47878070Lavender Blue (Blue Hollow Falls #3) by Donna Kauffman, Amanda Ronconi (Narrator)

Audiobook published August 20, 2019 by Tantor Audio, Published January 29th 2019 by Zebra

 

 

4.5 Stars: 

I have been enjoying the Hollow Falls series by Donna Kauffman. Each book has characters from previous stories, but you don’t have to read the first ones in the series to enjoy this one. Will McCall is a widower with a teenage son, Jake. He used to build, repair and play fiddles, but after the death of his wife Zoe, he never picked up another fiddle, and is now working in construction and as a handyman. Hannah Montgomery, and her friends Vivi, Avery and Chey are the newest residents to Blue Hollow Falls, recently purchasing a lavender farm, along with a rundown farmhouse. Each of these women have their own baggage, but they are eager to start a new life. Will is fixing up the farmhouse and he and Hannah seem to have an attraction to one another, although they are both fighting it. It is Jake, that binds them together. As they get to know one another better, their stories and their grief pours out of them.

This is a beautiful story. It is a story of dealing with grief, families, second chances and romance. I loved how Jake and Bailey helped Hannah share her feelings, both love and grief, while sharing about her son. Will learns that he doesn’t need to feel guilt if and when he becomes attracted to another woman. While dealing with their feelings and baggage, it was wonderful to see the way their friends and family supported them and loved them. This story had me on an emotional roller coaster. There was humour, fear, sadness and grief, but overall, this was a happily ever after story with a lot of baggage being unpacked and put away properly. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

I listened to the audiobook of Lavender Blue, narrated by Amanda Ronconi. She also narrated Bluestone & Vine, the previous book in this series, so many of the voices she used were familiar to me and I recognized the characters. She has an easy listening to voice and adds in expression and intonation where necessary to enhance enjoyment of the story. As a female narrator, the male voices are well done and not too feminine sounding. I will be putting Amanda Ronconi on my list of narrators that I enjoy. The publisher, Tantor Audio, generously provided me with the audiobook upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

40166970About the Book: In the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains lies a small town with a big heart–and a chance to begin again . . .

When Hannah Montgomery buys a lavender farm in Blue Hollow Falls with three friends, she’s creating a life she never imagined–one she hopes will honor the memory of the sweet young son she tragically lost years ago. Standing on the porch of the sprawling farmhouse, looking out on row upon row of those lush purple plumes, Hannah is ready to embrace this fresh, new start . . .

Then she meets Wilson McCall. The stonemason hired to fix their crumbling chimneys and leaky roof is quieter than most folks in the Falls. Hannah’s not surprised to learn the widower struggles with his own grief. Who could blame her if she finds joy in making Will laugh again, or if she feels a poignant kinship when she sees him with his teenaged son? But her deepening friendship with Will reminds Hannah that there’s a part of her that still needs to heal–awakening a tender yearning to have a life that isn’t just good enough, but lived fully–even if that means taking risks once more . .

Image result for Donna KauffmanAbout the Author: USA Today bestseller and award winning author of the Cupcake Club series and the Blueberry Cove series, DONNA KAUFFMAN has been gratified to see her books get rave reviews in venues ranging from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal to Entertainment Weekly and Cosmopolitan. She lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, where she is happily working on the next book in her brand new Blue Hollow Falls series, set right in her mountain home area. When she’s not writing, she can be found recapping the popular tv show NCIS for USA Today, or escaping into her garden to play in the dirt. Donna also works as a volunteer wildlife transporter for two local sanctuaries, giving orphaned and injured wildlife a second chance at survival. You can catch up on all of her adventures via her author page on Facebook, or on Twitter, or Instagram @writerchick. Donna loves to hear from readers! You can contact her through her website at www.donnakauffman.com.