It’s a real pleasure today to be joining the blog tour for Lessons in Love at the Cornish Country Hospital by Jo Bartlett – the fourth book in the series that I’m so enjoying – and sharing my review. Published on 3rd October by Boldwood Books, it’s now available as an ebook (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. My thanks, as ever, to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
I did wonder how I could possibly enjoy a series as much as I did Jo’s Cornish Midwife series – but just look, the fourth book in the new series set around the Cornish Country Hospital and I’m every bit as hooked. And it’s been particularly lovely that I didn’t really need to wave the midwives a final goodbye – their worlds often overlap a little, which I think of as a special treat, but there’s nothing that would make any reader feel there was something missing if they hadn’t read the earlier series. Welcome to the Cornish Country Hospital was the most perfect introduction to the new set of characters, as well as being a particularly emotional and engaging story (you’ll find my full review here) – the second in the series, Finding Friends at the Cornish Country Hospital, was a beautifully told story, such well drawn characters, real issues bringing an edge of darkness, but with plenty of warmth and lightness to be found in its lovely relationships (you’ll find my full review here). The third in the series, A Found Family at the Cornish Country Hospital, was my favourite yet – a heartbreaking story, particularly testing at an emotional level, but entirely filled with love (you’ll find my review here).
So let’s take a closer look at the latest…
A broken bond…
Wendy Tyler’s marriage ended when she discovered her ex-husband, Mike, had got his much younger new partner, Chloe, pregnant. Wendy’s over Mike, but suddenly she fears her own daughters will find a new baby much more exciting that their old mum…
A chance encounter…
But when Wendy bumps into Chloe at St Piran’s, it’s clear something is troubling the fragile young woman. Wendy doesn’t want to be sucked into Chloe and Mike’s relationship, but she can’t help worrying that Chloe needs someone to turn to.
A lesson in love…
And when Wendy realizes that Chloe is more fragile than any of them realised, she knows she has to step up. She might not love Mike anymore, but Chloe is about to join their family and Wendy can’t just stand by.
Sometimes life is hard, but the easiest lessons are built on a solid foundation of love.
One of the many things I love about this series is the way individuals I already feel I know fairly well – this time it’s Wendy, who works in housekeeping at the hospital – are allowed to take their turn in the spotlight, while others simply step back a little, their own stories continuing. I really must stress though that every book in this series would be entirely readable as a standalone – quite a difficult thing to achieve, but the author does it so perfectly.
Wendy really went through the mill with her cheating ex-husband Mike, but she’s finally found a happier relationship – a partner she can trust, even consider marrying. But she does have her worries – a few real issues with her body image, and concerns that her teenage daughters are wanting to spend more time with her ex’s pregnant (and considerably younger) girlfriend Chloe than they are with her. Despite her insecurities, always easy to empathise with, she has concerns for Chloe too, particularly knowing Mike’s shortcomings – and when she runs into her at the hospital, there alone and having a particularly difficult time, she doesn’t hesitate to step forward and offer her support.
Life goes on in St Piran’s emergency department, the usual round of people needing help at a low point in their lives, and where Danni is now emergency medicine consultant and the most senior doctor on shift. Treating every patient as an individual and giving them her usual exceptional level of service – along with her equally caring team – she’s now approaching the point when she needs to think of herself for a change, her blood pressure rising as she nears her time to become a mother. And she has particular concerns about the absence of her own support network at the time when she needs it the most.
As you’d expect, there’s much more to the story – the author’s emotional touch is, as always, quite perfect as we become entangled with the complications in the lives of Wendy, Chloe, and Danni herself. There’s a considerable amount of drama – so very well written, and that had me on the edge of my seat – and a fair measure of particularly heartbreaking moments. But although the tears were often not very far away, there are also those lovely moments of lightness and laughter – and the amazing warmth that always features strongly in her lovely writing. The depth of her research is very evident, bringing every scenario and challenging issue to life in a wholly realistic way – and the whole story was a particular page-turner, unputdownable until its especially uplifting ending.
This series is something really special, and this book was full of individuals I really cared about, navigating their way through life’s challenges, and touching me to the heart. And I’d certainly wholeheartedly recommend this book – see if you can stop at just one, if the series is new to you – which had absolutely everything I love about the author’s writing.
About the author
Jo Bartlett was born a stone’s throw from the English Channel and still lives near the sea in Kent. Jo has had numerous bestsellers in the UK, Australia and Canada, including a UK Top 10. Since joining Boldwood Books in 2021, Jo has had a further eight bestselling novels in The Cornish Midwife series.
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