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silton2's review against another edition
5.0
this is a really good feel good book. the story line is easy to follow and the characters feel like friends.
finitha's review against another edition
5.0
I got to know about Cornwall through many gorgeous novels set in this land surrounded by sea. But none of them had induced me to visit this place, probably because I am more drawn to historical places than coastal towns. Thanks to Phillipa Ashley, now I might have to add it to my bucket list. I have never seen a novel which has so effortlessly captured the spirit and life of Cornwall within a beautiful and mesmerizing story.
There are so many things I loved about this book, starting from the elegant cover. Sam was in love with Gabe even from their school days, when he was not as good looking or famous as he is now. Their love life faced a set back when Gabe reported Sam's brother to the police. To be honest, I supported Gabe from the beginning but the way Sam behaved is quite understandable. And the way both of them moved on from their relationships and faced their break up is quite admirable too.
But this is not only about Sam and Gabe coming together after years. There is also a subplot involving the new member of their community, Chloe. Behind her happy facade lies a heaviness and sorrow, for which the efficient community of Porthmellow offers the perfect cure.
The author uses multiple narrative voices enhancing our understanding and the dilemma most of the characters undergo.
Altogether an impressive read, that won't disappoint you a bit.
There are so many things I loved about this book, starting from the elegant cover. Sam was in love with Gabe even from their school days, when he was not as good looking or famous as he is now. Their love life faced a set back when Gabe reported Sam's brother to the police. To be honest, I supported Gabe from the beginning but the way Sam behaved is quite understandable. And the way both of them moved on from their relationships and faced their break up is quite admirable too.
But this is not only about Sam and Gabe coming together after years. There is also a subplot involving the new member of their community, Chloe. Behind her happy facade lies a heaviness and sorrow, for which the efficient community of Porthmellow offers the perfect cure.
The author uses multiple narrative voices enhancing our understanding and the dilemma most of the characters undergo.
Altogether an impressive read, that won't disappoint you a bit.
mhairist's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
littlemissbooklover's review against another edition
5.0
This book has made me so ready for summer! This is brilliant and a cosy read, this has captured the life and spirit of Cornwall and I feel as though I got to escape for a few hours. I absolutely loved this book! It is a must read. A huge thank you to Netgalley and @avonbooks for the advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review. I will definitely be looking at more books by this author.
emmacr2024's review against another edition
3.0
A Perfect Cornish Summer is the first in a new series from Phillipa Ashley and again as with previous books the setting is the coastal county of Cornwall more specifically the small town of Porthmellow. By now I have come to expect and look forward to the wonderful settings that Phillipa can create and Porthmellow delivers on all these fronts. The descriptions of the small streets packed with unique little shops and small houses nestled next to each other conjured up images of a close knit community. A community where everyone knows each others business and at times you will appreciate this if you need a helping hand and on other occasions you wish everything and everyone wasn't so close and compact as you have things you wish best kept secret.
I loved the prologue as it really set the scene as to how the Porthmellow food festival came to be and how since its conception it has gone from strength to strength and become a pivotal event in the towns annual calendar. The prologue also introduced us to several of the characters who would go on to feature in the book and it gave a very brief glimpse as to what had happened to them. It definitely set the scene as to what could potentially follow and my interest was piqued as to what would unfold.
As I moved to start the book proper with the first chapter I realised the story had moved forward many years. I was surprised because I thought this book would follow the trials and tribulations of setting up the festival and seeing would it be a success or not. Instead the festival is celebrating its tenth anniversary and organiser Sam Lovell and owner of her own business Stargazey Pies wants it to be the best year yet. The story for the most part focuses on the run up to the festival and how the committee have to cope when the main celebrity booked suddenly pulls it out. It's this abrupt cancellation that causes Sam's life to be turned upside down as a face from the past makes a reappearance and as her former boyfriend and now celebrity chef Gabe is really saving the festival by stepping into the breach there is really nothing Sam can do.
