Category: Blog Tour

Blog Tour/Book Review: The Cornish Lady by Nicola Pryce

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The Cornish Lady

I’m delighted to be kicking off the blog tour for Nicola Pryce’s latest book in her Cornish Saga, The Cornish Lady.  You can read my review below but do also check out the posts by my tour buddies Joules at Northern Reader and Cassandra at MADEUP Book Reviews.

Thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the tour.

Giveaway PrizeI’m pleased to say there’s also a giveaway (open internationally) with a chance for one lucky person to win a signed copy of The Cornish Lady, a box of Cornish Fudge and some bookmarks.

Please enter using the Rafflecopter link here.

Giveaway Terms and Conditions:

  • Worldwide entries welcome.
  • Open to entrants aged 18 or over.
  • The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner.
  • Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.
  • I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

The Cornish LadyAbout the Book

Cornwall, 1796. Educated, beautiful and the daughter of a prosperous merchant, Angelica Lilly has been invited to spend the summer in high society. Her father’s wealth is opening doors, and attracting marriage proposals, but Angelica still feels like an imposter among the aristocrats of Cornwall.

When her brother returns home, ill and under the influence of a dangerous man, Angelica’s loyalties are tested to the limit. Her one hope lies with coachman Henry Trevelyan, a softly spoken, educated man with kind eyes. But when Henry seemingly betrays Angelica, she has no one to turn to. Who is Henry, and what does he want? And can Angelica save her brother from a terrible plot that threatens to ruin her entire family?

Format: Paperback, ebook (464 pp.)    Publisher: Corvus Books
Published: 7th March 2019 Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk  ǀ  Amazon.com  ǀ Hive.co.uk (supporting UK bookshops)
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find The Cornish Lady on Goodreads

My Review

Angelica Lilly is an independent-minded, strong-willed young woman with the prospect of an advantageous marriage to a wealthy aristocrat but who nevertheless finds herself longing for the freedom to make use of the commercial instincts gained from exposure to her father’s business in the same way a son would.  Instead she finds herself in the position of being expected to marry for the approval of society and to fulfil the wishes and ambitions of others.  It’s not that there aren’t a range of potential suitors including the wealthy aristocrat previous mentioned, a childhood companion and a more unexpected candidate.

However, as Jane Austen taught us in Pride and Prejudice, first impressions can be deceptive and Angelica’s childhood experiences have left her mistrustful of others’ motives – especially men –  even when it transpires they don’t deserve that mistrust.  Having said that, Angelica’s not averse to using a little artifice herself when the occasions demands, utilising the skills inherited from her actress mother.

Structured like a three act play, Angelica’s mission to find someone with whom she can be ‘her true self’ runs alongside storylines involving political events of the day: riots caused by grain shortages due to naval blockades, fears of invasion and the treatment of French prisoners of war confined within the walls of Pendennis Castle.    The last act brings everything together in a satisfactory way with villainy revealed and the reputations of others vindicated.

I particularly loved the setting of the book, around Truro and Falmouth, an area I know well from holidays spent there.  So I got an extra thrill from mentions of places I’ve visited like Pendennis Castle, Custom House Quay and The Quayside Inn in Falmouth, Flushing and Malpas (the location of The Heron Inn – a great deal more respectable these days than in the book!).

The Cornish Lady, with its spirited heroine, wonderful setting and fascinating period detail, is an engaging historical romance sure to find favour with fans of the genre and readers of the previous books in the series.

To find more books set in Cornwall, in various genres, follow these links – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

I received an advance review copy courtesy of publishers, Corvus, and Rachel’s Random Resources.

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In three words: Engaging, lively, romantic

Try something similar…Ross Poldark by Winston Graham

2 Author PhotoAbout the Author

Nicola Pryce came to writing after a career in nursing. She has an Open University degree in Humanities and is a qualified adult literacy support volunteer. She lives in the Blackdown Hills in Somerset and when she isn’t writing she’s probably gardening or scrubbing the decks. She and her husband love sailing and for the last twenty years they have sailed in and out of the romantic harbours of the south coast of Cornwall in search of adventure: it is there where she sets her books.

