It isn’t the trauma that almost ruins Lavender, it is the shame she swallows when she keeps it a secret that threatens to choke the life out of her.

Lavender Finch never thought of herself as a liar. To her former fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Gordon, she’s the reliable babysitter; to her devoted tribe of extended family, she’s the beloved daughter, niece, and cousin; and to her best friend Jana, the muse for fashion advice and gossip. But when trauma shows up by the name of Travis, she begins keeping secrets and telling lies so that no one finds out what happened to her. What she let happen to her.

As she pushes away all those closest to her, she unexpectedly falls in love with a boy in Cuba she’s never met and a grandmother who doesn’t remember who Lavender is, most of the time. When her lies begin unraveling in a very public way, will trusting people with her truth confirm her fears or make room for the love she always longed for?

A love story for all of us who've struggled to feel known and loved, not only by others but also ourselves, Loving Lavender Finch explores the complexities of self-acceptance and the courage it takes to share the deepest parts of our soul with another.

Kelly Bargabos

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