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Home to Roost: Putting Down Roots in Cornwall
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What's it really like to give it all up and follow your dream? The follow-up to Up With the Larks, and the second volume in the heartwarming, laugh-out-loud true story of Tessa, who moved from the London rat-race to become a postie in rural Cornwall.
Tessa and her husband are delighted when a new young couple arrive in the village fresh from the city - just as they once did. However what looks such a promising new friendship turns to a nightmare, as these are people who think money can buy them acceptance - and the village is soon in quiet revolt. Tessa finds herself in the thick of it - and realises that she has grown very strong roots in the community in the two years she has been in Cornwall.
Like so many in the country, she has to think about turning her house into a source of income in the summer months. Having finally got the place up to scratch, she and her family are wondering whether to camp for a couple of months when they are asked to take over a B&B owned by friends of friends. Tessa is bubbly, outgoing - but quite inexperienced at being a landlady. She muddles through only with the generous help of the 'customers' on her postal round.
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Written with her usual warmth and good humour, Tessa Hainsworth enchants us again with her stories of life as a newcomer to 'deep' Cornwall and makes us dwell on the true value and meaning of 'home'.
What's it really like to give it all up and follow your dream? The follow-up to Up With the Larks, and the second volume in the heartwarming, laugh-out-loud true story of Tessa, who moved from the London rat-race to become a postie in rural Cornwall.
Tessa and her husband are delighted when a new young couple arrive in the village fresh from the city - just as they once did. However what looks such a promising new friendship turns to a nightmare, as these are people who think money can buy them acceptance - and the village is soon in quiet revolt. Tessa finds herself in the thick of it - and realises that she has grown very strong roots in the community in the two years she has been in Cornwall.
Like so many in the country, she has to think about turning her house into a source of income in the summer months. Having finally got the place up to scratch, she and her family are wondering whether to camp for a couple of months when they are asked to take over a B&B owned by friends of friends. Tessa is bubbly, outgoing - but quite inexperienced at being a landlady. She muddles through only with the generous help of the 'customers' on her postal round.
____________________________
Written with her usual warmth and good humour, Tessa Hainsworth enchants us again with her stories of life as a newcomer to 'deep' Cornwall and makes us dwell on the true value and meaning of 'home'.
272 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 8, 2024
I hate giving poor reviews! I truly do, so I will start with the bad. I found the book to be incredibly tedious and anti-climatic. I didn't enjoy how it felt like words and words were filling the page rather than telling a story (Though that could have been my own intense apathy for it). It all felt a bit vacuous, it never seemed to reach any depth with me. I believe I couldn't gel with it because it all seemed a bit too idyllic. It seemed too starry eyed to be a biography (nothing true has no grit). I mean Tessa might be a wonderful woman, and it might all be valid. But Tessa had no flaws, and nobody is perfect. She was too hollow for my liking, and I am afraid everything else in the story followed with her. HOWEVER, it was well edited and had a interesting insight into the Cornish ecosystem. It seems there are plenty of fantastic reviews, it is a pity I couldn't enjoy it as much everyone else seemed to. In fact when I handed back the the library the librarian commented "Wasn't it good!?". So don't be discouraged by my review. It's only a reminder that we are all different.
April 8, 2023
Cute read! I really enjoyed the Cornwall setting.
September 1, 2024
This book was ok but didnt have much of a storyline. Felt more like journal entries from the postie. As a relative of mine lives in Cornwall I related to much of the book
December 29, 2024
Loved this book as much as the first two!
March 5, 2019
I loved this book as much as her second book. Tessa has a knack for writing that is funny, interesting & reads like a novel.
I found it hard to put down.
She moved from London, doing an high powered job, with her actor husband & two children, to Cornwall. She found work there as a postmistress. Although busy, her quality of life was more laid back there. She not only delivered the post, but everything imaginable to people on her route, in all weathers.
Her husband, when not acting, had various part-time jobs, to help make ends meet.
