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Návrat do zátoky
Život třicetileté Ruby plyne poklidně a předvídatelně: žádná dramata, žádné komplikace, žádní muži. A přesně tak to má ráda – rozhodně si nechce nechat znovu zlomit srdce. Všechno se ovšem změní, když se Ruby ozve babička, a požádá ji, aby se vrátila do Cornwallu a pomohla jí s kurzy keramiky v ateliéru u jejího přímořského domku. Návrat do zátoky sice oživí vzpomínky, na které by Ruby nejraději zapomněla, je ale odhodlaná udělat vše, co je v jejích silách, aby živobytí své babičky zachránila. Její úmysly však nezahrnují Gaba, přitažlivého majitele místního pivovaru…
296 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2025
604 people are currently reading
270 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
June 23, 2022
When life teaches you over and over that someone who makes promises they don't keep, should you ever give them another chance and does that mean that everyone should be held at arms length and eyed with suspicion? Those are the questions that our heroine must answer and decide for herself, but she takes along on the journey with her and it is an entertaining journey! Wonderful narration that really brings the characters and story to life. The characters are quite realistic and you quickly feel like an old friend rather than a reader. I must say that I quite enjoyed this sweet story of second chances or 500th chances as the case may be as well as when do you pull the plug on giving chances over and over again only to be slapped back down. The story was charming, witty, sad, frustrating and more with a happy ending to end on a high note after a journey of emotion and fun!
May 30, 2022
When I started to read this book I wasn't so sure that I was going to really like this book, some of the characters in this book are a bit "too much" to my likings but then when I started to enter more deeply into the story it started to be very entertaining and lots of mysterious things are happening which you really want to understand. Also there is a lovely romance building in this story which is always a big plus for me. If you are looking for an entertaining book this one is very good! I am giving it a 4 stars out of 5!!!
June 27, 2022
A fun summer read with a lot of drama and secrets to figure out. My favorite part by far was the pottery class and the characters involved.
Yes Ruby came to help out her grandma and had some definite daddy issues, but really I think this book focused on Gabe the most trying to keep the brewery afloat with the bunch on mysterious vandalism going on. Overall this book really dealt with family issues and had a light romance included.
I liked the romance between Ruby and Gabe, but it just seemed to be missing something, maybe that stronger initial friendship bond. They were focused more on other issues which did distract from the romance. Overall the book was a light even if predictable summer read that I did enjoy.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this Audiobook for my honest review.
Yes Ruby came to help out her grandma and had some definite daddy issues, but really I think this book focused on Gabe the most trying to keep the brewery afloat with the bunch on mysterious vandalism going on. Overall this book really dealt with family issues and had a light romance included.
I liked the romance between Ruby and Gabe, but it just seemed to be missing something, maybe that stronger initial friendship bond. They were focused more on other issues which did distract from the romance. Overall the book was a light even if predictable summer read that I did enjoy.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this Audiobook for my honest review.
March 30, 2022
A romance based on a woman who has shut herself to love. Visting her grandmother, she meets Gabe and begins to feel again and they try and figure out who is vandalizing the town. Ruby was a bit annoying to me with her insistence of "helping" a friend after the friend told her very clearly the help was not wanted. But overall enjoyable.
Full disclosure- I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Full disclosure- I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2022
Uma leitura rápida, fácil e muito fofinha. Ruby fechou o seu coração para o amor. Gabe vive para assegurar o sucesso do negócio da família. Será que vão resistir?
Adorei o Gabe, o interesse amoroso perfeito, dedicado, prestável e, claro, sexy 😁 Gostei do mistério presente e adorei a avó Lila 🥰
Não gostei tanto da procura da Ruby pelo pai biológico da filha da melhor amiga, foi demasiado forçado.
Um romance leve, com vibes de verão e perfeito para uma tarde de calor!
!! Foi-me cedida uma cópia avançada deste livro em troca de uma opinião honesta.
Adorei o Gabe, o interesse amoroso perfeito, dedicado, prestável e, claro, sexy 😁 Gostei do mistério presente e adorei a avó Lila 🥰
Não gostei tanto da procura da Ruby pelo pai biológico da filha da melhor amiga, foi demasiado forçado.
Um romance leve, com vibes de verão e perfeito para uma tarde de calor!
!! Foi-me cedida uma cópia avançada deste livro em troca de uma opinião honesta.
May 7, 2022
If you enjoy heartwarming family dramas with mystery, too,
This could well be the ideal book for you!
It is a delightful, romantic comedy as well,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, you can no doubt tell.
Indigo Bay is full of memories for Ruby and so
She's reluctant back there to go.
However, a call for help made by her Grandmother
Has her returning to help in any way she can discover.
Her Grandmother, Lila, runs a pottery business and school
But things aren't going well, nothing is cool.
Both the business and her home are now in danger
Her Gran without those? Nothing could be stranger.
Gabe Roskilly is the owner of the local brewery
But he seems to be the victim of lots of tomfoolery.
Are the attacks on his things part of the same plot
Or is someone else behind them, a different lot?
Get ready to meet the Marples as they seek to find
Who is causing vandalism, stealing and being unkind.
There's romance blossoming for several of them, too,
If only they'll give their love a chance to prove true.
It is a lovely story to escape into, one I highly recommend
With delightful characters, great plot and a surprise at the end.
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
Such a gorgeous read and this is my honest review.
This could well be the ideal book for you!
It is a delightful, romantic comedy as well,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, you can no doubt tell.
Indigo Bay is full of memories for Ruby and so
She's reluctant back there to go.
However, a call for help made by her Grandmother
Has her returning to help in any way she can discover.
Her Grandmother, Lila, runs a pottery business and school
But things aren't going well, nothing is cool.
Both the business and her home are now in danger
Her Gran without those? Nothing could be stranger.
Gabe Roskilly is the owner of the local brewery
But he seems to be the victim of lots of tomfoolery.
Are the attacks on his things part of the same plot
Or is someone else behind them, a different lot?
Get ready to meet the Marples as they seek to find
Who is causing vandalism, stealing and being unkind.
There's romance blossoming for several of them, too,
If only they'll give their love a chance to prove true.
It is a lovely story to escape into, one I highly recommend
With delightful characters, great plot and a surprise at the end.
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
Such a gorgeous read and this is my honest review.
March 31, 2022
I enjoyed this very much, it’s quite steamy for a chick-lit summer romance novel, featuring very sexy pottery giving slight Ghost vibes.
It’s a relatively easy-going plot that does take on some larger sensitive issues. I always try and feature a trigger/content warning for sensitive topics and this features themes of gambling, childhood cancer, problematic parenting and childhood trauma. It’s up for debate but I think our protagonists best friend (Anna) is in an emotionally abusive relationship.
Gabe is our sexy love interest who doesn’t disappoint and is a perfect match for Ruby who has shut herself off from all spontaneity and romantic relationships. It’s an enjoyable summery read about opening your heart and welcoming new experiences.
I didn’t enjoy Ruby going against the express wishes of her friend however and took an instant dislike to her from then on, seeing her as selfish and quite honestly, a really bad friend. But overall an enjoyable, steamy summer read. Also - may leaving you wanting to take up pottery, I certainly do!
