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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 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
byChautona Havig

I had a chat with actor and author Henry O. Arnold a while back, and boy did we have a lot of fun. His Song of Prophets and Kings series features the advent of Israel’s kings from Samuel’s birth through David hiding from Saul (so far) and onward. Listen in as we chat about his most recent release, The Singer of Israel.

 

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

What Made David Such a Man after God’s Heart?

I think this series will show us. I love that Henry O. Arnold started back at Samuel’s story to prepare us for the story of arguably the most influential king of Israel. Yes, Solomon was the wisest and richest, but David offered something that Solomon didn’t have. He was an average guy—a shepherd, no less—chosen by God to lead his country.

In a sense, it’s kind of the ancient Jewish version of a poor, everyday guy growing up to become President of the United States. If you know what I mean.

This five-book series is available as an eBook, in print, and as an audiobook, too! Henry read a snippet of it to us, and boy you get a feel for his love of Scripture and God’s people as he reads.

And if that wasn’t enough, he even gave us a hint of his upcoming Christian suspense/thriller “series. He says he has two books planned for sure, so… at least a duology, but maybe we can talk him into a trilogy at least? Get those odd numbers and everything?

The Singer of Israel by Henry O. Arnold

A singer’s voice inspires a troubled nation…A shepherd’s courage vanquishes a giant

The last official act of the prophet of Yahweh was to secretly anoint a replacement for the king of Israel who has been brought low by an unbalanced mind. The great prophet of Israel lives in fear of the wrath of the king. Then out of the hills of Bethlehem emerges the last-born son of a family of shepherds to become the unforeseen hero of Israel.

When David sings of the glory of Yahweh, this shepherd wins the hearts of the royal family and restores King Saul’s troubled mind. But when the singer/shepherd defeats the champion of the Philistines in single combat, David becomes forever known as “the giant slayer.” Saul quickly sees that David is now a threat to his kingdom and secretly plots to have him killed.

David may be the champion of the people of Israel, but he must live under the constant threat of Saul’s wrath until he is finally forced to flee for his life.

The Singer of Israel is a tale of triumph and tribulation, deepest love, and burning rivalries; the new epoch is given a voice…and it is The Song of Prophets and Kings.

You can learn more about Henry on this WEBSITE.

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Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
March 24, 2023
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Episode 210: A Chat with Jennifer Deibel about The Maid of Ballymacool
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Episode 209: A Chat with Tracie Peterson about Remember Me
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