Samyann
Time is the 1920s through the end of WWII. The story is one of a naive girl swept to stardom during the rise of Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich in Germany. Sleazy bars where drugs and trans entertainers are lauded to elegant entertainment stages through France, Germany, New York, with little name dropping cameos by Marlene Deitrich, F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Gershwin brothers, Ziegfeld, Ruby Keeler, Al Jolson, Durante, etc.
Wild Lavender is essentially a love story between a cabaret-style entertainer and a priest – the two being raised together from childhood and he sheltering her from the Nazis when they are adults. She’s been mad about him since they were kids, but he has felt obligated to the church. The plot is a familiar one – priest and damsel in distress – some parts made me think of The Thornbirds, but Wild Lavender isn’t nearly as good.
No explicit language or sex scenes. If you’re interested in WWII, you might find it interesting – but it’s not a the typical ‘war’ book – think more along the lines of the musical Cabaret.
Audiobook narrated by Kate Hood – no issues with narration, about 20 hours in listening, released by Bolinda Publishing to Audible in 2005.
