Another brilliant book from Philipa Ashley, Bo cafe owner has a heartbreaking Christmas and vows she isn't going to fall in love again, Angel put upon wife of Tommy looking forward to her anniversary and quiet Ran who moved to Cornwall to get away from something. Three lives that seem to change after a visit to a fairground fortune-teller. I love the dancing vibe throughout this book, I love the descriptive way all the costumes and dresses are brought to life and I love the vintage music name dropping. Really, really enjoyable. Definitely one to put on your tbr list.

A Special Cornish Christmas by Phillipa Ashley is an excellent festive contemporary romance that really makes me excited for the Holidays!

I have read several books from Ms. Ashley and I have loved every one of them. This novel has a great mix of excellent characters, Holiday magic, romance, serious and lighter moments, character development, and warm winter foods that made my belly grumble more than once.

I loved the premise of the “fortune teller”. It was so cute and really added a magical and unique aspect to the story.

I also really liked Bo and her character in general. Smart, strong, and has a fiery element to her deep down. I am glad that despite some of the initial happenings, things ended up just perfectly for her.

Another great addition to this wonderful series. I am looking forward to what Ms. Ashley cooks up next. (Another festive or holiday (any holiday)- themed book would be awesome.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Avon Books UK for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

A most enjoyable book. Love in Cornwall with the story set in a cafe and lots of dancing going on. Some characters from previous books feature and although you don’t need to have read any of tho so to enjoy this story, it’s always good to hear about ‘old friends’. Reading this was the perfect way to pass a rainy day.

Another wonderful book by Phillippa Ashley. I love a festive book because I love Christmas so much and this one does not disappoint. Its heartwarming and enticing and I love the characters. Especially Bo and Angel. They're such good friends and I can relate to them as a friendship (like I have with my bestie) but also as independent businesses, I try and support as many independent business throughout the year as I can bit especially at Christmas.

I also make things too so I can relate to Angel wanting to do her own crafty business. I love the crafts and romance aspects of this book and it has Christmas and food as themes throughout, what more could a, romantic foodie who loves crafts, want.

My favourite moment was the situation between Angel and Kelvin, that made me want to shout for joy and punch the air.

Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review..

A Special Cornish Christmas whata delightful read the story had me hooked right from the start. I enjoyed this Christmas book 4 star 🌟 🌟🌟🌟






Happy Reading Lisa 📚

Once again, Phillipa Ashley provides a perfect heartwarming tale. She is the queen of uplifting women’s fiction.

A really lovely, heartwarming book. Fantastic to curl up in your chair with a cup of coffee in front of the fire with and smile, laugh and cry your way through. it will really bring out your Christmas Spirit!

A Special Cornish Christmas

Phillipa Ashley is a wonderful story teller, her books will draw you right in and make you feel as if you are there with the characters she brings to life. Her love of Cornwall is always evident in her stories if you know Cornwall you will visualise the scene if you don’t know Cornwall you will certainly want to visit.

A Special Cornish Christmas is a wonderful book full of joy; it is just what is needed after this pandemic. It is truly inspiring in so many ways. The story is about Bo who owns the boatyard cafe in Falford Cornwall. It is Christmas Eve and Bo and her boy friend Hamish and they had gone to the local bar The Ferryman Inn. Things did not go as she would have hoped spending Christmas with the man she had fallen for, that night he left her and went back to his old life and wife.

So the story begins Bo owns a beachside cafe and has one staff Cade, she also has a friend Angel who works in a country store, is married to a fisherman and love sewing. All 3 belong to a rock and roll dance group called the Flingers there is also Ran who is relatively new to Falford he has taken up the roll of the dj for them he has only just joined the group. Bo loves everything retro. The main story is based around Bo Angel and ran, but other characters from her previous book from Falford (An Endless Cornish summer) are also in the book even if just fleeting by. There are also new characters that play a part in this story.

