BEYOND THE LAVENDER FIELDS by Arlem Hawks

 

BEYOND THE LAVENDER FIELDS by Arlem Hawks. What a fantastic story that sucks you in. You really get a feel for what people are not only witnessing, but feeling. In a lot of ways, the thoughts and feelings of Gilles and Marie echo those things that I'm seeing in today's world. This story sucks you in and forces you to finish, no matter what you have going on at the moment. Loved it!

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Rumors of revolution in Paris swirl in Marseille, a bustling port city in southern France. Gilles Étienne, a clerk at the local soap factory, thrives on the news. Committed to the cause of equality, liberty, and brotherhood, he and his friends plan to march to Paris to dethrone the monarchy. His plans are halted when he meets Marie-Caroline Daubin, the beautiful daughter of the owner of the factory.

A bourgeoise and a royalist, Marie-Caroline has been called home to Marseille to escape the unrest in Paris. She rebuffs Gilles's efforts to charm her and boldly expresses her view that violently imposed freedom is not really freedom for all. As Marie-Caroline takes risks to follow her beliefs, Gilles catches her in dangerous secret that could cost her and her family their lives. As Gilles and Marie-Caroline spend more time together, she questions her initial assumptions about Gilles and realizes that perhaps they have more in common than she thought.

As the spirit of revolution descends on Marseille, people are killed and buildings are ransacked and burned to the ground. Gilles must choose between supporting the political change he believes in and protecting those he loves. And Marie-Caroline must battle between standing up for what she feels is right and risking her family's safety. With their lives and their nation in turmoil, both Gilles and Marie-Caroline wonder if a révolutionnaire and a royaliste can really be together in a world that forces people to choose sides.

GEORGANA'S SECRET by Arlem Hawks

GEORGANA'S SECRET by Arlem Hawks. Wow. What a different way to have a love story. It was so fun to get to see the view from a ship in that time. And to have a woman pose as a cabin boy would be crazy, not only today but especially then. I loved to see how the ship was run and the true kindness in most people's hearts. I loved Lieutenant Peyton taking the cabin boy under his wing and the budding romance that developed in disguise. In the end, it's a perfect match for so many reasons. This would be a great story to kick off the new year with.

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Georgana Woodall dreams of freedom—freedom from her past and freedom from her secret. She has been living on her father’s ship for years, disguised as a cabin boy named “George.” But hiding her true self is becoming more difficult, and she yearns to break free of her life on the sea. She’s already missed too many seasons in London, and her chances of being welcomed back into polite society and finding a suitable husband are slipping away.

Lieutenant Dominic Peyton has no time in his life for love, not with his dedication to His Majesty’s Royal Navy claiming his full attention. Determined to prove himself to his new captain, he strives to be an exemplary officer and leader. When Lieutenant Peyton sees the captain’s cabin boy being harassed by the crew, he takes the boy under his wing.

Georgana quickly loses her heart to Dominic’s compassion and care, but needing to maintain her disguise as a cabin boy, she is convinced nothing can come of her affection.

Georgana’s Secret is about two hearts yearning to find a safe harbor, and possibly, a lasting love.