The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

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 thoughts-

I am a huge fan of Mrs. Klassen, she has written some of my favorite books. The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill isn't her usual fare. It's still historical fiction, but not the regency era stuff I typically clamor after. Maybe because of that, I had a hard time getting interested in the characters in this novel or the over all story. The writing was still great, it just didn't resonate with me personally. I still can't wait to see what is next in this series, and I am so excited that Julie Klassen even decided to write a series because she is wonderful at character development and I think that will really shine in this format of work. I recommend the Inn Keeper of Ivy Hill to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

The Painter's Daughter by Julie Klassen (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Sophie Dupont assists her father in his studio, keeping her own artwork out of sight. In private, she paints the picturesque north Devon coast, popular with artists--including handsome Wesley Overtree, who seems more interested in Sophie than the landscape.

Captain Stephen Overtree is accustomed to taking on his brother Wesley's responsibilities. Near the end of his leave, he is sent to find his brother and bring him home. Upon reaching Devonshire, however, Stephen is stunned to learn that Wesley has sailed for Italy and left his host's daughter in serious trouble.

Stephen feels duty-bound to act, and strangely protective of the young lady, who somehow seems familiar. Wanting to make some recompense for his own past failings as well as his brother's, Stephen proposes to Miss Dupont. He does not offer love, but marriage "in name only" to save her from scandal. If he dies in battle, as he fears, she will at least be a respectable widow.

Desperate for a way to escape her predicament, Sophie finds herself torn between her first love and this brooding man she barely knows. Dare she wait for Wesley to return? Or should she elope with the captain and pray she doesn't come to regret it?

My thoughts-

I don't even know where to begin with this story. I loved every single second of every single page, just as I have become accustomed to with each new Julie Klassen novel that comes out. This one is still her usual regency era fare, and it still has a very Jane Austen-esque feel which I love, but this book had the added element of scandal which was new and I quite enjoyed. Life isn't usually cookie cutter clean, even back in the day, so I appreciated a look into what might have happened in a scandalous situation in that time period.  I was immediately sympathetic for Sophie's character and enthralled with Stephen Overtree from their first meeting. He had a little bit of Mr. Darcy's brood going on, but right away we are shown he has a soft and caring heart, regardless of how it seems on the outside. I am glad that there was an opportunity to get to know Stephen as he and Sophie get to know each other before he went off to war. I enjoyed the entire cast of characters that live at or visit Overtree Hall. Klassen does a wonderful job of really making you feel like you understand the characters and the descriptions of the settings are amazing too. I absolutely recommend The Painter's Daughter (and all of Julie Klassen's novels) to anyone who enjoys regency era romances. She is, in my eyes, our current day Jane Austen and for that I am grateful.

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The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review. All opinions stated are 100% my own.


About the book-

Abigail Foster is the practical daughter. She fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry, and the one man she thought might marry her seems to have fallen for her younger, prettier sister.

Facing financial ruin, Abigail and her father search for more affordable lodgings, until a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play . . .

The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem acquainted with the manor's past, the only information they offer is a stern warning: Beware trespassers drawn by rumors that Pembrooke Park contains a secret room filled with treasure.

This catches Abigail's attention. Hoping to restore her family's finances—and her dowry—Abigail looks for this supposed treasure. But eerie sounds at night and footprints in the dust reveal she isn't the only one secretly searching the house.

As old friends and new foes come calling at Pembrooke Park, secrets come to light. Will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks . . . or very real danger? 