The story then jumps eight months on. The 3 main characters go to a summer fete and decide to go to see a fortune teller. She tells them all their fortune none of them go in believing in it but each came out a little bit shaken. This is when things start to happen and each time something happens they go back over what was said that day in the tent of the teller.

This is where I say no more about the story. This book is well worth the read and I will encourage you to get it you will not be let down.

I enjoyed this book so much I did not want it to end but I wanted to finish it so I knew how it all ended. Phillipa does this in every book I have read of hers.

Phillipa is a very talented writer and I always know I am in for a great time away from reality in a wonderful story with great characters that come alive in my mind.

Congratulations Phillipa you have done it again. Thank you.

Wow what can I say another brilliant book from this author. This was so much more than a Christmas story and was great to be back in falford again and to find out more about the other characters who live there. This time it was the turn of Bo and Angel to take centre stage along with a few others which I won’t go into for fear of spoilers. This book could also be read as a stand-alone as well.

This story was a perfect escapism read and focused on the importance of having friends especially in times of need and how love can be found when you least expect it or when you have given up hope of finding it and also contained a sprinkle of Christmas magic too.

Can’t wait for another story detailing another chapter in the lives of the falford residents.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a real page turner as the story unfolded of Bo and her topsy turvy love life together with her friend Angela whose business start up was a joy to follow. I loved the way their stories unfolded keeping me guessing until the end. I did however guess the identity of Madame Odette but was fascinated to find out if I was correct. The Boatyard cafe sounded like somewhere to sit and have a coffee while watching the world go by. Excellent read.

A Cornish Christmas Delight!

I adore Phillipas books and I have to say, catching up with the Morovah brothers was a wonderful treat.

This book will have your feet tapping and your heart thumping, Phillipa certainly put some of her characters through the mill. It's full of friendship, turmoil, Christmas shenanigans and a community that comes together in the form of the Falford Flingers.

Delightful read, im glad a few characters got what they deserved, definitely get this on your Christmas list, you won't be disappointed!

Once again I got to visit Cornwall and enjoy a lovely Christmas story from Phillipa Ashley about one of the characters, Bo, from an earlier book An Endless Cornish Summer. As always, well written, great characters, wonderful descriptions of Cornwall and Falmouth that just make you want to visit. I loved that some characters from the other book were included too. It’s a fun story centered on romance at Christmas. I highly recommend it. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for honest review.

I did enjoy reading this book - set in the same place and with many of the same characters as the previous novel by this author, but with a few new characters and the book focused on a different person.
This was a light and fun read, set over quite a long time but with leaps, from Christmas to summer to the lead up to Christmas again. If you have any interest in music, clothes, or dancing, you will love this one!
This book could easily be read by someone who hasn't read the previous one, but those of us who have read that will really enjoy this one!

Penny is having to rethink her plans for Christmas after a rather nasty break from her boyfriend. She and her friends Angel and Ran visit a strange fortune teller who seems to know rather too much about them. Her remarks ipinge on so many parts of their lives.
Living in Cornwall I found it irritating that the author couldnt just name Helford (Falford) and the lovely Ferryboat inn (Ferryman). Why change their names?
I normally love Philippa Ashley's boks but didnt find that I was deeply involved in this one.
However, my thanks to NetGalley for a review copy.

Loved returning to Cornwall and reading it from the view of a different character from the previous book, this time we follow Bo and her life at the boatyard cafe, brilliant characters as usual and loved returning to the village once again where previous characters pop up throughout the story.
Was well written and loved the description on the village once again, can't wait for the next instalment
Would highly recommend

I read a previous book set in the same village and really enjoyed reading about the characters who almost cameos in the last book and find out more about them and their lives. It was a gentle read, one to curl up with and willed them all to find their happy!

