave up hope he would come home. His determined and resourceful Tante Collette sends Elena to find Lucien and bring him home to them for the void in the family caused by Lucien’s absence has been deeply felt.
When Lucien first returns to the fold to attend a wedding after Elena’s efforts, his family almost overwhelms him with their fierce love but some anger as well. The rowdy, boisterous cousins Lucien grew up with hug and punch their lost “brother” in turns. Their hearts too have been wounded by his loss and absence from their lives. Elena has always been the little girl standing outside looking in at the loving and loyal Rosier family while wishing to be a part of such a group who loves fiercely and would give everything to protect each another. Elena’s work with Tante Collette tracking down the various members of extended family lost though time and circumstance gives her a glimpse of what it must feel like to be unconditionally loved which is something she has never known.
Elena and Lucien’s relationship faces several challenges including their wounded souls and his career with the Legion. Lucien realizes he can find home again not only as a physical place but an emotional one with Elena. She is quite the hard sell never really believing that she is worthy to be loved, or that she can trust anyone with something as fragile and injured as her heart.
Their story reminds me that while blood ties are important, families are made of people who care for each other with a deep abiding love. People are truly blessed when they form relationships outside of the familial ones becoming brothers, sisters, or children of the heart. Their bonds are just as deep and strong as those whom they are related to and, in some cases, more so.
Laura Florand’s writing always brings me such joy. Her stories are more than romances; they are beautifully rendered portraits of places such as Provence where the pace of life has varied little over the centuries imbued with scents of wonderfully fragrant flowers and inscribed in the feel and atmosphere of old stone walls and cobbled streets. These defining elements add much depth and dimension to this tale of loss, love, and two people finding a place to call home in each other despite or because of what life has thrown at them.
When Lucien first returns to the fold to attend a wedding after Elena’s efforts, his family almost overwhelms him with their fierce love but some anger as well. The rowdy, boisterous cousins Lucien grew up with hug and punch their lost “brother” in turns. Their hearts too have been wounded by his loss and absence from their lives. Elena has always been the little girl standing outside looking in at the loving and loyal Rosier family while wishing to be a part of such a group who loves fiercely and would give everything to protect each another. Elena’s work with Tante Collette tracking down the various members of extended family lost though time and circumstance gives her a glimpse of what it must feel like to be unconditionally loved which is something she has never known.
Elena and Lucien’s relationship faces several challenges including their wounded souls and his career with the Legion. Lucien realizes he can find home again not only as a physical place but an emotional one with Elena. She is quite the hard sell never really believing that she is worthy to be loved, or that she can trust anyone with something as fragile and injured as her heart.
Their story reminds me that while blood ties are important, families are made of people who care for each other with a deep abiding love. People are truly blessed when they form relationships outside of the familial ones becoming brothers, sisters, or children of the heart. Their bonds are just as deep and strong as those whom they are related to and, in some cases, more so.
Laura Florand’s writing always brings me such joy. Her stories are more than romances; they are beautifully rendered portraits of places such as Provence where the pace of life has varied little over the centuries imbued with scents of wonderfully fragrant flowers and inscribed in the feel and atmosphere of old stone walls and cobbled streets. These defining elements add much depth and dimension to this tale of loss, love, and two people finding a place to call home in each other despite or because of what life has thrown at them.
September 21, 2017
Finally, Lucien. He did not disappoint. Laura Florand writes with such beauty and elegance.
I loved Lucien's return to the Rosiers, all the emotion, all the family. So wonderful.
Elena was such an amazing heroine, bringing so much of this family together and not able to imagine a family of her own. I loved her absolute amazement at Lucien's devotion and love.
Ah, Lucien, a hero every girl dream of. So much more than I ever imagined.
I cannot wait for Antoine, to visit with all the Rosier's again.
I loved Lucien's return to the Rosiers, all the emotion, all the family. So wonderful.
Elena was such an amazing heroine, bringing so much of this family together and not able to imagine a family of her own. I loved her absolute amazement at Lucien's devotion and love.
Ah, Lucien, a hero every girl dream of. So much more than I ever imagined.
