What a beautiful love story! I just couldn’t put it down. I loved the characters of Ethan and Georgie, and the way their back story was interwoven within the book just added to the appeal. The letters were magical and so emotional, another way of engaging the reader. The setting was wonderful and the big house just amazing! The description and details of the colours and decor were so vivid I felt as if I was really walking around the house myself and seeing all the exquisite views from the windows. Ethan and Georgie’s passion for each other was so well written and emotive and the ending was perfect. Although a small part of me wanted them to live in the house at the end. I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It’s definitely a must have for your reading list. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. It will stay with me for a long time and I just had to read it again to savour the feelings. In my opinion this is Cressida’s best book so far. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

This is the first Cressida McLaughlin book I’ve read and I throughly enjoyed it. The setting is gorgeous, the characters very believable anns likeable and the old house made new aspect made it wonderfully atmospheric. I thought this was going to be a really cheesy read but although it’s very much a Cornish Love Story it’s not at all cheesy. I shall be reading more by this author.

Georgie Monroe is a journalist living in a little Cornish town. She has been infatuated with a local author and her series of books since her teenage years, and she now works for her. The house which features in the series in based on a local house, and this has been redeveloped recently. Georgie is asked to write a feature on it (and do a little "spying" for her boss!), but she's shocked to find out who now owns it.

This was a lovely read! The other books I've read by this author have always been filled with lots of love and laughter, and this was no exception. I have to admit though that this didn't catch me as much as her other books but it was still an enjoyable, fun and romantic story! The two main characters, Georgie and Ethan are likeable and I liked their history. Their storylines unravel well and told through alternative chapters, you get to see this from past and present timelines.

The house was a focal point of the story, and after it's renovation it sounded so amazing - if it's still available, I'd love to live in it myself! The book was a warm hearted read with plenty of laughter throughout. I loved the location, the characters were likeable and I would definitely recommend it.

I absolutely loved this little escape to Cornwall. It has everything you want in a book! It had me hooked. So easy to read, with wonderful characters and a beautiful location.

Ah close proximity is one of my most favourite tropes and this delivers it in spades! A small town where everyone knows your business and some family issues make this an ideal holiday read set in the gorgeous Cornwall.

I’m a huge fan of Cornwall, so when I saw A Cornish Love Story, I had to read it. And let me tell you, it didn’t disappoint! From the very first page, I was totally immersed in the Cornish setting—it felt like I was right there with the characters.

The story follows Georgie, a journalist who’s covering an event at a gorgeous house in Cornwall. There, she runs into Ethan, her first love, and they get stuck inside together. As they navigate their past, the book flips between their present-day tension and their history, giving you a better understanding of why they’re the way they are.

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Georgie and Ethan. I wasn’t sure I’d like the locked-room trope, but it worked perfectly here! It’s funny, heartwarming, and I was totally rooting for them to sort things out.

If you’re looking for a quick, feel-good read with a bit of romance and a lot of heart, this book is definitely worth picking up on August 19, 2025!

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A lovely cornish cosy romance. Can you imagine being trapped in a house with your ex overnight? Well Georgie has to experience that and it's exciting to read what happens. Love the way the story goes from past to present.

Georgie has long been infatuated with a series of books set in her little Cornish town and when the reclused author hires her, she jumps at the chance. The authors old house has been bought and redeveloped and it's up to Georgie to go and investigate, but it unearths things and someone from her past...could they be her future?


An easy read, I didn't find this as natural a read as McLaughlin's books usually are to begin with. There felt like too much background being forced upon you initially but after this settled down I found myself swept up into the characters. Beyond the main pair, I wouldn't say anything significantly happens in the story and perhaps that's why it's only a 3/5 for me.

As an avid reader of Cressida Mclaughlin's books, I really enjoyed this one. It made a refreshing change to meet a new character who didn't work in a bookshop, as so many of her recent character's have. I warmed to Georgie and Ethan straight away, and particularly enjoyed the chapters set in 2012. As the story unfolds, we learn more about their lives and what lead to their breakup. The alternating chapters, between past and present, was an excellent way to tell the background of their relationship and the present events. Would Georgie and Ethan get back together, or would history repeat itself? Cressida has surpassed herself by teasing out this ending until the very last page!

What a fabulous read! Whilst stand-alone, it was great to catch up with some old characters in this heartwarming Cornish tale.
When Maisie's schoolgirl crush Colm comes home after 10 years in Australia, having left without saying goodbye, it sets her on edge. A disappointment to get mum, Maisie gave up teaching to run the family iron mongers, and has no desire to ever leave her childhood town. She loves being involved in the town, helping with a charity calendar and organising the summer festival, but has she taken on too much, and as her feelings for Colm grow, can she trust him to stay around long enough to give their relationship a chance?
A truly great read, fabulous setting and great characters, with tears and laughter along the way.

I thought The Staycation would always be my favourite but A Cornish Love Story has just taken over!

I absolutely loved Georgie and Ethan's story. There was just enough back and forth between now and back when they got together as teenagers. The backstory was really important to be able to understand them both in the present.

The time spent in the house, being locked in, was so much fun and there was a lot to it. It was enjoyable to see how the house could do different things and to watch Ethan and Georgie react in there.

I couldn't get enough of this one and read it in less than a day!

Simply a lovely and nostalgic escapist read, set in a dreamy location, complete with mysteries from the past, a glamourous house, and relatable but flawed characters. Pack it to read on your Cornish break, or if like me, you don't have that luxury, with a cream tea or two whilst dreaming of sunsets, coves and romance.

