The Bride of Ivy Green

Back Cover

 

Spring is in the air...and change is too.  Mercy Grove has lost her girls' school and is resigned to life as a spinster, especially as the man she admires is out of reach.  She contemplates leaving Ivy Cottage to become a governess - a decision with consequences she never imagined.

 

Meanwhile, her friend Jane Bell is facing a difficult decision of her own.  Should she accept Gabriel Locke even if it means giving up her inn and destining another man to a childless marriage?

 

When a secretive new dressmaker arrives in the village, Mercy, Jane, and the other ladies of Ivy Hill attempt to befriend her, but they soon suspect she isn't who she claims to be.

 

Together the women of Ivy Hill look forward to one wedding, but surprises lie in store and dearly held dreams may yet come true.

Review

In Jane Austen style, Julie Klassen has written another lovely novel filled with sweet romance, supportive friendships, abiding faith, and a touch of mystery.  Mercy Grove is easily the main female character in this novel, but her friends, Rachel and Jane, make up a great supportive cast with their own interwoven side stories.  The Bride of Ivy Green is by no means a fast-paced novel, proceeding more like a leisurely stroll, inviting the reader to pause, take a breath, and just enjoy the simplicity of life in Ivy Hill.  I will be the first to say that I greatly enjoy a thrilling suspense novel, but in a world run by a fast-paced culture, it is like taking a holiday to be able to sit back and relax to a sweetly written novel that is more about the characters and their development then whipping through the story. 

 

I am sad to see that this is the final book in "Tales from Ivy Hill", but am quite happy with the satisfying endings for all of the characters.  Successfully tying up all the characters that have made their way through the "Tales from Ivy Hill" books is no small feat, and I applaud Ms. Klassen for accomplishing it with such ease.  I am excited to see what is next for Ms. Klassen, full well knowing that her next work will be another fabulous read.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.