Typical 19th century setting with hints of Austen about it, nothing exciting or different about it, but enjoyable all the same - an easy read.

When Richard goes home for Christmas just so his mother will not cut off all his money if he doesn't come back, he gets more than holiday cheer.  He is troubled by his past and having to deal with family and a love from his past.  When he finds that he has feelings for his lost love will she decide that they should be together or keep it in the past?

This is a short read that is for all those that love to read Christmas books during the Christmas season.  It does keep you wondering if they can be together and if Richard is willing to give up his life he has back in London.  A nice, relaxing afternoon read with a cup of tea and a fuzzy blanket.

Are we who we seem to be?  Or is there someone inside who is the real person that we don’t want others to see?

These are just a few questions you might ask as you read An Ivy Hill Christmas.  Julie Klassen excels at writing Regency-era stories and this is just another example of how wonderfully she does.  

We get to go back to Ivy Hill and revisit some of the characters we know and love but also get to know new characters who we haven’t known before. 

I love coming back to a story that I’ve been to before.  It’s like coming home.  And now it’s like coming home over the holidays.  This is a wonderful Christmas story about two people who have the world believing them a rake and a spinster but who really have other things and desires inside that are just waiting to burst off the pages.  

This is a wonderful book and I hope you give it a read.  You can read this book without having read any of the Ivy Hill books before but you’re definitely going to want to read them when you’re done if you haven’t already. 

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received through Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

This historical romance novella felt warm and rich and perfect for the holidays. The romance genre isn't normally what I read, but I enjoyed this one! It was the perfect feel for the holidays and touches on the topics of forgiveness and second chances, that may you reflect on your own beliefs.

Sweet, fluffy and hits all the right feels. It's a perfect book when you want to curl up on your sofa with a hot mug of coffee on a cold day (holidays or not).

What a delightful story about a young man coming home to his family and his faith...this one has all the Christmas-story fuzzies I look for in this sort of story. We get to catch up with the characters from the three previous books and meet some enjoyable new ones, especially young Jamie, an apprentice. The setting is richly portrayed and even a little dog is part of the tale.

If you’re looking for a cozy Christmas story, look no farther!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. I bought a paperback and have based the review on the finished version. A favorable review was not required.

A lovely historical fiction story sprinkled with a big of Christmas magic. I haven't read the previous books in the series, which would be interesting in terms of character development. But as a standalone it was an enjoyable read

What a treat for Chrisstmas. Lovely romantic scenes conjour in your head. A modern version of a mix of Austen, Dickens and Downton all set in 19thC England. I've always loved the idea of the victorian country Christmas houseparty in 'the big house' and this book takes you right there. The romantic matches are completely predictable by hey, its time for some light relief and joy and this is it!

This was a delightful story, with a big feel good factor. Lots of entertaining characters and a productive storyline. A nice cosy Christmas story and a very enjoyable read.

Richard Brockwell is a cad.  And quite frankly, he doesn't care. The only reason that he is going home for Christmas is because his family cut off his money supply. 

What he didn't plan on was having his eyes opened to the hurting world around him. A young orphaned apprentice who was being mistreated. His coworker who lost his business. His late best friend's family who due to various circumstances were now destitute. Even his young nephew plays a roll in helping him to see that there is more to the world than his existence. 

Arabella Awdry is not convinced the Richard could ever change. She wants to make a difference in the world. The Richard she meets again fits the playboy persona.

This book is about transformation. Not only Richard's but also Arabella's. They both soon learn that a thousand small ways of making a difference matter more than grand gestures.

I had not read any books in the Ivy Hill series. Characters did seem to overlap. If one read the three prior books, they might appreciate this story even more. But I was able to easily follow along. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well-developed, and the English Christmas customs were definitely fascinating. 

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for allowing me to read an ARC copy through NetGalley. All opinions in this review are my own.

Julie Klassen writes wonderful clean regency romances.  I greatly enjoy them.  She has written a three book Ivy Hill series and has added to it with An Ivy Hill Christmas novella.  This novella is a standalone work.  It is nice to see favorite characters appear, but the story is its own and focuses on a side character who is briefly mentioned in the other novels.

