The Cornish Village School – Breaking the Rules, was a fun start to what looks like is going to be a fab series set in the most beautiful countryside village, Penmenna.

It isn’t often I come across a book where the main focus is a primary school, so this was a welcome change. The characters were all a delight to get to know and the chemistry between Matt and Rosy was obvious from the beginning. Their banter was perfectly realistic and I was hoping that the two would realise that life’s too short to miss a romantic opportunity like they could have.

I love how the book brings together a whole community and gives them a voice. It was a quick, flawless read and I now can’t wait to see what Ms. Wilson has in store for us with the rest of her series.

Such an easy, feel good read. Rosy and Matt were likable characters and you couldn't help but hope they got their happy ending. Read it on a fine summer's day.

What a great book. I couldn’t stop reading and was hooked from the start, enjoying the idyllic little village, with the fun, and different characters. A very enjoyable romantic read. A novel you will not regret purchasing.
I look forward to reading more from this new author. Certainly put a warm and fuzzy feeling inside whilst reading. A definite high recommendation to all who love the “Village” novels, with a bit of fun included.

A lovely novel with a nice mix of humour, romance and drama all centered around a primary school which is at the heart of the community nice mix of characters some quite querky which are brought to life by the author like watching a rom com a pleasant warm hearted novel very enjoyable

Strong female characters and the author's knowledge and appreciation of all things Cornish makes this a welcome addition to growing number of fictional tales set in England's most south-westerly county.

Rosie, the village school headteacher, sees the village as her new start, nothing will spoil it for her as long as she follows her rules. Matt, a celebrity gardener, moves in next door, and their growing physical and emotional attachment threatens Rosy's rule book.

Aside from the emotional angst, the school is under threat of closure, and the subsequent campaign to #SaveOurSchool draws the community together and gives the Matt and his sister a chance to become part of something real and worthwhile.

The plot is simple and a little predictable, but the characters are believable, quirky and vividly portrayed, so the complete package makes a satisfying read.

Romance, humour, trust and community are all themes of this village based tale, and I look forward to seeing who comes under the village spotlight next.

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

I really loved the different characters in this story which bring the Cornish village of Penmenna alive. Set in the local primary school there are some great appearances by pupils and staff alike and the key players, Rosy the head and Matt the TV gardener are a delight. I enjoyed the #saveourschool campaign and the addition of Matt's sister is just perfect. The only slightly negative point is that the book is very formulaic - will they, won't they - and this seems more in keeping for younger protagonists. I know there has to be a reason why Rosy and Matt can't get together too soon but the constant self-questioning by Rosy as to her emotions was used too often and felt at odds with her role as a head teacher. That aside, there are some really hilarious moments, some deep insightful moments and some moments you just weren't expecting which make this a great little summer read.

Cornwall - a place I have never set foot in, yet I feel as though I know it extremely well given the amount of books I have read with Cornwall as its setting. It's a very popular setting that's for sure and, whilst I do seem to roll my eyes whenever I realise a book is Cornwall based, I nearly squealed in excitement when it became clear that Kitty Wilson made her characters the highlight of the story instead of Cornwall. Look, I have nothing against the place, I would just love to see more variation in settings. Seeing as this author put a different spin on the Cornish place we have all grown to love, I won't hold the setting against her ;).

Rosy adores her little house, seeing it as a place of tranquility and her safe haven away from the PTA busybody at the school she is headmistress of. That is until one day, she comes face to face (literally) with a man who rather enjoyed blocking her car in the driveway, with a van full of his belongings for his brand new home right next to Rosy's house. If Rosy was looking forward to keeping herself to herself after a hard days work, she's got another thing coming, especially when her new neighbour seems to find any little reason to go knocking on her front door. The village seemed smitten with the new, local gardener, but Rosy wasn't convinced - even when she realised that Matt may just be the answer to her prayers...

Keep your mind out of the gutter, I didn't mean like that! Well, Rosy would probably be dreaming about Matt in that way, but that isn't what I was insinuating. I think!

I adored Rosy and her looks that could kill. I saw a lot of myself in her, which made me laugh harder when Rosy seemed to plan people's murders with her eyes alone. Such a fun, sassy, and bold character, I really don't think I would ever get bored reading about Rosy and her antics.

Just like a lot of the female character population in this book, I ended up tilting my head to one side saying 'awwww!' when Matt spent time with the children from Rosy's school. I'm not usually like that but it was cute, and no I won't tell you why so if you wanted to know, you'll have to pick up the book and read it!

'The Cornish Village School' was such a multi-layered, laugh out loud, heart-warming, and energetic read which kept me entertained with every turn of the page. I enjoyed how the author put a different spin on Cornwall, bringing its beauty into the description but not letting the setting take the shine away from the overall theme of the book. I suppose the other way of describing this book is by saying that it is a 'feel good read', because it is. It's light-hearted with a hint of serious depth, yet incredibly cosy and guaranteed to keep a smile on your face.

