The gorgeous cover of Julie Klassen's new novel An Ivy Hill Christmas matches the beautiful story inside.

This novel kept catching my eye whenever I went to the Netgalley website because of the wonderful cover. But I kept skipping over it because it is set in 1822 - not really a time period I read. Resistance was futile and I finally gave in to the call of the cover. Since it is a Christmas story I figured that I would at least enjoy some aspects of the novel.

I'm so glad I picked up An Ivy Hill Christmas as it turned out to be one of my favorite Christmas books this year. I haven't read any of the other books in the Tales from Ivy Hill, but that's okay as I understand the entire series contains stand-alone novels. Now that I've read this book, though, I would like to read more in the series.

When it started out I thought perhaps it was going to be a bit of A Christmas Carol (though that novel wasn't even written yet - it published in 1843). But the opening scene is reminiscent of that Christmas classic with Richard Brockwell being accosted by a charity woman but refuses to contribute, preferring to spend his money on himself at the coffee house and bookstore. However, when Richard gives into his family's plea to come home to their country estate for Christmas glimmers of another classic Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice emerged. In the author's note at the end, Klassen acknowledges that there are several nods to that novel as well as Emma (I haven't read Emma but as the whole novel had a Jane Austen feel I'm sure Austen fans will recognize those bits as well).

I must admit I'm not an Austen fan. An Ivy Hill Christmas is similar in themes but thankfully for me not in writing. I loved Klassen's writing: her ability to bring to life the characters and the time period. It is really a fantastic read.

While it is technically a romance, there is much more to this story. It is about family, charity, community, and the forgiveness that entered the world on Christmas Day. I liked how the themes of forgiveness, helping your fellow man, the true meaning of Christmas was interwoven into the story. It felt natural and never preachy. It's a definite must-read for fans of Christmas stories.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday, Dec. 23 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2020/12/An-Ivy-Hill-Christams-Julie-Klassen.html

A sweet tale of redemption and hope. I loved revisiting Ivy Hill and its residents, especially at Christmas time!

Two important concepts come to mind when I reflect on this book. The first is that things are not necessarily as they appear, and second that it is possible to change and become a better person.

I enjoyed this novella and its message of Christmas.

I received a copy from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

It’s nearly Christmas and I’ve found the perfect holiday book! This tale of past regrets, family secrets, growing romance, and redemption in the British countryside filled me with hope. AN IVY HILL CHRISTMAS lifts spirits during dark times — like sipping hot chocolate in your jammies while a wintry storm rages outside. Reminded me: “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”

5 of 5 Stars

Thanks to the author, Bethany House, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

Pub Date 01 Sep 2020
#AnIvyHillChristmas #NetGalley

Two and a half stars.

This Christmas novella is clearly part of an ongoing series, I haven't read any of the preceding novels and whilst I happily read it as a standalone I wonder whether I would have derived more enjoyment if I had met the characters previously.

Richard Brockwell is a satirical writer and secret novelist, he lives the happy life of a bachelor in London until his mother forces him home to Ivy Hill for Christmas with the threat of cutting off his income. Richard only has bad memories of Ivy Hill, memories which have made him determined not to marry.

Of course when he arrives it transpires that his mama has been matchmaking and has invited Arabella Awdry and family to stay for Christmas. Richard is determined to thwart his mother's plans, but finds himself attracted to Arabella despite himself.

For her part, Arabella is a bit of a prig, wanting to do good and work for charity yadda, yadda. An old family friend, she overheard a conversation involving Richard years ago which painted him in a very poor light, she has never spoken of it to anyone but has thought the worse of Richard ever since. Then she has no sooner arrived than she overhears him being insufferably pompous and rude about her sister (as an aside, she overhears a lot of things, I suspect she is an eavesdropper!).

As the festivities progress Richard finds himself being drawn into more charitable behaviour, and reconciles with the family of his childhood friend, but there are misunderstandings to overcome before he can find his way to love.

What spoilt this for me was the vaguely sanctimonious air, a bit like some of those Victorian novels where only belief in god and a pious life will save you. Although the religion was light there were a few too many references to god for my liking. (view spoiler)

Overall, it was a slog to finish this book and although not badly written I don't think I would choose to read another book in this series.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is a beautiful Christmas book! 3.5 stars

The story takes place in 1800’s England and explores the life of the Brockwell family, specially the one of the bachelor son, Richard Brockwell. Richard is returning home from London to keep the holidays with his family and in in this time he will learn to appreciate his family, his hometown, friends and the spirit of Christmas in a new way.