Richard Brockwell is the youngest son of the prominent Brockwell family.  He stays in London secretly working on his writing, but his family believes he is just enjoying a fun bachelor lifestyle.  His mother cuts off his funding unless he returns home for Christmas to visit the family.  She would like him to marry a local beauty.  He knows old family secrets and does not want to be married.  Will Richard find love?  Will he find meaning to his life?  Can he put away old grievances?

I greatly enjoyed this novel.  I love regency Christmas stories.  They are my favorite subgenre.  I really loved the theme of forgiveness in this novel.  I loved seeing Richard’s growth as he realizes his place in the world.  It was also a nice love story between Richard and Arabella Awdry.  Arabella is an interesting character who is very interested in philanthropy work.  I enjoyed that she had a mind of her own.  The novel had a few nods to Pride and Prejudice which I loved.

This is my last Christmas review for the season!

Favorite Quotes:
“Love and forgiveness are not something you earn.  They are gifts.”

Overall,  An Ivy Hill Christmas is a not to be missed regency Christmas romance.

Book Source:  Review Copy from Bethany House via Netgalley.  Thank-you!!

“unexpected romance changes the heart of one determined bachelor”

The ‘Ivy Hill’ books are a series, with this shorter novella being a Christmas addition. However the author has invested great efforts in making An Ivy Hill Christmas work as a stand alone story, which it does beautifully. Any references to previous events are no more than could be expected from any other stand alone story, and the characters are all wonderfully drawn with relationships explained as part of the ongoing narrative and dialogue.

Also important for me, is that, whilst Ivy Hill is a fictional family estate in Wiltshire, the village of Wishford, near Salisbury, is most definitely not. As this is only a few miles from home, I would count this as a local to me story, which makes it so much more attractive and appealing.

The strong opening sequence is followed by a heart-warming, slightly predictable storyline, although no more so than I would have expected from a period romance, with the package being topped off, as I might have hoped, with a satisfying and totally wholesome ending.

The period research is meticulous and clearly undertaken with great enthusiasm and attention to detail, which is easily explained by the author’s love of all things Jane Austen and British period romantic drama. The realism and authenticity is apparent, even down to the ‘Queen’s English’ spelling in the narrative and dialogue, although I did spot a couple of lapses back into ‘American English’, but I can forgive those in the overall scheme of things.

In a richly crafted, well developed storyline, which is equally plot and character driven; a rich in detail, social commentary of the times unfolds into a saga of a fractured family reunited, overlaid with unexpected signs of spirituality, hard won forgiveness and serendipitous acts of generosity and kindness. Some visually descriptive narrative and entertaining observational dialogue, make this hugely atmospheric story, one to escape into on a cold winter’s day, putting the reader right at ease and at the centre of the action.

The characters are like the pages of an open book, easy to relate to and become invested in, despite their emotional complexity and their individual searches for a sense of belonging. They are remarkably multi-faceted and engaging, with a surprisingly welcome genuine depth of feeling and synergy between them.

The Brockwell’s are Ivy Hill’s most prominent family and whilst class will ultimately always prevail in this Regency saga, the various members of this largely philanthropic family are a little more generous to the estate villagers and more attentive and caring towards their staff, than many of their landed gentry counterparts. It transpires that the two Brockwell sons, heir Sir Timothy and his younger brother Richard, share an unspoken and closely guarded secret, about which neither has spoken for many years, with each in ignorance of the others knowledge of the matter. It is from this single act of betrayal by a third party, that whilst Timothy treads the path of least resistance and wisely holds his council, Richard chooses the future which he knows will most irk and rile the betrayer and forges for himself a reputation which is self fulfilling and only designed to add to, rather than lessen his feelings of hurt and grief. Thus the brothers are rather set at odds with one another, although neither knows why, creating a compelling backdrop for a storyline which is perceptive, clips along at a good pace, and is written with total maturity and intuition.

Leaving his self-imposed exile in London to come home to Ivy Hill for Christmas, for what is the first time in some while, Richard has his long buried demons forced out into the open, where he has to reconcile them with his conscience. In so doing he must accept that those he has wronged in the past have chosen to forgive him, even though he is struggling to forgive himself. Until he can come to terms with and accept the random acts of kindness which are bestowed upon him, he can never move forward to be the man he is truly destined to be, rather than the penance he thinks he needs to shoulder, as he silently searches for atonement from the sins of the fathers and eventual reconciliation with his family.

