What a delightful read. I loved the characters in this book and was following their development with interest. The story was very well written and I was truly enjoying it!

Thank you, Bethany House, Julie Klassen, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

It is wonderful to go to Ivyhill! An Ivy Hill Christmas by Julie Klassen readers are reunited with the community of Ivyhill, Jane, Mercy, and Rachel to name a few. This installment introduces Richard Brockwell who distances himself from his family. He stays in London, working on his novel, but finances send him home for the Christmas season. He doesn’t have fond memories of his family home and this time his mother and her friend are determined to set him up with Arabella Awdry. Arabella has zero intentions of getting married, especially to a man like Richard. There are rumors that surround him and why does he always talking to the nursemaid? However, Christmas has a way of miracles and sparking love in the most unusual places.

This was my frist Julie Klassen book and therefore I was unable to make the connections to previous characters. I wonder if I will understand more of the plot or fine details once I read more of Julie's books. Although I have read that Richard is not a frequent character in the previous books, it is mentioned why he has difficulty going home. It is pretty obvious from the beginning that his rude and arrogant personality is just a way to push everyone away. It is a little predictable how the plot is set up but that doesn’t make it any less touching.

My favorite aspect is Richard returning to his “adoptive” family. He regrets that he left and forgot about them. Seeing their home falling apart, he does everything he can to help them. As with any Christmas story, forgiveness plays a huge part in the plot. This one is inspiring and filled with hope. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars! (less)

Klassen has written an appealing Christmas novella that might be the best of the Ivy Hill series.  There is a well-rounded cast of characters.  And I liked the way the characters grew and developed new awareness over time.   The plot was woven with subplots and came to a satisfying conclusion.   A thoughtful well done historical romance.

This was a great addition to the Ivy Hill series. It was also a very great Christmas read! I love the way Julie Klassen writes. She has a way with word that just pulls you in.!  
This is a clean regency romance! 

Synopsis: 
Richard Brockwell, the younger son of Ivy Hill's most prominent family, hasn't been home for Christmas in years. He prefers to live in the London townhouse, far away from Brockwell Court, the old family secret that haunts him, and the shadows of his past mistakes. But then his mother threatens to stop funding his carefree life--unless he comes home for Christmas. Out of options, he sets out for Ivy Hill, planning to be back on a coach bound for London and his unencumbered bachelor life as soon as the festivities are over.

But Christmas in the country presents unforeseen surprises, including encounters with an orphaned apprentice, the first love he disappointed years ago, and Arabella Awdry, a young lady who is far more appealing than he recalled . . . and determined to have nothing to do with him.

I love the books written by Julie Klassen. "An Ivy Hill Christmas" is a hit. Especially as you very seldom read where the hero is careless and only goes home for Christmas to see what he can get from his family. But as he is reacquainted with a former fried and he begins to see life as it should be for a grown man. The heroine Arabella, a orphan and who has a history with Richard, they thought they were in love. Richard destroys that and discovers the truth about himself and the changes that need to occur. Arabella just wants him to go his own way. Can they meet in the middle? READ THE BOOK!

An Ivy Hill Christmas is a novella included as part of the Tales from Ivy Hill series by Julie Klassen. While I had a hard time liking Richard Brockwell for the first part of the book, he slowly redeemed himself through his actions later on. I found myself wondering if someone could change their nature that way, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Arabella Awdry, on the other hand, seemed to be generous and charitable from the start. It was interesting to see their relationship change and grow. 
I thought the epilogue was a little strange and that it would have been better to include it in the main part of the book instead. 3.5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a nice, sweet, quick read.  For a shorter piece, I was surprised at the depth of character development. I liked all of the likeable characters and was eager to find out how the author ended the story.  No huge surprises, but well done.

If you are looking for a sweet story to prolong the Christmas spirit (or get it kickstarted early), then this book is the one for you.

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for the free e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

An Ivy Hill Christmas by Julie Klassen is a wonderful read for the Christmas season. I am a huge fan of this author and everything that I read is perfect. If you have read any of the other Tales of Ivy Hill books you will see some familiar characters. I enjoyed catching up with them and diving deeper into some new ones. Richard Brockwell has been living apart from his family for some time now. However in 1822 his mother has summoned him home. If he does not come, he will be cut off from the family fortune. Richard has been a careless playboy answering to noone. He kind of reminded me of Scrooge with his heart so cold. During his journey there are a few things that can possibly melt the stone cod heart. Those things are: a dog, a boy, and a beautiful woman. Now I can't give that much information on these three items - because it will spoil the story. I can say that each are SO important to the overall book.
This book hit me in all the feels. I have struggled with family forgiveness and with as chaotic as this year has been - family is everything. This book is a story of redemption, second chances, forgiveness, romance and family. I learned a lot about Christmas in the 1800's thanks to the authors amazing research. She really knows this fascinating time period.

