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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

A Regency Christmas to Delight Your Heart

by Chautona Havig · 4 Comments

An Ivy Hill Christmas is a beautiful story of love, loss, and redemption that brings everything full circle. My first Klassen novel won't be my last. via @chautonahavig

The cover of An Ivy Hill Christmas sold me. While my daughters are enormous fans of Julie Klassen, I had not read anything by her. However, the festive air of snow on hedges, evergreen boughs, a manor house, and a gentleman… well, who wouldn’t be impressed?

By the time the book arrived, I couldn’t remember what it was about, so I read the back.  Ugh. As you may surmise from the synopsis, Richard Brockwell did not impress me. Though I love a good character growth arc as much as the next person, come on! I felt like I was about to embark on reading about Jane Austen’s reprobate, Wickham, coming home for Christmas.  Blech.

Thankfully, I was wrong.

A Regency Christmas to Delight Your Heart

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me a small commission at no extra expense to you.

A Regency Christmas to Delight Your Heart

Combining excellent characterization, sincere, effective faith elements without becoming preachy, and a story you want to savor, Julie Klassen ensured that my first book of hers will not be my last.

While Regency novels can be tiresomely predictable, not all are. In some ways, this one is no different. However, despite my saying that, there is nothing tiresome about An Ivy Hill Christmas. Instead, we’re treated to a realistic look at Regency nobility–all their faults and virtues.

One of the best things about this book is that despite being a novella, the story has rich layers that provide depth to a story that a weaker writer couldn’t have delivered. Brava!  Indeed, characters are multi-faceted and while flawed, not irredeemable. The cast of characters is large without being cumbersome, and the author does credit to each one.

No, really. She does.

Although there were a few small things that I questioned historically, I doubt anyone would notice, and I suspect I am likely wrong.  I didn’t look them up.  Frankly, the story was so good and they were so minor that I didn’t care.

Thrilled to have been provided a review copy, I toss a delighted five stars like confetti without compulsion of any kind. In fact, I bought my own Kindle copy because it was on sale for just $1.59. Recommended for lovers of Austen, lovers of good historical fiction, and for lovers of fiction that “shows” the truth of Scripture in action instead of yammering on about it.

An Ivy Hill ChristmasAbout the Book

Book: An Ivy Hill Christmas

Author: Julie Klassen

Genre: Christmas Historical Romance

Release Date: September 2020

Richard Brockwell, the younger son of Ivy Hill’s most prominent family, hasn’t been home for Christmas in years. Though 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.

However, Christmas in the country presents many 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.

Will Christmastime in Ivy Hill, with its village charm, kissing boughs, and joyous songs, change his heart . . . and hers as well?

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Comments

  1. Roxanne C. says

    December 16, 2020 at 12:03 pm

    Thank you for the informative and delightful review of a novella that I expect to be a very satisfying Christmas read.

    Reply
  2. Caryl Kane says

    December 13, 2020 at 1:34 pm

    Excellent review, Chautona! Julie Klassen is one of my MUST read authors. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  3. Dianna says

    December 12, 2020 at 7:26 pm

    Wow, $1.59 is a great price for the Kindle copy! I’m going to have to check that one out. I’ve been listening to an audiobook that I don’t really like, so I need something to flush it out.

    Reply
  4. Andrea Stoeckel says

    December 12, 2020 at 10:40 am

    Thanx for the opportunity. These sound great

    Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 263: A Chat about The Love Script w/ Toni Shiloh
byChautona Havig

I had another lovely conversation with Toni Shiloh last month. Her latest book, The Love Script released and boy does it promise to be another #BookTouchdown!  Listen in to what you’ll find in this Love in the Spotlight series and especially in The Love Script.

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

How Many Lies Does It Take to Expose the Truth That Love Brings?

Authors tell me over and over that they experience the same things I do when I’m writing. You start helping your characters work through their problems, and as you do, the Lord starts exposing your own.  He helps you understand where you need growth and helps pull weeds that try to choke out that growth.

The Love Script has a great twist of someone trying to use a lie to smooth over the gossipy ripples of false reporting (genius way to handle it, eh?) and oh the fall out.

Toni promises we’ll see some great wisdom from Lamont’s mother and some deep truths that Neveah discovers.

The Love Truth by Toni Shiloh

A Hollywood hair stylist.

Nevaeh Richards loves making those in the spotlight shine but prefers the anonymity of staying behind her stylist chair, where no one notices her. But when a photo of Nevaeh and Hollywood A-lister Lamont Booker goes viral for all the wrong reasons, her quiet life becomes the number-one trending topic.

The silver screen’s latest heartthrob.

Lamont Booker’s bold faith has gained him a platform, and the authenticity of his faith is well known . . . until the tabloids cause the world to question everything he claims to be. With his reputation on the line, he finds himself hearing out his agent’s push for a fake relationship–something he never thought he’d consider in a million years.

A love that goes off script.

With their careers at risk, Nevaeh and Lamont have to convince the world that their scripted romance is more than just an act. But when fake seems to turn into something real, can Nevaeh trust her heart in a world where nothing is ever as it seems?

You can find out more about Toni on her WEBSITE.  Follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

And don’t forget that you can get 30% off the book with free shipping at BakerBookHouse.com. And you can get You Make It Feel Like Christmas, too!

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

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Episode 263: A Chat about The Love Script w/ Toni Shiloh
Episode 263: A Chat about The Love Script w/ Toni Shiloh
September 23, 2023
Chautona Havig
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Episode 260: A Chat with Rachel Hauck
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Episode 259: A Chat with Debut Author, Laura Conaway
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Episode 258: A Louisiana Christmas to Remember
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Episode 257: A Chat with Fantasy Author, N. Ford
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I love this book so much. And it wouldn't be an "A I love this book so much. And it wouldn't be an "Anne" story without Gilbert and Diana... meet Gage. He's not quite Gilbert, but he's got everything a Gilbert should have--including the ability to completely annoy Anne when he doesn't mean to. She's speaking to him here... barely.
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I love this book so much. And it wouldn't be an "A I love this book so much. And it wouldn't be an "Anne" story without Gilbert and Diana... meet Gage. He's not quite Gilbert, but he's got everything a Gilbert should have--including the ability to completely annoy Anne when he doesn't mean to. She's speaking to him here... barely.
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