I cannot wait for Antoine, to visit with all the Rosier's again.
September 12, 2017
I read an early draft of this book and it was just lovely. My preordered copy of the final version arrived on my Kindle this morning, and I can't wait to read it! Laura Florand is one of my very favorite authors (in romance or any other genre), and her books are absolutely reliable comfort reads full of emotional depth and complexity and love.
October 6, 2017
Oh, my gosh! I knew Lucien's story would be emotional, but Elena had even more of a wrenching back story. I was so hoping the two of them could figure out how to be together. I had faith in Laura Florand for the HEA, but whew, what a journey. Loved this story!
October 22, 2017
Lucien Rosier grew up in a very tight knit group of cousins, with a strong sense of family. So when at eighteen, he discovered that he was in fact illegitimate, and not actually a Rosier, he ran away and joined the French Foreign Legion, where he crafted himself a new identity and support network of fellow soldiers. Fifteen years later, a determined woman has managed to locate him and figure out who he once used to be. His great-aunt wants to give him a legacy and his cousin is getting married. Can Lucien return to his childhood home or is the past lost forever?
Elena Lyon always looked up to Lucien Rosier growing up. He once saved her from bullies, and growing up in a long line of foster homes, few of them very good, she saw her fair share of unsavoury and untrustworthy men. One of the exceptions is Antoine Vallier, who was in the foster care system with her. They did their best to protect one another. Now Antoine seems determined to protect her from Lucien - who he believes will break Elena's heart worse than any of her former foster experiences did.
All Elena ever wanted was a stable family to love her. She needs Lucien to see that no matter what his DNA might say, all the Rosiers, who he grew up among, are his true family and he'd be absolutely mad to give them up a second time. There was no rescue for Elena growing up, so she wants it for Lucien instead. Yet he seems determined not to give up his life in the Foreign Legion. Of course she can't help but fall even harder for Lucien than when she was a teen, but can she give up the home and stability she has painstakingly built for herself to be a soldier's wife?
Family is a central concept in this novel. Lucien, the hero, fled into the Foreign Legion and created a new kind of family for himself when he discovered that the man he believed to be his father was in fact not. His loss has been strongly felt among the remaining Rosiers in the south of France, and while they may not technically be his family by blood, he is clearly the only one who seems to have a problem accepting this. When he finally does return for a family wedding, his grandfather and cousins embrace him with open arms and do their best to try to figure out ways in which he can return to the fold once more.
Elena Lyon had a troubled childhood. Her grandmother was one of several Jewish children rescued from the Nazis by the patriarch of the Rosier family, along with his step-sister. She had a daughter, Elena's mother, but committed suicide, which in turn negatively impacted on Elena's mother's life. When Elena was young, she would end up in foster care when her mother was too strung out on drugs to take care of her. She would return intermittently to her mother, but never for very long. Some of the foster families were good, some were dreadful. Elena has suffered a lot of abuse, mostly emotional, but occasionally also physical. She loves her mother, but their relationship is strained. She sees Antoine Vallier as the closest thing she has to a brother, but it's not entirely clear if he views her with less than fraternal feelings. He's got some kind of complicated history with the Rosiers, and seems especially jealous of Lucien.
Her entire life, Elena has tried to be the most agreeable and lovable, so she would find a permanent home, only to find herself abandoned again and again. She tried to get a degree studying her Jewish ancestry, only to find it to emotionally wrenching. Now she works as a curator at one of the perfume museums in Grasse, when she's doesn't work on special assignments to locate missing heirs for the Rosier's great-aunt. Having already tracked down several young ladies (who each ended up with handsome Rosier cousins in earlier books), her last job involves tracking down Lucien and trying to lure him home.
There is an instant attraction between Lucien and Elena. In Elena's case, it's not all that surprising, since she had a crush on him as a teenager and idolised him after he rescued her from some bullies. While they have sizzling chemistry, their differing backgrounds make a relationship difficult. Even after Lucien begins to realise that the family he thought he lost was there all along, just waiting for him to return, he has a strong sense of honour and loyalty to his men in the Foreign Legion and can't really picture himself in any other life than that of a soldier. Elena has carefully constructed a cozy and comfortable life for herself in Grasse. She has a job she loves and quite a few friends, and has already spent a lifetime desperately trying to find love and security, trying her best to change to adapt to what she thought others wanted of her. Her future dreams and plans just don't seem compatible with those of Lucien, and one of them will have to change their hopes and expectations if they are to find happiness together.
This is the fourth in Florand's La Vie en Roses series, set in the flowering valleys of the south of France. Early in the book, Damien and Jess from A Wish Upon Jasmine get married, and there are also appearances by the other male cousins who have already found their happy endings. They are all ridiculously happy to have Lucien back in their midst, and frankly rather baffled that he felt the need to run away and disappear so completely for so long. While I suspect the book works fine as a stand alone, long time readers of Florand's books will probably enjoy it even more, as it builds on themes set up earlier in the series.
While Elena and Lucien's romance is obviously central, Antoine Vallier plays an important supporting role, and not really as the third in a love triangle. He has appeared in all the earlier books in his role as the eccentric Rosier great-aunt, Colette Delatour's attorney and it's clear that there is something complicated in his relationship to the Rosiers. In this book, that comes more to the fore front, and it's strongly implied that he is a long lost relation of some sort. If I am not mistaken, one of the future books in the series will be about him and will no doubt reveal his connection to the rest of the perfume producing family.
In August, about a month before this book was released, Laura Florand declared on her blog that she would be taking an extended break from writing and publishing, because since her career took off in 2012 with The Chocolate Thief, she's been publishing about two books a year without any breaks and she is understandably quite in need of some rest and relaxation. I know her brand of romantic escapism doesn't work for every romance reader, but I find her books (with very few exceptions) to be delightful and always look forward to her new releases. So it makes me sad that I have to wait for new books by her, yet it's not like I haven't waited for more than six years for some authors to produce new books (Patrick Rothfuss and George R.R. Martin, I'm looking at you). So I hope Ms. Florand enjoys her well-earned writing break and will just have to comfort myself by re-reading some of my favourites of her books until she's ready to give us more hunky French men and the women who love them.
Judging a book by its cover: There seems to be little to no cover continuity when it comes to the books in this series. Since Once Upon a Rose came out in early 2015, there have been at least three different styles of covers, none of which match up all that well. The previous book in the series, A Crown of Bitter Orange, was published in early January, and at least these two books seem to match each other (not that I'm wildly enthused about either cover). The couple kissing in the top half of the picture just seem so incredibly staged. At least here the lavender is actually appropriate to the plot (as opposed to on the last cover, where they really should have incorporated orange blossoms instead).
Elena Lyon always looked up to Lucien Rosier growing up. He once saved her from bullies, and growing up in a long line of foster homes, few of them very good, she saw her fair share of unsavoury and untrustworthy men. One of the exceptions is Antoine Vallier, who was in the foster care system with her. They did their best to protect one another. Now Antoine seems determined to protect her from Lucien - who he believes will break Elena's heart worse than any of her former foster experiences did.
All Elena ever wanted was a stable family to love her. She needs Lucien to see that no matter what his DNA might say, all the Rosiers, who he grew up among, are his true family and he'd be absolutely mad to give them up a second time. There was no rescue for Elena growing up, so she wants it for Lucien instead. Yet he seems determined not to give up his life in the Foreign Legion. Of course she can't help but fall even harder for Lucien than when she was a teen, but can she give up the home and stability she has painstakingly built for herself to be a soldier's wife?
Family is a central concept in this novel. Lucien, the hero, fled into the Foreign Legion and created a new kind of family for himself when he discovered that the man he believed to be his father was in fact not. His loss has been strongly felt among the remaining Rosiers in the south of France, and while they may not technically be his family by blood, he is clearly the only one who seems to have a problem accepting this. When he finally does return for a family wedding, his grandfather and cousins embrace him with open arms and do their best to try to figure out ways in which he can return to the fold once more.
Elena Lyon had a troubled childhood. Her grandmother was one of several Jewish children rescued from the Nazis by the patriarch of the Rosier family, along with his step-sister. She had a daughter, Elena's mother, but committed suicide, which in turn negatively impacted on Elena's mother's life. When Elena was young, she would end up in foster care when her mother was too strung out on drugs to take care of her. She would return intermittently to her mother, but never for very long. Some of the foster families were good, some were dreadful. Elena has suffered a lot of abuse, mostly emotional, but occasionally also physical. She loves her mother, but their relationship is strained. She sees Antoine Vallier as the closest thing she has to a brother, but it's not entirely clear if he views her with less than fraternal feelings. He's got some kind of complicated history with the Rosiers, and seems especially jealous of Lucien.
Her entire life, Elena has tried to be the most agreeable and lovable, so she would find a permanent home, only to find herself abandoned again and again. She tried to get a degree studying her Jewish ancestry, only to find it to emotionally wrenching. Now she works as a curator at one of the perfume museums in Grasse, when she's doesn't work on special assignments to locate missing heirs for the Rosier's great-aunt. Having already tracked down several young ladies (who each ended up with handsome Rosier cousins in earlier books), her last job involves tracking down Lucien and trying to lure him home.
There is an instant attraction between Lucien and Elena. In Elena's case, it's not all that surprising, since she had a crush on him as a teenager and idolised him after he rescued her from some bullies. While they have sizzling chemistry, their differing backgrounds make a relationship difficult. Even after Lucien begins to realise that the family he thought he lost was there all along, just waiting for him to return, he has a strong sense of honour and loyalty to his men in the Foreign Legion and can't really picture himself in any other life than that of a soldier. Elena has carefully constructed a cozy and comfortable life for herself in Grasse. She has a job she loves and quite a few friends, and has already spent a lifetime desperately trying to find love and security, trying her best to change to adapt to what she thought others wanted of her. Her future dreams and plans just don't seem compatible with those of Lucien, and one of them will have to change their hopes and expectations if they are to find happiness together.
This is the fourth in Florand's La Vie en Roses series, set in the flowering valleys of the south of France. Early in the book, Damien and Jess from A Wish Upon Jasmine get married, and there are also appearances by the other male cousins who have already found their happy endings. They are all ridiculously happy to have Lucien back in their midst, and frankly rather baffled that he felt the need to run away and disappear so completely for so long. While I suspect the book works fine as a stand alone, long time readers of Florand's books will probably enjoy it even more, as it builds on themes set up earlier in the series.
While Elena and Lucien's romance is obviously central, Antoine Vallier plays an important supporting role, and not really as the third in a love triangle. He has appeared in all the earlier books in his role as the eccentric Rosier great-aunt, Colette Delatour's attorney and it's clear that there is something complicated in his relationship to the Rosiers. In this book, that comes more to the fore front, and it's strongly implied that he is a long lost relation of some sort. If I am not mistaken, one of the future books in the series will be about him and will no doubt reveal his connection to the rest of the perfume producing family.
In August, about a month before this book was released, Laura Florand declared on her blog that she would be taking an extended break from writing and publishing, because since her career took off in 2012 with The Chocolate Thief, she's been publishing about two books a year without any breaks and she is understandably quite in need of some rest and relaxation. I know her brand of romantic escapism doesn't work for every romance reader, but I find her books (with very few exceptions) to be delightful and always look forward to her new releases. So it makes me sad that I have to wait for new books by her, yet it's not like I haven't waited for more than six years for some authors to produce new books (Patrick Rothfuss and George R.R. Martin, I'm looking at you). So I hope Ms. Florand enjoys her well-earned writing break and will just have to comfort myself by re-reading some of my favourites of her books until she's ready to give us more hunky French men and the women who love them.
Judging a book by its cover: There seems to be little to no cover continuity when it comes to the books in this series. Since Once Upon a Rose came out in early 2015, there have been at least three different styles of covers, none of which match up all that well. The previous book in the series, A Crown of Bitter Orange, was published in early January, and at least these two books seem to match each other (not that I'm wildly enthused about either cover). The couple kissing in the top half of the picture just seem so incredibly staged. At least here the lavender is actually appropriate to the plot (as opposed to on the last cover, where they really should have incorporated orange blossoms instead).
September 18, 2017
Laura Florand's descriptions of Provence leap off the page in her La vie en Roses series. So glad to be back in the world of the Rosiers, described as the most influential agricultural perfume family in the region. I've loved every book in this series and A Kiss in Lavender was no exception. A romance between an officer in the French Foreign Legion and the museum curator who brings him back home to Grasse. I've been waiting to read about Lucien's homecoming for the longest time! And it was as lovely and bittersweet as I expected it to be. I wanted this book to be longer because I would have loved to spend more time with the Rosiers.💖📚🌹🍃
http://litsy.com/p/UTkwcXA1SXlF
http://litsy.com/p/UTkwcXA1SXlF
October 4, 2017
3.5
Pros:
- Well-rounded military hero that's not stereotypical of contempory romance
- Complex heroine
- peek at prior characters
Cons:
- Uneven pacing slowed down by figurative language
- could have been shorter or a tight novella
Pros:
- Well-rounded military hero that's not stereotypical of contempory romance
- Complex heroine
- peek at prior characters
Cons:
- Uneven pacing slowed down by figurative language
- could have been shorter or a tight novella
September 14, 2017
Enjoyable, as always. I particularly appreciated how Lucien was willing to make real sacrifices at the end to keep Elena and didn't feel bitter or emasculated doing so.
September 19, 2017
Florand recently announced that she was taking a year off from writing, since the past five years have been so draining for her. That drain is a little too evident in this latest volume in her La Vie en Roses book; there's a lot of repetition, and a rather thin storyline with a conflict between our protagonists that one good conversation clears up pretty quickly.
Yet Florand is so expert at evoking pleasure, the sheer joy of what it feels like to fall and be in love, that I'll read just about anything she writes and be happy when I finish. In this story, Elena, who has been helping Tante Colette throughout the series find and bring home long-lost members of her extended family, ends up falling for one of the exiles herself: Lucien Rosier, who fled home at 19 to join the French Foreign Legion, adopting a new name and new identity in the process. Elena discovers Lucien's whereabouts, and makes plans to confront him while he is on vacation in Italy. Yet she finds herself strangely attracted to him, even going so far as to accept his invitation to come back to his holiday apartment for a drink and wondering if she should sleep with him before telling him why she's really here. But when she calls him by his real name while they kiss, the cat is out of the bag.
Lucien does end up returning for the wedding (as readers of the previous book will already know, from that book's ending), and ends first arguing with, then finding himself still attracted to, Elena. So much that he's almost certain he wants her for the long run after their first kiss. Elena, though, has a major abandonment issues, and has a hard time believing that anyone, especially her childhood hero Lucien, will stick.
I really enjoyed Elena's prickly, cautious character, and the banter between her and Lucien; it seemed quite character-motivated, rather than just thrown in for laughs as it does in so many other romance novels. Lucien, too, had a character arc about acceptance and belonging and family, one that meshed well with Elena's. Though the big conflict could have been avoided with an honest conversation, Florand shows why such a conversation is next to impossible for Elena to instigate, or even contemplate, and why ignoring Lucien makes perfect sense to her.
Especially liked the decision Lucien makes at book's end in order to make his relationship with Elena possible. So many times such decisions turn on a woman's sacrifice, and not a man's, without any discussion of who is sacrificing what, and for what reasons (both in romance novels and in real life).
Yet Florand is so expert at evoking pleasure, the sheer joy of what it feels like to fall and be in love, that I'll read just about anything she writes and be happy when I finish. In this story, Elena, who has been helping Tante Colette throughout the series find and bring home long-lost members of her extended family, ends up falling for one of the exiles herself: Lucien Rosier, who fled home at 19 to join the French Foreign Legion, adopting a new name and new identity in the process. Elena discovers Lucien's whereabouts, and makes plans to confront him while he is on vacation in Italy. Yet she finds herself strangely attracted to him, even going so far as to accept his invitation to come back to his holiday apartment for a drink and wondering if she should sleep with him before telling him why she's really here. But when she calls him by his real name while they kiss, the cat is out of the bag.
Lucien does end up returning for the wedding (as readers of the previous book will already know, from that book's ending), and ends first arguing with, then finding himself still attracted to, Elena. So much that he's almost certain he wants her for the long run after their first kiss. Elena, though, has a major abandonment issues, and has a hard time believing that anyone, especially her childhood hero Lucien, will stick.
I really enjoyed Elena's prickly, cautious character, and the banter between her and Lucien; it seemed quite character-motivated, rather than just thrown in for laughs as it does in so many other romance novels. Lucien, too, had a character arc about acceptance and belonging and family, one that meshed well with Elena's. Though the big conflict could have been avoided with an honest conversation, Florand shows why such a conversation is next to impossible for Elena to instigate, or even contemplate, and why ignoring Lucien makes perfect sense to her.
Especially liked the decision Lucien makes at book's end in order to make his relationship with Elena possible. So many times such decisions turn on a woman's sacrifice, and not a man's, without any discussion of who is sacrificing what, and for what reasons (both in romance novels and in real life).
October 10, 2017
I look forward to every book Laura Florand writes because
I always enjoy the immersion into life in France, whether enjoying the warm aroma of chocolate or fragrant with the scents of Provence.
Her heroines and heroes are always strong, intelligent, and stubborn, which makes for an entertaining dance as they meet and grow together. Their happy ending is never simply and easily given, just as in real relationships, there are struggles and challenges. This story adds a fifteen year absence, a history that evolved from WWII, and the complications of what constitutes a family lineage.
Elena finds Lucien in Italy fifteen years after he ran away to join the Foreign Legion to deliver an heirloom to him that could bring him back to his family in Provence.
Lucien once rescued Elena from an attack as an adolescent has grown into a man, but the emotional wounds that made him run away still run rampant in his mind.
Elena had to learn to protect and defend herself from the time she was a child, so gaining her trust is no easy task, even with the tactical skills of a Foreign Legion Captain.
There were a few scenes that made me laugh, especially involving Lucien’s conversations with his Grandfather Pépé. Several scenes made me want to give Laura Florand a high five for the smart and strong character she created in Elena, for instance when she realized life in the Legion revolved around the men, and she would not be able to thrive in that environment, she was willing to let Lucien go, rather than make herself fit into his life as a Legionnaire’s wife.
For fans of Laura Florand’s other books, there are references to the other couples she has written about, but if this is your first Florand book, you will enjoy it as a stand alone story.
I always enjoy the immersion into life in France, whether enjoying the warm aroma of chocolate or fragrant with the scents of Provence.
Her heroines and heroes are always strong, intelligent, and stubborn, which makes for an entertaining dance as they meet and grow together. Their happy ending is never simply and easily given, just as in real relationships, there are struggles and challenges. This story adds a fifteen year absence, a history that evolved from WWII, and the complications of what constitutes a family lineage.
Elena finds Lucien in Italy fifteen years after he ran away to join the Foreign Legion to deliver an heirloom to him that could bring him back to his family in Provence.
Lucien once rescued Elena from an attack as an adolescent has grown into a man, but the emotional wounds that made him run away still run rampant in his mind.
Elena had to learn to protect and defend herself from the time she was a child, so gaining her trust is no easy task, even with the tactical skills of a Foreign Legion Captain.
There were a few scenes that made me laugh, especially involving Lucien’s conversations with his Grandfather Pépé. Several scenes made me want to give Laura Florand a high five for the smart and strong character she created in Elena, for instance when she realized life in the Legion revolved around the men, and she would not be able to thrive in that environment, she was willing to let Lucien go, rather than make herself fit into his life as a Legionnaire’s wife.
For fans of Laura Florand’s other books, there are references to the other couples she has written about, but if this is your first Florand book, you will enjoy it as a stand alone story.
July 1, 2022
Standalone/Cliffhanger: Standalone but part of a series.
Ages of H and h: Elena is 28 and Lucien is 34
Multi-Luv'n/Ménages:
Was There Descriptive Sex:
Descriptive Sex &/Or Drama Between H/h With OW/OM:
>>If So, Before or After H/h Hookup:
Contains Cheating:
Amount of Sex In The Book:
HEA/HFN/etc Ending:
Will This Meet My 'Safety Gang' Buddies' Approval:
Any Triggers/Warnings: No
>>Detail: N/A
Do You Recommend This Book: Yes.
Will You Re-read This Book: Yes
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Yes
My Thoughts
I have to be emotionally ready to read Laura Florand's books. I love love love reading about France, the rose fields, lavender and the relaxed pace. It makes me yearn to leave my life behind and seek the life that Laura has described in her books. I loved reading Elena and Lucien's story. They were two lost souls who just needs their hands banging together. I need to men like the Rosiers in my life I'm so extremely curious to see how Antoine is related to the Rosiers
Ages of H and h: Elena is 28 and Lucien is 34
Multi-Luv'n/Ménages:
Was There Descriptive Sex:
Descriptive Sex &/Or Drama Between H/h With OW/OM:
>>If So, Before or After H/h Hookup:
Contains Cheating:
Amount of Sex In The Book:
HEA/HFN/etc Ending:
Will This Meet My 'Safety Gang' Buddies' Approval:
Any Triggers/Warnings: No
>>Detail: N/A
Do You Recommend This Book: Yes.
Will You Re-read This Book: Yes
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Yes
My Thoughts
I have to be emotionally ready to read Laura Florand's books. I love love love reading about France, the rose fields, lavender and the relaxed pace. It makes me yearn to leave my life behind and seek the life that Laura has described in her books. I loved reading Elena and Lucien's story. They were two lost souls who just needs their hands banging together. I need to men like the Rosiers in my life I'm so extremely curious to see how Antoine is related to the Rosiers
November 12, 2017
It was so hard, waiting for this book to arrive, but it was worth the waiting.
Lucien Rosier was the missing cousin in the first three books in tids wonderful series and I couldn’t wait for his return to this funny, loving family.
Elena Lyon is a girl who has never found a place for herself. Finding Lucien for his Tante Collette was something she did for herself - bring back the lost one to his home.
Laura Florand writes the most beautiful love scenes and this book has the most tender and loving ones of the lot. Lucien’s care to make sure Elena took the lead and stopping at the slightest indication of unease coming from her, is one of the sexiest things I’ve ever read.
This book, mostly spend among the roses of the Rosier estate in Grasse once again bring to the reader the smells and sunshine and joy of the rose harvest.
This is a beautiful series, amongst all of this author’s wonderful series., and this one is the most thoughtful.
Lucien Rosier was the missing cousin in the first three books in tids wonderful series and I couldn’t wait for his return to this funny, loving family.
Elena Lyon is a girl who has never found a place for herself. Finding Lucien for his Tante Collette was something she did for herself - bring back the lost one to his home.
Laura Florand writes the most beautiful love scenes and this book has the most tender and loving ones of the lot. Lucien’s care to make sure Elena took the lead and stopping at the slightest indication of unease coming from her, is one of the sexiest things I’ve ever read.
This book, mostly spend among the roses of the Rosier estate in Grasse once again bring to the reader the smells and sunshine and joy of the rose harvest.
This is a beautiful series, amongst all of this author’s wonderful series., and this one is the most thoughtful.
September 19, 2017
I think Crown of Bitter Orange is probably my favorite in this series, but this was still a beautiful enjoyable read. This has been my favorite series of Laura Florand's so far. All the descriptions of flowers, scents, the countryside, and this deep sense of place and belonging (things most probably can't say they are surrounded by in real life) work as a balm to the soul for me.
September 15, 2017
Laura florands Rose series is by far one of my favorites so far and I haven't even read all the books in the series yet. The first book with Matt really caught me by surprise. The humor? Amazing! The dialogue the characters everything was done with such originality and ease. With too many stories the characters are given histories that are mostly filler... kind of boring and you skim through it. But the history she has created and how it is so romantic and tragic and how it flows through each character is beautiful. I was drawn right in. Matt will be favorite hero for all time I think.
I skipped the next few books with full intent to read later because I was scared that what I loved in her male hero of Matt was a one time thing. No contrived arguements over trivial problems... what they had to overcome was done in a way that there were no bad people.
When luciens book came out I jumped and squealed.
Lucien is amazing. Strong tormented dedicated jealous possessive but romantic and smart. Still loved Matt best but Lucien was great. I was looking forward to reading about him and seeing how the 4 cousins and uncle and aunt were written into his homecoming. This was a good story.
I recommend to anyone who dislikes contrived scenes and low angst. I do have to say however I was more interested in reading about Lucien interacting with his family and his welcome home then I was about his relationship with the heroine. Besides the fact that she was beautiful I couldn't understand why he was so drawn to her. Why he would WANT to understand her when she was so mean or hard with her words. It is hard to write a character, especially a female one, that continuously jabs out at people (even though they had good reason deep inside) without seeing a bit more of why the hero would want to devote themselves to her. I did like her character but a bit more softness or vulnerability would have been nice to see. A bit more interaction with the family would have been amazing. It had been developed in other books how much they had missed Lucien so just a wee bit more of them together would be great.
But everything that was written... every word was fabulous. Laura florand has made me fall in love with this family and their roses and their history and everything about them. She writes with ease and she has such a fabulous sense of humor! I can't wait to read about Anton and see just where he fits!
I skipped the next few books with full intent to read later because I was scared that what I loved in her male hero of Matt was a one time thing. No contrived arguements over trivial problems... what they had to overcome was done in a way that there were no bad people.
When luciens book came out I jumped and squealed.
Lucien is amazing. Strong tormented dedicated jealous possessive but romantic and smart. Still loved Matt best but Lucien was great. I was looking forward to reading about him and seeing how the 4 cousins and uncle and aunt were written into his homecoming. This was a good story.
I recommend to anyone who dislikes contrived scenes and low angst. I do have to say however I was more interested in reading about Lucien interacting with his family and his welcome home then I was about his relationship with the heroine. Besides the fact that she was beautiful I couldn't understand why he was so drawn to her. Why he would WANT to understand her when she was so mean or hard with her words. It is hard to write a character, especially a female one, that continuously jabs out at people (even though they had good reason deep inside) without seeing a bit more of why the hero would want to devote themselves to her. I did like her character but a bit more softness or vulnerability would have been nice to see. A bit more interaction with the family would have been amazing. It had been developed in other books how much they had missed Lucien so just a wee bit more of them together would be great.
But everything that was written... every word was fabulous. Laura florand has made me fall in love with this family and their roses and their history and everything about them. She writes with ease and she has such a fabulous sense of humor! I can't wait to read about Anton and see just where he fits!
November 24, 2019
I loved this series, it is warm, sweet, romantic, and this one was all of those things. Elena was a beautiful character with scares and Laura didn't lose site of even the smallest details with this character from start to finish. Elena truly couldn't understand the concept of someone choosing her, based on her history of always being left behind or discarded. Lucien had his own scars and I loved watching him reunite with his cousins, come to accept that he is still part of the family regardless of blood, and his reunion with his father was poignant. How he ended up choosing Elena up in the lavender fields was the perfect touch at the end of the story. The only thing I wanted to see happen was to find out how Antoine was connected to the family, and that wasn't revealed. I don't know if there is going to be another book or not, I hope Antoine gets his own story, but other than that detail I enjoyed this story and the whole series. It was refreshing and sweet and still had passion (which is a must) :-). If you are looking for a classic romantic story with passion and just enough drama to keep you turning the pages, plus characters that jump off the page (love Tonte Collette and the grandfather SO much), I highly recommend this series.
May 22, 2022
This book is a masterpiece. I read it less than books 2 and 3 in the series, which are also masterpieces, but there’s something exceptional about this one. I think the best authorial choice here was for the reader and Elena’s expectations about Lucien’s life to be thwarted. The revelation that he is a secure man, with roots and a life, is a breath of fresh air, full of fascinating consequences for their relationship and for Elena’s journey. Elena’s journey is so emotional, too, the way only Laura Florand writes. Lucien’s ability to precisely understand her commitment and trust issues, and then his ability to control his actions in a way that most directly addresses her issues, is amazing. It’s really perfect.
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