The Clockmaker: A haunting tale of time, healing and forgotten love

by Roxan Burley, Daisy Hollands (Editor), Arthur Rettie (Illustrator)

When Elenora Grey inherits her late aunt’s flower shop in the sleepy Devon town of Totnes, she hopes for nothing more than a quiet fresh start. But Time & Thyme is no ordinary florist. Beneath the ticking clock of East Gate Arch, strange things begin to stir — flowers bloom out of season, a cash register writes its own orders, and upstairs, behind a locked door, is a man who shouldn’t exist.

He calls himself the clockmaker. Calm, unreadable, and impossibly out of time, he knows more about the shop — and Elenora’s past — than he ever admits. As Elenora rebuilds her life from the ashes of fear and regret, she’s drawn into a world where grief takes root and time itself can heal… or haunt.

Tender, atmospheric, and quietly magical, The Clockmaker is a story about second chances, the ghosts we carry, and the courage it takes to let time move forward again.

55 pages, Paperback

Published November 4, 2025

About the author

Roxan Burley is an author who delves into the intense world of dystopian fantasy, one where the segregation of magic has a powerful resonance on her characters abilities to change society. She also runs her own business as an interior designer. She lives in rural Devon where she is converting a barn with her husband, two children and their many pets. She spent her childhood lost in the world of magic and the possibilities it could create. She finally put pen to paper, despite the challenge of being dyslexic, with her debut adult novel Bloodstream of Moonlight in her Equal Rise series.

Connect with me on Instagram @roxanburleyauthor

Reviews

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elenora views her inheritance of her late aunt’s flower shop ‘Time & Thyme’ as the perfect opportunity to escape and disappear from the prying eyes of the outside world. As she absorbs herself in cleaning up the space that’s been left to her, she creates her own sense of routine.

With the surprising arrival of a mysterious man, who refers to himself simply as ‘The Clockmaker’, Elenora finds that rather than being angry and annoyed at his presence (although, initially she is certainly unsettled by his unexpected, regular appearance), she starts to relax and feel a sense of calm and healing as he adds comfort to the regular pattern of her day.

The strength of this novella definitely lies in its atmosphere, and in how the author so perfectly describes the minutiae of small-town life. The fact that it’s a short story and cannot rely on long, plot-driven narratives means that descriptions need to be concise and specific, and Burley gets this right throughout. But she does so artfully, not always stating the obvious, so never leaving the reader with the feeling that anything is being “dumbed down” for them. (I hate when authors do this … spelling things out for readers, as if we can’t figure things out for ourselves!)

This was a thoroughly enjoyable, light read even though it had themes of grief and loss woven into it. Ultimately though, it was hopeful and full of warmth, and it left me with a smile on my face. Magical realism is just that … magical! It adds an element of otherworldliness to our lives: the hint that there’s ‘something’ out there that can reach out at any moment and sprinkle some pixie dust over us and make things wonderful! It’s also a little nudge to remind us that we have the power within us all along really, don’t we?

[Sonja Charters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super quick read novella that I flew through in just one sitting.

Having read books by this author before, I already knew that their writing was beautifully descriptive and this was the case here too, setting this wonderful and magical atmosphere right from the start.

I like that we really get to know our main characters, despite this only being a short read and this allows us to really immerse ourselves into their story of healing...yet still keeps us wondering.

When Elenora inherits her late aunt's flower shop in the wonderful Totnes, she escapes an abusive relationship and hopes that this can mark a new beginning.
But this story shows that our past experiences can haunt us unless we allow ourselves that time to heal and not dwell.

For Elenora, that lesson comes in the form of a mysterious and other worldly lodger, the clockmaker.
I loved that he just appeared when needed and was such a calming figure rather than something to fear.

The flower shop setting sounded beautiful and I loved the idea that the till produced the blooms that were needed for the customers.
I've always been intrigued by the fact that the different flowers hold different meanings, so, as well as looking beautiful, they can convey a much more personal message too.

This was a joy and something super quick to pop in-between my lighter festive reads and my more chunky current reads.
A perfect little palate cleanser.
I can't wait to read more from this author soon.

[Claire Smith-Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and Love Book Tours for my copy, here is my honest review. 


This was a short read but it packed a punch. I fell instantly into the storyline and didn't stop reading until I was done. It was charming and full of emotions and depth. The resolute nature of Eleanora has you rooting for her to succeed as she sometimes stumbles her way forward and the ending is poignant but satisfying. It left me feeling hopeful for Eleanora and her future happiness. I definitely recommend this book. 