I really enjoyed this book, it was the perfect romantic summer read. I enjoyed the way the story was both set in the present, and looking back at the past. In other books I have read it can be hard to keep up with where the story is, but that was not the case with this book.
I loved getting to know the characters and see how their relationship developed throughout the book.
A great Cornish read.

An absolutely brilliant read from Cressida. Georgie and Ethan's story was full of twists and turns and quite scary with the introduction of AI - really makes you stop and think. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and made for a real page turner. Great characters with a lovely story with some quite sinister moments. I loved it.

Cressidas books are always a delight to read and if you want a cosy, romantic story she is your go to author. I absolutely adored this book, I couldn’t get enough of it. The past and the present intertwined. It didn’t matter which chapter I was reading one when they were younger in the past or one in present time I was addicted, hooked and wanted to know what was going to happen.

The way Cressida writes is inspiring. I adored both characters Georgie and Ethan, their chemistry was off the charts and the whole idea of the story made a compelling read. I love the forced proximity trope and seeing how it would all end- a second chance romance.

I cannot recommend this book enough if you love a romance, Cressida is the queen of stunning, romance stories! You need to add this book onto your pre orders.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this before it is released.

I know I’m in for a comfort filled, romantic getaway whenever I pick up one of Cressida’s book and they always feel like a treat. Sinking into the pages was my favourite part of the day!

Again (as with literally all her other books) I loved the characters and getting to know them both and their histories. The split time perspectives helped to build backstory and quickly had you rooting for them both. I love a forced proximity trope too and seeing them face each other after so long was a build up I couldn’t wait to see reconciled. I had to rip myself away from the book every time!

I am such a sucker for a good romance and you can’t get any better than Cressida’s books.

I inhaled this book. I adored the characters, the setting, the emotional depth and the backstory. I rushed to finish it because I wanted to know, and then I regretted getting there so quickly. It’s a beautiful love story that’s sad, joyful, full of memories and nostalgia, but also full of passion and hope for the future.

It’s set on the Cornish cliffs and follows two timelines in the lives of Georgie and Ethan, as they fall in love as teenagers, and then meet again as adults.

Georgie loves reading and dreams of writing her own love stories. She adores the Cornish Sands romance series by S.E.Artemis, a local author who lived in Alperwick House, set high on the nearby cliff, and set her books in a fictional version of it. But the books didn’t get the ending Georgie thought they deserved and she dreams of giving the characters she loves their happy ever after.

Her first love, Ethan, wants to be an architect and they dream together of how he might restore Alperwick House, but life doesn’t go the way they hope and Georgie ends up broken hearted.

Years later, Georgie goes to an open house event at Alperwick House, to report on its transformation for the local paper. Ethan is the architect and when the smart system at the house goes wrong, they are forced to spend the night together.

I was totally swept up in Georgie and Ethan’s story and the beautiful setting just adds to the romance and magic. I totally fell in love with Ethan and was about ready to move into the restored and luxurious Alperwick House. A Cornish Love Story is a gorgeous, feel-good page turner and I loved every minute of it.

Cute, nothing too pretentious. It's a second-chance love story where both characters have never really got over it. I liked that the author addressed the problem of living in a completely smart house and while at the beginning I thought that it was going to be a big plot hole, in the end everything is explained and I found it quite satisfactory if a bit problematic. I totally recommend this book if you need to wind down after a long week or if you want to read something cute and wholesome during your holiday.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This is the first book of Cressida’s for me and I read it for a review. It certainly won’t be the last. I loved it from the start and read it in a few days. Georgie and Ethan met when they were in final year at school and fell hard for each other. Georgie stayed with her mother who had MS. Ethan with his parents and his sister but they had moved around a lot. Georgie wanted to be a journalist and Ethan an architect. The book was set in present day and their time at school,I am not usually a fan of this type of writing but it worked. Ethan’s younger sister Sarah got into a lot of trouble and he had to bail her out which frustrated Georgie as he would leave her regularly and at some important times. You must read the book and follow the twists and turns in their relationship. You won’t be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this ARC.

Georgie Monroe, 31, has lived in Alperwick, Cornwall all her life. She is a journalist for a local paper and also PA for local writer Spence Artemis. What she really wants is to write her own book but for now she is content helping Spence write a sequel to her Cornish Sands series, finally giving lovers Amelie and Connor their happy ending.

But first she is sent by Spence to have a look at newly redesigned Alperwick House, the location of fictional Cornish Sands and Spence's old house, which also holds memories for her. It has been renamed to Sterenlenn, meaning Blanket of Stars, and now sports glass fronts and a very modern Smart House system, invented and installed by architect Ethan Sparks.

There is unresolved history between Georgie and Ethan who used to be sweethearts 13 years ago but broke up due to his tearaway sister Sarah claiming all his time and energy, plus Georgie's mother needing her. So Georgie is keen to leave the Open House Event as soon as possible but suddenly the Panic Room Mode gets activated and locks the two in, with no possibility of calling for help.

This is a simple story of forced proximity between former lovers but it's storytelling at its finest against a picturesque backdrop, interspersed by flashbacks to their 18 year old selves with friends Kira, Freddy and Orwell, and exquisite love letters from Amelie to Connor. The house itself with its architectural innovation and high-tech elements containing a disco shower feels like its own, slightly unhinged character.

One, I loved Georgie and Ethan and how they tried to work through their problems. Two, they are endearing characters who both have had to deal with family problems. Three, I especially liked how Georgie deliberately went through a period of personal growth and arranged her life just so before she contacted Ethan again as it speaks of strength in character I'd like to see in more female protagonists. Four, the rekindled second chance romance is never in doubt, but the journey there is captivating and engaging. Five, this is brilliantly written and I highly recommend it - Cressida McLaughlin at her finest.

4.5 stars