Review of “The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill” by Julie Klassen

Set in regency England, this is the first in a series of three books under the name Tales from Ivy Hill. The story is told from three perspectives detailing the happenings of the failing inn and the town in which it resides.

Jane Bell did not expect her husband to die so shortly after their marriage, nor did she expect he would leave the inn to Jane in his will. Jane doesn’t know anything about running an inn and everyone at the inn knows that, including her authoritative and stubborn mother-in-law, Thora. Thora misses the golden era of her family’s inn, and hates to see it’s current state of disrepair. Can Thora overcome her resentment towards Jane and help rebuild Ivy Hill’s lifeblood, The Bell Inn? And can Jane overcome her own personal obstacles of lacking self-confidence and trust?

This one took longer for me to read, not because I didn’t like it, but because it didn’t hold my attention. I liked the setting, the character development, and the bit of mystery that was thrown in. I’m not sure why it couldn’t hold my attention at first, but once the story began to climax I couldn’t put it down. I was also surprised to discover it was the first in a series, and promptly bought the next two books. I have yet to dive into those yet because I’m trying to stick to my “To Be Read” (TBR) list, but I’m interested to see how Klassen will add to the overall story through different character’s perspectives. I’m giving this book a rating of: ☕️☕️☕️☕️ 4/5 coffees.

I hope you’ve had a great week, and if not, just remember the Lord’s sovereignty still rules over all. He’s working even when we can’t see it!

Happy reading!