I really enjoyed this, I'm Cornish so it was a must read. It did have me laughing out loud and I couldn't put it down.

The book follows the story of Grant Decker, an art teacher who just turned 40 and has no idea what to do with his life. So he decides to randomly stab the map and travel to that place. He ends up on the Coast of Cornwall, England. He meets quite a few interesting individuals along his journey. But everything is new and awkward for this American traveler.

It's a pleasant, funny and quick read, it took me only a couple of hours to finish this book.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and this is my freely given opinion.

This was a short story about Grant, a high school art teacher and artistic photographer, who turned 40, and decided to give his life and soul a bit of jolt out of the slump he was in by going on a solo journey to Cornwall.

It was just as much of an existential journey as a physical journey as Grant seems to have reached a crossroads of his life at 40, and having been a teacher for 15 years, having fallen into the profession, as his sisters are teachers, his parents are teachers. Artists do like to eat as well, after all. The trip to Cornwall was a personal challenge to himself, not just the physical challenge of the the hiking and traveling alone, but also a creative artistic challenge to himself. It ended up being a life-changing experience.

This was written from the first person POV of Grant and I found him to be funny and charming. It was a fun, sweet, short read with amusing self deprecation, and sweetness. Now I want to go to Cornwall... though admittedly I would probably take the bus more and keep my walks less challenging.

And my pictures probably wouldn't be as good.

3.75 stars out of 5.

This was super sweet, light and fast read! I liked the main character and the people of Cornwall. I've never even heard about Cornwall before and this novella has made me to want to learn more about this place.

I requested to read this book because it is set in Cornwall, and that is where all my mum's side of the family are from, and I thought I'd love to read a book set there. Love it I did! A short but sweet read with a lot of heart. This was just a book about a man doing a walking tour through Cornwall and his thoughts on his journey in Cornwall, the people he meets, and reflections on his life. Even though the plot wasn't much more than this, I still really enjoyed the read. I think having family in Cornwall really made me appreciate it more - the arguments on how a particular place is pronounced, the debate on who sells the best chocolate cake in England, the descriptions of the gorgeous Cornish countryside but also the ever-unpredictable and turbulent weather. I found the love storyline that's introduced at the near end felt a bit forced, and the final chapter felt like it came out of nowhere to me, but the rest of the book was so sweet and heartwarming that it made up for it. I really loved our main character having a lovely time on his holiday and I was so glad he got a happy ending free from his draining job! Overall, just a really sweet, quick and easy read. Perfect if you need a book to make you smile I think!

A humorous and compelling novella that made me smile and turning pages.
I liked the style of writing and the storytelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A gorgeous read, it will make you laugh out loud and leave you wanting more…. Started this book and could not stop reading it until I'd finished!!

On a whim, Grant, a dissatisfied Californian teacher, decides to walk part of the Cornish coastpath one summer. He books up B&B's and luggage transfers and sets off, without any real idea of what he's getting into.

I was drawn to this book because I live in Cornwall, and know the coastpath well. Often, the portrayal of Cornish people in novels veers into caricature, but this one managed to avoid that. The joke was very much on Grant himself!

I felt and appreciate the author's affection for West Cornwall, and thought the character development was skillful and unassuming. If I were to describe the book in one word, it would be charming. It's light and easy and won't detain you long, but it's fun to spend time with.

It was a really entertaining story. The main character Grant is very likeable, good guy and it is refreshing to see how genuinely happy he is to meet new people during his coastal walk. He didn't ridicule anything that was different from what he had already known, but embraced the experience. The blurb mentioned Bill Bryson, and yes, you can see the same joy and interest in everything around him. I especially enjoyed the somewhat unexpected ending. I can recommend it to everyone.

I found this a sweet little story, with a nice mix of descriptive accounts of the scenery of Cornwall, good characters he met along the way, and no small amount of quiet wit.

An enjoyable little read.

I wouldn't normally read this type of book but I found it to be a really good read. The character of Grant was well developed and brought the book to it's best. 4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

I really enjoyed this book, a lovely insight into an American figuring out some of our quirky English expressions. I felt I was walking alongside him on the Cornish coast, imagining sights and people he interacted with, very true to life. A great quick read.

