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A Cornish Promise
The perfect treat for fans of Poldark, Dilly Court and Downton Abbey - discover the second in a heartwarming new series set in the 1920s in a glamorous hotel on the Cornish Riviera . . .
Welcome to Fox Bay Hotel, where family fortunes rise and fall . . .
1929, Cornwall. Fiona Fox, youngest child of the celebrated Fox family, is a devoted volunteer at the local lifeboat station, giving all her free time and her energy to the selfless crew. But when she seizes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do more, she sets in motion a chain of events that sparks danger and intrigue at Fox Bay Hotel.
The stranger she brings into her family home provides an unsettling presence over Christmas, and when visiting 'Hollywood Royalty' is drawn into the web, Fiona has to decide how much her promises are worth after all.
But the glamorous visitors have their own secrets, and their own reasons for hiding out at Fox Bay. As those reasons become apparent, Fiona must choose between betraying a close friend, and keeping her word... And lives are at stake whichever way she turns.
Set against the dramatic Cornish coastline, this tale of secrets and strangers will delight fans of Rosie Goodwin and Evie Grace.
Welcome to Fox Bay Hotel, where family fortunes rise and fall . . .
1929, Cornwall. Fiona Fox, youngest child of the celebrated Fox family, is a devoted volunteer at the local lifeboat station, giving all her free time and her energy to the selfless crew. But when she seizes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do more, she sets in motion a chain of events that sparks danger and intrigue at Fox Bay Hotel.
The stranger she brings into her family home provides an unsettling presence over Christmas, and when visiting 'Hollywood Royalty' is drawn into the web, Fiona has to decide how much her promises are worth after all.
But the glamorous visitors have their own secrets, and their own reasons for hiding out at Fox Bay. As those reasons become apparent, Fiona must choose between betraying a close friend, and keeping her word... And lives are at stake whichever way she turns.
Set against the dramatic Cornish coastline, this tale of secrets and strangers will delight fans of Rosie Goodwin and Evie Grace.
432 pages, Paperback
Published May 11, 2021
4 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Terri Nixon
24 books51 followersTerri was born in Plymouth in 1965. At the age of 9 she moved with her family to Cornwall, to a small village on the edge of Bodmin Moor, where she discovered a love of writing that has stayed with her ever since. She also discovered apple-scrumping, and how to jump out of a hayloft without breaking any bones, but no-one's ever offered to pay her for doing those.
Since publishing in paperback for the first time in 2002, Terri has appeared in both print and online fiction collections, and is proud to have contributed to the Shirley Jackson award-nominated hardback collection: Bound for Evil, by Dead Letter Press. As a Hybrid author, her first commercially published novel was Maid of Oaklands Manor, published by Piatkus Entice (a digital-first imprint of Little, Brown,) and short-listed in the "Best Historical Read" category at the Festival of Romance 2013. The sequel, A Rose in Flanders Fields, was published by Carina UK (a digital-first imprint of HarperCollins) and was short-listed in the same category in 2014.
Terri's self-published Mythic Fiction series set in Cornwall, The Lynher Mill Chronicles, has now been launched. Books one and two are available in print and e-book, and the third book in the series is due for release in June 2015.
Terri now lives in Plymouth with her youngest son, and works in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Plymouth University, where she is constantly baffled by the number of students who don't possess pens.
Terri also writes under the name T Nixon, and has contributed to anthologies under the names Terri Pine and Teresa Nixon. She is represented by the Kate Nash Literary Agency.
Since publishing in paperback for the first time in 2002, Terri has appeared in both print and online fiction collections, and is proud to have contributed to the Shirley Jackson award-nominated hardback collection: Bound for Evil, by Dead Letter Press. As a Hybrid author, her first commercially published novel was Maid of Oaklands Manor, published by Piatkus Entice (a digital-first imprint of Little, Brown,) and short-listed in the "Best Historical Read" category at the Festival of Romance 2013. The sequel, A Rose in Flanders Fields, was published by Carina UK (a digital-first imprint of HarperCollins) and was short-listed in the same category in 2014.
Terri's self-published Mythic Fiction series set in Cornwall, The Lynher Mill Chronicles, has now been launched. Books one and two are available in print and e-book, and the third book in the series is due for release in June 2015.
