A Secret Cornish Summer by Phillipa Ashley

 

Summer for me always means a batch of new books, set in Cornwall. And if you're looking for a delightful summery read, A Secret Cornish Summer by Phillipa Ashley will bring the Cornish seaside to wherever you are.

Blurb:

This beautiful Cornish summer, there'll be sun, sea, sand - and secrets...

When Eden steps out of her idyllic coastal cottage to find a Speedo-wearing, suntanned stranger doing yoga in next door's garden, she is immediately on her guard. Since her ex-husband betrayed her in the worst possible way, she has kept her distance from all men, taking refuge in her start-up coffee business.

But as she gets to know Levan, Eden begins to wonder if he might be different - until she discovers he's not quite what he seems. And when a long-buried family secret surfaces, her faith in those she loves most is shaken to the core.

As the secrets spill out, relationships old and new ill be tested like never before.

Can Eden learn to trust again, and move past all the secrets of this Cornish summer?

Eden lives in one of the old lighthouse cottages, which enjoy a dramatic vista over the Cornish coast. One day she is busy roasting coffee beans for her cafe, the Lighthouse Coffee Container, when her grandma Iris demands her attention. 

She's been "discreetly" spying on the strange young man doing yoga in the garden next door. "Eden had never, ever seen one of its occupants standing on his head, wearing only a pair of orange Speedos".

As it happens, Levan is not a guest at the rented cottage but a new owner of the Longships. This is a big surprise for Eden and Iris, as the sale has been done very hush-hush.

Eden's cottage has been in the family for several generations. Both her grandafther and father worked on the Hartstone Lighthouse.

"At the age of thirty-three, she'd never meant to return to Lighthouse Cottages - not permanently. Anyway. She'd never thought she'd have to return, in order to have a roof over her head and be able to feed herself.

But that was where Simon had left her: homeless, broke and heartbroken".

Her con-man of a husband has left her high and dry, having drained her account. Simon is a narcissist who goes through life, unconcerned about anyone he hurts. Emotionally abusive, he is a serial liar and a fraudster.

When after a two-years-long absence, Eden receives a letter from her obnoxious ex, it upsets and infuriates her in equal measure. She doesn't know whether she can trust a word of what he says.

In the meantime, Levan has charmed both Iris and Sally (Eden's Mum). He is quite reluctant to talk about himself though. All they learn about Levan is that he is involved in the "boring IT stuff", being economical with the truth that he is working for the security services.

There is another, bigger secret in his life, that could change everything. His "other secret was different. It was one he felt compelled to keep, just to try and rebuild his life after a moment of madness that had brought it crashing down".

Eden and Levan are drawn to each other, but for both of them their past is holding them back. For Eden, her experience with Simon has left her suspicious about everyone, paranoid even.

When Eden discovers the truth about Levan, she is shaken. And then further revelations from people she holds dearest unsettles her even more. 

Will Eden be able to re-assess her trust issues, accept the past secrets and learn to love again?

Levan is a compelling character, albeit with a penchant for taking his clothes off whenever he's working outdoors, going all Poldark-esque. His backstory is gripping, but also poignant (relationships with his stiff-upper-lip parents, his big secret etc).

I am totally "Camp Levan" and think he had a full right to keep his past to himself, as you don't just open your soul to people whom you hardly know. Eden has totally over-reacted. She has being badly hurt by her ex, but that doesn't make everyone around an untrustworthy person unless they bare their soul at the first meeting. We all have our secrets that we don't want to share even with those that we love, and sometimes never share with anyone. For a variety of reasons. 

A Secret Cornish Summer is an uplifting romantic novel, full of secrets, passion, humour and warmth.

I loved the light-hearted humour, not of the LOL variety, but more subtle, and with astute observations of human nature. Take Eden's grandma. "When necessary, her Granny Iris had a voice that could penetrate a nuclear bunker". Just one sentence to introduce the character, and she immediately comes to life on page 1. In fact, Iris doesn't ever disappoint, throughout the book she shines like a lighhouse beacon.

Cornwall provides a beautiful setting for the developing romance story. I loved seeing the familiar geographical names, recognising so many of them, as we tend to stay every summer in a small village outside Penzance. 

There is a mention of Le Carré's house too, which brings back some wonderful memories of visiting David and Jane in their beautiful home, with its sprawling tiered garden, and the most amazing sea views. Years ago we stayed in their guest cottage, and for years have been visiting them when we had holidays in Cornwall. Both my boys loved running in their garden. So many memories! 

P.S. This book is currently on 3 for £6 offer at The Works. If you plan to take a stash of books on holidays with you, that's a pretty good offer.

We just came back from a week in Cornwall. I left my copy of A Secret Cornish Summer on the book shelf for someone else to enjoy. That's my own little tradition, to leave books read on holidays for someone else to discover them.

I'll end this review with a description of Penzance that makes me all nostalgic about Cornwall.

"Iris and Levan had bagged a table with a parasol on the front of the terrace, from where they could admire the great sweep of Mount's Bay. The panorama from Lizard, almost to Land's End, was spectacular enough; add in the fairy tale castle of St Michael's Mount and there could be few better views in England".

Amen to that!