Happy sigh . . . this is so perfect. I want to give you an in-depth review, one worthy of the story I've just read, and I can't do it because there simply are no words. It's exactly right-John's numb pain moving slowly into recovery with the rhythm and healing of the seasons, the bees, the cottage, even that little moment with LeStrade . . . and Sherlock of course. That's the best part of it all.

And now you've got me wanting raw honey in the worst way. ;)

Snowracer has actually expressed most of what I could say in praise of your story. Loved that you took up the cottage in Sussex as a topic and loved your references, too (surely Sherlock Holmes has lived there bevore :-). Thank you a lot!

This was amazing.

A true gem of a story if I ever saw one.

You've got the setting so nicely established that the reader can pratically smell the dried grass in the summer evenings. Your language flows so naturally and captivates the reader from the first sentence. John's silent grief is more heartbreaking than it would have been if painted with more garish colours.

As a bonus, all the little nods to canon make for a very pleasant Easter egg hunt!

This is lovely and heartwarming and beautiful.

Thanks a lot for posting!