I thought the characters were very well thought out, each with their own memorable personalities (some more than others!). Marion, whilst being incredibly over-bearing, nosy, and often quite annoying, ended up making me warm to her as believe it or not, she actually had a heart underneath the exterior of sticking her nose into everyone's business. Who would've thought it, eh!

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this gem of a book! The only downside for me was that I wanted more and I didn't have any more, so if the author could rectify that spit spot then I would be rather happy haha.

Breaking the Rules is the first in a new series from Kitty Wilson. Centred around the Cornish Village of Penmenna, it introduces Rosy Winter, 30-something Headteacher of Penmenna Village School and the various characters that live and work in the village.

We start the book with Rosy discovering a new neighbour moving in to the empty house next door. Although sworn off men for life after a disastrous relationship with the evil Josh, she is simultaneously horrified and delighted to realise that her new neighbour is an extremely gorgeous gardener who has moved into the village to start work on a new gardening TV show featuring the village. Tagging along and shuttling between Penmenna and London is his awful sister Angelina, a reality TV celebrity who thinks of very little except herself and the next rich man she's going to bag herself. Rosy and Matt immediately hit it off and the chemistry is off the charts. Quite apart from the fact that Rosy isn't going to let this go anywhere, she is otherwise engaged with processing the news that the local authority is planning on closing her high achieving school and merging it with 4 others, ten miles away. Determined to stop this happening, Rosy and her colleagues set about trying to prove that Penmenna Village School has to remain.

The characters of Matt and Rosy are really funny and likeable. The dialogue is great. Angelina is an absolute nightmare of a woman and I found the conversations between her and Matt grating - it doesn't seem to me that such a laid back guy would put up with her crap, but the touching reason is brought to light and it makes a lot more sense. Miriam is virtually a caricature of a village school PTA head, but she's one of the most evolved characters by the time we get to the end and the children featured are funny and realistic.

I don't tend to read romantic comedy, and to be honest, for half the book I was screaming 'GET ON WITH IT', but I think that back and forth/will they, won't they theme is something that's been successful for a long, long time, so isn't likely to stop being so now. There are darker themes in this book than in similar novels I've read - such as what happened between Rosy and Josh, and Matt's family background. There were moments that I thought that Matt should just move on and find someone else - after all, with his sister to deal with he definitely didn't need another hysterical female, but you'll have to read to find out if he persists or not!

This is an easy read and I'm sure it will be spotted on many a beach this summer. As the first in the series, I look forward to finding out what happens in Penmenna in the future!

This was an easy but interesting summer read. A little predictable but it did bring a smile to my face and made me root for the main characters. Cornwall is ovely setting for a novel and this has me wishing I was there!

Thank you to netgalley for the chance to read and review this book.

Summer is my favourite time of year for a laid-back book. The Cornish Village School- Breaking The Rules is the first in a series about Headteacher Rosy Winter and her fight to save her school from closure. I have listened to books with similar plots and Cornwall and the counties of the West Country seem to be a setting in many a summer-themed book. There’s a village in this book, too. Another feature of a summer read.

That is where the similarities with other books end, though. Kitty Wilson creates a very homely village called Penmenna with many characters who had their own clear personalities. Rosy is likeable at the beginning and her neighbour Matt is a charming guy who is a gardener and who has a TV show. The conversation and atmosphere between them is realistic and I loved seeing a rapport develop between these two characters. Rosy’s attempts to get Matt to be “local” after he arrives in the area and moves in next door was funny.

The buildings, scenery pubs and atmosphere are realistically portrayed and Scramble the dog is incredibly cute.

The character I didn’t really like was Matt’s sister Angelina who was very spoilt, but what would a community be without a mismatch of characters? I felt she was portrayed well as one of the less likeable characters. I did wonder what the book would be like without her. I felt Matt was quite a strong person except the times he bowed to her whims (a little too easily at times I felt).

Rosy is not one to give up, ever. I did find she was very loyal to her job and to the welfare of the children, especially those with special educational needs. This is an aspect I feel strongly about seeing as I have personal experience of studying at a mainstream school and of living with special educational needs. I got into the story even more when she concocted a plan to save the school.

Read the book to see what happens next!

Thanks to Kitty Wilson and Canelo for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I will be doing the blog tour for this title. The first book sparked interest in me, not only because of the themes, but because of the way Kitty Wilson gives every character the space in the book they require.

3-3.5 stars. I would have given this book more stars but what turned me off giving it more was the suggestion, in trying to turn the school’s fate around, that some children be “stuck in wheelchairs” during the plan they wanted to put in place (just to get a reaction). This is probably not what the author meant, but even without meaning to, this statement affected me.

