"The Ladies of Ivy Cottage" by Julie Klassen

 


After a charming first novel in The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill, Julie Klassen's Tales from Ivy Hill series continues with this delightful second installment. We continue following the lives of Jane and Thora, as well as other ladies in this community.

Mercy Grove runs a small private girls school out of her home at Ivy Cottage. Having never married, Mercy tries to fill her life with the joy of serving her pupils and being a good friend. When the elderly relative of one of her students asks Mercy to become the girl's guardian and raise her as her own, Mercy's heart opens to new possibilities. 

Having lost her home to a male cousin upon her father's death, Rachel Ashford finds herself joining Mercy at Ivy Cottage. The only inheritance Rachel received was a large collection of books, and in order to earn some income she considers opening a circulating library. She's also being courted by her cousin, who feels poorly about taking over the family home. Yet Rachel has never gotten over her youthful crush on local magistrate and childhood friend Sir Timothy Brockwell, who seems to be showing up more often himself these days.

Mercy and Rachel grow together in hope and experience as they support one another through their challenges. When Mercy's parents strictly oppose the ideas of a library and Mercy taking on a young ward, they come to visit with a potential suitor and make their wishes perfectly clear: The time has come to marry for duty or risk losing everything.

This novel was much easier to get into, having already established the characters. I look forward to reading more stories in this series when they are released in the future!

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.