Customer Reviews

Lavender Morning: A Novel (Edilean)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

I love Jude Deveraux, and I am happy to see her start a new series. I liked this story and the characters very much, but I was somewhat disappointed in the book in several respects. First, I thought it was too similar to several of her other books, particularly "Holly," although Ramsey is not evil the way Lorrie Beaumont was and there are no Montgomerys or Taggerts in this book.

Second, the book ended very quickly, which just left me with a lot of questions. The story revealed at the end was simply not believable, given the characters involved. I kept reading the last few pages over and over thinking I missed something and wondering. Maybe future books in the series will supply more believable information about what actually happened in the past.

Third, I always have a problem with contemporary novels where the principal characters talk/plan love and marriage after only a few kisses.

Having said all the above, I still liked this book and the characters and can't wait to read the next book in the series. It's an easy, enjoyable read without murder and mayhem.

I had some really trouble with this book. First, the ending seemed like she looked at the page count midway thru and said opps I have to end it NOW! Second, the romance seemed contrived and stilted. There is a triangle yet none of them seem to actually be involved in said triangle. And if a man were to propose after one somewhat chaste kiss I am gong to believe he is really just looking for a beard to hide is real tendencies. This is the second book that she has written that the main characters never made love. Is she scared of sex? Don't get me wrong I am not looking for smut, but a romance should have a mention of the physical side of there new love. Jude, please go back and reread some of you earlier work to refresh your self on why we love your books so much. You seem to have forgotten.

Well I must admit Lavender Morning is the last Jude Deveraux book I will buy. I have been a loyal fan since the Velvet series and I eagerly awaited her new titles. Lately I have found her books to be less intriguing than her earlier ones but this was one of the most boring books I have ever read. It had potential with the triangle and the war story but nothing happened. I kept waiting for interesting events, plot twists, sparks between characters, something ... anything to happen. And when I got the ending all I could think was there must be a chapter or two missing - it couldn't possibly end like that. There is no way that this is the same author who wrote all those lovely books like Knight in Shining Armour, Sweet Liar and Mountain Laurel. Well I won't be reading any new Jude Deveraux books again. Very disappointing indeed.

Surprisingly I really liked this book, so much so that I finished it much faster than I anticipated. I agree with most of the reviews so far, but I also have a bit more to add. I'll try not to give away any spoilers, but forgive me if any slip through.

The author's later works have definitely been "phoned in." I'm not a fan of her paranormal books, but I for one am definitely glad that she has created another family series (although I miss the Montgomery and Taggert clans - honestly, this family could almost be their honorary Southern branch). While it's true that there is virtually zero sex or real passion anywhere present in the story (sadly even in the flashbacks), I thought the different love stories were pretty straight forward and on the sweet side. And while I agree with what someone else wrote about the characters saying inappropriate things (horrible sex jokes, marriage taken so lightly), I think this was done (not saying it was executed very well) to lighten the mood, to add some spice to what's basically a PG story, and to stress that all the characters and cousins just want to find love and a happily ever after (the 'younger' and 'elder' generation stories almost parallel the need to 'find' someone).

This story was like a patchwork of the author's previous works. Yes, the storyline resembles Holly quite a bit (Mini Cooper, historical house, hot gardener, lawyer love interest, step family - I read that story twice a year, so I should know). But Deveraux's classic theme of "benefactress" is also clearly represented here (think Sweet Liar, First Impressions, even the recent Secrets).

There were a staggering amount of story lines to follow (the parts about Tess's background or why Joce's mother fell in love with her husband didn't even make sense), and it felt that not only were the characters and reading audience kept out of the cobweb of secrets, but I sometimes wondered if the author lost where she was going with the story. I thought I picked up on some hints in the story about the future of the series, but we'll see if I'm even close to being right (hope I am). These characters aren't the greatest the author has written, but they are no where near being the worst either.

