I'm not sure Julie Klassen is capable of writing a bad book. I loved this book. I loved the twists and turns the plot took. And the romance ... mwah! Another winner from Klassen!

The Bridge to Belle Island was a great read! I was surprised to see that it was a <i>murder mystery</i>! Loved that! It was so much fun to try and figure out who killed him.

I loved the characters. I wasn't sure how I felt about Rose or her fiance, but I liked Benjamin and Isabelle right away.

All in all, The Bridge to Belle Island was such a good story and I recommend it to fans of this genre.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

I’ve discovered that this authors writing style isn’t for me. I know it’s gotten lots of love and do recommend this author for those that like regency type of stories!

If this book hadn’t had such a large emphasis on wine, it would have earned that final star.

What a great murder mystery! It was tense from the discovery of the body, and the plot kept twisting about until I was second-guessing my speculations. It was intriguing to see how certain superstitions played a role in a couple of aspects of the story, as that heightened the stakes.

It was highly unusual for a Klassen novel to focus more on the leading man than the leading lady. I felt misled by the cover art, as a woman was featured. This book would have been better served with a male model, since we spent the majority of the scenes in Benjamin Booker’s point of view. I thought Mrs. Klassen well handled the masculine POV. He wasn’t as emotional as female leads in prior books, though he was superbly written and did show a few feelings every now and then.

I hope there are more murder mysteries upcoming for Mrs. Klassen! She could easily become a new favorite mystery writer if there are. This was a great story with which to dabble in that genre.

Content: pubs, alcohol, tobacco, replacement expletives

I always love reading Ms. Klassen's books. Her stories are always interesting and include an element of drama and intrigue along with some romance. This was the first I have read that was a mystery, and I really enjoyed it. A very different kind of story, Isabella resides on Belle Island and in fact is in a sense trapped there as she has faced so much tragedy in her life and she doesn't feel safe leaving the island. However, lawyer Benjamin Booker has reason to believe maybe she has indeed left the island and was involved in a crime. He travels to the island to talk to her about it and she is adamant that she is innocent. Can he believe her? He has a habit of being too trusting and has been burnt by it in the past and now he has some trust issues. But if not Isabella, then who committed the crime? This story was such a different story that I am used to reading from her and it made this more interesting and complex. I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of it. Such well-developed characters and an compelling storyline with an intriguing plot, this was such an engaging read. I would be happy to recommend!

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Over the years I've really enjoyed reading Julie Klassen's stories, but this one it took a very long time for me to finish. There is an author whom I used to love to read, Grace Livingston Hill, for whom I can barely read now. For some reason this book had that feel.

I love Julie Klassen stories. They remind me of a sweeping BBC series. They are layered with wonderful characters and so well written. This story was more of a slow building murder mystery with a touch of romance thrown in. I did struggle to get into this story because of that slow build and I was also expecting more of a romance versus a mystery.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

A fantastic read by Julie Klassen! This was an easy book to dive into. I was captivated through the whole story. This was a quick read because I did not want to put it down!

Benjamin Booker makes a mistake when he trusts a woman, vowing not to make that same mistake again. When an old friend is found murdered Booker finds himself on Belle Island investigating what happened. There he meets Isabelle Wilder, sister to the man found murdered. Will Booker solve the mysterious murder and how is Isabelle involved in all of this?

Julie Klassen does not disappoint as an author. She captivates her audience leaving us wanting more!

I enjoyed this mysterious tale set on an island in England. Isabelle is accused of a crime. Benjamin is an attorney set to find the truth. The island was her refuge, will she realize what truly is and let go of her fear? I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All views stated here are my own.

I would relate this book to an Agatha Christie type book. It goes round and round with twists and plot changes. I thought the author really developed her characters well and gave them depth. I love the beautiful cover of this book. I also love the pull toward Jane Austen that this author has. I don’t however enjoy mystery/murder. I found talk of this at every turn and all over the book not just a little here or there. I’m sorry that I didn’t like it more. It absolutely didn’t have anything to do with a lack in this author. I found her to be top notch.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.


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Julie Klassen tells an interesting story in her latest book, The Bridge to Belle Island. When a partner in his law firm is found dead, Benjamin Booker is called in to investigate and to try to discover the root cause of this death. Benjamin is drawn to Belle Island to find out if the dead man's niece, Isabelle Wilder, is involved in any way. The main problem is that Isabelle has not left the island in over ten years!

Isabelle's fear of leaving the island is wrapped up in the fact that death has met many of her family the moment they took a step off the island. You will see Benjamin step in a comfort Isabelle, when she has a physical reaction the moment she places a foot on the bridge to try to make an exit!

After Benjamin and Belle get to know each other, you wonder where this new relationship will take them. Will Benjamin discover that Belle is actually involved in her uncle's death or will a new culprit suddenly appear?

The Bridge to Belle Island is a delightful mystery with just the right amount of romance. It is a story of healing through faith and through forgiveness. It establishes the importance of family and other relationships.

I loved the examination of the different relationships as it tried to solve a murder mystery. The mystery didn’t give anything away until the characters had the answers which is important for me in a mystery. I hate figuring it out too fast. I am happy when an author can keep me hanging on for the answer and stumps me.

The most important theme I found was forgiveness and healing through faith. It allows for the characters to be full and nuanced. I was drawn into this books and completely enjoyed the story.

I received an ARC through the publisher on NetGalley

Thanks for providing a review copy. I was unable to get into the book and wont be returning to it, so no official review posted at this time.

Akin to Rosamunde Pilcher, Julie Klassen's writing is like a warm blanket on a cold day: comforting and relaxing. Her strong sense of setting and characters create an atmosphere that is easy to slip into and forget everything else but the story you are reading.

This was an interesting read. Different aspects to character development. I liked the location. It was a mix of mystery and romance. My genre I like best is less romance and more history, but this was good. I liked the mystery aspects of the story. I will read Julie Klassen again

Much more of a mystery/suspense than a romance. I’m not sure if that was the intention, but it felt different for this author.

Character-filled plot at times makes it a little difficult to keep track of everyone that pops up, you’ll find yourself trying to solve the murder. All the while, wondering if a romance will develop between the two main characters. It’s different for sure and if you are interested in a suspenseful historical fiction, this will be the story for you.

I received a complimentary eARC from Netgalley. This is my honest review.

The Bridge To Belle Island by Julie Klassen is a fabulous Christian historical crime novel that I just could not put down.
The action is set in the early nineteenth century in London and on the fictional Belle Island near Maidenhead. The air in the capitol is polluted in both physical and spiritual terms and is in sharp contrast with the fresher air and sunny personalities on Belle Island. Lives live here in community in contrast with the isolation of London.
After crimes are committed, a young lawyer seeks the truth. The truth will always set us free. Lies will imprison us. Sometimes it is the lies we tell ourselves in our minds that build up psychological walls meant to keep us safe but actually trap us.
Events in the past loom large in the present as lives pinpoint backwards to a moment in time. Old insecurities must be faced and dealt with.
There is the theme of forgiveness. If we do not forgive, we risk becoming bitter and carrying a burden that was never meant for us.
The theme of trust looms large. Suspicion lurks around every corner as we wonder who committed the crimes.
A character really wants to trust God. “She did not trust Him (God) with the lives of those she loved… She wanted to trust, but fear and worry… won out.” We need to take a step of faith and trust God, putting our fears and worries aside. When fear and worry darken our lives, we must face them with prayer. “Reminding me not to worry but to pray.” Prayer changes everything.
Julie Klassen has created a marvellous plotline that kept me glued and guessing. I always love her novels and her eclectic mix of characters.
The Bridge To Belle Island is a quintessentially English novel. As I live in England I appreciated the quality of the landscape as well as the artistry of the writing. It was simply marvellous.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

While Julie Klassen has a mysterious thread to most of her books this was more on the verge of a cozy mystery and I loved it. This is a must read I highly recommend if you love regency romance.

Julie Klassen presents quite the Regency mystery in Bridge to Belle Island, set in 1819. There are so many levels in which one can relate Klassen’s characters. We start with the hero, Benjamin Booker, a young attorney at a prestigious law firm. Booker is young and eager, but failing, afraid, and angry at his demanding father, who chooses to honor Ben’s brother over Ben. Booker has “adopted” his boss and mentor, Mr. Robert Hardy, one of the firm’s founders, as a “surrogate” father figure. Who can’t relate to failure or the fear of failure? How many of us, whether we had good parents or not, could not also point to at least one other adult who made significant contributions to our lives? Ben will need to decide about two loves... that of a certain lady, and whether his father should ever be given a chance to regain his trust and love again.
Our other main character is the very capable, middle-aged spinster, Miss Isabelle Wilder. With her trustee dead, can she finally control her own life, as well as that of her niece, whom she helped raise? Will the old family curse visit Isabelle or will fear of it defeat her? With a bevy of possible suitors, who will she choose?
And, of course, the mystery itself. I love it. We start out with the death of Mr. Norris, Isabelle’s and Rose’s trustee, early on. It will take us a journey through the whole book, with many stops and multiple suspects, to finally discover the true mastermind behind Norris’s death. The novel carries a sense of Edgar Allen Poe, the Clue game, and Charles Dickens all rolled into one. What fun, except for a few times when things were so bleak, I wanted to cry. About three-fourths the way through, the narrative lagged, but picked up and surged forward.
The faith message includes reminders of Philippians 4:6,7. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Faith in God, discernment of whom to trust, and forgiveness are themes in this novel full of twists.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley.
This in no way affects my opinions, which are solely my own.

There was much I loved about Bridge to Belle Island, but a few elements threw me right out of my reading stride. Klassen is a fine writer, and captured me with her lovely descriptions of the setting. Secondly, I thought I'd be reading a clever reverse gothic: with the wilting flower being the hero and the figure who knows the spirits of the place, the heroine. That element was dropped for a stodgy and not very compelling mystery plot. Above all, however, what turned me "off" the novel, despite the fine writing, was the hero's constant suspicions. Firstly, his prejudice against women was a turn off, but I like the writing and kept reading. But ultimately there was a disconnect between characterization, Belle's, and his relentless suspicion.