If it’s possible to fall in love with a place by just reading a book set in that location, then I’m in love with Cornwall from reading The Little Shop In Cornwall!

Book Description:

Claudia thought she knew how this summer was going to go. Turns out, she didn’t have a clue…

It’s been two years since Claudia arrived on the beautifully rugged Cornish coast with nothing but a suitcase to her name. She’d walked out on the husband who had never loved her, ditched the corporate job she’d never wanted and vowed that no gym membership card would come within ten feet of her ever again.

Swapping boardrooms and cocktails for a little shop right at the end of the beach road should have been a bit of a shock. But from the moment she first laid eyes on the empty, run-down store, Claudia knew this was where she was meant to be all along.

After all that upheaval, Claudia was looking forward to a quiet summer, full of the usual holiday makers and long walks along the clifftops. But life in her patch of paradise is about to change in more ways than one.

Enter recently widowed Jason, dragging his sullen teenage daughter Millie in tow. Millie and Claudia immediately hit it off. And while Millie loves everything about Claudia’s free-spirited way of life, practical architect Jason is less than thrilled about his daughter’s new interests. He doesn’t shy away from telling Claudia exactly what he thinks and sparks fly every time they meet.

But as circumstances throw Claudia into Jason’s path in increasingly unexpected ways, she begins to glimpse what lies beneath his fiery temper and sharp tongue. Claudia was sure her new life was perfect in every way. But was there something missing after all?

The perfect summer holiday escape, full of warmth, humour and heart. Fans of Sarah Morgan, Cathy Bramley and Phillipa Ashley will be charmed by this seaside romance.

Author Bio:

As a child, Helen Pollard had a vivid imagination fuelled by her love of reading (long past her bedtime!) so she started to create her own stories in a notebook.

She still prefers fictional worlds to real life and loves infusing her writing with humour and heart.

Helen lives in Yorkshire with her husband, two grown-up (in theory) kids and a Jekyll and Hyde cat. She enjoys reading, coffee with friends and indulging her nostalgia by watching old seventies and eighties TV shows. 

Connect with the author: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

My review

There were so many little stories within one story here. Claudia’s journey from heartbreak to where she is right now. Jason and Millie’s attempts to settle into a new place and try to move on from loss and hurt. So many themes were covered too – grief and loss, healing and learning to trust again, parenting, community life, the joys and the difficulties of running a small business, New Age spirituality, old fashioned witchcraft (!) …but they all fitted in so well into this lovely story. The overriding story is of course one of learning to love and trust again and I enjoyed how that flowed so naturally.

I loved Claudia’s character – loving, forgiving, ready to make a difference in the community – she’s a strong woman who came back from heartache and reinvented herself. It’s no wonder that Millie and then more reluctantly, Jason are drawn to her.

The descriptions of the south coast of Cornwall are enchanting. I must confess that I was enthralled by shop next to Claudia’s Healing Waves, The Porthsteren Page Turner, since I’ve always dreamed of owning a bookshop and cafe!

As I said at the start of this post, if it was possible to fall in love with a place just by reading about it, then I want to be transported to Porthsteren!

Enjoyed this read and will be looking for more books from Helen Pollard!

Buy The Little Shop In Cornwal

Amazon | Apple |  Kobo | Google

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, Bookouture in exchange for an honest 
review.