A sizzling heat wave is only part of the drama unfolding on the sun-drenched Côte d’Azur …When Kat and Philippe settle into a new season as innkeepers at the Villa des Violettes, extraordinary stories are revealed by guests. Ancestry, intrigue, and lessons in friendship are part of the narrative. As summer draws to a close, an urgent call sends Kat and Philippe back to Sainte-Mathilde where the … the family gathers to support each other in an emergency situation. From the splendor of the lavender season through to the changing landscape of autumn and the festivities of the grape harvest, the Love in Provence characters face challenges, make memories and attempt to maintain their usual joie de vivre!
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LAVENDER, LOSS & LOVE AT THE VILLA DES VIOLETTES by Patricia Sands is Book 3 in her charming Villa des Violettes series. I loved the first two books so I couldn’t wait to be reunited with Kat, Philippe and their family and friends. As they gear up for a new season at their B & B, Villa des Violettes, Kat and Philippe take some time to visit family and explore the lush lavender fields nearby. At the end of the summer, they are suddenly called back to Saint-Mathilde for a family emergency. When they return home and welcome their first guests of the new season, there is much to learn about love, loss and friendship from their latest visitors. As with all of Patricia Sands’ books, the characters become like real friends and the vivid descriptions of the beautiful scenery and the luscious food made me feel I was right there in the South of France. I truly enjoyed this wonderful story of love, family and friendship and highly recommend it! I so look forward to seeing what comes next from Patricia Sands.
Lavender, Loss & Love at the Villa des Violettes by Patricia Sands tells the story of Kat and Philippe’s nurturing marriage two years in. Beautifully narrated with all the sensory details of Provence that I love so well, we read of the gentle and not-so-gentle ebb and flow of their life. Through it all, their found-in-mid-life love carries them through. I treasure the gentleness and supportiveness with which they treat each other and how Kat continues to thrive in her new life in the south of France. There aren’t many books depicting romance in middle age, and Sands really captures the wonder that is to be found. The setting is also brilliantly depicted, becoming another character in this lovely tale. For a real treat, check out the entire series!
Is there anyone who doesn’t harbor a secret desire to shuck it all and move to a milieu more in sync with their soul?
My fantasy is moving to the south of France—or, at the very least, vacationing there on occasion. Since reality hasn’t been so accommodating, there is always Patricia Sands fiction. Ms. Sands has created a delightful cast of characters who live in the French countryside. Through her prose, I visualize their flower-festooned landscape, savor their inimitable foods and anticipate the intrigue that next awaits.
I just finished the Lavender, Loss and Love novella, and was delighted to return to the historic Villa de Violettes. As a bonus, I took a side trip to yet another part of Provence––Luberon. The lavender-infused story reminds this reader that family is who you invite to your table.
All of these books are fine stand-alones. But, if you’re new to this author, I would recommend starting with The Promise of Provence, followed by the Provence Series. Next, take a side trip to journey with Arianna in Drawing Lessons, and then return to the lives of Kat and Phillipe in the Villa de Violettes novellas.
After reading her books, I’m more anxious than ever to escape to Provence. While there, I expect to be strolling down Rue de Patricia Sands, following the footsteps of Ariana, Kat, Phillip, and their friends, embarking upon my own adventure!
What would it be like to spend an extended vacation in an amazing setting with close friends you’ve enjoyed getting to know? This book took me on a continued experience of just that kind of adventure with Philippe and Kat, innkeepers of a beautiful and welcoming villa in the Côte d’Azur. The third book in the series. The title of this series, “Villa des Violettes”, along with the beautiful covers of these books, is a welcoming invite to step into the south of France and delight in all it has to offer.
There is something about meeting dear friends and catching up with them. The characters in this series are like family and I was joining up with them to spend time together again. It’s like picking up with each other and having not been away. They are connected with each other through friendships, family and love for one another. Characters that are caring and ones I love being with. They took me into their lives and, through them, I had a holiday in the pages of this book.
