A short novella but with all you need!

Synopsis

A time for spilling secrets…

Having refurbished her inherited house and upcycled her whole life in the process, Freya – now happily married to Patrick, and with a small child –  has to transform her tiny stone barn into a romantic hideaway for a mystery guest who is also looking for change. With Christmas only a week away, things don’t go according to plan…

In the past old uncertainties are resolved when an elderly woman seeks the truth of a legend on Christmas Eve and confesses to a deception; a Tudor wife listens to a story that must never be repeated and is given a precious relic that must never be displayed; and in the early nineteenth century an old woman tells a younger one the story of the hares at Ladywell.

Past and present are only a whisper apart when Freya learns of an astonishing discovery that will make Ladywell famous, but meanwhile her house is full of unexpected visitors, she has a turkey to cook – and a very special secret of her own that must be told.

My review

Sometimes a novella can be too short, as you don’t get a finished story, or you are left with many questions.
But no worries, this novella doesn’t leave you wondering.

Freya inherited a house and is busy with renovating everything while taking care of her daughter, while her husband, reluctantly, is abroad for his work. And this all in the period around Christmas.
Through flashbacks, we get to learn the past of the house and its earlier inhabitants.

At first it was a bit confusing because for me, I didn’t see where the story would go. But slowly the cloud of confusion cleared out and I had an ‘AHAAA’ – moment.
It was a nice story to read, as the love Freya feels is so genuine and real. And also in the flashbacks, you hope everything will settle for the best.

And also the secondary characters have their own input in making this even a more magical Christmas story!