It’s a relatively easy-going plot that does take on some larger sensitive issues. I always try and feature a trigger/content warning for sensitive topics and this features themes of gambling, childhood cancer, problematic parenting and childhood trauma. It’s up for debate but I think our protagonists best friend (Anna) is in an emotionally abusive relationship.
Gabe is our sexy love interest who doesn’t disappoint and is a perfect match for Ruby who has shut herself off from all spontaneity and romantic relationships. It’s an enjoyable summery read about opening your heart and welcoming new experiences.
I didn’t enjoy Ruby going against the express wishes of her friend however and took an instant dislike to her from then on, seeing her as selfish and quite honestly, a really bad friend. But overall an enjoyable, steamy summer read. Also - may leaving you wanting to take up pottery, I certainly do!
May 11, 2022
What a delightful read! I found myself well and truly captivated by Ruby Caldwell’s story. Set in the beautiful Cornish village of Indigo Cove, this story had everything you need to warm your heart and put a smile on your face. Ruby’s grandmother, Lila, asks her to come and help at Lila’s pottery school whilst her assistant isn’t there, so Ruby leaves London for a couple of weeks to stay in beautiful Indigo Cove. All’s not so good when she gets there though with Lila’s house in a state of disrepair, the pottery school not doing so good and a spate of vandalism targeting the villagers. Ruby is a lovely character and it’s obvious she has her life set out just like she likes it with no drama or problems. We find out from the beginning that Ruby’s relationship with her father, Lila’s son, isn’t a good one, and as the story moves on, we find out why. While in Indigo Cove, Ruby meets Gabe Roskilly, the owner of the local brewery. Gabe is lovely, but a little on the moody side to begin with! Who can blame him though, he appears to be a target for some of the vandalism that is happening and the brewery isn’t doing that well either. There’s an obvious instant connection between Ruby and Gabe, but do they both have both have too much on their plates to do anything about it?
I loved reading this book! I took to all the characters straight away, and by the time I was a couple of chapters in, I was hooked! The storyline flowed along perfectly and held my attention throughout. As some of the story is set in Lila’s pottery school, there is a lot of “pottery talk”! I’ve never done pottery, but I really want to now! I found the descriptions of setting up the wheel and working the clay great and it’s made me so keen to give it a try! Of course, you need a teacher like Lila, and whilst her ways of teaching are a little different, I could see me and her getting along just fine! The characters within the book are all great in their own way. There are a couple who you may not initially connect with, but they all manage to redeem themselves one way or another by the end!
There’s a little bit of mystery throughout the storyline as well as a whole lot of romance, and I was just as intrigued as the characters as to who was behind the recent events in Indigo Cove. I did sort of guess who it was, but didn’t get why they were doing it, so enjoyed the reveal of their secret. Of course, this is a romantic read, but it wasn’t all just hearts and flowers and there were some pretty steamy sex scenes to make me hot under the collar! Overall, though, this book was the perfect example of how a community comes and works together in so many different ways! I loved the plans for the pottery school and hope that there may be more books set in Indigo Bay to carry on their stories!
This was such a fun, heart-warming read, which was so easy to read and connect with! Loved the characters, loved the storyline, loved the location…in fact, I loved it all!! Would definitely recommend!!
I loved reading this book! I took to all the characters straight away, and by the time I was a couple of chapters in, I was hooked! The storyline flowed along perfectly and held my attention throughout. As some of the story is set in Lila’s pottery school, there is a lot of “pottery talk”! I’ve never done pottery, but I really want to now! I found the descriptions of setting up the wheel and working the clay great and it’s made me so keen to give it a try! Of course, you need a teacher like Lila, and whilst her ways of teaching are a little different, I could see me and her getting along just fine! The characters within the book are all great in their own way. There are a couple who you may not initially connect with, but they all manage to redeem themselves one way or another by the end!
There’s a little bit of mystery throughout the storyline as well as a whole lot of romance, and I was just as intrigued as the characters as to who was behind the recent events in Indigo Cove. I did sort of guess who it was, but didn’t get why they were doing it, so enjoyed the reveal of their secret. Of course, this is a romantic read, but it wasn’t all just hearts and flowers and there were some pretty steamy sex scenes to make me hot under the collar! Overall, though, this book was the perfect example of how a community comes and works together in so many different ways! I loved the plans for the pottery school and hope that there may be more books set in Indigo Bay to carry on their stories!
This was such a fun, heart-warming read, which was so easy to read and connect with! Loved the characters, loved the storyline, loved the location…in fact, I loved it all!! Would definitely recommend!!
May 6, 2022
A beautiful setting, fantastic characters, romance, and mystery all come together beautifully in this heartwarming book! Ruby, our lovely main character, has been wounded and disappointed, making it hard for her to depend on and get close to anyone. She’s given up so much to keep herself safe, but when she meets Gabe, she must decide if she will trust her heart to him, or continue to shield herself. A slow-burn romance with undeniable heat and sparks, I enjoyed watching their relationship build. All of the characters, even the minor ones, had distinct personalities that added immensely to the story. This is an entertaining book about forgiveness and love that will touch your heart.
March 23, 2022
A Cornish coastal village based novel about complicated family dynamics, new friends and leading with your heart and not your head.
It is a sweet & sunny read especially if you love seaside romance books.
At times I struggled with Ruby, she was a little too insistent on uncovering things that really weren't any of her business and against her friend's repeated wishes which did grate heavily on my nerves. Equally I felt that Gabe was just too naive with his brother and that also was frustrating. However, both these things also meant I was hooked in to finding out what happens and so it did keep my attention.
It is a sweet & sunny read especially if you love seaside romance books.
At times I struggled with Ruby, she was a little too insistent on uncovering things that really weren't any of her business and against her friend's repeated wishes which did grate heavily on my nerves. Equally I felt that Gabe was just too naive with his brother and that also was frustrating. However, both these things also meant I was hooked in to finding out what happens and so it did keep my attention.
April 28, 2022
Ruby has come to Indigo Cove to help her grandmother with her struggling pottery shop. While there she meets some of the locals, including Gabe and his twin brother Aaron. As she falls for Gabe, she finds out some things about Aaron that push her to dig deeper into his relationships, and it’s not a positive outcome. Ruby is insistent upon forcing people to do what she wants rather than what they want, and that was a bit off putting for me. I loved the scenic backdrop and some of the secondary characters had a lot of personal growth. There was a fair bit of steam, which is unusual for these types of books.
Overall, a lot of family dynamics to be resolved, a love story and a gorgeous background.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
Overall, a lot of family dynamics to be resolved, a love story and a gorgeous background.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
June 23, 2022
Review audio from Dreamscape Media and NetGalley in exchange for my review.
For fans of multi-generational women's fiction. I loved the Cornwall setting, the various characters and even the complicated family dynamics. I thought the main characters Gabe and Ruby had wonderful chemistry. I wasn't expecting their detailed love scenes but also wasn't bothered by them. I only mention because I know some readers are sensitive to that. There's a mystery or two to be solved and enough light humor to make this a perfect summer escape - my kind of escape!
I liked the audio narration by Helen Johns. She made listening to the novel such an enjoyable experience. She voiced each character with just enough nuance. I look forward to hearing more of her audiobook performances.