While not my usual genre, the setting and premise of this novel intrigued me enough to give it a go, and I'm glad I did!

First off, I have to say the shining star of this book was the character development. Grant is, quite frankly, great. Even though his backstory is sad, it's not delved into to the point where undue focus is put on it, which I thought was well done. You learned just enough about him to understand why he's doing what he's doing, but without setting too morose of a tone. Definitely a "find yourself" type of book, it's written with finesse and a tongue-in-cheek wit that really kept me turning the pages.

I never thought I'd be the kind of person to ever want to take a solo vacation, but this book kind of gave me a hankering for one. I'm envious of Grant, and want my own Cornwall exploration and reflection now.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book, but my review is my own. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to preview this book!

I really liked this book! I don't usually like novellas but this one worked for me. Grant is an art school teacher who goes hiking on the summer holidays around the coast of Cornwall. There, he meets a lot of people and has some adventures.

I liked Grant as a main character, and I especially loved the ending.

** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. **

Travel writing, inspirational and humour all mixed together; and what a better place to cover than beloved Cornwall!

Grant, a disgruntled photography teacher based in the US, lets faith decide where he's going on holiday and ends up booking a solo walking holiday along parts of the Cornish coast in the UK. The travel organiser books small B&B's along the route and also arranges for Grant's luggage to seamlessly arrive at the next destination. All Grant has to do is walk; or catch the bus...

This is as much about the beautiful coastal part in Cornwall, as it is about Grant taking a thorough look at his own life and figuring out what he really wants to do. Some of that decision is taken from him, but he finds a way.

Thank you for an amazingly entertaining book.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novelette. Grant is a believable and relatable character, to me. The people he meets are exciting and unique. A hike along the coast becomes an entertaining odyssey.

I usually have a problem with "general fiction" because I find myself reading through detailed descriptions of dull objects or scenery, waiting for something to happen. Not so with this story. Each interaction and introspective contemplation is told in a way that makes it seem like something is happening, moving the story at a good pace.

While I'm not sure that I would agree with the word "humorous" I did find myself smiling often about things like chocolate cake, and had the song "The Pirate Song" by Ray Stevens stuck in my head after the first chapter. I would call this story very entertaining and recommend you read it.

Grant teaches photography to high school students in N. California. He thinks he has hidden his boredom and unhappiness, but cracks have developed in his (progressively more transparent) facade over his fifteen year career. He had hated school as a kid. That was a sign someone missed.

This would be a tragedy if Grant hadn't had so many unconscious delusions. Northern California coping mechanisms, probably. Then suddenly one day, dubious inspiration somehow finds Grant, and he decides to go on a walking holiday along the coast of Cornwall.

Things might have gone differently, if Grant hadn't been in the habit of believing the convenient lies he told himself. But he was, apparently, very convincing.

Humor, more self-delusion, walking, possibly never ending pain, chocolate cake, and choosing how to have his eggs prepared, are in Grant's very near future. Which version of Grant will survive, if any (except it's not a tragedy), is part of this novella-length journey.

I disbelieved, doubted, then rooted for Grant, who is a likable soul despite his faults. And his odyssey is a worthy one; funny, sadly typical, manly prideful, and more! If not for the crude language and swearing, I would recommend this novella to all, far and wide. When I started the story, I clicked to "follow" the author, but I have to un-click that. Because the people I care about don't deserve to read those words; they don't deserve that disrespect.

Warning: Swearing including f-bomb.

3/5 Stars
-2 Stars for swearing and f-bomb; completely unnecessary, and the short novella length emphasizes the negativity. Also, I wanted to recommend this to many people (including my Mom, who would love the story and humor), but I can't, because of the language.

Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the free ecopy of this novella; the review is voluntary.

#ACornishOdyssey #NetGalley
#BooksGoSocial #AxelForrester
#Fiction #WomensFiction
#FictionCornwallEngland
#FictionWalkingHoliday