They never had much spare money, but they enjoyed life & made lots of new friends. They loved their new lives & so did the children.
I found it hard to put down.
She moved from London, doing an high powered job, with her actor husband & two children, to Cornwall. She found work there as a postmistress. Although busy, her quality of life was more laid back there. She not only delivered the post, but everything imaginable to people on her route, in all weathers.
Her husband, when not acting, had various part-time jobs, to help make ends meet.
They never had much spare money, but they enjoyed life & made lots of new friends. They loved their new lives & so did the children.
October 2, 2024
4.5 stars.
This is the third and final installment of Tessa Hainsworth's stories about moving to rural Cornwall and blending in with the locals. She takes us through a year of terrible weather, tourists descending for summer, second-homers coming and going before heading into autumn and stocking up for another winter.
As always the village lifestyle captured my attention, as well as Tessa's job as a postwoman and all that it entails. Caring for elderly residents, complaining about the local peacock and a bit of matchmaking. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading this trilogy.
This is the third and final installment of Tessa Hainsworth's stories about moving to rural Cornwall and blending in with the locals. She takes us through a year of terrible weather, tourists descending for summer, second-homers coming and going before heading into autumn and stocking up for another winter.
As always the village lifestyle captured my attention, as well as Tessa's job as a postwoman and all that it entails. Caring for elderly residents, complaining about the local peacock and a bit of matchmaking. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading this trilogy.
April 24, 2026
I didn’t think this book actually went anywhere. It was more an observation of someone’s life. I didn’t feel it had any depth to it at all and the ending was very flat. I actually flicked back to make sure I hadn’t missed a couple of pages. I so wanted to enjoy this book, and whilst I didn’t hate it, it wasn’t the best read.
July 5, 2018
A bit bland (not as much as the previous one though). Even so, a pleasant read.
September 27, 2019
Fantastic book
Great insight into the life of the family and all the bumps along the road
Great insight into the life of the family and all the bumps along the road
January 5, 2020
I liked all the characters, the writing was a bit lame.
July 27, 2021
The last in the trilogy but felt this his was the weakest of the three. A lot of faffing and not a lot happening really. Think the author ran out of anecdotes. Bored me
January 31, 2017
Life in a small Cornish town, an enjoyable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2017
I hate to put it in print--however I found the book very underwhelming. Not a great deal of substance and at times very tedious and boring. With so much other literature to read why bother with this one? Almost like a series of school essays.
May 1, 2012
The author narrates the story from her perspective as a postwoman who is finally setting down amidst the Cornish villagers, and - at last - being accepted as one of them. She has a pleasant, light style that makes this an easy and relaxing read; it's descriptive, and gentle, and would probably appeal to anyone who knows anything about Cornwall or village life in general.
There are far more characters on Tessa's round - many of them a little eccentric - than I could keep track of, although it didn't really matter; perhaps, had I read the first two books in the series, it would have been easier to remember who was whom. The blurb on the back claims that 'a promising friendship quickly turns into a nightmare and the village is soon in quiet revolt'... a pity that whoever wrote that didn't actually read the book. There's actually a new couple who can't adjust and ruffle a few feathers in the village, while Tessa becomes a bit frustrated and wonders where her loyalties lie... but that's about as far as it goes.
The blurb also claims 'hilarious results' from another situation which could perhaps have been funny, but wasn't particularly amusing at all. I think this epitomises my problem with the book, and the reason why, despite it being a pleasant enough read, I don't feel any inclination to get hold of the earlier ones in the series. There are some promising characters and situations... but they all peter out rather too easily with very little emotion. I realise that the book is about real people and real life, written as a memoir with names and details changed, but more than once I found myself wondering just when the story would start.
Still, it made pleasant enough reading over a quiet weekend. It would make a good bedtime book, since a chapter at a time is plenty, and there's nothing that could possibly lead to bad dreams.
