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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 7 in the Lavender Shores series, and I would recommend you read the other books before this one. Not totally necessary, but you should, not least because I said so!
Jasper is happy in Lavender Shores, working his bookshop, Lavender Pages. That is, until someone he thought long gone turns up. So Harrison, Jasper's older brother, hires a bodyguard for Jasper while he is out of town. But Jasper and Russell have met before, 7 years ago. While neither immediately remembers their encounter, its clear the attraction is felt from both sides. When Jasper's ex gets nasty, can Russell keep his head to save Jasper??
In another review for this series, I said I was enjoying these books because there were no nutty exes or no violence to deal with but I LOVED this because there is both of these in this book! Go Figure!
I really am struggling to word what I need to say about this book, I loved it that much! So bare with me, okay?? I might waffle!
Jasper is happy. He doesn't want a relationship but he can get as much or as little male companionship as he wants. That is, til Russell walks through his door and then all bets are off. I loved that neither Jasper or Russell believed they deserved to be truly happy, but they each thought the other did.
Russell's reason for being in that bathhouse 7 years ago comes out all in one go, and your heart breaks for him, it really does. I'm not gonna go into details, cos spoilers and all but know this, it really is painful reading.
I'm not usually one for professions of love early on. While the words are bandied about in each guy's head early, they aren't SAID early. They were said at the right and proper time, I thought.
Loved that Jasper managed to dig deep inside himself to bring things to a head with the nutty ex. I won't say how.
Harrison obviously plays a part here, and there are some pop ups along the way of other couples who have had their stories.
But now I'm left wanting another story. One which has already gone. Pete, from the coffee shop, already had his happy ever after, but his husband has passed away. And now I want THEIR story!
Abel keeps doing that to me, making me want stories, stories and MORE stories!! A sign of an accomplished author, that, making me want more, more MORE!!
Who is next?? No idea, and I really don't care so long as I can get my grubby little mitts on it!
310 pages; one sitting; wanting more, means I can't give it anything other than...
5 full stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 7 in the Lavender Shores series, and I would recommend you read the other books before this one. Not totally necessary, but you should, not least because I said so!
Jasper is happy in Lavender Shores, working his bookshop, Lavender Pages. That is, until someone he thought long gone turns up. So Harrison, Jasper's older brother, hires a bodyguard for Jasper while he is out of town. But Jasper and Russell have met before, 7 years ago. While neither immediately remembers their encounter, its clear the attraction is felt from both sides. When Jasper's ex gets nasty, can Russell keep his head to save Jasper??
In another review for this series, I said I was enjoying these books because there were no nutty exes or no violence to deal with but I LOVED this because there is both of these in this book! Go Figure!
I really am struggling to word what I need to say about this book, I loved it that much! So bare with me, okay?? I might waffle!
Jasper is happy. He doesn't want a relationship but he can get as much or as little male companionship as he wants. That is, til Russell walks through his door and then all bets are off. I loved that neither Jasper or Russell believed they deserved to be truly happy, but they each thought the other did.
Russell's reason for being in that bathhouse 7 years ago comes out all in one go, and your heart breaks for him, it really does. I'm not gonna go into details, cos spoilers and all but know this, it really is painful reading.
I'm not usually one for professions of love early on. While the words are bandied about in each guy's head early, they aren't SAID early. They were said at the right and proper time, I thought.
Loved that Jasper managed to dig deep inside himself to bring things to a head with the nutty ex. I won't say how.
Harrison obviously plays a part here, and there are some pop ups along the way of other couples who have had their stories.
But now I'm left wanting another story. One which has already gone. Pete, from the coffee shop, already had his happy ever after, but his husband has passed away. And now I want THEIR story!
Abel keeps doing that to me, making me want stories, stories and MORE stories!! A sign of an accomplished author, that, making me want more, more MORE!!
Who is next?? No idea, and I really don't care so long as I can get my grubby little mitts on it!
310 pages; one sitting; wanting more, means I can't give it anything other than...
5 full stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
It's a good book but for some reason I just wasn't into it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Book – The Alcove
Series – Lavender Shores #7
Author – Rosalind Abel
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 303
Cover – Beautiful!
POV – 1st person, dual POV
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – LGBT, Romance, Contemporary, May/December
Content Warning – stalking, domestic abuse, violence, history of child abuse, scenes of therapy discussing child abuse and homophobic families
I fell in love before the end of Prologue: Part One, and I stayed in love long after 'The End'.
I've fallen in love with every Lavender Shores book as the series has progressed, but this one is just...too much for words. Decadent. Stunning. Heart-wrenching. Bottom-lip-biting worthy. Awkward, cute, romantic. Full of sizzling chemistry. All of that and more.
I've been left so speechless by this one that I barely know where to start.
Jasper has been one of my favourite side characters for a long time now, but seeing him get his own story proved that he is so much more than I ever thought he was, in all the right ways. He's hot. He's a geek. He's a reader. He's ginger. What more could I want? Then comes along Russell, the hot, bodybuilder type bodyguard with a cop-history, and HELLO! Perfect couple.
I was, honestly, amazed to see how brave and strong Jasper was. He's suffered five years with the horror that was Neal – a drug dealer, a domestic abuser, and a manipulator – and he somehow managed to not only save himself, to walk away and start a new life, but he was genuinely happy. He got his book store, he got his alcove, and he had his brother. That was all he wanted. Seeing him with Russell, both in the past within the Prologue, and in the present, was so utterly beautiful. The romance between them was soft, charming, and tentative. It didn't have that rushing, lusty heat that some of the others had; the intense physical urge; the “take me now” and “use me” passion and demand. This one was tender, unsure, loaded with unresolved chemistry and always just on the cusp of dropping headlong into the abyss of unbridled passion. I loved every second.
Again, the minor characters did their part to make this feel like an amazingly beautiful community, to offer support and love at all the right times, and to be there for one another through good and bad. I swear, I almost swooned when I first read about Xander, thinking about how perfect he would be for Moses. We definitely need a little young-love romance in there, right? And Pete? Oh. My. God. Pete nearly killed me. He had me in tears when he was signing Lavender Loves. The book club is something that was always talked about but never really shown on page in all its glory and BY. GOD! Maybe it shouldn't have been. Robert took my breath away. Jasper drunk was so stinkin' adorable! And Russell's terror was hilarious.
Neal was a terrifying villain for the simple fact that he was real. That he portrays thousands of real, evil people who are in the world today, terrorizing someone they claim to love. Just as the parents of Xander and Alex, the kids at the youth centre, are scarily all too real, too. Their experiences, the stalking, the abuse, the taunts and the shame that they've been made to endue are one of the most well written but frightening parts about the book (and the series) because it's REAL! They happen every day, in countries all around the world. Yet, the way Rosalind Abel deals with their part in the storyline is real too. Not everything has a shiny, happy ending. Not even villain is put in prison and stays there, like they're supposed to. Not every bad guy is considered evil to cops and blamed for their actions. Sometimes, the cops relate to the bad guys. Sometimes, there's not enough evidence. And it's that realness that thrusts a fist through your chest and grips your heart so tight. It makes the joys so much higher, the pain hurt so much more, and the ache stay with you that much longer.
Because I can't say too much about the plot, without giving it away, I'm going to limit myself to pinpointing some of the best, most beautiful moments, with a quote. I can't explain what they did to me, why they matter, or what they mean, but just know that they were THE moments of unquestionable brilliance:
“I'd like it if you stayed.”
“I collapsed to my knees, joining them.”
“I want you to be part of the pages.”
“I'm glad this can be an uncomfortable experience for both of us.”
Utterly, truly, perfect. It took my breath away.
~
The months cannot go fast enough. I want my greedy little hands on The Wilderness RIGHT. NOW! And, I want it to be either Andre or Seth, because I would kill to see Kimberly Epstein's face!
~
Favourite Quotes
“So that was what love was. Loving someone so much that you simultaneously wanted to smother them with a pillow, because they were pissing you off so badly and yet needing to wrap them in your arms and hold them just so you could breathe.”
““I don't want to hurt you. I love you.”
I only stared at him. In numb horror. This was the man I'd given my life to for five years. [...] This was going to be the man who killed me.”
(I had to remove half of this quote, because it would have given away a spoiler, or possible spoiler.)
Series – Lavender Shores #7
Author – Rosalind Abel
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 303
Cover – Beautiful!
POV – 1st person, dual POV
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – LGBT, Romance, Contemporary, May/December
Content Warning – stalking, domestic abuse, violence, history of child abuse, scenes of therapy discussing child abuse and homophobic families
I fell in love before the end of Prologue: Part One, and I stayed in love long after 'The End'.
I've fallen in love with every Lavender Shores book as the series has progressed, but this one is just...too much for words. Decadent. Stunning. Heart-wrenching. Bottom-lip-biting worthy. Awkward, cute, romantic. Full of sizzling chemistry. All of that and more.
I've been left so speechless by this one that I barely know where to start.
Jasper has been one of my favourite side characters for a long time now, but seeing him get his own story proved that he is so much more than I ever thought he was, in all the right ways. He's hot. He's a geek. He's a reader. He's ginger. What more could I want? Then comes along Russell, the hot, bodybuilder type bodyguard with a cop-history, and HELLO! Perfect couple.
I was, honestly, amazed to see how brave and strong Jasper was. He's suffered five years with the horror that was Neal – a drug dealer, a domestic abuser, and a manipulator – and he somehow managed to not only save himself, to walk away and start a new life, but he was genuinely happy. He got his book store, he got his alcove, and he had his brother. That was all he wanted. Seeing him with Russell, both in the past within the Prologue, and in the present, was so utterly beautiful. The romance between them was soft, charming, and tentative. It didn't have that rushing, lusty heat that some of the others had; the intense physical urge; the “take me now” and “use me” passion and demand. This one was tender, unsure, loaded with unresolved chemistry and always just on the cusp of dropping headlong into the abyss of unbridled passion. I loved every second.
Again, the minor characters did their part to make this feel like an amazingly beautiful community, to offer support and love at all the right times, and to be there for one another through good and bad. I swear, I almost swooned when I first read about Xander, thinking about how perfect he would be for Moses. We definitely need a little young-love romance in there, right? And Pete? Oh. My. God. Pete nearly killed me. He had me in tears when he was signing Lavender Loves. The book club is something that was always talked about but never really shown on page in all its glory and BY. GOD! Maybe it shouldn't have been. Robert took my breath away. Jasper drunk was so stinkin' adorable! And Russell's terror was hilarious.
Neal was a terrifying villain for the simple fact that he was real. That he portrays thousands of real, evil people who are in the world today, terrorizing someone they claim to love. Just as the parents of Xander and Alex, the kids at the youth centre, are scarily all too real, too. Their experiences, the stalking, the abuse, the taunts and the shame that they've been made to endue are one of the most well written but frightening parts about the book (and the series) because it's REAL! They happen every day, in countries all around the world. Yet, the way Rosalind Abel deals with their part in the storyline is real too. Not everything has a shiny, happy ending. Not even villain is put in prison and stays there, like they're supposed to. Not every bad guy is considered evil to cops and blamed for their actions. Sometimes, the cops relate to the bad guys. Sometimes, there's not enough evidence. And it's that realness that thrusts a fist through your chest and grips your heart so tight. It makes the joys so much higher, the pain hurt so much more, and the ache stay with you that much longer.
Because I can't say too much about the plot, without giving it away, I'm going to limit myself to pinpointing some of the best, most beautiful moments, with a quote. I can't explain what they did to me, why they matter, or what they mean, but just know that they were THE moments of unquestionable brilliance:
“I'd like it if you stayed.”
“I collapsed to my knees, joining them.”
“I want you to be part of the pages.”
“I'm glad this can be an uncomfortable experience for both of us.”
Utterly, truly, perfect. It took my breath away.
~
The months cannot go fast enough. I want my greedy little hands on The Wilderness RIGHT. NOW! And, I want it to be either Andre or Seth, because I would kill to see Kimberly Epstein's face!
~
Favourite Quotes
“So that was what love was. Loving someone so much that you simultaneously wanted to smother them with a pillow, because they were pissing you off so badly and yet needing to wrap them in your arms and hold them just so you could breathe.”
““I don't want to hurt you. I love you.”
I only stared at him. In numb horror. This was the man I'd given my life to for five years. [...] This was going to be the man who killed me.”
(I had to remove half of this quote, because it would have given away a spoiler, or possible spoiler.)
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Great narration by Kirt Graves, as always!
I enjoyed this seventh installment in this series. It was different than the other novels have been - still keeping the charm and almost storybook feel of Lavender Shores in it, but also a lot darker compared to the other books in this series.
With Jasper's ex getting out of jail and starting to stalk Jasper, Harrison insists on hiring a bodyguard for Jasper - especially while he and Adrian are away for their one year anniversary in San Fran - and Jasper agrees.
Of course his bodyguard is Russell Wallace, who Jasper had sex with in a bathhouse seven years prior to present day in this book in Nashville before Jasper moved out to Lavender Shores.
Russell has a lot of things to start to unlearn in this, as he got used to Lavender Shores. Even though he was out for seven years in Nashville, he was probably still surrounded by a lot of homophobes and such, so Lavender Shores, being such a safe haven, is a whole new experience for him.
He frustrated me at the same time I completely understood him. Like, with what he grew up with, the rampant homophobia in his long line of men in his family who were cops (including himself), what he had to hear all the damn time for 4o years straight...it made sense. Doesn't take away the cringe factor of Russel still wondering if "gay relationships" were somehow different than straight couples, or calling Robert straight just because he's married to a woman and being flabbergasted that he would be with a woman because of how he presents himself. Things like that.
By this book it's 2023 in this universe, and while I doubt homophobes are going anywhere (especially in the south) five years from now, it's still crazy to me that there will be people like that who still marvel at this stuff, even if they're LGBT+ themselves, because of what they've been made to believe their whole life. I mean there were times where Russel still wondered if gay people could have relationships - he says at some point that he didn't or doesn't - can't remember - believe in gay relationships. Not that that doesn't change, but still.
