Love and Lavender (Mayfield Family #4) by Josi S. Kilpack

 

 

Hazel Stillman is a woman of rare independence and limited opportunities. Born with a clubbed foot, she was sent away as a child and, knowing her disability means a marriage is unlikely, she devoted herself to scholarship and education.

Now working as a teacher in an elite private girls’ school, she is content with the way her story has unfolded. When her uncle Elliott Mayfield presents her with the prospect of a substantial inheritance if she marries, Hazel is offended. What kind of decent man would marry for her money? Besides, she loves her freedom as a professional, respected woman. When she hears rumors of the school possibly being sold, however, she knows she must consider all her options.

Duncan Penhale has a brilliant mind and thrives on order and process. He does not expect to marry because he likes his solitary life, shared only with his beloved cat. When Elliott Mayfield, his guardian’s brother, presents him with an inheritance if he marries a woman of social standing, Duncan finds it intrusive. However, with the inheritance, he could purchase the building in which he works and run his own firm. It would take an impressive and intellectual woman to understand and love him, quirks and all.

Hazel and Duncan believe they have found a solution to both of their problems: marry one another, receive their inheritances, and then part ways to enjoy their individual paths. But when Uncle Mayfield stipulates that they must live together as husband and wife for one year before receiving their inheritances, Hazel and Duncan reluctantly agree. Over time, their marriage of convenience becomes much more appealing than they had anticipated. At the end of the full year, will they go their separate ways or could an unlikely marriage have found unsuspecting love?

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If ever there was a sweet and gentle book, this is it.  Author Josi Kilpack is excellent at writing characters and weaving humanity into them so that as a reader, I connect and feel for them.  In this particular story, Hazel and Duncan are slightly off what people considered at the time, normal.  Hazel has a physical deformity in her foot and Duncan has what I think would be high functioning autism.  Both Hazel and Duncan have keen intellects and have been highly educated.  It draws them to each other and connects them in a way that differs from most other people.

I really loved the unconventional approach to marriage between Hazel and Duncan.  It was so interesting to see the characters through the authors eyes.  This was less of a love story in the traditional sense but more a showing of how love can look and feel differently and still be beautiful.  It was sensitive and well written.  I enjoyed it very much.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Josi S. Kilpack has written more than thirty novels, a cookbook, and several novellas. She is a four-time Whitney award winner, including Best Novel 2015 for "Lord Fenton's Folly, and has been a Utah Best of State winner for Fiction. Josi loves to bake, sleep, eat, read, travel, and watch TV--none of which she gets to do as much as she would like. She writes contemporary fiction under the pen name Jessica Pack.

Josi has four children and lives in Northern Utah. 

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