This book is adorable! I'd say it's more Vintage styled rather than retro. This seems more 20s and older French styling. I really loved the motifs that were designed, and that the colors were located on the same page for easy finding. This book I would say is for advanced beginners and beyond, being that there are no instructions, other than basics at the beginning.

A beautiful book of 500 vintage style cross stitch patterns. The charming designs cover everything from feminine motifs and flowers to travel and food. The Orient Express poster would add sophistication to any room and would be my first stitch from the book.
The short guide at the start would make this book suitable for beginners, but there are plenty of patterns to keep more advanced stitchers busy.

There are some really lovely patterns here, but as a regular stitcher, I don't like the fact that the patterns are colour blocks rather than symbols. I find this incredibly difficult to count out and follow. I would also have liked to see more images of completed patterns, especially some of the more intricate ones, like the Victorian ladies. I didn't feel inspired for what I could do with the patterns.