I've read Julie Klassen's Ivy Hill books and really loved them. The Bridge to Belle Island had a great mystery to it along with a fantastic setting along the Thames. I loved Benjamin and Isabelle along with all the side characters. The mystery kept me guessing til the end.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Bridge to Belle Island
by Julie Klassen

Bethany House


Bethany House Publishers
Christian

Pub Date 03 Dec 2019  


I am reviewing a copy of The Bridge to Belle Island through Bethany House publishers and Netgalley:



Benjamin Booker whose a lawyer resolves to never trust another woman after a mistake humiliated him.


After an old friend is killed, the senior partner of bow street isn’t satisfied with the way things are handled and asks Benjamin to investigate. Benjamin who is more than ready to leave London, at least for awhile agrees. The evidences takes him to a remote island on the Thames, a place that is a world unto itself and is shrouded by mystery. It doesn’t take long before Benjamin finds himself falling for the main subject, a woman who hasn’t left the island in ten years. The problem is he doesn’t know whether he should trust her or not.


Isabelle feels safe on Belle Island, and she leads a productive life, but fear has her trapped there. After Mr Booker shows up at Belle Island with news of her trustees murder in London, she’s stunned. Isabelle hasn’t left the island, but she’s had a recurring dream about a mans death, or could it be an actual memory? She’s had a lot of anger against him, but this was not something he wanted.



After a second person died and the evidence surprisingly points to her, Isabelle has no idea who she should trust. The lawyer whose attractive or the admirer of friends who assemble on the island. They each have grudges against the victim. Isabelle is not even sure that she can trust her own mind. Searching for the truth leads to secrets being brought to the light, and the danger that ensues.



I give The Bridge of Belle Island five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This is a terrific English historical mystery. I loved everything about it. The historical setting has outstanding detail. The description of Belle Island made me want to visit there. The storyline is intriguing and romantic. I would think that I had the mystery solved, and then another credible suspect would pop up that would make me question my theory. (I love books like that!) The two main characters are believable and I liked them. Benjamin and Isabelle’s story does not get off to a smooth start, and Isabelle herself is a main suspect, and Benjamin finds himself In a position of not knowing who to trust, even if she appears to be a sweet and beautiful young woman.

If you like English mysteries, you’ll love this one. This book is a keeper, and a I’ll be reading it again.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

She wanted to trust, but fear and worry all to often won out.

Benjamin Booker is always seeking the admiration of his mentor and lead partner Mr. Hardy. After a devastating loss on a case, Mr. Hardy and Booker visit an old partner Percival Norris which leads to a crime scene. His partner is dead and the evidence leads to Isabelle Wilder of Belle Island. With Hardy's encouragement, Booker goes to Belle Island with the pretense to handle the legal affairs of Miss Wilder. A single woman that has isolated herself on her family's island. She handles the affairs of her niece Rose Lawrence. Ms. Wilder's fear of leaving the island comes from the loss of her family. A superstition that if any family members leave the island, they will meet their demise.

With Mr. Booker's arrival to the island, he is taken with Ms. Wilder but does not want to be fooled again with any deceit. Can he believe Isabelle? Mr. Booker untangles the web of lies that ensnare both him and the woman he has fallen for.

With a Christian theme, I enjoyed the mystery of the crime and how it all unraveled. The characters were easy to relate as they relied on their faith and begin to see their faith anew. It was an enjoyable read as it was descriptive of the island and the character building that was developed thru the plot.

A Special thank you to Bethany House Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

Klassen has given us a fun murder mystery with a little bit of romance. It was slightly different than I was expecting. Not my favorite of all her works but still well done. She always does a great job of giving you characters with great depth. I also always love the way she beautifully describes her settings so you can really picture them as you read.

