When you have to go back home, but it terrifies you…

Synopsis

A wintry treat brimming with snowflakes, secrets and second chances!

When her beloved Aunt Colleen passes away, settling her affairs means doing the one thing Hannah Merryweather has spent years avoiding: returning to Micklewick Bay, the seaside town she fled years ago and has never quite found the courage to face again.

Coming home means facing the past too. Polly, her stepmother, and Darryl, her stepbrother, still loom large over the life she once knew, and the home she lost is never far from her thoughts.

Then, on her very first day back, she nearly collides with the one man she never expected to see again: Lachie, the kilted, green-eyed Scotsman who stole her heart last spring. His unexpected arrival in Micklewick Bay is the last complication Hannah needs – especially as feelings she thought she’d locked away start to resurface.

As Hannah slowly uncovers just how far her aunt’s plans for her future stretch – including one life-changing surprise waiting at the end of the pier – can she find the courage to claim the life, and the love, Auntie Colleen always believed she deserved?

A beautifully uplifting story of hope and second chances, set in the snow-globe charm of MicklewickBay.

Perfect for readers who love:

• Cosy seaside fiction

• Slow-burn romance

• Stories about fresh starts

• Female friendship and found family

• Wintry settings

My review

While grieving over the loss over her beloved Aunt Colleen, who acted as her mother, Hannah Merryweather has to return to Micklewick Bay, a place that holds so many painful memories. But needs must to settle the affairs Aunt Colleen took care of. Hannah hopes to get everything in order and leave Micklewick Bay as soon as possible and more important, avoid facing her stepmother Polly and her stepbrother Darryl. Ever since they stepped into Hannah’s life, everything changed, and absolutely not for the better… But now she has to face her past again, something she is not ready to do. And of all places, in Micklewick Bay she collides with the man that broke her heart last spring. Something else Hannah is not ready to face…What Hannah did not foresee, is that Aunt Colleen may have had plans for Hannah making Hannah wonder if she can claim her life and her future back…

Returning to Micklewick Bay is for me always a bittersweet return. And that because I know that the main characters are going through a difficult time (the bitter part) and it will take a while before they get the (un?)expected resolutions (the sweet part).

Obviously, as a reader, I was very curious discovering what Hannah had been through in the past, and why she was so scared to return to Micklewick Bay. Because initially she was very loved by both her parents, and it is after the passing of her mother and the appearance of Polly and Darryl that her life changed for the worse.

And I got so very very angry reading what Polly and Darryl have done in the past. They are just a nasty pair! And what angered me even more, was the nonchalance of Hannah’s father… How you can allow that someone treats your own flesh and blood like that? Just AWEFUL! (my anger is resurfacing just thinking about it! 😊)

So of course Hannah is not all that thrilled to return to Micklewick Bay, especially as Polly’s and Darryl’s poisonous lies have been told all around the place… I don’t think I would return, no matter what reason is waiting for me.

Luckily, or rather a silver lining, is that her Aunt Colleen and Uncle Len understood what truly was taking place and didn’t hesitate to take Hannah in. So after everything she has been through, living with Auntie Coll and Uncle Len could give her a rather normal upbringing, filled with love. Even if the hurt never truly evaporated…

And I found it wonderful reading how Hannah and Aunt Colleen manage to create a successful burger stand. I know for sure that I would be a VERY loyal customer 😊.

It was so heartwarming reading the bond between aunt and niece. Colleen truly understood what Hannah has been through and did whatever she could to give Hannah the confidence back. I think that if everyone had an Aunt Colleen in their lives, the world would be such a better place, and also a funnier one!

Aunt Colleen was also the catalyst of igniting something between Hannah and new burger – customer Lachie. It was so sweet to read how Hannah was able to get out of her shell with Lachie, and how feelings were developing.

Because Lachie for sure showed what an amazing man he is, and then I am not talking about the way he carries around with his kilt. For sure swoon – worthy material. But also making it difficult to comprehend how he broke Hannah’s heart…

However, back to the present, as that is for sure important for Hannah’s growth and story.

Returning to Micklewick Bay is very hard for Hannah, as she believes that people have bought Polly’s lies. (And again the anger resurfaced…). But of course the people of Micklewick Bay are no fools, and are actual happy to see Hannah back.

And of course our beloved – and – already – known friends like Florrie, Stella, Maggie, Jasmine and Lark don’t hesitate to let Hannah become a member of their group, making Hannah feel welcome, and make her understand that she now has real friends.

Friends, and also a community, that will have her back, support her, believe her. It truly warmed my heart reading how even if they haven’t seen Hannah in a while, everyone is just happy to see her back.

And we see how that warmth and love have an effect on Hannah. Where she initially literally hides away from everything and everyone, slowly she shakes away the feelings of shame and doubts, and becomes more and more confident.

And yes, perhaps I am not talking too much about it here, but Lachie will also have his moment of redemption in this book, and he for sure ignites the same initial feelings I had before he also broke my heart a little bit 😊.

Now, there has to be a confrontation with her past, and I was not only proud of Hannah herself, but also how she finds herself backed up. And yes, I was happy reading how Polly and Darryl are finally getting what they deserve. Although I have to admit that perhaps I would have loved to read more about them getting some payback. But that is Evil Tizi thinking 😊.

This wasn’t always an easy story to read, especially the bits about Hannah’s past and all she had to endure because of some evil people in the world. But all the beautiful moments for sure made up for all my anger. We see here how your inner strength can emerge, how you can get up when you are feeling low. And how being surrounded by truly lovely people that care about you and embrace you,

Eliza J Scott wrote a heartwarming story, and it gave me just all the feelings I was expecting, and even the angry feelings. But that doesn’t take away that I loved getting to know Hannah and I found myself cheering for her, encouraging her and loving her from the first moment!