For the first few chapters we are introduced to an awful lot of characters and honestly I found it very confusing. I was trying to keep it straight in my mind as to who was who, what did they do, were they connected to Sam or did they have their own various storylines? Most of them did but I found my mind boggled as to whether I needed to focus on one character over another. I think too many characters were introduced because perhaps they will feature even more prominently in future books but it just all felt to me far too busy and that there was too much going on with regard to the number of characters. The story itself didn't really move forward that much until we got to the actual festival which was only really in the last quarter of the book. The first half felt rather flat, I think too much time was spent talking all about and planning it and making sure everything was in place and really nothing actually happened and it became a bit repetitive. I felt a bit of action so to speak and confrontation only materialised towards the end and I would have loved to have seen more of it throughout the book.
Don't get me wrong I did enjoy the book as it has all the ingredients for a lovely summer read and I have loved Phillipa's previous books set in Cornwall but that little bit of magic normally present wasn't always there for me and I think it could be down to the relationship or lack of between Sam and Gabe. There wasn't enough interaction between the pair and amidst all the discussions and preparations for the festival their strand of the story was lost for too long. I thought there was too much pussy footing around each other for most of the book and as mentioned a little bit of confrontation or expressing their feelings and reasons for their break up a little earlier on might have brought the spark when needed instead of living the big revelations to come to the fore far too late.
Friendship, community, working together for one common goal, support, laughs and romance all do feature here and that's what you want in a light and fun read for summer. Sam was a leader and a go getter. She wanted her life to progress in a positive way since the trauma of losing her mother and then the events surrounding her brother Ryan leaving the town. She shares a cottage with her sister Zennor and like other readers I found this name and Samphire to be quite odd especially considering their brother was Ryan. But this is minor and I got over their names and wanted to gain a deeper insight into what motivated Sam and the other members of the committee. Clearly they had more stories to tell rather than just organising the festival.
What really up scuttles Sam's plans is when Gabe returns to Porthmellow to save the day when it comes to the festival. In doing so Sam should be forced to confront what she has kept bottled up inside for so long and the minute she laid eyes on Gabe again, I wanted her to march straight up to him. I wanted her to scream and shout and say why did you do what you did all those years ago knowing it would tear my already fragile family apart? Of course that wasn't going to happen and I felt Sam was spending more time avoiding Gabe than she was facing up to things. On the other hand I totally understood why Gabe took the action he did. He was faced with no other choice and because he had such love for Sam he made the ultimate sacrifice but can past hurts be forgiven and can they try and move forward? Only time would tell.
There were plenty more storylines apart from that of Sam and Gabe and the one which most caught my attention was that of Chloe. She wasn't long arrived in Porthmellow but had settled nicely into village life. Well on the outside it looks as if she has but she was a character battling with an inner pain and turmoil and she didn't want the rest of the town to see these. She feels by helping with the preparations for the festival that this is one part of her life that she can control but you can only mask over the cracks for so long and her personal trauma and the lies she has told will catch up with her. What then? Will Sam and co be able to forgive her? Will she find the acceptance and peace she so desperately seeks? As for the resolution to her personal problems, can she make a breakthrough with the walls someone has surrounded themselves with? I so desperately hoped so because I thought Chloe was fragile and vulnerable and she needed a shoulder to cry on. Keeping things bottled up wasn't doing her any good and I hoped that she could open up and allow the demons to escape and the love and strength of friends and family to come through once again.
Old wounds are reopened for many throughout this story but it is how they deal with these complications in the run up to and including the festival that make for a good read. Yes this book does have its faults as mentioned above but at the centre it is a heart warming and engaging read and the little drama thrown in with acts of sabotage was a strand I would loved to have seen developed even more. By far the last quarter is the strongest of this book and I would read it for that alone and it shows how working together with one common aim in mind can have the greatest of results. Even if I would have loved lots more descriptions of the glorious food on offer at the festival still this was an enjoyable, light read but for new fans I don't think it always showcases the talents of the author.