I received an ARC from Bethany House via NetGalley this review is my personal opinion

Julie Klassen did a great job in this book, I can only say good things. In this story we go to 1819, we first meet Benjamin Booker, he is a young lawyer in London and he is on court defending what he believes is an innocent client, what happens from here determine not only the tone but also his attitude through the story. Now, here comes the interesting and the most important part of the story. Benjamin was with his mentor Mr. Hardy and they found Percival Harris ( a former lawyer from the law firm) and also a friend of Benjamin mentor dead under suspicious circumstances. Here we start asking so many questions, why him? What were the reasons? And of course who did it?

Benjamin goes to Belle Island in Berkshire as a request to help his mentor to get an answer from Isabelle Wilder since they were heard fighting a few days before he was murder. One of the things I like about these books is that we have two very human characters, with flaws and physical situations. We learn that Benjamin has some issues with his father and brother and in Isabelle's case, her fears on leaving the island (all do sound exaggerate) are real. While the story is developing we have more clues, but also more suspects. And of course more questions!. But, the best of this story and is the reason what I think it is a great choice for anyone who loves historical Christian fiction. This is the type of book that gets better and better. You will not only have all your answers and maybe be a bit shock, but we also remember how valuable and important we are for God, to have faith in Him, and to take a small step toward healing and a new beginning.

This book is the epitome of the cozy mystery genre. Red herrings every chapter, a softly forming romance, and British mainstays make this just as charming as suspenseful.
The story begins with Benjamin's unfortunate gaffe, causing him to question his own abilities and wondering if he allowed a member of the fairer sex to mislead him. On the heels of this humiliating incident, he begins investigating the death of a wealthy but misliked by many Londoner. Benjamin jumps right in, eager to take on the case that will get him out of the city, hopefully long enough for some other news or rumor to let him slip out of the limelight. When the investigation takes him to Belle Island, he fights his feelings towards possible suspect and niece of the murder victim, Belle, vowing to not make the same mistake that put him in hot water in the first place.
As the clues pile up, it becomes even more difficult to figure out whodunit. Did Belle have a larger part than even she realizes? Past mysteries rise to the surface to become entangled with the present case, proving that even the simplest of matters are influenced by our history.
There were a few chapters where the pacing lagged which could have been whittled down without detracting from the story, but this is my only complaint about the book. There was a large cast of characters, but each was given his or her own unique personality that made it easy to keep them all straight. In addition, the author has clearly down her historical research and used the setting and place to her advantage rather than as a lushly padded background. I never came even close to guessing the murderer ahead of time, and yet the clues more than satisfactorily explained the who and why.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary advance copy. This had no impact on my review.

(4.5 stars) - a Regency murder mystery/romance

This was my first Julie Klassen book, and I very much enjoyed it. I love Regency romance as well as Agatha Christie mysteries, so this was totally appealing 

While it's fairly obvious whodunit before the halfway point of the story, peeling away the layers of events that obscured the truth is a bit more complex & made things more interesting - though the coincidental involvement of one of the characters in so many unrelated incidents seemed a bit much 

The romance between Isabelle & Ben is done well. The interplay of their life-directing (& limiting) fears - Isabelle's fear of loss & death with Ben's fear of inadequacy & failure - which culminates in them both suffering from debilitating anxiety disorders, gives them an empathetic bond from the outset. 

I particularly liked how they helped each other grow spiritually, and helped each other to cope with their issues rather than simply & conveniently being healed - God does heal, of course, but more often than not, He wants us to learn to carry our cross. I really appreciated the positive message along with the sweet romance 

*Clean romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic 
*Religion: overtly Christian, not at all preachy

RATING: 3.5 STARS
2019; Bethany House

Do not read The Bridge to Belle Island if you are looking for a strong mystery. The mystery in this novel is easy to figure out, and is more of background noise to help the novel along. It seems many of Klassen's faithful readers have given this book a "meh" rating as they were expecting more of her signature clean romance. I have read 3 of Klassen's novel, all part of a trilogy, and enjoyed it a lot as it reminded me of Jane Austen's writing - witty stories with romance. I was happy to see Klassen was writing a mystery, and was a bit disappointed that the mystery was a bit weaker. That is the reason I rated the novel 3.5 stars. I was engaged in the writing, and liked the characters and story, but it felt like the story wasn't sure where it was going. I am definitely in for more Klassen, especially after some grittier suspense novels.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

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.

