Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Grace & Lavender by Heather Norman Smith, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Grace & Lavender
Author: Heather Norman Smith
Publisher: Ambassador International
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: March 1, 2019
Recently retired Colleen Hill is always busy, constantly on a quest to make life more interesting.
When the ladies’ group at her church partners with the local children’s home, Colleen jumps in as usual, volunteering to share her passion for cooking with a troubled teenager named Grace. But Colleen must balance the new project with her pursuit of becoming a contestant on a television game show, along with all the other ideas her brain continually spins out.
Colleen’s daughter Melody is quite different. She lives a calm, simple life and is content with who she is. That is, until an unexpected opportunity to work with Grace, too, pushes her to reevaluate life and dare to take on bigger dreams. The path starts with a newly-found interest in soap-making and leads her to responsibilities she didn’t even know she wanted, including helping Grace understand the meaning of her name.
Grace & Lavender is a book for all audiences—a heart-warming story that reminds us to seek God’s purpose for our lives.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | CBD | Book Depository
MY THOUGHTS
Grace & Lavender is a lovely, heartwarming story about the impact of loving and caring relationships on a young teen with a crusty exterior. The narrative moves a little slowly in the beginning as a solid foundation is laid, then picks up speed as three generations of women capture the heart.
Colleen is a grandmother, strong in her faith, but with what I think of as a mental restlessness… “For a long time, she had harbored a constant, overwhelming sense that there was something she wanted or needed to do that she hadn’t yet discovered.” I got tickled at her obsession over names in particular – for instance, the naming of her granddaughter “Prairie.” Then there’s Colleen’s daughter, Melody, seemingly a complete opposite of Colleen because of her ability to be content. However, that drive for contentment just might have been an overreaction to her mother’s drive for purpose and meaning.
Grace
found Colleen’s exuberance about life annoying,
like a fly that keeps landing
on your picnic plate.
Grace & Lavender is a romance, but not the kind you would typically expect. Rather, it is an expression of God’s love and grace, reflected through a caring family relationship. The gospel message is beautifully expressed. I’ve read a few other books published by Ambassador International recently, and if you enjoy a story with a genuine Christian theme, this is an excellent publisher.
Recommended.
I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heather Norman Smith aims to entertain and encourage, while illuminating the redemptive love of God through her writing. Along with Christian Fiction, she writes devotions and children’s books. She also enjoys writing songs and singing about Jesus.
Heather is proud to be a life-long North Carolinian and hopes to present the beauty of the Tar Heel State in her writing. Her home is just outside Winston-Salem, NC, where she lives with one husband, two daughters, one son, two cats, and two dogs. Heather loves words and does not enjoy math, except when it comes to counting blessings.
CONNECT WITH HEATHER : website | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will win a print copy of Grace & Lavender (US only)
(4) winners will receive an ebook copy of Grace & Lavender (open internationally)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight March 4, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm March 11, 2019. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
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