Sunday 30 December 2018

Book Review: The Bride of Ivy Green

From The Back:

Come home to Ivy Hill, where friendship endures, romance triumphs,
and mysteries are revealed in this eagerly anticipated conclusion. . . .

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.

My Reflections:

This is the third and final installment in the "Tales From Ivy Hill" and it most certainly is a nice way to end this charming cast of characters. At just over 440 pages you will feel satisfied with the way this author is able to weave and tuck every last detail snuggly into place. 

I loved the author's notes, her inspiration for this book, a real lion attack. wow! Her descriptions of this quaint town were spot on, I felt swept away and truly enchanted in the time I was immersed in this series. I am sad it has come to an end, but am eager to see what's next for this author! 

I was also so sad to see the end to Mercy's Girls school. This school was in her home and it was the perfect arrangement.
I love how God works in life, even though this was fiction I could very well imagine a scenario like this occurring. A person loses their coveted job and resigns them self to spinsterhood, (OK perhaps not in the modern day, but in 1820 sure) God always has a plan, never in our wildest imagination can we predict his marvellous ways. The roads we take are often more like hills with sudden drop-offs and mountaintop beauties, but never the less God has a plan. Sometimes we don't get to experience the full extent of it here on earth but I just know there will be many surprises waiting in heaven...OK, I digress. 

Back on topic. Mercy's brother has arrived and temporarily shut down her source if independence. Having to live with her brother is not exactly what she had in mind, especially now that he has his new wife. When Mercy gets relegated to the attic, so that her room can be turned into the guest suite she is more than ready to jump ship. Then an offer from Mr. James Drake falls in her lap the opportunity to be a governess to her beloved former student Alice. Is this the answer to her dilemma?

Mercy is not the only gal in transition Jane, has big decisions to make that will impact the rest of her life. Can she give up what she loves for Gabriel Locke? What about the new seamstress in town, what is she hiding?

Get ready to cry, Laugh out loud and shout for joy as you flip through to the last page with a satisfying sigh. 
This book was everything I expected and more, if you can start with book one and go from there, it will be a much easier read than agonizing over long wait times in between the series.

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

Julie Klassen

JULIE KLASSEN (www.julieklassen.com) 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. Three of her books, The Silent Governess,...
Continue reading about Julie Klasse

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