Where Ivy Dares to Grow is a gothic novel that is part Outlander and part Mexican Gothic. It is an easy read that alternates between the past and present, often right in the middle of scenes which can be confusing. This was a slow burn, descriptive novel that never really caught my interest. The thought feels secondary to the main characters inner thoughts making it more of a character study than any thing else it’s been compared to. Ultimate this book was not for me but fans of gothic novels or time travel should check it out.

I was really looking forward to this one with all the "like Outlander" hype, but it is not really like Outlander at all. The main character was a big problem for me. A huge chunk of the book is spent with an inner monologue telling herself how much of an unloved loser she is. I am not talking a few pages here and there, I am talking like 3/4 of the book. It does not make sense why she would go to a mansion with people who treat her so poorly, why she stayed, and why she planned on marrying someone who did not love her anymore. She is a horrible character who seems unable to do anything except feel sorry for herself and play the victim. The time travel aspect also made no sense, there was no real rhyme or reason to it other than the house. So, no, it was not like Outlander at all. The only part I really enjoyed was Theo. I was really disappointed in this one because it was being touted as something it was very much not.

When I saw “Outlander” mentioned in the comparisons for “Where Ivy Dares to Grow,” I was immediately curious. I love stories like “Outlander” and Susanna Kearsley’s “The Winter Sea” and adore romantic time travel epics in general. My hopes were so high! The cover alone is stunning and the description evoked such atmosphere! I was fascinated by the setting but could not come to connect with the characters, which resulted in me struggling to stick with the book (much to my disappointment).

I am so thankful to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the chance to read this early and give my opinions.

This book took me by surprise with it's gothic vibes and reminded me of Haunting of Hill House on Netflix. I loved the setting of this book, 90s London country side in a big, old mansion on a cliff. Mrs. Thompson did a great job at building the supporting characters, giving them distinct vile personality traits that were very realistic for people who see themselves as being above everyone else.

Our main character, Saoirse was once a fiery, vibrant red head who was happily dating her British love, Jack but now she feels detached, disconnected, and uninspired by the current stagnant state of their relationship. Jack comes from an affluent family, who judges the people they deem below their social status. They vehemently despise Saoirse and go out of their way to make her feel unaccepted.

This novel is a time traveling novel and though I liked the aspect, I found some of the time traveling; mechanics to be a bit under researched. I was under the impression that interacting with people in the past can have a huge impact on the future and that it is best not to disturb the past in order to prevent changes from being made. However, I loved the role the house played in helping Saoirse time travel. I thought it was very creative.

The other aspect I liked of this was the great representation of mental health in this novel. The main character suffered from depersonalization, derealization disorder and although I had never heard of this disorder, I was interested in researching it and learning more. I also loved the personal connection the author has to the disorder, which gave credibility and authenticity to the main characters thoughts. While this is unlike more HEA novels I typically read where characters get their perfect ending, I was impressed with how this was written and the story line kept me engaged and present.

Thank you Net Galley, Marielle Thompson, and the publishing company, Kensington Publishing for an ARC of Where Ivy Dares to Grow. These opinions are 100% my own, based on my personal opinions while reading.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book!

Slow burner/Wuthering Heights like read. Would be perfect for a fall/winter read. Saoirse does not fit in or like her in laws, and it shows. As her mother in law slowly declines, she travels to their estate for her final days. In the process she meets a ghost that turns out to be more connected with Saoirse than what she thought.

Overall giving this a 3.25 review- the scene is so rich for a plot like this, was very easy to imagine in my mind. The book is slow to start, but get moving about 1/3 of the way through. Her in laws are easy to dislike, and you find yourself rooting her her to find her happy ending. The editors review of the book compares it to both Mexican Gothic (this is not nearly as creeping or foreboding) and Outlander (not nearly as long or as detailed writing). I would actually compare it a bit more to Wuthering Heights based on scenery and the slow burning plotline. If you like Gothic novels, especially romance, this is a book for you.

This book just did not carry a lot of depth to it and I didn't understand the actions the MC took a lot of the time. The atmosphere was the best part of the book and was the main thing that was done well in my opinion.

