The Ladies of Ivy Cottage by Julie Klassen (Review)

• Series: Tales from Ivy Hill (Book 2)
• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (December 5, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764218158
• ISBN-13: 978-0764218156
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches

Return to Ivy Hill in The Ladies of Ivy Cottage as friendships deepen, romances blossom, and mysteries unfold.

Living with the two Miss Groves in Ivy Cottage, impoverished gentlewoman Rachel Ashford is determined to earn her own livelihood . . . somehow. When the village women encourage her to open a subscription library with the many books she has inherited or acquired through donations, Rachel discovers two mysteries hidden among them. A man who once broke her heart helps her search for clues, but will both find more than they bargained for? 

Rachel's friend and hostess, Mercy Grove, has given up thoughts of suitors and fills her days managing her girls' school. So when several men take an interest in Ivy Cottage, she assumes pretty Miss Ashford is the cause. Exactly what--or who--has captured each man's attention? The truth may surprise them all.

Meanwhile, life has improved at the coaching inn and Jane Bell is ready to put grief behind her. Now if only the man she misses would return--but where is he?

As the women of Ivy Hill search for answers about the past and hope for the future, might they find love along the way?

My Review:

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is the second in the Tales from Ivy Hill series and my favorite. I recommend reading them in order since the characters repeat and the background knowledge is helpful. The main characters in this book are Rachel Ashford, Mercy Grove, and to a lesser extent Jane Bell. The first book was focused on Jane Bell. There are several minor plot lines. It is nice to see the other characters continue. I love the characters and plot. The author does a good job developing everything and making you feel like you are there. There are some twists and turns. The ending is satisfying.  If you a fan of British 1800s books then you will love this. Highly Recommended. 


Julie Klassen loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. She worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her novels have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. Her book, The Silent Governess, was also a finalist in the Minnesota Book Awards, ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards, and Romance Writers of America's RITA Awards. Julie is a graduate of the University of Illinois. She and her husband have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit www.julieklassen.com for more information.

Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen (Review)

Series: Tales From Ivy Hill (Book 1)

Paperback: 448 pages

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers; Reprint edition (December 6, 2016)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0764218131

ISBN-13: 978-0764218132

First Series from Bestselling Author Julie Klassen!
The lifeblood of the Wiltshire village of Ivy Hill is its coaching inn, The Bell. But when the innkeeper dies suddenly, his genteel wife, Jane Bell, becomes the reluctant owner. Jane has no notion of how to run a business. However, with the town's livelihood at stake and a large loan due, she must find a way to bring new life to the inn.

Despite their strained relationship, Jane turns to her resentful mother-in-law, Thora, for help. Formerly mistress of The Bell, Thora is struggling to find her place in the world. As she and Jane work together, they form a measure of trust, and Thora's wounded heart begins to heal. When she encounters two men from her past, she sees them--and her future--in a different light.

With pressure mounting from the bank, Jane employs innovative methods to turn the inn around, and puzzles over the intentions of several men who seem to have a vested interest in the place. Will her efforts be enough to save The Bell? And will Thora embrace the possibility of a second chance at love?

My Review:

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill was an okay start to a new series by Julie Klassen. It was too long and tried to cover too many things. I think it was to set the background up for the series though. I did not like the two main female characters, Jane and Thora, in the beginning. By the end of the book I was able to tolerate them. Patrick Bell, Thora's other son, also comes back to help with the inn. I didn't trust him from the beginning and there were undertones of his being not completely upfront and having ulterior motives. Although Thora and Jane both have two men in their lives who could be love interests, there was not a lot of romance in the book. There was a little mystery/suspense around the fate of the inn and the death of Jane's husband. The ending of the book left us hanging on several things. Part of it I understand why but I would have loved some more closure. There is a second book in the series coming out in December that will focus on some of the minor characters from this one. Overall I liked being in Ivy Hill and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. She worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her novels have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. Her book, The Silent Governess, was also a finalist in the Minnesota Book Awards, ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards, and Romance Writers of America's RITA Awards. Julie is a graduate of the University of Illinois. She and her husband have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit www.julieklassen.com for more information.

Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen (Review)

Paperback: 416 pages

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (January 1, 2013)

ISBN-13: 978-0764210693

About the book:

Emma Smallwood, determined to help her widowed father when his boarding school fails, accompanies him to the cliff-top manor of a baronet and his four sons. But soon after they arrive and begin teaching the two younger boys, mysterious things begin to happen. Who does Emma hear playing the pianoforte at night, only to find the music room empty? And who begins sneaking into her bedchamber, leaving behind strange mementoes?

The baronet's older sons, Phillip and Henry Weston, wrestle with problems--and secrets--of their own. They both remember the studious Miss Smallwood from their days at her father's academy. But now one of them finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her...

When suspicious acts escalate, can Emma figure out which brother to blame and which to trust with her heart?

Filled with page-turning suspense, The Tutor's Daughter takes readers to the windswept Cornwall coast--a place infamous for shipwrecks and superstitions--where danger lurks, faith is tested, and romance awaits.