As I was reading, Ms. Sands words created the most amazing visuals in my mind of what a tour of this area of France would be like. From the scrumptious foods that I practically tasted by her mouth watering descriptions, to the beautiful scenic panoramas I could see in my mind of the sparkling sea, the endless lavender fields and the cobble stoned alleyways, I was along with the characters as Philippe shared his childhood home and places he spent time in with Kat.
Then there’s the storyline with the characters woven through this scenic country. I love the love story with Kat and Philippe. Finding true love later in their lives. “That’s how it was with Philippe. He gave her the unswerving love, adorned with sincere romantic gestures, that she had missed in her earlier life.” The characters are family with those around them. They are all there for each other through the good times and the hard times. There is so much emotion in the pages that touched and pulled at my heart. Romance in the south of France is heartwarming and magical. Being loved and with family and friends is everything.
I loved going into the pages of this book with Kat and Philippe. I loved the virtual tour Patricia Sands took me on through her extensive visits she herself has taken. Her love for this region of France comes through in the beautiful stories she creates in that setting. I want to thank Ms. Sands for the honor or reading another one of her wonderful books in Lavender, Loss and Love. I enjoyed it very much. All opinions and thoughts in this review are my heartfelt own.
Book Review:
Lavender, Loss & Love at the Villa des Violettes (Book 3) by author, Patricia Sands
Ćest un reél plaisir ~ True pleasure.
This is the first thing that comes to mind each time I read one of these delightful stories written by Patricia Sands, and this was no exception, with yet another stroll through the beauty this author has created for us all to enjoy. A lovely little gift, beautifully wrapped and presented to its reader.
I recently took my personal journey through the South of France with the author~ a journey filled with the love, laughter, importance and power of family and friends. The sights, sounds, and scents of a culture unlike any other, with its ancestry, pride and promise…
You cannot help but become a part of this experience~ one filled with hope, splendor and yes, challenges.
Lavender, Loss & Love at the Villa des Violettes is a charmingly descriptive narrative that will immerse the senses, spark your emotions and fill your heart with the enchantment of its people, its festivities, and the true marvel of its region.
This story is one I not only enjoyed, but it is one that I highly recommend, as the reader will truly feel as if they are spending time with their closest and dearest of friends on the Côte d’Azur…
Merveilleus histoire ~
5 Stars
Wild Sage Book Blog
Novels N Latte Book Club
t’s all about family… simple as that. They come in all shapes and sizes”
I have just spent the better part of a snowy day that has closed everything real around me, with friends of mine Katherine and Philippe at their Bed and Breakfast the Villa des Violettes, the third book in this series by Patricia Sands. And the book , as per usual, sucked me into a warm, lovely beautifully described area where friends surround you, and strangers come closer. Where memories linger like the lavender wand tucked into a dresser that perfumes the air and let’s you accept that despite loss, love triumphs, change can be marvelous despite growing old, being alone,natural disasters and heartache. These books tug at your heart as Sands’ love of France shines along with grace and caring for every single person, place and thing that touches the stories’ foci: Kat, Philippe and their extended family.
I have always loved the area of France the author writes about and here’s to many many more visits. Highly Recommended. 5/5
[disclaimer: I received this book as a gift from the author and voluntarily read and reviewed it]
Lavender, Loss & Love at the Villa des Violettes continues the story of Kat and Philippe and their friends and family in Provence. While this is the third book in the Villa des Violettes series, I met Kat and eventually Philippe in the Love in Provence series. I can’t get enough of their story! It’s so romantic!
Kat and Philippe have been married for two years and she is settling into her new life in France, a very different life from what she led in Canada. They have completed the restoration of Phillipe’s family estate and turned it into a charming B&B. Many of their guests share their fascinating stories, Phillipe’s daughter Adoree shares her surprise and Phillipe shares some of his favorite places to visit. Friends from previous books in both series make appearances, if only briefly. It’s like catching up with old friends.