For fans of multi-generational women's fiction. I loved the Cornwall setting, the various characters and even the complicated family dynamics. I thought the main characters Gabe and Ruby had wonderful chemistry. I wasn't expecting their detailed love scenes but also wasn't bothered by them. I only mention because I know some readers are sensitive to that. There's a mystery or two to be solved and enough light humor to make this a perfect summer escape - my kind of escape!
I liked the audio narration by Helen Johns. She made listening to the novel such an enjoyable experience. She voiced each character with just enough nuance. I look forward to hearing more of her audiobook performances.
July 15, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for the audio version of this book. I found this book very different from what I would normally read. It was so fascinating different I had a hard time putting it down. However because of the repetition of the plot I was able to figure out what was happening about three quarters into the book. Even with that being said this is a very interestion book with a strange dystopia. I again enjoyed it..
June 28, 2022
Wow! What a cozy little romance this was. I so enjoyed the storyline. It is a great mix of mystery and romance. Who is sabotaging the town and brewery? Why are they doing this? It was going through and the twists and turns till you get to the perfect ending.
I also enjoyed getting to meet all the characters and following their stories. I loved nanoo and Gabe. I am so happy to see how everyone made out in the end.
A perfect summer romance ! Thank you to netgalley and dreamscape media for this audiobook. What a treat.
I also enjoyed getting to meet all the characters and following their stories. I loved nanoo and Gabe. I am so happy to see how everyone made out in the end.
A perfect summer romance ! Thank you to netgalley and dreamscape media for this audiobook. What a treat.
August 6, 2022
A slow starter, but the character Nanou pull everyone together. The bond between twins was one sided. . Sad but sometimes true. Still an interesting read.
November 7, 2023
Sommer in Cornwall
Davon träumen viele Menschen, doch Ruby hat sich lange gesträubt ihre Großmutter dort zu besuchen. Zu viele schlechte Erinnerungen sind mit dieser Rückkehr verbunden. Jetzt braucht ihre Nanou jedoch Hilfe und so kehrt Ruby nach langer Zeit wieder nach Indigo Cove zurück. Dort wird sie sofort in die Dorfgemeinschaft aufgenommen und lernt auf dieses Weise den Bierbrauer Gabe kennen. Die gute Chemie zwischen Ruby und Gabe merkt man sofort, auch wenn ihnen zunächst ein paar Steine im Weg liegen. Außerdem gibt es ein paar Geheimnis zu lüften und Kriminalfälle zu lösen. Eigentlich ja nicht so mein Fall, aber in diesem Fall fand ich es aufregend und spannend.
Nachdem ich zwei Weihnachtsgeschichten von Donna Ashcroft hintereinander gelesen hatte, hab ich noch diesen Sommerroman auf meinem SUB gefunden. Und weil ich so schön dabei war, hab ich mich darauf eingelassen. Das war definitiv eine gute Entscheidung. Unterhaltsam, spannend und romantisch. Mir haben die Protagonisten gut gefallen, der Schreibstil war locker zu lesen und die Location in Cornwall ein richtiger Sehnsuchtsort von mir.
Deshalb eine uneingeschränkte Leseempfehlung: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Davon träumen viele Menschen, doch Ruby hat sich lange gesträubt ihre Großmutter dort zu besuchen. Zu viele schlechte Erinnerungen sind mit dieser Rückkehr verbunden. Jetzt braucht ihre Nanou jedoch Hilfe und so kehrt Ruby nach langer Zeit wieder nach Indigo Cove zurück. Dort wird sie sofort in die Dorfgemeinschaft aufgenommen und lernt auf dieses Weise den Bierbrauer Gabe kennen. Die gute Chemie zwischen Ruby und Gabe merkt man sofort, auch wenn ihnen zunächst ein paar Steine im Weg liegen. Außerdem gibt es ein paar Geheimnis zu lüften und Kriminalfälle zu lösen. Eigentlich ja nicht so mein Fall, aber in diesem Fall fand ich es aufregend und spannend.
Nachdem ich zwei Weihnachtsgeschichten von Donna Ashcroft hintereinander gelesen hatte, hab ich noch diesen Sommerroman auf meinem SUB gefunden. Und weil ich so schön dabei war, hab ich mich darauf eingelassen. Das war definitiv eine gute Entscheidung. Unterhaltsam, spannend und romantisch. Mir haben die Protagonisten gut gefallen, der Schreibstil war locker zu lesen und die Location in Cornwall ein richtiger Sehnsuchtsort von mir.
Deshalb eine uneingeschränkte Leseempfehlung: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 3, 2022
Another great page turner from Donna Ashcroft! She always delivers a plot that will keep you up all night! I started reading in an evening and completed it the next morning when I awoke. I became so engaged in the characters’ lives and their outcomes that I just did not want to stop. The digital pages fluttered past quite quickly!
The Little Cornish House is told from two viewpoints: Ruby’s and Gabe’s. Ruby has returned to Indigo Cove at her grandmother-Lila’s request for she is in danger of losing her little cottage and pottery business. On Ruby’s return, she runs into the handsome local brewery store owner, Gabe, who is trying to help Lila, too. Ruby is attracted to this strong, charming fellow but tries to keep her distance for she has had some bad romantic experiences in the past. Male figures have not served well in her life. For she has also been hurt by a father that abandoned her early on and left a trail of broken promises. So, she carries a cartload of negative feelings that have caused her to build a protective wall around her heart. Having great trust issues, she sees everything through the warped lens of past relationship failures and disappointments. Her determination to stick to her opinions and refuse to see the world in any other light, sometime causes her to miss the obvious.
Gabe has his own issues, too, and is fiercely protective of his twin brother. This leads him into some less than perfect positions and affects his own views on family. How true is the old saying that ‘blood is thicker than water’ and how far should its meaning stretch? Gabe has been taught that family loyalties and relationships are the most important ones. But can this stalwart thinking, sometimes blind him to the facts?
The Little Cornish House is bursting with a mystery at its core that definitely upsets the apple carts of many of its characters. Even though I surmised a possible outcome early on, it was still an enjoyable journey for Donna’s excellent writing carries you like a cascading wave across a glistening shore. I must note, this moreish tale contains a heavier dash of physical romance than what I have seen in Donna’s books before (at least the ones I have read) but she handles it all with expert skill. Emotions and feelings run high between Ruby and Gabe, leading to some very heightened memorable scenes between the two.
The apt setting of Indigo Cove (lovely name) on the Cornish coast gives us a warm cosy feeling and conjures up some exquisite sparkling scenes in our minds. As always, Donna paints a welcoming picture of the surroundings that serve her characters and plot well.
This novel is a lot about relationships, how they start, stall and evolve. And yes, in spite of past performances, people can change when given enough time and the right incentive. Love alters people, maybe not always at first for the best, but things tend to swing around given enough space and healthy nurturing. Healing must begin in each person in order for wounded relationships to mend.
Tucked in the folds of this story are such things as the bonds of friendship, family ties, forgiveness and trust. And a strong message of the need for second chances. To make this happen, one must take off the blinders to see the truth as it stands in all its nakedness and less than perfect glory, rather than be lost in a swirl of misconceptions. More than one character in The Little Cornish House must learn this lesson.
