Random Review: Lavender by Xavier Axelson #Review #Goodreads

Author: Xavier Axelson
Book: Lavender
Publisher: JMS Books
Publication date: July 15, 2017
Length: 85 pages


Reviewed by Michael


Synopsis

Following the sudden death of his father, Lawrence "Law" Crow must not only comfort his bereaved mother, but also find the strength to continue running the family business, a local and beloved lavender farm in the mountains of northern California. At first, consumed with his own grief and struggling to find meaning in life, Law indulges in his vices, mainly by surrendering to his sexual urges with numerous men, all in a desperate battle to forget his pain and to end the emotional turmoil tearing him apart.

But when a stunningly handsome and passionate Spanish soccer player named Garbi suddenly crosses his path, Law discovers light in the possibility of love. Does Garbi have the ability to heal Law's shattered heart, provide him with purpose, and help him fully embrace the joy of living once again amidst the beautiful and fragrant lavender fields?

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Review

Grief can make people do things they wouldn’t normally do.  Some people lose themselves in drugs and alcohol, some to deep depression, and some to sex.  The latter is the case for Lawrence after the death of his father.

Lawrence and his parents own and operate a lavender farm, and have done so for years.  Lawrence’s father dies suddenly from a heart attack, throwing the surviving members of his family into chaos.  His father's wishes were to be cremated and his ashes spread, but Lawrence and his mother can’t bring themselves to do it.  Lawrence carries a sense of guilt because of this, which just intensifies his anger over his father’s sudden death.  When his mother leaves, he spirals deeper into despair.

Anger and guilt can be a toxic combination, driving even the strongest individuals into a deep state of dispair.  Lawrence’s only real outlet are his sexual conquests.  And I mean conquests almost literally.  He is emotionally unattached from the men he sleeps with, seeing them more as a temporary fix rather than actual people.  A band-aid, if you will, used to heal a broken bone.

It’s not until he meets Garbi that his stance begins to soften.  They meet quite by accident in the most random of ways.  Something I hadn’t seen in a book before.  In fact, there was quite a bit in this book that I hadn’t seen.  Some of it refreshing, some of it not so much.

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