This novel is built around the preparations for the food festival taking place in a small tight-knit coastal community. Sam is a likable main character and so are several of the minor characters; the main male - Gabe - however never quite feels comfortable within the storyline. Of course any person going back to their old stomping ground with those who turned their backs on him but there always remained that distance. As the book progressed I got a little more interested in what he was keeping to himself but even that reveal wasn't worth the anticipation.

The characters' plans and feelings alter far too quickly but at the same time the whole thing felt as though it was never going to end. I was tempted to add to my DNF list but thought it might improve which it didn't - even lighthearted stories need some enticing drama or something to keep it exciting surely. We revisit the history between Sam and Gabe over and over again yet the festival itself? Barely described or explored, and finished in the blink of an eye. I really liked Chloe and Drew, they both seemed much warmer characters and their development felt realistic and enjoyable. In some ways we could have had them as leads and I might have preferred it overall.

Give me a cosy book any day, but this one simply didn't float my boat.

ARC received from the publisher on Netgalley in exchange for a review

This is the first Phillipa Ashley book that I've read and it definitely won't be the last because it was amazing! With humour, heart break, love, romance, kinship, food, community spirit and a range of characters, Phillipa expertly takes you on a journey to Cornwall in the lead up to the town's festival which entices and enthralls from start to finish! I would definitely recommend this book and I am keeping everything crossed that it'll be the start of a whole new series of books for Phillipa as I want to go on more journeys with these characters!

I'm ready for SUMMER! What better way to prepare for summer sunshine than to sail off to the Cornish coast. Well, at least in my imagination! It is A Perfect Cornish Summer thanks to Phillipa Ashley's brilliant new cosy.

One summer, while Sam and her friends are thinking of their small town's financial woes and also making plans to attend a festival in a nearby town, it occurs to Sam, who has money troubles of her own, that a festival is exactly what her own town of Porthmellow needs. It's also what Sam needs in her own life to keep her from thinking about her dismal, rather lonely life. Now it is twenty years later and the festival that Sam and her friends started is a region success and about to celebrate that twentieth anniversary! The only problem is that the nationally renown chef that they had booked has cancelled and the newly booked chef is someone from Sam's past that she never wanted or hoped to see again. Between the feeling of dread at that prospect and the sabotaging occurring all around the village, Sam is worried that the festival may not make to year twenty-one.

I adore Cornwall and talk about it so often that my own family just assumed it was a town nearby on Lake Michigan - I honestly kid you not. If there is a book written about Cornwall, set in Cornwall, featuring someone from Cornwall, you can bet I'm going to read it. A Perfect Cornish Summer did not disappoint me in the least with its small, twisty streets, community togetherness, sly humor and, of course, unpredictable stormy coastal weather! There are multiple story lines but each are relevant and well placed; they tie in nicely with one another and, I suspect, serve as an introduction to the key players who will be integral to subsequent books in the series. There also are multiple sub-plots which are not so much mysteries as they are mysterious subterfuge. This is a cosy read, it's not going to be an edge-of-your-seat dark thriller, nor should it be. It's the story of a woman, her family, her friends and her community and how they all work together to help one another succeed, despite hard feelings, past differences and even different tastes in music. Phillipa Ashley is a gifted story-teller and she has done a beautiful job of creating a tale that will envelope you in its summer warmth. Now, how quickly can I get to Cornwall from the middle of the US!?

Thank you to #Netgalley, #PhillipaAshley and @AvonBooksUK for my advanced copy of this delight book. You will find it on sale April 25th.

An amazing novel by an amazingly talented author. When I had an email asking me if I wanted to take place in the blog tour for Phillipa Ashley's new novel I jumped at the chance. I have adored Phillipa's previous novels and I absolutely fell in love with this cover so I knew I couldn't turn the opportunity down.

The cover really gives us a lovely feel as to what the novel is about. We have beautiful colourful cottages either side of the cover, with colourful and patterned bunting hanging overhead a female character. In the background is a beautiful, bright blue sea and I just love the use of all the flowers in the pots and the little sign pointing to the food festival. It's summery, feel-good and eye-catching and I couldn't wait to get stuck in.