A lot of sensitive issues are packed into this enticing story. Many of which I have not touched upon but I will leave the rest for the reader to discover. Plus the wonderful craft of pottery-making, dishes up some delightful creative twists in this story, too! There are many topics covered in this gem to keep you reading. I highly recommend The Little Cornish House with the big heart. 5 Stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for a review copy.
The Little Cornish House is told from two viewpoints: Ruby’s and Gabe’s. Ruby has returned to Indigo Cove at her grandmother-Lila’s request for she is in danger of losing her little cottage and pottery business. On Ruby’s return, she runs into the handsome local brewery store owner, Gabe, who is trying to help Lila, too. Ruby is attracted to this strong, charming fellow but tries to keep her distance for she has had some bad romantic experiences in the past. Male figures have not served well in her life. For she has also been hurt by a father that abandoned her early on and left a trail of broken promises. So, she carries a cartload of negative feelings that have caused her to build a protective wall around her heart. Having great trust issues, she sees everything through the warped lens of past relationship failures and disappointments. Her determination to stick to her opinions and refuse to see the world in any other light, sometime causes her to miss the obvious.
Gabe has his own issues, too, and is fiercely protective of his twin brother. This leads him into some less than perfect positions and affects his own views on family. How true is the old saying that ‘blood is thicker than water’ and how far should its meaning stretch? Gabe has been taught that family loyalties and relationships are the most important ones. But can this stalwart thinking, sometimes blind him to the facts?
The Little Cornish House is bursting with a mystery at its core that definitely upsets the apple carts of many of its characters. Even though I surmised a possible outcome early on, it was still an enjoyable journey for Donna’s excellent writing carries you like a cascading wave across a glistening shore. I must note, this moreish tale contains a heavier dash of physical romance than what I have seen in Donna’s books before (at least the ones I have read) but she handles it all with expert skill. Emotions and feelings run high between Ruby and Gabe, leading to some very heightened memorable scenes between the two.
The apt setting of Indigo Cove (lovely name) on the Cornish coast gives us a warm cosy feeling and conjures up some exquisite sparkling scenes in our minds. As always, Donna paints a welcoming picture of the surroundings that serve her characters and plot well.
This novel is a lot about relationships, how they start, stall and evolve. And yes, in spite of past performances, people can change when given enough time and the right incentive. Love alters people, maybe not always at first for the best, but things tend to swing around given enough space and healthy nurturing. Healing must begin in each person in order for wounded relationships to mend.
Tucked in the folds of this story are such things as the bonds of friendship, family ties, forgiveness and trust. And a strong message of the need for second chances. To make this happen, one must take off the blinders to see the truth as it stands in all its nakedness and less than perfect glory, rather than be lost in a swirl of misconceptions. More than one character in The Little Cornish House must learn this lesson.
A lot of sensitive issues are packed into this enticing story. Many of which I have not touched upon but I will leave the rest for the reader to discover. Plus the wonderful craft of pottery-making, dishes up some delightful creative twists in this story, too! There are many topics covered in this gem to keep you reading. I highly recommend The Little Cornish House with the big heart. 5 Stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for a review copy.
May 8, 2022
A gorgeous title and cover, a stunning setting, fabulous and varied characters and a good solid storyline all await you in this new story from Donna Ashcroft The Little Cornish House. Donna’s books always provide that perfect slice of escapism when you need it the most and this book proved to be no exception. The characters walk off the page to meet you and invite you into the wonderful setting of Indigo Cove where Ruby Penhaligon has just arrived to visit her grandmother Lila affectionately known as Nanou.
It’s been over a year since she has visited and Lila needs Ruby’s help to run her pottery business. Ruby’s family history is not all that solid and she has an estranged relationship with her father, Ross, believing him to be the cause of her mother’s death through his fruitful promises in his quest for fast, easy money, If only he had exerted those efforts into his marriage and relationship with his daughter than things could have turned out so differently. Ruby when she has visited Indigo Cove in the past had tended to stay away from the locals in case any had been friends with her father. But now Indigo Cove has called her back and with mysterious goings on in the village and Nanou needing help to make sure The Pottery Project stays open, Ruby perhaps has no choice but to get stuck into things. It’s like the village is taking her by the hand and making her confront everything she has kept buried for so long.
Ruby has kept her love life protected for fear of getting hurt. She keeps her life free from attachments and it’s clear from the outset this all stems from the lack of relationship she has with her father. He promised so much but never delivered and when she sees Nanou’s house is in desperate need of renovation she thinks here we go again. Ross has promised he will provide the funds to fix things and Nanou believes him but Ruby is not so sure. He has let them down time and time again in the past what makes things any different now.
It’s clear from the outset that Ruby has significant personal problems from when she was younger and she has carried these through to the present day. You wouldn’t blame her as Ross dipped in and out of her life so much and she has come to view him as being dishonest, deceitful, unreliable and as slippery as an eel. This had led to major trust issues for Ruby and she can’t open herself up to people no matter even when a good thing is staring her straight in the face. I found it frustrating that the actions of the past had such a negative impact on her so much so that her judgement in the present was deeply affected. She used to love pottery and was good at it, having being coached under the watchful eye of Nanou but why did she stop? It’s like she has closed off her heart to the good things in life and is afraid to let it unfurl and let dangerous things into her life. But everything need not be dangerous. There are good things waiting for her if only she can let her barriers down.
I wanted her to just take a chance or a risk and go for it and not to be so closed minded when it came to life opportunities, be it romantic or otherwise potentially coming her way. The actions of the past shouldn’t always impact the present or the future and if she could realise this and come to terms with what she had been covering up than perhaps love and happiness could find a way into her life. Ruby was a brilliant, yet frustrating, character as I have said but underneath it all she was a good person. I loved the relationship she had with Lila and that she did play her part in trying to solve the mysterious goings on in Indigo Cove. She was always so willing to help others. To give her time, to offer support, to lend an ear when someone needed to offload. This is demonstrated when she takes it upon herself to solve a personal issue regarding her best friend Anna Lovejoy.
I won’t go into specifics as to what it is suffice to say things get very deep and personal and its starts to invade on Ruby’s own personal and romance development. This aspect of the storyline although I could see its relevance to Ruby as a character and her history, to be honest I just found it to be a little extra to requirements. I think the book would have worked well enough without it and the male character Gabe would have come to the realisation he eventually did without this taking place. I know it’s not the main focal point of the overall plot but this dogged determinedness Ruby had to solve something and prove her instincts to be correct irked me a little bit. I felt her interests and determination were best used elsewhere.
Of course, in a book of this nature there has to be a strong male lead to provide the romance element and this comes in the form of local brewer Gabe Roskilly. I loved that Gabe wasn’t your typical male character that in fact he had many sides to him. There was an aura of doubt about him, that he lacked complete faith in his abilities and basically he was just human and life wasn’t always straightforward and easy for him. He was a well-rounded, multi-faceted character whose loyalties lay with the family business and his brother Aaron. There was that something about him that would make any woman drawn to him and I desperately hoped that Ruby would see this too and be able to push through her trust issues and embrace what Gabe could potentially offer. Gabe has run the brewery ever since his parents died and now it is close to celebrating its centenary. He meets Ruby when he is making special tankards at The Pottery Project and through the weird events occurring in the village and the subsequent group set up to try and catch the culprits a friendship develops between the pair. One in which you hope it can turn into something much much more.
