It’s a real pleasure to welcome Laura Briggs as my guest again today – this time for the publication day push for The Cornish Key to Happiness, the eighth and final book in her series A Little Hotel in Cornwall. Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me (and for her support).
Renewed apologies that I haven’t been able to read and share reviews for every book in this series – but I still remember how much I enjoyed the first book, also called A Little Hotel in Cornwall (you’ll find my review here). I just couldn’t manage to fit in the next two parts – A Spirited Girl on Cornish Shores and Sea Holly and Mistletoe Kisses – but was delighted to revisit the series with The Cornish Secret of Summer’s Promise (you’ll find my review here). And I’ve had the pleasure of Laura’s company twice more – a guest post as part of the publication day push for Train from Penzance to Paris (you’ll find it here), and another on publication of A Cornish Daisy’s Kiss (here). And for the seventh book, A Stargazy Night Sky, I shared a lovely extract – you can read it again here.
So, the series is at an end – let’s see what the final book has in store…
Past secrets return to complicate Maisie’s future with the charming Sidney Daniels in the final installment of the Cornish romance series.
Picking up where book seven left off, Maisie’s plans to celebrate her book’s thrilling news remain on hold after Sidney has vanished from Port Hewer overnight, following a brush with his secret past. His departure leaves Maisie with a head full of questions and a heart torn in two, made even worse by the rumors flying about him through the town. Where and why has he gone? Will he ever come back again? And – foremost in Maisie’s mind – was the heartache from his younger days somehow to blame for his sudden and mysterious flight?
But when Dean convinces her that Sidney may be facing a choice that could ruin his life, Maisie must set out to find him, once again leaving behind the Cornish seaside haven of Port Hewer she’s come to think of as home, and leaving behind the answer to a secret she’s been longing to know since the beginning. Not knowing when or if she’ll return, she’s taking the biggest risk with her heart so far…and the truth she discovers waiting for her at the end of her journey will make her wonder if things can ever possibly be the same as they were before.
Questions are answered, secrets are spilled, and the biggest reveal of the series is finally unveiled as A Little Hotel in Cornwall reaches its exciting conclusion.
Welcome to Laura – sharing the things she’ll miss most about writing A Little Hotel in Cornwall…
Thank you so much to Anne for this chance to share about my Cornish romance series. The eighth and final installment, The Cornish Key to Happiness, is released today and concludes the adventures of wannabe novelist Maisie Clark, who found her inspiration working at a historic hotel by the sea. I have enjoyed penning each one of these fun, feel-good stories and thought it might be lovely to share just a few of the things I will miss most about Maisie’s world – so here goes!
The atmospheric setting
A glamorous seaside hotel with a revolving door of charming and eccentric guests seemed like the perfect setting for an aspiring young novelist to find inspiration. Maisie, working there as a chambermaid as she secretly pursues her writing career on the side, is caught up in all kinds of excitement, including a grand ball, an ice carving contest, an earl’s lavish birthday party, and even a mystery involving some priceless stolen antiques. There’s never a dull moment with its quirky staff and ‘anything can happen’ atmosphere, and almost everybody seems to have a secret of some kind, from the curmudgeonly gardener to the enigmatic manager, and the guests who come and go between events. But Maisie is most intrigued by the guest who never seems to appear, the elusive and reclusive author who leads to yet another aspect of the series I will sorely miss.
The quest for Alistair Davies
As fans of the series well know, a chance to meet her literary hero, the brilliant Alistair Davies, is what brought Maisie to the Penmarrow in the first place. And even though she has failed to track down the brilliant yet secretive author so far, they have very much remained a part of her journey to becoming a novelist (with a few dead ends and detours along the way, that is!). She may have changed her dream a little since that first impulsive leap across the pond, but her curiosity about her favorite novelist has never completely faded. She’s closer than ever to learning his true identity in this final installment, but first she has another, somewhat more complicated matter to deal with – a matter of the heart in this case!
The romantic ups and downs
Speaking of matters of the heart, another aspect of the series I appreciated was Sidney and Maisie’s relationship. It was a little different from those in my previous books, with more of a slow burn nature that kept readers guessing as to when the ‘something more’ would finally blossom between Maisie and the somewhat mysterious village handyman. There was plenty of fireworks and drama in between the lighthearted moments, of course – such as when Sidney was mistaken for a jewel thief, or when Maisie temporarily left Port Hewer for a writing mentorship in Paris. And now, with Sidney’s secret past threatening to separate them once again, Maisie will find herself boarding another train for another destination that takes her far from Cornwall, the Penmarrow, and the cosy village she’s come to think of as home. Will the reward be worth the risk? Readers will have to wait and see…but I hope they’ll agree it’s the perfect ending to Maisie’s story when they reach the final page.
So if you haven’t read the books in A Little Hotel in Cornwall yet, I hope that you’ll be inspired to give them a glance – and if you’re already a fan, I hope that you’ll enjoy this final installment, as Maisie finds the answers she’s been searching for all this time (and maybe a path to her happy ever after too!).
Thank you Laura – it’s been a real pleasure helping to spread the word about this series…
About the author
Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller 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 and friends, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.