Thank you to Marielle Thompson, Kensington, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

MAJOR SPOILERS, BEWARE

I. Despise. This. Book.

I wanted to DNF it multiple times, but I pushed through until 95%. Then I just couldn't take it anymore. Saoirse, the MC, is incredibly self-centered. My God. The entire novel is about how horribly treated she is and how miserable she is because of it. Life's been just awful to her. Pages and pages of redundant woe-is-me inner monologue. And the only thing she does to make it less miserable is have an affair. Because that won't complicate anything, never mind the time difference.

Let me lay it out for ya.

It's 1994. Saoirse and her fiance, Jack Page, travel to Langdon Hall, the Page family country manor, to spend time with his father and dying mother, both of whom have never approved of Saoirse and have nothing but condescending insults to say to her. But she goes for Jack's sake, even though their relationship has been withering on the vine for months. I believe Jack's mother's terminal diagnosis is given as the catalyst for the estrangement, but never is it explained why that caused Jack to pull away from Saoirse. Saoirse never asked. Speculated and accused in her mind, but never asked him. Never talked to him about it at all.

So Saoirse's miserable at Langdon, feeling like an unwanted burden. Trying to stay out of the way, though she's really just avoiding them, she wanders around the eerie house feeling watched and haunted and wondering if she's going crazy again, which is another big part of her character that was never explained or clarified. It's implied she suffers from depression, anxiety, and perhaps schizophrenia, but I don't recall it saying she's on any medication or participating in any therapy to help cope with these conditions. It's treated like her mental illnesses are entirely dependent on her own willpower to stay un-crazy, willpower no one thinks she has. It infuriated me. But hey, 1994.

In her wanderings she finds the journal of Jack's ancestor, Theo; apparently the semi-sentient house deliberately put the book in her path. The house then begins to transport her back in time to 1818 to meet said ancestor (Or does it? Is it all in her mind blah blah blah). The supernatural abilities of the house don't surprise him and he's hot and lonely, not to mention the only person who seems to welcome Saoirse's presence (she's more or less estranged from her own relatives as well, I can't remember why, assuming an adequate explanation was given), so naturally she gravitates to him, wanting to go back more and more often to spend time with him.

They chat a bit and in short order begin having sex, both desperate for connection, and "fall in love" with each other despite the impossibility of their relationship. I didn't feel their relationship was well developed at all; I have no idea why Theo loved her so much.....except for the fact that she was eager and came with no strings. A kicked puppy desperate for love and cuddles but that he didn't have to bother feeding, training, or pottying. And she waxed poetic about how kind and gentle and sensitive he is, but truly she became addicted to his attention and lack of judgment. Their relationship existed in a little bubble free of responsibilities and commitment. He didn't want to know anything about her time, and she never seemed curious about his, so maybe it was more a little bubble of ignorance. No wonder it was such bliss.

Finally the black moment and climax arrive: Jack's mother dies, and it's time to leave Langdon, which means leaving Theo. Saoirse panics and decides to try to stay with Theo, but turns out he's sick and dying. There's nothing else for her in 1818. Shit, she can't just abandon her problems with Jack and go missing. So she breaks up with him. Just like that. The same day his mother died and he's swamped with grief. Doesn't wait until after his mother's laid to rest. Doesn't even wait until they're back home in London.

And that's where I quit. Because fuck. Her.

Saoirse was such a horrible character. I think the reader is supposed to be cheering for her to work up the balls to leave Jack, but I'm just confused and frustrated as to why she didn't do it months, YEARS, ago. Why HE didn't. I don't find her situation sympathetic, because I don't understand it. Jack's side of the story is never explored. We didn't see him treat her very well, and no, he never tried to talk to her about their problems either, but he was still with her, still sought her support, still wanted to marry her. Why? Were they both just sunk so deep in feeling obligated to each other, though they weren't even married yet?

All Saoirse did was pine for how happy and in love they used to be and blame his parents for being assholes and turning him against her, and blamed him for becoming cold and distant. She was such a VICTIM and a COWARD. It drove me INSANE. She seemed to need a man to define her, needed a fantasy world free of consequences and responsibility to make her happy. It made me sick. It was mentioned that she was pursuing a Ph.d. in some obscure branch of archaeology, and I don't buy it. I don't believe someone so utterly lacking in self-confidence and dependent upon procrastination could have the strength and discipline to drive herself through that many years of post-secondary.

Hey, there we go. This novel could be a highly dramatized and overly detailed metaphor for procrastination.