My Review:
I really enjoyed reading this book. I have read all of this author's books and liked them. So far this one is my favorite I think. It is well written with interesting characters and plot. There were several twists that added to the story. I love the setting for this book. Fans of Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters will like it too. Recommended. :)





About the author:

Two-time Christy Award winner Julie Klassen loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She and her husband have two sons and live in St. Paul, Minnesota. Learn more at www.julieklassen.com.

Available now wherever Revell/Baker books are sold.

Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingThe Maid of Fairbourne HallBethany House (January 1, 2012)byJulie Klassen



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years (first in advertising, then as a fiction editor) and now writes full time. Two of her books, The Girl in the Gatehouse and The Silent Governess won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Girl in the Gatehouse also won a Midwest Book Award and The Silent Governess was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA awards.



She graduated from the University of Illinois and enjoys travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends. Julie and her husband have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.







ABOUT THE BOOK

Pampered Margaret Macy flees London in disguise to escape pressure to marry a dishonorable man. With no money and nowhere else to go, she takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch, a suitor she once rejected in hopes of winning his dashing brother. Praying no one will recognize her, Margaret fumbles through the first real work of her life. If she can last until her next birthday, she will gain an inheritance from a spinster aunt--and sweet independence. But can she remain hidden as a servant even when prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall?



Observing both brothers as an "invisible" servant, Margaret learns she may have misjudged Nathaniel. Is it too late to rekindle his admiration? And when one of the family is nearly killed, Margaret alone discovers who was responsible. Should she come forward, even at the risk of her reputation and perhaps her life? And can she avoid an obvious trap meant to force her from hiding?



On her journey from wellborn lady to servant to uncertain future, Margaret must learn to look past appearances and find the true meaning of "serve one another in love."



If you would like to read the first chapter of The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, go HERE

The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

Almost finished, really liking it so far. :)

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingThe Girl in the GatehouseBethany House (January 1, 2011)byJulie Klassen



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Julie says: My background is in advertising and marketing, but I am blessed with a dream job—working as an editor of Christian fiction. I have been writing since childhood, but Lady of Milkweed Manor was my first novel. It was a finalist for a Christy Award and won second place in the Inspirational Reader's Choice Awards. My second novel, The Apothecary's Daughter, was a finalist in the ACFW Book of the Year awards. I am currently writing one novel a year.



I graduated from the University of Illinois and enjoy travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends.



My husband and I have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.







ABOUT THE BOOK

Miss Mariah Aubrey, banished after a scandal, hides herself away in a long-abandoned gatehouse on the far edge of a distant relative's estate. There, she supports herself and her loyal servant the only way she knows how--by writing novels in secret.



Captain Matthew Bryant, returning to England successful and wealthy after the Napoleonic wars, leases an impressive estate from a cash-poor nobleman, determined to show the society beauty who once rejected him what a colossal mistake she made.



When he discovers an old gatehouse on the property, he is immediately intrigued by its striking young inhabitant and sets out to uncover her identity, and her past. But the more he learns about her, the more he realizes he must distance himself. Falling in love with an outcast would ruin his well-laid plans. The old gatehouse holds secrets of its own. Can Mariah and Captain Bryant uncover them before the cunning heir to the estate buries them forever?



If you would like to read the first chapter of The Girl in the Gatehouse, go HERE

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen (Review)

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Silent Governess
Bethany House; Original edition (January 1, 2010)
by
Julie Klassen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie says: My background is in advertising and marketing, but I am blessed with a dream job—working as an editor of Christian fiction. I have been writing since childhood, but Lady of Milkweed Manor was my first novel. It was a finalist for a Christy Award and won second place in the Inspirational Reader's Choice Awards. My second novel, The Apothecary's Daughter, was a finalist in the ACFW Book of the Year awards. I am currently writing one novel a year.

I graduated from the University of Illinois and enjoy travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends.

My husband and I have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.


ABOUT THE BOOK


Olivia Keene is fleeing her own secret. She never intended to overhear his.

But now that she has, what is Lord Bradley to do with her? He cannot let her go, for were the truth to get out, he would lose everything--his reputation, his inheritance, his very home.

He gives Miss Keene little choice but to accept a post at Brightwell Court, where he can make certain she does not spread what she heard. Keeping an eye on the young woman as she cares for the children, he finds himself drawn to her, even as he struggles against the growing attraction. The clever Miss Keene is definitely hiding something.

Moving, mysterious, and romantic, The Silent Governess takes readers inside the intriguing life of a nineteenth-century governess in an English manor house where all is not as it appears.

If you would like to read the prologue and first chapter of The Silent Governess, go HERE. You can also sign up as a Follower when you get to that page, and get announcements of the first chapters for all the great books we tour!

My Review:

I loved this book. It is over 400 pages long and I started it at night with the thought I would read most of it and then go to sleep. Well I did not go to sleep until after I was finished. It is well written and kept my attention from beginning to end. The Regency time period is one of my favorites. I always dream of being a duchess. :) The characters and plot were developed and interesting. The spiritual aspect is not heavy or preachy. In some ways I wish it were more developed. I have read all of Julie Klassen's books and liked them but this is my favorite. I highly recommend this Christian historical fiction novel.