This was a really good book. I really liked all the characters and there was some twists and turns in the story plot that I really enjoyed. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. ( )

It's been a year since Jane Bell's husband died and left her his coaching inn, but Jane isn't any more prepared to end her mourning period than she was a year ago. The inn has gone on without her direct involvement during that year, but she's finding out that it hasn't necessarily gone on well. A large loan from the bank is about to come due, but the inn isn't nearly as prosperous as it used to be, and now it's in danger of being taken away. Jane's mother-in-law, Thora, will do anything she can to help save her family's inn, even while feeling displaced by the new mistress of The Bell. There are others who might be able to help as well, but Jane isn't completely sure how to proceed...or who to trust.

This is the type of book where the story may focus on one main character for now, but this first book also introduces several other characters who will have more of a spotlight in future books, and gives us a decent set-up to those future stories. So a good amount of characters overall were introduced, but it didn't take me long to get invested in their lives. I thought the set-up was giving us more of a mystery than there turned out to be, and I seriously anticipated the revelation of a conspiracy that never happened. But that was my own fault, not necessarily the book's. I think I read more into certain people's behavior than was intended (or maybe the author did want us to suspect that person).

Jane was a very dynamic character, in that she changed fairly drastically from the beginning of the book, where she spent her days languishing in her small home and ignoring the inn, to the end of the book, by which point she'd at least attempted to take the reigns of the inn firmly in hand. I liked the way the story and characters come together by the end, and that there is no sudden, miraculous save. Hard work and diligence are required, and a perfect ending is not guaranteed.

In some places this book is billed as a romance, and there is some romance involved. However, it is nowhere near a focal point, and (spoiler alert) the main character doesn't end up with a beau by the end of the book. I believe that is another storyline that will continue on throughout the trilogy, and I'm quite okay with that. If you're a fan of historical Christian fiction, keep that in mind when considering this book. I do recommend it, and am looking forward to continuing the series. ( )

A quiet story about a Rengency widow who tries to save her husband’s inn after his death. There are female friendships, family bonds that grow in unexpected directions, and economic hardships that must be overcome. ( )

Set in 1820 England, protagonist Jane Bell becomes the owner of an inn when her husband dies suddenly. The inn lies on a coach line, which brings visitors to this rural area. Her husband left debts, so the inn is in a precarious situation and Jane is unsure she will be able to operate it. Jane has not always had a great relationship with her mother-in-law, Thora, but they are thrown together to try to turn the inn into a money-making enterprise, though Thora and many of the staff are resistant to change.

A few romantic possibilities arise for each woman, but this is more historical fiction than romance, and thus much more suited to my taste. It explores the roles for women in the early 1800s. The writing is appropriate to the era. It is not as elaborate as the authors of the time, such as Jane Austen, but it is well-suited to a modern reader. The novel is squeaky clean – no sex, violence, or profanity. The ending is set up for a sequel, but it is satisfying enough to be read as a standalone. It is a quiet book that will appeal to readers who enjoy getting to know a cast of characters living in a rural community. ( )

I stumbled on to this series through the Christmas Novella and knew I wanted to read it from the beginning. A strong woman in the wonderful backdrop of historical England. I'm thoroughly enjoying it. ( )