At one point near the end Saoirse did contemplate that Theo and Jack weren't her only options, SHE was one as well. Which sounds like she found inner strength to finally stand up for herself.....but it's actually selfishness, considering it prompts her to go break up with Jack.

I'm so done with this book. Peace.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Wow! Where to even begin with this one. This was such a beautiful story about a woman struggling with mental health problems who has traveled with her husband to spend time with his mother in her last few days. This book was too beautifully written and it just brings up such different emotions while you are reading it. You begin to care for the characters and what they are experiencing during this difficult time, but at the same time there is concern for where the storyline is going to go and how it was going to end. I definitely did not expect the ending and the twist at the end. There were a few points while reading that the writing felt a bit ‘wordy’ and at times I felt like I was getting lost in it. But I don’t feel like it took away from the storyline too much. I also feels like this just speaks so much about the author who was very transparent at the end where she is talks about her own mental health struggles and that is how she came up with the idea for the novel. Overall, I absolutely loved this book and one that I would definitely recommend.

This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

Where Ivy Dares to Grow is a time-slip novel one of my absolute favorite genres.

Saoirse Read goes with her fiance Jack Page to his ancestral home Langdon Hall to be with his mother in her last days. His mother is dying and Saoirse is made to feel like an invader by Jack’s parents Alice and Edgar. Their dislike of Saoirse rubs off on Jack and there is a fair bit of gaslighting going on. There are hints that Saoirse has some kind of mental issue that keeps her from standing up for herself and makes her feel inferior. Into this dynamic Saoirse stumbles through time to the early 1800’s and meets Jack’s ancestor Theo Page, Theo is a kinder more empathetic person than Jack and his parents and Saoirse finds herself falling in love, but is it real?

The novel was very lyrical in the writing and descriptions, but I did find myself losing patience with Saoirse at times, however I really enjoyed the storyline and the last chapter made me sit up and think. I recommend to lover’s of time-slip Gothic themed books.

Thanks to Netgalley, Kensington Books and the author for the chance to read and review this book.

Saoirse Read accompanies her fiancé Jack Page to his ancestral home, Langdon Hall, to be present for his dying mother. Jack’s parents make it clear they don’t consider her suitable for their precious son and their feelings seem to influence Jack, who has already distanced himself from his betrothed. Feeling more and more isolated, Saoirse wanders the home, eventually finding herself back in the 1800s and in the presence of Jack’s ancestor Theo Page, a kinder, gentler man. As she moves back and forth from present to past, Saoirse struggles with her feelings for both Page men and with her own mental health and sense of self. How and when can she become most fully herself and happy?

I found this time slip story slightly different from others in the genre as Saoirse was so unsure of what was real and what her own feelings and sense of self-value might be. The story did pull me in though and I was quite surprised by the premise of the ending. I did find the initial few chapters to be overly descriptive. While the descriptions were very effective, they became too numerous, lengthy and tedious for my liking. This did improve as the book went on. I would rate it as 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book.

This was not the book for me, unfortunately. The writing style felt wordy and I often got lost in the pages trying to trudge through the prose. I really liked the premise of the novel and I wish that would have outweighed the wordiness of the writing. Overall, I found the story to be flat and the characters just weren't loveable.

Thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and the author for an e-ARC of this novel. All opinions are my own. Review will be posted on Insta by end of publication date (@ellie.reads.a.lot)

Where Ivy Dares to Grow by Marielle Thompson is Historical Timeslip Fiction. A place that plays with time and changes lives. A delightful new twist in Time Travel. What might seem to be a ghostly apparition could be a glimpse of a person from another time. Is it imagined, simply a dream or is it real? What future will Saoirse choose? Read this book with a completely surprising ending.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

Where Ivy Dares to Grow is a thoughtful and unexpected book. While the comparisons to Mexican Gothic and Outlander captured my interest, I don’t think either is all that accurate. It has the timeslip plot device of Outlander, and the gothic vibe of Mexican Gothic, but the tone, characterization, and story progression are completely unique here.

Immediately, Where Ivy Dares to Grow is a very dreamy, lyrical novel. It’s told from Saoirse’s perspective, and her narrative feels almost like a stream of consciousness. It’s hazy and atmospheric, creating for a wholly immersive experience. We feel Saoirse’s anguish, her lowered self-esteem, her doubt in herself. She sees things no one else does, but is it the result of her mind or a tear in time?

