Today is my stop on the blog tour for Coming Home to Penvennan Cove by Linn B Halton. I have an extract to share with you today and if you like the sound of that, you can click here to order your copy now. Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour for more exclusive content and reviews.
Here's what it's all about...
Can Kerra's Cornish hometown offer the fresh start she needs?
When Kerra left the quiet Cornish town of Penvennan Cove for the bright lights of London she didn't look back. But after the death of her mother, she's decided it's time to face her past and return to the place she called home. Her father needs her, and perhaps she needs him more than she's willing to admit?
Tackling town gossip, home renovations and a flame from her past, it's not quite smooth sailing for Kerra. Ross is the bad boy she was meant to forget, not a man who still sets her heart aflutter. As he helps bring her dream home to life, they begin to break down the barriers that have been holding them back and in the process learn things about themselves they never thought possible.
As friends old and new come together, the future in Penvennan looks bright.
Here's that extract for you...
There are tears in my eyes as I drive away from my London life, but there is also a huge sense of relief. Dad is trying his best to keep Mum’s dog-sitting business—Home from Home—going, but he was only ever a weekend helper before he gave up work. While there are perfectly good kennels in the garden, on my last trip home every available seat in the house had a dog curled up on it. He told me they only howl if he tries to use the bespoke accommodation. The truth is that they, too, miss my lovely mum and are pining for her. They don’t understand what’s happening and, sadly, neither does Dad. Mum would be horrified at his total lack of control and expect me to sort him out, which I will. But he needs time to adjust and I can’t just wade in; it would only add to his anxiety.
People came from miles around to entrust their beloved fur babies into Mum’s care, because she was a professional and had a true affinity with animals. They would return home better behaved because she was a nurturing woman, able to dispense tough love when it was required. Dad, on the other hand, is a pushover. If there was something I really wanted, I’d ask him first, then break the news to Mum. She would usually look at me, narrowing her eyes admonishingly. I’d keep my head down and stay out of her bad books for a while, until she eventually forgave me.
But running a business requires a multitude of skills. The fact that Dad isn’t good with paperwork or using the computer to figure out the electronic booking system, was a growing problem. However, it took a phone call about six months ago to alert me to that fact. My old school friend, Tegan Richards, rang me one day to give me an update and I realised that while Dad was telling me everything was fine, it wasn’t.
‘Your dad needs rescuing, Kerra. He really does. We’re all worried about Eddie. I don’t think the word “no” is in his vocabulary and it’s getting ridiculous. It was pouring down the other day and I caught up with him on what was obviously not his first walk of the day. He had three large and extremely energetic canines straining on their leashes wanting to get on. We spoke briefly and he apologised for having to rush off. He was already soaking wet at that point and admitted to me that he had another three lots of dogs to walk.’ I’d heard a real sense of concern in her voice and guilt had hit me squarely in the gut. ‘It’s too much for him without Meryn,’ she’d added sadly.
The mention of Mum’s name had instantly made my eyes prickle with tears and a trip down the following weekend turned them into tears of despair. However, slow and steady is the required approach with Dad and there was little I could do from a distance. I was heavily caught up in contract negotiations for the sale of the business at that point—something I didn’t want to bother him with, as I knew he’d worry. I wasn’t in a position to go anywhere until that was done and dusted. There was also the matter of getting my loft-style apartment in London ready to rent out. And serving notice to the tenant living in the little cottage I’d inherited from Grandma Rosenwyn, or Rose as we called her, in Penvennan Cove.
About the Author
From interior designer to author, when Linn B. Halton's not writing, or spending time with the family, she's either upcycling furniture or working in the garden. Linn won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award; her novels have been short-listed in the UK's Festival of Romance and the eFestival of Words Book Awards. Living in Coed Duon in the Welsh Valleys with her 'rock', Lawrence, and gorgeous Bengal cat Ziggy, she freely admits she's an eternal romantic. Linn is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and the Society of Authors. Linn writes feel-good, uplifting novels about life, love and relationships.
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Thank you, lovely, for the feature - much appreciated!
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