He'll be home for Christmas, because he was ordered to or lose his allowance. When he arrives he finds it may not be as boring or bad as
he expected. I enjoyed this Christmas time historical sweet romance. Traditions, secrets and the ending to an interesting Holiday made for a delightful and entertaining Ivy Hill Christmas!

Personally with this book I feel like it took me quite a while to get into and because it is only a short book this made me struggle to pick it up. I do feel as the book is part of a series it would have definitely been better for me to have read the other books first therefore I would know the backstories of certain characters, and also it would have been easier for me to get into it. Personally I would definitely recommend reading the other books in this series before giving this a read and then you will find a perfectly sweet novella for the Ivy Hill series.

An Ivy Hill Christmas is the perfect book for 2020 as it provides a familiar return to Klassen's world of Ivy Hill and its memorable characters.  Richard Brockwell is a playboy bachelor enjoying living off his family's money in London while trying to become a successful novelist.  When his mother threatens to cut off his money unless he returns for Christmas, Richard reluctantly returns to Ivy Hill. He is confronted by a romantic plot to get him to marry Arabella Awdry, a woman who despises him for his actions in the past. Can Richard right the wrongs of his past, forgive himself, and embrace his future? Klassen adds in familiar characters and several side plots to bring Ivy Hill alive once again at Christmas.  Great for a cozy afternoon read with hot chocolate, a blanket, and a furry animal snuggled up against you!

Great read.  Especially for winter time.  The atmosphere you find yourself within, as you read the book, is felt and I can see the book playing out as if it were a movie in my mind.  Well written.  I’d read another by this author anytime.

It was so nice to visit the town of Ivy Hill again! This book can be read as a standalone. This book will simply make you so happy and smile. It has all the Christmas vibes that I love: christmas caroling, decorations, and church going. This book was so well written and I loved the characters. This was such a sweet historical romance, that I would highly recommend.

Charming Regency Christmas tale!

Richard Brockwell happily resides in London, but travels to Ivy Hill to visit his family for Christmas.  He is a Scrooge that only thinks of himself and isn't excited about the visit.

After arriving in Ivy Hill, Richard's attitude begins to change as his eyes are opened to those in need around him.  Seeing his transformation was the Christmas spirit in action.  I adored his dog Wally, the counsel of Mrs. Reeves and the friendship of young Jamie.

Heartwarming Christmas tale!  Highly recommended!

An Ivy Hill Christmas is the perfect Christmas read that provides picturesque depictions of a Regency Christmas celebration and a heartwarming story of true love and redemption. Richard Brockwell is a prodigal son that some might describe as both a Scrooge and a libertine, and much to his chagrin he has returned home to Ivy Hill for Christmas. He did not anticipate enjoying himself, undergoing a change of heart, or falling in love with the lovely Miss Arabella Awdry. As the story unfolds through classic English nineteenth century Christmas celebrations, we follow Richard Brockwell as he makes peace with his past and looks toward a future with love of Christ, family, and friends. 

I absolutely loved this novella from Julie Klassen! The depiction of the Regency celebrations of the twelve days of Christmas was extremely entertaining and historically accurate. The classic English Christmas scenes of caroling, charity, feasts, house parties, and sleigh rides give you a warm fuzzy feeling for Christmases gone by. I have not yet read the other books in the Ivy Hill series, but I was fully able to follow along and appreciate the Christmas novella as a stand-alone story, which means it was extremely well-written! The story was incredibly engaging, and Julie Klassen even managed to insert a bit of intrigue into such a short book--just like she does so well in her full-length novels. This is one of my new favorite holiday reads, and I am sure I will read it again in Christmas seasons to come.

Lovely tale of an English family in the village of Ivy Hill at Christmas time. This story tells of of Richard who enjoys his bachelor days in London, but is called back to the manor this Christmas by his mother. Then, there's this young lady who enjoys being single and wants to work for the needy in London with her single aunt. Put them together and what have you got..

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.