Innkeeper of Ivy Hill, The – Julie Klassen

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill

- Julie Klassen

Esperance, WA

August 18, 2020

GOODREADS BOOK BLURB:

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?

SERIES / GENRES:

FIRST WORDS:

Jane Fairmont Bell sat alone in the keeper’s lodge she had once shared with her husband. There she began her solitary breakfast, delivered by a maid from the coaching inn across the drive. Her inn. She still struggled to credit it.

MY REVIEW:

enjoyable/easy to read:

☆☆☆☆☆ 3.5/5

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill is a quick, easy read. The characters are interesting, there are plenty of love interests to go around, and everyone is likeable – but not too likeable. With enough intrigue and depth to keep everything exciting but not too much to bog everything down, twists and turns keep the story moving. It was exactly the relaxing read I was looking for, and I’m hoping the rest of the series is just as enjoyable.

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