I loved the prologue as it really set the scene as to how the Porthmellow food festival came to be and how since its conception it has gone from strength to strength and become a pivotal event in the towns annual calendar. The prologue also introduced us to several of the characters who would go on to feature in the book and it gave a very brief glimpse as to what had happened to them. It definitely set the scene as to what could potentially follow and my interest was piqued as to what would unfold.
As I moved to start the book proper with the first chapter I realised the story had moved forward many years. I was surprised because I thought this book would follow the trials and tribulations of setting up the festival and seeing would it be a success or not. Instead the festival is celebrating its tenth anniversary and organiser Sam Lovell and owner of her own business Stargazey Pies wants it to be the best year yet. The story for the most part focuses on the run up to the festival and how the committee have to cope when the main celebrity booked suddenly pulls it out. It's this abrupt cancellation that causes Sam's life to be turned upside down as a face from the past makes a reappearance and as her former boyfriend and now celebrity chef Gabe is really saving the festival by stepping into the breach there is really nothing Sam can do.
For the first few chapters we are introduced to an awful lot of characters and honestly I found it very confusing. I was trying to keep it straight in my mind as to who was who, what did they do, were they connected to Sam or did they have their own various storylines? Most of them did but I found my mind boggled as to whether I needed to focus on one character over another. I think too many characters were introduced because perhaps they will feature even more prominently in future books but it just all felt to me far too busy and that there was too much going on with regard to the number of characters. The story itself didn't really move forward that much until we got to the actual festival which was only really in the last quarter of the book. The first half felt rather flat, I think too much time was spent talking all about and planning it and making sure everything was in place and really nothing actually happened and it became a bit repetitive. I felt a bit of action so to speak and confrontation only materialised towards the end and I would have loved to have seen more of it throughout the book.
Don't get me wrong I did enjoy the book as it has all the ingredients for a lovely summer read and I have loved Phillipa's previous books set in Cornwall but that little bit of magic normally present wasn't always there for me and I think it could be down to the relationship or lack of between Sam and Gabe. There wasn't enough interaction between the pair and amidst all the discussions and preparations for the festival their strand of the story was lost for too long. I thought there was too much pussy footing around each other for most of the book and as mentioned a little bit of confrontation or expressing their feelings and reasons for their break up a little earlier on might have brought the spark when needed instead of living the big revelations to come to the fore far too late.
Friendship, community, working together for one common goal, support, laughs and romance all do feature here and that's what you want in a light and fun read for summer. Sam was a leader and a go getter. She wanted her life to progress in a positive way since the trauma of losing her mother and then the events surrounding her brother Ryan leaving the town. She shares a cottage with her sister Zennor and like other readers I found this name and Samphire to be quite odd especially considering their brother was Ryan. But this is minor and I got over their names and wanted to gain a deeper insight into what motivated Sam and the other members of the committee. Clearly they had more stories to tell rather than just organising the festival.
What really up scuttles Sam's plans is when Gabe returns to Porthmellow to save the day when it comes to the festival. In doing so Sam should be forced to confront what she has kept bottled up inside for so long and the minute she laid eyes on Gabe again, I wanted her to march straight up to him. I wanted her to scream and shout and say why did you do what you did all those years ago knowing it would tear my already fragile family apart? Of course that wasn't going to happen and I felt Sam was spending more time avoiding Gabe than she was facing up to things. On the other hand I totally understood why Gabe took the action he did. He was faced with no other choice and because he had such love for Sam he made the ultimate sacrifice but can past hurts be forgiven and can they try and move forward? Only time would tell.
