I’m totally delighted today to be joining the blog tour for Escape to Polkerran Point, the second book in the Little Cornish Cove series from the lovely Cass Grafton. Published on 22nd February by Canelo, it’s now available on all major e-book platforms and in paperback (and just 99p for kindle at the moment…). My thanks to Kelly at Love Books Tours for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy (provided via Netgalley).
I think I might just have mentioned before how very much I loved the first book in this series, New Dreams at Polkerran Point – filled with warmth, lovely touches of gentle humour, quite wonderful characters, a setting I really enjoyed, a few perfectly handled emotional moments, and such a lovely romance at its centre. I first read and reviewed it back in February 2020 (when it was called The Cottage in the Cornish Cove), and I couldn’t have been more thrilled when I found out it was getting a new title and lease of life, with a lovely new cover and a publisher who’s committed (along with Cass herself, of course!) to bringing us the rest of the series. It was such a pleasure to share my review again on publication day back in September last year – you can read it again here – and I’ve been SO looking forward to my return visit to Polkerran Point.
So, let’s take a closer look…
Can fake dating turn into something more with a baby on the way?
High-flying exec Lauren Kirkham is having a bad week. Unexpectedly pregnant, out of work and – when dumped by her boyfriend – with nowhere to live. She needs a respite, and so goes to visit her friend Anna in Polkerran for a short stay.
Polkerran’s local handyman Daniel Tremayne is busy building his own ‘grand design’ on one of the cove’s cliffs. When TV crews turn up to film, expecting a happily paired up couple, he urgently needs a fake live-in girlfriend, since he’s also split with his ex.
Can Lauren and Daniel solve their mutual dilemmas by joining forces, and if so, will their hearts emerge unscathed?
A heartwarming and fun Cornish romance, perfect for fans of Cressida McLaughlin, Jessica Redland and Phillipa Ashley.
When your life’s falling apart, there can’t be a lovelier place to find refuge than Polkerran – although Lauren’s first impressions aren’t great when she gets on the wrong side of a grumpy local by parking in his reserved space. Without a job or home, she’s now also without a partner when he proved less than delighted with her unplanned pregnancy – but spending time with best friend Anna at her homely B&B makes everything about her situation look more manageable.
And that grumpy local? Well, that’s Daniel, and he becomes a supportive friend – now the local handyman, having left his financial career behind, he’s in the throes of building a Grand Designs style home on the clifftop. Rather than the short visit she planned, Lauren stays – at first helping Anna out by managing the B&B when she’s away, then moving in to Daniel’s spare room and becoming the fake partner he needs for the forthcoming TV show. Romance to follow perhaps? But he has a rather glamorous on-off girlfriend, disgruntled for now by his obsession with the building work, but certainly not off the scene for good.
There was so much I enjoyed about this book that I don’t know where to start – but Lauren’s emotional journey had a great deal to do with it. At first, she’s perhaps a little self-obsessed – and she certainly has plenty to think about, facing such an uncertain future – and a touch difficult to like, but I really grew to love her as she blossomed and began to embrace the prospect of motherhood and build a relationship with her “bump”. And as she opened up to others too – as well as Anna and Daniel, there’s that wonderful circle of friends, the collection of quirky local characters I’d grown to love in the first book who still treat Anna’s kitchen as their own and aren’t slow to share their views on the developments in everyone’s lives.
We met Daniel in that first book too – nothing to worry about if it’s your first visit, this one’s 100% readable as a standalone – and it was so good to get to know him rather better. And what a thoroughly lovely man he is – yes, just the romantic partner Lauren could do with for her fresh start if it wasn’t for that girlfriend who refuses to disappear, and makes him conflicted about their growing attachment and choosing the right path to follow.
It’s not entirely Lauren and Daniel’s story – there’s a really intriguing thread for Anna too, as she makes discoveries about her past and family, with some nicely handled emotional moments and a few surprises. Again, there’s absolutely no need to have read the first book (although I’d highly recommend you do – but only because I enjoyed it so much!) – all the background you need is there, but gently done and just enough to cover any gaps. And you’re going to just love Polkerran – it’s drawn with real attention to detail, comes to life on the page, and wraps the reader in the warmest of hugs.
The writing is all you could possibly want it to be – such perfect storytelling, well written dialogue, emotions you can feel, laughter you share, a few tears along the way, characters who really feel like friends. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series and my next visit to this wonderful community – but do try this one first, because I’m absolutely sure you’ll enjoy it every bit as much as I did.
About the author
Cass began her writing life in Regency England, enlisted Jane Austen’s help to time-travel between then and the present day and is now happily ensconced in 21st century Cornwall.
Well, in her imagination and soul; her heart and physical presence reside in northern England with her ever-patient husband and Tig and Tag, their cute but exceptionally demanding moggies.
A bit of a nomad, Cass has called three countries home, as well as six different English counties, but her aspiration is to one day reunite with her beloved West Country.
In the meantime, she writes feel-good contemporary romances set in Cornwall and, in doing so, manages to live there vicariously through her characters and settings.
An Ambassador for the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation, Cass is also a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Jane Austen Society UK and the Society of Authors.
Amazon author page | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Cass’ blog | Tabby Cow blog
Thank you SO SO much, Anne, for this gorgeous review! I’m so happy you enjoyed this story, because I know how much you loved the first book on the series, and I’m pleased you grew to like Lauren better as she slowly shed her self-obsession!