Lavender & Mistletoe: A Sweet and Sexy Holiday Romance

I loved this novella of Avery and Ben. They are two brainiacs that discover peace and harmony together around the holiday season. It was so great to see two people who were outsiders all their lives because of their unusual mental abilities come together and find a kindred spirit (and off the scale sexual attraction) to each other. It was hilarious that Avery was intent on Ben being perfect for her friend even as she was having a high level attraction to him. So...maybe she wasn't always super smart. Ben, however, knew what he wanted right from the start and that is so sexy in a man. There is something about Kauffman's writing that makes you feel at home--like the setting is just around the corner and the characters are just waiting to become your best friends. Blue Hollow Falls is the perfect setting. I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I LOVED Avery and Ben’s story in Lavender and Mistletoe by Donna Kauffman, book 3.5 in her Blue Hollow Falls series and I really struggled to put it down; visualizing the beauty of this place through its descriptive words. This is a story of two incredibly intelligent people who help each other understand how to use their gifts. It’s winter, everything is running as should be at the farm, and Avery Kent needs a research project to keep her brain busy. She started researching love, in order to prove that romance is a science. Then she meets the new veterinarian, Ben; a child genius, like Avery. At first, Avery thinks she should fix him up with her friend Chey, until she meets him. Not only are they two peas in a pod, the chemistry they have is sizzling and off the charts. Avery never expected to find love, at least until Ben touches her, kisses her, and loves her. Now if only Ben could get Avery to open her heart and accept his love. I love these two together. They may be very much alike but there are enough differences to make them two halves of a whole; or is that heart. Ms. Kauffman, a talented story teller, wrote a joyful, funny, tender sweet, emotional and heartwarming tale that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sexual chemistry, amusing banter, and amazing characters giving Avery and Ben a chance for happiness, love and a future together. I highly recommend Lavender and Mistletoe to other readers and look forward to the next book in this outstanding series. I won a copy of this book from the publisher.

This was a really lovely addition to the Blue Hollow Falls series. I've read all the books so far and loved them all. Avery is one of four ladies who own and run a lavender farm business in the beautiful sounding Blue Hollow Falls area, they are friends who met and came together through personal tragedies and are each working their way through it to a better life. Avery is a genius, a child prodigy with a 'big brain'. and responsible for developing their lavender products. Her mind works at a rapid pace and she is always looking for new challenges. Then along comes Ben, their new locum vet, who is also a former child prodigy and a 'brain'. Avery initially feels a new project is needed to figure out male/female attraction, and feels that another of her friends/business partners, Cheyenne, is the one to match with Ben. But she gets very confused when Chey doesn't feel like that for Ben and Avery's feelings come into play and she is attracted to Ben herself, and he is definitely attracted to her! A really lovely story, even though it was a short story and I would have loved a full book! I really love this series and can't wait for Chey's story next in 'Under A Firefly Moon' - there's a teaser at the end which I shouldn't have read as now I can't wait for the next book!