Yes, of course the story ends abruptly. But really, what more could readers expect? The only thing I can compare the ending to is cheap firecrackers that are pretty to look at, but fizzle out really fast. I'm curious if she'll take Joce and Miss Edi's stories further, or if the contemporary Edilean characters return in the next books. I'll read the rest of the series, but I'll stick with my plan of NOT expecting very much and just enjoying each story at face value. And I resolve to NOT go back to double check all of the author's errors - for the record however, she gave 3 different ages for when Miss Edi met Joce as a child.

I haven't read a book by Jude Deveraux since A Knight in Shining Armor so maybe my expectations were a little high. Lavendar Morning was an okay read ~ good flight book ~ but not so good that I can't wait for the next book in the series. Like the other two reviews on here (I refuse to count Harriet K) I thought the ending was incredibly rushed. The book mainly read like a Nora Roberts wanna-be and it didn't really make it. Will I buy the other two books in the trilogy? Probably but not until they're out in paperback, not worth the hard cover price.

First of all, yes I'm a male reading a romance novel. I'm just trying to read outside my comfort zone.

The book follows, some main character with no personality traits other than being picky with men. She travels to a small town in the South only to find the whole place populated with other perfect people, and surprise suprise falls for a rough looking gardener with a past.

The book is mostly devoid of an tension, the only antagoinsts are ridiculous charactitures in the form of the main characters super-models sisters, who have roughtly two scenes in the book.

The author attempts to create curiosity by investigating the past of a recently deceased woman close to the main character, but the revalations revealed fail to shock or amuse.

The dialogue of the novel it overcooked with 'witty banter' which like a friend who tries to joke about everything, occasionally comes up with something hilarious but is mostly annoying.

The book was an easy read at least, almost everything was spelt out for the reader ("'OK Mom...' he said. He was trying to make it sound like he was referring to her as his mother")

I can only recommend this book to die-hard romance fans who are about to take a three hour flight

Let me start out by saying that I love Jude Deveraux. I've read all her books and Loved everyone of them..... But this has got to be the Worst book she's Ever written. The last 20 pages were the best part of the book. The rest of it was just filler and everything was rushed into the last 20 pages..I was very disappointed and glad that I got this one from the Library and didn't waste money on it. I will not stop reading her books I'm hoping this is just a glitch in her writing.

I liked this book. There was an interesting love triangle. The characters were fun and I like the intrigue of the story line until the end. There was a big twist at the end, but the author chose to build up to this twist the entire book and then slam it at the reader in 20 pages. WHERE WAS THE DENOUEMENT! So good book just needed a little more at the end to make it feel done. This is a series though so that may have something to do with it.

I found this book really confusing as to all the characters. It would have been helpful if a generational tree(?) had been included. I never could figure out how each character was related to the other. Also, did I miss something? Why did Eric McDowell owe Edi anything?
I am sorry but I was not interested enough to want to read the next book in the Edilean series. It is the only book written by Jude Deveraux I have been disappointed in. Eudora

First of all, I am a fan Jude Deveraux and have read everything she has wrote. But this book just did not work for me at all. My biggest problem with this book is the lack of romance between the central characters. Where is the sexy dialogue, the inner thoughts about one another--like that of Sweet Liar. From the start, I was not at all invested in these characters getting together. When the hero (Luke) first sees the heroine (Joce) he finds her "Pretty but not strikingly so" and likens her to Alice from Wonderland with her "prissy and prude" looks. Ummm....this is not romantic! I have never read a romance novel like this where I could not care less if the two central characters got together or not. I was just not at all invested in their relationship.

Jude obviously puts a lot of research into her novels. Here she recycles her notes from Holly about old preserved homes. She creates intrigue with a secondary story line about past romance told through old letters. ALL this is worth NOTHING if the primary story is lacking in ROMANCE. There is no spark, no magic, no chemistry between the two leads.


In sum, this is one of the worst she has ever written.