The entire book has a haunting quality to it, from the dreary mansion to the somber and caustic mood of the 1994 Page family to the way Saoirse feels. Her inner turmoil is front and center and brought to life. Some of it is her mental state, but she’s also a victim of gaslighting, neglect, and even emotional abuse. It’s awful to see how Jack and his parents (especially his mom) treat her, and it’s painful to see how Saoirse doesn’t stick up for herself. She’s not in a position of strength or power when the book begins.

I love the way she falls back in time, seemingly at random. It’s connected to the journal she and Jack found, but beyond that, time and the timeslip work in mysterious ways. This novel isn’t exactly about the contrast of 1994 to 1818; Saoirse isn’t trying to fit in with the world of 1818 and doesn’t venture beyond the mansion. Rather, she makes an emotional connection with Theo Page, an ancestor of her fiancé’s family. Theo is so kind and understanding—such a stark contrast to his 1994 descendants! Saoirse and Theo hit it off immediately, and develop a passionate romance quickly. It’s morally gray; Saoirse is essentially cheating on Jack, though it’s obvious they shouldn’t be together at this point anyway.

Where Ivy Dares to Grow is predominantly character-driven, and while the plot is moving forward, most of our time is spent in Saoirse’s complicated thoughts. This often breaks up conversations a lot: Jack will say something, we’ll get two pages of Saoirse’s internal monologue about it, then she’ll finally respond out loud. It can be frustrating and slows things down a lot. The writing style is evocative and sensory, but it sometimes felt a bit too much for me.

My favorite thing about Where Ivy Dares to Grow is the reveal at the end. It’s not until the final chapter that we learn more about Saoirse’s full diagnosis, and it may change your perception on things! Discovering this (and also learning more about it in the author’s note) made me like the book quite a bit more. It made everything make more sense. Despite some of my minor qualms with the writing style, I wouldn’t change a thing. If anything, I’d like to read it again now that I understand more about Saoirse.

Where Ivy Dares to Grow is beautifully written and thoughtful, and it highlights mental health brilliantly. It makes me want to learn more. I also love that this shows someone as whole and multilayered, who learns to trust herself and find the strength to stand on her own. This is a wonderful debut and I look forward to reading more from Marielle Thompson.

Saoirse Read is struggling with her mental health, which has changed her relationship with her fiance Jack Page. His parents have never liked her, so when she travels to Langford, their ancestral home,to wait out Jack's mother's final days, even the home feels gray and unwelcoming. While wandering the grounds one day she somehow slips through time to the 19th century and meets Theo Page, a man like her fiance, but warm and charming. The more time she spends in the dark and forbidding home, the more she longs to escape to the past with Theo.
I love the Gothic feel of this book and fell in love with Langdon Hall and Theo. The hints about Saoirse's mental issues added to the darkness of her present life and made the timeslips with Theo even more appealing. I thought this story was totally fascinating!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Beautiful novel in the style of a classic gothic, I had so much fun living in this book, it was so atmospheric and I felt transported. Excited to see what Marielle does next.

Saoirse Read accompanies her fiancé to his family’s ancestral home to be by the side of his terminally-ill mother. She finds the ancient home with darkened corridors and drafty halls almost as cold and uninviting as the souls living within it. Her fiance’s parents make no attempt to hide their disapproval, a feeling long since shared with their son. Alone and shunned, Saoirse ambles through the neglected estate, slipping through the halls of time to 1818 where she encounters Theo Page, her fiance’s ancestor, where she learns of one family tree with two very different apples.

Outlander meets Nicholas Sparks in this atmospheric timeslip. Where Ivy Dares to Grow has left this reviewer with polarized emotions and in a conundrum as to how to best approach them. Debut author Mirielle Thompson has proven she is a voice to lookout for, but sadly the same cannot be said about the story.

Riveting and immersive, the 1994 thread delivered eerie gothicness at its best. Exquisitely selected words painted over my world, replacing it with Saoirse’s as what she saw and felt took over.

However, as soon as Saoirse stepped into 1818, I also stepped into another book altogether. Gone were the lush descriptions and vivid portrayals, and in its place remained a caricature. Previously rich depictions were watered down to “the clothing/furniture/etc. fit the time period.” In addition, the characters lacked depth, which leads me to my biggest struggle with the book and what made it one that I could not enjoy.