Terri now lives in Plymouth with her youngest son, and works in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Plymouth University, where she is constantly baffled by the number of students who don't possess pens.
Terri also writes under the name T Nixon, and has contributed to anthologies under the names Terri Pine and Teresa Nixon. She is represented by the Kate Nash Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 23, 2021
Fox Bay Hotel is in Cornwall, run by the Fox family and their associates in 1929. Exclusive and run on a family basis, in the approach to Christmas everyone who works in and around the hotel is busy working on the traditional celebrations. In this book the youngest daughter, Fiona, acquires a friend who confuses many issues, but who she has promised to help. This is the second book in the series, but I am confident that it can be read alone as it is well explained and each character’s background sketched in. It is a well written and constructed book, with family members and friends’ lives all seen as progressing. As well as Fiona’s mysterious friend, there are some unusual guests from America, whose involvement with the film industry makes them celebrities. There are many twists and turns in this book, and the author maintains a good sense of tension throughout which leaves the reader wondering. It details the emotional state of the characters extremely well, where people are unsure of their feelings for others, and how they can express their affection. This book covers a few weeks before Christmas, and balances the various strands of individuals’ stories as they either work in or around the hotel. It is an engaging read, and I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this most enjoyable book.
The novel opens with Fiona being in the lifeboat station, observing a rescue at sea. A woman is not allowed to go to sea on the lifeboat, especially at sixteen, but Fiona is desperate to do more than help launch and land the boat, so she seizes the opportunity to sneak on board and help with the dangerous rescue of those on a small boat. A man dies, but what turns out to be a teenage girl is rescued alive. She spends a night in hospital, but asks for Fiona to help her. Claiming that she has lost her memory, she asks Fiona to help her, and Fiona duly promises. It only gradually emerges that “Amy” has several versions of her story, and several people are drawn into her situation. Meanwhile Bertie, Fiona’s elder sister who has suffered a life changing injury, is unsure what comes next for her; while romantically attached to a family friend, she has an ambition that may be difficult to fulfil. Helen, mother of the girls, is confused about her emotions, but takes refuge in her role at the hotel. A group from Hollywood scrambles the attention of several people, especially the beautiful and clever Daisy and the mysterious Freddie. The romantic lives of various friends of the family are vividly described, culminating in several revelations.
This book is extremely effective at describing the emotional confusion that several of the characters find themselves in, as affection and romance is realistically not straightforward. Nixon does an excellent job of establishing that while several people find themselves attracted to others, it is not always easy to express that feeling. When combined with the challenging behaviour of Amy and the curious secrecy surrounding the American party, this is a complex book which reflects the fact that it is part of a series. This is a warm hearted novel which I greatly enjoyed reading, especially as each character is drawn in a multi dimensional way. This is a very rewarding series of books, and I recommend it to everyone who is interested in the interwar period in Britain.
The novel opens with Fiona being in the lifeboat station, observing a rescue at sea. A woman is not allowed to go to sea on the lifeboat, especially at sixteen, but Fiona is desperate to do more than help launch and land the boat, so she seizes the opportunity to sneak on board and help with the dangerous rescue of those on a small boat. A man dies, but what turns out to be a teenage girl is rescued alive. She spends a night in hospital, but asks for Fiona to help her. Claiming that she has lost her memory, she asks Fiona to help her, and Fiona duly promises. It only gradually emerges that “Amy” has several versions of her story, and several people are drawn into her situation. Meanwhile Bertie, Fiona’s elder sister who has suffered a life changing injury, is unsure what comes next for her; while romantically attached to a family friend, she has an ambition that may be difficult to fulfil. Helen, mother of the girls, is confused about her emotions, but takes refuge in her role at the hotel. A group from Hollywood scrambles the attention of several people, especially the beautiful and clever Daisy and the mysterious Freddie. The romantic lives of various friends of the family are vividly described, culminating in several revelations.
