There is something not only festive in the air…

Synopsis

As snow falls over Micklewick Bay, Lark Harker is preparing for the busy festive season at her vintage clothing boutique, creating enchanting window displays of sequinned dresses and crafting handmade Christmas decorations from shimmering silk ribbon.

But her festive preparations are put on hold when Nate Wilkinson arrives at her cottage door. The owner of a local upcycling business, Nate asks for her help clearing out the long-abandoned Crayke’sCottage – a place locals whisper is cursed and haunted by its smuggling past.

Deep within the cottage’s shadowy rooms, Lark discovers two mysterious leather suitcases. The first reveals a treasure trove of 1940s clothes that sparkle with wartime romance and mystery. But the second holds a darker collection: smuggling artefacts, cryptic coded messages and a rusty iron key that gets Lark’s mind whirring. 

As Lark consults the town’s museum curator to unlock the suitcases’ secrets, she finds herself torn between growing feelings for her dear friend Nate and the inexplicable intuition that warns her away from love. When the rusty key leads to a shocking discovery in the cottage, Lark must trust her instincts and overcome her fears to finally find the greatest treasure of all…

My review

Lark Harker is ready for the festive season in her vintage clothing boutique. Winter is always a special season, with the magic of snow, ready to cover Micklewick Bay. When her best friend, and local upcycling business owner, Nate Wilkinson, asks for her help to clear out Crayke’s Cottage, an abandoned house with a lot of history, words of curses and obviously a lot of gossip. Of course Lark is more than willing to help out her friend, because who knows what treasures can be found! And when Lark finds two leather suitcases, it may seem truly seem like a treasure that has been found. Where one suitcase reveals a wonderful, uplifting story of love and romance during wartime, the other suitcase is a darker one, filled with smuggling artefacts, coded messages and more mystery. Mystery that puts Lark in turmoil. Because the more Lark is uncovering about those suitcases, the more her own intuition starts screaming at her. Screaming that she needs to stay away from love, even if her feelings for Nate may be shifting… But with more revelations coming out in the open and giving answers, could Lark find her own answers too?

Just like in the real world, Micklewick Bay is a place with lovely people, but also very different people. Having read the other books in the series, I have already discovered wonderful people, being unique in their own wonderful ways. So I was more than ready to get to know Lark and read her story!

And what a delight it was to get into Lark’s world, even if I was and perhaps still am a bit sceptical about the strength of her intuition. I won’t ever judge someone for their beliefs or gifts, and I will always give everyone a chance. But for me, even in books, it is a matter of seeing is believing. However, I was ready to be open – minded, as I had the faith and belief in this author, that not only she writes amazingly, but also that she could make me like Lark, even if I don’t agree with everything that Lark believes in.

That is also the strength of a book, of an author, even if you don’t believe in the same things, you can still feel with the main character, you can comprehend what she is going through, that you can sense her turmoil. But also that of course you can laugh alongside her, that you can have fun with her and that she can truly become a friend of yours.

Lark is such a great person, a lovely character, that even my non – believing couldn’t stop me from liking her. Because not only is she gentle, kind, loving and caring, but she is also the kind of person that doesn’t judge, only wants happiness for her loved ones. And when one of her loved ones is hurt, she wants to do everything she can to help out.

This is made so obvious the way she is with her dad. Saying that Lark has a ‘normal’ family, would be an euphemism, but even if her family is not the stereotypical family, she couldn’t love her parents any more. She sees that her dad is still heart – broken after losing his partner, and she couldn’t be happier when her lovely dad is going to stay for a while at her place. I love my own dad very much, but I don’t think we would be able to be living together anymore (you know how Italians are! 😊).

I liked reading about the friendship Lark has with Nate. They have known each other for a while now, and while It is clear that Nate wants to take things further with Lark, he respects her and her reluctance of moving forward.

His acceptance shows how not only he is someone that respects others, but it also shows his character. He doesn’t push Lark or anyone else in the direction he wants to take, but he shows understanding. It cannot be easy to be unrequited in love with someone, but it was sweet to see how too important his friendship with Lark is. Being friends with Lark is better than not having Lark in his life at all.

Of course, as a reader and a bystander, it is frustrating to read how Lark is keeping Nate at a distance in that aspect. Because just like everyone around them, you can see the potential, if only Lark wouldn’t be so scared about losing Nate. Or if she would just trust her feelings, and not give in to the negative thoughts she is having.

Now, with the ‘help’ of the two found suitcases, and the story involving the found items, we also see not only the emotional turmoil Lark is having, but also the emotional growth and strength she is having on this not always easy journey.

Despite my own thoughts about Lark’s intuition, it was amazing to read what all the items found in the suitcase meant, and what secrets they kept from the past. Each suitcase shows a different time set, a different kind of emotions. How strange the world and its people is…

This was perhaps a bit a different story than I thought it would be. There were for sure some aspects that I found not easy to grasp. But that didn’t take away that not only I appreciated the story the author has written, but that I also truly liked the characters, with their kind hearts, but also understandable, human fears. Yet the resilience they show, their growing strength is what truly stood out!