Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The author Nicole Kelleher did an amazing job with the plots, characters, and the world building. I love how this story took me slowly into the charm of the characters where Larkin is chasing the impossible love of Lady Aubrianne.
This book is amazing from start to finish, I can’t wait to read her other books as well.
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Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wild Lavender is the first book in the Heart & Hand Series by Nicole E. Kelleher. This is a medieval historical romance. It took me a about a third of the way through to actually capture my attention, the pace goes from very slow to extremely fast. The beginning is not bad, it just is very slow, and you MUST pay attention to every detail as Nicole E. Kelleher drops small hints throughout the book, which I loved, but just wished the pace was consistent throughout. At times it felt like there was a good bit of filler information.
This book is full of castles, secret passages, war, betrayal, strong heroin, and arranged marriage.
Anna is such a headstrong and brave young woman, her idea of a blissful marriage is quickly shattered when she realizes her husband is a cruel, sadistic, hateful and abusive man. Lord Roger hides behind a mask, he can be charming and alluring. Anna, with the assistance of several people want to get rid of Roger, but he is two steps ahead of them – Roger ordered that if he is to die, that not only is his Captain supposed to kill Anna, but they are also supposed to kill her entire family and harm her hometown, Chevlain.
Lord Roger is up to something, but they cannot prove it. Larkin and two other men from the Royal Guard show up in Stolweg to try to uncover any wrong doings by Lord Roger. When he arrives, he is stunned to see the woman who has haunted his dreams for years. if Lord Roger is proven to be guilty, Anna may be implicated as well since she is his wife.
By the end of the book, it was a captivating romance with plenty of action, violence, prophecy, and challenges. The book really starts progressing when Anna decides to save herself and her people from the sadistic Lord Roger. I recommend reading this book if you love medieval fantasy romance! I cannot wait to read book 2. PLEASE CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS BOOK!
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the first book in the Heart & Hand Series and what a way to start. I could not put this book down. The story was so perfectly written. There were so many characters that I just absolutely fell in love. The story is about Anna and Lark, which is so full of twists and turns. Anna is such a strong woman that survives so much. I can not wait to read the next book in this series.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book I have read from this author and wow I’m blown away. I have not read a fantasy book in a while and I’m so glad I picked this one up. This is the first book from the heart and hand series. You will fall in love with these characters very quickly. I couldn’t put this book down until the end. I can’t wait to read the new book.
Aubrianne thought she was going to get her happily ever after when she married Lord Roger but she was wrong. She quickly finds out that he is evil as they come. Anna is shocked when a handsome man is assigned to investigate her husband. She quickly finds out that this guy might be her real true love. Will Anna be free from her husband’s crimes or will she be found just as guilty as he is?
Review @heatherbass
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Wild Lavender, Book One of Heart and Hand Series by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book, the first in its series. I can’t wait to see how the next book plays out. I loved Anna’s strength. I would recommend this book to others. However, mentioning the treatment of Anna by her husband as well as those under him may be triggering for some.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A book with romance, sex and a happy ending. Enjoyed it a lot. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Lady Aubrianne is betrothed to Lord Roger as a payback for an old debt from her family. Once she is married its not the happily ever after she accepted, her new husband is cold and not a nice man, but as time goes on she decides to be the focal point of their people but when someone from her past comes into there town she does not know how to process this.
Larkin has been sent to uncover any wrong doings with Lord Roger, but when he enters the palace and sees the woman he has dreamed about ever since the first look he can’t believe it. So when his investigations may led to Anna he confronts her which upsets her and then they become allies trying to find out the real dealings behind Lord Roger.
This is not my normal genre I read and sometimes there is a book which surprises you which is always brilliant to find, this book was one of those nuggets. The story was well written and flowed with the drive of the story and the main characters held your attention while I devoured this book.
The character of Anna was such a strong character and was a great for the passion within the story and the character of Larkin was a brilliant compliment to the character of Anna and there forbidden love angst was great and also heart-breaking. I loved the secondary characters in the book and added an extra layer to this complex story.
As this is the first book I have read by this author, I would love to read the next book in this series and maybe I have found a new genre to read.
