It's my stop on the blog tour for A Perfect Cornish Summer by Phillipa Ashley today. I have a review to share with you. This book is out now, just scroll to the bottom of the post for the buy links. Thanks to Phillipa for stopping by today!
Here's what it's all about:
The first in a gorgeous new series from the author of Summer at the Cornish Cafe.
Summer is on the horizon, and the people of Porthmellow are eagerly awaiting the annual food festival. At least, most of them are…
For Sam Lovell, organising the summer festival in her hometown is one of the highlights of her year. It’s not always smooth sailing, but she loves to see Porthmellow’s harbour packed with happy visitors, and being on the committee has provided a much-needed distraction from the drama in her family life (and the distinct lack of it in her love life).
When their star guest pulls out with only a few weeks to go, everyone’s delighted when a London chef who grew up locally steps in at the last minute. But Gabe Matthias is the last person Sam was expecting to see, and his return to Porthmellow will change her quiet coastal life for ever.
Curl up with this gorgeous novel and savour the world of Porthmellow Harbour.
Review: How nice to be taken back to Cornwall in Phillipa Ashley’s latest novel. I have enjoyed reading many of her previous books set in this county, and was looking forward to discovering what events were about to unfold in this new tale. I found once again a story that, once started, was difficult to put down.
The book is set in the little Cornish seaside town of Porthmellow, where the annual food festival is just around the corner. The festival was dreamed up 10 years previously by Sam Lovell and friends who were looking for a way to reverse the fortunes of their failing town. Fortunately, the festival has gone from strength to strength and Sam looks forward to organising it every year, despite simultaneously running a busy catering business and looking after her younger sister. However, this year the star attraction, a renowned chef, has pulled out at the last minute. Fortunately, one of Sam’s team, Chloe, has found a replacement in Gabe Matthias, once a Porthmellow resident and now a famous chef based in London. However, Chloe has no idea that the return of this man is Sam’s worst nightmare, his departure years before having followed an event that spelled disaster and misery for Sam, her sister Zennor and brother Ryan.
As I expected, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and its characters; I was pulled into the story, and couldn’t predict how it was going to end. Sam is a very likeable and determined young woman, who has brought up her younger sister while building up a successful business and worrying about the fate of her brother, who she hasn’t seen for many years. It is also to her credit that the town’s food festival has become such a popular event, attracting visitors and exhibitors from a wide area. I thought it a shame that she has held a grudge against Gabe Matthias for many years over an admittedly serious event without apparently knowing all the details. The full details of what happened are hidden also from the reader until late in the story; until then, we are just given hints. In addition to the central story of Sam and Gabe, there are serious situations for other major characters, adding to the enjoyment of the book as a whole. I can recommend this book for anyone who would enjoy a bit of drama and romance in a beautiful setting; a perfect holiday read.
No comments:
Post a Comment