I am a huge fan of Philippa Ashley‘s books, particularly the ones set in Cornwall as I thoroughly enjoy reading about the places I have visited, as well as getting to know the wonderful characters she describes in her books. In some ways this book is a sequel to a previous book-An endless Cornish summer, although you don’t need to have read them in order to enjoy this book. The story starts with the main character Bo, being let down quite substantially, however like me you may not be too disappointed by that, as it quickly becomes clear that there is a much better candidate waiting in the wings, if both of them could take one more chance. It seems that fate will give them a push in the guise of a mysterious fortune teller who seems to pop up all over the place… As usual the delicious descriptions of places and people which are a hallmark of Philippa Ashley‘s books are there and I was particularly delighted to read the description of Trewellyn house (which I did recognise as Trelissick).I thoroughly recommend this book to anybody Who needs a slice of Cornish life, as well as a push to try again when they have been let down.

A gorgeous and heartwarming ode to the Christmas holidays and finding love. I loved the descriptive settings and the qonser of the Christmas spirit interlaced throughout. A fun and festive read!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Bo used to love Christmas. Last year was painful when she and her boyfriend broke up in their small town. Bo wants nothing to due with Christmas. I enjoyed the different characters.

This was a lovely book with a good storyline. The setting was great and the characters were brilliant.

A beautiful story that captures you right in. Having read previous ones in the series, I was a little disappointed not to see more of the known characters however soon realised they weren't needed!!

Lovely to be back in Cornwall. Gosh Bo had it tough in her personal life. Her cafe was amazing and her friendship with Angle was supportive for them both. The Falcons Flingers sounded ace. Lots of brilliant dancing. Ran was a fascinating character . His love of old records. A great ending .. A real feel good book. A perfect Christmas or any time read. Loved it.

A special Cornish Christmas has it all! Delightful characters new and old, the most perfect idyllic coastal location, plenty of tantalising Christmas fare both edible and non edible! Friendship, romance, dancing and a fortune teller! What more could you wish for in the run up to Christmas?Sat by the fire, festive tunes playing, mulled wine and a mince pie to hand as you devour this delectable read!
Bo and Ran run a gauntlet of emotions as they cast off old baggage, embroil themselves in community life particularly dancing,and ultimately learn to love and trust again surrounded by their eclectic circle of friends and family all aided and abetted by a mystery fortune teller!
A lovely heartwarming festive read.
Thank you netgalley for this early read.

A gorgeous and warm festive book, perfect for Christmas. I loved Bo and Ryan’s story and the supporting cast including Angel, Sally and Cade. Plenty of intrigue and mystery along the way including the mysterious Madame Odette’s real identity and the reason that Ran has moved to Cornwall and kept himself to himself for months. This book will definitely get your foot tapping to all the wonderful tunes mentioned within the pages - ideal reading in the run up to the new series of Strictly! Fabulous.

Phillipa Ashley has such a skill, she writes such believable, relatable characters that I feel I’ve known them years. I love how people from previous books are part of the story but each book is truly a standalone book.
A special Cornish Christmas made me feel very festive, even though I was reading it in August! Another bestseller in the making, I’d recommend this book to all my friends

I do love a Phillipa Ashley Christmas book. This will not disappoint! Set in Falford Cornwall, Bo Grayson runs & owns the Boatyard Cafe. The book begins at Christmas where everything changes & at the time not for the better. Follow Bo, her friend Angel & their rock & roll dancing through the year of many changes. Loved the descriptions of Falford & surrounding areas making me want to sit at the Boatyard Cafe & watch the world go by. Of course love is in the air but will the predictions made by Madamne Odette at the Falford Show ground come true?

This book is like a mulled wine in the festive season, leaves you feeling all warm and content

The story follows Bo who runs the Boatyard Cafe, and her ups and downs from one Christmas to the next. It includes her friends Angel and Ran, and can the latter be more than just a friend?

I was drawn in from the first page, and wanted to get back to the book asap each time I had to put it down. There were some characters you may recognise if you have also read An Endless Cornish Summer, but it doesn’t matter if you haven’t as this can easily be enjoyed as a standalone book.