As well as lots of unexplained incidents in the village, Gabe’s life seems to be mirroring what is happening in the village and it’s as if the brewery is coming under fire. Lots of things happen and some are very malicious. I had my suspicions as to what and who it was but as for the reasons I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. There were several characters acting suspiciously and I hoped that Ruby would help Gabe get to the bottom of it. This is what I loved about this book that it wasn’t all about romance, boy meets girl etc. There was a lot more to it and the unusual events happening allowed lots of other strands and subplots to feed out from the many story and in doing so it gave Ruby and Gabe time to get to know each other but when the truth is revealed will the friendship they have built up fragment forever or can they both see a way to opening their hearts to love?
There were lots of other characters briefly mentioned throughout the book which gives me the impression, well I am hoping and have my fingers crossed, that there will be more from Indigo Cove in the future and that this won’t be a one-off visit as I really did enjoy this book. It was an easy read, perfect for your summer holidays or really in fact any time of year. Everyone looks out for one another and both Ruby and Gabe go on a journey of discovery to face some home truths and hopefully along the way they will both allow love into their world. Love and forgiveness feature strongly alongside a wide cast of interesting characters that will quickly find a way into you heart. All in all this was a delightful read with plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading on.
It’s been over a year since she has visited and Lila needs Ruby’s help to run her pottery business. Ruby’s family history is not all that solid and she has an estranged relationship with her father, Ross, believing him to be the cause of her mother’s death through his fruitful promises in his quest for fast, easy money, If only he had exerted those efforts into his marriage and relationship with his daughter than things could have turned out so differently. Ruby when she has visited Indigo Cove in the past had tended to stay away from the locals in case any had been friends with her father. But now Indigo Cove has called her back and with mysterious goings on in the village and Nanou needing help to make sure The Pottery Project stays open, Ruby perhaps has no choice but to get stuck into things. It’s like the village is taking her by the hand and making her confront everything she has kept buried for so long.
Ruby has kept her love life protected for fear of getting hurt. She keeps her life free from attachments and it’s clear from the outset this all stems from the lack of relationship she has with her father. He promised so much but never delivered and when she sees Nanou’s house is in desperate need of renovation she thinks here we go again. Ross has promised he will provide the funds to fix things and Nanou believes him but Ruby is not so sure. He has let them down time and time again in the past what makes things any different now.
It’s clear from the outset that Ruby has significant personal problems from when she was younger and she has carried these through to the present day. You wouldn’t blame her as Ross dipped in and out of her life so much and she has come to view him as being dishonest, deceitful, unreliable and as slippery as an eel. This had led to major trust issues for Ruby and she can’t open herself up to people no matter even when a good thing is staring her straight in the face. I found it frustrating that the actions of the past had such a negative impact on her so much so that her judgement in the present was deeply affected. She used to love pottery and was good at it, having being coached under the watchful eye of Nanou but why did she stop? It’s like she has closed off her heart to the good things in life and is afraid to let it unfurl and let dangerous things into her life. But everything need not be dangerous. There are good things waiting for her if only she can let her barriers down.
I wanted her to just take a chance or a risk and go for it and not to be so closed minded when it came to life opportunities, be it romantic or otherwise potentially coming her way. The actions of the past shouldn’t always impact the present or the future and if she could realise this and come to terms with what she had been covering up than perhaps love and happiness could find a way into her life. Ruby was a brilliant, yet frustrating, character as I have said but underneath it all she was a good person. I loved the relationship she had with Lila and that she did play her part in trying to solve the mysterious goings on in Indigo Cove. She was always so willing to help others. To give her time, to offer support, to lend an ear when someone needed to offload. This is demonstrated when she takes it upon herself to solve a personal issue regarding her best friend Anna Lovejoy.
I won’t go into specifics as to what it is suffice to say things get very deep and personal and its starts to invade on Ruby’s own personal and romance development. This aspect of the storyline although I could see its relevance to Ruby as a character and her history, to be honest I just found it to be a little extra to requirements. I think the book would have worked well enough without it and the male character Gabe would have come to the realisation he eventually did without this taking place. I know it’s not the main focal point of the overall plot but this dogged determinedness Ruby had to solve something and prove her instincts to be correct irked me a little bit. I felt her interests and determination were best used elsewhere.
Of course, in a book of this nature there has to be a strong male lead to provide the romance element and this comes in the form of local brewer Gabe Roskilly. I loved that Gabe wasn’t your typical male character that in fact he had many sides to him. There was an aura of doubt about him, that he lacked complete faith in his abilities and basically he was just human and life wasn’t always straightforward and easy for him. He was a well-rounded, multi-faceted character whose loyalties lay with the family business and his brother Aaron. There was that something about him that would make any woman drawn to him and I desperately hoped that Ruby would see this too and be able to push through her trust issues and embrace what Gabe could potentially offer. Gabe has run the brewery ever since his parents died and now it is close to celebrating its centenary. He meets Ruby when he is making special tankards at The Pottery Project and through the weird events occurring in the village and the subsequent group set up to try and catch the culprits a friendship develops between the pair. One in which you hope it can turn into something much much more.
As well as lots of unexplained incidents in the village, Gabe’s life seems to be mirroring what is happening in the village and it’s as if the brewery is coming under fire. Lots of things happen and some are very malicious. I had my suspicions as to what and who it was but as for the reasons I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. There were several characters acting suspiciously and I hoped that Ruby would help Gabe get to the bottom of it. This is what I loved about this book that it wasn’t all about romance, boy meets girl etc. There was a lot more to it and the unusual events happening allowed lots of other strands and subplots to feed out from the many story and in doing so it gave Ruby and Gabe time to get to know each other but when the truth is revealed will the friendship they have built up fragment forever or can they both see a way to opening their hearts to love?
There were lots of other characters briefly mentioned throughout the book which gives me the impression, well I am hoping and have my fingers crossed, that there will be more from Indigo Cove in the future and that this won’t be a one-off visit as I really did enjoy this book. It was an easy read, perfect for your summer holidays or really in fact any time of year. Everyone looks out for one another and both Ruby and Gabe go on a journey of discovery to face some home truths and hopefully along the way they will both allow love into their world. Love and forgiveness feature strongly alongside a wide cast of interesting characters that will quickly find a way into you heart. All in all this was a delightful read with plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading on.
May 16, 2022
The Little Cornish House by Donna Ashcroft is an easygoing romance taking place in Indigo Cove, Cornwall, and featuring Ruby Penhaligon. But, it is so much more than a romance. It is a mystery, the perpetrator staring them in the face all along; and a reconciliation between a really immature man and his mother and his daughter. It's also about addiction and how that can tear a family apart. It sounds pretty horrible and parts of it are, but it is really a light-hearted story with fun and interesting people, just living their lives. Ruby's grandmother, Lila, is a potter. Always has been. She gives classes, mostly, but the business has been falling off since a competitor had started an advertising blitz. She did have a young friend, Gabe Roskilly, who owned a brewery and had been coming in for weeks, making souvenir tankards for his brewery's big anniversary celebration next month. The brewery had been hard going lately. Things were getting old and seemed to be breaking down more often than seemed normal. There had also been a couple of pranks, and some problems with the estate agent trying to sell some land adjacent to the brewery. He didn't believe anyone was doing more than pranks until someone walked into the pottery studio and smashed all of the finished tankards, nothing else.