Eleanora inherits a florist shop from her late aunt. It comes at the perfect time as she needs a new start after leaving an unhappy relationship. The shop has a clever way of providing for her, aiding her journey as she slowly rebuilds her life and confidence. The shop also comes with a sitting tenant upstairs. Enigmatic and sweet she finds his presence initially disturbing but soon comes to relish his steadfast demeanour and old world charm. Gradually she begins to recover from past hurts and move on with her life as the shop and clockmaker help her on the journey to heal. 

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant short story this was! I was amazed at how much was fitted in those pages. The book draws you in and builds the mystery throughout.

This is magical and mystical and has just a wonderful atmosphere throughout.
Elenora inherits a flower shop in Devon and in an attempt to get away from things in her life, she moves there and starts to freshen it up. But then a mysterious man enters the shop and heads to a workspace upstairs, no explanation or anything. Then mysterious orders just appear in her till. These are just the start of what is to come.

It surprised me how such a short story could be so powerful, be as in depth as some much longer books. There’s deep emotion wrapped throughout, but also hope and reflection, the ability to move on and how difficult that can sometimes be. There’s also lots of knowledge of the different plants mentioned throughout.

I really liked the magical element to this, it was just so natural, no need to question it, you just accept it is what it is. Maybe we all need a little more magic in our lives?

[Alis Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Clockmaker by Roxan Burley is a charming novella, and it was lovely to read something short and different in between my longer books. Sometimes, a quick story can be just as powerful, and this one certainly was.
Right from the very first page, Burley’s writing is beautifully descriptive, painting such vivid images that I could see, hear, and feel every detail. It made the story truly come alive.
This gentle tale gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling, full of hope, renewal, and quiet magic. It’s the kind of story that leaves you smiling and reflective at the same time. Calm, uplifting, and beautifully written, The Clockmaker is a wonderful reminder that even short reads can carry great emotional depth.
If you’re after a quick read that feels both hopeful and magical, this one is well worth picking up.

[Sylvia Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Clockmaker by Roxan Burley is a short story featuring Eleanora Grey.

When Eleanora inherit her late aunts flower shop, she discovers an unusual tenant, a clockmaker, working in the upstairs space above the shop.

As the clockmaker comes and goes, all things begin to happen in the flower shop: flowers bloom out of season and the cash register contains slips of paper, indicating what each customer wants. And more than that, Eleanora is deeply affected by his presence.

This was a lovely short story. Although I am usually want to read longer books, this story seemed to be just the right length to tell the magical story of Eleanora and the clockmaker.

[Emma Minazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story! Roxan sets the scene straight away and I'm loving Elenora from the start! I love how the shop shows snippets of time gone by and the clockmaker's mysterious ways adds to the joy of this book. Although there is a sad element to this - Nancy's passing - it shows that the body can heal and move on.

I loved the magical aspect to this short story, things happening to send a message but also to show someone cares. Loved it!

[Kate Edmondson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute mystery novella!

This is a nice one to read by the fire while you relax and think about ghosts!

A lovely little tale with beautiful descriptions about flowers and clocks!

This story made me smile the whole way through and I enjoyed the intrigue and the surprises.

The cover is so decadent and hides what is going to happen inside

It was a story of hope as Elenora leaves an ex partner and starts a new life in a narrow house with lots of hidden secrets

[Bookish Coffee UK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omgosh you know Roxan can write a story and a half and this is so darn magical, heart warming, beautifully created little story.

I absolutely love the way this author describes the world and scenes around the amazing characters, it genuinely feels like the magic is coming to life around you.

Once you start reading this you will not be able to put it down, I'll tell you that for free, but I did get abit sad that it finished, I was so invested that I didn't want it to end.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Clockmaker by Roxan Burley.
I did enjoy this book. I love this author. I have read bloodstream of Moonlight and bond of eternity. I loved the cover and blurb of this book. It was a quick read. I read this in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. It was a lovely story. I did like Elenora. I did like the Clockmaker. I didn't see that coming. I did like the magical side of this book. I definitely recommend this book.

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully, whimsical, thought provoking short story. A tale of embracing one’s past and learning to let go, and step into the next chapter.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a truly lovely story. Even though it was brief, the quality was absolutely outstanding. It managed to convey so much within a short space.

[Veronika Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Clockmaker is only a short novella but I loved every minute, every page. It’s a bit Evie Woods and The Lost Bookshop, which is one of my favourite books.

I loved the character of Elenora – we know she is escaping from something or someone – but as this is a short read, we only get a gist of her back story. But my favourite character was the clockmaker himself, who appears one day after Elenora moves into the bookshop. There is something magical and unreal about him, but we don’t find out until much later on. There are lots of other unexplained happenings, like the notes that appear in the till each day with requests for specific items.

I read so many dark crime novels, that it is refreshing to read something uplifting, even though it is sad at the same time. It will no doubt be one of my favourite books of the final quarter of 2025.

Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of #TheClockmaker blog tour.