There are far more characters on Tessa's round - many of them a little eccentric - than I could keep track of, although it didn't really matter; perhaps, had I read the first two books in the series, it would have been easier to remember who was whom. The blurb on the back claims that 'a promising friendship quickly turns into a nightmare and the village is soon in quiet revolt'... a pity that whoever wrote that didn't actually read the book. There's actually a new couple who can't adjust and ruffle a few feathers in the village, while Tessa becomes a bit frustrated and wonders where her loyalties lie... but that's about as far as it goes.
The blurb also claims 'hilarious results' from another situation which could perhaps have been funny, but wasn't particularly amusing at all. I think this epitomises my problem with the book, and the reason why, despite it being a pleasant enough read, I don't feel any inclination to get hold of the earlier ones in the series. There are some promising characters and situations... but they all peter out rather too easily with very little emotion. I realise that the book is about real people and real life, written as a memoir with names and details changed, but more than once I found myself wondering just when the story would start.
Still, it made pleasant enough reading over a quiet weekend. It would make a good bedtime book, since a chapter at a time is plenty, and there's nothing that could possibly lead to bad dreams.
April 26, 2015
Having read all three of Tessa's books in this series I would say that this third book is not as good as the first but better than the second.
After I read the first book (Up with the larks) I enjoyed it so much that two weeks later I borrowed both the second and third books from the library at the same time. After reading the second book (Seagulls in the attic) I wasn't that impressed and admit that if I hadn't already borrowed the third book then I probably wouldn't have bothered. As I had already borrowed this third book, I decided to read it (as these books are all easy, lighthearted and quick to get through) and I'm glad I read it. I found this book much less repetitive than the second one was, with regards to back stories for characters.
All of Tessa's books are generally very positive and this is a really nice change, as I went through a spate recently of reading some heavy and rather depressing books. As a light pick me up these books are great. They show a glimpse of the healthy, slow, simple lifestyle that can't be bought but many people enjoy and don't want to lose. It's heartening to see how Tessa has changed since the first book, even just some of the colloquial terms she now uses in this third book.
As someone who loves Cornwall and also lives in a very rural community I enjoyed this book. I agree with so much in the book and could relate to it well. In the past few years when I have visited London I have also noticed (and often commented!) how the people don't seem to be able to speak softly anymore and instead want everyone to notice them and their conversation. I have never noticed it in South Africa or even when I travelled through Belgium or other European countries; but when reading this book I was so pleased to read that I'm not the only person to notice it.
After I read the first book (Up with the larks) I enjoyed it so much that two weeks later I borrowed both the second and third books from the library at the same time. After reading the second book (Seagulls in the attic) I wasn't that impressed and admit that if I hadn't already borrowed the third book then I probably wouldn't have bothered. As I had already borrowed this third book, I decided to read it (as these books are all easy, lighthearted and quick to get through) and I'm glad I read it. I found this book much less repetitive than the second one was, with regards to back stories for characters.
All of Tessa's books are generally very positive and this is a really nice change, as I went through a spate recently of reading some heavy and rather depressing books. As a light pick me up these books are great. They show a glimpse of the healthy, slow, simple lifestyle that can't be bought but many people enjoy and don't want to lose. It's heartening to see how Tessa has changed since the first book, even just some of the colloquial terms she now uses in this third book.
As someone who loves Cornwall and also lives in a very rural community I enjoyed this book. I agree with so much in the book and could relate to it well. In the past few years when I have visited London I have also noticed (and often commented!) how the people don't seem to be able to speak softly anymore and instead want everyone to notice them and their conversation. I have never noticed it in South Africa or even when I travelled through Belgium or other European countries; but when reading this book I was so pleased to read that I'm not the only person to notice it.
May 6, 2012
Having settled down in Cornwall, Tessa Hainsworth once again takes the reader onto a journey through her daily life far from her former London home. Home To Roost presents her third year on the Cornish coast and postie Tessa has evidently blended in comfortably into the community, much unlike another family from the big city which apparently isn't cut out for the country life at all.