Indigo Cove is a small town and in small towns, people help one another. But, they also interfere and get all up in one's business as well. Ruby was an accountant and she had chosen that profession because it was safe and steady. That's what she wanted: safe and steady. She had given up pottery when she chose accounting and had never looked back, but now she was here. The frustration rolled off her and the reader could feel it, frustrated with her. Lila was too easy going: that was not safe and steady, but, people loved her and she helped others. Gabe was working so hard to take care of his brother and make good their father's legacy. It was quite the moving story.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Little Cornish House by Bookoutre through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #bookoutre, #donnaashcroft #thelittlecornishhouse
Indigo Cove is a small town and in small towns, people help one another. But, they also interfere and get all up in one's business as well. Ruby was an accountant and she had chosen that profession because it was safe and steady. That's what she wanted: safe and steady. She had given up pottery when she chose accounting and had never looked back, but now she was here. The frustration rolled off her and the reader could feel it, frustrated with her. Lila was too easy going: that was not safe and steady, but, people loved her and she helped others. Gabe was working so hard to take care of his brother and make good their father's legacy. It was quite the moving story.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Little Cornish House by Bookoutre through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #bookoutre, #donnaashcroft #thelittlecornishhouse
July 7, 2022
The Little Cornish House
Donna Ashcroft
The setting is the Cornish coast.
Ruby is a thirty-year-old accountant. She likes numbers they feel safe and predictable. She wants no drama, no problems and no men. She saw her mother live a life of disappointment; her father was always chasing rainbows. He would stay around just long enough break her mother’s heart…over and over again. Ruby cut all ties with her father; she refused to allow him or any other man to break her heart. Ruby returned to Indigo Cove when her grandmother called asking for her help. Ruby loves her grandmother and is determined to do whatever she can to help her save her home.
Gabe Roskilly walks into Ruby’s life; she wasn’t looking for a man and she didn’t want a man but the sexy, fretting proprietor of the area’s brewery stole her heart. Gabe is tall, dark and very handsome; he is also a twin. While Gabe is an honorable man his twin brother is very different.
I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book when I first started listening to it but soon it grew on me. Ruby and Gabe’s romance was sweet, romantic and yet seemed doomed at times. Ruby didn’t trust men; her father had made promises over and over and never kept them. Ruby was damaged emotionally. I loved her grandmother; she was feisty and very wise. Gabe was too trusting; he was determined to do what his deceased father asked him to do, “take care of his brother and take care of the brewery.” I didn’t like Gabe’s twin brother, but you will have to read the book to see why. Grandmother’s pottery students were delightful. I enjoyed this book and look forward to more books by author Donna Ashcroft.
Donna Ashcroft
The setting is the Cornish coast.
Ruby is a thirty-year-old accountant. She likes numbers they feel safe and predictable. She wants no drama, no problems and no men. She saw her mother live a life of disappointment; her father was always chasing rainbows. He would stay around just long enough break her mother’s heart…over and over again. Ruby cut all ties with her father; she refused to allow him or any other man to break her heart. Ruby returned to Indigo Cove when her grandmother called asking for her help. Ruby loves her grandmother and is determined to do whatever she can to help her save her home.
Gabe Roskilly walks into Ruby’s life; she wasn’t looking for a man and she didn’t want a man but the sexy, fretting proprietor of the area’s brewery stole her heart. Gabe is tall, dark and very handsome; he is also a twin. While Gabe is an honorable man his twin brother is very different.
I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book when I first started listening to it but soon it grew on me. Ruby and Gabe’s romance was sweet, romantic and yet seemed doomed at times. Ruby didn’t trust men; her father had made promises over and over and never kept them. Ruby was damaged emotionally. I loved her grandmother; she was feisty and very wise. Gabe was too trusting; he was determined to do what his deceased father asked him to do, “take care of his brother and take care of the brewery.” I didn’t like Gabe’s twin brother, but you will have to read the book to see why. Grandmother’s pottery students were delightful. I enjoyed this book and look forward to more books by author Donna Ashcroft.
July 29, 2022
The Little Cornish House, by Donna Ashcroft, is a interestingly plotted story bringing together family dynamics, new acquaintances, and a local mystery involving theft and vandalism. Ruby Penhaligon has taken a leave from her accounting position in London to travel home to the little Cornish village of Indigo Cove. Her dear grandmother, Lila, has asked for help while her assistant is away for a long trip. Although Ruby has made it clear that she will do nothing with the pottery at her grandmother’s Pottery Project, she will assist with getting supplies ready and making sure there is always tea and snacks for those attending.
Ruby is a bit dismayed at the state of disrepair of her grandmother’s little white cottage, asking why the repairs haven’t been made. When Lila states that she has made a huge loan to Ruby’s ne’er do well father, Ross, her dismay only grows. Ross Penhaligon has never been trustworthy, leaving Ruby and her mother when she was a baby and disappointing them both. Ruby believes a broken heart is what actually took her mother a decade earlier.
Also, while with her grandmother, Ruby attends weekly meetings of the Marples, a local citizen watch group of locals and business owners. There has been a rash of vandalism and graffiti, with Gabe Roskilly and his Roskilly Brewery where the majority of the crimes have to occured. As they break into pairs to do the watch walks, Lila seems to be instrumental in getting Ruby paired with Gabe.
This is a lovely story with a solid mystery as core and a lot of drama on several fronts as the delightful characters come together to solve those problems. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!
Ruby is a bit dismayed at the state of disrepair of her grandmother’s little white cottage, asking why the repairs haven’t been made. When Lila states that she has made a huge loan to Ruby’s ne’er do well father, Ross, her dismay only grows. Ross Penhaligon has never been trustworthy, leaving Ruby and her mother when she was a baby and disappointing them both. Ruby believes a broken heart is what actually took her mother a decade earlier.
Also, while with her grandmother, Ruby attends weekly meetings of the Marples, a local citizen watch group of locals and business owners. There has been a rash of vandalism and graffiti, with Gabe Roskilly and his Roskilly Brewery where the majority of the crimes have to occured. As they break into pairs to do the watch walks, Lila seems to be instrumental in getting Ruby paired with Gabe.
This is a lovely story with a solid mystery as core and a lot of drama on several fronts as the delightful characters come together to solve those problems. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!
July 18, 2022
Ruby’s life is safe and predictable - just the way she likes it. But her whole life is turned upside down when her grandmother asks her to come to the beloved little Cornish house.
Returning to Indigo Cove stirs up memories that Ruby would rather forget, but she’s determined to enjoy time at her grandmother’s home and maybe even find love along the way. Ruby then finds herself attracted to Gabe, the local brewery owner, but her resolve to stay away from love is tested to the limit.
This is a cute summer romance with a little mysterious twist that kept me coming back for more. The locals each had their own distinct personality and felt like a Cornish Stars Hallow, where everyone knows and loves the entire town. The town and Gabe were definitely the highlights of the book and one of the main reasons I enjoyed my time with this story.