There were plenty more storylines apart from that of Sam and Gabe and the one which most caught my attention was that of Chloe. She wasn't long arrived in Porthmellow but had settled nicely into village life. Well on the outside it looks as if she has but she was a character battling with an inner pain and turmoil and she didn't want the rest of the town to see these. She feels by helping with the preparations for the festival that this is one part of her life that she can control but you can only mask over the cracks for so long and her personal trauma and the lies she has told will catch up with her. What then? Will Sam and co be able to forgive her? Will she find the acceptance and peace she so desperately seeks? As for the resolution to her personal problems, can she make a breakthrough with the walls someone has surrounded themselves with? I so desperately hoped so because I thought Chloe was fragile and vulnerable and she needed a shoulder to cry on. Keeping things bottled up wasn't doing her any good and I hoped that she could open up and allow the demons to escape and the love and strength of friends and family to come through once again.
Old wounds are reopened for many throughout this story but it is how they deal with these complications in the run up to and including the festival that make for a good read. Yes this book does have its faults as mentioned above but at the centre it is a heart warming and engaging read and the little drama thrown in with acts of sabotage was a strand I would loved to have seen developed even more. By far the last quarter is the strongest of this book and I would read it for that alone and it shows how working together with one common aim in mind can have the greatest of results. Even if I would have loved lots more descriptions of the glorious food on offer at the festival still this was an enjoyable, light read but for new fans I don't think it always showcases the talents of the author.
rosh's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jo_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Any novel that is based in Cornwall is always going to be a good one and when you combine it with good storytelling such as the work of Phillipa Ashley then you are in for a wonderful read.
A Perfect Cornish Summer, fits this description. What started as a small idea ten years previously has grown into something more – the annual food festival in Porthmellow. Sam the festival organiser had the original idea ten years ago and it was only meant to be a small event but it has grown and grown and it looks like this years is going to be bigger than ever.
When the famous headline chef for the festival has to withdraw due to some misappropriation of money – it looks like the tenth festival will not be as stand out as Sam had first wanted. That is until Chloe an incomer to Porthmellow wanting to get more involved in the local community manages to gain TV Chef Gabe Maithas to attend.
What Chloe doesn’t realise that Gabe is well-known in Porthmellow.
He left a long time ago and many people remember what he did before he went.
Sam certainly remembers as it had an impact on her and her family at the time and still now.
Will Gabe’s presence stir up old memories or will he be able to get people on side again?
Chloe, might have caused an upset, but she has made her mark on a few people in the village and her past is about to arrive and bring a whole load of baggage with it. Troy into his eighties, still helping the harbour master and his wife Evie provide some sage advice to everyone as well as humour in the book. Outspoken Bryony and her dog seem to pop up at the most interesting moments. Drew spends his time on the sea, but his quiet persona doesn’t detract from the turmoil he is going through. Zennor, Sam’s younger but probably wiser sister has some romantic interests if only they were reciprocated
As for Sam, how can she possibly have enough time for anything when she is organising a food festival.
There is a lot going on in this novel and it takes you a few chapters to get straight who everyone is and how they all relate. I find this with any start of a series of novels, the groundwork has to be done to keep us reading the book but also to then go and pick up subsequent novels featuring characters we have grown to love and probably dislike in equal measure.
Besides being full of characters and storylines it is also full of the descriptions of wonderful food including the mouth-watering sounding pies which Sam creates in between festival business. Of course there is the setting of Cornwall, always guaranteed to bring you brilliant weather and high winds to threaten marquees and people in equal measure.
An enjoyable read which has everything you want from women's fiction – to take you away on holiday, for romance, for laughs and for some wonderful food.
Phillipa Ashley has done it again and she is fast becoming an author you can rely on for great reads.
A Perfect Cornish Summer, fits this description. What started as a small idea ten years previously has grown into something more – the annual food festival in Porthmellow. Sam the festival organiser had the original idea ten years ago and it was only meant to be a small event but it has grown and grown and it looks like this years is going to be bigger than ever.
When the famous headline chef for the festival has to withdraw due to some misappropriation of money – it looks like the tenth festival will not be as stand out as Sam had first wanted. That is until Chloe an incomer to Porthmellow wanting to get more involved in the local community manages to gain TV Chef Gabe Maithas to attend.
