Member Reviews
This lovely book is the perfect book to kick start your Christmas book reading.
From start to finish it’s filled with characters you can relate to, the location is super stunning and the delicious Christmas goodies baked in it has your mouth watering. Such lovely characters. Reading the book reminds you of all the festive run up to the big day.
This is one book you won’t be able to put down, I definitely couldn’t.
An absolute charm of a book from the brilliant Jane Linfoot. It’s a gorgeous, festive treat that will have you feel all warm and fuzzy for days after the end. Jane is always one of my go -to authors and this book is just as wonderful and every previous offering. I adored this book, I couldn’t read it fast enough and I know it will be one I go back and read again.
Wonderful to be back in Cornwall and around St Aiden again; if you have read any of Jane’s books you may recognise a few places. There is no cross over with any of the other stories though so don’t worry if you are new to Jane’s books.
A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall gives you everything you need in a book – humour, heart and a healthy amount of drama; you’ll be laughing one minute and feeling emotional the next a wonderful, heartfelt story.
Ivy is a wonderful character, fierce yet vulnerable. She has no qualms about speaking her mind all whilst she hides her own insecurities. Being hired by her best friends’ sister to “style” an instagramable Christmas in a hired castle, Ivy has perfect opportunity to use her creativity to make this festive season bearable.
Bill the Castle’s caretaker knows Ivy from years earlier and it is evident he was fond of her previously. A lot has happened to both characters in the time since, both have things they keep to themselves for various reasons. Bill is very anti-everything Ivy tires to do but he does reluctantly help her out. He is a puzzle; I was on his side throughout and knew he would be good for Ivy if she could learn to let him in a bit but couldn’t figure out what he was not telling her.
As the book progressed, we learn more about the lives of our characters, more about their problems and there are revelations that may change their relationships forever. There are a lot of characters involved in A Cosy Cornish Christmas and it does seem very chaotic, but I really think this adds to the story, it adds some comedic fun.
I really cannot recommend this delightful book enough, its perfect to cosy up and read. It has everything you need and more. Another masterpiece by Jane Linfoot; I’m already looking forward to more.
Oh, I love, love, loved this book, I didn’t want it to end!
Jane Linfoot is one of my favourite authors and she has once again worked her magic in A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall. The way she writes is so easy to read, with wonderful characters & great storylines that hold your interest through to the final page. Really lovely to read the little touches that linked this story to those in her Cornish Kitchen & Wedding Shop books, set in the village along the bay from this book’s setting of Cockle Shell Castle. This book can definitely be read as a stand-alone story, but it was lovely to be able to envisage certain small details using those imaginings conjured within the other books.
I enjoyed this book so much: Cornwall, Christmas magic & a sprinkling of romance is the perfect combination. I now have my fingers crossed that Cockle Shell Castle will become a series of books!
Jane Linfoot has a great recipe for success for gorgeous feelgood romcoms all set in idyllic settings. A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall is a wonderful romp of a read set just on the outskirts of the lovely fictional coastal village of St Aidan. It is centred around friends and their families getting away from everyday life and having the perfect insta-worthy Christmas in Cornwall.
Ivy Starforth has agreed to tag along with her friends Libby and Fliss with their extended family to a Christmas getaway in Cornwall. Libby is an insta-influencer and Ivy is the perfect partner to make this festive holiday 'gram perfect'! However, when Ivy arrives at their holiday let a few days early on her own to prepare she is a little shocked to see how different the property looks from their 'google image' search. Ivy is also shocked to learn she knows the caretaker of the refurbished castle; a man she met six years ago and has never quite forgotten him.
Once Ivy gets over the double shock of the minimalist interiors of the castle and of seeing Bill again she enlist his help in turning a cold looking castle into a warm, cosy induced castle that oozes festive vibes.
Bill is not feeling very festive as Christmas hits a vulnerable spot for him but knows he has to turn this castle into the holiday tenant's dream posts or he's going to have a mutiny on his hands.
Once the hoard of guests arrive we are met with a myriad of characters all with their own personality quirks. There's plenty of festive, fun and frolics and heartfelt inspiring moments with this gorgeous romcom. I loved it all and didn't want it to end, I hope Jane Linfoot returns to the characters we've discovered at the castle in a future new story.
Warm, engaging, and everything you could want from a winter novel, A COSY CHRISTMAS IN CORNWALL by Jane Linfoot is a wonderful read.
Last Christmas was a disaster for Ivy but she has high hopes that this year it will be better. For starters, she is spending it in a beautiful castle so that's already a big improvement. Helping create the perfect festive atmosphere for her best friend's highly instagrammable sister, Ivy has arrived before the masses to set the tone and make everything perfect. The setting is stunning but she didn't expect the owner to be a very sexy blast from the past, who is a bit of a scrooge to boot and as the castle is overrun by family, friends, kids, and frenemies, the temperature starts to rise. But can Ivy overcome her insecurities and allow a little Christmas magic into her heart?
The setting is stunning, the characters (and there are quite a few) are all unique and wonderful in setting the scene and making this story really come to life. I cared about Ivy and wanted her to open up and find happiness after what had happened.
A COSY CHRISTMAS IN CORNWALL by Jane Linfoot is the kind of read that warms the soul and I enjoyed every moment of it. A must-read this Christmas!!!
Deck the castle with boughs of holly
Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la)
'Tis the season to be jolly
Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la)
Don we now our #TeamChristmas apparel
Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la)
Troll the donkey sanctuary in a wheelbarrow
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Jane Linfoot has written a fun and festive story full of whimsy, cheer, and yummy goodies! This book is Christmas strong! It is a sweet and cozy (with a Z) story that is built around the holiday. Ivy is excited to spend Christmas in a castle helping her boss photograph the “perfect“ Instagram worthy Christmas. When she arrives at the castle two weeks before the family gets there to put on the finishing touches she finds a stark castle and a brooding man. Ivy however is not deterred, she is determined to turn this bleak castle into a festive palace. Christmas trees are brought in, decorations are ordered, A bunch of silver surfers arrive to help spruce the place up, and the castle begins to look a little like Christmas. What follows is mishaps, miscommunications, folly, whimsy, spoiled children, and donkeys.
Ivy was a great character and I liked the banter between Bill and her. Bill came with the castle Ivy had met him previously, there was chemistry between them but the timing was not right. The timing appears still not to be right both characters have a lot of baggage and some walls, not to mention that Ivy is all about Christmas and Bill is a bit of a Scrooge. When the family starts arriving things got a little chaotic and frantic there are a lot of family members, but I soon figured out who they all were and I thought the author did a good job of giving everyone a unique voice. Also one family had children with names that started with a T and another with a S. There were quite a few laugh out loud moments in this book especially one involving donkeys and a wheelbarrow. And the yummy goodies! So many delicious treats, my sweet tooth was going crazy! This was a delightful story that I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of a festive Christmas book.
This book in emojis: 🎄 🐶 🏄🏻♂️ 🧁 🌟 ❄️
*** thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book ***
A warm romcom for Christmas full of charm, humour and a feel good storyline. When Ivy signs up to "do" a perfect Christmas at a castle in Cornwall for a friend she pulls out all the stops and, inevitably, gets more than she bargained for. An enjoyable, festive read.
A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall by Jane Linfoot is a sweet Christmas romance.
Libby has rented a castle in Cornwall for the entire family. She hires her friend Ivy to make it perfect and Instagram worthy. When Ivy arrives early to set up she finds a few surprises. When she sees the "caretaker" she realizes it's someone from her past and she discovers that the castle is not what they were dreaming of for their holiday. She must find a way to work with Bill and get the castle ready before Libby arrives.
This is a sweet story with a few comical parts. Ivy does tend to find herself in quite a few awkward situations. As Bill and Ivy work to decorate the castle they also start to come clean with each other about events in the their pasts.
I enjoyed this story and it's interesting characters. I did however feel the friendship between Ivy, Fliss, and Libby for most of the story was very one sided.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for the opportunity to read and review this book.
General Fiction (adult)
Romance
Release Date: Oct 19, 2019
You know the saying.....Christmas hasn't started until you've seen the castle's resident hunk naked in a hot tub.
Well it's now official - Christmas has began!
Ivy is hired by a friend to dress a Cornish castle ready for a spectacular and social media worthy Christmas party. Upon arrival she is greeted by the hot tub hunk - Will (Bill) who happens to be a blast from the past. But a lot has changed since they last met. Ivy has been through a lot and isn't really willing to share her heartbreak with anyone. Bill also seems to be keeping something back. As they both try to play it cool, will Christmas in the castle melt their hearts?
This novel is simple Christmassy goodness wrapped in sparkly paper and finished with a huge sparkling bow.
The main characters of Ivy and Bill are both frustratingly adorable and although at times I wanted to throttle them both, I was rooting for them all the way. My heart broke for Ivy in places but it was hard to stay that way when the plot was so heartwarming.
