Me ha gustado muchísimo como escribe esta autora y estoy deseando leer más de ella.

Este libro ha sido una novela de misterio más que de romance histórico cosa que no me esperaba así. La autora ha hilado muy bien sus personajes y sus secretos más íntimos para debelarlos en el momento indicado.
Después traeré reseña más extensa desde el blog https://myspaceforbooks.blogspot.com

Could be rounded to 4 ⭐️?
Because of the underlying message/lessons?
I’ll think about it.

This one isn’t my favorite of the authors’ but still a good start to getting into a regency kick again!

This is fairly fast paced. I enjoyed the threaded mysteries(though did guess a couple things)! I really loved the links between several characters and aspects of the story that are revealed later! The ending was very good! I really do love the historical aspects I’ve found the author writes so well! The doctor, Benjamin’s father an apothecary, and how medicine/experiments have developed was very interesting. I liked Benjamin’s journey and growth, especially in attitude towards his father, probably more so than Isabelle’s, but he was a tad annoying in places. I wasn’t entirely sure which of the mc’s I really connected to in general… I liked Isabelle’s energy though and how she helped the people on the island but she didn’t have the depth that I’ve seen several of the authors’ heroine’s have. The niece and her fiancé were annoying too. But the other side characters were great!

I did think there was a couple things that should’ve been written more strongly—I enjoy how the author points to building faith in so many of her books but with Isabelle, it’s extremely vague.
Especially at the beginning, AT introduction to her, I was shocked by a situation that turns out to be the crux of a mystery/reveal but that it’s not addressed seriously by her friends who know about it or hardly in the writing at all, except mentioned to reassure that she doesn’t usually imbibe, but pretty much that it was okay she did at the time because she was sad?
It was so strange to read and I didn’t appreciate it.
In general concerning spirituality, we read she goes to her own little chapel on Sundays but that’s it… we don’t hardly see throughout the book at all how she feels about God and her faith until the last quarter and then suddenly there’s, well a very good analogy/lesson that I was glad to read, but it just seems so abrupt.
From a Christian author and what I have found through so many of other her books I was disappointed several spiritual things/attitudes weren’t made more clear when I had come to expect a certain quality from her.

Also, it’s never revealed more into the medical side of what ailed Isabelle or Benjamin. Just that it’s kinda similar and for her especially she works through it but vaguely when it was kinda a big point through the book.

The romance aspects are generally tastefully done by the author but several things struck me as meh about how she portrayed attraction, particularly their focus on the others’ looks. It seemed a little cliche and… eye roll worthy. Isabelle’s past interests make the story better actually(though the captains random appearances are a little odd but I did end up liking him).

Still.
Without looking deeper, it IS an enjoyable read and hope the next I read of the author will be better!


Content warnings(that I remember):
Mentions of alcohol/drunkenness, implied actress’s unhealthy relationship and abuse, pirates/smuggling, murder/attempted murder, almost drowning, greed driving several unwholesome and despicable acts,

4 stars

Lovely, heartwarming story with a bit of action and a bit of mystery.

I love Julie Klassen's books, they leave the one in a better, happier state than they found it.

I had a hard time getting in to the story in the beginning. But as I pushed my self to keep going I could not put the book down. I was bringing the book around the house with me, so that if I had a minute I could read a little more. Just like the rest of Her books, I loved it.

Although a nice story, I don't feel it's the best that I've read from this Author. On my kindle

After a humiliating mistake, lawyer Benjamin Booker resolves to never again trust a beautiful woman. When an old friend is killed, the senior partner isn't satisfied with Bow Street's efforts and asks Benjamin to investigate. Eager to leave London for a while, Benjamin agrees. Evidence takes him to a remote island on the Thames, a world unto itself, shrouded in mist and mystery. Soon he finds himself falling for the main suspect--a woman who claims not to have left the island in ten years. But should he trust her?

3.5 stars. I always enjoy Julie Klassen's books so I was really looking forward to reading this one. Mostly I liked it, but it is a departure from her other books. All of her other books are romances that include a little bit of mystery, but this time around we have a mystery that includes a little romance. I have to say that I thought the romance felt a little bland in this one, but I'm not really surprised about that, since the book focused more on the mystery than the romance. I think because it's a Julie Klassen book, I automatically expected the romance to be more like her other books. That being said, this was not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting.

Overall this was a good read with a pretty solid mystery plot and characters that were easy to like. For the author's first mystery, it was pretty good. I've read so many mysteries that I was able to pick out who the perpetrator was easily, but I wouldn't say it was glaringly obvious. I enjoyed the book despite that. I'm not sure if the author will keep writing mysteries, but I would read another one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Review also posted at Writings of a Reader

I love Klassen. I love her style. I love her stories. I'll probably continue to read her work forever; however, I was definitely not a fan of The Bridge to Bell Island. It was probably the first Klassen book that took me forreevveerr to read. The storyline was a bit odd. It was basically all about a woman that was too afraid to leave her island and cross a bridge...? Okay, I am a huge advocate for mental health and overcoming anxiety, but this was a little bizarre. Her fear was based only on the fact that many family members (though not all of them!!!) had died unnatural deaths off the island. Also, compared to her other stories, I was shocked at the bland characters and slow pace of the plot. I really think that this just wasn't Klassen's best work. I will admit that the mystery side of the story was interesting, and, in true Klassen fashion, there were plenty of twists. It may take a lot of tempting for me to pick up this book again, but I am sure there are others that enjoyed/will enjoy this story.