What Chloe doesn’t realise that Gabe is well-known in Porthmellow.
He left a long time ago and many people remember what he did before he went.
Sam certainly remembers as it had an impact on her and her family at the time and still now.
Will Gabe’s presence stir up old memories or will he be able to get people on side again?
Chloe, might have caused an upset, but she has made her mark on a few people in the village and her past is about to arrive and bring a whole load of baggage with it. Troy into his eighties, still helping the harbour master and his wife Evie provide some sage advice to everyone as well as humour in the book. Outspoken Bryony and her dog seem to pop up at the most interesting moments. Drew spends his time on the sea, but his quiet persona doesn’t detract from the turmoil he is going through. Zennor, Sam’s younger but probably wiser sister has some romantic interests if only they were reciprocated
As for Sam, how can she possibly have enough time for anything when she is organising a food festival.
There is a lot going on in this novel and it takes you a few chapters to get straight who everyone is and how they all relate. I find this with any start of a series of novels, the groundwork has to be done to keep us reading the book but also to then go and pick up subsequent novels featuring characters we have grown to love and probably dislike in equal measure.
Besides being full of characters and storylines it is also full of the descriptions of wonderful food including the mouth-watering sounding pies which Sam creates in between festival business. Of course there is the setting of Cornwall, always guaranteed to bring you brilliant weather and high winds to threaten marquees and people in equal measure.
An enjoyable read which has everything you want from women's fiction – to take you away on holiday, for romance, for laughs and for some wonderful food.
Phillipa Ashley has done it again and she is fast becoming an author you can rely on for great reads.
mel_neverendingtbr's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
hookedbythatbook's review against another edition
2.0
Sam Lovell lives in the small town of Porthmellow in Cornwall, and organizing the annual summer festival is her biggest job, apart from running her own mobile bakery. This particular year the organizers run into some trouble when their celebrity chef pulls out because of personal issues. Sam’s friend, Chloe, and fellow committee member, contacts Gabe Matthias and he agrees to be the celebrity chef instead. But Chloe is blissfully unaware of the history between Sam and Gabe. Despite their unpleasant parting of ways many years before, the two of them decide that they are perfectly capable of behaving reasonably in each other’s presence for the duration of the festival. Except that once they do lay eyes on each other, they secretly start wondering whether they can get their old magic back.
The festival and the need for a replacement chef, orchestrated by an ignorant Chloe, worked quite well to bring Sam and Gabe back into each other’s lives. I just feel that there wasn’t enough interaction between the two of them. A whole lot of time is dedicated to the festival, some pitfalls and other organizational issues. And while it is necessary for the plot to include these, I think it was maybe a bit too much. I would have liked to see more of Sam and Gabe together before they finally decided to bury the hatchet. And couldn’t her brother have talked to Sam himself once he had pulled his life back together and explained everything to her?
I wasn’t all that invested in Sam and Gabe getting back together. The story with Chloe and her daughter was a bit more interesting.
Sadly, I have to say this wasn’t the most exciting read, though I did enjoy reading some of the (what I assume are) local Cornish colloquialisms.
I received an advanced copy of the book from Netgalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The festival and the need for a replacement chef, orchestrated by an ignorant Chloe, worked quite well to bring Sam and Gabe back into each other’s lives. I just feel that there wasn’t enough interaction between the two of them. A whole lot of time is dedicated to the festival, some pitfalls and other organizational issues. And while it is necessary for the plot to include these, I think it was maybe a bit too much. I would have liked to see more of Sam and Gabe together before they finally decided to bury the hatchet. And couldn’t her brother have talked to Sam himself once he had pulled his life back together and explained everything to her?
I wasn’t all that invested in Sam and Gabe getting back together. The story with Chloe and her daughter was a bit more interesting.
Sadly, I have to say this wasn’t the most exciting read, though I did enjoy reading some of the (what I assume are) local Cornish colloquialisms.
I received an advanced copy of the book from Netgalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.