I haven’t read the first in the series (The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill), but I definitely want to go back and do that. It’s okay, though - she gives just enough backstory to catch you up. Still, I think I would understand the relationships on a deeper level if I had read the first one first!

Anyway, the older Brockwell son, Timothy, figures into this novel. (I read Ivy Hill Christmas, which focused on the younger brother, Richard, and it takes place after this novel, so I had to pretend I didn’t know how certain things were going to turn out.) Rachel, who Timothy once had feelings for, has lost the status she had enjoyed in her youth - before her father was ruined. She tries teaching, but decides she is not cut out for it. Her friend Mercy and some women at a tea convince her to open up a subscription library with all the books she inherited from her father and offer to donate popular books and novels for the cause - at a reduced subscription rate. She agrees… so she can survive without accepting charity - or a marriage proposal for any reason other than love. She also doesn’t think God is especially interested in her ‘inconsequential’ problems, so she hesitates to pray for help - will she learn to trust that God does care and He has a plan for her that she can rely on?

We also get Jane’s story and Mercy’s story. Jane is a young widow who runs her late husband’s inn. Mercy runs a girls’ school, having put aside notions of romance. I don’t want to give any spoilers… but I will say it is a much better idea to start a series at the beginning!

In this return to the village of Ivy Hill, we shift focus a bit to Rachel Ashford, who has recently been removed from her family home and is now living in Ivy Cottage with the two Miss Groves, who run a girls' school in the cottage. Rachel isn't much of a teacher, but she also has no income and wants to contribute to the household. Thanks to some advice and a lot of help, she opens a subscription library. Unfortunately, neither the library nor the girls' school may last when Mercy, the younger Miss Grove, is given an ultimatum that will likely result in the loss of her way of life, not to mention her plans for the future, no matter which choice she makes.

It's a little difficult to boil this book down to a succinct summary, because there's so much going on. I believe Rachel Ashford's POV is shown the most, with Mercy Groves second, but Jane Bell, the main character from the previous book, might have as much "screen time" as Mercy. While we do see a continuation of Jane's story, the fate of the two younger women of Ivy Cottage is definitely the focus of the book. The downside to all of this is that it can get a little difficult to keep everyone and their situations (and their suitors) straight. When perspectives changed, it was always made clear soon enough which character's head we were in, but sometimes I had to take a moment to remember what the story was with the current character. Not to mention which man/men was/were possibly interested in her.

That aside, however, I really enjoyed my time spent in Ivy Hill. So much so that when the book was finished, I felt a little bit of loss, which is not a common thing for me after finishing a book. Though some storylines were tied up in this book, there is clearly more to come, and I particularly want to see where Mercy's story goes. I anticipate another difficult decision ahead for her. I continue to appreciate that, while there certainly is some romance in this book, it's not a focal point. One thing that could be a detractor, though, is that there are an awful lot of illegitimate relationships uncovered in this book. If you're a fan of historical Christian fiction, keep that in mind when considering this book. I do recommend it, and am looking forward to finishing the series. ( )

I'm really enjoying this series. While the title of this book is "The Ladies of Ivy Cottage," we don't neglect the coaching inn and all who live or have lived there. A lot goes on in this book and most of the reviewers have described the plot sufficiently. I'm really looking forward to reading the next book. ( )

Oh how my heart aches for the Regency Era women of Ivy Hill. Regardless of how hard they work or try to make their way in the world, they are still subject to the whims of men and societal standards of 1820s Wiltshire, England. A woman's life was precarious outside the protection of a father or husband. For those women who strove to stand on their own through means available to them, I am ever their cheering fan.

This delightful story, (the second installment in the Tales from Ivy Hill series) is rich with stories of such women. There is impoverished gentlewoman Rachel, whose childhood home passes to a distant cousin upon her father's death. Her married sister received all of their mother's jewels and Rachel was bequeathed her father's library of books through his will which stipulated that none of the books could be sold. How does one shelter or feed themselves with only books?! The solution is a clever one and temporarily provides for Rachel's needs.

Mercy Groves and her spinster Aunt Matilda run a school for girls in Mercy's childhood home as her parents have hied off to their London home. All is well until Mercy's parents insist upon arranging a marriage for Mercy in order for her to keep the home. Otherwise, it will be given away to another sibling. Should she marry for convenience or save her heart for one truly deserving and thus lose the school and dash her dreams.

Then there's gentlewoman, Jane who, for love, married an innkeeper. Now a widow and no longer a member of the "in crowd", she receives no invitations to societal gatherings. She has carried on well her husband's business and is now in a position to make marked improvements to the property.

Most of the women in this story are part of a tremendous support network without which many would have fallen into ill health or compromising situations. They're strong, bright and compassionate. There are also those few women of means who are comfortably provided for by their husbands or husbands' wealth and who need not rely on that support network, at least for the moment. They appear smug and judgmental.

This book is considered "Christian fiction" yet the scriptural references are occasional and fitting. The romantic elements as described are chaste and tasteful. The writing style is highly descriptive and sets the scenes well; the characters are well developed and the period research is solid. For the most part, the women's stories wandered about in a gentle cadence until nearly the end of the book. At that point, I felt a rushing by the author to quickly tie up loose ends where possible and leave at least one unfinished story to be picked up in the next installment. There were few surprises but the book still satisfied and provided a diversion from contemporary life.

I am grateful to author Julie Klaasen, Baker Publishing and Goodreads First Reads for having provided a free copy of this book. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone. ( )

The Ladies of Ivy Cottage by Julie Klassen is the second book in the Tales from Ivy Hill series. The women of the village are encouraging Miss Rachel Ashford to set up a circulating library with the many books that were left to her by her late father. As she begins to sort through the different books that the villagers also donate she stumbles upon a mystery. With the help of an ex-suitor Rachel searches for clues. Mercy Grove, Rachel’s hostess, is resigned to being a spinster and running her girls’ school. So, when several men begin to stop by Ivy Cottage she assumes they are interested in Rachel. The truth may come as a shock to everyone. I admit the story started out a little slow. It seemed to be just the everyday lives of an English village. But, once you immersed yourself in that daily living you began to be a part of it. I couldn’t put the book down. I enjoyed getting to know the ladies living in Ivy Hill. Their struggles and triumphs were an inspiration. I can’t wait for the next book.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. ( )