Wednesday 10 November 2021

Guest Review: A Special Cornish Christmas by Phillipa Ashley

This Christmas everything is about to change…

When Bo Grayson and her friends meet a mysterious fortune teller, she gives each woman the same prediction: You will meet the love of your life by Christmas Day.

But Bo quickly dismisses this as nonsense. And with the festive season in full swing, she has plenty to keep her busy: creating the seasonal menu for her Boatyard Café, getting her rock and roll dance group ready for their Christmas show – and avoiding thinking about last December, when her fortune took a turn for the worse…

Besides, she definitely isn’t ready to open her heart again. But will fate – and perhaps a sprinkle of Christmas magic – change her mind?


Review: I have been looking forward to reading this year’s Christmas book from Phillipa Ashley, one of my favourite writers who never fails to entertain me with her novels. This story is set in the coastal Cornish village of Falford, also the setting for Phillipa’s earlier book this year, An Endless Cornish Summer. Readers of that book will recognise some familiar characters, but most of the players in this festive story are new. 

The central female character in this story is Bo Grayson, who owns and runs the Boatyard Cafe, a waterside eatery popular with locals and tourists alike. Having had an unpleasant episode with her then boyfriend last Christmas, she is not looking forward to the festive season this year. However, she enjoys dancing with the local rock and roll dance group, the Flingers, and is very much involved with preparations for their forthcoming Christmas show. A relative newcomer to the village and music enthusiast, Ran Larsen, helps out as DJ for the dancers. When Bo, Ran and Angel, another member of the dance group and special friend of Bo’s, visit the Falford summer fair, they each have their fortunes told by a mysterious woman who foretells the same future for each of them - that they will be with the love of their life by Christmas. They are all sceptical but keep what she has said in mind. With Christmas fast approaching, Bo has plenty to keep her busy, and, not wanting a repeat of last year’s disaster, has no intention of becoming romantically involved with anybody. However, she is becoming closer to the enigmatic Ran, and there is always that prediction from the fortune teller….


I can happily recommend this light and heartwarming festive story, full of interesting and varied characters, with the promise of romance all the way through. It’s perfect for lovers of romance, dance or vintage music and fashion. The reader is treated to two Christmases that promise to be very different for Bo, the interval between being filled with rock and roll music and dancing. With Angel being a skilful dressmaker, there are some stunning costumes mentioned as we follow the fortunes of the dance group. She also makes some amazing craft items which would fit well into many homes. Of course, I should also mention the delicious sounding food produced by Bo at the Boatyard Cafe; I would undoubtedly enjoy sitting by the water being served some of her mouth-watering dishes. Bo and Ran are similar in many ways, each with their reasons for staying away from romance, but it may be that love can find its way in unexpectedly. I loved that way in which these two gradually became closer in a very gentle way. I liked Angel as a character. She had such a lot of stress in her life, but soldiered on regardless and found the strength to follow her dreams. I’m sure that others will enjoy this skilfully written story just as much as I have. The author kept me guessing practically right to the end how things were going to work out - a mark of a good story in my opinion. 


To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

No comments:

Post a Comment