Anne of Ingleside (Anne of Green Gables #6)

Synopsis

Anne is the mother of five, with never a dull moment in her lively home. And now, with a new baby on the way and insufferable Aunt Mary Maria visiting- and wearing out her welcome- Anne's life is full to bursting.

Still, Mrs. Doctor can't think of any place she'd rather be than her own beloved Ingleside. Until the day she begins to worry that her adored Gilbert doesn't love her anymore. how could that be? She may be a little older, but she's still the same irrepressible, irreplaceable, redhead- the wonderful Anne of Green Gables, all grown up. She's ready to make her cherished husband fall in love with her all over again!

Loved

• The Blythe children. As a kid I didn't enjoy reading about the Blythe children because I felt like their stories were boring, but as an adult I loved reading about and getting to know these kids. I love each one of their funny personalities- all combinations of Anne's dreaminess and Gil's sense of humor, dashed with both their stubbornness and passion. Seeing Anne as a sweet and understanding young mother is so gratifying and I found myself wishing I was one of those children experiencing the magic of Ingleside.

• Anne and Gilbert's relationship. The last event in this book is one of my favorite parts of the entire series- when Anne and Gilbert grow apart (or so Anne believes), and then reconcile. I laughed out loud at some of the assumptions Anne makes about Gil and how resentful she becomes toward him, and he doesn't have the least idea about any of it-- something many women can relate to :) I listened to this chapter over and over because it was so realistic and relatable, and so sweet that their love story continues even six children and fifteen years later. 

• The life lessons. Each of these children learns some type of life lesson throughout this book, and they are learned in such funny and wild ways. They are all so passionate and sweet like their mother, which makes them different from other children. There were so many silly instances that had me laughing, but then tender moments that brought tears as well. 

• Anne's stage of life. In this book, Anne is in her mid-thirties and begins having not-so-youthful-experiences, such as starting to have aches with the weather changing, and becoming frustrated with her husband. Once again, as a child and even a teenager, I didn't enjoy reading about Anne being older because it seemed so normal and boring. But reading it as an adult, that's exactly the reason I enjoyed it- Anne was going through so many normal adult things, which made her so relatable and even more lovable.

Didn't Love

• I loved being a fly on the wall at Ingleside and I wouldn't change it :)

Content

• Language: 
• No language.

• Sexual content: 
• No sexual content.

• Violence:
• A physical fight between two children- one breaks the other's nose.
• Other mentions of physical fighting.

Overall Thoughts

As an adult, I really enjoyed reading about Anne's life after her young adult and newlywed years. This story is a perfect blend of Anne's wistfulness and dreaminess, but we get a new layer of realness to her that makes her relatable as she starts to get older. She really does create magic wherever she is and I loved watching her create that for her children. Ingleside is such a dear place full of dreams, tears, life lessons, hearty laughs, and a deep love for the simple pleasures in life- and I'm so glad we get to be a fly on the wall for all these adventures and small moments.