This is the second book I’ve read by Phillipa Ashley, and I’m certainly happy to read more.

5 stars

Copy provided by Avon via Netgalley

I though this was a fab festive read. Really enjoyed it & I highly recommend it. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.

With grateful thanks to netgalley and Phillipa Ashley for an early copy in return for an honest opinion.
Having read all this ladys books I was delighted with a copy and it certainly did not disapoint Cornwall Christmas and holiday mix together a shake of love and your done.
Can highly recommend this fabulous book.

Bo was left heartbroken just before Christmas, so when a fortune teller predicts that she will be with the one she loves by Christmas the next year she is a bit skeptical.
Ran also gets the same fortune, but will it lead to a new love for him, or back to his old one?

Great read, looking forward to the next book in Falford.

I love Phillipa Ashley's books and am very grateful to have been allowed to read an early copy of this.

Every story is very warm and inviting, and need a good dose of hot chocolate and brownie to read with.

I loved how we found out about record collecting through Ran's character; and the passion for rock and roll and dancing through Bo and Angel, This book shows it's never too late to start something new through Angel's character and what happened to her.

Falford feels like a real place and each book feels like returning to family.

I would highly recommend picking this up and cuddling up by a fire (or listening to some rock n roll).

Another Ashley gem. It was great to get back to Falford and learn more about Bo. I hope Ashley will go back again, but next time a little more interaction with the characters we have grown to love from previous instalments please.

Another wonderful book by Phillipa Ashley, I loved it.
Bo has a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone, but when she thinks she has met the man of her dreams and is looking forward to a loved up Christmas, he goes and spoils it by realising he’s not in love with her at all but his ex, but great sex anyway. So she decides then and there she is off men for good. Luckily she has amazing friends, one of which is Angel who they share a love of music and dancing. Angel has been married for a long time, loves her hubby and has raised two beautiful children. However one night she finds out that her hubby a fisherman is out at sea on a boat, which is in trouble. But this night opens more than one nightmare.

Welcome back to the Village of Falford! Phillipa Ashley's latest edition in the Cornish village series introduces us to Bo, who runs a cafe and who has just been disappointed by her latest romance. Introduce in Angel and Ran, who are also having their share of romantic disappointments, and the mysterious Madame Odette, who makes a prediction that all three will meet the love of their lives by Christmas...A light-hearted easy read full of Christmas charm, and a little bit of mystery - who exactly is Madame Odette? - makes this one you will breeze right through! Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an advanced copy.

I couldn’t put this down and finished it in an evening, which I was happy about as it proved how good it was, but sad as it was over and I wanted more. It pulled me in right away.
I adored Bo and Ran and the will they/won’t they if their relationship, (which in some books can be tiresome, but not at all here). Phillipa Ashley always creates a very picturesque and detailed backing to her books, and this was the same. A beautiful and close knit, friendly town that you can almost see in front of you and always want to visit.
Add into the mix it’s a Christmas book and the dropping in names of all the Christmas tracks, making me want to go and listen to them. It couldn’t be better.

I absolutely loved this book. As a teenager in the 1980s, I was 'that' girl who had a record collection full of music from the 1960s, so parts of this book totally resonated with me.
As ever, Phillipa has given me a yearning to be in Cornwall. The book was full of romance, a little bit of drama, and a lot of heart. I thoroughly recommend this!

This novel continues to follow the lives of folk who live in the fictional village of Falford on the Fal estuary in Cornwall. This time it's the turn of Bo who runs the cafe and who has a passion for all things vintage, including dance. Her love life has been disastrous but dancing with the Flingers keeps her and her friends going. There are some wonderful descriptions of the joy of dancing in this truly feelgood story.

It was really lovely to go back to Falford and find out about the lovely Bo. I had briefly met her in the summer book but it was lovely to discover her and her love of vintage and rock and roll dancing.
Angel her nifty fingered sewing friend was a joy and delight to meet and Ran the man with dark secrets. These books are a love letter to Cornwall and always a pleasure to read.
Thank you netgalley for this arc which I have reviewed honestly.

