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

Georgie and Ethan are childhood sweethearts who had a bitter and unexpected breakup. Years later they are reunited when Ethan returns to Cornwall to transform Alperwick House which is full of memories of their love.
The characters were wonderfully written and I loved how the book was written both in real time and when they were young. I also enjoyed the love letters which really added to the story.
A beautiful read which I couldn’t put down and I would definitely recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I love Cressida Mclaughlin books and this one was so good.
This is a story about Ethan and georgie teenage sweethearts.
Georgie's favourite auther used to live in the big house on the cliff in her town until she became to frail and moved into a bungalow ever since her house has been left to decay.
Georgie and her friends often met up there and dreamed of what it would be like to live there.
Ethans dream was to become an architect and renovate it until family life got in the way and got inbetween them.

fast forward 10 years and Georgie is the PA to her favourite auther anad dreams of writing her own books.
The house on the cliff has been renovated and her boss wants her to go have a look at it to get inspiration to finish off her books that she started writing there.

A lovely love story . Moving back in time then present time. Not always my favourite way to read but it works . There are always more to people than you realise. You warm to some characters more than others. The house was amazing. I would like a disco shower. The main character got stronger and stronger. Cressida McLaughlin never disappoints . The tea bus gets a mention. A proper neat ending. Read it and escape .

Book Review: A Cornish Love Story by Cressida McLaughlin

Cressida McLaughlin’s A Cornish Love Story is a heartwarming and captivating tale of second chances, love, and the secrets that can shape our lives. Set in the picturesque backdrop of Cornwall, this standalone novel offers everything readers could want from a romance—charming characters, an atmospheric setting, and a story brimming with emotion.

The plot follows Georgie Monroe, a journalist who has been watching from the sidelines as a historic house in Cornwall is transformed into a sleek, high-tech modern marvel by an anonymous buyer. When she’s invited to report on an event at the newly renovated property, she unexpectedly comes face-to-face with Ethan Sparks, her first love and the architect behind the house’s redesign. The reunion stirs up old memories, as well as the complicated emotions tied to their past relationship. But as they find themselves trapped in the house when a malfunction occurs, Georgie and Ethan are forced to confront not only the house’s secrets but also the ones they’ve been hiding from each other.

McLaughlin has an incredible ability to blend romance with rich, layered storytelling. The characters are endearing, with Georgie and Ethan’s history offering a depth to their interactions that is both emotional and compelling. The tension between the two, built around years of unresolved issues, is palpable, and the slow-burn romance that develops feels both satisfying and tender. Their dynamic is one of the book’s greatest strengths—readers will root for them, hoping they can navigate their past and build a future together.

The setting of Cornwall is, as always, beautifully rendered in McLaughlin’s hands. The author masterfully captures the magic and charm of the Cornish landscape, with the house itself acting almost as a character in its own right. The juxtaposition of the house's sleek, modern design with its hidden secrets makes for a fascinating backdrop to the unfolding romance, creating an atmosphere that is both alluring and mysterious.

The plot is expertly woven, with the house’s malfunction providing the perfect catalyst for the characters to reconnect and confront their shared past. The secrets they uncover about both the house and each other add a layer of intrigue and tension, keeping the reader hooked until the very end. The pacing of the story is spot-on, and the combination of romance, mystery, and personal growth makes it a thoroughly engaging read.

Ultimately, A Cornish Love Story is a beautifully written novel about love, forgiveness, and the power of new beginnings. It’s a story that will resonate with anyone who believes in the possibility of second chances, especially when love is involved. McLaughlin’s trademark warmth and wit shine through in this novel, and fans of her previous works will not be disappointed.

Whether you’re a long-time fan of Cressida McLaughlin or new to her writing, A Cornish Love Story is a perfect read for those looking for a romantic escape filled with charm, heart, and just the right amount of intrigue. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a heartfelt, feel-good romance set in a stunning location.