Friday 14 August 2015

Cornish Week Preview & Giveaway


From Monday 17th August until Sunday 23rd August, I am running a Cornish week on Rachel's Random Reads. All the books reviewed during this week are set in the British county of Cornwall, If you, like me are in the UK, you may have noticed that our summer doesn't seem to have really got going. That isn't problem however with these books.

During the next week take a trip to the British seaside, absorb yourself in a variety of fabulous books, enjoy the whole host of guest posts, I have lined up for you, and please do enter my giveaways too. 

I have only been to Cornwall once on holiday, when I was around 8 years old. It was a family holiday, and I remember staying in St. Austell, at the Carlyon Bay Hotel and having a wonderful week. I definitely remember it being a long drive down from London, as the only slight problem with Cornwall, is that it is so far from everywhere, but it was on that holiday that I developed a taste for a Cornish Cream tea, which included scones with clotted cream. 

In the last 12 months or so, I have noticed that more and more of the books that I am reading, or that are being released seem to be set in Cornwall, and since I was building a small stock pile of these on my kindle, I thought I would put together this week as an excuse to read some of them at last.

Previously reviewed on Rachel's Random Reads set in Cornwall are books such as Runaway Summer by Ruth Saberton and Pippa's Cornish Dream by Debbie Johnson.

Whether you have visited Cornwall in real life, or in fiction, or whether you have always wondered what Cornwall is really like, I am hoping that you will enjoy this week as much I have enjoyed putting it together for you.

And as a slight teaser, the lovely and generous Phillipa Ashley, has offered me some of her books to give away to my lucky readers. So over to Philippa.

Phillipa Ashley's Thoughts on Cornwall 

Thanks for letting me take part in the Cornish themed week - so excited!


I love Cornwall and we've been/are going four times this year - next stop is Porthcurno where we're staying near the amazing Minack Theatre (which features in the book I'm giving away.) We will also be close to Porthgwarra Cove which is where Ross goes skinny dipping in Poldark 2015.


In fact, three of my books are set in Cornwall and one of my current works in progress is also set there. Naturally I am also a *massive* Poldark fan - watch this space!

Giveaway to win a paperback copy of It Should Have Been Me (UK Only)


Phillipa is giving UK blog viewers a chance to win a paperback copy of It Should Have Been Me

When Carrie’s fiancĂ© Huw suddenly calls off their wedding, and she finds out he’s marrying another woman, she’s devastated. Desperate to get away, Carrie jumps at her best friend Rowena’s suggestion of a road trip in her VW camper van. But when Rowena has to pull out and Matt Landor, an old friend of Huw's, ends up filling the breach, she's not so sure. Will fate take the pair on an altogether different journey?

Giveaway open to UK, all options are voluntary, but please do what they ask, as I will be verifying the winner. Giveaway closes 23:59 26/8/2015. Winner will be announced on twitter and emailed, and they will need to reply within 7 days, or forfeit the prize, and I will re-draw for a new winner.  Good luck everyone.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway to win a e-copy of Miranda's Mount (open internationally)


Phillipa is also giving away an e-copy of Miranda's Mount, which conveniently is also set in Cornwall!

When Miranda finds herself fighting for her home, her job and her heart, sleeping with the enemy may not be the best tactic... 

With no family of her own, Miranda Marshall has developed a healthy respect - some would say obsession - with other people's histories. As property manager of a spectacular island castle in Cornwall, she's made St Merryn's Mount one of the UK's most popular heritage attractions. While she may have the castle running like clockwork, Miranda hasn't bargained on its sexy owner returning to claim his birthright. 

Dark, handsome and with a rakish reputation, Jago St Merryn not only looks like a pirate but is intent on flogging the Mount to a soulless leisure corporation. Miranda faces the battle of her life as she tries to persuade him to face up to his past and continue the St Merryn dynasty. But Jago has his own reasons for jumping ship and when he throws down the gauntlet to Miranda, she's forced to delve into painful memories she'd much rather keep hidden . . . 

