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kylaslittlelibrary's review
5.0
Beyond the Lavender Fields by Arlem Hawks
I love Gilles and think he is perfect and I’m convinced he can do no wrong. His patience, dedication, willingness to see things from both sides is so refreshing in a historical hero. There’s no telling me otherwise.
The spirit of the French Revolution is spreading and Gilles, along with his friends and family are caught in the middle of it. The opinions of opposing sides are tearing relationships apart but can the budding one between Gilles and Marie-Caroline make it through?
The history and romance are woven so seamlessly together it’s hard not to get caught up in it. The character arc is beautiful and I love how fluid the imagery is.
10/10 would recommend
Content: death, war
I love Gilles and think he is perfect and I’m convinced he can do no wrong. His patience, dedication, willingness to see things from both sides is so refreshing in a historical hero. There’s no telling me otherwise.
The spirit of the French Revolution is spreading and Gilles, along with his friends and family are caught in the middle of it. The opinions of opposing sides are tearing relationships apart but can the budding one between Gilles and Marie-Caroline make it through?
The history and romance are woven so seamlessly together it’s hard not to get caught up in it. The character arc is beautiful and I love how fluid the imagery is.
10/10 would recommend
Content: death, war
punandprose's review
3.0
This had an interesting setting, and one that's unique compared with what I usually read, so that was very appreciated on my part. Plus, I highly respect the amount of research done by the author.
That said, I don't know if I really connected with the story or the characters. I listened to the audiobook, so perhaps that affected my experience. The audiobook was nicely done, but for whatever reason, it didn't hold my attention, and it took me a while to get into the story. (I actually had to restart it because I zoned out and had no clue what was going on.)
I don't think this is a bad book or that it's poorly written, and I can see why most readers enjoyed it. But for me, it just didn't quite hit the mark, and I can't quite put my finger on why that's the case. I did get a little bugged at how Marie-Caroline kept saying, "I don't want to kiss you" to Gilles, and then she
Anyway, this wasn't my favorite, though it certainly wasn't a bad read.
Content is very clean with no swearing, nothing more than a few kisses, and only mild references to some of the violence that was occurring around this particular time in French history.
That said, I don't know if I really connected with the story or the characters. I listened to the audiobook, so perhaps that affected my experience. The audiobook was nicely done, but for whatever reason, it didn't hold my attention, and it took me a while to get into the story. (I actually had to restart it because I zoned out and had no clue what was going on.)
I don't think this is a bad book or that it's poorly written, and I can see why most readers enjoyed it. But for me, it just didn't quite hit the mark, and I can't quite put my finger on why that's the case. I did get a little bugged at how Marie-Caroline kept saying, "I don't want to kiss you" to Gilles, and then she
Spoiler
up and kisses him out of the blue! It felt a little like "rules for thee, but not for me," and that rubbed me the wrong way. If she's so adamant about not having a man randomly kiss her for no reason, then she should not randomly kiss a man for no reason. At one point, Gilles comments to himself about this when she does it a second time, but (if I remember correctly) he never calls her out on it. She shouldn't get away with those double standards.Anyway, this wasn't my favorite, though it certainly wasn't a bad read.
Content is very clean with no swearing, nothing more than a few kisses, and only mild references to some of the violence that was occurring around this particular time in French history.
bekahklemke's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was just the yummiest historical romance. It wasn't spicy but any means, but the angst was *chef's kiss*
I adored Gilles and Caroline. Even though they had conflicting political views and could have been enemies, they were both extremely mature in how they handled their disagreements and I loved it! Gilles also had the best character development, and I'm so glad we got so much from his POV because I'm a sucker for watching a man pine after a woman.
A lot of the story revolved around the French revolution, so it wasn't just romance. Gilles' love for his family and country was beautiful, and watching him wrestle with his growing feelings for Caroline and his duty to his country made for the perfect story.
I'm so excited to read anything else by Arlem Hawks. If you're a fan of historical romance or historical fiction, or you want a quick read with swoony love confessions, this is the book for you!
❤️ 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵: kisses 💋
⚠️ 𝘊𝘞𝘴/𝘛𝘞𝘴: violence, death of a family member
I adored Gilles and Caroline. Even though they had conflicting political views and could have been enemies, they were both extremely mature in how they handled their disagreements and I loved it! Gilles also had the best character development, and I'm so glad we got so much from his POV because I'm a sucker for watching a man pine after a woman.