Ruby, on the other hand, I had some difficulty with. Her daddy issues prevented her from making, keeping and maintaining any kind of long-term relationships in her life. Even with her "best friend" she was going to throw everything away just because she thought she knew better than what her best friend should do with her life. It was hard to root for her and want to see her success when it seemed that she didn't even want it for herself.
Final Thoughts - Light steam but overall enjoyed the atmosphere the story created, just wish it was focused on other more likable characters from the town.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the Advance Reading Copy.
Returning to Indigo Cove stirs up memories that Ruby would rather forget, but she’s determined to enjoy time at her grandmother’s home and maybe even find love along the way. Ruby then finds herself attracted to Gabe, the local brewery owner, but her resolve to stay away from love is tested to the limit.
This is a cute summer romance with a little mysterious twist that kept me coming back for more. The locals each had their own distinct personality and felt like a Cornish Stars Hallow, where everyone knows and loves the entire town. The town and Gabe were definitely the highlights of the book and one of the main reasons I enjoyed my time with this story.
Ruby, on the other hand, I had some difficulty with. Her daddy issues prevented her from making, keeping and maintaining any kind of long-term relationships in her life. Even with her "best friend" she was going to throw everything away just because she thought she knew better than what her best friend should do with her life. It was hard to root for her and want to see her success when it seemed that she didn't even want it for herself.
Final Thoughts - Light steam but overall enjoyed the atmosphere the story created, just wish it was focused on other more likable characters from the town.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the Advance Reading Copy.
August 11, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the audiobook.
The Little Cornish House was a sweet book about a 30-year-old woman who leaves London for Cornwall to help her grandmother out at her Pottery Project. She also meets the hot man who owns the local brewery and has to confront her own self-imposed disconnect from feelings (and pottery) cultivated by a continually disappointing father. The Pottery Project was lovely and made me want to get myself behind a pottery wheel again.
Helen Johns is an excellent audiobook reader. Her voice is light and airy which adds to the feel-good nature of the novel. She also clearly defines different characters with voices and a variety of accents.
The romance was steamy but was missing a more interesting connection between Ruby and Gabe. I think the issue was that it did not feel like a romance novel first and foremost which isn’t a problem, but it made me feel like I wanted more build into their romance. Ruby and Gabe share disappointment in family members who let them down, and this problem was addressed thoroughly.
Ruby’s insistence on helping Anna when Anna did not want help seemed strange. It was obviously Ruby’s character flaw, but her insistence on looking into something private that Anna asked her not to look into was just weird.
I’m giving this book four stars even though it took me quite some time to get through because I didn’t always feel compelled to pick it up. I’m not entirely sure why though, as it was the equivalent of a warm hug.
The Little Cornish House was a sweet book about a 30-year-old woman who leaves London for Cornwall to help her grandmother out at her Pottery Project. She also meets the hot man who owns the local brewery and has to confront her own self-imposed disconnect from feelings (and pottery) cultivated by a continually disappointing father. The Pottery Project was lovely and made me want to get myself behind a pottery wheel again.
Helen Johns is an excellent audiobook reader. Her voice is light and airy which adds to the feel-good nature of the novel. She also clearly defines different characters with voices and a variety of accents.
The romance was steamy but was missing a more interesting connection between Ruby and Gabe. I think the issue was that it did not feel like a romance novel first and foremost which isn’t a problem, but it made me feel like I wanted more build into their romance. Ruby and Gabe share disappointment in family members who let them down, and this problem was addressed thoroughly.
Ruby’s insistence on helping Anna when Anna did not want help seemed strange. It was obviously Ruby’s character flaw, but her insistence on looking into something private that Anna asked her not to look into was just weird.
I’m giving this book four stars even though it took me quite some time to get through because I didn’t always feel compelled to pick it up. I’m not entirely sure why though, as it was the equivalent of a warm hug.
June 21, 2022
The Little Cornish House by Donna Ashcroft is a new to me author. I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I really enjoyed the romance between Ruby and Gabe. I love how Ruby learns to step out of her confined boundaries and take some chances. I love that Gabe is so dedicated to his family and seeing the best in his brother. Ruby and Gabe do a great job of drawing each other out. I love their adventures together and the way their personalities clicked. I did not like Ruby’s determination to “help” her friend, despite being asked not to, because of her own traumas. Ruby is often selfish and self-centered in this respect, and it was a turn off for me. While I loved the romance between Ruby and Gabe, the romantic scenes felt more explicit than they needed to be for the character of the rest of the book. Again, it fit Ruby breaking out of her rigidity, but it just didn’t fit with the rest of the story. If you don’t mind a little heat in a couple of the scenes, then you will probably love it. I absolutely adored the grandmother who creates the perfect balance to this book! The narrator did a great job with capturing the essence of the characters. The pace was perfect, and words were clear. The story came to life with her telling. I received an audiobook copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.
August 1, 2022
A story of family, love, heartbreak, redemption, learning to trust, small town/village issues, addiction (gambling), betrayal, abandonment, some nefarious characters and things happening and much more. Ruby is in a tough emotional space and she has more or less given up on love as she thinks it has given up on her. She just wants a quiet life and to be left alone. That is until she gets a call from her beloved grandmother, who lovingly raised her needs her help and for her to come home to help save her livelihood. Returning home brings up myriad feelings she’d much prefer to keep buried and yet, she loves her grandmother so she goes. What she doesn’t expect is to meet Gabe and think about risking her heart again and having to deal with her father, who would periodically pop into her life only to disappoint her with more unfulfilled promises, empty her grandmothers savings and disappear again. To say she was wary of men and the world in general is an understatement. Her goal is to help save her grandmothers business and leave and yet she finds herself connected in ways she didn’t want and couldn’t help. It’s a lovely story that ultimately wraps up with good things happening for all.
I received a copy of this audiobook from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received a copy of this audiobook from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 13, 2023
I've read 3 books by this author before an I really like the storylines that Donna creates.
I like that they are easy read with a bit of drama.
There is a theme of romance in this book but I love that there is an underlying difficult issue that is discussed around family and responsibility. This is part of life which makes it really relatable.
I really like the relationships within this story and I thing Gabe sounds so beautiful, inside and out, I was hoping its not him throughout the book (but I'll leave the thing out of my review that I hope he isn't)
I also really like Lila, she is well written, I really like her internal dialog, about difficult decisions, I really relate to this.
The break ins and car damage is so frustrating, I wanted to find out who has been doing it all the way through. I like that there are a couple of open ended things that you really want to found out the conclusion and It was well paced, you don't want to find out as soon as the thing has happened.
This felt like a well rounded book, it seemed a bit of everything but not overdone, I really enjoy reading about different scenarios whether they're fictional or real but in this book they felt real and like I was there experiencing them with the characters. Brillaint book, I look forward to reading more.
I like that they are easy read with a bit of drama.
There is a theme of romance in this book but I love that there is an underlying difficult issue that is discussed around family and responsibility. This is part of life which makes it really relatable.
I really like the relationships within this story and I thing Gabe sounds so beautiful, inside and out, I was hoping its not him throughout the book (but I'll leave the thing out of my review that I hope he isn't)
I also really like Lila, she is well written, I really like her internal dialog, about difficult decisions, I really relate to this.