This book is extremely effective at describing the emotional confusion that several of the characters find themselves in, as affection and romance is realistically not straightforward. Nixon does an excellent job of establishing that while several people find themselves attracted to others, it is not always easy to express that feeling. When combined with the challenging behaviour of Amy and the curious secrecy surrounding the American party, this is a complex book which reflects the fact that it is part of a series. This is a warm hearted novel which I greatly enjoyed reading, especially as each character is drawn in a multi dimensional way. This is a very rewarding series of books, and I recommend it to everyone who is interested in the interwar period in Britain.
December 4, 2020
This is an enjoyable and engaging read, although book two in the series it can be read as a standalone story but the characters and setting do crossover. The story is set in the 1920s at the glamorous Fox Bay Hotel on the Cornish Riviera. The storyline centres on the youngest child of the Fox family, Fiona who is a devoted volunteer at the local lifeboat station, and who gives all her free time and her energy to the selfless crew. Having seized upon a once in a lifetime opportunity to do more and actually go out on the lifeboat she sets in motion a chain of events that have dangerous and intriguing consequences for those at the Fox Bay Hotel. Fiona has to decide how much her promises are worth when the stranger she bought into her family’s home provides an unsettling presence over Christmas, especially when visiting 'Hollywood Royalty' are also drawn into the web. However, the glamorous visitors have their own secrets reasons for hiding out at Fox Bay. When those reasons are discovered Fiona must then choose between betraying a close friend, and keeping her word, but lives are in danger whichever decision she makes.
This wonderfully written heartwarming novel about secrets, strangers and family is set against the dramatic Cornish coastline. The author has managed to bring both the characters and the setting especially Fox Bay Hotel alive through her descriptive writing as well as making the reader feel as though they have been transported back to Cornwall in the 1920’s. The characters are relatable and Fiona is an especially likeable character. The storyline flows well due to the narrative and the characters use Cornish dialect which helps to make the reader feel immersed in the time period of the story. The plot has enough going on to keep you happily turning the pages and I was hooked from start to finish whilst reading this novel. The ending is satisfactory but obviously the story will continue in the next book in the series. I look forward to the next book in the series.
This wonderfully written heartwarming novel about secrets, strangers and family is set against the dramatic Cornish coastline. The author has managed to bring both the characters and the setting especially Fox Bay Hotel alive through her descriptive writing as well as making the reader feel as though they have been transported back to Cornwall in the 1920’s. The characters are relatable and Fiona is an especially likeable character. The storyline flows well due to the narrative and the characters use Cornish dialect which helps to make the reader feel immersed in the time period of the story. The plot has enough going on to keep you happily turning the pages and I was hooked from start to finish whilst reading this novel. The ending is satisfactory but obviously the story will continue in the next book in the series. I look forward to the next book in the series.
December 28, 2020
Terri Nixon's "A Cornish Promise" is the second part of her Fox Bay Saga, after "A Cornish Inheritance". It is another beautiful book where each character has his or her own story. The book is the collection of these individual stories of characters who are in constant contact with each other.
It's about three months after the events of the previous book. It was cool to read this story around Christmas, because it also takes place during those days - only 91 years earlier.
The book is mainly about the different relationships between the different characters. It's too much to list quickly without making it seem chaotic. But by and large, life on Fox Bay is being shaken up by some new visitors. The young girl Amy is rescued as a castaway by Fiona Fox, the youngest daughter of Helen, the manager of the Fox Bay Hotel. Where in the previous book her eldest daughter Roberta (Bertie) had a bigger role, now Fiona comes to the fore. In addition to Amy, she also befriends Daisy Conrad, a young actress who comes to Fox Bay with her regular counterpart Freddie and their studio boss Rex as research for their next film.
Bertie is still recovering from her accident at the end of the previous book and is waiting for a prosthesis. In the meantime, she has shifted her mind from motorbikes to airplanes, and is hoping to start training as a pilot someday. We also read about her relationship with farmer's son Jowan, who is jealous of rich kid Xander, who also wants to become a pilot.
There's a lot more going on in this book, but the great thing is that Nixon also introduces the characters to those from her other series, namely the Penhaligon Saga and the Oaklands Manor trilogy. The three worlds are subtly intertwined in small, magical moments. I hope Terri Nixon will soon regain the rights to the last two volumes in the Oaklands Manor trilogy, which unfortunately have only been released as ebooks, audiobooks and large print hardbacks so far, so that she can release a paperback herself and I can complete my collection.