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit Blogging program - all thoughts are my own

I wanted to like this -I was so excited for it, actually, but it just fell so fast, I couldn't;t engage with any of the characters at all. A miss for me,

Book: An Ivy Hill Christmas
Author: Julie Klassen
Pub Date: September 1 2020

Thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House for my e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Synopsis: Eligible bachelor Richard Brockwell, of Ivy Hill, has been living in London away from his home at Brockwell Court. That is, until his mother threatens to cut him off financially if he does not come home for Christmas.

When Richard arrives home, he is faced with secrets that haunt him from his past, a love from his past, and a childhood friend he suddenly finds himself attracted to.

Will Richard let his past define him or will he find ways to let the past go?

My Thoughts: I loved this book! It is such an idyllic and charming read. I was immediately drawn in by the vivid imagery of the setting in England and the descriptions of the holiday traditions. The characters of book are memorable and very likable. I found that the lovable yet eccentric characters stayed with me long after the last page. For a dose of holiday cheer, a charming love story, and endearing characters, pick this book up! I am so excited to read other books in this series.

For fans of: Holiday stories, closed door romance, Regency era romance, Charles Dickens.

An Ivy Hill Christmas by Julie Klassen is a well written historical romance. I enjoyed all of the 19th Century England Christmas traditions explained so eloquently. From the clothing to the food, decorations to games, there is much to learn and enjoy. Learning to believe in the Lord’s forgiveness and acceptance was beautifully shared in this story. Family relationships are another subplot which brought another interesting twist to this story. Romance multiplied as young men and women found true love. Christmas is a time for giving. This story shares there are many different ways to give in order to improve another’s situation. I would recommend this book for those that enjoy Christmas stories, historical fiction, inspirational fiction and romance. This book is worth the read.

This book was provided through Celebrate Lit and the author for me to read. The opinions expressed are my own thoughts. #NetGalley

This delightful story had all the components of a truly mesmerizing Christmas tale that warms the hearts of even the coldest readers. 
A selfish and jaded male lead.
A beautiful and kind elegant lady.
A pitiful orphan boy.
And don’t forget the stray pup. 
Ivy Hill has long been one of my favorite fictional places to visit and it is made even more inviting against the backdrop of a wintery Holiday season. 
Christmas is a time for miracles, for old things to become new, and for past mistakes to be made right. Austen & Dickens loving readers  will adore this latest offering by renowned author Julie Klassen.

I've been meaning to read the Tales from Ivy Hill series for a while now and for various reasons just haven't been able to, however after finishing An Ivy Hill Christmas I am determined to rectify that over the next few months!

First off, I really loved the characters. Even though Richard Brockwell is supposed to be somewhat unlikable at first, he was a great character. I really liked how he came across as having some Scrooge-like characteristics and first, but yet readers get to watch him grow from a selfish miser into someone who genuinely cares about his fellow man, and even how he has a lot of past hurt he has to work through as well as learning to forgive others.

Arabella was also interesting character and I loved how kind and charitable she was, however, I did not like how she jumped to conclusions about Richard without talking to him about it. I don't know to me it seems kind of childish, but then again, I have to remind myself that this also takes place during a different period of time where something like that was not normally done.

The ensemble of supporting characters were amazing and I fell in love with each and every one of them, however my three favorite side characters were Jamie, Aunt Genevieve, and Mrs. Reeves. I especially enjoyed Mrs. Reeves and the wisdom she shares with Richard as he is wrestling with whether or not he can change. Here are two quotes I loved from that discussion:

"My dear boy, none of us deserves forgiveness for our own failings. If we could, God would not have had to send the Son He loved into the world to die for us. But He did, because He loves us" (Loc. 2222).

"Every day God gives us, we must do our best to trust and obey. We fail, but we do the same the next day, clinging to His promises and strength to help us" (Loc. 2234).

Both of these quotes seem to sum up the themes of this novella, redemption and forgiveness. It is also a reminder to be charitable towards our fellow man, and the joys of giving.