Wild Lavender: The Aurelian Guard – Book One by Nicole Elizabeth Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book bought me to a different time period and I was here for it! It’s beautiful and I loved the story. The characters and the setting really made this more realistic for me. From where it was to all that happens, you’ll enjoy it.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book sucks you in from the first page and doesn’t let you go until the end. The heroine is one a lot of women can relate to and her strength inspires. The romance is just enough and I love the HEA.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was immediately attracted to Wild Lavender because of the beautiful cover. I was really surprised by how much I was captivated by the story right from the start. Aubrianne, or Anna as she likes to be called, a strong, independent, warrior of a woman from Chevlain, was married in an arranged marriage to Lord Roger of Stolweg, in a marriage that was supposed to be mutually beneficial. Roger provided lumber/aid that Chevlain needed, and Aubrianne brought the amazing Chevlain horses for a breeding program. Little did anyone know what a cruel, manipulative, abusive man that was Lord Roger. Definitely look up your trigger warnings if your a sensitive reader before starting this book. Lord Roger ended up doing unspeakably cruel things to Anna, the people of Stolweg, and her family. The book really progressed for me once Anna starts plotting how to save herself and become the warrior she has always been, and when Larkin entered the picture. This was a very enjoyable story.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was kind of weary to read this book in the beginning. I am not normally a fan of historical novels but the fact that it also is classified as a fantasy convinced me to give it a go. I am happy I did. The book is set in the Kingdom of Aurelia. My only issue is that it’s a little too political for my liking.
Lady Anna was arranged to be married to Lord Roger. As soon as they wed, he turned out to be an abusive man treating her like absolute crap. This did not make Anna cower, if anything it made her stronger which I really appreciated. She spent a lot of time with her horses to escape the man she married. When Anna was only 16 years of age, she met a man by the name of Larkin and sparks immediately flew. Years go by and she doesn’t hear from him again until he is sent by the King to investigate Lord Roger. The King has reason to believe Lord Roger is committing treason.
I loved Anna as a character. She is strong, sweet, caring and independent. She endured so much in just two years. Most people would break at the treatment she received yet she lived on, raising her horses. She treated them like gold and the way that the author described them, they sound majestic. Who doesn’t love a sweet horse Lady warrior? This book is very well written and very detailed. You could vividly see the world and the characters with the amount of detail written.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
**trigger warning** Lord Roger is a pompous jerk who thinks he can get what he wants, when he wants, and however he wants it. He saw his arranged marriage to our lovely Aubrianne as nothing more than a business deal that would give him whatever he wanted. I was almost in tears when I read what happened on their wedding night. She deserves so much better, and he never in his life could ever deserve her fiery spirit.
Aubrianne is a beautiful wild spirit. She breeds, tames, and cares for the horses that someday become used for war and the guard. She’s one of a kind. The type that can provide what most others can’t.
This is one of those lordship books. Like you get to see how things are behind the scenes in the workings of the court and nobility. It has a fantastical side of it as well that draws you in, and it makes you wonder what’s coming next and what it all means.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
TW: Rape/Domestic Violence. The first instalment of Nicole E. Kelleher’s Heart & Hand series, Wild Lavender, follows Anna who is married to Lord Roger but secretly in love with a man she had a moment with years prior, Larkin. The story focuses on Anna’s point of view but offers a few other perspectives as well. It is mainly Anna’s story focused on action, with her meeting Larkin again at the halfway point of the story. Anna is a strong main character and her relationship with Larkin has a level of understanding that you don’t always see in romance books. My favourite character was Anna and my least favourite character was Roger. I recommend this book because it has a slow start but a really interesting second half, a strong female lead, and a romance to root for. I also like the map of the fantasy world! “Neither of you should change for the other. Bend, yes. But not change. Besides, nothing is ever hopeless where love is concerned.”
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Anna is a strong headed and determined woman. Trained in many areas of education, healing and fighting. She faces so many trials that would break any woman, although, somehow she forges her way through each obstacle. Brave beyond belief for the people she holds near and dear to her heart. When she finds herself married to Lord Roger as per an agreement he made with her parents, she finds herself in a world filled with hate and deceit. Can anyone be trusted? Can she gain the respect of her new people.
