The Girl who came Home to Cornwall is a sweet and heartwarming book, of new starts and friendship.
Despite this being the sixth book in the Tremarnock series and not having read any of the previous books, I found it very easy to fall into the story.

On the outside, this is all about a young woman coming home to Cornwall to start her life a new and shaking things up in a village which I think is a little set in its ways, but don't be deceived by the cosy and feel-good back blurb, it's much more dramatic than that.

Chabela the leading lady is a wonderful character, she is a little out of her depth once she arrives in the village. All she wants is to look into her Cornish roots and in the prosess begins to makes little changes. I liked Chebala from the start, like all the characters in the book you feel a real connection to them, each one is very well written and devople naturally throughout the book.

The story is engaging and easy to read, it's pacing is sound and sure which allows the reader to fall head long into beautiful Cornwall. I really loved the author's descrptive writing too, I will certainly be reading more from her.

This is the latest book in a series.
This book is very character driven and has a beautiful setting.
It’s an engaging tale of life in a beautiful Cornish village. This book made me laugh and cry.
A good read

I have visited Tremarnock many times (four) over the years and it is always delightful to go back for another visit, this time it has taken me a while to go back. But here I am with Emma Burstall's fifth novel set in this Cornish Village where everyone knows everyone else and everything that is going on.

But the village is going to be shaken up a bit with the arrival of a visitor Chabela Penhallow. A Mexican woman with a very Cornish name. She is visiting to escape from the present and to very much find out about her past and links to her surname.

Chabela is not very forthcoming and is keeping herself and her real story back in Mexico to herself, but she finds herself drawn to Simon who is nerdy by his own admission and is helping her with her family history.

So is Rick, who has temporarily suspended his internet search for the perfect woman and sets his sights on Chabela.

However her presence is upsetting the equilibrium it seems in many of the relationships within the village. Characters you will have met from previous novels, Liz and her husband Robert are still struggling through some difficulties. Rosie and Rafael, the first flush of young love. Loveday and Josh solid and dedicated to each other.

Chabela seems to have got to them all in different ways. Can she explain her situation and perhaps solve the undercurrents of the village that seem to have been their since she arrived?

Going back to Mexico might focus her mind on exactly what she wants, but she still has some demons to get rid of first.

I enjoyed the book, though I realised what was the ultimate happy ending, I was intrigued as to how we were going to get there. Get there we did and learnt a lot out about all the characters, tin mining and the connections between Mexico and Cornwall. Emma Burstall is never afraid to deal with some issues which are perhaps glossed over in or not mentioned, in other comparable women's fiction books. The stories can have areal impact and this book was no different.

It was great to be back in Tremarnock and reminding myself not just of the characters but the familiarity of the landscape which is a character all in itself. Cornwall makes a great setting for so many books and it certainly works for this series.

Having been a fan of Burstall's work for a long time, I look forward to see whether we return to Tremarnock next or perhaps venture further afield. Whatever the theme and wherever it is set, no doubt it will have depth not often found in some books.

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

This is the 5th book in the Tremarnock series and it is just as good as the previous 4. I got hooked on these books. The characters come to life and the village is beautifully described that, if you love Cornwall, you can visualise the narrow streets, quaint houses and the beach. The story has some twists and turns but all comes good in the end.

It was wonderful to be back in Tremarnock again!

There’s so much going on in this latest episode. We meet a new character, Chabela, who really stirs things up in the village. She’s from Mexico, and causes a lot of interest with various people.

Max from Germany is also back, and this causes consternation for Liz. I really like Liz, and didn’t want things to be difficult for her. I was rooting for her and Robert to get back on track again.

Rosie is growing up, and having to deal with all the teenage trials and tribulations, along with her special needs.

This book is charming, heartwarming and funny, but with its fair share of drama and heartache too. It flows so nicely and is such a pleasure to read. Just gorgeous. I really enjoyed it.

I absolutely adored this book. The characters were well written and likeable and of course Cornwall is always a winner in my eyes. This book had a comfortable feel about it and, as I've never read any of this authors books before, I shall be keeping my eye out for her upcoming work.
I LOVED IT!!!

