Ebook
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?
Welcome to the English village of Ivy Hill, where friendships
thrive, romance blossoms, and mysteries await. . .
.
The lifeblood of the village of Ivy Hill is its coaching inn, The
Bell. When the innkeeper dies suddenly, his genteel wife, Jane
Bell, becomes the reluctant landlady. Jane has no idea how to
manage a business, but with the town's livelihood at stake and a
large loan due, she must quickly find a way to save 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 overcome her losses and find purpose for the
future. As she works with Jane, two men from her past vie for her
attention, but Thora has promised herself never to marry again.
Will one of them convince her to embrace a second chance at
love?
As pressure mounts from the bank, Jane employs new methods, and
puzzles over the intentions of several men who seem to have a
vested interest in the place, including a mysterious newcomer with
secret plans of his own. With the help of friends old and new, can
Jane restore life to the inn, and to her empty heart as well?
"Three-time Christy Award winner Klassen launches a heartwarming
new series set in the Regency era that delivers everything fans of
gentle historical-romance novels could ever want, including a
beautifully realized English village setting, a memorable cast of
characters, and charming hints of love for more than one of the
residents of Ivy Hill."--Booklist
"Evocative prose and unpredictable character development, hallmarks
of Klassen's work, do much to pull the reader along for the
ultimately pleasant journey. There's a bit of mystery, a bit of
romance and a bit of something for everyone in this first
installation of Klassen's first Regency series." --RT
Book Reviews
"With her signature insight into the human heart, Klassen
draws readers into the deceptively quiet English countryside of
Austen's day, a world of complicated yet joyful, messy yet
faithful, lives of regular people who choose to truly live despite
their difficult circumstances. Readers will rejoice that this is
only the beginning of her new Tales from Ivy Hill series"--Publishers Weekly
Praise for Julie Klassen
"Christy Award-winning Klassen draws on Jane Austen's impeccably
crafted novels in her . . . richly nuanced and superbly written
inspirational Regency romance."--Booklist
starred review
"Klassen blends her tale well; each
ingredient--romance, friendship . . . mystery--is measured to
produce a lively tale that will satisfy Regency aficionados and
general readers, too."
--Publishers Weekly
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. The Secret of Pembrooke Park was honored with the Minnesota Book Award for genre fiction. Julie has also won the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing's BEST Award, and has been a finalist in the Romance Writers of America's RITA Awards and ACFW's Carol Awards. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. For more information, visit www.julieklassen.com.