Lord Roger can be very persuasive and charming when he is putting on airs. In reality he is a very sadistic and power hungry man. Anna is now in his hands and he will do as he wants with her. He will make you angry and feel hatred for him. This is brilliantly done by the author.
Larkin is the womanizer at the court of King Godwin. He has no plans whatsoever, to get tied down and married. The Queen and her sister try as they might to get him to see this will come to pass.
Anna and Larken find themselves together again in the future. They have both dreamed of each other since their first accidental meeting and almost kiss.
So much happens in this story that you will be wanting to read more and more.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wild Lavender was intriguing from the very start. Anna, newlywed to Roger, looks forward to starting her life with him at his home. Unfortunately, things seem off from the first few people she meets there and all too violently she learns just what kind of man her husband is. War is coming, and Anna must do what it takes to save her family and people. Larkin, a man from her past, is suddenly thrust right back into her life, and it may make things worse, or he may be who she’s been needing all along.
I enjoyed Anna’s resilience in this and her care and devotion to others. I look forward to seeing more from this series.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wild Lavender: A Fated Love Fantasy Romance (Heart & Hand Series Book 1)
Every now and again a cover catches my eye and I cannot refuse it when it calls to me. Not always lucky with the book, but I was for sure this time.
This was a tough time to live in, especiallyfor women. Women were treated like property, had to do what the fathers or husbands say without a fight. I wouldn’t have survived it. My mouth would have gotten me into trouble a lot.
I was hooked from the beginning. I will wake up at night sometimes and have a hard time going back to sleep like last night, I will read for a bit until I start getting tired. That plan backfired on me this morning. Instead of a few chapters I ended reading at least a quarter of it, forced myself to put it down since I had a busy morning and needed to function.
Worth every second of sleep I lost.
This Book 1 of three.It’s set in medieval times when women were considered property at one point. Lady Aubrianne entered into a marriage thinking that it was filled with love. However she soon finds out that her husband (Lord Rogers) is nothing like what she was hoping for. There is another man name Lark, who meet Lady Aubrianne a while ago and Lark hasn’t forgotten about her and that night. Lark is hoping to get Roger charged with treason and murder, which helps him gain Lady A’s trust again. Can Lark keep her safe from Lord Roger or not? Read to find out more….
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book I have read from Nicole Kelleher and I really enjoyed it. Wild Lavender is the first book in this series. I was hooked from the first chapter. I loved Anna’s character and how strong she was. Lord Roger reminded me of my ex so he was easy to hate haha. Larkin was easy to love too. I was cheering for them the whole time. I am absolutely ready to start book two!
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Such an amazing story! A period piece with some mythical runes to add in something magical. A love story with so many obstacles and so much working against them. Read this book if you like enticing characters, emotional plot twists, and love that just cannot be denied.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is my first time picking up a book by author Nicole E. Kelleher. although period pieces aren’t my usual favorite story topic, I had to give this one a try 🤣the cover and synopsis drew me in. I found myself really intrigued by the storytelling and the details used to create this tantalizing world. This was a fast paced read for me, finishing it in what felt like a snap of a finger. This book has everything you’d expect in a period piece but way more. Like this book is so good it really has me rethinking if I dislike this topic or not. 🥰 I will definitely be going to go read the other two books in this series Heart & Hand, which includes the Queen’s Dance and The Naked Moon. I Can’t wait to sit down and read them.also i really like Anna she’s a strong heroine
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book has alot going on and will definitely keep your interest. Lady Anna is put through hell and back but still seems to show everyone how strong she can be and a woman can run a village. This book has devastation, torture, and romance, so be prepared for a whirlwind.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was really good. It’s a fantasy romance. Anna was living in a terrible arranged marriage. Lord Roger was the best at belittling Anna. Larkin is a ladies man, he likes to go from one to the other. Once he lays eyes on Anna everything changes for him.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I am sometimes wary of a book that promises Medieval Historical Fiction with “strong female characters” because that narrative does not always come through as a believable story line. Wild Lavender absolutely delivers on strong female characters in a male driven time period, with Anna at the heart. I thoroughly enjoyed the dramatic twists and turns of Anna’s marriage to a sadistic traitor, her background both as a horse master as well as a member of a long-line of female warriors and as the Lady of the land that loves her people, despite her evil husband.
