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This novel tells the story of Luc, the Lavender keeper and Lisette, a British spy in France during WWII. Luc, an orphan with German heritage was adopted by a French Jewish family and spent a happy childhood growing up and learning to farm in their lavender fields. When his grandmother is killed by the french police and the family is rounded up and sent to a concentration camp, Luc manages to escape and join the Maquis, the French underground. As a keepsake he wears a small bag of wild lavender seeds around his neck, which belonged to his beloved grandmother which he vows he will plant as soon as he can return home after the war.

Lisette, born in France moved to England to live with her grandparents after the death of her French/English mother and German father in a car accident when she was 17. Now working and living in London, she sees her best friend killed in the Blitz and is subsequently recruited to be trained to parachute into France to spy on a German officer in Paris. Luc is charged with getting her to Paris from the south of France and even though they only spend two days together, they are both deeply attracted to each other.

Working for a German friend of the family in his bank, Lisette soon contrives to meet the German officer, Markus Kilian, and works at becoming his lover. Luc has meanwhile got a job as a driver for the German officers and unknown to Lisette is keeping a watch on her.

As the story evolves, both Luc and Lisette are put at risk of having their covers blown. Lisette also begins to care for Markus who she has come to realise is essentially a good man who hates what the Nazis are doing and is caught up in a war he wants to end. As the war starts to turn against Germany following D-day and the impending liberation of Paris, life becomes even more dangerous for Luc, Lisette and Markus and the story moves towards an exciting climax.

Although the writing was patchy in parts and the story somewhat predictable, this was a very easy, enjoyable novel to read.