This book was a brilliant read and one that is perfect to escape for a few hours and loose yourself.
Characters that fall out of the pages of the book and make you fell apart of the story, the setting is lovely and captured well with words.
A great read. that I would highly recommend.

Good, solid read. No fireworks or unexpected events but an enjoyable instalment centring around Tremarnock village. Allows you to catch up with old characters and meet some lovely new ones. Perfect for curling up and getting lost in.

Thank you Netgalley

Uplifting, charming and absolutely wonderful, The Girl Who Came Home to Cornwall is the latest mesmerizing and captivating tale from the immensely talented Emma Burstall. Warm-hearted, engrossing and a joy from start to finish, The Girl Who Came Home to Cornwall is another winner by this gifted storyteller.

The gorgeous Cornish fishing village of Tremarnock is truly chocolate box perfect. Charming houses are scattered all around the harbour where fishermen unload the catch of the day and with a pub, corner shop and a fantastic restaurant – not to mention a community full of kind, caring and generous individuals who are always willing to lend a helping hand and a listening ear when the situation demands it, Tremarnock is as close to perfect as it is possible to get. Being a village, everybody knows everyone else and keeping a secret is absolutely impossible. The inhabitants of Tremarnock look after their own and take care of each other as best they can, but when a stranger appears, questions start being asked and old secrets and scandals end up coming to light as the village rumour mill starts going into overdrive…

What brought Mexican Chabela Penhallow to Cornwall and to Tremarnock, in particular? The vivacious woman has come on holiday to discover more about her Cornish roots, but is there more to her than meets the eye? What has truly made Chabela want to come to this little corner of the world? What is the real reason why she has suddenly got so curious about her Cornish ancestry? Is she really all that she seems? Or is there something far more shocking and cataclysmic going on beneath the surface? What is Chabela really running away from? And what does she hope to find in Cornwall and in Tremarnock?

Emma Burstall writes the kind of books you simply cannot stop reading and The Girl Who Came Home to Cornwall is a stunning, emotional and captivating tale of past betrayals, new beginnings, healing from the past and finding the courage to take chances that touches the heart and will make you laugh and cry in equal measure.

Emma Burstall’s love for Cornwall is evident in all of her books and in her latest, the village of Tremarnock is described in such vivid detail and with such love and affection you are sure to want to move there in a heartbeat if you could.

A brilliant novel from a writer who never lets her readers down, The Girl Who Came Home to Cornwall is another first class read by Emma Burstall.

The Girl Who Came Home to Cornwall is the fifth in the Tremarnock series by Emma Burstall. I have really loved this series because in the small coastal village of Tremarnock, the author has created such a lovely feeling of community and friendship. It's a place where the residents pull together when times are tough and offer each other support or a shoulder to cry on. A solution to any problem can always be found through sheer hard work, will and determination. Each book focuses on a different character but people we have met in previous books always make a reappearance and its lovely to see how they are getting on given a lot of attention had been on them in the past. But one person whose storyline has ran through all of the books is that of Liz Hart. She has been my favourite character of them all and I was keen to see what the author had in store for her in this new book.

The girl who came home to Cornwall as mentioned in the title is a new arrival called Chabela Penhallow. She is a university lecturer in Mexico City. A beautiful woman who makes an impression on people and someone who seems to have this aura of calm around her but underneath it all she is hiding pain and heartbreak and is hoping time away in a new country in a new situation meeting new people will give her the distance and perspective she needs to make some important life changing decisions. Chabela was a nice enough character but the residents were always wary of new people, despite being welcoming there is a little bit of resistance to someone new because they think they will be there one minute and gone the next. Chabela for quite some time was treated as the outsider and it would take a lot of working her way into peoples lives and laying her cards on the table before some form of acceptance could begin to occur. If she could even attempt to do this given her personality.

