A review by shammons
The Ladies of Ivy Cottage by Julie Klassen

4.0

I was happy to return to the quaint village of Ivy Hill in the 1820’s. (Note: These books are charming and very reminiscent of Ms Klassen's favorite author, Jane Austen, and even includes references and quotes from her books). The first book centered around the “coaching inn” and its owner/proprietor, though we met most of the main characters. The focus of this book, while still encompassing the village and all of the main characters, shifts to the girls school at Ivy Cottage. The Miss Groves (elderly aunt Matilda, or Matty and younger Miss Grove, Mercy) are running a school for girls, but looking to expand. In the last book, Rachel Ashford, formerly of Thornvale, had to move in with them as her father passed away and his estate (such as it was) was entailed to a distant male relative, Nicholas Ashford. The only thing that Rachel received from her father was his vast collection of books. So in order to be able to contribute to her upkeep at the school, Rachel decides to open a circulating library. This was fun for me to read about, and to learn that people paid a small yearly fee to be able to borrow books from the circulating library. It made me appreciate my free public libraries with all of their modern day resources, LOL!! We had a lovely progression for some of the main characters, a wedding at the end, and the next one is entitled The Bride of Ivy Green, so I am very excited to return to Ivy Hill soon!! Then I’ll only have one more, the Christmas one. :)