The so-called romance was nothing but lust and built entirely on cheating. I cannot root for a character who is unfaithful. The heroine was shallow and unsympathetic, and her motives for not leaving her fiancé proved mercenary. The villainous portrayal of the fiancé and his family felt like a sad attempt to justify her actions.

In conclusion, while I cannot recommend Where Ivy Dares to Grow, the strong writing present in the 1994 thread ensured that I might try a future novel by this author so long as it does not include the protagonists who have affairs.

When I saw "for fans of Outlander" I knew I needed to read this book.
And it is similar in its complexity and scenery.
Very easy to read, easy to get lost in the pages.
I wasn't a huge fan of our female protagonist which made some interactions less than optimal. But all in all, a good read.

With a lyrical style in the abundance of talent Marielle Thompson has written a doozy of a book with her debut Gothic romance thriller Where Ivy Dares To Grow. Caisha Reed is engaged to Jack right and traveled with him to his ancestral home to be with his parents at the end of his mom Alice’s life. His parents are not her biggest fans something they do not try to hide for anyone’s sake. When they arrive her beloved Jack starts acting different from the person she has grown to know and to love. He treats her more like a burden then the welcome guess she thought she was. While helping him clean out the attic she finds a journal written by one of his ancestors in 1818 Theo right, as she starts reading his words she feel she comes to know him and starts having time slips where she finds her self back in 1818 with the welcoming Theo who she feels A great attraction to. Time spent in 1818 is vastly different from the time she spends in 1994 with Jack and his parents eventually she will start an affair with Theo and is burden by guilt but after Jack’s harsh treatment and that of his mother her guilt seems to lessen. I was not prepared for the ending of this book but let me just say this is the final product I would be willing to read the thing she threw away this is a beautiful story and although I didn’t understand Jack’s about face at the end I did absolutely love the story. I love a good Gothic feel to a book and to have it done in one that looks like a romance was a first time for me. This is a great book in a stellar debut effort in it is a book I highly recommend I did love that instead of making her mental illness be the cause of her problems it instead became a cause of the solution and I love that I had never heard of this illness before but thanks to the author I have now been knowing is growing… Right? What a great message and a great story. I received this book from NetGalley and Kensington books but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

When I read the synopsis of this one, it immediately pulled me in. I do love a time travel element and a bit of gothicness (a real word, I promise) thrown in sounds like it would make for a wonderful read. And it did, for the most part.

There were elements of this novel I truly enjoyed a lot. I liked the main character and the journey she was on to learn about herself. It’s too often the hardest one. I enjoyed the tone of the novel overall and I especially enjoyed the language the author used. Some sentences truly danced into my brain made me smile just because I liked the way they were constructed.

I think the weakest point was the plot itself and the pacing. As a set up, I enjoyed it and in principle I liked the overall storyline, but some things just did not quite work for me. Cheating as a plot device is hard to pull off for me. The author almost succeeded, but not quite. I also felt I wanted a bit more time with Theo before the romance went into full swing. It felt a bit rushed and I never quite felt like I knew enough about him.

I am not quite sure yet how much I liked the ending. On one hand it feels like the only ending there could have been and on the other hand I wanted a bit more. I am on the fence.

I cannot comment on the mental health representation, but I read the author’s note and since this is an own voices story, I will presume she got it right.

I would recommend this if you enjoy timeslip kind of stories, especially with a gothic vibe. As far as that goes, the author did well. I especially liked the writing and I will definitely pick up whatever this author writes next.

I found myself captivated by Thompson's book, Where Ivy Dares to Grow, throughout the entire reading process. I was drawn to the book because of the title, the cover, and the comparison to Outlander. I was not disappointed and devoured this book in two days. I loved how Marielle brought us directly into Saoirse's mind and world and kept us there. It gave me Turn of the Key/The Turning vibes and though it took place in the 90's, it felt like it had a modern take on what was going on. I didn't want her time with Theo to end, and I suppose that was the author's point. Their love story was very sweet, and I appreciated how often she swept Saoirse through time as it kept me wanting more and wondering how or what would happen next. I preordered this book for myself as soon as I finished it!