I'd never been to Cornwall before, but Phillipa does such a fantastic job of describing the little town that you feel like you've been there yourself! The setting sounded idyllic and I fell in love with the little town of Porthmellow and the food festival that is hosted there. It's hosted by our main character Sam, who we learn has had her fair share of heartache throughout the years. What with losing her mum and then her brother, she also broke up with who she believed was the love of her life, so she's had a devastatingly hard time. After trying to find a way to make ends meet so that she can live a good life with her sister, she decides to set up the food festival and this particular novel is set around it's 10th anniversary.

The festival is doing really well but there are a few people that do not want the event to take place due to the crowds and the disruption to the seaside town. Sam learns along the way that someone is out to ruin the festival, after tearing down flyers and then causing damage to her work van. She starts to question whether this person is out to get the festival or if they're actually out to get her. The chef that was headlining the festival pulled out with not a lot of notice so the committee had to rush in order to find a replacement. Chloe, who is new to the area, contacted Gabe, a successful chef who originally grew up in the town. She believed him to be the best person for the job and so contacted him and booked him for the festival. Of course, not knowing about the connection between Sam and Gabe.

It's clear from the very beginning that Sam and Gabe have a history, and we learn as the novel goes on what he done to break Sam's heart. However, although I know why they split, I still couldn't help but hope that they would end up back together! They seem to have such a great connection and I couldn't help but love reading about them together. Other characters which I really liked were Chloe, Drew, Troy and Evie. All of the characters are part of the committee and the whole novel does have an amazing community feel to it.

The novel is summery, heartwarming and easy and enjoyable to read. This novel had wonderful characters and a beautiful setting. It made me long to visit Cornwall! Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

I really like Phillipa Ashley's writing so was excited to get to this and it did not disappoint. This was a very romantic moving read and I found I could connect well with the characters. The setting was on point as always, and has rekindled my want to live in Cornwall as it always seems so idyllic and very community focused. There are a lot of characters and it feels busy but I didn't find it to be a problem.

Overall an enjoyable read which I highly recommend.

"The first in a gorgeous new series from the author of Summer at the Cornish Cafe.

Summer is on the horizon, and the people of Porthmellow are eagerly awaiting the annual food festival. At least, most of them are...

For Sam Lovell, organising the summer festival in her hometown is one of the highlights of her year. It’s not always smooth sailing, but she loves to see Porthmellow’s harbour packed with happy visitors, and being on the committee has provided a much-needed distraction from the drama in her family life (and the distinct lack of it in her love life).

When their star guest pulls out with only a few weeks to go, everyone’s delighted when a London chef who grew up locally steps in at the last minute. But Gabe Matthias is the last person Sam was expecting to see, and his return to Porthmellow will change her quiet coastal life for ever.

Curl up with this gorgeous novel and savour the world of Porthmellow Harbour."

More Cornwall! With a little Doc Martin small town vibe.

Reading this book made me want to visit Cornwall and eat Cornish pasties! A vibrant festival in a Cornish village is the setting for slow burning romance and the righting of some past misunderstandings. A satisfying ending and an enjoyable read. Cosy chick lit from a fave author!

Phillipa Ashley’s books never fail to entertain and this is no exception. A lovely setting with lovely characters and a good storyline. An excellent read. Phillipa has the gift of writing in such a way that the reader almost feels part of the story with the characters personally known. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

I enjoyed this book a lot. The story is set in Cornwall, a place I have never been to, but heard about the beauty of it many times. The characters are really loveable who you can relate to. Nearly all of them have their own issues and secrets that later came to light. So the plot is made up of mini-plots that deal with the stories of the characters. Certainly there is a happy ending all around. I can recommend this book to everyone who likes a good romance.

This is the first book I have read by Phillipa Ashley and boy oh boy did I enjoy it! It was such a fun read filled with great humor and romance. I would definitely recommend!

How nice to be taken back to Cornwall in Phillipa Ashley’s latest novel. I have enjoyed reading many of her previous books set in this county, and was looking forward to discovering what events were about to unfold in this new tale. I found once again a story that, once started, was difficult to put down.

