Book Review: Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen
Thank you Forge Books for my finished copy.
My thoughts:
When I first started this book I didn’t think I would be able to finish as it had a slow start. So I took a break and restarted it a few weeks later and I ended up really enjoying this story. I did call the killer, but the motive caught me by surprise. I loved the theme of found family and how they looked out and protected each other in this story.
What can I say about Andy? His character really grew on me and I loved his character growth throughout the story. He did a lot of self reflection which isn’t always easy, but I’m glad he did. Since I did end up enjoying the story, Dennis will hold this over my head for the rest of my life. Pray for me y’all.
Triggers: Homophobia, Police Brutality.
About the Book:
Lavender House, 1952: the family seat of recently deceased matriarch Irene Lamontaine, head of the famous Lamontaine soap empire. Irene’s recipes for her signature scents are a well guarded secret―but it’s not the only one behind these gates. This estate offers a unique freedom, where none of the residents or staff hide who they are. But to keep their secret, they’ve needed to keep others out. And now they’re worried they’re keeping a murderer in. Irene’s widow hires Evander Mills to uncover the truth behind her mysterious death. Andy, recently fired from the San Francisco police after being caught in a raid on a gay bar, is happy to accept―his calendar is wide open. And his secret is the kind of secret the Lamontaines understand. Andy had never imagined a world like Lavender House. He’s seduced by the safety and freedom found behind its gates, where a queer family lives honestly and openly. But that honesty doesn’t extend to everything, and he quickly finds himself a pawn in a family game of old money, subterfuge, and jealousy―and Irene’s death is only the beginning. When your existence is a crime, everything you do is criminal, and the gates of Lavender House can’t lock out the real world forever. Running a soap empire can be a dirty business.