I was a little concerned when I saw the word “Loss” in the title and the first chapter discussed human trafficking. But I have faith in Patricia Sands and her wonderful storytelling and I was duly rewarded. The book lives up to the reputation of the previous books in the series. Kat and her friend Joy reinvented themselves later in life, a characteristic that I greatly admire. The members of the extended family support one another in celebration and in sorrow. After finishing this book I came away feeling serene, as if I’ve been breathing essence of lavender while sipping a cold white wine.
I can hardly wait to read her next book.
I love my visits to the Villa des Violettes and being able to reconnect once again with Kat and Philippe. The newest installment of this amazing series once again swept me off my feet and landed me in the beautiful country of France.
There is plenty of drama this time around but also great friendships and family togetherness. There is so much love and support within this community and I really felt like I was a part of it. From the beautiful tour of the lavender fields, a relaxing cruise with good friends, and the gracious hospitality of Villa owners, this story felt like a vacation for me. It was a wonderful way to spend my time as I totally became immersed in the land, the culture, and the connections.
Take a trip to the Villa des Violettes. I know you will enjoy your time there as much as I did.
An endearing story. I felt like I was at the inn and could smell the lavender. With interesting guests and life changes, Kat and Philippe are in for new experiences. I enjoyed the story. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.
Another wonderful trip back to the south of France through the descriptive words of Patricia Sands. I now want to take a trip there to see the lavender fields and taste all those deliciously described cheeses. Meeting up again with wonderful friends Kat and Philippe and family. The descriptions of the lavender fields had me seeing and smelling them.
The B & B, Villa does Violettes has opened and Kat spends time chatting and getting to know her guests.
Love, family, friends in a beautiful setting.
“Families come in all shapes and sizes.”
This phrase, spoken by one the women in Patricia Sands’ new novella, is a good summary of what this lovely book is about. And what families they are!—united by love, friendship, and sometimes even biology. Sands shows us how families bind us together, forming the center of a life well lived.
Kat and Philippe are back, along with other beloved characters like Simone and Delphine, in this new story set in the South of France. The first summer season at the Villa des Violettes about to begin, but first there’s a trip to be taken, to visit Tante Joy and Oncle François in the Luberon part of Provence. We follow Kat and Philippe’s adventures as they explore this new region, with the fabulous lavender fields around Valensole as a special highlight.
As with all of her novels, Sands does a wonderful job of capturing the sights, smells, and flavors of this unique part of the world. We see the stunning ochre mines of Roussillon, the austere beauty of the Abbey de Senanque, and the magical sound & light show inside the Carrières de Lumières. We learn about Provencal traditions like la vendange—the grape harvest—where each new vintage begins with a joyous celebration. And of course, there are meals, lots of meals, with tables bursting with the bounty of Provence.
No Sands novel would be complete without a bit of mystery. Why is Philippe’s daughter Adorée so out of sorts—is she keeping a terrible secret? Why does Richard Stevenson keep disappearing? And what exactly is in Lynn’s backpack?
Sands shows us, over and over, the love at the heart families of all kinds, and how it can carry us through even the most trying circumstances. Yes, there are sad moments in this book, but they are fleeting and are far surpassed by those of joy, laughter, and love.
I am so happy I was able to once again visit France with Kat and Phillipe and their friends and family!
The exquisite aromas from the lavender fields are just incredible and so relaxing!
The B&B is off to a fantastic start with so many new customers and their amazing stories. It is definitely going well for Katherine! She has worked so hard to provide the people with a genuine, special experience.
Of course, my favorite person Simone is enjoying life and seems well at this time for eighty-five!
You won’t go wrong heading on a vacation at the Villa des Violettes.
This is book three in this series, but “Lavender, Loss and Love…” can be read as a stand alone novel!
It was truly a pleasure to be back traveling alongside Kat and Philippe on their adventures.
Patricia Sands has such a beautiful gift when writing her novels and “Lavender, Loss & Love” is no exception. She has a way of capturing your interest gently at the beginning and then you are left wanting more at the end.
The happenings of the family and friends are ones that will touch your heart and soul. Not to mention the guests at the Villa des Violettes and their stories.
This is the third book in the series and I would recommend reading them all!!!! You do not want to miss out on this awesome author !!!