I'm always up for a book set in Cornwall and I've previously enjoyed books by this author so was looking forward to reading this one. Tammy is a beach artist, something that I've seen on TV, but never in real life, but it certainly sounds amazing, whilst Ruan is a lawyer. Chalk and cheese these two wouldn't seem to have anything in common, but they do become attracted to each other. Things come to light in both of their histories, one of which threatens their developing relationship. A lovely read, with the background of Cornwall, friendships and budding romance, I've given it 4.5* rounded up to 5*.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

Another delightful story by Phillipa Ashley. A lovely, mixed cast of characters and a story that pulls at your heart strings.. Based in Cornwall is a bonus and I do love happy endings.

The publisher offered me a review copy of this one because I'd reviewed others of this author's titles in the past. This one had a really clever premise - you think that Tammy, free-spirited sand artist and gallery assistant has met a buttoned-up suity man but Ruan is a displaced Cornishman with a penchant for the sea. As they start to realise they're not so different and to fall for one another, Ruan finds out he's inadvertently become part of something awful to do with Tammy's past and her precarious present - how will this all unwind itself? I loved the cast of characters here - Tammy's protective landlord/friend Davey and his girlfriend Breda, and posh older horsewoman Polly who actually saves the day by riding a horse across country - and there's incidental inclusiveness and diversity which is nice to see in a novel set in Cornwall.

Blog review 7 June 2025: https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2025/06/07/four-netgalley-reads-phillipa-ashley-hiro-arikawa-mo-fanning-jemimah-wei/

This is the first book that I have read by Phillipa Ashley and it is pure, romantic escapism, I love it .
Tammy smiled to herself, he looked so hot and out of place, sitting on the beach wall in a full business suit complete with shiny shoes and surrounded by holiday makers in their shorts and swimsuits.
Tammy was a sand artist who was trying to make a living from her art, she had just completed a sand sculpture to honour her beloved father who had died at sea.
The man on the wall was solicitor Ruan who had recently moved from Bristol to the beautiful Cornish coastal town of Pothmellow.
A seagull and a strawberry ice cream was to be the start of a blossoming romance but neither Tammy or Ruan could possibly have predicted the unbelievable coincidences, rumours from the past and heartache that could test their tentative romance to the limit.
Tammy and Ruan had fallen head over heels but Ruan knew that his discovery would rock Tammy's world and not in a good way, could he do this to her ?
Tammy loved Ruan but could she trust him or would he just be another person who would betray her then leave her.............get your tissues ready.
Thank you Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is totally voluntary.

Cornish Summer romances, especially ones by this author, are always a winner. I have enjoyed everything I've read by this author, so she's an auto-read author for me now. However, even if she wasn't, I'd definitely have still wanted to read this with its beautiful cover and promising storyline.
We meet Tammy, a sand artist, creating a beautiful piece in memory of her father. The sand art idea was so magical, I've not read a book with that involved before but it was so interesting to have as part of the story. Then we meet Ruan, the solicitor who has recently moved to Cornwall after giving up his job, partner, and life there, in exchange for a small-town job and inherited, run-down house. What follows is the mystery of the house, the inheritance, town drama, family sagas and above all, a love story.
I was very quickly hooked, I could envision the characters and scenery so vividly. I finished reading it in 2 sittings over the space of about 18 hours, and I was asleep for most of them! There was nothing I did not love about this book. The characters, location, and plot, all culminated in a wonderful summers read!

'He felt that Seaspray was simply waiting for someone to come along, hack through the thorns like the prince in Sleeping Beauty and save it from eternal slumber.'

I loved reading Phillipa's new book. It was full of sunshine and happiness, beautiful sand art and the promise of a gorgeous garden - reminding me of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Tammy and Ruan have a really sweet meet-cute, as he sits on the seawall, watching her create her amazing art on the beach, and you just know that they're going to end up together. Of course there are some obstacles which pop up along the way, secrets that they keep to themselves for just a little bit too long and Tammy's inability to trust someone with her heart. But of course it all comes good in the end, as all great romance reads do.

We nearly moved to Cornwall a few years ago, but opted for Norfolk instead, so I relish a book where I can lose myself in the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean, with the dramatic cliffs looming over the beaches. The North Sea doesn't crash (well, not often), and there are huge expanses of beach rather than cute little coves!

Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review One Cornish Summer With You by Phillipa Ashley.

A nice light, heartwarming summer read with a few curve balls along the way.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this. Obviously the Cornish setting sounded amazing but I also really liked the characters. It was a little predictable at times but in a good way and there were enough surprises to keep me interested until the end.

The perfect summer read!

I tend to really enjoy Philippa Ashley books and this was no exception. It was a nice surprise to be sent this by the publisher too, as a response to a previous review I had written about another Philippa Ashley book.