As a wheelchair user, I disagree with the fact that sticking someone in a wheelchair for a few minutes will show the reality of having to rely on one for daily mobility. Rather, it would have been better if there were already children at the school who used wheelchairs in real life. Not using children who don’t for school publicity. Similarly, I disagreed with the assumption that one child should fake having a meltdown just for show when they did not ever have them. I was happy that the people making these suggestions were put in their place quickly. This was probably meant as harmless, but shocked me.

If you are in a wheelchair and want to read this book, just be aware of this part. Another reason I did not give this more stars was that Rosy was a little immature at some points.

Ending on a good note, though, The Cornish Village School: Breaking the Rules has a fun title and a pretty cover. I love how the title and colour scheme is carried through to the blog materials. The overall look is very fresh and spring/ summerlike.

What a cracking stiry to read. We will post our review in our blog next week whilst on the blog tour. And at the same time here.

Rosy Winter is the headmistress of the local school in the pretty Cornish village of Penmenna. She rebuilt her life in the little village after she had her heart broken and she is definitely not looking for love! That is until handsome new neighbour, Matt moves in. Matt is a TV gardener and is looking for inspiration for his new TV show. Accompanied by his very needy sister, Matt calls upon Rosy to help him customise to life in a Cornish village. He also helps Rosy when her school is threatened with closure and rallies the troops to “Save Our School”.

My first book by this author. The cover of this book initially attracted me as it is beautiful! It illustrates what life in a little Cornish village should be like and sets the scene perfectly for this book. Rosy is a lovely character! She’s obviously had her heart broken before and is determined not to let it happen again. Her main priority is her school and the school children….that is until the lovely Matt arrives! There’s a spark between them both, but Rosy tries to keep her distance especially when she mistakes Matt’s sister for his girlfriend. I love the scene where Rosy tries to teach Matt some of the Cornish accent and sayings – it’s just like a different language! You really hope from early on in the book that Rosy and Matt get it together as their characters work so well together!

This was a lovely book! The setting was beautiful, the characters were cute and it had love, fun, kids and animals - all the lovely things that you could want in a book like this! This is definitely one which I would recommend and it’s perfect for a summer read! I hope there’s another part in the series to carry on the story!

The first in a new series, The Cornish Village School seems to be an excellent opener with varied characters centred in the village of Penmenna. I found the description of life in the village school to be quite convincing and there is some lovely gentle humour from the children. Fighting to keep the school open, Rosy is quite a surprising character with lots of baggage from her past. Frank and honest, she has a feisty side which really makes her come alive.

I appreciated the fact that we are given the points of view of both Rosy and Matt. If you had only seen the story through Rosy's eyes, I think the reader would get a completely different impression on what was going on. Matt's sister is a totally over the top character but his care for her despite her very annoying and self-centred behaviour shows you his own caring and loyal nature.

With a beautiful setting and varied village life, it is an ideal holiday read and bodes well for the rest of the series.

In short: A heart-warming romance full of Cornish life.

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

This book was an easy going book, once started hard to put down as wanted to see if Rosy and Matt got together in the end, would recommend this book

Having been a fan of books set in schools all my life and a huge fan of books set in Cornwall, downloading and reading this one was a no brainer decision for me.

It is an excellent debut novel from a talented writer who really knows how to put cute children and a cute dog into the same book as a sexy gardener, a reality tv star and a headmistress amongst others

This is a book centering around a campaign to save a local village primary school and the way the teachers and PTA and community come together with some great ideas.

I loved Rosy who is determined to live her life by one very important Rule, but when the dishy Matt moves in next door she is forced to re-examine her life a bit.

With some great auxiliary characters, flashes of humour and a general feel good vibe to it, this is a fabulous story and I can't wait to see what happens next in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Canelo for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I'm sorry. I know lots of people loved it. It appealed as a bit of light relief after the thrillers I usually read but I just couldn't get over the way these two supposed mature adults were behaving like twelve year olds in the midst of their first crush! Maybe it would have got better but I couldn't see my irritation getting any less & life's too short to read a book you don't enjoy so this is one of my rare 'Did Not Finish' ones!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me try!

I quickly fell in love with the characters and the setting in this book. A book set in Cornwall is almost guaranteed to make my reading list- and this was an adorable story. Rosy is the local headteacher who is having to fight to save their village school. After a troubled youth she’s very wary around dating- but when Matt moves in next door the electric sparks between them. He is adorable- very friendly, very sexy and great with dogs and children!
I could just imagine the cottages and settling down in the evening with a nice glass of wine.
Matts sister was an amusing character- very fiery and entitled.
I loved the way that Matt’s gardening shapes the story and how he wants to help the school appeal. He really is a sweetheart!

