An entertaining read from the reliable Phillipa Ashley. A lovely setting and engaging characters make for the perfect summer escape.

As usual phillipa Ashley does not disappoint, nice to be back with some old favourites and to a place that you cannot help but fall in love with.

Such a hear warning read. I loved everh second and every character

This was one of a series of books about the same town, and all three were engaging and made me want to visit the area.

This is your typical romance of a boy running away from his past who falls in love with a girl that's unlucky in the love department. I had trouble getting into the story because I found the plot to move along at a very slow pace.

My favourite in the Little Cornish Isles series without a doubt! A quirky cat, a hot summer's day and Phillipa Ashley's amazing writing is all you need for a great novel.

A sweet cozy book. It was easy to read and a pleasant book to bring on cacation. I liked the characters in the story as well as the setting.

This is a pure summer smash hit. I cannot get enough of Phillipa Ashley at the moment I am adoring her stories.
Full review to follow

A lovely well-written story with memorable characters and charming plot. I will certainly look for this author's books again.

Thanks Netgalley, Publisher and the Author. Another of my favourite authors for just being swept away in the great writing style the characters and most of all the emotion. Good read,

Nach einer hilfreichen Aufklärung, was die Cornish Islands überhaupt sind, taucht man gleich in die locker, leichte Geschichte ein. Gut gezeichnete Personen und Plots machen das Buch zu einem gelungenen Erlebnis.

Every time I read a book in 'The Little Cornish Isles' series, I think that's my favourite and #The Starfish Studio' is no different. I love the story, the chemistry between Jake and Poppy, the healing and forgiveness required to move forward and the friendly, loving, nosy community that supports Jake and Poppy find love and happiness again.

Full of vivid imagery, reading this story is like looking at a detailed canvas, you can feel the sea sway, enjoy the wildlife and scenery and absorb the warmth of the community.

After a moment of serendipity, Jake and Poppy go their separate ways, never expecting to meet again, not knowing their lives will change forever before they do. The chemistry between Poppy and Jake is undeniable if unwelcome, as Jake runs from his haunted past and Poppy's faces a future alone after her boyfriend's betrayal.

A romantic story of battling against life's troubles and learning to let your heart love again, perfect summer reading.

I received a copy of this book from Avon UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I don’t travel far from home in real life so I enjoy reading of places I will never see in person. I had never even heard of Isles of Scilly, so this book was an education as well as a joy to read. When I started reading ebooks I was not certain they would be my cup of tea. It turned out that I love reading them for many reasons. One is that I can highlight a word and immediately have an explanation or I can open the internet and receive a more detailed description. For example, I never knew what “Dreamies” are before reading this book (a snack for cats).

This is the first book I have read by Phillipa Ashley. I was attracted to the book cover and after reading the description of the story; I was drawn to read the story. I liked the author’s writing style immediately. She describes the scenery and action so well that I felt like I was living the story as well as her characters. Phillipa created such unique and well-rounded characters, full of emotion and history. Although this is the third book in this series, The Little Cornish Isles, I was able to completely understand everything without knowledge from the other two books.

The main plot of the book is carrying on after a major blow to future life plans. Both Jake and Poppy find themselves in a position to begin anew after a major change in their lives. While Jake was running away from facing his past, Poppy was moving forward - full steam ahead. The Isles of Scilly, its inhabitants and time will heal them.

It was lovely to visit St Piran and meet all of the residents. I do feel like I took a vacation there and I did not want it to end. Lucky for me, there are several other books that will take me back.

I want to thank NetGalley.com, AVON, Harper Collins Publishers for allowing me to read this wonderful book. I wanted to write my opinion of this book in hopes others will also discover this author and also enjoy her books.

If nothing else, this book has made me want to visit The Scilly Isles - the descriptions are gorgeous! I'd be perfectly happy to swap lives with Poppy too - the idea of running an art gallery in such an idyllic location fills me with longing. And Jake is positively yummy. 

This novel is escapism at it's best.

What an idyllic place that author Phillipa has taken me to in this book!! Poppy takes over the little gallery/studio on the island, and that's where it all starts!!!
How frustrating 'Love' is and can be, when people don't tell each other how they are actually feeling!! Well this is true of Poppy & Jake. The what was a 'forbidden love' between Jake's Grandfather Archie and and a lady called Fen!! And then there's the cat called 'Leo', that causes you to laugh at the small antics he gets up to!!
What a wonderful read, loved it!!

A nice light read typical of what you would expect from this genre. Delivers on the charming characters and escapist setting. Overall, an enjoyable read.

This is a lovely read. The 3rd book in the series, but you don’t need to have read the others to read this.

When Poppy and her boyfriend Dan visit the Cornish Isle and the Starfish Studio gallery, they fall in love with the place.

Months later, weeks before taking on the running of the studio, Dan drops the bombshell of saying he’s in love with another woman and Poppy is dumped. Poppy decides to move to the studio anyway and with the help of the studio’s owner’s grandson Jake, sets about renovating the now run down gallery and finding happiness again.

This is a fab summer read and I enjoyed this much more than the second book in the series.

Poppy is a great character, strong but not superwoman and Jake is a great character too, struggling with his attraction to Poppy but still struggling with the guilt after his fiancé died.

Thank you Avon and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unpaid review.

Poppy and Dan were a couple, three years on Dan has left Poppy and Poppy meets Jake again when he visits the Isle's.



Jake is back after his grandfather becomes ill to oversee his house and his artistry work. During his time there though getting over the loss of his fiancée as well he meets Poppy and the pair together manage to get a gallery display set up in The Starfish.



As good news, bad news and miracles happen, the pair grow a bond between them as they find a light in the darkness from each other. It's heartwarming, fun but also serious too dealing with loss and finding life again.

I loved 'The Little Cornish Isles' series and the covers also make them so inviting. They easily transport you to the Scilly Isles making them a perfect summer read.
Poppy falls in love with the Starfish studio on a visit and later plans to run it with her boyfriend. When he lets her down a matter of weeks before they are due to make the move- she still goes ahead to take over by herself.
She's initially dismayed with the rundown studio, but with the the help of the landlords grandson we can visualise the gallery taking shape and transforming into a welcoming place to visit. Despite setbacks she remains positive and keeps her goal in sight. I loved every page and wish that I could catch the helicopter to take a visit and buy something to remember my 'trip'.
I think a sign of a great book is one that you are sad to leave behind. It's wonderful knowing that this is part of a series, and hopefully we will be catching up with them again soon

I wished id read the other books 1st. But when i requested it i didn't realise it was a series. Lovely feel good read in what sounded like an idylic place to stay. Lovely characters and well written.

When the weather is great outside, but the view from your window or deckchair hasn’t changed in a while, there is simply nothing better than settling back to break open a new book. The thrill is magnified if you get taken away to somewhere idyllic and pretty as you do when Phillippa Ashley whisks you off to the Little Cornish Isles.
With lots of references to the fabulous, flourishing flora of the Isles and the hilarious time spent in the company of the fauna- aka the illustrious Leo the giant ginger cat, I could really picture myself as an observer of this community’s life. I already dream of living by the sea one day – and I love the coastal tide sounds on my white noise app as I read or write – so the delightful descriptions of the sights and countryside depicted a relaxing and welcoming place that straight away set the tone for dreams to come true.
As a person with a creative mentality I loved spending time getting to know the inhabitants of St Piran and the Isles of Scilly. There were so many kindred spirits ready to introduce themselves as I the reader settled myself amongst them as an invisible and anonymous shop assistant at The Starfish Studio. I enjoyed exploring the exhibits of ceramic creations, glassware gifts, jaunty jingly jewellery and passionate paintings that the author placed on show. I particularly enjoyed looking at life through a certain photographer’s lens, and the bird’s eye view I was given of budding relationships was a joy to behold. Like peeking through one of those telescopes set high up on the coastal cliff edge, I couldn’t resist focusing in further on the kaleidoscope hearts of the romantic leads.
From page one I was sucked into this picture-perfect romantic setting. The story unfolded around me like the edges of a beautifully crafted driftwood frame. I could see the sparkling seawater shimmering below and more than once I felt lashed by the salty spray, as the seasons came and went, in the wonderful world of Poppy, Jake, Archie and Fen.
Without realising it the story began to work its magic on me too, releasing some of the weights of life that had attached themselves to me and teaching me again to gratefully embrace the freedoms that are on offer all around me; to stop labouring under labels or stories that we or others put upon ourselves. I realised that I too was “in a new and very different place” and that I had the chance to reach out and enjoy it.

Coffee Cup Conversations and Teapot Talking Points:
If you and I dear reader were sitting down together today, having both read the book, here are a few of the points we could mull over together, as we sip our lattes and look out to sea.

Have you ever visited a seaside gallery?
I have wonderful memories of ducking into galleries whilst in Cornwall. The light mixed with the unique creations that just ooze local charm have fused with the smell of suntan lotion, relaxed loafers and the feeling that you have all the time in the world just to mooch and browse. This feeling affected me so much that I have 2 paintings in my bedroom and one in my bathroom from just such a trip. I remember my husband had to ‘nip’ back there for us when on a later business trip and I just had to stalk one of the shops online to make a purchase of a painting that I just couldn’t get out of my head! Reading about The Starfish Studio took me straight back there.
Have you ever been on a painting retreat?
I am no painter – in fact I have to work hard to find kind things to say about my drawing and painting. But I am very creative, I love colouring and crafting and I have always thought that I would like to go and paint for a holiday. I imagined myself in France or some such place, in the middle of a cornfield, painting outside like Monet! (Yes, I could pull that off...just like Monet!) Then I like to imagine going back to a quaint farmhouse where someone has made me the most delicious picnic. That would be just the ticket! It sounds like a holiday that should definitely go on my Wishlist. I wonder if my husband would come with me?
Could you live in a remote setting?
Years ago, I watched a programme where a group of people, who previously had never met, volunteered to start a community in a remote setting. It was called Castaway and was a reality TV experiment set up by the BBC. The group had to organise their own community and provide for themselves. It was sort of a psychological experiment, a Big Brother type operation but with different age groups and experiences coming together and living together for a whole year. I really enjoyed watching the relationships grow and change – those people had with each other and with the land, life, the universe and everything. I am not sure if I could have committed that long or been that brave – but there are times when I would really like to explore more remote areas. I would also like to visit traditional communities in the Spanish speaking world and use my Spanish there really getting to know people who seem somehow more authentic. These communities seem to be living more in harmony with nature and with themselves – although if memory serves me right, it wasn’t always that way in the case of the TV show.