REVIEW WEDNESDAY - Lavender & Quill

 Good morning, friends!

AMAZON - Box Set

Today's book is interesting in the way the stories are presented. Let's check out the blurb, first.

When life fell apart in Seattle, Ashley St. James never thought she’d find herself back in Hope Hill—the small town of lavender fields, quirky neighbors, and lingering family ties. But inheriting her late father’s beloved bookstore, Lavender & Quill, might just be the second chance she didn’t know she needed.

Determined to reopen the shop and start fresh, Ashley quickly discovers that peeling back the layers of her father’s legacy won’t be easy. A devastating storm, hidden letters from the past, and a wealthy newcomer determined to reshape the town threaten her plans at every turn.

Thankfully, help arrives in the form of Noah Callahan—the quiet, skilled craftsman with a protective streak and a daughter who adores books as much as Ashley does. But as the repairs unfold and buried secrets surface, Ashley must decide if she’s ready to risk her heart—and stand her ground against the charming but dangerous newcomer intent on buying her out. 

With the support of her sisters, a blossoming romance, and the mystery of Lavender & Quill pulling her deeper into Hope Hill’s history, Ashley might just find that some chapters are worth rewriting.

Normally, (in other box sets I've read), each book in the set is it's own story. If the series is collaborative with multiple authors, while each story is different, there is a running theme. In other sets where all of the books are by one author, each story is different but offer multiple characters from the initial story yet each have their own book. Think seven sisters with each sister having her own story while everything winds together in a well-written series. 

Lavender & Quill is different. I've never seen this done before, making the way May North writes her own special voice. 

There are five books in Lavender & Quill. Each book is a novella of around eighty-six pages. But here's the kicker. Each novella appears to be just a continuation from the novella prior. While I've not read the entire 367-page boxed set, I have the feeling the collection is Ashley & Noah's story broken up into individual quick reads, rather than sitting down with the whole tome. Interesting way of creating a story.

May North is great with description and a way with comparative words. I enjoyed Book 1 of Lavender & Quill. I may try to finish the series before turning back to KU. 

In the mean time, I'm giving Lavender & Quill...

.8

All my best!

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Ruth Troyer

 Good morning, friends!

I hope everyone had a great holiday season. Was nice having Bob home, knowing he's home for good.

I'm stretching the holiday season just a week because I thought this was the perfect read to kick off 2026. I was looking for winter-themed books for January but I guess winter is synonymous with Christmas.

I have a six-book box set from author, Ruth Troyer. I'll be reviewing the first book in the collection tomorrow, then leave you to read the rest while you wait to see what is in store for next week.

There is no picture for Ruth Troyer but here's a bit about her:

Ruth has always loved writing and being able to publish her own stories has been like a dream come true.

Having always enjoyed reading about and watching programs and movies about the simple lives of the Amish, it seemed the perfect fit to bring those two things together. Writing stories about the Amish, their lives and their loves as they make their way through the world with God guiding them is such a joy. 

Ruth loves being able to share these stories with her readers and feels blessed that she has been given this opportunity.

Ruth is mum to adult children and 3 demanding cats. An avid gardener and crafter. She likes walking through the countryside, where she gets most of her inspiration and would rather be out in nature, amongst God’s creation than inside whatever the weather.

Ruth and I have a lot in common. While I'm not a total homebody (I get my wandering feet from my dad), I do focus on making our home a sustainable place. For example, I'm spending January as a CANUARY participant. I'll be canning and dehydrating lots of goodies while I wait for weather to shift just enough to let me get in the greenhouse.

I invite you to check out Ruth's links below. I'll be back tomorrow for my review of the first book in the collection, Love In A Christmas Storm.

FACEBOOK  GOODREADS

All my best!

~ Angela