As usual, it's everything you would expect - light, easy to read, likeable characters with a storyline full of twist and turns, and the beautiful backdrop of Cornwall, which is always a winner! The main characters, Tammy and Ryan, appear unrelated at the start, and then there's an interesting secret which connects the two of them which has the potential to create a different ending for them. I will say no more!

Thanks to Philippa Ashley, Penguin and NetGalley for this wonderful ARC.

This book is a wonderful summer read that will leave you wanting to visit your nearest beach or book a trip to Cornwall!
The main characters, Tammy and Ruan, are genuinely likeable people who aren't perfect, but definitely perfect for each other - if only Tammy could open her heart to the possibility.. Deeply affected by events in the past, Tammy's experience colours her expectations in the present, which brings a level of depth to this summer read I didn't expect. Supported by found family and friends new and old, will Tammy and Ruan make it past the summer? Read to find out!


Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the review copy.

One Cornish Summer With You is a romance novel set in Cornwall. I was excited to read this book as Cornwall is very close to my heart, but sadly the book just didn’t hit. At times I found the premise dragged on, with too many different characters involved. I didn’t gel with the main character and found her emotionally unavailable, stubborn and self-centred. A classic avoidant attachment style! The story was very predictable, but tied up nicely at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Random House UK, Cornerstone and Penguin for access to this eARC in exchange for this honest review.

A lovely summer read, particularly if you love Cornwall.
A few great characters, some lovely scenes, and a couple of twists along the way.
A few times where you want to tell the main character to just get over herself, and stop making a mountain out of a molehill!

Starts off as a nice holiday romance when Ruan meets local sand sculptor Tammy, however when they find out the house he inherited used to belong to her family, all the long held family secrets start to come out for both of them. A lovely backdrop of the Cornish town with some warm characters makes for an enjoyable read

One Cornish Summer With You is another delightful read from Phillipa Ashley. We meet Tammy, a sand artist who is rebuilding her life after family tragedy. Tammy meets Ruan, a lawyer who has recently moved to the area after inheriting a property from a relative. Although there is an instant spark between the two of them, both Tammy and Ruan have their own secrets to deal with. Can romance win through or are some things just too big to conquer?

A perfect summer read. A really enjoyable easy reading book full of charm and lovely characters that make you want to keep reading. Tammy loves her life in Cornwall where she works part time but also loves nothing more than trying to make her name as a sand artist creating works of art and trying not to get hurt again after a family tragedy years before have made her very weary of finding happiness again but when a handsome stranger Ruan turns up there is an immediate attraction but when Tammy uncovers the real reason he is there she immediately becomes suspicious of him will she ever learn to trust anyone again and will she find the happiness she deserves. A5 🌟read

What an absolute delight to return to Cornwall in the capable hands of Phillipa, another wonderful story full of emotions on every page with a beautiful ending

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, set in a Cornish town, making you feel as though you’re there with the characters.

The characters were relatable and it had many twists and turns to keep you turning the pages to read what happens next.

It was beautifully written, and covered some sensitive subjects.

I highly recommend this book.

A beautiful, emotional story told by Phillipa Ashley.
The story centres around two characters; Tammy, who has lived in Porthmellow all her life. She's a sand artist and also helps at a local gallery. Having lost her father, she is a bit untethered and quite reluctant to forge relationships with people other than her most trusted friends.
The second is Ruan. He's a solicitor, recently moved to the area, but with connections to the village and surrounding area that become more and more apparent as the story goes on.
You feel the connection between the two characters from the beginning, and feel the effects of past secrets coming out on that fragile start of something that could be so special.
I loved the story, and the cast of side characters brought extra depth to the story, especially Davey and Polly.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an ARC

Tammy is a born and bred Cornish woman in her early thirties who is trying to make a living from her love of creating sand art. While her childhood was happy, it was blown apart when her parents split. She chose to stay with her Dad in Cornwall but when he passed away in tragic circumstances, she was left heartbroken. She slowly builds a life for herself with the help of friends but she still distances herself and finds it difficult to trust others. Ruan has just moved to the area from Bristol. A lawyer by trade but with a love for Cornwall and the coast, he has moved to the area partly for a better work life balance but partly because he inherits a run down house from a distant relative he only met once and he’s keen to work out the mystery of why this person chose him. A chance encounter between Tammy and Ruan sparks an instant attraction on both sides but will their past histories stop them from getting to know each other better or will they be just what each other needs?

As people who have read Philippa Ashley’s previous books will expect, this is an easy to read, cosy, emotional and ultimately heartwarming story. Cornwall is depicted magnificently and this book has made me desperate to visit again! I found parts frustrating related to some of the character’s behaviours (to say more would be a spoiler) but I also found parts of it refreshing for this type of story. I could see where the plot was going in many ways but even though I guessed right, there were still surprises because that part was dealt with much earlier in the book that I was expecting.

This is a perfect summer holiday read and one I would recommend to others. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This was a lovely summer read, the characters are well written and had depth, there wasn’t loads of characters so easy to keep up with the story lines, grab your sun lounger and enjoy