If you are looking for an escapist, delicious and wonderfully entertaining summer romance that will enchant and enthrall, then look no further than Kitty Wilson’s splendid tale, The Cornish Village School: Breaking the Rules. Fun, uplifting and simply irresistible, this is a must-read for fans of Trisha Ashley and Holly Martin!

Romance is strictly off the books for headmistress Rosy Winter. After having had her heart well and truly shattered and smashed into smithereens, Rosy had decided to consign romance and relationships to the past and focus on herself and her career. She has made a wonderful life for herself in the picturesque village of Penmenna and her heart is truly well under lock and key. Rosy is not looking for love and keeps to her rule that if Cupid ever remembered her existence she would hope that he would shoot his arrow in the direction of somebody who does not live in Penmenna. This is a resolve that should be pretty easy to stick to – until Rosy gets a new neighbour. A hunky new neighbour who looks like he has stepped out of every woman’s romantic fantasy: drop dead gorgeous gardener Matt, a man who has sex on legs written all over him!

When Matt had come to Penmenna for his new TV show, he had not expected to fall head over heels in love with his new neighbour. But Matt cannot help but feel drawn to Rosy, even if she seems intent on doing everything within her power to give him as wide a berth as possible. Will Matt be able to convince her to take a leap of faith and give their relationship a chance? Or will Rosy continue to keep her heart under lock and key and end up losing out on the love of a lifetime?

Poor Rosy has got other problems to contend with other than an inconvenient attraction. With the Penmenna school threatened with closure, Rosy is prepared to do whatever it takes to rescue the school from being closed forever. The school is not only central to the local community, but has also provided Rosy with the sanctuary she had needed when she had first come to Penmenna. Rosy is not about to give up without a fight, but could Matt hold the key to secure not just the school’s future, but also her heart?

I absolutely adored this book! A charming, compelling and highly engrossing romance that is the best thing to come out of Cornwall since Ross Poldark, The Cornish Village School: Breaking the Rules is an addictive and captivating tale of community, second chances, irresistible attraction and hope that will touch your heart and make you laugh out loud. Kitty Wilson is a wonderful writer who has written a fabulous read that draws you in from the very beginning and will make you fall in love with her wonderful characters and the exceptional story she has written.

Contemporary women’s fiction readers are in for a treat with The Cornish Village School: Breaking the Rules and Kitty Wilson is a fabulously talented writer whose name should be at the very top of your must-buy list!

Love this book! This is exactly the kind of book I enjoy! Lighthearted, easy, warm, sunny days, beautiful sett8ng and village life stuffed with quirky and likeable characters. Rosy rocks!

Rosy has put her turbulent past relationship behind her and has built a contented new life in the delightful Cornish village of Penmenna, where she runs the happy local school and lives a solitary but settled life in her tiny cottage. That is until a threat of closure of the school, and a threat to her personal equilibrium in the face of a handsome new neighbour disrupt everything.

This is a delightful debut from Kitty Wilson. The plot is a departure from the usual Cornish novels which seem to centre around cafes, shops and guesthouses and gets right into the heart of the community at the village school. Rosy is a character that I warmed to immediately so I was very quickly invested in her story. Her new neighbour, Matt, is pretty much the perfect man – handsome, thoughtful, charming, good with children – but Kitty still manages to make him believable and you will be screaming at Rosy to see what we see in him throughout the course of the book.

The plot isn’t earth-shattering, with no shocking twists and turns, it is a more gentle and straight-forward with a series of misunderstandings and complicated emotional barriers being the main devices to carry the story which make it an easy read and largely convincing but no less gripping. There did come a point when I was getting a little frustrated with Rosy’s insistence on sticking to ‘The Rule’ and her complete over-reaction at one point in the book but it did become clear later why she reacted this way which made sense to me eventually. Matt showed amazing fortitude in the face of her erratic behaviour, but I guess he had plenty of experience in dealing with his sister.

Matt’s sister, Angelina, is a nightmare in human form and the one flaw he had, as far as i could see (and one I would have found difficult to stomach had I been Rosy) was how much he let her get away with. However, she did provide a lot of comic value in this book, along with Marion, the scourge of the PTA, who had pretty much become my favourite character by the end of the book. In fact, the book had many laugh out loud/cringe inside moments, my particular highlight being Rosy’s blind date.

Throw in a cute but mischievous dog, a school full of adorable children, a fabulous country house garden and the gorgeous Cornish setting, peopled with eccentric local customs, and you have a winning formula that it is impossible not to enjoy. I read this book in a couple of hours.

This book is as sweet and tempting as a Cornish cream tea and I enjoyed every mouthful.