We are returning to France for another great summer read by Gillian Harvey . The Village Cafe in the Loire was published by Boldwood on July 12th. High-flyer Becky Thorne cannot believe what she’s being told. She doesn’t need to be signed off for burnout! Life has been a bit chaotic lately, that’s all. As if dealing with her enviable job and permanent meddling from her mother aren’t enough, she’s also inherited a café in the Loire from an estranged great-aunt, complete with sitting tenant who refuses to budge. But nobody stands in Becky’s way! Ignoring her best friend Amber’s advice, she decides to storm over to France and sort the tenant out. Then she can finally get the café sold and jump back on the career ladder. What she doesn’t count on is the tenant being Pascale, who is six feet of tall, dark, handsome and extremely grumpy about her plans for change. Not to mention the village and the secrets it holds about her past. Becky’s path to succes...
A Garden in Cornwall by Laura Briggs ** Review & Giveaway **
With their lives exactly what they've always dreamed, Matt
and Julianne await the arrival of the third member of their family — but their
happiness is threatened when their landlady Mathilda announces her intention to
sell their beloved Rosemoor Cottage for an impossible value. Devastated,
Julianne struggles to accept the cold reality of her and Matt making their home
elsewhere.
Matt's life has taken a new turn as he finally puts aside
his academic work to pursue his gardening hobby as a career: his first new job as a landscape designer
involves neglected Penwill Hall's 'lost' garden — one with a truly romantic
Cornish past. But the task of restoring its legendary beauty from nearly
seventy years ago proves difficult among the ruins lost in weeds and
wilderness.
With notions of secret gardens and wartime stories echoing
in her thoughts, Julianne is determined to help Matt and the estate’s new owner
after the discovery of a hidden mural in the hall itself, depicting a
breathtaking garden that may well be the lost one. Her efforts to uncover the
past lead her to a curmudgeonly local gardener who just may hold the knowledge
that would restore the 'lost garden' to its former glory. Will Julianne's quest
help her find a way to deal with losing the home she loves?
Hellos and farewells abound as Dinah returns to lend a
helping hand at Cliffs House and Julianne relives her favourite memories of her
and Matt's beloved cottage in Book Twelve — the final instalment in the
bestselling series A WEDDING IN CORNWALL.
My Thoughts
This can be read as a standalone although if you have read more in the series, you will be familiar with the settings and characters. I have read the first novella in the A Wedding in Cornwall series, so I had some idea of the set up when I started. This novella is a lovely gentle read, with a lot of focus on nature and the environment. It is a fictional village, with an American heroine, Julienne, who has settled there and found romance. She has come to adore the way of life and the cottage she now shares with Matt. Change however is on its way, as is her first child.
You can sense all the way through that this is the final instalment but it never feels sad. There is always the hope of new things and new life. It looks back slightly with visitors but forward to new challenges. This is an unashamedly escapist read and you really feel that you have been transported to a rather special place. There references to The Secret Garden, amongst other fictional romantic places, which are perfect for the story and which really capture the lure of the place.
In short: a heart-warming romance in a magical setting.
About the Author
Laura Briggs is the author of several lighthearted romance
novels and novellas, including the bestselling Amazon UK series A Wedding in
Cornwall. She has a fondness for vintage-style dresses (especially ones with
polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries.
When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with family, caring for her
pets, going to movies and plays, and trying new restaurants.
Book links: Amazon UK
Giveaway (International)
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