I loved the first in the Cornish series so I just had to dive back into the village of Porthmellow at Christmas. This story can also be a standalone read. In this story we meet Scarlett and Ellie. The drama starts from the very first page which captures your attention straight away. You wonder why Scarlett is in the situation she’s in.

The Latham family has been through trauma (not going to spoil it!) however I will say they are full of family secrets and miscommunication. Scarlett and Ellie then meet two gorgeous residents of Porthmellow; Jude and Aaron. The story is told from both Scarlett and Ellie’s perspective which has you wanting to read till the very end! I ended up really feeling for Scarlett and her family situation, hoping that in the end everything would work out ❤️

I found myself needing to pick up my kindle at any opportunity (even at 2am when I couldn’t get back to sleep!) I really hope there is a book three in the series as I would love to go back to Cornwall again soon. I give ‘A Perfect Cornish Christmas’ 4*/5* 😊

Thank you to Avon Books for a copy of this book.

Loved this boom, A nice easy read with a feel good vibe. Realistic characters and I like how the reklationships in the village develop. You have to have sympathy for Scarlet who finds out that the man who she's always known as her Dad really isn't. So she sets out to try to find who her natural father really is. It's a good read but I do think more could be made of why her Mum stubbornly refuses to help or admit she was in the wrong in not giving Scarlet any help. Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

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!

Last Christmas, Scarlett’s life was upended as she and her sister Ellie decided that an Ancestry.com-like series of DNA tests would be the perfect gift for their parents, to reinforce the belief that Viking’s blood runs through their veins. Unfortunately, rather than reinforcing that belief, the family is torn apart as it shows that Scarlett and her brother and sister are half-siblings, and the man she thought of as her father, isn’t. Of course, there were recriminations and upheaval, and Scarlett’s mother’s refusal to share the name or knowledge of her biological father, or in fact admit to straying, have split the family and caused Scarlett no end of guilt. When you add in Ellie’s finally finding a place to ‘settle’ in Porthmellow after leaving University with a heartbreak, and the ongoing tension between Scarlett and the rest of the family – the story is set to be intriguing from page one, with Ellie (the peacemaker) and Scarlett sharing their deceased Aunt’s home on the hill.

Told in third person – we get to discover the sister’s working through their own issues, their worries about their parent’s relationship, and see both of them find their own chance at romance – well, as long as the two of them let go of their trust issues and are honest with one another and their prospective partners. Of course, there are questions and mysteries, Scarlett is convinced that her father is a local, and her mother’s refusal to answer questions or even talk about her time in Porthmellow some thirty years ago creates havoc and anger – and, quite frankly, can make almost every interaction fraught with tension and the question of ‘what if”.

Eventually, as all of the Ashley stories that I’ve read do, answers and secrets come to light, and the actual connections are still there – from family to romantic, if only they will take a chance to trust once again. Filled with some locals that one may remember from her Little Cornish Isles series – the town is decked out for a traditional Christmas celebration with plenty of old pagan and Cornish traditions coming to life. Set in and around the isle with Ellie’s work at both the café and on a local tall ship are highlighted, along with the view from the beach, a swim in the harbor and plenty of heart and hope to carry the day.

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-ayJ/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

There are two romances in this story set in a fictional Cornish fishing village. The mix of characters is eclectic, with a good variety of ages and backgrounds, some really nice people and some despicable ones. In some places the storyline is a bit predictable and there are a number of just about believable coincidences. Lightweight holiday reading rather than anything too taxing.

Although this is part of a series of books and I haven't read the previous one that didn't detract from my enjoyment of it. Set in beautiful Cornwall at Christmastime this is a wonderful festive read with great characters and a lovely storyline.

Perfect for cuddling up with next to a roaring fire!

I love a heart-warming romance set in a charming village location and especially one set at Christmas. And, this was exactly that. Like sisters Scarlett and Ellie I too fell in love with the Cornish seaside village of Porthmellow with its cosy cafes, welcoming pub, village traditions and bracing seascape. The sense of community spirit as all the locals got involved in the Solstice celebrations and annual Boxing Day swim was really inspiring and heart-warming. The characters were also all extremely likeable, from main characters Ellie and Scarlett to supporting villagers such as the Carman's. 

It was a bonus to be treated to not one but two budding romances, with both sisters falling for a hot, single local. However, this was also a slight negative for me as having two lead characters, along with a third person narrative, meant that it wasn't really anyone's story. As such, whilst I liked all the characters, I didn't really connect with any of them to any great extent.

The book started extremely dramatically and promisingly with Scarlett gate-crashing the pub's Christmas Day Lunch for the Lonely after a family history gift revealed her Dad wasn't actually her real Dad and her mum doggedly refused to comment. However, unfortunately this also set the scene for the rest of the book as her mum continued to remain silent, and continued and continued for chapter after chapter. As such the story was a bit slow and drawn out in places.

That said regarding the identity of Scarlett's father there were plenty of hidden twists along the way, and his eventual identity was completely unexpected, if a little far-fetched. However, after such a long build-up and such devastating effect on the family, surprisingly it was all over and done with in a matter of pages concentrating too much on the reveal rather than the back story. Similarly there were lots of other intriguing themes that were introduced, such as Aaron's post-traumatic stress, Auntie Joan's hedonistic lifestyle and Jude's jolting fiancee, but these were never really explored. I would have loved to have heard more on each of these.

Overall, this was an easy, enjoyable read but just not a must-read in my opinion. Because it was set over the course of a year it was sufficiently festive for a Christmas book but not so much that it couldn't be enjoyed at any time of the year. I believe this is the second of author Phillipa Ashley's novels to be set in Porthmellow, with some of the original characters making cameo appearances, but it also works as a standalone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers Avon Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this prior to publication.

After a disastrous family Christmas the year before, sisters Ellie and Scarlette are apprehensive about this year's.
Will they be able to stay in Porthmellow, will Scarlette find the identity of her biological father, will their parents separate? I really enjoyed this book, feel good factor and not at all predictable. I would totally recommend this for an absorbing winter read.

A perfect lesson in relationships and love than stand the length of time. A well written story set in Cornwall covering 2 Christmas’s and the year between. A pleasant and easy read.

Another fabulous read from Phillipa Ashley. I absolutely loved this book and couldn’t put it down. A few twists and turns in the lives of Ellie and Scarlet keep you involved in the story. As well as snippets of the old characters from the previous books, some lovely new characters to invite you into their lives. Not just a read for Christmas, but a heartwarming tale of love, loss and family values to enjoy. Thanks for the opportunity reading this lovely book. #Netgalley

Great to be back in Porthmellow though it is a stand alone story with some characters from the last book but the main characters in this book are all new. I was hooked from the 1st chapter and intrigued to find out Scarlett's story. It was a joy to read the trials and challenges Scarlett and Ellie overcome in their wish to be happy. A great book to curl up with but then I do love Cornwall. I look foward to the next book from Phillipa.

I was very happy to return to Porthmellow, Cornwall to meet with original characters and many new ones.
The Latham family are torn apart when the results of a DNA test, bought as a Christmas present, shows that youngest child Scarlett is not her fathers biological daughter.
One y ear on and the family is still dysfunctional. Scarlett returns to Cornwall to stay with her sister Ellie and to hopefully find out what h4 mother refuses to tell her; the name of her biological father.
The beautiful setting and village festivities go some way to make this a cosy read. However, I found the twists, heartache and lack of communication made the story less festive and more frosty.
A nice festive read but too much heartache to make it a warm and cosy winter read.

It certainly wasn't a perfect one the year before! I feel as if I was transported to Porthmellow Harbour! What a heart warming story of the times gone by,secrets and the future. Praise for the author. I loved it. Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this book.

A lovely read for Christmas, it was nice to go back to Cornwall for the festive season. I did feel that story did meander a little however and the major misunderstanding could have been sorted out much sooner.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving an arc of this book and the opportunity to read it in exchange for my review.

3.5

A nice little Christmas drama with a village I want to live in and people I'd like to meet..Ellie moves into the manor owned by her Aunt Joan is empty so she ends up setting up home for the perfect family Christmas. Well, before long everyone piles in and there's chaos as you might expect. Sister Scarlett joins them later on and the house soon starts to turn the family dynamics around in unexpected ways.

Porthmellow. is sadly fictional but it's just the nicest village from the sound of things and I only wish this was real as I would be there in a shot. Philipa has drawn up the nicest place with the scenery, setting, community and everything in between. It's somewhere I just know I'm going to want to return to.

You can always guarantee a good read with Philpa Ashley and a Christmas in Cornwall is the best medicine at any time of year.

Another lovely story based in Cornwall. Some really appealing characters and a realistic storyline, The background speaks for itself. Delightful conclusion.

I’ve never read any of the other books from Porthmellow, so I came into this story with a fresh perspective on the characters and the writing. I was introduced to the family with a bang of a start. An exciting family Christmas celebration turned upside down by a shocking family secret long hidden and thought to be buried. The rest of the story is how each of them find peace and resolution in their own life throughout the next year. More secrets surface as twists and turns abound! Through all the ups and downs, family remains family and new beginnings are forged. A fun holiday treat.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

A perfect Cornish Christmas.
The magic of a Christmas story and unexpected romance .
I was looking forward forward for this book to come out and I wasn’t disappointed, a great read.
Loved the plot .A real life story involving family secrets.
Entertaining and highly recommendable story.
My thanks to Avon books and to NetGalley for my advance copy for my honest review.

An innocent family Christmas present tears a family apart.
The next year Scarlett and her sister Emily are living in Cornwall trying to put the past behind them. Can they find the happiness they deserve and finally put the past to rest?Will their family finally become one again? Or will their secrets keep them apart?
This is the perfect book for Christmas. A feel good book.

I recieved a free digital edition of this book from Avon Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really struggled with this one, I expected a cute little romance and what I got was a romantic mystery, so I was a little disappointed

I love the Cornish setting, Cornwall is a gorgeous place and I can't wait uld imagine all the scenes that they talk about, having visited earlier this year where it rained for the entire weej, but that didn't stop us wearing shorts and having fun.

It's hard to decide on if I like any of the characters, Scarlett seemed so whiney and annoying and Ellie was trying to hard, shes a lovely girl but she's so peppy... Its annoying... I disliked her mother soich in this book and I found it hard to believe that she wouldn't tell Scarlett anything about her her biological dad until she basically forced it out of her. I did also jump to the same conclusion as Scarlett, however I thought it much earlier than she ever did. Jude was fun and not the normal type of love interest which was fun. Aaron was just th eye candy.

I found it weird with it flicking between the sisters but I understood a lot of their thoughts and feelings.

I will definitely be trying more books by Phillipa Ashley