A lot of the story revolved around the French revolution, so it wasn't just romance. Gilles' love for his family and country was beautiful, and watching him wrestle with his growing feelings for Caroline and his duty to his country made for the perfect story.
I'm so excited to read anything else by Arlem Hawks. If you're a fan of historical romance or historical fiction, or you want a quick read with swoony love confessions, this is the book for you!
❤️ 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵: kisses 💋
⚠️ 𝘊𝘞𝘴/𝘛𝘞𝘴: violence, death of a family member
nextfavoritebook's review
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I didn’t know that my soul needed a historical fiction centered around the French Revolution with a sweet, forbidden romance between a revolutionary and a monarchist. But here we are. The story is the perfect balance of historic backdrop and an intimate look into the lives of two characters toeing the line of the revolution. Gilles is the exact type of male MC that captures my heart- that is hard for me to find! Sweet, flawed, 🥹. The audio was so well done and kept me company during drives. The ebook kept me awake during night feeds. The author gave me a story to look forward to returning to, and I cannot recommend it enough!
talesuponmyshelf_'s review
5.0
4.5 stars. This story was so emotionally charged and thought provoking. It was a bit slow in the beginning and I had a hard time with the French but it picked up quick and I found a pronunciation guide in back. I loved the history that I learned about the French Revolution. I felt the tension of the conflict and unrest going on. The main characters are on two different sides but slowly come together with the same ideals. I loved seeing the growth of the characters not just in the romance but in their personal thoughts and feelings. There was wit, anger, compassion, tension, and growing love. It was very well written and overall a fantastic historical romance.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
kaylasbookishlife's review
5.0
This is a wonderful historical fiction taking place in Marseille during the French Revolution. It has an enemies-to-lovers trope starting out MCs Gilles and Marie-Caroline. Their banter was so funny and allowed for a nice break between the drama unfolding around them.
This was such a great book to read. I’ve been in a historical fiction slump for a few months now and this was just the sort of fast paced book to draw me out of it!
This was such a great book to read. I’ve been in a historical fiction slump for a few months now and this was just the sort of fast paced book to draw me out of it!
thecleanreadbookclub's review
5.0
It's rare, that this early in the year I label a read as a ‘book of the year’, but I am confident that I will for sure be seeing this book in my top 15 when all is said and done. I was completely blown away with this storyline. I am a big fan of political intrigue in my books. This story of the French Revolution is eye-opening, jaw-dropping and honestly, very relatable in any politically charged government. I loved how thought provoking the characters were regardless of which category they fell under. You have your loyalists, extremists, revolutionaries, royalists and it was so intriguing to realize how easy it is to forget your goal and become someone else when trying to achieve what you or your political party think is best. This is a book that will stay with me for a long, long time. I can’t recommend this book enough!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
herliterarytravels's review
5.0
Every once in a while a book comes along that goes beyond the 5 star review. It moves you, it makes you think, it breaks your heart, and stitches it back together. It teaches you, while bringing you on a sometimes hard, but worthwhile journey that you need to know about. This book opens your eyes to a chapter in history that is hard to see, but through that is interwoven a story of hope, of realizing the need to see humanity, to appreciate others perspectives even when they are different from your own. That even when all seems lost, love can still be found.
Everyone today should read this book. It will forever be burned in my soul as an unforgettable tale. Arlem has masterfully woven us a story that is rich with history but never boring. The topic is heavy, but she doesn’t overwhelm you with that. It has balance and lightness too. She has created characters that show so many sides of the French Revolution. The beauty of her words stayed with me and I found myself highlighting so much that I wanted to remember.
I loved watching the growth of both Gilles and Marie-Caroline. They start out a bit immature, but inevitably bring out the best in each other. Through falling in love they learn to grow and each become a better version of themselves. They challenge each other, and find solace in a chaotic world in their friendship. When you fall in love, that person should push you to be the best version of yourself, I love a story that really showcases that.
Everyone today should read this book. It will forever be burned in my soul as an unforgettable tale. Arlem has masterfully woven us a story that is rich with history but never boring. The topic is heavy, but she doesn’t overwhelm you with that. It has balance and lightness too. She has created characters that show so many sides of the French Revolution. The beauty of her words stayed with me and I found myself highlighting so much that I wanted to remember.
I loved watching the growth of both Gilles and Marie-Caroline. They start out a bit immature, but inevitably bring out the best in each other. Through falling in love they learn to grow and each become a better version of themselves. They challenge each other, and find solace in a chaotic world in their friendship. When you fall in love, that person should push you to be the best version of yourself, I love a story that really showcases that.