I felt Chabela was a character who was hard to get to know. She seemed very cut off from things and never really revealed the inner workings of her mind until quite far into the story. It all felt a bit flighty with her and I didn't find anything concrete I could latch onto in order to really identify her. Her strand of the story searching for her heritage and trying to overcome the pain she had experienced in Mexico and then in turn meeting a new friend was OK but it didn't fully grab my attention and I found myself much more interested in the residents I had read about before. Probably because I was so familiar with them, I knew their back stories and had been through the mill with them so to speak so I was perhaps more eager to focus my attention on chapters which featured them.

Liz once again really caught my attention, I love her but god she frustrates me in equal measure. She has finally got the perfect life for herself but she seems determined to see it go off track. Events from the previous book still very much have a forbearing on her now and she can't seem to shake them from her mind. They impede her decision making process and I really wanted to be able to take her by the shoulders and give her a good shake. She was letting her marriage with Rob suffer because she wasn't being honest and was reluctant to keep the channels of communication open. The lure and potency of what is forbidden seemed to me as if they were going to be Liz's downfall and I disliked the direction her thought process was taking.

You could see the guilt eating away at her as her secret became ever more of a burden. I couldn't blame Rob for his actions but truly it was heartbreaking given how much they had been through in previous books to reach this point. I really felt like it was make or break for the couple and I desperately hoped that for Liz common sense would prevail over what she believed her mind and heart were telling her. There is excitement and guilt running through her veins but she needed to push through that and make the right decision for her family in the long term. I questioned would she ever reach that point? Maybe Chabela herself could be the one who needs to speak to Liz to help her find the resolution she so desperately seeks.

The Girl Who Came Home to Cornwall was a nice, light, easy read but I don't think it was the strongest book in the series. I felt we only scratched beneath the surface of things regarding relationships and struggles. A lot more in depth discussion and a sense of talking about what is really going on needed to occur. There was too much of skirting around the issue and I think things at times all got too light and fluffy. That said I would have read this book anyway because I love Tremarnock and I hope any future books will return to the form I know that has been present in the past. It's not a bad book by any means but for me it failed to completely capture that magic and essence that I had found from book one onwards. A pleasant enough read but it wouldn't be my favourite of the series.

Favorite Quotes:

His plate was balanced on his lap and when she caught his eye, he looked away quickly, lifted his scone with both hands and nervously nibbled the edge, like a squirrel with a nut.

Chabela herself was woefully untidy. Her main filing system consisted of a large folder emblazoned with the words ‘VERY IMPORTANT STUFF’.

‘The buggers saw me coming and prepared to attack, I know they did.’ Just as he spoke, another bird, high above, let out a squawk and a gooey splat landed on the toe of his boot, followed by a second, a few feet from Liz’s shoe. ‘Right, that’s it!’ Robert was incandescent. ‘This is war!’

Señorita Penhallow, You’re more to me than life itself. I would do anything for you – climb mountains, fight sharks, even sit on cactuses.


My Review:

Ms. Burnstall provided me with thoughtful entertainment by creating an amusing and interesting village full of unique inhabitants, with a few tipping well over into the category of eccentric. Her latest tale was a pleasant escape and much-needed diversion to help me endure the torturous and disheartening monotony of Jury Duty. I much preferred spending my time with her odd collection of individuals while they squabbled, gossiped, celebrated, and rubbed along with difficulties and issues that were not uncommon yet vexing none the less. The storylines were slowly developed yet easy to follow and held my attention while they spanned the globe from Cornwall to Mexico and back again. And while the emotional tone was not always breezy, clever observations, amusing descriptions, and comical situations were scattered throughout. I particularly enjoyed the levity provided by the ongoing battle of the birds.

Most of all, I adored the sweet heart of the not so simple Simon and was intrigued by his quirks, twitches, and peculiar traits. Simon’s wardrobe seemed to be coordinated with the color of mulch and his rigid routines and very brown nature seemed to be the antithesis of the lovely and lively Chabela, the new visitor from Mexico whose presence seemed to be curiously shaking up the village. Culture clashes, bigotry, and stereotyping led to unfortunate misunderstandings but luckily the character of Chabela was more tolerant and forgiving of their pettiness than I would have been. Given the large slate of village characters, I am curious to explore the previous books in this series.