It gave me a lot of Jane Austen feel with the characters and romantic story, but also I found it to be a romantic new version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, as the main character comes to the realization of how important is looking out for their neighbor and is also confronted with forgetting and forgiveness.

As a Christian fiction novel about Christmas I liked it touches topics as giving and helping the ones in need, forgiveness and redemption, however I thought the author could have explored deeper the gospel and salvation message.

Ivy Hill Christmas brings Julie Klassen's Tales from Ivy Hill series to a close. Richard Brockwell's mother has insisted that he come home for the holiday. Richard has been living in London since he graduated from school. Bad family relationships has made it easier to stay far from home. So everyone is shocked when Richard appears at the front door just in time to celebrate the Christmas holiday!
As this tale moves along, you will be re-introduced to several characters from previous tales in this series. You will also see Richard grow in his relationships with friends and family, but most importantly his relationship with God!

It is interesting to see how Richard's place in his world will change by the end of this tale!

A very enjoyable and engaging Christmas story from the writer of the Ivy Hill series. Its not actually a "novella" at 200 pages long. There true novels at similar length, but it packs a lot in.

Love, misunderstandings, loss and the return of a few characters that we know and have grown to root for. Which is why, although you don't have to have read the main series to read this novel, it pays to at least familiarize yourself with some of the characters.

Overall, a heartwarming read for the Christmas season. I purchased a copy of this title, and was not required to write a positive review.

Richard has lead a carefree lifestyle at his family’s London townhouse for several years. In order to continue receiving money to keep that lifestyle going, he must return to his family’s main home for the Christmas Season, something he would prefer not do. To make the trip a bit more palatable, he brings along Murray, his editor. As he suspected, his mother has some matchmaking plans for him during the Season. Determined to remain blissfully single, he treats Arabella quite dreadfully, but she calls him on his behavior. He soon discovers that she is quite a remarkable lady and may be worth his interest after all.

This book is set in the early 1800s, one of my favorite historical periods for literature. It has all the marvelous attributes of a Regency Romance. I particularly liked the scenes that involved the orphan. It was also heartwarming to see how the holiday season helped to change Richard’s attitude. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good clean Regency Romance.

A real feel good read for this time of the year.
I had not read any of the Ivy Hill series but even not knowing the characters it was still good as a stand alone story.
Great characters great story line

This new novella is a Regency era romance, set in the family manor in Ivy Hill, Wiltshire, England. Richard is the prodigal son returning home for Christmas with a bad reputation. As it turns out, he isn’t nearly as bad as everyone thinks he is—he’s kind to babies and orphans and might even be ready to make amends.
The plot is fairly simple and predictable, but the characters are likeable and the story is fun and engaging and gives you all the warm Christmas feels. If you’re a fan of Jane Austen, you’ll recognize several lines of dialogue dropped in to this book (the dance scene and the marriage proposal have Darcy and Elizabeth written all over them), and while that bothered me a little bit, it wasn’t enough to put me off. I liked spending a few hours with these people.

A Christian romance played out against a watercolour Regency backdrop. The pace is leisurely. The 'rake's redemption' / prodigal son plot unfolds convincingly, with a bit of heart-searching, gradually increasingly good deeds. There are reflections on bible verses and the true meaning of Christmas. Be prepared to find Our Hero exceedingly annoying at first, the better to appreciate his transformation. Acquaintance with series characters could add emotional engagement.

This endearing story starts out at a placid pace, but soon unexpected events unfold that cause the tale to entangle itself in the reader’s heart and evoke their emotions. For instance, the scene in which so many village people help a needy family actually brought tears to my eyes. In this book, we explore various relationships and the search for healing and forgiveness for the wrongs of the past. The poorer class here is contrasted with the wealthy, but both groups face similar struggles in life. The characters the author skillfully portrays seem quite realistic and vulnerable, with the setting and situations appearing completely authentic. Journey back to Great Britain at Christmastime in 1812 for a novel that warms the heart as it entertains the mind. This book stands alone. I haven’t read the series about Ivy Hill, but this makes me want to read more. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

When Richard Brockwell’s mother threatens to stop his financial support unless he returns home to Ivy Hill for Christmas, he sees no other option than to do as she asks. Whilst his mother tries everything she can to encourage him to find a suitable wife, Richard is adamant that his current lifestyle of being “footloose and fancy-free” suits him just fine. That is until he meets up with his childhood friend Arabella.

This is a very gentle, Christmassy tale and a perfect read for this busy time of year.

Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley UK for the review copy.

