Escape to Cornwall for Christmas in this Top 10 bestselling new romance.
‘Sparkling and festive, as satisfying as figgy pudding and clotted cream – loved it!’ Milly Johnson
Christmas in Cornwall is just around the corner… she wants this Christmas is to know who her real father is.
So Scarlett heads to the little Cornish town of Porthmellow, where she believes the truth of her birth is hidden. She just didn’t bargain on being drawn into the Christmas festival preparations – or meeting Jude Penberth, whose charm threatens to complicate life further.
Everything will come to a head at Porthmellow’s Christmas Festival … But can Scarlett have the perfect Christmas this year, or are there more surprises on the way?
Curl up with this gorgeous novel and savour the world of Porthmellow Harbour.
‘A transporting festive romance, full of genuine warmth and quirky characters’ Woman’s Own
‘A page-turner of a festive read’ My Weekly
‘Serious festive escapism … like a big warm hug’ Popsugar
Praise for Phillipa Ashley:
‘Warm and funny and feel-good. The best sort of holiday read’ Katie Fforde
‘Filled with warm and likeable characters. Great fun!’ Jill Mansell
‘A delicious festive treat with as many twists and turns as a Cornish country lane’ Jules Wake
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I will be 100% honest. I actually didn’t finish this one. The language was hard for me to keep up with. No fault of the author. It just kept throwing me.
I loved the idea behind the story though. A genetics test gone horribly wrong ripping family secrets wide open. YIKES!
4 star review of A Perfect Cornish Christmas (Porthmellow Harbour #2) by Phillipa Ashley
I was drawn to the cover and the blurb and since I love any story that is centered around my favourite holiday of the year, Christmas, I couldn’t wait to read this story. Phillipa Ashley is a new author to me and I have no idea why I have not come across her before.
I found myself easily picturing myself in Porthmellow, Cornwall and the surrounding area as I read this story. It was an entertaining and well written story which I really enjoyed. I really liked Scarlett and Jude and I felt for Scarlett as she searched for answers.
A Perfect Cornish Christmas was full of quirky characters that were entertaining to read about. It was heart warming and enjoyable read.
I received a copy of this book, through the publisher via Netgalley.
I was immediately drawn in to this tale of two sisters. From Chapter One, I was expecting a comedic book with a view on Cornish village life. Instead, I enjoyed a delightful expo into a Christmas season with one “normal but with a side of dysfunction” family. Ellie has been always on the move for years and has put down some tentative roots as the caretaker of the holiday home recently inherited by their mother. Scarlett’s business is faltering, and she asks to move in with Ellie while she rejuvenates her business with newly acquired local clients. The sometimes quirky (and hunky) but mostly salt-of-the-earth residents of Porthmellow welcome Ellie and Scarlett, encouraging them to enter into community engagement by helping out with the Solstice Festival.
I liked the overall tone and pace of the story; new characters appeared and required exposition that helped fill in backstory, giving a better understanding of the lead characters and moving the plot forward. It was a joy to watch Ellie and Scarlett learning about themselves and figuring out what they wanted from life. The possibility of romance figures into the story, as do the many complications of love and life. I hope for the opportunity to follow these characters through the series volumes that follow.
I requested and voluntarily read a review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley and I offer my honest opinion in response.
A Perfect Cornish Christmas is the second book I have read by Phillipa Ashley. I am glad I decided to continue with this series as it was a very entertaining, fun filled read. It was a feel good read, perfect for curling up with on a cold winter’s evening while the snow is softly falling outside my window.
Christmas in Cornwall is just around the corner…
But after last Christmas revealed a shocking family secret, Scarlett’s hardly feeling merry and bright. All she wants this Christmas is to know who her real father is.
So Scarlett heads to the little Cornish town of Porthmellow, where she believes the truth of her birth is hidden. She just didn’t bargain on being drawn into the Christmas festival preparations – or meeting Jude Penberth, whose charm threatens to complicate life further.
Everything will come to a head at Porthmellow’s Christmas Festival … But can Scarlett have the perfect Christmas this year, or are there more surprises on the way?
I found the characters to be well developed, and multi-dimensional. There were lots of twists and turns and multiple sub-plots to keep you engaged and interested in the outcome. It’s the story of a woman, her search for her father, a community and how they all work together to help one another succeed. I will definitely read other books by this author.
I requested and received an advanced readers copy courtesy of NetGalley and Avon publishing. All opinions are my own.
A Perfect Cornish Christmas, by Phillipa Ashley, is the story of what can go awry when two sisters plan a special Christmas surprise for their family. Their father has always boasted about his Viking lineage. The sisters, Ellie and Scarlett, decide to do something to determine the veracity of this claim, each doing a DNA test to show the heritage of the family. Even the sisters haven’t checked the results, wanting to share in the family surprise. And a surprise it is!
When they flash the results on the big screen and find that it’s determined that the girls are half sisters based on the test, the family seems to implode. The following year is a struggle for them all.
Ellie still lives in Great Aunt Joan’s Seaholly Manor in the Cornish coastal village of Porthmellow. Come fall, Scarlett unexpectedly asks to join her there, leaving the rest of the family behind in Birmingham. Needing a change, Scarlett has decided to distance herself from the family issues. Since she has her own copywriting business, she can work from anywhere plus she just landed a large client nearby.
This is such an interesting story showing what happens after the lid come off of Pandora’s box. This story has so many interesting and somewhat quirky characters and is set in a lovely area. The story is very multidimensional, drawing in threads concerning the environment as well as issues that may result from PTSD. This is a wonderful tale. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!
A Christmas gift that two siblings, Scarlett and Ellie, thought would be a great present for their parents turns out to be the exact opposite. It puts a fracture into the family unit, but it does not end there, that is where the story begins.
Scarlett, so upset, leaves the house and runs in to town and into a gathering, to get out of the cold and wet, enters the Christmas “Lunch for the Lonely” at the pub. She is totally a mess but they welcome her with open arms. Jude seems to stand out of the crowd. He might be just what Scarlett needs to help her deal with her family issue.
Ellie has been a wanderlust for years and now finds herself in a place that she feels might become her “home”. She has been running from her guilt for years and maybe it is time to face up to it. Aaron is also trying to find his standing again in his hometown, Porthmellow, newly released from the army. Maybe they can find a “home” together?
The first Winter Solstice Festival takes place in this book and as in previous books, the town comes together to make it a success. Several characters from the earlier books make an appearance.
It is always a great journey when reading a Phillipa Ashley story. The characters are unique and memorable. The books are easy to read and whatever the issues the characters are dealing with, are resolved by the end of the book and they live happily in the beautiful Cornish isles.
I want to thank NetGalley.com, Avon Books UK, Harper Collins Publishers for allowing me to read the ARC for this wonderful book. I wanted to write my opinion in hopes others will also discover this author and also enjoy her books.