The Lavender Keeper by Fiona McIntosh is a wonderful historical fiction story set during World War II, mostly in France. It combines romance, suspense, family tragedy, and the bravery of those who risked their lives fighting against the German occupation. The story follows two main characters, Luc Bonet and Lisette Forestier, whose lives become connected through the war.

Luc grows up in the beautiful countryside of Provence, surrounded by his loving Jewish family and the lavender fields that have been part of their lives for generations. He has a happy childhood and feels a strong connection to his family and the land. Unfortunately, that peaceful life comes to a devastating end when the Nazis occupy France. His family is betrayed, arrested, and taken away, and his beloved grandmother is murdered. Luc manages to escape, but he is left heartbroken and alone. With everything he loves taken away from him, Luc decides he cannot sit back and do nothing. He joins the French Resistance, determined to fight the Germans and help free his country. He becomes involved in dangerous missions, sabotage, and other activities that put his life at risk. Throughout everything, he carries lavender seeds that belonged to his grandmother, a reminder of his family and the life he hopes to have again someday.

The other main character, Lisette Forestier, is a young French woman living in England with her grandparents. After losing her parents at a young age, she has already experienced more hardship than most people. When she is approached by British intelligence, she is offered the opportunity to help fight the Nazis in a very different way. Because she speaks several languages and has a French background, Lisette is recruited by the Special Operations Executive (SOE). After extensive training, she is sent into occupied France on a dangerous undercover assignment. Her job is to get close to a German officer, Colonel Markus Kilian, and gather information that could help the Allies. As Lisette gets closer to Markus, things become more complicated than she expected. He is not quite the person she thought he would be, and she begins to see a different side of him. This creates a difficult situation because she is supposed to be using him to complete her mission, but she also finds herself developing feelings for him.

Meanwhile, Luc and Lisette develop a strong attraction to each other. However, with both of them involved in dangerous undercover work, a relationship is not easy. They have to put their missions first, keep secrets, and constantly worry about being discovered. As the war continues, the danger increases, and betrayal seems to be around every corner. Luc and Lisette must figure out who they can trust while dealing with their own feelings and the risks that come with their work. The story brings together romance, espionage, and the struggles of ordinary people trying to survive one of the darkest periods in history.

I really enjoyed The Lavender Keeper. It has a little bit of everything: romance, suspense, history, betrayal, and plenty of emotional moments. Fiona McIntosh does a wonderful job bringing wartime France to life, and I found myself getting pulled into the story almost immediately. I just loved the setting. The descriptions of Provence and its beautiful lavender fields were wonderful. It is hard not to picture the countryside, the villages, and the peaceful life that existed before the war turned everything upside down. I also thought the lavender itself was a meaningful part of the story. For Luc, it represents his family, his childhood, and everything he has lost. The lavender seeds he carries from his grandmother are a small reminder that even though his world has fallen apart, he still has something to hold on to. I felt especially bad for Luc. He goes through so much loss, and the way his family is torn apart is heartbreaking. I could understand his anger and his need to fight back. Instead of giving up, he finds a reason to keep going by joining the Resistance. I admired his courage and determination, especially knowing how much he has already suffered.

I also enjoyed Lisette. She is brave, smart, and willing to put herself in danger to help her country. Her undercover assignment is interesting because she has to pretend to be someone she isn’t and gain the trust of a German officer. That can’t be easy, especially when one wrong move could get her killed. I liked watching her struggle with the difference between what she is supposed to do and what she begins to feel.

The relationship between Luc and Lisette adds a nice romantic element to the story, although things are certainly not simple for them. They are both dealing with dangerous situations, and their feelings for each other have to take a back seat to the work they are doing. The situation with Markus adds even more complications and makes you wonder how everything is going to turn out.

I thought the author did a good job showing that life during the German occupation wasn’t always black and white. There were people who supported the Nazis, those who fought against them, and others who were simply trying to survive. Markus is an interesting character because he makes you think about the people who found themselves serving a regime they didn’t necessarily agree with. It also shows how difficult it can be to know who to trust when everyone seems to have something to hide.

The parts about the French Resistance were very insightful. I sometimes think we forget how many ordinary people risked their lives during the war. They weren’t all soldiers fighting on the front lines. Some were helping people escape, passing along information, sabotaging German operations, or simply hiding someone who was in danger. The book does a nice job showing just how frightening and dangerous that kind of work must have been.

If I had one small criticism, it would be that I sometimes wanted more of the Resistance and historical side of the story and a little less of the romantic complications. There were also a few places where I would have liked the author to spend more time developing certain events and characters. Still, that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book.

I thought The Lavender Keeper was a very good read. It kept me interested, and I wanted to know what was going to happen to Luc and Lisette. There are heartbreaking moments, plenty of suspense, and enough twists and turns to keep things moving. I especially liked how the author used the lavender as a symbol of family, memories, and hope. It gives the story something special and makes Luc’s journey even more meaningful.

I would definitely recommend The Lavender Keeper to anyone who enjoys World War II historical fiction, especially stories about the French Resistance, spies, romance, and people finding the courage to survive during difficult times. I was happy to discover that this is the first book in the Luc and Lisette series because I would like to see what happens to these characters next.

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, David R. Godine, Publisher, and author Thomas W. Gibson for the advance reader copy of this book. This review will also be posted on NetGalley. This has been my unbiased review of the book.