Because the novel is about Ivy (with Bill begrudgingly helping) transforming a run down and soulless building into a cosy festive home, it really put me in the mood. I loved being part of the transformation and moving form a dreary and drab environment into something magical.
With humour, animal antics, a swarm of highly entertaining characters and romance - this book has everything you need for a charming and cosy festive romance.
Christmas joy in book form, a delightful seasonal read that will not disappoint at all. I adored Ivy and I am definitely #teamchristmas myself, the characters are well written and funny, romance is so cute, the story heartwarming. Jane has written a lovely Christmassy hug in a book. Just what you need to make you smile
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
OMG! Can anyone pass up this cute read after seeing that stunning cover? Ya, you got it right folks, I was hooked the moment I saw it. And as for the story . . . let's just say I gained a few pounds after reading. Well, that's my advice to you. If you are on a diet, then keep away.
There is a whole bunch of characters to confuse you in the beginning and you get to know how frustrated Ivy feels at the start. But optimism and determination always win the day. Considering the way she is wounded on last Christmas, this is a truly remarkable feat. With the kids' gang behaving more like grownups even with all the stubbornness, this Christmas in a Cornish castle brings healing to all.
Linfoot is known to make wonders with words and she has done it again. Reading this book was like being part of the festivities in the castle. And the banter and wit was quite something to go by. The wry humour that pops up from each page had me snorting with laughter. The fact that Ivy is accident-prone must have contributed to this a lot.
A miraculous love, a dog that is almost human, shopping with friends and some mouth-watering dishes to savour . . . what is more to wish? This is a cosy Christmas indeed.
This is a super cosy book with a stunning cover; it literally screams read me. It's just so pretty.
I really enjoy Jane Linfoot books, they allow me to escape after the busy reality of real life. They are the perfect escape for a relaxing evening. I read this book in just one sitting; curled up with a hot cuppa and some cake.
I love how wonderfully jolly this book is, I loved the characters and instantly became invested. This has definitely not disappointed, it has been the perfect trip to Cornwall from the comfort of my sofa.
Linfoot has the perfect combination of romance and christmas within this book. I loved the characters and I loved the setting- who doesn't love a cosy castle.
This is a warm and delightful read which I highly recommend.
Reviews to follow publicly during blog tour!
This book is brimful of Christmas and just perfect for holiday reading. I enjoyed the mix of traditional Christmas with the social media/ Instagram world which seemed to dictate a lot of the holidays. Ivy is a likeable character with some human insecurities and a kind side to her which makes you root for her. There is a lot of humour in this story especially with the children who don't always get the perfect Christmas they are being given.
For me, the star of the show was always Mervyn the dog. He gives the whole proceedings a 'paws on the floor' down to earth quality and lots of humour as well. I appreciated the way that even the most unappealing and unsympathetic characters were shown to have their own issues to work through. Families come in all shapes and sizes and as the story continues, the sense of belonging increases.
In short: A castleful of Chrstmas joy- brilliant!
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.
Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. A love a good Christmas book and will happily read them year round. So glad to have enjoyed this one close to the season!
If, like Ivy, you’re a massive fan of the festive season and wish it could be Christmas everyday, you will LOVE this story as it contains Christmas, Christmas, and more Christmas, from pretty much the first page.
If you’re not entirely convinced about the festive season, I am sure that Bill, Ivy’s unofficial Christmas protege, will take you under his wing!
Ivy’s excitement surrounding Christmas is rather endearing and and weirdly enough, quite infectious! My mind was a little bit bewildered at first because there was just this sudden influx of all things Christmas, and nowhere really for it to go. I really didn’t have a clue as to how Jane Linfoot was going to turn it into a storyline so, for the first few chapters, I was in a little bit of an uncertain bubble.
As always, I had faith in the authors talents and she delivered a read which had me itching to get the Christmas decs out of the cupboard. Not only that, the dry humour and the brilliant one liners the characters came out with, all had me in absolute hysterics. Dont get me wrong, it was a little bit random at time because of Miranda, Milo, and the things that were flying out of the kids’ mouths, but you know what? All of that just made this book even more of an escapism.
The most important thing I have learnt from this book is to never, ever leave my underwear on the floor near a hot tub – you never know who might take a liking to the particulars!
Despite my uncertainty at the start of the book, ‘A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall’ surprised me, and ended up being a fab little cosy read which left me snorting with laughter.
After reading Jane's previous books I was so excited to read this, especially as it was her latest Christmas book! This book has everything you could want in a festive read. I really loved the characters in this book, it was so easy to get to know them and also the Castle my goodness what a place! The way this book is written is just fantastic, it is so so easy to read and the story itself is beautiful. Reading this has got me really excited for Christmas! Oh and I really believe this is Jane's best book to date!
Fell in love with the cover, so felt it should be good. Filled with warmth, romance and sparkle, just the ticket to get you in the mood for Christmas, despite it still being October!
The fabulous Jane Linfoot is back with an irresistible, uplifting and feel-good new romantic comedy you will want to devour like a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine this holiday season: A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall. With an adorable heroine, a gorgeous hero, humour, laughter, drama and romance aplenty, A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall is another must-read from this immensely gifted writer.
When Ivy Starforth is asked by one of her friends to kit out a castle in Cornwall for Christmas as an Instagrammable winter wonderland, she certainly does not need to be told twice! After the year she’s had where she was in accident, broke things off with her boyfriend and has had everything that could possibly go pear-shaped happen, Ivy is looking forward to spending some time playing at Lady of the Manor with her beloved dog by her side. Unable to stand spending the holidays with her well-meaning but infuriating parents, Ivy cannot wait to get to Cornwall and have some much needed rest and relaxation, but she hadn’t counted on finding a gorgeous naked man in the hot tube who is not the perfect stranger she initially thought!
When Ivy had been informed by her friend that the castle had a caretaker called Bill, she imagined a wizened old man in dungarees and hair coming out of her ears, she never imagined that she would be coming face to face with someone who looks like he’s just walked off a film set. Bill Markham is tall, dark, handsome and as sexy as sin – and worse he remembers Ivy from a brief meeting a couple of years back where she had gone skiing with her ex and his stuck-up banker mates! Bill had been jaw-droppingly beautiful in Chamonix, but in his birthday suit wearing nothing but a bemused grin, he is positively sinful!
A relationship is the last thing on Ivy’s mind. She just wants to enjoy the holiday and have fun taking as many stunning photos for her friend’s Instagram feed as she possibly can. However, getting into the festive spirit is next to impossible as Bill could give Scrooge a run for his money in the bah-humbug stakes! Bill seems keen to sabotage her staging and throw a spanner in the works for Ivy and although she finds him positively infuriating and aggravating, the more time she spends in close proximity to him, the more she finds herself falling head over heels in love with him!
The temperature might be arctic outside, but inside the castle it is positively roasting! As Ivy and Bill’s feelings for one another intensify, will a kiss under the mistletoe give way to something far deeper than either one of them ever imagined? Or is this relationship going to falter before it’s even got off the ground?
You can always rely on Jane Linfoot to deliver a five star read that keeps readers engrossed from start to finish and A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall is another first class tale that has got winner written all over it! Fun, flirty, fantastic and immensely enjoyable, once you start reading One Cosy Christmas in Cornwall, putting it down is simply not an option.
You are sure to fall in love with Ivy, swoon over dashing Bill and end up losing sleep as you will find yourself completely immersed in this book.
An outstanding romantic comedy from a writer at the top of her game, Jane Linfoot dazzles and triumphs with her captivating new novel, A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall.
This book gives us across the pond a brief glimpse as to how the Christmas holidays are spent in a small town in England. British terminology, traditions, as well as some food choices surrounding Christmas are very unique while others I think most Americans are familiar with. But no matter the differences, what remains true is attraction, love, and getting along with family and friends, new and old ones alike.
I’d love the opportunity to celebrate Christmas in a castle and maybe find my knight in (mostly) shining armor, too!
I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for my volunteer review.
Thank you to Rachel for my invitation to the tour for this Cornish Christmassy delight and for my copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review.
Ivy arrives at the Castle to prepare for the Instagram spectacular for her client Libby, unfortunately Cockle Shell Castle is not what Ivy has been led to believe it was. She has to enlist Bill the 'bah humbug' castle caretaker to help her Christmas up the castle. Ivy has had a previous liaison with Bill on a skiing holiday so there is a tension between them.
I loved the setting of the book as I love Cornwall and the author really conjures up a delight with the seaside Castle. Cockle Shell Castle has its own gin distillery and as it also right on the beach which sounded perfect to me.
The book started quite slowly with the setting up of the castle but when the additional characters start to arrive the pace quickens. Libby and her family arrive it is apparent why Ivy has been so stressed about getting the castle perfect, they really are something else.
Ivy has her work cut out with the demands of the family plus trying to deal with her own demons and making a perfect Christmas for everyone.
A lovely enjoyable Christmas read with plenty of sparkle and festivity and a nice helping of Christmas spirit.