Part memoir, part journal, this book can be best described as a cozy mystery - you get all the quirky characters of a small town, plus a charming setting - without any dead bodies turning up. Being a light read, which you can easily indulge in over the course of a lazy afternoon, it is perfect for those who like to distract themselves with quaint yet unassuming stories.
Personally I must confess, the book sounded so wonderfully promising, but turned out to be too slow paced and uneventful for my taste. Add that the writing style was rather bland, without any kind of ups and downs, lacking the humor I had been hoping for. What I missed the most were more elaborate descriptions of the town and the Cornish setting. Granted, Tessa does throw in bits and pieces here and there, but I would have loved if she had painted a more vivid picture thus really bringing the place and its people to life in my mind.
In short: A warm-hearted cozy read, yet lacking pace and detail!
Part memoir, part journal, this book can be best described as a cozy mystery - you get all the quirky characters of a small town, plus a charming setting - without any dead bodies turning up. Being a light read, which you can easily indulge in over the course of a lazy afternoon, it is perfect for those who like to distract themselves with quaint yet unassuming stories.
Personally I must confess, the book sounded so wonderfully promising, but turned out to be too slow paced and uneventful for my taste. Add that the writing style was rather bland, without any kind of ups and downs, lacking the humor I had been hoping for. What I missed the most were more elaborate descriptions of the town and the Cornish setting. Granted, Tessa does throw in bits and pieces here and there, but I would have loved if she had painted a more vivid picture thus really bringing the place and its people to life in my mind.
In short: A warm-hearted cozy read, yet lacking pace and detail!
July 13, 2020
Totally agree I loathed the books unfortunately bought all three together. She knows absolutely zero about Cornwall and can’t even name roads in places she apparently visits loads of times great postie. Full of inaccuracies and just padded out rubbish not at all the life of someone who has moved to Cornwall as several of my close friends have and many many others are locals and I myself a lifelong visitor. I can make and describe most of the places she’s taking about far more accurately and so could anyone whose been to St Ives for example for more than a day let alone lived in Cornwall and been a postie. God awful books.
August 20, 2014
Have found this series of books written by Tessa Hainsworth a joy to read, with really realistic descriptions of life in a village in Cornwall. I speak as someone who was brought up in Cornwall from the age of 10 till I was 23, so I do know what it was like for my family to fit in with the Cornish life.
Her tales of her adventures and work as a 'postie' also rang very true, as did her characters. A joy to read
Her tales of her adventures and work as a 'postie' also rang very true, as did her characters. A joy to read
August 22, 2014
I have read all 3 of the books written by Tessa Hainsworth about her move from London to the Cornish seaside and I have thoroughly enjoyed them all. So much so I recommended them to Mick and he is enjoying reading the first book.
April 16, 2014
Enjoyed this a lot! Some great characters , that I would love to see again in another book!
December 16, 2012
I love these stories. Can't wait for the next book to come out!
January 27, 2014
Abandoned didn't hold my interest too many characters hard to keep track of.
August 25, 2014
Not my usual kind of book but have to say I have thoroughly enjoyed all 3. Really good books about a change of life & of fitting in in rural Cornwall.
March 28, 2015
Loved this book.was sad to finish it.real escapism
January 15, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyable, easy to read and a great third book. I loved meeting the same characters and finding out what had happened to them since Seagulls in the Attic.
April 9, 2015
Easy to read, some bits felt repetitive in terms of descriptions of the villagers
June 12, 2015
This is the third book in the series about Tessa who leaves London with her family and settles in Cornwall. She is a postwoman. I loved all these books about her new life and the people she meets.
July 13, 2015
this one is a bit boring. i skip some of the narratives. but i still love tessa's book and i'm waiting for her next one.
April 18, 2016
Good but getting a little samey. Still a worthwhile read if you've enjoyed the first two.
August 15, 2016
the series was cute
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews