Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Beyond the Lavender Fields

Author: Arlem Hawks

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4.5/5

Recommended For...: historical fiction, French Revolution, romance

Publication Date: February 1, 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction Romance

Recommended Age: 17+ (romance, sexual content, violence, gore, death, language)

Explanation of CWs: There is romance and some slight sexual content in this book. There was some violence, death, and gore in this book. There is also some slight cursing in this book.

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Pages: 368

Synopsis: 1792, France

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 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 a 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.

Review: I really liked this book for the most part. I thought it was a very well done and well researched story about the French Revolution. The book was well written. The book had well described characters and world building. The pacing was also on point. I really liked how realistic this book felt and I’ve become a fan of this author’s work now.

The only issue I really had with this book is that I felt like the plot got a bit away from the author in the middle of the book, but for the most part I enjoyed reading this one.

Verdict: It was well done! Highly recommend.