It's about three months after the events of the previous book. It was cool to read this story around Christmas, because it also takes place during those days - only 91 years earlier.
The book is mainly about the different relationships between the different characters. It's too much to list quickly without making it seem chaotic. But by and large, life on Fox Bay is being shaken up by some new visitors. The young girl Amy is rescued as a castaway by Fiona Fox, the youngest daughter of Helen, the manager of the Fox Bay Hotel. Where in the previous book her eldest daughter Roberta (Bertie) had a bigger role, now Fiona comes to the fore. In addition to Amy, she also befriends Daisy Conrad, a young actress who comes to Fox Bay with her regular counterpart Freddie and their studio boss Rex as research for their next film.
Bertie is still recovering from her accident at the end of the previous book and is waiting for a prosthesis. In the meantime, she has shifted her mind from motorbikes to airplanes, and is hoping to start training as a pilot someday. We also read about her relationship with farmer's son Jowan, who is jealous of rich kid Xander, who also wants to become a pilot.
There's a lot more going on in this book, but the great thing is that Nixon also introduces the characters to those from her other series, namely the Penhaligon Saga and the Oaklands Manor trilogy. The three worlds are subtly intertwined in small, magical moments. I hope Terri Nixon will soon regain the rights to the last two volumes in the Oaklands Manor trilogy, which unfortunately have only been released as ebooks, audiobooks and large print hardbacks so far, so that she can release a paperback herself and I can complete my collection.
December 6, 2020
A Cornish Promise by Terri Nixon is the second book of a series. It can be read as a standalone, athough the settings and characters run throughout. The story is set on the Cornish Riviera at the Fox Bay Hotel in the 1920's. The main focus of this book is on Fiona the youngest daughter of the Fox family. She is a volunteer for the local lifeboat station which is where she is the happiest. Her biggest wish is to be allowed to go out on the actual lifeboat and when it seems this wish is to come true she triggers a chain of events that may just have dangerous if intriguing consequences for the everyone at Fox Bay Hotel. Fiona finds herself in a situation that is an impossible one, due to several things and visitors to the hotel that cause her to find herself in a terrible position.
I adore a historical saga and, even with only reading this book, I loved the time I spent with Fiona and Fox Bay Hotel. A book that spins it's story and like a spider drags you in until you feel like you are part of the actual story! Fiona is such a likeable character and I found all the characters believable and relatable. The setting was created wonderfully, but that is obvious or I wouldn't have felt part of the story. I thought the fact that Terri Nixon even went to the point of using Cornish dialect within the book greatly aided the feeling of realism as well. This is a story of family, secrets and of strangers that keeps you gripped and makes you want to know how everything will turn out for them all. I recommend this series for anyone who loves a historical family saga, it is well worth reading!
Thanks to Random Things Tours and Terri Nixon for my copy of the book to bring you my thoughts today.
I adore a historical saga and, even with only reading this book, I loved the time I spent with Fiona and Fox Bay Hotel. A book that spins it's story and like a spider drags you in until you feel like you are part of the actual story! Fiona is such a likeable character and I found all the characters believable and relatable. The setting was created wonderfully, but that is obvious or I wouldn't have felt part of the story. I thought the fact that Terri Nixon even went to the point of using Cornish dialect within the book greatly aided the feeling of realism as well. This is a story of family, secrets and of strangers that keeps you gripped and makes you want to know how everything will turn out for them all. I recommend this series for anyone who loves a historical family saga, it is well worth reading!
Thanks to Random Things Tours and Terri Nixon for my copy of the book to bring you my thoughts today.
December 29, 2020
I previously read the first book in the Fox Bay Saga, A Cornish Inheritance and thoroughly enjoyed it. So I was excited to see what lay ahead for the Fox family in this follow up which is called A Cornish Promise.
I have a terrible memory so I was very appreciative that the author gave a thorough update at the start of the book about characters and events which had taken place previously. This really jogged my memory and made me excited to see how the story would progress.
A Cornish Promise takes us back to 1920s Cornwall where the Fox family reside and manage the Fox Bay Hotel. The impressive building sits close to the dramatic Cornish coastline where boats can quickly get into trouble with the ever changing weather conditions.