I’ve heard great things about Julie Klassen’s books, so when the opportunity came to read her latest release, I looked forward to giving it a try. The Bridge to Belle Island is a historical mystery set in 1819 England. It reminded me a lot of the cozy mysteries I love to read, but with a more contained romance, so I enjoyed it even more and will definitely be reading other Klassen books.

Benjamin Booker is a lawyer who gets the wool pulled over his eyes by a pretty woman and in so doing, he loses a huge case in court. Embarrassed, but given a second chance by his boss and mentor, he agrees to search for answers to the murder of one of their firm’s partners. Benjamin suspects the man has been poisoned though on first glance it looks like he’s been struck on the head.

Benjamin’s boss knows his partner had an argument with a client, so he sends Benjamin to Belle Island to investigate. Benjamin must steel himself against being taken in by another pretty woman since Isabelle Wilder definitely fits that description.

Isabelle loves her island along the Thames. After losing several loved ones, it’s the only place she feels safe. When her home is threatened, she takes a stand against the man who wants to take it away. All that does is land her as the prime suspect in a murder investigation. Can she convince everyone that she is indeed innocent even though everything points to her guilt?

The list of characters who seem guilty is long and the twists and turns of Benjamin’s investigation keep readers guessing at who-done-it. I also liked that the romance thread of the story wrapped up within the telling of this story, unlike many cozy mysteries that weave that thread over several books. The ending felt a tad drawn out, but the characters were such that I didn’t want to leave them behind once the story ended.

I’m glad I chose to read The Bridge to Belle Island and look forward to checking out other books written by Julie Klassen. I hope you’ll enjoy this one, too.

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I received this book free from NetGalley in order to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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.”

The Bridge to Belle Island is a really fun murder mystery! I didn't expect that it would lean quite so hard into the murder mystery aspect of the plot, but I found that I really enjoyed it! The plot kept me guessing throughout, and I didn't ever have it quite figured out.

I did feel, though, that once the killer was revealed and the mystery portion was over, the rest of the book fell a little flat. A good 350 or so pages are devoted to a short time period (maybe 2-3 weeks), and then the last 40 pages span months. After being so engaged in the first 85% of the book, I felt like an outsider looking in during the last 15%. It almost felt to me like the novel needed to end once the mystery wrapped up, and then Isabelle and Benjamin's story could continue in a future novel.

I still really enjoyed the novel, and I would recommend it, but it wasn't quite as amazing as I've come to expect a Klassen novel to be.

Lots of mystery in this book. Definitely kept me trying to figure it out. A bit of romance thrown in and it makes for a great read! I really enjoy Julie Klassen's books and look forward to the next one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

Julie Klassen can be a hit or miss for me. That being said, The Bridge to Belle Island is a hit. It is probably my favorite I have read by her that I have read. I am giving it five stars.

Can Isabelle find a bridge to the future?
Benjamin Booker is a young lawyer who is embarrassed by a case that went badly. To get away from the scandal, his boss, Mr. Hardy, sends him to Belle Island ( a small island on the Thames) to investigate Miss Isabelle Wilder and her possible connection to the death of her Uncle Percival. Percival is a former law partner of Mr. Hardy's firm. He has handled the trust for Miss Wilder in a particularly sting way. It is 1819, so women often had to deal with men running their lives, even if the women were smart and capable. Benjamin admires Miss Wilder, but can she be trusted or does wine from her island that poisoned her uncle make her a prime suspect.
Isabelle claims she is innocent because she has not left the island in ten years. There is a superstition that she believes that anyone who leaves the island will die in some horrible accident. As the police, Benjamin and others do further digging, they find that there are quite a few people who would benefit from Percival's death.
The author has created a very atmospheric that brings the era and setting to life. It is always fun to learn history fiction rather dry history books. This tale is as much a historical mystery as a romance. My only criticism is the heroine's fear of leaving the island is brought up too many times. If you like sweet historical romance, this is the book for you.
Thanks to Netgalley for giving me a chance to read and review this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Nothing but warm feelings embraced me as I turned the last page of Julie Klassen’s The Bridge To Belle Island. A novel that had my head spinning in so many directions… but I enjoyed every bit of it!

