Good Day! Julie Klassen loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. She worked in publishing before becoming a full-time writer. Julie is the author of Tales from Ivy Hill series. Visit the Tales from Ivy Hill website for more information about this historical series. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit her website for more information about her books, to read her blog and to join her email list. Readers can follow her on Facebook.
The Bridge to Belle Island by Julie Klassen has Benjamin Booker losing a court case in April of 1819 because
he allowed himself to believe the lies fed him from a beautiful woman. Ben promises himself and his mentor, Robert
Hardy, that he will not let it happen again.
Percival Norris, a senior partner at Norris, Hardy and Hunt where Ben works,
is killed. He handled the Wilder estate
and recently had a disagreement with Isabel Wilder which she followed up a
harsh letter. Ben is sent to Belle
Island where Isabel resides to discover if she has left the remote place
recently. Isabel Wilder lives on Belle
Island in the Berkshires where the family’s country estate resides. She has not left the island ten years thanks
to her fears. Isabel is stunned when she
learns about Percival’s death especially when she discovers the scene of the
crime mimics a dream, she had the night before he was murdered. Ben finds himself fascinated with Isabel
despite his attempts to hold himself aloof.
When a second person is killed, the evidence once again points to
Isabel. Someone is setting her up and
Isabel does not who she can trust. The
truth needs to be uncovered before Isabel is arrested for the crimes.
The Bridge to Belle Island by Julie Klassen is a fascinating historical novel. I believe this is Julie Klassen’s best novel
yet. The story contains rich, developed
characters. The authors vivid
descriptions made the characters come alive for me. I enjoyed the depictions of their clothing
along with the scenery and homes. I
thought Julie Klassen captured the time period.
It was fascinating to learn more about the Thames. Living on Belle Island when there are heavy
storms is like living in Florida when a hurricane approaches. The water level rises subjecting the inhabitants
to flee to the mainland and hope that their homes will still be there when they
return. The mystery was fascinating and
fun to solve. Someone with access to Percival
Norris’s home must have done the evil deed and we get to follow the clues to
discover which individual committed the crime. The romance plays out slowly which I
liked. Ben is understandably hesitant to
trust any woman and Isabel has her own reasons for distrusting men. Julie Klassen’s writing is compelling and
drew me right into the story. The pacing is languid which suits the time period
and story. The Bridge to Belle Island has romance and mystery in Regency
England which is a fabulous combination.
The Bridge to Belle Island can be purchased here. If you enjoy reading inspirational historical novels, you do not want to miss out on The Bridge to Belle Island. Julie Klassen's next novel is An Ivy Hill Christmas: Tales from Ivy Hill Novella which releases on September 1, 2020 (can pre-order here). Thank you for visiting today. I will be sharing my review of Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain tomorrow. I hope you have a peaceful day. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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