After a heartbreak, journalist Jane Brook is sent to Norway to cover the cutting ceremony for the Queen of the Forest, the Christmas tree gifted to London each winter. After blowing apart a government scandal, writing a piece on a tree seems to Jane rather a step down. With her boss implying she has little choice, Jane must embrace the luxury hotels and festive celebrations that await her.
But when a mystery lands in her lap she can’t resist, hidden wartime letters between a young Norwegian soldier and a mysterious girl. Creative juices flowing Jane thinks she might just be able to turn this tree piece around.
Unfortunately, not everyone on the trip is what they seem, and Jane will need to keep her wits about her to write her own happy ending.
After some research it seems to me that this is a debut novel, certainly using this pseudonym, which I have to say impressed and disappointed me in equal measures. Impressed because I enjoyed this book immensely, and disappointed as I would have liked to pick up another title by this author.
Never have I wanted to visit a country so desperately after only reading a few pages. By the time Jane had checked into her first Norwegian hotel I was perusing the internet for holidays!
There was a fairly large cast of characters in this story, all of whom had their own unique personalities, and I believe each one made me feel exactly how they were supposed to. Jane was a lovely protagonist, even though she was slightly naïve I still felt a lot of empathy for her. But it was Thomas and Ben who stole my heart, with their quietly kind personas. I devoured every part of the book that they featured in.
The only, very small, downside for me was the wartime aspect. I would have liked a few more chapters set in this era and following Marit’s journey.
If you haven’t managed to get a copy of this novel pre-publication you should indulge yourself when it hits the shelves. A wonderfully festive, winter treat!
** Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton, via NetGalley, for this ARC **