Thank you to Vicky at Head of Zeus for my invitation to the tour and my copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review.

A lovely comforting read that reminded me of one of my favourite places, Cornwall and the coming summer months.

I really liked Chabela who is a colourful character and a bit of a mystery to the locals. She has come to Cornwall to find out about her ancestors James Penhallow a Cornish Tin Miner who emigrated to Mexico.She is also recovering from a broken relationship. She meets up with Simon, a possible distant relative who has lived in Tremarnock his whole life and Chabela finds him to be the quite repressed Englishman on their first meeting.

Chabela meets Liz when looking for work and Liz is also hiding secrets from Rob her husband.

I loved how the author weaved the beauty and dramtic landscape of Cornwall into the story it really set the scene of the book. It was really interesting to read about the Mexican culture too.

Pure escapism, I really enjoyed this book, it is about relationships, taking risks and finding yourself. A great read.

Broken hearted, Chabela Penhallow leaves Mexico destined for a holiday to Tremarnock to find out more about her ancestors. She soon settles into the Cornish life, meeting the town’s inhabitants and taking a job at the local beachside snack hut. After a local event Chabela finds she becomes the topic of gossip and the town’s people become frosty towards her. She soon becomes involved with a local Teacher, who having been single for most of his life is a hard nut to crack.
Meanwhile Robert and Liz, two pivotal characters of the series are having troubles of their own. Sadly, the family is torn apart and Robert moves out of the family home.
Will all residents of Tremarnock have a happy ever after?
I have thoroughly loved each and every one of Emma’s previous books in this series. However, this book didn’t have the same gripping storyline for me. I feel it lacked the great feel-good factor of the community pulling together that was evident in the previous books in this series. Having said that, this book wouldn’t put me off reading further books in this series.

The last novel I reviewed by Emma Burstall was A Cornish Secret, book four in the Termarnock series which I loved and gave five stars to. So naturally I was pleased to recieve the ARC of book five.

In The Girl Who Came Home to Cornwall, Chabela has left her native Mexico after a break up and hopes Tremarnock will give her a welcome change of scene. The Cornish town is so different to Mexico but her mind is full of what, and who, she no longer has.

As soon as she arrives, the locals begin to suspect something, for with her bright clothes and beautiful looks she catches their attention. Who is she? Why is she there? What or who does she want to find in Tremarnock?

Despite her Mexican heritage, Chabela is no stranger to Cornwall though as she is searching for answers to her past. When she meets Liz, she finds a friend. Will she discover what she came to? Or will there be more? Will she be shocked, surprised saddened or happy? Will Chabela find love again?

Read the novel if you'd like to find out.

It was great to be back in Tremarnock again after the time that's passed since book four. The place is charming and friendly, the perfect place to spend time.

The Girl Who Came Home to Cornwall is a quick paced enjoyable light novel which combines tranquil settings with the mystery of Chabela's arrival and her appearing in the town was a great way to start the novel and keep me interested.

I'm a lover of all things Spanish-related, having learned the language at age 11 at school and the aspects of Mexican culture which are the same as Spanish culture (eg the use of both the father's and the mother's surnames). It was good of the author to use this example to further show Chabela's heritage. I was interested to learn from the author Emma Burstall's bio that she also speaks Spanish. This fact makes the cultural and linguistic titbits within the novel highly authentic to me as I know from my own experience with the Spanish language that they are true and this makes me trust the research that has gone into this novel.

I was delighted by the beautiful scenery and by the "will she, won't she" feel of the writing as I followed her on her quest. I definitely wanted to know if she would find what she was looking for as well as if she would be able to find love again.

Emma Burstall always builds scenic settings and if she publishes another novel in the series I'll be happy to go back to Tremarnock again.

Thanks to Emma Burstall and Head of Zeus for my ARC of The Girl Who Came Home to Cornwall in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. 3. 5 stars. A relaxing and mysterious novel although some parts were a little predictable.