I feel like if I go deep into what I really thought about this novel that some spoilers will accidentally slip out, so sorry in advance for my somewhat vague review. 😉 The way that The Bridge To Belle Island started off was amazing. Klassen instantly introduced readers to a story full of mystery, struggle, and faith. Right off, readers get an idea of who the characters are and what their roles are in the story. Only to be surprised that everything wasn’t what it seemed. At least I was surprised. As for the leading characters? Throughout the novel, they struggled with real issues that I could relate to. And the way they came out stronger was something I really liked.

The Bridge To Belle Island also seemed different from Klassen’s previous novels. Maybe because I felt more of a Agatha Christie/Charles Dickens vibe instead of the Brontë/Jane Austen vibe that I usually associate with this author’s writing style. And I loved that difference! It made the story special and kept the characters unpredictable. And the nice thing about it is that I can’t remember one boring moment reading this. It was enjoyable from beginning to end!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for providing a free copy for my honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.*

“The Bridge to Belle Island” features both a mystery and a romance. Beginning with a suspicious death in the first chapter and ending with a dangerous situation, this book continually engages readers with action and suspense. The romance between Isabelle and Benjamin adds another dimension to the story. These main characters appear human and fallible, as each possesses a hidden characteristic that prevents them living a full and rich life.

Overcoming these difficulties presents an underlying lesson and source of encouragement for readers.
The opening quotations provide some insight and foreshadowing of themes. Discussion questions at the end of the book also draw attention to key ideas and serve as fodder for discussion groups. The Christian aspects of the story are overt, but not preachy. Readers who enjoy Christian fiction with romance and a touch of danger will enjoy this novel by a well-read and well-known Christian writer.

I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Although this book started out slow for me, I ended up really enjoying it. I love Julie Klassen's writing style. She writes great characters that grow along with the story. I also loved this setting. I would love to revisit it again. The mystery was very well done. There were so many potential killers, I was kept guessing until the very end. If you enjoy romance and mystery, I would highly recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book for review from Netgalley, but I also purchased a copy for myself.

The Bridge to Belle Island was written by Julie Klassen , and is a historical romance/mystery novel.
Summary: Isabelle doesn’t leave Belle Island. Not ever. In fact, she hasn’t stepped one foot over the bridge in more than ten years. Why? Her past is full of tragedies that all begin with family members leaving the island, only to meet their doom, and Isabelle refuses to tempt fate with her own life.
But when her trustee dies under mysterious circumstances in London, she becomes the prime suspect.
Clearly, there has been a mistake, but Isabelle doesn’t remember that night, and she has vivid dreams of the man’s death. What really happened that night? Could she truly have left the island and committed such a serious crime? What really did happened that night?
My Thoughts: This was a good book. Most historical fiction books written in this time period dwell primarily on conflict between castes-she is rich, he is poor, but they are in love kind of thing.
This one though, was an actual mystery, and a good one at that. I definitely enjoyed the plot and the mystery, and the characters were interesting, making this book a fun read.
This book will appeal to historical romance and mystery lovers alike, and I enjoyed it.
I would like to thank Bethany House for providing me with a free digital copy of this book for my unbiased review. Thank you!

This was an interesting to me as I loved the fact that the locale was an island. I was born on island and I teach about islands. The ‘who dunit’ subject was a little slow in moving the novel forward. I did enjoy the romance factor. The main woman’s character was intriguing and I loved the flooding details as I teach Geography.