Julia Klassen: The Ladies of Ivy Cottage

The Ladies of Ivy Cottage (Tales from Ivy Hill Book #2) by Julie Klassen
Published by Bethany House on December 5, 2017
Genres: Fiction / Christian / Historical, Fiction / Christian / Romance / General, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Regency
Pages: 448
Buy on Amazon

New from the Top Author of Inspirational Regency Romance

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?

This is book 2 of a series, Tales from Ivy Hill, that I read as a standalone.  There are a lot of setups for the next book, and at points it’s a bit confusing whose romance the book is supposed to be about because there are so many characters and lots of head hopping, but generally I thought it worked fine as a standalone.  However, if you like Julie Klassen I would recommend saving yourself a bit of frustration or annoyance and starting with book 1.

Klassen is a Christian romance author, and her books have varyingly levels of religious reference.  This one is no different, but Klassen delivers it with a light touch.  I am never quite sure exactly how accurate her depictions of British Regency era Christians, but the modern Christian reader will find the language and messages familiar.

Beyond her religious influences, Klassen is a gifted storyteller who often tells of genteel yet poor class of women.  In The Ladies of Ivy Cottage, the three main female characters followed are of genteel birth yet, for various reasons, now run businesses.  There is a strong focus on female bonding, empowerment, and support which I found refreshing and I think others will, too.

There are several romance storylines, and Klassen always gives her heroines multiple options as far as suitors go, which keeps the reader guessing…because it’s not always obvious.  There is an element of the misunderstandings trope…or rather, I should say the “would’ve been cleared up if the characters didn’t keep getting interrupted and actually had an opportunity to speak” scenario.  That got a wee bit old towards the end, but luckily there were some other storylines to save it from being the sole focus.

I found the overall novel to be less gothic than others of Klassen I have read, and to be more episodic.  There are still elements of the melodrama, but generally it’s a lighthearted book that really emphasizes women finding their own power to live in a culture that often subjugated women to property.

This is a village centered book that has several “mysteries” the reader, and characters, unravel.  Most are along the theme of fallen women or women with secrets and are fairly obvious, but nonetheless keep the pace quick and entertaining.  It is a longer book, but I still finished it fast because Klassen does a good job of sucking the reader in and wanting them to read more.

This was a kisses only read, although there are some strong adult themes including mistresses, gambling and some violence against women.

I would recommend this for readers looking for a Regency series with a slower pace and those who actually enjoy more Austen like characters-genteel yet in reduced circumstances.  Also recommended for those looking for a historical romance with Christian themes.

 4 out of 6 Episodic village centered series