A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall

Jane Linfoot

Oct 2019 · HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

St Aidan: a cosy Cornish village where friendships are made for life and it’s always cocktail hour somewhere...

The perfect cosy read for fans of Phillipa Ashley, Trisha Ashley and Holly Martin!

A December to remember...

Christmas in a Cornish castle? Sign Ivy Starforth up! Hired to kit out the holiday rental as the world’s most Instagramable festive dreamland, there’s only one thing standing in the way of her hefty paycheque – the lord of the manor.

Bill Markham could give Scrooge a run for his money but Ivy is firmly #TeamChristmas... even if her handsome host seems to be doing everything he can to sabotage her staging. Maybe she shouldn’t have stumbled in on him starkers in the hot tub?

As the temperature outside cools, things inside the castle heat up. It’s been a long time since Ivy allowed herself to give in to temptation... surely one little kiss under the mistletoe won’t hurt?

Readers are LOVING A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall

‘This is one book you won’t be able to put down, I definitely couldn’t’ Meena, 5* Netgalley reviewer

‘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’ Jenn, 5* Netgalley reviewer

‘The fabulous Jane Linfoot is back with an irresistible, uplifting and feel-good romantic comedy you will want to devour like a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine this holiday season’ Julie, 5* Amazon reviewer

‘Oh, I love, love, loved this book, I didn’t want it to end!’ Kirsten, 5* Netgalley reviewer

‘I’m sold on any character who, when you first meet them, is talking to their dog’ Kate, 5* Netgalley reviewer

‘You know the saying... Christmas hasn't started until you've seen the castle's resident hunk naked in a hot tub’ Kerry, 5* Netgalley reviewer

‘Linfoot is known to make wonders with words and she has done it again’ Finitha, 5* Netgalley reviewer

‘Was unable to put this book down’ Mary, 5* Amazon reviewer

Ratings and reviews

It’s Jane Linfoot – so of course it’s going to have a ton of hilarious moments and gaffes, a dog that is too cute for words, angst and struggle for at least one character, good friends, crazy family and of course, LOTS of Romance. And this does NOT disappoint, leaving me with the desperate need to book a Cornish holiday as I scan photos on the internet hoping to find my own little St. Aidan’s Bay. But, in this story we have Ivy, a window dresser and stylist who has an obsession with all things Christmas except reindeer, and who has been hired by her best friend’s sister to “style” and “Instagram” their holiday in Cornwall. Arriving a few days early, hoping to find four-poster beds, ancestors lining the walls, faerie lights, swags and boughs, trees and a staff - she is more than dismayed to find a fairly ‘bare bones’ castle – tiny, draughty rooms, rock walls, utilitarian furniture and the “caretaker’ naked in the hot tub out back. The “caretaker” also happens to be one of the owners, Bill, someone Ivy met years before on a skiing holiday with her ex-boyfriend – even as she and Bill had a massive connection and she has dreamed of him since. Bill also has had dreams of Ivy – but he’s more interested in the fact that she’s expecting decorations, holiday cheer, and a staff – for a “to die for” one of a kind Instagram-drool worthy setting – that will house people, children and, of course, Ivy’s little sidekick dog and his wardrobe. Not one for hosting more than stag-do’s with plenty of gin and hijinks with little to nothing to break, lose, destroy or damage in the castle – the two instantly prickle at the memories. Perhaps even more for Ivy due to a tragedy almost a year before that left her scarred and guilty. Oh this was SO much fun – like all of Linfoot’s books there were laughs, moments to cringe, plenty of descriptions, chaos, people you want to hug and those you may want to throttle momentarily, and the slow burn as Ivy and Bill work their way around to acknowledging their connection. With plenty of interference, an engagement that didn’t, lots of snarky and snarling pre-teens, and plenty of Christmas cheer from decorations to events and even an appearance by Nutty pulling Santa and his helper to top off a holiday full of adventure, heart, heat and finally understanding with new starts for EVERYONE. Trust me – Linfoot has that balance of humor, serious moments, heart and heat with some complete slapstick moments that are described so perfectly you can see them in your head. From over-tired and overwrought mums to dueling chef moments in the kitchen, a new age type who is no-sugar, no preservatives in the middle of the cakes, cupcakes, cocoa, treats and candy available – you can put yourself in the corner of the castle – watch, laugh and enjoy. 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.

This is my third time reading this clever and insightful author and have just realized what a witty and cunning minx she truly is. Her characters tend to be complicated and multi-faceted and not always likable, yet there are always numerous reasons behind that and quite a few layers to go through to get there, so patience and forbearance were required but trust me, the HEA reward was well worth the effort. The busy, lively, and highly amusing storylines were well-balanced in tone, cast with an unusually peculiar yet intriguing and quirky slate of characters, and hit all the feels with agile levity as well as vividly described and shrewdly detailed observations. The eventful story occurred over a two-week span in preparations for a wealthy and extremely driven and exacting client’s family Christmas holiday and was written from the first-person POV of Ivy, whose name should have been Rose or Thorn, as she was rather prickly. She was stridently bossy, rude, snappish, judgmental, and demanding towards the yummy Bill, the unfortunate man providing the venue which happened to be a castle. Ivy seemed to have a rather large yardstick wedged in an uncomfortable place, and there were several regrettable reasons for that, but until those causalities were fully enumerated, I had a difficult time appreciating Ivy, but I got there, as did she. I gained a fun new entry for my Brit Word List with wodge, which is British informal for a large or bulky amount. Bill must have had a wodge of money to splash out for Dior Fahrenheit cologne as after Ivy’s obsessive mentions of his delicious scent I looked it up thinking of a possible gift for my husband. Regrettably, my wallet seized and my credit card melted at the cost. ;)

About the author

Jane Linfoot writes fun, flirty fiction with feisty heroines and a bit of an edge. She lives in a mountain kingdom in Derbyshire, where her family and pets are kind enough to ignore the domestic chaos. Happily, they’re in walking distance of a supermarket. Jane loves hearts, flowers, happy endings, all things vintage, and most things French. When not on Facebook and without an excuse for shopping, she can be found walking or gardening.