Wild Lavender

By: Belinda Alexandra

Narrated by: Kate Hood

Length: 20 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Simone Fleurier is wrenched from her home on a Provencal lavender farm at the age of 14 after the accidental death of her father. Forced to become a maid at the boarding house of her Aunt Augustine in Marseilles, Simone's life is hard and impoverished. But one of her aunt's boarders, the beautiful Camille Casal, a star at the local music hall, gives Simone a dream: that one day she too will be a famous singer and dancer. Years later, the famous Simone Fleurier, toast of Paris, watches Nazi troops occupy the city. Suddenly, her world is turned upside down, and Simone must make new and dangerous choices.

©2005 Belinda Alexandra (P)2005 Bolinda Publishing Pty. Ltd.

Reader is hard to get used to

I don't know if I can finish this book. I have made several attempts, but the readers breathy performance drives me nuts. It sometimes takes a little while to get used to a reader, then you get into the story and forget all about the reader. Not this one. I am about nine hours into it. The story is interesting, but moves way too slow. I found that to be the case with Sapphire Skies also, but Caroline Lee carried it and kept you going.

Long narrative

I do enjoy a long narrative. Easy book to follow and descriptive. The narrator did a great job. The hardships of WWII in France are brought to life in a believable way.

fabulous story

Where does Wild Lavender rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

first

Any additional comments?

What a wonderful story! This is my fourth Belinda Alexandra novel and I loved it every bit as much as her previous ones. Maybe even more! The story is expertly researched, set in the period prior to WW2 and during the war in France and unfolds as a remarkable story about a young woman, Simone Fleurier. It portrays her determination and courage in the face of a range of difficulties and challenges, mixed with a delightful twist, sensitive romance and French culture. Kate Hood narrates it very well. I can’t wait for Alexandra’s latest novel Golden Earrings to come out on audio.

A must read

First time I have listened to this author and was not left disappointed. Loved every minute could not put it down. So glad I have discovered you Belinda . the narration was par execellance...... I will definitely be listening to more of your stories.Thank you for hours of enjoyment and pleasure and unforgettable characters.

Beautiful Story

This story covers a long time frame, and takes an unexpected twist when it lasts all the way through WW II. It's a beautiful story, especially if you like romance.

Wonderful!

What a great story. I enjoyed it and it held my interest through it's entirety. I'm anxious to experience more of Belinda Alexander's books. Just shows that when good and evil spar, good wins out most of the time.

Outstanding

Highly recommend this well written and researched work of historic fiction. Superb narration added to its engaging narrative.

Don't judge this author by this book

I have listened to all of Belinda Alexandra's books that are available on Audible. I am impressed with how much her writing improves from one book to the next. That said, this book is her earliest published book available, and it is rather weak. It doesn't have the character or plot development or complexity of her latest books. While this one is not her finest, I will be looking forward to more Belinda Alexandra books. If you haven't already, I would suggest listening to "Golden Earrings" instead.

Heroic Women

Ms Alexandra's women are strong, independent and determined. Not only Simone, the lead character, but also many of the supporting female characters are smart and resourceful women. The story covers interesting history on a personal level. It tells the history of the role of women, of show business, of Paris, and The French resistance during WWII; broad scope with lots of interesting detail. While there is romance, this is much more an historical novel than an historical romance.

Beautiful and enriching!

First of all, I would like to say that the actress who read this story is incredible! Her different accents were astounding and added so much flavor and character to this book. The storyline and character development in this book filled me with so much emotion. This is the best book I've read in a while.