I also really enjoyed learning about more of the Christmas traditions they had in Regency-era England, and even seeing that there are still some that kept today - such as the Christmas "crackers", I remember having those at Christmas during my childhood in South Africa.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed An Ivy Hill Christmas and I really need to start reading the other books in the series. This book reminded me why I enjoy Julie Klassen's books so much - they're great stories that convey a great message! 4/5 Stars.

Such a charming, Dickens-ish story by author Julie Klassen. I thoroughly enjoyed returning to Ivy Hill, a village I’ve come to love. (You could read this as a stand alone but I highly recommend the entire Ivy Hill series.) 

Characters who are fun, roguish, delightful, and even irritating make the story so enjoyable. But to see people change, forgive, and grow makes it meaningful. This isn’t simply a pleasant Christmas tale, but it’s a tale of love lost, wounds healed, and love found. 

Please keep in mind that this is a novella, not a full novel, so there isn’t the time to develop the story as much but if you enjoy stories set in this time period I highly recommend this one! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

This is a sweet Christmas novella in Julie Klassen's Ivy Hill series.
As the others do, so this one also takes you back to that sweet town in Regency England, Ivy Hill.
This is the story of Richard, the spoiled bachelor playboy second son of the Brockwell family.
His mother has requested he come home for Christmas, and so he begrudgingly makes the journey, knowing full well she is going to expect him to make a match.
Filled with sweet details of a lovely setting, delightful characters, and an intriguing, if a bit expected plot, this sweet Christmas novella fulfilled my expectations.

I found this to be a fun, easy read. A sweet visit to Regency England over Christmas time.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

If you mixed together A Christmas Carol with a romance from the works of Jane Austen, this would be the result. The Scrooge-like Richard Brackwell possesses the same hesitations and bitingly clever remarks as the beloved Mr. Darcy (as well as the looks and moneyed background). When circumstances demand he return to the quintessential English countryside town of Ivy Hill, he makes the acquaintance of Arabella Awdry, perhaps the only woman capable of putting him in his place. 
This Regency-era, holiday-themed romance was as charming and comforting as possible. I did not realize this was part of a series when I read it, but it did not deter me from my reading experience or enjoyment. The characters could have been pulled straight out of a BBC costume drama and the settings were so elegantly described that you could easily envision yourself in them. As a lifelong classics fan and one of the millions who are always on the lookout for the next Mr. Darcy, this one really hit the mark. The banter between the love interests was natural and amusing, and while their happily ever after is inevitable, there was true joy in watching them overcome their internally created obstacles. I'll be adding the rest of the books exploring Ivy Hill to my to be read stack immediately. 
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary advance copy. This did not impact my review.

A regency Christmas novel that feels like a Hallmark movie. This book was very sweet and heartwarming. I love the Christmas theme and it’s emphasis on forgiveness. I will definitely read more books by this author. The pacing and writing was really good and the characters were charming. My only complaint is the final conflict between the two main characters felt a little forced and silly and I could see it coming a mile away. Otherwise a fantastic read!

A beautiful historical for the festive season. Perfect for reading while getting cosy by the fire after all the fuss of Christmas.

Julie Klassen's sweet historical romances are absolutely delightful! I am familiar with a few Ivy Hill residences, but this is the first time I've read one of the books and lets just say it did not disappoint and I will be reading the rest of the series.

Richard Brockwell is commanded by his mother to join the family and their guests for Christmas, really left with no choice he leaves for the country. He doesn't see much of a point in being there, doesn't want to face the memories and home, and most certainly doesn't want to be around any marriageable females, or their mothers. Arabella Awdry is of quite the same mind, set on not marrying and leading her own life-though her future will be more centered around charity works while Richard's is around himself. But the Christmas season, Ivy Hill and their families have a different plan for their Christmas holiday together. With a little bit of Christmas magic, trust in God and loving friends and family hearts are softened, futures change and opportunities present themselves.

One thing I love about the last couple chapters of this book, and the epilogue, is that they aren't rushed. Klassen gives these delightful characters the time they need to come to God, and find themselves before they really open their eyes and hearts to love. There is something about a story that takes it's time like this and it makes the love story that much sweeter.

An Ivy Hill Christmas is a charming read at Christmas time, but really could be read any time of the year because of the wonderful themes and reminders throughout. Klassen uses her Christmas story to convey beautiful messages about personal relationships with God, speaking about and treating others kindly, serving others and so much more. These themes come together along with the well written characters to form a wonderful story. I'm excited to dive into the rest of the series now!

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher/author(s) via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Thanks  for the opportunity to read and review this title.

This was a fun, quick read by this Christmas tree. It isn’t my usual type of book so it was fun to try something different.