The Cornish House
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4.4 • 77 Ratings
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- £3.99
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- £3.99
Publisher Description
Escape to the beautiful Cornish coast with this heart-tugging, romantic story - perfect for fans of Fern Britton and Rosamunde Pilcher
When artist Maddie inherits a house in Cornwall shortly after the death of her husband, she hopes it will be the fresh start she and her step-daughter desperately need. Trevenen is beautiful but neglected, and as Maddie discovers the stories of generations of women who've lived there before, she begins to feel her life is somehow intertwined within its walls.
But Maddie's dream of a calm life in the countryside is far from the reality she faces - and as she pulls at the seams of Trevenen's past, the house reveals secrets that have lain hidden for generations.
'A heart tugging story of loss and recovery' Fanny Blake, WOMAN & HOME
'This is a book about loss, misguided decisions, heartbreak and change, but it's also about hope, long held secrets and friendships formed between the unlikeliest of people ... [it] made me laugh out loud and cry a few times. I loved it' NOVELICIOUS
'The story is beautifully told with characters who reach out to you' SIDMOUTH HERALD
'THE CORNISH HOUSE is an escapist and often emotional book, in which relationships are put to the test' STAR MAGAZINE
'Totally absorbing, a delightful debut novel' TELEGRAPH & ARGUS
Customer Reviews
The Cornish House
Delightful
The Cornish House.
Thoroughly enjoyed well worth reading.
Wonderful and just what I needed to read right now!!
I am writing this review having only finished The Cornish House about 15 minutes ago. It is very rare for me to do so as usually I need some time to allow my thoughts to order in my head, especially when I have felt such a deep connection with a book, as I did with this one. So, this review runs the risk of sounding like a series of ramblings rather than well thought out. What makes this one different? The effect that this particular book has had on me and how I needed to write my thoughts down straight away.
When Maddie and her 16 year old stepdaughter Hannah move to Cornwall, they are both hurting from Maddie losing her husband and Hannah, her father. Maddie has inherited Trevenen and feels it would be a fresh start for both of them.
The Cornish House is a story of love, loss, grief, and healing. It really shows how there is light at the end of the tunnel. It is so poignant and heartfelt and certainly pulled at my heartstrings - it had me in tears on a couple of occasions. There is a lovely romantic thread within it and a mystery to uncover too - especially as the house starts to reveal the secrets to its past.
I loved all of the characters in this story but Hannah was the one who had the most impact on me. At 16, she really is a moody teenager but as the story progresses we see and feel how much she is hurting from the loss of her father - something I can relate to. I am 15 years older than Hannah but I have felt those same raw emotions. However, I must admit that Hannah did get on my nerves at times but it is testament to Liz Fenwick's great character creation to write a character in Hannah who was able to test my patience quite a lot!!
Another character to mention is Old Tom. A former teacher, now in his eighties, he comes into Hannah's life right when she needs that sense of order and a voice of reason to help her on her journey. He is a delightful character and I think everyone should have an Old Tom in their lives.
I was so drawn into this story that I felt I was living both Maddie's and Hannah's stories and so it brought familiar emotions to the surface - but this can only happen if the writing is strong enough to create such atmosphere and Liz Fenwick's writing is and does. This is her debut book, published in 2012, and I have read her later works prior to this. What a debut this must have been. I am so pleased that she has gone on to write and publish 5 more books and a novella and I look forward to reading A Path To The Sea next year.