Even with that though, Russel was still an interesting character. And he and Jasper worked well together and had great chemistry. Although less than other couples for me in previous books in this series. Took a bit for me to connect with these two, but it eventually happened.
The ending was interesting - it deviated from the norms of these books, for one. I mean most of this book deviated from the norm with the very real danger of Jasper's ex and what goes down with that and how the epilogue goes. They're still happy as can be, but it doesn't go like months and months in the future. I did appreciate this book more this change of pace, this difference than the other books.
I've found these books to be cozy and warm and fun - while still keeping a good amount of realism at the same time too - and I've loved it, but some harsh realities of the world coming into Lavender Shores is a nice change of pace. (Not that it's fun for there to be a crazy asshole trying to hurt Jasper or anything, just that it made for an interesting story.)
So, not my favorite of this series, but still really enjoyable. On to the next! (and finally catching up with this series, woohoo!)
With Jasper's ex getting out of jail and starting to stalk Jasper, Harrison insists on hiring a bodyguard for Jasper - especially while he and Adrian are away for their one year anniversary in San Fran - and Jasper agrees.
Of course his bodyguard is Russell Wallace, who Jasper had sex with in a bathhouse seven years prior to present day in this book in Nashville before Jasper moved out to Lavender Shores.
Russell has a lot of things to start to unlearn in this, as he got used to Lavender Shores. Even though he was out for seven years in Nashville, he was probably still surrounded by a lot of homophobes and such, so Lavender Shores, being such a safe haven, is a whole new experience for him.
He frustrated me at the same time I completely understood him. Like, with what he grew up with, the rampant homophobia in his long line of men in his family who were cops (including himself), what he had to hear all the damn time for 4o years straight...it made sense. Doesn't take away the cringe factor of Russel still wondering if "gay relationships" were somehow different than straight couples, or calling Robert straight just because he's married to a woman and being flabbergasted that he would be with a woman because of how he presents himself. Things like that.
By this book it's 2023 in this universe, and while I doubt homophobes are going anywhere (especially in the south) five years from now, it's still crazy to me that there will be people like that who still marvel at this stuff, even if they're LGBT+ themselves, because of what they've been made to believe their whole life. I mean there were times where Russel still wondered if gay people could have relationships - he says at some point that he didn't or doesn't - can't remember - believe in gay relationships. Not that that doesn't change, but still.
Even with that though, Russel was still an interesting character. And he and Jasper worked well together and had great chemistry. Although less than other couples for me in previous books in this series. Took a bit for me to connect with these two, but it eventually happened.
The ending was interesting - it deviated from the norms of these books, for one. I mean most of this book deviated from the norm with the very real danger of Jasper's ex and what goes down with that and how the epilogue goes. They're still happy as can be, but it doesn't go like months and months in the future. I did appreciate this book more this change of pace, this difference than the other books.
I've found these books to be cozy and warm and fun - while still keeping a good amount of realism at the same time too - and I've loved it, but some harsh realities of the world coming into Lavender Shores is a nice change of pace. (Not that it's fun for there to be a crazy asshole trying to hurt Jasper or anything, just that it made for an interesting story.)
So, not my favorite of this series, but still really enjoyable. On to the next! (and finally catching up with this series, woohoo!)
This love in a bookshop romance hits the spot
This was a cracking return to form for the Lavender Shores series as bookworm Jasper gets his Whitney Houston 'The Bodyguard' moment when he falls for Russell.
With any book which relies on a stalker plot, you need to balance the line between amping up the tension and making the threat too much. I think Rosalind Abel hit the right note here without making Russell or Jasper commit a stupid mistake to allow the stalker access.
Clever timing and a note that the bad guy paid attention (although the police would change up their patrols to avoid just this situation in my experience) meant that I didn't feel like with MC had behaved like an idiot to set up the big finale.
This book also features two of my other favourite tropes - a May to December romance and a first time gay sexual encounter and has two incredibly likable characters in Jasper and Russell.
This was a cracking return to form for the Lavender Shores series as bookworm Jasper gets his Whitney Houston 'The Bodyguard' moment when he falls for Russell.
With any book which relies on a stalker plot, you need to balance the line between amping up the tension and making the threat too much. I think Rosalind Abel hit the right note here without making Russell or Jasper commit a stupid mistake to allow the stalker access.
Clever timing and a note that the bad guy paid attention (although the police would change up their patrols to avoid just this situation in my experience) meant that I didn't feel like with MC had behaved like an idiot to set up the big finale.
This book also features two of my other favourite tropes - a May to December romance and a first time gay sexual encounter and has two incredibly likable characters in Jasper and Russell.
I enjoyed getting to know the people of Lavender Shores. I'd like to live there or at least vacation there.
What great scenes at the romance readers convention!
What great scenes at the romance readers convention!