Book Title: Works Like a Lavender Charm
Author: Dann Hazel
Publisher: The Original Press, LLC
Cover Artist: Dann Hazel, Josh Fippen
Release Date: April 13, 2026
Genres: MM Romance Paranormal
Small Town Romance
Destined Love
Investigator Partners
Slow-burn
A sweeping gay romance blending second chances, small-town charm, ancestral secrets, and a love powerful enough to heal generations.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When Austin attorney Charles Towne-Landon learns he has inherited the historic Chadwick House in Tansy Hollow, America’s Gay Mecca, it feels like fate offering him a second chance. Overlooked for partnership and disillusioned with big-city politics, Charles is ready for something more—more purpose, more belonging, maybe even more love.
Then he meets Dr. Guy Archambeau at the Tansy Hollow Opera House.
Their connection is instant. Electric. Unmistakable.
Within weeks, Charles leaves Texas behind to open his own law practice and build a new life in the charming Southern town. With Guy only a short drive away, the future looks brighter than it ever has
.
But Chadwick House has secrets.
A mysterious fruit basket appears inside locked doors.
A Gaelic lullaby drifts down from the attic at 3:33 a.m.
The scent of bergamot and lemon lingers in empty rooms.
And a violent vision from the nineteenth century begins to unravel a tragic chapter in Charles’s own bloodline.
As Charles and Guy dig into the house’s hidden archives, they uncover the story of Angus Chadwick—murdered for loving the wrong man—and the woman who refused to let hatred be the final word.
But someone else is watching.
Someone who believes the Chadwick legacy should have been his.
With danger closing in and a restless spirit guarding the house, Charles must decide what kind of man he wants to be: one who runs from the past—or one who stands his ground and protects the love he’s found.
In Tansy Hollow, history doesn’t just echo.
It demands justice.
Works Like a Lavender Charm is a sweeping gay romance blending second chances, small-town charm, ancestral secrets, and a love powerful enough to heal generations.
Some houses are haunted.
This one protects its own.
Goodreads TBR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249374489-works-like-a-lavender-charm
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥
It is part of the Tansy Hollow Gay Romance Series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone.
It does not end on a cliffhanger.
Buy Links: Amazon | Kobo | B&N | Smashwords | Apple Books
“Malbec, please,” he said with a smile to the volunteer. He paid her the exorbitant price for red wine in a plastic cup and gave her a generous tip, to boot.
Slowly, he moved into the majestic lobby area, cradling his cup of wine like a security blanket. He sipped, then moved toward an interesting piece of artwork hanging along a wall close to one of the double-door entrances to the theatre. He looked at the piece intently, as though studying it, absorbing it so that he’d never forget. And yet looking engaged did nothing to combat his deep feeling of loneliness. A man shouldn’t go to a venue of great social expectations in a strange community where he knows no one. No matter the import of the play, or the playwright, the event was an alienating reminder of how lost he was in his murky life.
How lost he had always been.
Curiously, he felt a strong sense of being scrutinized. He looked to his right and saw only a heterosexual couple pretending to be interested in a portrait when they were really waiting impatiently for the play to continue.
Then, he looked to his left, only to meet the gaze of another man, approximately his own age, also standing before another painting. The man was roughly six feet away from him.
The attractive gentleman smiled and nodded a silent greeting. He edged his way toward Charles.
“My name is Guy Archambeau,” he said, pronouncing his first name as Gwee. “And you, my friend?”
“Charles. Charles Towne-Landon.” He cast a good-natured warning glance at Guy. “Don’t start. I know how affectatious it sounds.”
Guy pursed his lips together. “Not at all, Charles. I like your name. There is a certain—dignity—about it.”
“Are you visiting from France?” Charles blurted out.
“Non,” Guy replied, his eyes glistening playfully. “I’m originally from Quebec, Canada. But I’ve lived in the States since I enrolled in medical school at Washington University School of Medicine. Now I live not far away from Tansy Hollow. In Green Valley.” He shrugged. “But Charles, I’m sure you know of it, no?”
Charles smiled. “Actually, I don’t. I’m from Austin.”
“Ahhh. I see. Texas. Where everything is bigger. But my friend. Are they better? That’s the crucial question.”
“Well, for the sake of honesty, I’m not originally from Texas. I practice law there. Originally, I grew up in Virginia.”
“Still, Austin. You have traveled a long way to see a play, my friend.”
Charles felt an attraction for Guy. Who wouldn’t? He was dark complected. His hair was black and shiny. His eyes mysterious and dark. And was there any sexier an accent than a French one?
“Well, the play is actually a delightful happenstance. I’m in Tansy Hollow on a matter of personal business—which I won’t bore you with.”
Guy edged even closer to Charles. Their elbows touched briefly. “I’m certain you could never bore me.”
Charles’ face reddened with pleased embarrassment—the same face that felt the fresh, minty breath that swept like a zephyr across his face. “So you are a fan of Sartre, too? I adore his work, both the plays he has written and the little bit of philosophy I’ve read. His ideas are more salient when they’re dramatized on stage.”
Guy touched Charles’ right hand with his left. Unclear to Charles was whether the touch was intentional or not. “My French heritage predisposes me to revere the man. He is something of a hero to me. But I suspect that many people of French descent feel the same way.”
Charles nodded. He swallowed hard. The arousal he felt became embarrassing. “It’s easy to grasp why. The man is a genius.”
Then, Guy laid a hand on Charles’ shoulder—a very intentional touch this time—just as the lights blinked the end of intermission. “Do you have plans for dinner tonight?”
Charles chuckled. “I haven’t given it a thought, really. Which is strange, since I’m already feeling very hungry.”
Then, Guy executed a body press, so that their hips touched. The connection lingered. “Let’s meet in front of the theatre after the final curtain,” he said. Charles could have sworn he felt a trail of fingers across the middle of his back. “We can make a plan then. Because I have visited Tansy Hollow several times, I know of a few restaurants, any one of which I’d love to treat you to. We can meet at dinner time and go from there.”
And with that, Guy and Charles returned to their seats, located nowhere near one another.
Works Like a Lavender Charm by Dann Hazel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Charles inherits the Chadwick family home in Tansy Hollow. He meets Guy and immediately sees what his life has been missing. Their connection is as unexplainable as the happenings in the mansion. Though Charles ultimately knows the house wouldn’t hurt him he still deals with uneasiness.
This was an odd story. The language and intonation from the earlier time of the story seemed stilted. And it seemed as though this was how a modern reader might of perceive their speech and mannerisms. But then when the story progressed to Charles and Guy they still used the same patterns.
Their romance was spicy, but there again the language used seemed old fashioned. A bad guy who was forgiven too easily also added to the overall strangeness.
I liked the premise of a haunted house but it didn’t seem quite haunted enough. Things that could of been “hauntier”, just kind of faded away or were given a pat an explanation.
I rated this a 3.5, so whether to round up or down took some thought. I decided on a 4 star with the thought that maybe this author’s style just wasn’t for me.
Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
Dann writes gay romance novels along with other queer-themed works. He especially enjoys writing about men who, while dealing with trauma or other challenges, find themselves falling in love despite themselves. He also feels it’s important to include allies who often provide good advice to their gay friends in a troublesome relationship.
When not writing, Dann enjoys running, reading in many genres, watching high quality movies and television series, and snuggling with his adorable American Eskimo dog, appropriately named Flurry. He loves showtunes (of course), golden oldies, classical music, and disco divas.
Currently, Dann and his husband, Josh, reside in the Roanoke, VA area.
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