It is always nice to settle into a cozy chair and open a new book by Phillipa Ashley! It is a joy to return to the village of Falford and read more about characters from the previous book. While the main focus is on the new soon-to-be couple, the townspeople pop into the story here and there.

This second book in The Falford Series is the love story of Bo (Bonita) and Ran (Ranulph). Both of them are at a place in their lives where they are leery of romance and have decided to focus on themselves and not finding a partner. Sometimes when people decide they are not looking for love, it is then that love finds them.

The plot flows along with “Rock and Roll” dancing. The friendship to love story evolves as a dance does. Slow at first, then the rhythm picks up and comes to a peak, and then the couple dances as a unit and the joy from them overflows to all that is watching.

I have always loved to dance and reading this story with dancing as a major theme, gave me so much joy. I could picture the couples dancing, the beautiful clothes and could hear the music playing while reading. The author did an amazing job of writing this uplifting story while living in the times of the Covid19 virus. I think this book will bring happiness to all that read it.

I will add that I adore the book cover and it fits the story so well!

I recommend this book so highly and want to thank Avon Books UK, Avon and NetGalley for giving me the pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC

Phillipa Ashley brings us a charming Christmas tale this festive season, filled with warmth, rock and roll, and a little bit of Christmas magic.

Bo Grayson has always believed Christmas to be the most wonderful time of the year, until she had her heart broken on Christmas Eve.

However, at a summer fete, Bo and her friends meet the mysterious fortune teller Madame Odette, and they are each given the same prediction: You will meet the love of your life by Christmas Day.

With just a few months until the festive season, they dismiss the predictions out of hand. The last thing Bo imagines is that she’ll be ready to open her heart again. But will fate – and perhaps a sprinkle of Christmas magic – change her mind?

A Special Cornish Christmas is an enjoyable read, that I think will win over the hearts of many readers. The writing is strong, the characters are likeable, and I particularly enjoyed seeing the friendship between Bo and Angel, and the support the women gave to each other.

My one disappointment was the romance aspect. Sadly, I didn't feel there was enough development of the relationship between Bo and her significant other. Whilst I did like him, and I was happy with how everything ended up, unfortunately, there were times he seemed very wishy-washy. His decision-making and lack of communication with Bo, as well as his thoughts about his past, were too much for me to truly believe in the relationship with Bo.

That aside, it was a very good book, easy to read, light-hearted, and I imagine many people will absolutely adore it. I would definitely recommend it. A solid 3.5 stars from me.

Many thanks to the publisher, Avon Books UK and NetGalley for an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A Special Cornish Christmas will be released on November 11th.

Another fantastic read by Phillips Ashley. I love the characters in this novel, great to also revisit some of her older characters from previous books. I would definitely recommend this to all my friends

5 stars from me!!

I received this book via NetGalley and give it my honest opinion.

This is a must read to get yourself into the Christmas spirit, such a great read and loveable characters. A book you can immerse yourself into and feel like Christmas is just around the corner. I truly adored this book and highly recommend you read it, another smasher from Phillipa Ashley!

I love these types of warm holiday reads set in idyllic places.
Premise
For Bo Grayson, Christmas has always been the most wonderful time of the year. Well, until she had her heart broken last December…

At a local summer fete, Bo and her friends meet the mysterious fortune teller Madame Odette, and they are each given the same prediction: You will meet the love of your life by Christmas Day.
This was a very sweet and charming reading perfect to get in the Christmas spirit of for any time really. I loved reading about Bo and her friends! I def will check out more by this author.

For fans of this genre this book will not disappoint. It has all the right ingredients for a cosy festive read.

Genuinely loved the characters and the setting. Such lovely descriptions, a music and dancing vibe, a mysterious Madame Odette and a feel good storyline with a Christmassy feel.