I chose this book because it's been a horrible year and I needed a break from the educational content I've devoured over the last months. I needed something light and this novella felt like the perfect choice.
I'm not usually one for novellas, hence the 3-star rating. They're not my go-to type of book, although I've read quite a few of the classics and I love Jane Austen.

This book was what was promised: a bachellor who's "living la vida loca" in London is summoned by his mother for Christmas. There's the perfect amount of romance, mystery, and lots of joy. There's character development and a happy ending. It was just what the doctor recommended. Thoroughly enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I'll preface this review by saying that I did not read the others in the Ivy Hill series. Yet. That being said, I love so much how Julie's writing pulls me into the family dynamics and the setting. I felt the cold, I felt the tension between the characters, and I felt like I wanted to be cozied up to the fire as it all happened in front of me.
Richard seems like a spoiled son of the gentry. He's aimless and has yet to settle down. He decides to leaves London and go home for Christmas. Not is as it appears to be, both with Richard and with his family.
This read as a novel despite it's shorter length. I can always count on Julie to deliver a heart-warming historical read.
Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for an advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

I was going to wait until closer until Christmas but unfortunately it didn't work out quite the way I wanted.
So, I finally got to read it and I'm glad I waited. It was sooooooo good! I didn't want to put it down.
I love a Julie Klassen novel anytime. She's just that good!
I loved every minute of this book. I have followed this series since book one. This book didn't disappoint.
5 stars for wonderful writing, the characters and a plot that will keep you entertained.
I didn't want this book to end. I do recommend that you read the other books in this series so you won't feel lost.
I highly recommend this book. All opinions are my own. I was NOT required to write a positive review.

Okay, that was cute!

I adored this little Christmas story. I mean, it was full-length, not little, but that didn't stop me from adoring it, naturally!

This book was precious. I adored Richard from the start - his grouchy demeanor didn't fool me for a minute. (I mean, no one who is purely evil owns a dog.) (Okay, that's not true - Hitler owned a dog. But he also killed that dog (? I'm not going to Google it so my faded memory will have to suffice) when the Allies invaded, so really, that negates it.)

Anyways, suffice to say, I didn't buy it, Richard. I knew there was good in you. Of course there was.

And Arabella was quite sweet! She did a good job balancing her scorn for Richard (totally earned) with a sense of kindness and just not being a nasty grouchy brat like a lot of heroines in romance novels. (Why are they always like that?)

I won't spoil this story for you, but I trust you'll enjoy it!

Content for Sensitive Readers: Richard has a reputation for being a "rake," even though not at all of it is true (and he has reformed). Arabella suspects several dishonorable things about him, but it's never described *what* she suspects, exactly. He also has a past with one of the women there, though it's not revealed what, and basically, it's in the past. Ummm ... I think that's about it. It doesn't really go past "I would like to kiss her" on the romantic attraction side; it's quite pure.

So, if you love Regency Christmas traditions, Jane Austen, and so on, definitely give this book a try! It's sweet as a sugarplum.

~Kellyn Roth

An Ivy Hill Christmas - Julie Klassen ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This was a very welcome @Netgalley gift and I loved it. Period Drama - TICK, Christmas - TICK, Romance - TICK. What more could you want at this time of year!

The story tells the tale of Richard Brockwell, the selfish lothario son of Ivy Hill's most prominent family. He has been living in his family's London home, enjoying his bachelor lifestyle and using the family coiffers. However his mother threatens to cut him off unless he returns home for Christmas, so he is forced to face the demons that sent him away.

Im a sucker for any period drama so this pulled me in straight away. It was well written and there was enough going on to keep me hooked, whilst still having a genteel feel to it. I am delighted to discover that it is part of the Tales from Ivy Hill series, so I will definately be looking to pick up the rest of the series as I found it a delightful charming tale.

I’ve only read book one of the Ivy Hill series, and it didn’t stir me enough to want to continue, which is sad because I love many of this author’s other books. The storyline here was very formulaic. Richard is a supposed rake who starts off selfish and rude but then reforms. He and Arabella initially don’t like each other (especially when she overhears his disparaging remarks about her family), but they slowly change their feelings. There is the typical misunderstanding that keeps them apart. As an Austen fan, I quickly noticed the similarities and actual lines from Pride and Prejudice. I thought they were out of place and didn’t fit with the author’s writing style. If you are a fan of the Ivy Hill series, you will likely enjoy this for the characters, setting and Regency-era Christmas traditions. While it’s a standalone story, I did feel at times like I was missing something.

I received an eARC to review from the publisher Bethany House Fiction via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.