Ms. Kelleher did an amazing job of setting groundwork for future novels not only with this character but many others and I cant’ wait to read the next one.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
4 Stars
Wild Lavender (Heart & Hand Series Book 1) by Nicole E. Kelleher
Wild Lavender is the first book in the Heart & Hand Series and is a Historical Romance/Fantasy / Paranormal Romance that I enjoyed ready. This is a fairly new author to me and I wasn’t really sure what to expect going in but man once I started reading there was no stopping. I was drawn in from the beginning and found myself lost in the pages. Wow not at all what I expecting but a thousand times better. This story is packed with action, danger, adventure, politics and so much more. Anna finds herself in an arranged marriage to Lord Roger who is not a nice man but a very cruel yet evil man. She’s a strong woman who somehow get the strength to overcome the fear of him. What will happen when Larkin appears in town? I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next especially if you enjoy historical romance. I look forward to seeing what other books this author has.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wild Lavender was the first book I’ve read from Nicole E. Kelleher. Honestly, wow. I was blown away by how good this story was. I’m not typically someone who enjoys a period piece but this was very well written and kept my attention until the very end. Anna is one incredibly strong and determined woman. After realizing her arranged marriage was going to be anything but loving and romantic, Anna needs to be bigger than her husband. Thankfully he tends to be away for long periods of time which allows her to become close with the people. This book does have quite a bit of everything. Steam, romance, treason, resilience. I greatly enjoyed the relationship between Anna and Larkin. I wasn’t sure about reading a medieval times book but I’m very glad that I did. I’ll definitely read the others in this series!
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the first book by this author that I have read and I was not let down. I really could not put this book down. I really liked how the author was able to create the world in which this series is built in. The characters seemed to just jump right off of the pages and I felt as though I was in the midst of the action and adventure. I really like how the book has a good balance of drama and romance. The main characters just are so unique and their chemistry is phenomenal. I really look forward to reading more from this author as well as this series in the near future.
Reviewed by @caraleeloonat
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Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Just loving this coverart ! You can feel it’s going to be an epic !
Lady Aubrianne ( Anna) loves her people and she will do anything to protect them , she’s beautiful, brave and strong . Look , I think her marriage left her more than a little disillusioned, what she expected and what she got is worlds apart . Lord Roger , her husband is a cruel and nasty piece of work but his wife is no fading wallflower and is up for the challenge and on more than one occasion she stepped in for someone else and bore the brunt of his cruel sadistic nature .I admire her strength .
Then there’s Larkin and he has a history with our Anna and I so wish things could’ve been different from the start for them and one could feel the tension between them …..
Not an easy read because of the hardships and cruelty endured but getting lost in the secret passages and the steamy scenes relieved a little of that emotional scarring 🫣😉
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher is a fated romance based in medieval times. There are different character views throughout the chapters that dip into that character emotions and thoughts. You will dive into the world that Lady Aubrianne and Larkin have created for themselves in different areas of there country without ever meeting one another. This story does execute this time eras specific requirements/expectations for lords and ladies, so if there are things you don’t agree with then this is not the book for you. It is a forced proximity but arranged marriages were normal for this era.
Dive into the world where fate is simply just what it is… Two people meet under different circumstances and are to never see one another again, then with the women who read the stars where the elders created the runes to only find out that they are destined. What will Anna and Lark who don’t know each other able to work together to prevent war?
This story is devastating and beautiful, with a strong female character who’s destined to change the world. It was truly magnificent how Nicole was able to write such a moving story for what Lady Aubrianne had endured. It shows that people can still come together in the most horrific circumstances and still be genuinely good. I loved this tale, and it was the first one I’ve ever read from this specific genre and era. Nicole did a great job executing characters and world building. Strongly recommend this book. Overall 5 stars.
Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was not my typical read but I still enjoyed it! This historical romance has everything from action to steamy romance. This is a fast paced read with strong characters especially Anna. I really enjoyed the world building and the author’s writing style. There is definitely a good balance between the overall plot and the romance. I will say there are some situations in the story that may be triggering to some who are SA survivors. I enjoyed the story but did struggle reading those parts but they are important to the storyline.