The break ins and car damage is so frustrating, I wanted to find out who has been doing it all the way through. I like that there are a couple of open ended things that you really want to found out the conclusion and It was well paced, you don't want to find out as soon as the thing has happened.
This felt like a well rounded book, it seemed a bit of everything but not overdone, I really enjoy reading about different scenarios whether they're fictional or real but in this book they felt real and like I was there experiencing them with the characters. Brillaint book, I look forward to reading more.
September 4, 2025
Donna Ashcroft má talent na psaní příběhů, které vás chtějí vtáhnout do klidného, pohostinného prostředí, kde i zdánlivě obyčejný život a vztahy mají své kouzlo. V Návratu do zátoky to ukazuje přes postavu Ruby, která se po životních zklamáních rozhodla vyhnout komplikacím a žít v jednoduché rutině. Když ji však babička zavolá zpátky na jih Cornwallu, všechno se změní – přijdou vzpomínky, staré rány a zároveň i naděje a nové možnosti, které Ruby postupně začíná přijímat.
Autorce se podařilo vykreslit postavy s lidskostí a citlivostí, a i když je příběh poměrně předvídatelný a drží se žánrových klišé, má určitou hloubku, kterou podtrhuje vztah Ruby a její babičky. Tenhle prvek příběhu dává knize skutečnou hodnotu – ukazuje, jak důležitá je podpora a blízkost rodiny, i když se někdy zdá, že problémy jsou nepřekonatelné. Gabe, jako romantická postava, příběh oživuje, i když nijak neohromí svou originalitou.
Celkově bych knihu doporučila všem, kdo mají chuť na pohodové, hřejivé čtení bez zbytečných dramat a zvratů. Je to ideální kniha na odpoledne u čaje, při které si člověk může chvíli odpočinout, užít si krásnou přímořskou atmosféru Cornwallu a věřit, že i složité věci v životě mohou najít svůj svůj klidný konec. Pokud hledáte knihu, která zahřeje na srdci a nenutí přitom přemýšlet, Návrat do zátoky je dobrou volbou.
Autorce se podařilo vykreslit postavy s lidskostí a citlivostí, a i když je příběh poměrně předvídatelný a drží se žánrových klišé, má určitou hloubku, kterou podtrhuje vztah Ruby a její babičky. Tenhle prvek příběhu dává knize skutečnou hodnotu – ukazuje, jak důležitá je podpora a blízkost rodiny, i když se někdy zdá, že problémy jsou nepřekonatelné. Gabe, jako romantická postava, příběh oživuje, i když nijak neohromí svou originalitou.
Celkově bych knihu doporučila všem, kdo mají chuť na pohodové, hřejivé čtení bez zbytečných dramat a zvratů. Je to ideální kniha na odpoledne u čaje, při které si člověk může chvíli odpočinout, užít si krásnou přímořskou atmosféru Cornwallu a věřit, že i složité věci v životě mohou najít svůj svůj klidný konec. Pokud hledáte knihu, která zahřeje na srdci a nenutí přitom přemýšlet, Návrat do zátoky je dobrou volbou.
April 19, 2022
🌊Family's family, warts and all: heartwarming ensemble🤗
4.5🌟 stars
This Donna Ashcroft novel did not disappoint. I've read a number of the author's stories and love their focus on life and love in small communities. This novel is easy to read and builds depth in the characters, along with a moving romance and a local vandalism mystery to solve..
Ruby, the female lead in this one, has a great relationship with her grandmother Lila but her father's absentee attitude toward family crushed her and her mother and has turned her away from romance and her love of pottery. The arc of this family's story was touching.
Local brewer Gabe puts family loyalty ahead of everything and it's caused him some major headaches. He's a very put-upon guy with a big heart and probably my favorite character (despite the fact that he is incapable of controlling Sammi, his scamp of a dog😉).
The romance has some heat but nothing too explicit. A lovely read; once I started I just had to finish.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
4.5🌟 stars
This Donna Ashcroft novel did not disappoint. I've read a number of the author's stories and love their focus on life and love in small communities. This novel is easy to read and builds depth in the characters, along with a moving romance and a local vandalism mystery to solve..
Ruby, the female lead in this one, has a great relationship with her grandmother Lila but her father's absentee attitude toward family crushed her and her mother and has turned her away from romance and her love of pottery. The arc of this family's story was touching.
Local brewer Gabe puts family loyalty ahead of everything and it's caused him some major headaches. He's a very put-upon guy with a big heart and probably my favorite character (despite the fact that he is incapable of controlling Sammi, his scamp of a dog😉).
The romance has some heat but nothing too explicit. A lovely read; once I started I just had to finish.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
May 6, 2022
I always am a bit jealous when I read about these little cosy villages at the seaside. I would love to live there too, but maybe a bit more towards the south like the South of France or Spain. Perhaps when I am old(er) and grey(er) 😉
When you have been let down by one of the people who should stand by you no matter what, it hurts. You pull yourself together and you survive. It’s hard and painful, but doable. But when they do it over and over again and they break your heart each and every time, then it’s too much. Much too much and you promise yourself you will never let that person hurt you again. So you ask back the key to your heart you gave them wholeheartedly. Enough is enough, because they did not only made you sad, but a few other loved ones too.
You don’t want anything that reminds you of them anymore and you build a wall around you.
But then there is good old Cupid. He aims, shoots arrow and never misses. You can fight him, but in the end guess who wins… 😊
A lovely story, great and a few not so nice characters and of course love. People do can change although it might take some time before they see the light. 😊 5 stars
Thank you
When you have been let down by one of the people who should stand by you no matter what, it hurts. You pull yourself together and you survive. It’s hard and painful, but doable. But when they do it over and over again and they break your heart each and every time, then it’s too much. Much too much and you promise yourself you will never let that person hurt you again. So you ask back the key to your heart you gave them wholeheartedly. Enough is enough, because they did not only made you sad, but a few other loved ones too.
You don’t want anything that reminds you of them anymore and you build a wall around you.
But then there is good old Cupid. He aims, shoots arrow and never misses. You can fight him, but in the end guess who wins… 😊
A lovely story, great and a few not so nice characters and of course love. People do can change although it might take some time before they see the light. 😊 5 stars
Thank you
June 20, 2022
There is just something about a Donna Ashcroft book that gets me every time. This one grabbed me from the start. Ruby has moved back to Cornwall for the summer to help her grandmother save her home and business. She expects to spend her days helping out with her pottery school and keeping everything as simple as possible. She does not expect Gabe. Gabe is the local brewery owner with a bit of trouble of his own. There is a mystery to this book as Gabe keeps having trouble with vandals and the town has no idea who is causing all the trouble. As Ruby and Gabe work together to solve the mystery, attraction grows. I enjoyed the romance between these two. While I did feel Ruby could be a bit immature at times, she does grow throughout the book. I love how Ashcroft writes small-town stories that pull the towns people all together. She continues to be one of the best at including characters from several generations all working and living together. If you are looking for a light, cozy romance with a bit of mystery tied in, this book is the perfect fit.
Thank you to Bookouture for an ARC of this book. The opinions here are my own.
Thank you to Bookouture for an ARC of this book. The opinions here are my own.
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