It’s a real delight today to be joining the blog blitz for A Garden in Cornwall by Laura Briggs – the twelfth and final novella in her series, A Wedding in Cornwall – published today for kindle. I’m rather kicking myself that this is the first time I’ve come across this series, and I do hope it’s one I’ll be able to catch up on later – it looks thoroughly lovely. Here’s the latest book…
With their lives exactly what they’ve always dreamed, Matt and Julianne await the arrival of the third member of their family — but their happiness is threatened when their landlady Mathilda announces her intention to sell their beloved Rosemoor Cottage for an impossible value. Devastated, Julianne struggles to accept the cold reality of her and Matt making their home elsewhere.
Matt’s life has taken a new turn as he finally puts aside his academic work to pursue his gardening hobby as a career: his first new job as a landscape designer involves neglected Penwill Hall’s ‘lost’ garden — one with a truly romantic Cornish past. But the task of restoring its legendary beauty from nearly seventy years ago proves difficult among the ruins lost in weeds and wilderness.
With notions of secret gardens and wartime stories echoing in her thoughts, Julianne is determined to help Matt and the estate’s new owner after the discovery of a hidden mural in the hall itself, depicting a breathtaking garden that may well be the lost one. Her efforts to uncover the past lead her to a curmudgeonly local gardener who just may hold the knowledge that would restore the ‘lost garden’ to its former glory. Will Julianne’s quest help her find a way to deal with losing the home she loves?
Hellos and farewells abound as Dinah returns to lend a helping hand at Cliffs House and Julianne relives her favourite memories of her and Matt’s beloved cottage in Book Twelve — the final instalment in the bestselling series A WEDDING IN CORNWALL.
I’m delighted to welcome author Laura Briggs as my guest on Being Anne to tell us more…
First, I want to say thanks so much to Anne for letting me share about my latest novella with her readers!
As some of you reading this will know, this is the final book in my romantic series A Wedding in Cornwall. I have enjoyed writing all twelve of these novellas and hope that fans will agree that the final installment is a fitting end to the Cornish adventures of event planner Julianne. It involves a lost garden and forgotten stories of the past that send our heroine on a very different quest from her usual task of organizing events for the manor house where she works. A few fan favorites return, and Julianne and Matt are forced to face some difficult decisions about their future, even as they look forward to a very special event in their lives.
Writing about my own fictional piece of this beautiful part of the world has been more than a little fun, and I will miss its cast of characters, both big and small. Julianne’s adventures at the Cornish manor of Cliffs House have included everything from planning weddings and holiday balls to overseeing a talent show to directing a Shakespearian play! There is never a dull moment it would seem, despite the village’s reputation as being a sleepy one.
If I had to choose a favorite among its twelve stories I’m not sure that I could—but I did rather enjoy the not-so-subtle tribute to The Great British Bake Off in Book Five (the cover art is also among my favorite in the series, though it’s difficult to choose from those as well, since each image of a cozy cottage, lighthouse, and stately home has its own merits).
Each story has had its favorite moments for me, too—like Julianne reaching a tender realization about her feelings for Matt in A Cottage in Cornwall or finding herself struggling to direct the village theater’s production of Romeo and Juliet in book eight of the series A Star in Cornwall. Although a feel-good series, it had its share of serious moments and hopefully its share of reality. After all, Matt and Julianne’s romance was far from being a fairytale, with many of the natural ups and downs couples experience in real life. And Julianne’s job was not always ideal, despite being the one she always dreamed about back when she was stuck in a dead end job at the agency in Seattle.
This latest— and last novella—is no exception when it comes to moments that are both tender and humorous. In a way, it reminds me the most of the first novella in the series, both in its simplicity and its focus on the little details that make a place like Cornwall so beautiful.
So even though this is the final novella for Julianne, Matt, and their many friends, I look forward to new readers discovering the books and sharing their thoughts about them as well. And I very much hope to have something a bit special for all fans of the series for its anniversary this autumn, when the print edition and digital box set of the second half of the series will be released also. To receive updates on this and my other book projects, readers can sign up through the official A Wedding in Cornwall website, where they’ll also find things like book club questions and fun facts about the series.
Many thanks Laura – this looks like a really lovely series, and I wish you every success with this final instalment, and the exciting times you have coming up.
Giveaway
With thanks to tour organiser Rachel’s Random Resources and to Laura, I’m offering the chance to win an e-copy of A Garden In Cornwall (open internationally). Here’s the rafflecopter for entry:
Terms and Conditions
The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
About the author
Laura Briggs is the author of several lighthearted romance novels and novellas, including the bestselling Amazon UK series A Wedding in Cornwall. She has a fondness for vintage-style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with family, caring for her pets, going to movies and plays, and trying new restaurants.