The book is set in the little Cornish seaside town of Porthmellow, where the annual food festival is just around the corner. The festival was dreamed up 10 years previously by Sam Lovell and friends who were looking for a way to reverse the fortunes of their failing town. Fortunately, the festival has gone from strength to strength and Sam looks forward to organising it every year, despite simultaneously running a busy catering business and looking after her younger sister. However, this year the star attraction, a renowned chef, has pulled out at the last minute. Fortunately, one of Sam’s team, Chloe, has found a replacement in Gabe Matthias, once a Porthmellow resident and now a famous chef based in London. However, Chloe has no idea that the return of this man is Sam’s worst nightmare, his departure years before having followed an event that spelled disaster and misery for Sam, her sister Zennor and brother Ryan.

As I expected, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and its characters; I was pulled into the story, and couldn’t predict how it was going to end. Sam is a very likeable and determined young woman, who has brought up her younger sister while building up a successful business and worrying about the fate of her brother, who she hasn’t seen for many years. It is also to her credit that the town’s food festival has become such a popular event, attracting visitors and exhibitors from a wide area. I thought it a shame that she has held a grudge against Gabe Matthias for many years over an admittedly serious event without apparently knowing all the details. The full details of what happened are hidden also from the reader until late in the story; until then, we are just given hints. In addition to the central story of Sam and Gabe, there are serious situations for other major characters, adding to the enjoyment of the book as a whole. I can recommend this book for anyone who would enjoy a bit of drama and romance in a beautiful setting; a perfect holiday read.

This book was beautiful - one of truth and lies. The location was that of holidays for some and home for others and loved the way that this came together. The past coming into the present was tough and the relationships involved were described as if talking about your friends.

My only negative about this book was that it built up the festival to a high and it came right at the end without much of it actually being mentioned.

I love Ashley’s Little Cornish Isle series, so this one was a no-brainer. And I’m really glad I grabbed it. A small coastal village full of characters as the build up to their annual food festival challenges residents and volunteers alike with preparation, weather, publicity and life. Samphire Lovell has a mobile truck from which she sells handmade pies at various festivals and events throughout the countryside. A business she started after the death of her mother, as she was struggling to keep her family fed and together after the death of her mother. An income stream that became even more important when her brother was arrested and jailed after a robbery, and she found herself without brother or boyfriend. But, that was eleven years ago and her sister Zennor has grown up and started a graphics design business with her best friend Ben. All is now focused on the run-up to the festival – their biggest ever and making sure everything goes off without a hitch. Sam, as the organizer has found Chloe – a recent blow in to town, with experience in event organization as her second in command – and al things are moving smoothly toward the big event in a few weeks.

And then their headline chef becomes suddenly unavailable due to his own bad behavior, and that leaves a big hole in the programme – and when you add in Sam’s worries about her own pie business, local complaints about traffic disruptions and noise during the festival and what seems to be a concerted negative campaign against the festival on the facebook page, Sam’s more than a bit worried. She didn’t know worry though until Chloe, doing her job and rounding up another ‘big’ chef’ gets a commitment from Gabe – Sam’s ex and former town resident now major London chef – things heat up for Sam – not in a good way. Can she and Gabe (more she than he) actually work “together’ politely and professionally after all this time and anger? And just how much more can go ‘wrong’ with the festival – weather appears to be a concern with very un-June-like winds that threaten the ‘show tent’ and could prevent festival visitors, someone splashing Sam’s van with red paint, pulling down signs and more negative traffic on facebook don’t hold a candle to Sam’s own mixed up thoughts about Gabe, or the interactions between people in the committee – locals all but Chloe and all familiar with the history there.

I actually enjoyed this story very much, although I wish that less effort was expended in ‘presenting’ the feel of a small village with many different storylines (Chloe and Drew, Evie and Troy, Sam and Gabe, Gabe and the town, the missing Ryan, Bryony and her overlarge attitude) – which worked to present the ‘everyone knows everything’ sort of vibe but also added many people to ‘catch up’ with – without actually presenting us with a clear entrant for the ‘next in the series’ to become the focus. Weather, terrain and even a sense of the ‘locals’ was clear in the story, and while I would have loved to read more about the food at the festival the sense of community, family and Sam finding the answers to questions she had for a decade to get – the story had me wanting the best for the little town and its people and ready for the next festival – coming sooner than anyone has actually planned!

