The Cornish Guest House by Emma Burstall

A new couple have arrived in Tremarnock, but will these glamorous strangers fit into village life?

Tremarnock is a small fishing village, crowded with holidaymakers in the summer, but a sleepy Cornish backwater at other times of the year. 

Here Liz has found refuge with her young daughter, Rosie, after her relationship with Rosie's father came unstuck. Now happily married to village restaurant owner, Robert Hart, all seems set for a quiet autumn and merry Christmas. But strangers have bought the local guest house and seem to have big plans. Why is he so charming and confident, but she so frightened? Are they who they say they are? And what are they really doing with the guest house?

I loved Tremarnock by Emma Burstall so much that after finishing the book I booked my first break away to Cornwall, so when her latest novel The Cornish Guest House arrived I put my current read aside and dived straight in to this book eager to see what the characters that we met in the first book have been up to.

In this book we have a new couple along with their little daughter who have moved to Tremarnock and plan to open a boutique guest house. As the community all get ready to welcome the newcomers to the village they soon fall for Luke’s charms but Tabitha is less than a welcoming host and Liz senses from the off that something isn’t quite as it seems.

I loved picking back up with the characters from book 1 especially to see how Liz and Rosie are doing but it was also great to have new characters introduced to the storyline to give it an exciting and fresh feel. I have to admit this storyline although still really enjoyable and leaving me unable to put the book down I did actually guess early on what we would reveal about our new characters so it was slightly predictable but I didn’t mind so much as the book is so well written with the life like characters and the descriptions of Tremarnock once again pulling me into the pages of the book.

The community spirit that I felt so strongly in the first book is back in full force in this book which I loved it gives such a positive, uplifting and cosy feel to the storyline. Once again the author has taken a number of difficult issues that people face in the real world and has weaved this issues around the storyline but tackling them in a delicate and yet informative way that will bring awareness to the issues.

I really hope we see more books set in this village as this is definitely my favourite fictional Cornish village and community that just leaves me wanting more. The Hardback edition really is a big beauty and would look great on the book shelf but if you are trying to save the pennies but still desperate to read this wonderful read get in quick as the kindle version is currently on 99p!( at time of review)

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