The Bride of Ivy Green by Julie Klassen

Mercy Grove has sadly had to give up her girls’ school at the return of her brother and his bride to Ivy Cottage.  She soon finds herself an unwelcome guest in her own home.  She contemplates taking a governess position, but what will that do to her position in life?  Jane Bell has to decide whether to marry her true love Gabriel Locke, even though she may need to give up managing her beloved Inn.  Can she marry Gabriel knowing that she may never be able to have a child?  What will she do when her estranged father reappears from India with a new young son?  Justina is being pressured to marry by her mother.  Will she wed her mother’s choice?  Who is the strange new seamstress in town?  Is she all that she seems to be?

 The Bride of Ivy Green is the third novel in the Tales from Ivy Hill series.  It is set in the small town of Ivy Green in England in 1821.  I love character driven novels and this series has really let me get to know the people of Ivy Hill and to enjoy their personal triumphs.  The Bride of Ivy Green has more than one wedding in it that brings the series to a satisfying conclusion.  I enjoyed the story and especially loved that the women work together in their own club to try to further women of business further in their small town.  The novel was a slower read for me.

 Favorite Quotes:

“Life is full of risks, thrilling and terrifying at the same time – rather like a tightrope act.”

 “James told me you saw the good in people, even with evidence to the contrary.  I see what he means.”

 Overall, The Bride of Ivy Green is a gratifying conclusion to the Tales of Ivy Green series, although I would love to read more about these wonderful characters.

 Book Source:  Christmas Present