Hello, Friends! I'm delighted to be part of The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill Blog Tour! I hope you enjoy the excerpt! And be sure to read to the bottom of the page for the giveaway details to an amazing prize package!
When Thora Bell, a widow of several years, returns to help her daughter-in-law save the family coaching inn, she finds herself the reluctant recipient of romantic interest from not one, but two bachelors. But Thora has promised herself never to marry again. Will one of them convince her to embrace a second chance at love?
Excerpt
At the front of the vehicle, the Royal Mail coachman faced away from her, in conversation with the ostlers as they unhooked the weary horses, so all she had was a view of the back of his dark head, hat, and benjamin—a tan coat with multiple shoulder capes to sluice off rain. But such clothes were customary of most coachmen. Was it him? Or had he changed routes in the intervening months?
He set aside his long whip and clambered down. She caught of glimpse of his face from beneath his broad hat brim.
Charlie Frazer.
Again that little jolt of anticipation. Again that silent rebuke. There was nothing between them, she reminded herself. He was a flirt—that’s all. His handsome face had always split into a grin whenever he saw her, and he would sweep off his hat and press it dramatically over his heart, spouting some blarney about how she stole his breath, and praising her supposed beauty in his low brogue. She knew he probably did the same to landladies all along his route.
And, of course, Thora would wave him off and tell him to hush and stop his foolishness, though inwardly she had liked his attention. Now and again he overdid it and embarrassed her in front of a guest or her son, when John had been alive. But John always chuckled at her discomfiture and offered Charlie a pint, enjoying seeing someone dare to tease her. Charlie was one of the few men who didn’t seem put off by her gruff exterior. She had been surprised to miss him while she’d been away. She hadn’t thought a great deal about most people, but she had missed Charlie, as well as Talbot, more than she’d anticipated.
Passengers began alighting, sleepy and stretching. She watched while Charlie assisted the ostlers in changing the team and then walked around the coach, inspecting the wheels and springs. The relief coachman, a new man she did not know, came out of the stable block, adjusting his neckerchief as he came.
Thora turned away from the window. She would not stand there like a preening schoolgirl hoping for a compliment on a new dress. It was time to stop dawdling and make herself useful.
She greeted the arriving passengers and showed them into the dining parlour, where Alwena and Cadi would serve the breakfast Mrs. Rooke and her kitchen maid had been up since five to prepare. Then Thora returned to the reception desk.
The side door clicked open. Hearing no sound of its closing, Thora glanced up and saw Charlie Frazer standing in the open doorway, staring at her.
She said, “Close the door before you let in every insect in the county. Close your mouth while you’re at it.”
He slowly did so, his gaze remaining fixed on her.
“Thora Bell . . .” he murmured, “as I live and breathe . . .”
His deep voice still held a faint Scottish brogue, though he’d lived in England for most of his life.
“Hello, Charlie.”
He was a broad-shouldered, stocky man. His face was weathered, but he was still handsome. Beneath his coat, he wore a blue neckerchief, striped waistcoat, and low “jockey” boots, a style copied by sporting gentlemen everywhere.
He removed his hat, but said only, “You’re back.”
“As you see.”
No compliments were forthcoming.
He pulled off his gloves. “For how long? Just visiting, or . . . ?”
She had been right to rebuke herself earlier for her foolish expectations. He’d probably forgotten all about her after she left. “I have yet to decide.”
He grimaced as though the news did not please him.
She arched one brow. “Sorry to see me?”
“Nae. Not . . . exactly.”
What did that mean? “I am glad to see you are still driving the Quicksilver.”
“Are you?”
“Yes. We’ve lost a few stagecoach lines now that the turnpike is finished. I’d hate to think the Royal Mail would follow suit.”
“I have’na heard anything about that . . . officially.”
Thora noticed him avoid her eyes, but before she could pry out more information, he changed the subject.
“Oh come, Charlie. No one charms large gratuities from his passengers like you do.”
“Perhaps I once did. But I travel with a dashing new guard now. With his fine horn playing and beautiful voice, he kicks up more tips than I do nowadays.” Charlie gestured out the window. The young Royal Mail guard in his official red coat was urging the relief coachman to hurry. “Not that I begrudge him. Best guard I’ve had since old Murphy. Makes the hours pass more pleasantly, listening to him.”
“I am glad you get on well together. It is good to have a useful partner.”
“Aye. A good partner is the key to life.” He gave her a crooked grin, and she saw a bit of the old Charlie in the mischievous glint in his eyes.
Book Description
The lifeblood of the village of Ivy Hill is its coaching inn, The Bell. When the innkeeper dies suddenly, his genteel wife, Jane Bell, becomes the reluctant landlady. Jane has no idea how to manage a business, but with the town's livelihood at stake and a large loan due, she must quickly find a way to save the inn.
Despite their strained relationship, Jane turns to her resentful mother-in-law, Thora, for help. Formerly mistress of The Bell, Thora is struggling to overcome her losses and find purpose for the future. As she works with Jane, two men from her past vie for her attention, but Thora has promised herself never to marry again. Will one of them convince her to embrace a second chance at love?
As pressure mounts from the bank, Jane employs new methods, and puzzles over the intentions of several men who seem to have a vested interest in the place, including a mysterious newcomer with secret plans of his own. With the help of friends old and new, can Jane restore life to the inn, and to her empty heart as well?
Visit talesfromivyhill.com to find a map of the village, character profiles, a book giveaway, and more!
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Author Bio
JULIE KLASSEN loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full-time. Her books have been honored with the Christy Award for Historical Romance, the Minnesota Book Award, and the Midwest Book Award, among others. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. For more information, visit www.julieklassen.com.
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The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill Blog Tour Schedule
Be sure to enter the giveaway before you leave—the winner will receive a $20 Teavana gift card and a package of four inspirational British romances from four different eras (The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen, A Haven on Orchard Lane by Lawana Blackwell, The Lost Heiress by Roseanna M. White, Not by Sight by Kate Breslin). The winner will be notified on December 22.
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What a lovely prize package! Good luck, everyone!
Many thanks to Bethany House Publishers for including me in this blog tour and for providing me with a copy of The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill! I'm looking forward to reading it!
Congratulations to Julie Klassen on the release of The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill!