Bo, Ran and Angel all have their lives shaken up and need to start afresh. The Flingers help all three of them, but so does their growing friendships.

This is a lovely, well-written Christmas story. There is a definite feel of Cornwall about it, from the descriptions of the area to the way the characters speak.

The book begins with café owner Bo packing up for Christmas, and going to the pub with her boyfriend, Scottish vet Hamish, where all her friends from the village dance group, the Falford Flingers, are meeting up. Bo adores the music of the fifties, and is an enthusiastic dancer of the dances of the fifties, which the Flingers do. She also wears a lot of fifties type clothes. Hamish is not terribly impressed, he laughs and makes fun of it all, and Bo assumes he is joking. There is an air of doom in the writing of the first couple of chapters, you are just waiting for Bo’s world to collapse, there is something about Hamish ….

And bang! It happens. Bo tells Hamish she loves him, and he runs away back to Scotland! Never to be seen in Falford again! Bo maintains a stiff upper lip to the world at large, but she is never going to trust a man again. If it wasn’t for the support of her friends Angel and Ran her world would have crumbled. At a local charity fair the three of them visit the fortune teller in turn - it is for charity after all. Even though she gives them all the usual platitudes - “by Christmas you will meet the person of your dreams, etc.”, Madame Odette says something to each of them that rattles them. Ran is a bit of a mystery man, he works as a diving instructor in the village and sorts out the music for the Flingers, nobody knows anything of his background, or where he comes from, so the others are bemused when he stalks off in a temper after his reading. Angel has been married to Tommy for thirty years, but he spends a lot of time at sea as a trawler-man, and a lot of time in the pub when he is at home, the others cannot see what Angel sees in him as he often puts her down.

The year progresses and there are changes to all their lives, some of which have a huge impact. Angel in particular needs the support of her friends and family. Ran and Bo become very close during the year, but as Christmas approaches everything seems to fall apart, is Bo going to have a repeat of last year’s fiasco? We do get a happy ending for each of the friends, as they each realise that Madame Odette spoke the truth - even though the truth is very different to each of their expectations.

A lovely, reasonably gentle story, perfect for a relaxed afternoon before or just after Christmas.

I do love a good Christmas book, and this was a great Christmas book! I loved the previous book set in Falford so it was a delight to come across some familiar characters and places.

I absolutely loved the dancing element, it really added some fun and flair to the story and the characters, and I enjoyed imagining them filling the dance floor with such joy.

As always with Phillipa Ashley's books, the romance is sweet, and the fortune teller added an element of mystery that I appreciated. I will definitely revisit this for future festive reading!
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After finishing this book I want to go out and buy one of Angel's vintage inspired dresses and learn to jive, lindy hop, swing and do all the other rock n roll dances. Although there are some thought provoking and sad moments in the book on the whole this is a very upbeat and joyful read.
The stories of Bo, Ran and Angel all intertwine through their love of rock n roll, and the flingers dance group. After a visit to the fortune teller at the summer fete they become more aware of life around them and identify parts of their lives which need to change. Madam Odette says that they will be with the love of their life by Christmas , this seems truly impossible.
The description of the different places they visit in Cornwall is beautiful and I loved that the story is set in Falford again at the boat yard (where we met Bo before at her café in 'an endless Cornish summer'.) so we can catch up on old friends. .

A lovely Cornish story as a follow up to an Endless Cornish Summer, but this concentrates on new characters, so is a perfect stand-alone. There is heartbreak, romance and hope all combined with rockn’roll , songs from the 60’s and a vintage feel. Such a warm, cosy read to curl up with in the winter months surrounding Christmas. I recommend all of Phillips Ashley’s books, well written, loveable characters and knowing Cornwall well, beautifully described.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This was a lovely festive tale that really gave me all the Christmas vibes! I enjoyed the main character Bo and the rock n roll dancing! Think this is the perfect read for a cosy night in 😍