Recently retired Colleen Hill is always busy, constantly on a quest to make life more interesting. When the ladies’ group at her church partners with the local children’s home, Colleen jumps in as usual, volunteering to share her passion for cooking with a troubled teenager named Grace. But Colleen must balance the new project with her pursuit of becoming a contestant on a television game show, … television game show, along with all the other ideas her brain continually spins out.
Colleen’s daughter Melody is quite different. She lives a calm, simple life and is content with who she is. That is, until an unexpected opportunity to work with Grace, too, pushes her to reevaluate life and dare to take on bigger dreams. The path starts with a newly-found interest in soap-making and leads her to responsibilities she didn’t even know she wanted, including helping Grace understand the meaning of her name.
Grace & Lavender is a book for all audiences—a heart-warming story that reminds us to seek God’s purpose for our lives.
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Set in a fictional North Carolina town, Grace & Lavender draws readers in through three very different women. Colleen Hill is an early retiree who likes to stay busy. Her daughter Melody seems to be her opposite, content with living a simple life. And Grace is a young lady who struggles with her identity after being abandoned and living at a children’s home.
Heather Norman Smith takes these three women and delivers a story with staying power as she examines family, faith, and dreams (both the long held ones and the newly realized ones).
I was absorbed in this sweet, uplifting, sometimes humorous story from the first pages. Colleen, Melody, and Grace drew me in with each of their pieces to the larger picture. From soap making to game shows to relationships and much, much more, Smith gives readers a book filled with love, hope, and grace.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
A heartwarming story. Characters filled with love and compassion help a troubled teen. This is a sweet story that includes faith, humor, learning to trust and finding a forever home. A great read.
Grace & Lavender will live in my heart forever! The characters were ones I could relate to. Colleen’s bubbly personality drew me in… But then, I met her daughter, Melody, and learned of the ache in her heart and her struggles. As if that wasn’t enough, Grace entered the scene as an abandoned girl needing love, understanding, and an oversized helping of patience. I wanted to hug this fragile but feisty teenager! Other characters, such as Mr. Hartman, baby Prairie, and Becky were masterfully created. All this worked together to bring about God’s plan.
The author, Heather Norman Smith, is an excellent writer. She wrote this novel so well I found myself turning page after page. I just couldn’t put the book down!!!
Not only were the characters well defined and relatable, the way Heather wrote about North Carolina hooked me. I live in the area, so I could easily envision the fictitious town of Springville. I could smell the lavender, envision the mountain views, see the quaint shops, and hear the creaky boards of Mr. Hartman’s deck.
I don’t want to spoil the take-away for this book, but there definitely IS one… So be prepared for your heart to be changed.
I’m looking forward to reading Heather’s next novel. I hope it’s a sequel, but whatever she creates, I’m ready to read it!
A beautiful story about the power of grace, second chances, and finding one’s true worth and purpose in God. u2063
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The characters were unique, and I really liked the fact that the author addressed the topic of foster homes and foster children.u2063
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It is a part of our society that is not often talked about in Christian Fiction, but I appreciated her taking us on Grace’s journey and talking about this issue so beautifully in this lovely story. u2063
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A #greatread —Reccommended!!
Great read! Wonderful characters and a great setting. I enjoyed the writing and the theme of the story. I would like to read more by this author. I recieved this book for free from the publisher. All opinions are my own. A positive review was not required.
Good book. It was a little hard to follow at first, but once I got into it I did enjoy it. The main character (Colleen) is very much like a lot of people. We all want to be different, always looking for the next adventure, never quite satisfied with life the way it is and God uses that quality in us to put us in the path of being able to minister to other people. Just like Colleen is able to do to Grace ( the secondary character). I liked this story and would reccomennded reading it. It will most definitely not be my last by this author.
I was given this book for free. The opinions expressed within the review are my own.
Grace & Lavender is a lovely, heartwarming story about the impact of loving and caring relationships on a young teen with a crusty exterior. The narrative moves a little slowly in the beginning as a solid foundation is laid, then picks up speed as three generations of women capture the heart.
Colleen is a grandmother, strong in her faith, but with what I think of as a mental restlessness… “For a long time, she had harbored a constant, overwhelming sense that there was something she wanted or needed to do that she hadn’t yet discovered.” I got tickled at her obsession over names in particular – for instance, the naming of her granddaughter “Prairie.” Then there’s Colleen’s daughter, Melody, seemingly a complete opposite of Colleen because of her ability to be content. However, that drive for contentment just might have been an overreaction to her mother’s drive for purpose and meaning.
Into this mix comes Grace, a young teen in foster care who has written off all adults as untrustworthy. These three lives are skillfully interwoven by the author into a tale that tugs at the heartstrings. Grace’s journey gradually unfolds like a flower opening up to the sun. I especially loved some of the secondary characters that Colleen involves Grace in helping.
Grace & Lavender is a romance, but not the kind you would typically expect. Rather, it is an expression of God’s love and grace, reflected through a caring family relationship. The gospel message of beautifully expressed. I’ve read a few books published by Ambassador International previously, and if you enjoy a story with a genuine Christian theme, this is an excellent publisher.
Recommended.
I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Grace & Lavender is the story of two women and a teenage girl who are all trying to navigate their futures at different points in their lives. Colleen is a retired grandmother who is looking for her next big project. Melody, her daughter, is her opposite, content to live life as it comes. Grace, a young teen living at the local youth home, is distrustful of adults after an abusive childhood. I love the core of this story, how all three women approach change in their lives so differently. Colleen thrives on it, constantly flitting from one big idea to the next. Melody is happy to go with the flow until that’s no longer an option. Grace understandably hates change in her life because very few of them have turned out well for her. As the three women come together to help Grace through mandated community service, their hearts are all opened to God’s plans for them, far beyond what any of them originally plan.
The beginning of this book meanders a bit with Colleen’s mental musings. It was a little bit chaotic but it definitely gave you a sense of how her mind works! There were also other parts of the story where unnecessary things were stated. For example, when Colleen received a phone call this is how it was mentioned: “It was a call that would change the weekly routine she had known for some time.” I also felt like some plot points were left unresolved or not delved into deeply enough. I would’ve liked to see more of Melody’s romantic life, and I would’ve also liked to see Grace make peace with her past. One more strong edit would clear up some of these issues in the story and take it from a 3.5-star book to a 5-star book!
Overall, this story has such tender moments, such beauty even in the hard parts of life. I really enjoyed seeing how Colleen, Melody, and Grace all get their happy ending. I must admit that some of the twists in the plot kept me surprised, which I loved!
I received a copy of this book from JustRead Book Tours and am under no obligation to provide a positive review. All opinions are my own.