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href= “ https://wp.me/p3OmRo-amL/” > <a> I am. Indeed

I appreciate the opportunity from NetGalley and the publisher to read an advance copy of A Perfect Cornish Summer in exchange for my honest review.

A Perfect Cornish Summer is a perfect summer romance. Not only does Sam experience romance, she also has to conquer several business troubles along the way. Beautifully written story had me looking up vacation spots in Cornwall!

I love a Cornish tale, it always makes me want to go and visit after I've finished reading.
Reading this story was like being a local and part of the community, getting to be behind the scenes of the festival.
There are many threads to this story and each kept me guessing and identifying with the characters. I was willing it to all work out for them in the end.

Any novel that is based in Cornwall is always going to be a good one and when you combine it with good storytelling such as the work of Phillipa Ashley then you are in for a wonderful read.

A Perfect Cornish Summer, fits this description. What started as a small idea ten years previously has grown into something more – the annual food festival in Porthmellow.  Sam the festival organiser had the original idea ten years ago and it was only meant to be a small event but it has grown and grown and it looks like this years is going to be bigger than ever.

When the famous headline chef for the festival has to withdraw due to some misappropriation of money  – it looks like the tenth festival will not be as stand out as Sam had first wanted. That is until Chloe an incomer to Porthmellow wanting to get more involved in the local community manages to gain TV Chef Gabe Maithas to attend.

What Chloe doesn’t realise that Gabe is well-known in Porthmellow.

He left a long time ago and many people remember what he did before he went.

Sam certainly remembers as it had an impact on her and her family at the time and still now.

Will Gabe’s presence stir up old memories or will he be able to get people on side again?

Chloe, might have caused an upset, but she has made her mark on a few people in the village and her past is about to arrive and bring a whole load of baggage with it. Troy into his eighties, still helping the harbour master and his wife Evie provide some sage advice to everyone as well as humour in the book. Outspoken Bryony and her dog seem to pop up at the most interesting moments. Drew spends his time on the sea, but his quiet persona doesn’t detract from the turmoil he is going through. Zennor, Sam’s younger but probably wiser sister has some romantic interests if only they were reciprocated

As for Sam, how can she possibly have enough time for anything when she is organising a food festival.

There is a lot going on in this novel and it takes you a few chapters to get straight who everyone is and how they all relate.  I find this with any start of a series of novels, the groundwork has to be done to keep us reading the book but also to then go and pick up subsequent novels featuring characters we have grown to love and probably dislike in equal measure.

Besides being full of characters and storylines it is also full of the descriptions of wonderful food including the mouth-watering sounding pies which Sam creates in between festival business. Of course there is the setting of Cornwall, always guaranteed to bring you brilliant weather and high winds to threaten marquees and people in equal measure.

An enjoyable read which has everything you want from women's fiction – to take you away on holiday, for romance, for laughs and for some wonderful food.

Phillipa Ashley has done it again and she is fast becoming an author you can rely on for great reads.

Porthmellow is the kind of place that I daydream about living in. It is beautiful, in Cornwall, by the sea and the people who live there care about one another. The setting for this book is an upcoming food festival. The residents we follow include Sam, the organizer; Gabe, who once dated Sam and is now a celebrity chef; Sam's sister and her partner, Ben; a mom, Chloe who has been estranged from her daughter and granddaughter and many other locals. Their stories are all told in a way that allows the reader to care about them. Over the course of the story, lives are lived, misunderstandings are cleared up and characters grow and love. If this is your kind of book, try this. It is an enjoyable read.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this escapist read. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book from start to finish. The book follows the stories of several people all from the same small place in Cornwall and how all of their lives come together to make their festival. Each individual story is gripping and you can’t wait to find out how it ends. Worth a read and looking forward to more reads from Phillipa Ashley.

A great read, with so many different characters which all had there own story but linked in well, which kept younguysssingbas to what would happen and how things would turn out. Will definitely look forward to many more books by this great author

I love Cornwall and really enjoyed all the references and rich descriptions. This was a good solid read, perfect for a sunny day with a likeable main character.