Giveaway open to everyone, all options are voluntary, but please do what they ask, as I will be verifying the winner. Giveaway closes 23:59 26/8/2015. Winner will be announced on twitter and emailed, and they will need to reply within 7 days, or forfeit the prize, and I will re-draw for a new winner.  Good luck everyone.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Phillipa Ashley

Award-winning British author, Phillipa Ashley, writes lively, sexy, funny romantic fiction for a variety of international publishers including Penguin, Headline and Little Brown. After studying English Language and Literature at Wadham College, Oxford, she worked as a copywriter and journalist.

Her first novel, Decent Exposure- won the Romantic Novelists Association New Writers Award. In 2009, it was filmed as the Lifetime TV movie ‘12 Men of Christmas’ starring Kristin Chenoweth and Josh Hopkins.
Miranda’s Mount – set on a fictional Cornish island castle - won the reader award for Best ebook at the Festival of Romance 2012.

As Pippa Croft, she also writes the Oxford Blue series for Penguin Books.


Phillipa lives Staffordshire village with her husband and daughter and when she’s not writing, she spends her time reading, watching costume drama and comedy, hiking and falling off surf boards.

33 comments:

  1. I am a little ashamed to admit that I have never been to Cornwall! My husband went when he was a child and loved it. It's a place that I've always wanted to visit but it's such a long journey, and Annual Leave from work is limited .... roll on retirement!

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  2. What a lovely idea. I love Cornwall apart from the scarily narrow roads to drive upon. I haven't been for years and your blog is making me want to go.

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  3. St. Austell is only a few miles from the small village where I grew up and I was there last week! I hope if Phillipa finds Ross at the beach she won't keep him all to herself :) Angela Britnell

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  4. Lucky Angela!!! Waves to all Cornish lovers.

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  5. I haven't been to Cornwall since I was 31 but plan to go next year in the caravan.

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  6. I loved Miranda's Mount and of course could picture it exactly!
    Angela Britnell

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  7. That's very kind of you, Angela. It was a great fantasy to pretend I owned the place while I was writing it. :)

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  8. Cornwall looks like a beautiful place for Holliday, near enough the opposite end of the country from me! Hope to visit one day. Lx

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  9. I absolutely love Cornwall. Especially the st lives area (Godfrey beach ) we haven't been for about 5 yrs but we're going for new year this year and can't wait xx

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  10. I love reading about Cornwall, but I've never been there. It's high on my holiday wish list.

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  11. Love Cornwall - my favourite holiday place. Next best thing - reading about it.

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  12. I love Cornwall - but then, I'm biased, because it's the county that produced my gorgeous husband!

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  13. What are your thoughts on Cornwall? . . . . . l absolutely love it - Kynance Cove is my favourite spot on earth

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  14. I love Cornwall, it is my favourate place to holiday in the UK

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  15. I love Cornwall we used to go every year when we were kids x

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  16. It's beautiful but I'm from Devon originally so I have to say they don't do their scones right! :-)

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  17. I've never been to cornwall but would love to visit there

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  18. Love Cornwall. St Ives is lovely. Like all the little shops and the living statue was great.

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  19. Loving all this love for Cornwall!

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  20. We love it, my grandparents live there (BUDE:)

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  21. we love it! We've been going to Padstow for the last 3 years for our family holidays. AMANDA ROBINSON

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  22. We love Cornwall and have spent many a happy holiday there

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  23. I've never been but have always wanted to do.

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  24. I love Cornwall it's like being in a different world. Always dreamt of moving down there. My last 'family' holiday was spent in Polperro, Looe & a visit to Land's End .. happy memories of my Dad.

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  25. I love Cornwall :) Had a couple of lovely holidays there when I was very young, and we go down for the day at least a couple of times a year. Beautiful county

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  26. I have never actually been to Cornwall before but I imagine it to be really sunny...compared to Scotland anyway!!! We are thinking of going to Cornwall or Devon next year with the wee ones.

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