My thoughts-

I have never met a Julie Klassen book that I haven't liked. Several years ago I joined an online book club. For whatever reason, it didn't last long, but I will forever be grateful for a book I discovered for the little while it was going called The Apothecary's Daughter. It started my love of all things Julie Klassen and several books later, I still feel the same way. I can not wait as each new book is being written and promoted and finally when it comes out, I will devour it in a short sitting, love it and then wait patiently (or not so much) for the next book to come out. So of course, I was stoked for The Secret of Pembrooke Park to come out. I have been waiting for months to read it. I loved that the plot sounded like there was a nice twist to the typical historical romance with  a bit of a mystery. It was a lot of fun reading about Abigail and her father moving into the big house and following along as Abigail tries to figure out why the house was abandoned and who is writing her letters about it. As always, I enjoyed the romantic aspect of things, and Abigail has no shortage of admirers. There is a terrific cast of characters that live on the grounds of the house that add a great deal to the story, especially Mac, Leah and William. This is really an action packed book full of great twists and turns. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading Regency era historical fiction. 

The Secret of Pembrooke Park is available now at Amazon.com and other retailers nationwide.

About the author-

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. Three of her books, The Silent Governess, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. She has also won the Midwest Book Award, Christian Retailing’s BEST Award, and has been a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards, Minnesota Book Awards, and ACFW’s Carol Awards. She blogs athttp://www.inspiredbylifeandfiction.com.
Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. 

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The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen Blog Tour & Book Review + Plus Win a Kindle Fire HDX!

*Disclosure- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Litfuse Group in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book:

Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.

Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter. Though he's initially wary of Julia Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul---and hidden sorrows of her own.

Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master---a man her mother would never approve of---but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village . . . and to her mother's tattered heart?

Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a "good match" in Regency England.

My thoughts:

I always look forward to a new novel by Julie Klassen. Not only does she write about a time period I find fascinating, she is a master at weaving a great romance between her characters. I was excited about The Dancing Master the second it was announced that it was being written. I follow Ms. Klassen on Facebook and love all of the fun things she posts about, including updates on her books she is writing and even things like a look at the cover models for the book! I was already excited just to HEAR about the impending novel, but all of the other stuff she posts on Facebook build up the anticipation even more, so I was more than willing to participate in this blog tour for The Dancing Master. I would have read it soon anyway!

I was immediately drawn into the story from the very beginning. I knew there would be some intrigue to the plot, some twists and turns and that is exactly how I like my novels. The prologue definitely opened up some questions right away and set up a great beginning for The Dancing Master. Right away, I had a soft spot for Alec and felt awful for him moving somewhere to avoid a family scandal only to find that his chosen profession of dancing master is prohibited. I also knew I was going to love Julia, despite her immaturity. It is appearant she has a good heart, but just quite doesn't know how to act appropriately. I do feel bad for her because her mother is strict and can be harsh and has kept some pretty huge secrets that Julia stumbles upon that answer a lot of questions about not only herself, but about the laws against dancing in their village. Alec also has some secrets of his own that he doesn't want getting out, but he can feel himself quite drawn to Julia, so they may have to come to light in the end. I absolutely love how their attraction to one another and their story unfolds. Ms. Klassen is a master at historical romance and I feel she is at the top of her game here. If you have read this blog for a while, you know that I am a huge fan and have been since the very first book I read by her The Apothecary's Daughter. The Dancing Master has by far been the best novel she has ever written. I think that is a wonderful sign that there are still many more great stories in her and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to get lost in a good story. I almost felt transported into these pages. I wanted to be there, I wanted to hang out with these characters and I think you would too. I couldn't sing the praises of The Dancing Master enough. This is an absolute MUST read novel!

About the author:
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 is a three-time Christy Award winner and a 2010 Midwest Book Award winner for Genre Fiction. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

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Learn more about Julie Klassen at: http://julieklassen.com

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/s7Yl1

**********ENTER TO WIN A KINDLE FIRE HDX**********

Best-selling author Julie Klassen will be hosting a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway and a live webcast event (1/23) to celebrate the release of her latest novel, The Dancing Master. Enter and RSVP today!

 
  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on January 23rd. Winner will be announced at the "All Things Jane (from Austen to Eyre)" Live Webcast Event on January 23rd. Connect with Julie for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Julie will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books, Jane Austen DVDs, fun "Jane" merchandise, and gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Dancing Master and join Julie and friends on the evening of January 23rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen- Book Review

At some point last year, I discovered author Julie Klassen quite by accident. I was scouring the Amazon Kindle's free offerings and one happened to be The Apothecary's Daughter by Klassen. Let me tell you, I feel in love immediately. I think it is still my favorite Klassen novel to date and each that I have read have been really great, so that's saying a lot. A little while back, I reviewed another of her books, The Girl in the Gatehouse. Today, I will share my thoughts on The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, Klassen's newest novel and my latest read.
Summary-

To escape a scheme to marry her off to a dishonorable man, Margaret flees London disguised as a housemaid in Julie Klassen's The Maid of Fairbourne Hall. If she can remain unwed until her next birthday, she will receive her inheritance and her independence along with it. But she never expected to actually work as a maid and did not plan on serving in the homes of two of her former suitors. Can she avoid a trap meant to force her from hiding?


My thoughts- I really enjoyed this novel! Usually Klassen's novels are very Jane Austen-esque (as intended) but this one reminded me of another period piece- The PBS television series Downton Abbey. I loved  getting a glimpse into the  day to day life of "the help" during that time period. It was also great to see Marageret, a quite spoiled girl of 24, grow up as she pulls off this scheme. She has never lifted a finger in her life, as evidenced by the fact that she can not even undress herself for quite sometime after becoming "Nora." This is a good story, still full of balls and propriety, handsome gentlemen and fair ladies, but it is refreshing to see a different point of view offered here. I loved that Nora got a peek into the Upchurch brothers day to day life and got to learn quite a bit about each of their characters, to her surprise. She also gets to learn the true meaning of hard work and gains a better appreciation of what the staff of these large houses went through on a day to day basis. This was an easy read that flowed well and kept me turning the pages. I definitely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys Jane Austen novels, shows like Downton Abbey or who enjoys a good historical romance.

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Purchase The Maid of Fairbourne Hall- Now on sale for $5 at Lifeway.com

Disclaimer- I was provided a complimentary copy of The Maid of Fairbourne Hall for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions stated above are 100% my own.

Book Review- The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

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Mariah Aubrey has been exiled by her family to an abandoned gatehouse on the estate of her distant relative. She has to learn to support herself and her loyal servant, Dixon, who has accompanied her to the gatehouse. She does so by writing novels under an assumed name.
Soon after the arrival of Miss Aubrey and Dixon to the gatehouse, Captain Matthew Bryant leases the estate. Will love be in the cards for Captain Bryant and Miss Aubrey, or will her past come back to haunt her?

Julie Klassen's The Girl in the Gatehouse has everything I love in a good historical romance. It has a great cast of characters that I found myself quite fond of from the very beginning including Captain Bryant and Mariah Aubrey. I love that the minor story lines are also quite interesting and in many ways responsible for me not wanting to put the book down. The main storyline is of course the most important part of a novel, but having good secondary stories is a huge draw as well. The Girl in the Gatehouse is also full of suspense, which I find refreshing in a historical romance, which can tend to be quite predictable, albeit endearing. It was a good change of pace.

It is evident that Klassen is a huge Jane Austen fan, even with some nods throughout the novel to the late author, but not in a way that it feels like she is ripping Austen off in anyway. I feel like Klassen is one of the best authors of historical romance currently writing in the genre and The Girl in the Gatehouse is no exception.

I was hooked from the very beginning and found myself reaching for the book at every possible moment. I found myself wondering if Mariah and Captain Bryant would ever get it figured out? Will Dixon would finally find love? Who is Captain Prince? What happened to get Mariah exiled from her family? Will she be found out as an authoress when she wishes to remain anonymous? A story full of great questions, which were all brought to a great conclusion, The Girl in the Gatehouse is a wonderful read for Historical Romance fan or  anybody who just likes a good love story. Another great novel from Klassen.

*Disclosure- I was provided a copy of The Girl in the Gatehouse for review from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing. All opinions are 100% my own