Review of 'No. 17 Curiosity Lane' by Christie Barlow

Review of 'No. 17 Curiosity Lane' by Christie Barlow

February 27th, 2025

Publisher: One More Chapter

REVIEW

Oh my, what am I going to say about this delightful book as it is so incredible! I loved it immensely and could not put it down until I finished it (in a day). I could relate to it on so many levels. With music and lyric writing being such a large part of my life, those elements in the story rang clear in my heart. This has to be my number one favourite read of this series. Each one gets better and better but No. 17 Curiosity Lane took me on such an exhilarating and nostalgic journey with all its amazing twists and turns, that I did not want it to end. I was completely won over and charmed by the characters Fern and Daniel (and the late great aunt Matilda, too). The attempt at solving the mystery at this novel’s core, kept me enthralled. Who owned the wedding dress and why was it left on the steps of the antique shop with a bizarre message included? The unveiling of this truth became a mesmerising journey! Thanks to Christie’s excellent writing skills, the story was well paced with a seamless flow. It was easy to fall under Puffin Island’s spell with its sincere community spirit, abundant wildlife and spectacular land and seascape. Who wouldn’t want to live there!

Fern Talbot is a music journalist living in London. She has an active social life, gets back stage passes to do interviews with famous bands and hangs out with the elite. Her long term best friend is always there for her, lives in the same building, works at the same job. One day though, Fern’s neat, orderly world gets turned upside down. She receives an unexpected message that she has inherited a business on Puffin Island from a great aunt she never knew. She is shocked as she did not know this woman existed. So why has she left her worldly goods to Fern?

The only way to get answers, is for Fern to head to Puffin island. She will learn what she can, see the property and sell it as quickly as possible. But fate has other ideas and another road she could choose. While on her journey there, she meets a cute guy on the train. They hit it off but she does not expect to see him again. But once she is on Puffin Island and in her newly obtained shop, she is stunned to find this fellow on the premises. What is that all about? She quickly learns he lives and works there. That certainly throws a spanner in the works. After an appointment with the lawyer, she discovers there’s a major fly in the anointment that could prevent her from selling her inheritance.

Daniel was good friends with Matilda and she always looked after him. And although he does not inherit the shop, he has a personal stake in it. This place means a great deal to him, so he manages to stall Fern from making a quick decision to sell the property. Together they devise a plan to see if they can make some earnings from all the ‘junk and treasures’ in the shop and it is a clever one! I won’t give away their method but the solution is sensational. This development plus the ongoing search for answers about Matilda’s younger life, will take them into all kinds of intriguing directions and knocking on a number of doors. All the while this is happening, they are building a relationship with each other that could easily lead to a romance.

With events at Fern’s London job, and her best friend constantly harping at her to sell, her focus on the shop is weakened. But Puffin island is working its magic, too. Causing her views to shift, and it seems cracks in her city life are starting to appear. What follows are shocking discoveries, unexpected betrayals and heartbreak. Some major plot twists occur that even Fern and Daniel are not expecting. And the mystery of the wedding dress begins to unfold like its elegant layers. And then there is Great Aunt Matilda and her complex life. The truth is released through some stunning plot twists! Everything comes together beautifully at the end—where justice is served and proper recognition established.

This is a magnificent and unforgettable uplifting story of romance and mystery that pulled on my heart strings. Once again, Puffin Island, transformed another life and took me on its wild ride to discovery. A must read. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to the One More Chapter and Netgalley for the ARC.