"The Bride of Ivy Green" by Julie Klassen - Tales from Ivy Hill, book 3

In the final installment of the Tales from Ivy Hill, Mercy Grove is mourning the loss of her girls' school and chafing under the management of her new sister-in-law, and the thought of resigning herself to spinsterhood and becoming a governess doesn't seem so bad . . . though the consequences are not what she'd ever imagined. Her friend Jane Bell is seriously considering marrying Gabriel Locke, even though it means destining another man to a childless marriage. And a secretive dressmaker sets up shop in town, and though the ladies try to befriend her, they soon suspect she isn't who she claims to be. All three have dreams waiting to be fulfilled . . .

At last, all the heroines of Ivy Hill finally attain their dreams, whether having old dreams rebuilt or new ones developed (sometimes in ways I didn't expect). In the first two books it felt like more was at stake, but this one provides the satisfying conclusion to the series that I've been waiting for. (But if you haven't read the first two, I can't imagine this one would be nearly so enjoyable for you, so be sure to read them first!)

I have felt from the beginning of the series that there were too many eligible bachelors to find happiness with the number of heroines in Ivy Hill--uneven numbers, as it were--and, sadly, one of my favorites has yet to be lucky in love. But even in my disappointment over his love life, I do think he's not heart-broken either, having found satisfying love of a different sort than romantic. So at the same time I'm disappointed, but also rather happy with the way the author ended the story for him. Who knows--maybe he'll get his own book someday (that's my hope!).

I enjoyed the new intersections in the lives of the residents of the village, whether by the introduction of new characters like Victorine, or new connections among old. There also were some brief visitors to the village I didn't expect (yes, I recognized that dance master and his pretty wife). The series would make a great television mini series!

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Tales from Ivy Hill
1. The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill
2. The Ladies of Ivy Cottage
3. The Bride of Ivy Green

3.5 An Ivy Hill Christmas (novella)

Splickety SPARK: Literary Reimaginings

Writing flash fiction is a challenge (700 words makes for a mighty short story), but it's a lot of fun too. And the theme from February 2017, Literary Reimaginings (where one rewrites the ending of a classical story to something more exciting or satisfying or just plain different) was an exceptionally fun theme:

Our idea of a good time is a cup of licorice tea, a cozy blanket, and a well-worn classic novel. Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind... books we read in high school and still pull out every year or so. 

Sometimes, though, we imagine different endings.

Our February issue of Spark--formerly known as Splickety Love-- explores the what-ifs of classic romantic novels. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’re bringing you tried and true romance with a twist.

These are classic love stories and famous romance with a twist. If you’ve ever wished for a different outcome, now’s your chance to read it. Our featured author, Julie Lessman, reimagines Gone With the Wind. It’s a must-read if you prefer happy over ambivalent endings. And Mirror, Mirror by Splickety’s Sarah Grimm will grab you by the heart. This year, we’re making it about lovers who are ready to tell a different story--one that may just be an improvement over the original.

I agree with Julie Lessman's story on how Gone With the Wind should have ended--hers is much more hopeful than the original! For my story I went with the classic play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (more popularly known as the musical, My Fair Lady). And as that story has one of the most ambivalent endings ever written (does Eliza stay with Henry Higgins, fetching his slippers forever? Or does she actually marry Freddy and make him fetch hers?), I created an actual ending for it. Just maybe not the one expected.


Sadly, Splickety will be closing its doors at the end of the year, but Havok will be emerging from Splickety's ashes in January, with more opportunities for writing and publishing flash fiction. Check it out!

"A Sparkle of Silver" by Liz Johnson - Georgia Coast Romance, book 1

Millie Sullivan is desperate for money to provide care for her grandmother, and when her grandma, in one of her lucid moments, tells her of Great-Grandma Ruth's diary containing the location of a hidden treasure at a local Chateau, she jumps at the hope of finding it. When Millie gets caught snooping by a security guard, Ben Thornton, she manages to convince him to help her, with the promise of splitting the treasure 50/50. As they work together, Millie and Ben get caught up in the adventure of uncovering the past and finding their way to an unexpected future.

There's just something irresistible about a treasure hunt, especially one that involves secret family history.

I enjoyed Millie's voice, especially the way she argues with her thoughts. It's funny, but it also points out when she is willfully denying something--a thing that I've done myself, when I know something to be true but don't really want to acknowledge it. I really liked Ben; he's such a stand-up guy, but it would be tough to be in his position. I can see why he would feel the need to pay back everyone for his mother's crimes, but that's a lot of pressure. But the winner for sweetest, tenderest, most-apt-to-make-me-cry character is Grandma Joy. So sweet and wise when in her right mind, but so hard to read about when the dementia takes control.

I loved the story of Millie's great-grandma hidden within the diary entries and old letters that Millie and Ben find. I got a bit tense when I realized that Ruth's husband was none of her love interests from the summer of 1929. Was her story going to end tragically? Who was the man who became her husband, and how did she end up marrying him? Would Ruth choose the right man or make choices she'd come to regret? The mystery of her romance was just as intriguing as the mystery of the hidden treasure.

Georgia Coast Romance
1. A Sparkle of Silver
2. A Glitter of Gold
3. A Dazzle of Diamonds