The Cornish Lady is her fourth book. The others are Pengelly’s Daughter, The Captain’s Girl, and The Cornish Dressmaker. Nicola is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Historical Writers Association.

Connect with Nicola

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Blog Tour/Book Review: The Olive Garden Choir by Leah Fleming

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Blog tour poster

I’m delighted to be hosting today’s stop on the blog tour for The Olive Garden Choir by Leah Fleming along with my tour buddies Margie, Michael & Mateo at Margie’s Must Reads.  Thanks to Vicky at Head of Zeus for inviting me to take part in the tour and for my review copy.

Book cover (1)About the Book

An evocative novel of secrets, love and redemption under the Greek sun.

On the beautiful island of Santaniki, close to Crete, it’s not all white sands and sunshine. When retired bookseller Ariadne Blunt suggests the English residents form a choir, there are groans of resistance. After a little persuasion, the group gather in Ariadne’s olive garden to rehearse for a seasonal concert, but each member of this choir has their own anxieties and secrets.

Ariadne’s partner, Hebe, is in failing health. Clive struggles to accept the loss of his wife while Natalie hides her shameful secret in baking for comfort. Della, the Pilates teacher drinks too much and Chloe, Queen Bee of the village society, faces a family dilemma. Then there is Mel, the real songbird amongst them, English wife of a taverna owner who hides her talent until the choir inspires her to raise her voice once more.

In this tiny community, the choir brings the residents together like never before in a bittersweet tale of love and loss – and how life can begin again when you let go of the past.

Format: Hardcover, ebook (400 pp.)    Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published: 10th January 2019                Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance

Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk  ǀ  Amazon.com  ǀ Hive.co.uk (supporting UK bookshops)
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find The Olive Garden Choir on Goodreads

My Review

The Olive Garden Choir’s large cast of characters concentrates mainly on the expat community, with the local people playing more of a background role – the exception being Mel’s fearsome Greek mother-in-law, Irini, although even perhaps she can mellow in the right circumstances?  However, there is plenty of local colour injected by the descriptions of authentic Greek food and island traditions.  There is also the lovely addition of recipes for some of the traditional dishes mentioned.

The reaction to the arrival of a family of refugees, including pregnant Sammia, fleeing the conflict in Syria is mixed, ranging from downright hostile (at least initially) to neutral, to welcoming.  Ironically, the expats don’t see themselves as migrants, although of course they are incomers to the island as well.

Ariadne’s belief in the healing power of music is proved correct as the formation of the choir and the coming together of its members provides opportunities for social interaction, breaking down barriers as well as reigniting old passions for music and revealing hidden talents.

As I mentioned earlier, there is a large cast of characters but aside from Ariadne and Hebe (who have to feature because of their love of books), my favourite character was definitely Clive.  I loved his touching devotion to his deceased wife, Lucy, and his continued reliance on her imagined advice.  I’m sure he’s right in believing that Lucy would have wanted him to move on and take advantage of a second chance of love and companionship.

In fact, second chances and the possibility of new beginnings feature prominently in the book which is one of the things that makes it such a heart-warming and uplifting read.  But the cycle of life includes endings as well as beginnings so be prepared to have your emotions wrung at some points.

Whether you’re dreaming of your first trip to the Greek islands or, like me, dreaming of returning one day, The Olive Garden Choir is the ideal book to conjure up the unique atmosphere of that lovely part of the world*.  It might just also restore your faith in human nature and in the power of  communities to come together for the good of others.

I received a review copy courtesy of publishers, Aria Fiction, and NetGalley.

*Don’t try booking a holiday to Santaniki – it exists only in the author’s and the reader’s imagination.

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In three words: Heart-warming, uplifting, emotional

Try something similar…The Secrets of Primrose Square by Claudia Carroll (read my review here)

Leah FlemingAbout the Author

After careers in teaching, catering, running a market stall, stress management courses in the NHS as well as being a mother of four, Leah Fleming found her true calling as a storyteller.

She lives in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales but spends part of the year marinating her next tale from an olive grove on her favourite island of Crete.

Connect with Leah

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