A charming setting and wonderful characters make THE GIRL WHO CAME HOME TO CORNWALL by Emma Burstall a captivating story that will grip you from the very beginning.

Tremarnock is a stunning Cornish village where everyone knows everything about each other and look out for each other at every turn. It looks like a postcard and has a special atmosphere for those that have lived there for so long. But when a beautiful stranger arrives to research her ancestry, not everyone welcomes her with open arms - why has this woman come to their village in particular? What secrets is she hiding? And who is she connected to in Tremarnock?
They do not know that Chabela Penhallow is trying to deal with a broken heart, and is searching for something to make her feel whole again. But as Chabela begins to make friends and open up about her life, there may be some interesting discoveries along the way ...

THE GIRL WHO CAME HOME TO CORNWALL by Emma Burstall is a well-crafted story about family and connection, and I enjoyed every moment of this novel. The characters are detailed and I enjoyed the community vibe that comes alive on the page at every turn. A well-thought-out book that is sure to please readers of this series as well as new readers.

This is a further instalment of the Tremarnock series, I read book 4, 'A Cornish Secret', and this one has the same wonderful description of characters and setting. The plot is full of secrets, which threaten to disturb the tranquillity of the Cornish coastal haven.

The arrival of a beautiful Mexican woman causes a predictable stir in the coastal village, the initial impact of her arrival on one resident Rick, makes you realise she will ruffle some feathers, and make some inhabitants wish for younger days.

The writing style invites you to curl up and enjoy the escape into another world, full of diverse characters and picturesque scenery. The reception Chabela receives is typical of a small community, some friendly, others inquisitive and some wary. Her reasons for visiting seem genuine, but she is hiding unhappiness and seems to be seeking something that will only be found in Tremarnock.

An engaging, emotional tale, with detailed knowledge of Cornish village life and interesting snippets of life in Mexico. A lovely mix of humour and sadness, which makes you reluctant to leave when the story comes to its satisfying conclusion.

I received a copy of this book from Head of Zeus via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Hands up, this is my first read of this series but I may well go back to the start at some point - it's very good!

Chabela Penhallow comes to Tremarnock to find out more about her ancestors; after all, with a surname like hers there is only one place her family can come from. The locals accept this bright Mexican into their community with curiosity in their hearts .. is there more to Chabela than first appears, and will she find what she's looking for?

A truly lovely book in a marvellous coastal setting, this is an easy read full of warm characters with a story aimed at melting the coldest of hearts. Well written, smoothly flowing and with poignant details which all add up to a heartwarming read - and one which I enjoyed. If I do read the series from the beginning, it'll have to wait for a bit as this one reveals what I imagine has happened in past volumes. Emma Burstall is definitely an author worth following, and this one deserves a full four stars.

My thanks to publishers Aria for my copy via NetGalley, and to Vicky Joss for my place on this tour. All opinions are, as always, entirely my own and completely honest.

A sweet book where a beautiful visitor from Mexico shook the entire village of Tremarnock.

Chabela came home to Cornwall to trace her ancestry and to heal from a broken heart. And in that process found a best friend in Liz. The other characters added to the story with their relationships.

My first book by Emma Burstall, this was the sixth in the series, I liked how a stranger could kickstart the village with her appearance. Some were friendly, some suspicious. I loved how the author showed her expertise in writing about two different cultures.

The story had the different characters, who took time to let me into their lives to understand their story. I was a newcomer too. Lives shown were an added layer to the richness of the story.

Emma Burstall is a detailed storyteller with the varied characters woven and places described. I liked how emotions for the new exotic visitor were shown via the others. The characters were many and new to me, so it was a slow read for me.

Overall, it was enjoyable to read about different lives on a cosy Sunday afternoon.

Chabela Penhallow has left her home in Mexico to travel to Tremarnock on the coast of Cornwall to find out more about her family. In this small, isolated village, everyone knows everyone and Chabela’s exotic beauty shines like a bright star. Before long the locals start to wonder why this fiery beauty has traveled to their small village, could she be hiding something? I liked the fresh injection of a newcomer from the other side of the world to the little village of Tremarnock