Youngest daughter Fiona Fox volunteers for the nearby lifeboat station. One evening they go out on a rescue and return with a survivor who is a young girl, with no possessions or memory of how she got there. Kindhearted Fiona takes her under her wing but finds that before she can help the girl she must first gain her trust.
I love reading family dramas and this author excels with fascinating characters, vivid imagery and loads of secrets and intrigue.I felt I was whisked back to the late 1920s and could feel the fresh, salty Cornish air and hear the waves crashing against the craggy coastline. It was amazing to be reunited with the characters from the Fox Bay Hotel and this time we get to meet some Hollywood glamour too. The plot is extremely well developed, guaranteed to keep the pages turning of this absorbing, entertaining and enjoyable read.
I have a terrible memory so I was very appreciative that the author gave a thorough update at the start of the book about characters and events which had taken place previously. This really jogged my memory and made me excited to see how the story would progress.
A Cornish Promise takes us back to 1920s Cornwall where the Fox family reside and manage the Fox Bay Hotel. The impressive building sits close to the dramatic Cornish coastline where boats can quickly get into trouble with the ever changing weather conditions.
Youngest daughter Fiona Fox volunteers for the nearby lifeboat station. One evening they go out on a rescue and return with a survivor who is a young girl, with no possessions or memory of how she got there. Kindhearted Fiona takes her under her wing but finds that before she can help the girl she must first gain her trust.
I love reading family dramas and this author excels with fascinating characters, vivid imagery and loads of secrets and intrigue.I felt I was whisked back to the late 1920s and could feel the fresh, salty Cornish air and hear the waves crashing against the craggy coastline. It was amazing to be reunited with the characters from the Fox Bay Hotel and this time we get to meet some Hollywood glamour too. The plot is extremely well developed, guaranteed to keep the pages turning of this absorbing, entertaining and enjoyable read.
October 19, 2025
DNF. 120 pages in and I'm bored out of my mind. There was nothing enticing about this book, the characters weren't well thought out and incredibly irritating. I kept turning the pages, hoping something was going to draw me in.. but to no avail.
January 8, 2026
Another great trilogy form Terri Nixon. Always easy to read and brilliant characters with interesting story. Excited to read the next book in the series.
December 8, 2020
I loved the setting for this story, with the glamour of the 1920's hotel contrasting the rugged, dangerous Cornish coast. I was grateful for the brief notes at the beginning on the major characters as I have not read the first in the series. Fiona established herself in my mind from the beginning as you soon discover her impetuous and plucky side. A major theme of the story seemed to revolve around lies and subterfuge. What was being said on the surface could not always be trusted and there are lots of secrets to uncover.
There is a wide range of characters, some are strangers, others friends, others family members. It is quite a challenge to keep up with them but the book is written in an engaging style and goes along at quite a pace. Anyone who enjoys a family saga series will find much to enjoy in this one
In short: Secrets on the Cornish Riviera
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book
There is a wide range of characters, some are strangers, others friends, others family members. It is quite a challenge to keep up with them but the book is written in an engaging style and goes along at quite a pace. Anyone who enjoys a family saga series will find much to enjoy in this one
In short: Secrets on the Cornish Riviera
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book
December 18, 2020
A Cornish Promise is the follow up to A Cornish Inheritance and is book three of The Fox Bay Saga. I have read all Terri Nixon’s books and they are all wonderful stories that are beautifully written, but I think this trilogy is the best so far. Nixon’s research makes this an accurate historical drama set in the 1920’s, the characters are superb, relatable and ones you will remember long after finishing the book. I do love the way she slips in characters and places from her other books too. This is an emotional, exciting, dramatic and interesting story that would make a great TV series. I was hooked right from the start so it’s yet another winner from this very talented writer and I can't wait for book three.
December 10, 2020
When Fiona brings a stranger into the hotel and makes her a promise, she sets in motion a series of events that will pull her in two directions. this book has tension on every page as the reader is carried along wondering who the girl really is and what is her motive.The arrival of 'Hollywood Royalty' brings more secrets until the shocking denoument reveals the truth.
This is a great follow-up to 'a Cornish Inheritance' and the secrets and betrayal in the main story are echoed in the subplot.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews