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Poldore #2
Two Weddings and a Baby
Tamsyn Thorne has not been back to her home town of Poldore for five long years.
But now her brother, Ruan, is about to get married and she has no excuses left.
Her plans to arrive in Cornwall looking chic and successful are dashed when a huge storm turns her from fashion goddess to a drowned rat. Worse, she ends up insulting the local hunky vicar – and then finds a tiny baby abandoned in his churchyard…
But now her brother, Ruan, is about to get married and she has no excuses left.
Her plans to arrive in Cornwall looking chic and successful are dashed when a huge storm turns her from fashion goddess to a drowned rat. Worse, she ends up insulting the local hunky vicar – and then finds a tiny baby abandoned in his churchyard…
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2014
96 people are currently reading
1145 people want to read
About the author
Scarlett Bailey
13 books173 followersA lover of Christmas, romance and old movies Scarlett wrote her first Christmas romance 'The Night Before Christmas' in 2011. Her second novel 'Married by Christmas' and a digital novella 'Santa Maybe' are out now.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
October 5, 2021
Really enjoyable fast paced book with a lot of heart.
July 7, 2014
There are lots and lots of wonderful things about this new book by Scarlett Bailey. The first is that author, Scarlett, alias Rowan Coleman is one of my favourite authors and never fails to disappoint this particular reader. The second is that this novel is set in Cornwall, my most favourite place in the world. Add to the mix a wonderful cast of colourful characters, beautiful scenery, a wedding and a baby and what could possibly fail this as a magnificent read? Answer, nothing. I loved it and devoured it greedily, eating up the story, the humour, the love, the sadness and generally the everyday common things that make life what it is and which Scarlett Bailey portrays so brilliantly.
The very beginning sucked me right in as if I was right there in Cornwall, imagining the rain and the crashing Atlantic, the quaint stone of the houses, picture postcard villages but still so beautiful...but not particularly to Tamsyn, our heroine, who arrives back in her home village after a five year absence for her brother’s wedding. In the intervening years Tamsyn has been in Paris working for a fashion house and the one thing she wanted on her return to Poldore was to look the part of a fashion connoisseur, stylish and sophisticated. Unfortunately, the torrential rain has other ideas and her look proves to be more drowned rat than fashionista and as she takes a detour to the churchyard before reuniting with her family in the local pub she has an impromptu meeting with the vicar which sets the pace for the next few days as one event after another occurs; for not only does Tamsyn learn to confront the past and the reasons she left Poldore and make peace with them and her brother, she starts to rethink her Paris life, sees Poldore in a new light as the village comes together in the wake of flooding and evacuation and finds a tender side to herself when she rescues baby Mo and finds herself falling in love. It’s safe to say that life is not as dull in Poldore as she thought and for us readers it is a rollercoaster of emotion and laughter as we meet the wonderful villagers and the main cast of characters who are not quite as they first appear for underneath spiky exteriors lie soft and loving interiors and even the most organised and efficient appearing people have their heartaches that they hide from the world. As emotions are laid bare and truths tumble out the sense of wellbeing mounts to establish a heart-warming feel good factor for characters and readers alike.
The truly special thing about these characters is that they are entirely believable, none are faultless and they all have their idiosyncrasies and secrets which make them endearing and a joy to read about. I could picture Poldore so clearly, smell the sea, feel the fear of the villagers as their homes are deluged with water but then the sense of togetherness and caring was also very tangible and just made me wish to belong to such a place. Scarlett Bailey understands and writes about human nature so well and the empathetic nature of her writing emphasises that time and time again making readers simply lose themselves in the lives of her amazing characters.
More please.
With thanks to netgalley and Random House for the ARC of this book.
The very beginning sucked me right in as if I was right there in Cornwall, imagining the rain and the crashing Atlantic, the quaint stone of the houses, picture postcard villages but still so beautiful...but not particularly to Tamsyn, our heroine, who arrives back in her home village after a five year absence for her brother’s wedding. In the intervening years Tamsyn has been in Paris working for a fashion house and the one thing she wanted on her return to Poldore was to look the part of a fashion connoisseur, stylish and sophisticated. Unfortunately, the torrential rain has other ideas and her look proves to be more drowned rat than fashionista and as she takes a detour to the churchyard before reuniting with her family in the local pub she has an impromptu meeting with the vicar which sets the pace for the next few days as one event after another occurs; for not only does Tamsyn learn to confront the past and the reasons she left Poldore and make peace with them and her brother, she starts to rethink her Paris life, sees Poldore in a new light as the village comes together in the wake of flooding and evacuation and finds a tender side to herself when she rescues baby Mo and finds herself falling in love. It’s safe to say that life is not as dull in Poldore as she thought and for us readers it is a rollercoaster of emotion and laughter as we meet the wonderful villagers and the main cast of characters who are not quite as they first appear for underneath spiky exteriors lie soft and loving interiors and even the most organised and efficient appearing people have their heartaches that they hide from the world. As emotions are laid bare and truths tumble out the sense of wellbeing mounts to establish a heart-warming feel good factor for characters and readers alike.
The truly special thing about these characters is that they are entirely believable, none are faultless and they all have their idiosyncrasies and secrets which make them endearing and a joy to read about. I could picture Poldore so clearly, smell the sea, feel the fear of the villagers as their homes are deluged with water but then the sense of togetherness and caring was also very tangible and just made me wish to belong to such a place. Scarlett Bailey understands and writes about human nature so well and the empathetic nature of her writing emphasises that time and time again making readers simply lose themselves in the lives of her amazing characters.
More please.
With thanks to netgalley and Random House for the ARC of this book.
September 6, 2015
I’m a huge fan of this author’s books under her name of Rowan Coleman but have to admit this is the first time I have read her as Scarlett Bailey.
The story didn’t immediately grab me. Upon her arrival in the village, my initial thoughts were that Tamsyn was rather self centred and rude and I really didn’t warm to her; however, she grew on me and before the end of the book I was really rooting for her. For me one of the great strengths of the book was the sense of community and people pulling together.
There are some really good, well written characters, Sue, the owner of Castle House was a favourite, as was Jed the vicar, and although she didn’t have a speaking part, little Mo was just a delight. This was a lovely warm and entertaining read and the witty one liners kept me chuckling. I’ve always had a soft spot for Cornwall, it’s one of my favourite places and I would have loved for Poldore to actually exist. I really enjoyed my visit there and will certainly be returning to read the other books.
The story didn’t immediately grab me. Upon her arrival in the village, my initial thoughts were that Tamsyn was rather self centred and rude and I really didn’t warm to her; however, she grew on me and before the end of the book I was really rooting for her. For me one of the great strengths of the book was the sense of community and people pulling together.
There are some really good, well written characters, Sue, the owner of Castle House was a favourite, as was Jed the vicar, and although she didn’t have a speaking part, little Mo was just a delight. This was a lovely warm and entertaining read and the witty one liners kept me chuckling. I’ve always had a soft spot for Cornwall, it’s one of my favourite places and I would have loved for Poldore to actually exist. I really enjoyed my visit there and will certainly be returning to read the other books.
July 31, 2016
First book I have read from Scarlett Bailey and it was definately not a disappointment. Even though it was a little predictable I couldn't help thoroughly enjoying the storyline and the characters. So many laugh out moments as well which just made me enjoy it more. Great read.
July 12, 2017
Nice light hearted easy read but a bit predictable.
September 3, 2014
When this beauty arrived at my doorstep, I was screaming and jumping around. Ever since I read Just For Christmas (Alex and Ruan’s story) I wanted to go back to Poldore, a lovely and sweet little town in Cornwall.
Yay and here we are!
This time the story is focused on Tamsyn Thorne, Ruan’s younger sister. Something happened between them in the past and they are not talking.
Tamsyn is now working in Paris, as a fashion designer and she kind of has a “Friends with benefits” relationship to her boss. Well, Ruan and Alex are happier than ever and they are getting married, the perfect opportunity for Tamsyn to come back, she didn’t see it that way at the time, but the story developed…
When she founds a baby abandoned in a churchyard, her love changed. I loved the way she was caring for that little girl. She showed a new side to the fashion and career driven woman. A storm hits the village and pushes them all closer together, helping each other and trying everything to make the wedding still possible. It also brought Jed, the vicar, and Tamsyn closer together. Their chemistry was something special from the start. The two of them being very different, with different believes made it difficult for them to see the truth. However, the most important thing was for them to see in the same direction concerning love. Well, let’s just say it was an interesting journey of passion, feelings, the past and finding their true self.
Jed was a great character, not a typical vicar and very very gorgeous. I think he’s perfect for Tamsyn… new book boyfriend <3
Well, the thing I enjoyed most about the book was reading about Alex and Ruan again. I loved their story and it found a way to continue in this one. Their feelings for each other come through again and Alex and Tamsyn got on so well, I was so happy about that. When the storm destroyed the wedding dress, Tamsyn made her one <3. And there was still the thing between Ruan and his sister, which needed clarification. Let me just say that it had something to do with their past and a woman.
Oh and Buoy was there again too, awwww. I’m not a dog’s person, but I love this dog.
Oh and what about the second wedding? Well, just read it to find out!
This book is about family, love, friendship, a community sticking together overcoming different obstacles. Full of humour, surprises, drama and emotions, the perfect mixture, describe in the most brilliant way. It’s a masterpiece, you’ve done a marvellous job Scarlet!
Yay and here we are!
This time the story is focused on Tamsyn Thorne, Ruan’s younger sister. Something happened between them in the past and they are not talking.
Tamsyn is now working in Paris, as a fashion designer and she kind of has a “Friends with benefits” relationship to her boss. Well, Ruan and Alex are happier than ever and they are getting married, the perfect opportunity for Tamsyn to come back, she didn’t see it that way at the time, but the story developed…
When she founds a baby abandoned in a churchyard, her love changed. I loved the way she was caring for that little girl. She showed a new side to the fashion and career driven woman. A storm hits the village and pushes them all closer together, helping each other and trying everything to make the wedding still possible. It also brought Jed, the vicar, and Tamsyn closer together. Their chemistry was something special from the start. The two of them being very different, with different believes made it difficult for them to see the truth. However, the most important thing was for them to see in the same direction concerning love. Well, let’s just say it was an interesting journey of passion, feelings, the past and finding their true self.
Jed was a great character, not a typical vicar and very very gorgeous. I think he’s perfect for Tamsyn… new book boyfriend <3
Well, the thing I enjoyed most about the book was reading about Alex and Ruan again. I loved their story and it found a way to continue in this one. Their feelings for each other come through again and Alex and Tamsyn got on so well, I was so happy about that. When the storm destroyed the wedding dress, Tamsyn made her one <3. And there was still the thing between Ruan and his sister, which needed clarification. Let me just say that it had something to do with their past and a woman.
Oh and Buoy was there again too, awwww. I’m not a dog’s person, but I love this dog.
Oh and what about the second wedding? Well, just read it to find out!
This book is about family, love, friendship, a community sticking together overcoming different obstacles. Full of humour, surprises, drama and emotions, the perfect mixture, describe in the most brilliant way. It’s a masterpiece, you’ve done a marvellous job Scarlet!
June 18, 2014
This is a rare and welcome treat - both a return to Poldore, with its wonderful cast of characters, and a book from Scarlett Bailey set at a time other than Christmas. You really don't need to have read Just for Christmas to enjoy this one, but it was particularly lovely to revisit the same setting and the familiar characters, with an absolutely enthralling story and the same wonderful writing.
We're back in Poldore for the wedding of Alex and Ruan, but this time they're not the central characters. Tamsyn, Ruan's estranged sister, has returned from her job with a Paris fashion house to be a reluctant bridesmaid, and arrives in Poldore in the middle of a storm and flood and the evacuation of the village. The wonderful Sue - the supreme organiser, but with hidden sadness - provides a refuge for the evacuees, and the book moves from drama to drama, full of twists and misunderstandings, moments of humour and emotion that draws a tear, as the date of the wedding approaches.
At the centre of it all is abandoned baby Mo - sharing care for her with vicar Jed sees Tamsyn's personality undergo a complete change for the better (when you first meet her, you might not warm to her - I know I didn't!) while the search continues for the baby's mother. Then there are the ongoing preparations for the wedding amid all the devastation, with the whole community pulling together to avoid disaster - it's a wonderful story, really well told, with familar and new characters merging seamlessly and both characters and setting vividly drawn. One much-loved character is still at centre stage - the wonderful Buoy the dog, a little older and quieter, but still overflowing with doggy personality and carrying out his everyday acts of heroism.
I absolutely loved it, and devoured it in one glorious sitting. This really is chick lit at its very best - superbly written, real characters to engage with, the romantic elements combined with a rollicking good story, a vivid sense of place. When you pick it up, I guarantee you won't want to put it down until the last page either.
Two Weddings and a Baby will be published in paperback and for Kindle by Ebury Press on 19 June. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for my advance reading e-copy.
We're back in Poldore for the wedding of Alex and Ruan, but this time they're not the central characters. Tamsyn, Ruan's estranged sister, has returned from her job with a Paris fashion house to be a reluctant bridesmaid, and arrives in Poldore in the middle of a storm and flood and the evacuation of the village. The wonderful Sue - the supreme organiser, but with hidden sadness - provides a refuge for the evacuees, and the book moves from drama to drama, full of twists and misunderstandings, moments of humour and emotion that draws a tear, as the date of the wedding approaches.
At the centre of it all is abandoned baby Mo - sharing care for her with vicar Jed sees Tamsyn's personality undergo a complete change for the better (when you first meet her, you might not warm to her - I know I didn't!) while the search continues for the baby's mother. Then there are the ongoing preparations for the wedding amid all the devastation, with the whole community pulling together to avoid disaster - it's a wonderful story, really well told, with familar and new characters merging seamlessly and both characters and setting vividly drawn. One much-loved character is still at centre stage - the wonderful Buoy the dog, a little older and quieter, but still overflowing with doggy personality and carrying out his everyday acts of heroism.
I absolutely loved it, and devoured it in one glorious sitting. This really is chick lit at its very best - superbly written, real characters to engage with, the romantic elements combined with a rollicking good story, a vivid sense of place. When you pick it up, I guarantee you won't want to put it down until the last page either.
Two Weddings and a Baby will be published in paperback and for Kindle by Ebury Press on 19 June. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for my advance reading e-copy.
August 4, 2014
I have to hold up my hands and admit that I've not read any of the previous Scarlett Bailey novels, but I do adore the books that she writes under her real name of Rowan Coleman. I'm not sure how I've missed these books before, I'm guessing that it's because they've all been Christmas themed and although I always intend to read themed books in December, I rarely get around to it. I'm sorry Scarlett/Rowan, I'll do my best to catch up, I promise!
Two Weddings and a Baby features the cast from one of the previous novels; Just For Christmas. I didn't realise that, and it certainly doesn't matter - this is easily read as a standalone story.
Tamsyn Thorne has returned to her home town of Poldore in Cornwall for her brother's wedding. It's clear that there is some bad feeling between them and the reader soon learns why. Tamsyn is a strong character, she says exactly what pops into her head, pulling no punches and often offending .... but I liked that .... I especially loved the conversations between Tamsyn and her twin four-year-old nephews.
"What do you want from me? I've got no sweets, no toys, no money, nothing. I'm no good to you."
"To be honest, I'd rather wear something nylon and with an elasticated waist than go anywhere near your sleeping bag. You have the personal hygiene habits of, well, a four-year-old boy, to be fair."
Tamsyn's return to Poldore is the beginning of a warm, funny and very entertaining read. Expertly paced, the writing flows so well and the characters are really vivid and recognisable as real human beings - warts and all.
As Tamsyn arrives home, so does a violent and quite terrifying storm that affects the whole town, also making an appearance is a sexy and fairly mysterious vicar and a one-day-old baby girl who floats upon the floodwater in a Moses basket.
I'm not going to go over the plot, but suffice to say it contains a little bit of everything and works very well; there are family relationships, romances, rivalries and jealousies, old scores, new loves, storms, babies and oh those twins!
Two Weddings and a Baby is a story with a bit of a wallop and I enjoyed every excellently written page, I hope that Scarlett Bailey decides to write more about the residents of Poldore - I'd love to find out more.
Two Weddings and a Baby features the cast from one of the previous novels; Just For Christmas. I didn't realise that, and it certainly doesn't matter - this is easily read as a standalone story.
Tamsyn Thorne has returned to her home town of Poldore in Cornwall for her brother's wedding. It's clear that there is some bad feeling between them and the reader soon learns why. Tamsyn is a strong character, she says exactly what pops into her head, pulling no punches and often offending .... but I liked that .... I especially loved the conversations between Tamsyn and her twin four-year-old nephews.
"What do you want from me? I've got no sweets, no toys, no money, nothing. I'm no good to you."
"To be honest, I'd rather wear something nylon and with an elasticated waist than go anywhere near your sleeping bag. You have the personal hygiene habits of, well, a four-year-old boy, to be fair."
Tamsyn's return to Poldore is the beginning of a warm, funny and very entertaining read. Expertly paced, the writing flows so well and the characters are really vivid and recognisable as real human beings - warts and all.
As Tamsyn arrives home, so does a violent and quite terrifying storm that affects the whole town, also making an appearance is a sexy and fairly mysterious vicar and a one-day-old baby girl who floats upon the floodwater in a Moses basket.
I'm not going to go over the plot, but suffice to say it contains a little bit of everything and works very well; there are family relationships, romances, rivalries and jealousies, old scores, new loves, storms, babies and oh those twins!
Two Weddings and a Baby is a story with a bit of a wallop and I enjoyed every excellently written page, I hope that Scarlett Bailey decides to write more about the residents of Poldore - I'd love to find out more.
April 15, 2015
ben sevdim sıcacık, sevgi dolu bir hikayeydi :)
January 25, 2020
This is an continuation of Jed and Tamysn, in this book they start to find more about each other’s secrets, desires, likes and dislikes. At this time Tamysn does not know deep down whether she can commit to a forever which Jed would like even though as time goes by there is a chemistry which speaks clearly.
There are so many funny and romantic heartwarming moments, especially when his struggles come to the forefront and Tamysn does everything she can to stop Jed leaving the village which is a success and he learns to embrace peoples support and love to move forward. Eventually Tamysn learns how deeply she feels for Jed and not having met her soulmate before totally puts her heart on the line with her family’s support and six months later she is married to the love of her life and decides moving back home her and to the career her heart desires whilst supporting with the church and village is the best decision of her life if only it didn’t have to end here in this book.
The book also continues the progress of Ruen and Alex’s big day and Ruen finally deals with his secrets of his past and with his sister Tamysn which Tamysn does her upmost to ensure the wedding is a success and definitely happens.
On arrival home to the village Tamysn finds she is returning as totally different person long overdue at resolving her difficulties with her brother Ruen and returning under her mums upmost pressure to her brothers wedding and meet her sister in-law and family for the first time. On arrival the most village ripping storm destroys the village and whilst visiting her friends grave she meets the most gorgeous man Jed who happens to be the vicar.
Whilst going back to the hotel after her welcome home at the pub, she stops at the church after the local dog seems distraught by something nearby, this happens to be an abandoned baby girl, who together they literally save from death and takes her on the amazing journey changing her back to the person she once was and falling her on the road to love with Jed as a temporary care couple for baby mo and literally is the best move she could make in her life and brings her to her true heart’s desires and back to her family and true love.
There are so many funny and romantic heartwarming moments, especially when his struggles come to the forefront and Tamysn does everything she can to stop Jed leaving the village which is a success and he learns to embrace peoples support and love to move forward. Eventually Tamysn learns how deeply she feels for Jed and not having met her soulmate before totally puts her heart on the line with her family’s support and six months later she is married to the love of her life and decides moving back home her and to the career her heart desires whilst supporting with the church and village is the best decision of her life if only it didn’t have to end here in this book.
The book also continues the progress of Ruen and Alex’s big day and Ruen finally deals with his secrets of his past and with his sister Tamysn which Tamysn does her upmost to ensure the wedding is a success and definitely happens.
On arrival home to the village Tamysn finds she is returning as totally different person long overdue at resolving her difficulties with her brother Ruen and returning under her mums upmost pressure to her brothers wedding and meet her sister in-law and family for the first time. On arrival the most village ripping storm destroys the village and whilst visiting her friends grave she meets the most gorgeous man Jed who happens to be the vicar.
Whilst going back to the hotel after her welcome home at the pub, she stops at the church after the local dog seems distraught by something nearby, this happens to be an abandoned baby girl, who together they literally save from death and takes her on the amazing journey changing her back to the person she once was and falling her on the road to love with Jed as a temporary care couple for baby mo and literally is the best move she could make in her life and brings her to her true heart’s desires and back to her family and true love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2014
Originally posted on http://beccasbooooks.blogspot.co.uk/
Firstly, I'd just like to say a big thank you to the fantastic publishers at Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for accepting my request to view the title via Net Galley. Thank you! And to Scarlett Bailey of course, the wonderful creator of this charming story set in the adorable little town of Poldore that I have been missing since reading Just for Christmas which, by the way, was equally beautiful.
I was ecstatic when I read that I had been accepted for this title and I downloaded it to my kindle as soon as I possibly could, although with a mountain of a to-read pile beside me, it took a while for me to actually get around to reading it. This is the second novel that I have read that is written by Scarlett Bailey and I was delighted to be taken back to Poldore, the charming little town hidden away in Cornwall.
Tamsyn Thorne's story begins during her taxi ride back into Poldore, the rain pouring and the sky above a stormy grey, reminiscent of the day when she left, more than five years ago. Scarlett gives us a little background information about what Tamsyn has been up to whilst she's been absent; she's now a glamorous, sophisticated woman with a Parisian apartment and a job handling the business and PR for a fashion design company, who's also currently having a very grown-up affair with her boss, Bernard du Mont Pere. I loved Tamsyn from the get-go. Although she wasn't exactly the brightest bulb in the box, she had a knack for creating beautiful designs and a 'hero-like' quality about her. Upon Tamsyn's arrival back into Poldore, Scarlett repeatedly hints towards something that blew up between Tamsyn and her brother, Ruan, before she left the town all those years ago. I thought that this was a fabulous way to open her novel and really grab the reader's attention, beckoning for me to read on and find out more. Tamysn was beautiful, creative and had a cute tendency to "put her foot in it", which we've all done at one point or another, haven't we? The contrast between her Parisian life and the life that she was returning too was brilliantly shown to the reader by Scarlett's comical and true-to-life descriptions.
Poldore itself was as delightful as ever, even if it was in the midst of a raging storm as Tamsyn returned. I particularly loved this description, it brought the town to life in my mind instantly.
"Poldore looked, as ever, as if it was tumbling down the hill towards the Atlantic - as if one good nudge might be enough to send it floating out to sea, like a sort of picture-postcard Atlantis."
Scarlett made it sound like this perfect, hidden-away town that, as stated above, wouldn't look out of place on a postcard. I loved everything about it, including all of it's quirky and vibrant characters; from Sue Montaigne to Buoy the dog. It was cosy, comfortable and I just wanted to snuggle down in the local pub and watch the characters carry on with their lives. I cannot put into words how happy I was to return to Poldore beside Tamsyn, although I should say that Tamsyn didn't seem the happiest about returning home.
As I found with Just for Christmas, Scarlett's characters were just impossible to not love. There were so many of them, all with their unique and colourful personalities, and I found that I never found it hard to keep up with them. This was probably to do with the fact that Scarlett was writing from a third person perspective and stayed with Tamsyn throughout the entirety of the story, so I never found myself muddled up with who's who. There was Jed - an unbelievably hot vicar. Tamsyn's mother and sisters, a whole bunch of Thorne women who never failed to entertain me or make me giggle. Ruan, Tamsyn's gorgeous brother who was the groom-to-be, and Alex, Ruan's bride, the woman who Tamsyn had never met before. I loved witnessing Tamsyn being reunited with her brother, and again, the distinct hint of something that had happened before was constantly hovering just above them. It was like waiting for something explosive to happen. Scarlett's characters brought the town and her fictional story to life.
I'm not including a spoiler here as it is already mentioned in the blurb, but there's also the baby aspect too. I did wonder how on earth Scarlett was going to manage to include a baby within the story as Tamsyn didn't seem to have a daughter or son with her when she arrived, so I was a little confused, but then BAM, it happened. It was lovely, warm and so moving, and Scarlett incorporated it within her plot like a true author - smoothly and just so damn believable. I think this added such a deeper depth to the character of Tamsyn and I just wanted to squeeze the hell out of her because it made me so freaking emotional.
And of course, let's not forget the whole wedding theme, right? What girl doesn't love a wedding? I certainly do, and the wedding that was about the happen in Poldore was just brilliant. Scarlett chose a fabulous way to include some dramatics and catastrophe within her novel by letting loose the worse storm that Poldore has seen in years. Not only did this throw all plans up into the air but I was very intrigued as to how Scarlett's characters were going to overcome the chaos that was thrown their way.
I really don't want to ruin the story for any would-be readers out there by giving the entire plot away, but believe me when I say that this is definitely one to add to the ever growing to-read list. It was beautiful, heart-warming and just downright gorgeous. From the idyllic setting to the multitude of fabulous characters, Two Weddings and a Baby is definitely one to add to your summer reading pile.
Becca's Books is handing over five delicious cupcakes to Scarlett Bailey! Not only do we get to catch up with Ruan and his wife-to-be but we are also invited to their wedding. And Tamsyn? I guess you could call her a fairy god-mother... Well done Scarlett, I loved it!
Firstly, I'd just like to say a big thank you to the fantastic publishers at Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for accepting my request to view the title via Net Galley. Thank you! And to Scarlett Bailey of course, the wonderful creator of this charming story set in the adorable little town of Poldore that I have been missing since reading Just for Christmas which, by the way, was equally beautiful.
I was ecstatic when I read that I had been accepted for this title and I downloaded it to my kindle as soon as I possibly could, although with a mountain of a to-read pile beside me, it took a while for me to actually get around to reading it. This is the second novel that I have read that is written by Scarlett Bailey and I was delighted to be taken back to Poldore, the charming little town hidden away in Cornwall.
Tamsyn Thorne's story begins during her taxi ride back into Poldore, the rain pouring and the sky above a stormy grey, reminiscent of the day when she left, more than five years ago. Scarlett gives us a little background information about what Tamsyn has been up to whilst she's been absent; she's now a glamorous, sophisticated woman with a Parisian apartment and a job handling the business and PR for a fashion design company, who's also currently having a very grown-up affair with her boss, Bernard du Mont Pere. I loved Tamsyn from the get-go. Although she wasn't exactly the brightest bulb in the box, she had a knack for creating beautiful designs and a 'hero-like' quality about her. Upon Tamsyn's arrival back into Poldore, Scarlett repeatedly hints towards something that blew up between Tamsyn and her brother, Ruan, before she left the town all those years ago. I thought that this was a fabulous way to open her novel and really grab the reader's attention, beckoning for me to read on and find out more. Tamysn was beautiful, creative and had a cute tendency to "put her foot in it", which we've all done at one point or another, haven't we? The contrast between her Parisian life and the life that she was returning too was brilliantly shown to the reader by Scarlett's comical and true-to-life descriptions.
Poldore itself was as delightful as ever, even if it was in the midst of a raging storm as Tamsyn returned. I particularly loved this description, it brought the town to life in my mind instantly.
"Poldore looked, as ever, as if it was tumbling down the hill towards the Atlantic - as if one good nudge might be enough to send it floating out to sea, like a sort of picture-postcard Atlantis."
Scarlett made it sound like this perfect, hidden-away town that, as stated above, wouldn't look out of place on a postcard. I loved everything about it, including all of it's quirky and vibrant characters; from Sue Montaigne to Buoy the dog. It was cosy, comfortable and I just wanted to snuggle down in the local pub and watch the characters carry on with their lives. I cannot put into words how happy I was to return to Poldore beside Tamsyn, although I should say that Tamsyn didn't seem the happiest about returning home.
As I found with Just for Christmas, Scarlett's characters were just impossible to not love. There were so many of them, all with their unique and colourful personalities, and I found that I never found it hard to keep up with them. This was probably to do with the fact that Scarlett was writing from a third person perspective and stayed with Tamsyn throughout the entirety of the story, so I never found myself muddled up with who's who. There was Jed - an unbelievably hot vicar. Tamsyn's mother and sisters, a whole bunch of Thorne women who never failed to entertain me or make me giggle. Ruan, Tamsyn's gorgeous brother who was the groom-to-be, and Alex, Ruan's bride, the woman who Tamsyn had never met before. I loved witnessing Tamsyn being reunited with her brother, and again, the distinct hint of something that had happened before was constantly hovering just above them. It was like waiting for something explosive to happen. Scarlett's characters brought the town and her fictional story to life.
I'm not including a spoiler here as it is already mentioned in the blurb, but there's also the baby aspect too. I did wonder how on earth Scarlett was going to manage to include a baby within the story as Tamsyn didn't seem to have a daughter or son with her when she arrived, so I was a little confused, but then BAM, it happened. It was lovely, warm and so moving, and Scarlett incorporated it within her plot like a true author - smoothly and just so damn believable. I think this added such a deeper depth to the character of Tamsyn and I just wanted to squeeze the hell out of her because it made me so freaking emotional.
And of course, let's not forget the whole wedding theme, right? What girl doesn't love a wedding? I certainly do, and the wedding that was about the happen in Poldore was just brilliant. Scarlett chose a fabulous way to include some dramatics and catastrophe within her novel by letting loose the worse storm that Poldore has seen in years. Not only did this throw all plans up into the air but I was very intrigued as to how Scarlett's characters were going to overcome the chaos that was thrown their way.
I really don't want to ruin the story for any would-be readers out there by giving the entire plot away, but believe me when I say that this is definitely one to add to the ever growing to-read list. It was beautiful, heart-warming and just downright gorgeous. From the idyllic setting to the multitude of fabulous characters, Two Weddings and a Baby is definitely one to add to your summer reading pile.
Becca's Books is handing over five delicious cupcakes to Scarlett Bailey! Not only do we get to catch up with Ruan and his wife-to-be but we are also invited to their wedding. And Tamsyn? I guess you could call her a fairy god-mother... Well done Scarlett, I loved it!
March 14, 2019
Was it predictable? Yes.
But did I thoroughly enjoy reading this? Also yes.
I really liked Tamsyn and Jed. They're different people but they have very similar values and they respect each other for who they are. The way they worked together almost seamlessly to take care of the baby was great. And as always, the townspeople were amazing. It was also nice to have so many perspectives on love from the other characters such as Alex, Ruan and Sue. To conclude, this was a feel-good book and I'll be reading more of SB's books.
But did I thoroughly enjoy reading this? Also yes.
I really liked Tamsyn and Jed. They're different people but they have very similar values and they respect each other for who they are. The way they worked together almost seamlessly to take care of the baby was great. And as always, the townspeople were amazing. It was also nice to have so many perspectives on love from the other characters such as Alex, Ruan and Sue. To conclude, this was a feel-good book and I'll be reading more of SB's books.
August 28, 2019
Not your typical chick lit/womens fiction novel. First of all both the protagonists in this novel are flawed in terms of how they appear initially. It is not until we uncover their secrets and underlying layers that you work out why they are the way they are. There is a typically stereotypical happy ending but this did not detract from the quality of the writing. Really loved the characters and setting and the story was cute and went along at quite a pace - so much so that I couldn't put it down. Really really good!
September 7, 2023
The reason for my lower score is due to the TERRIBLE editing!
The story in itself is a 4 stars but my goodness this author needs a new editor.
The amount of grammar issues that got missed and the poor word order made it tricky to read at time (her beating heat???) Not to mention the continuity errors. The landlady went from being called Becky in book 1 to Rosie in book 2. And we magically went back in time at the end from ‘one week and one day ago’ to ‘yesterday’.
This really let the book down in my opinion
The story in itself is a 4 stars but my goodness this author needs a new editor.
The amount of grammar issues that got missed and the poor word order made it tricky to read at time (her beating heat???) Not to mention the continuity errors. The landlady went from being called Becky in book 1 to Rosie in book 2. And we magically went back in time at the end from ‘one week and one day ago’ to ‘yesterday’.
This really let the book down in my opinion
May 18, 2020
Tamsyn is back from her busy fashion world 'Paris' to Poldore to attend her brother's wedding. Her return leads her to a perfect blend of surprises and realizations when she finds a new born baby left to be rescued under the tree. The events and the storm leads her to an adventurous event fulfilling her brother Ruan's wishes and fixing up her life, finding true love & a passionate work to survive a fulfilling life.
"An enthralling read with a fun-filled ride through the plot"
"An enthralling read with a fun-filled ride through the plot"
June 3, 2020
It took me a while to get into this. It tried too hard to be amusing and almost put me off. Tamsin was meant to be the sophisticated designer returning to her hometown for her brother’s wedding. She wouldn’t be that flippant. I also found the characters of the mother and sisters to be too similar. I forgot who was who. But the story sucked me in eventually and I was pleased they got their happy ever after.
November 21, 2017
I really enjoyed this book by Scarlett Bailey, I havent read any other books from this author but I found her style easy to follow and from the first few pages I was hooked. It was a delightful story with lots of feel good factors. I found that I could have read on and on.
January 4, 2018
What can i say? Absolutely loved returning to Poldore!! Please can someone take me away to a place like this? And let me meet someone as loving as Ruan or Jed or just the community....thank you Scarlett Bailey!!!
April 28, 2019
I really liked this book and it's characters.. I didn't find is as fluffy and happy go lucky as the title implies. But yes this is a lighthearted and cute read but still with a bit of a serious undertone
August 26, 2017
A lovely, cozy feel-good read! Like a Goldie Hawn film on a rainy Sunday! Just what I needed to cheer me up!
Read
December 31, 2017nice feel good contemporary.
December 28, 2017
Intrigued when I discovered there was another book in the series. More light relief and a happy story!
February 2, 2019
C
Different
This story kept me. eagarly. wanting to turn to the next page to see if. I was right on how the story was going a very enjoyable read
Different
This story kept me. eagarly. wanting to turn to the next page to see if. I was right on how the story was going a very enjoyable read
February 12, 2019
Simply lovely!!
The story, the characters were really well written. The book was so uplifting. I want to go and live there🏠. Fabulous
The story, the characters were really well written. The book was so uplifting. I want to go and live there🏠. Fabulous
March 9, 2019
Lighthearted and very enjoyab!e
An uplifting book about the power of love and how it can overcome.all problems . A good lighthearted summer holiday read.
An uplifting book about the power of love and how it can overcome.all problems . A good lighthearted summer holiday read.
March 22, 2019
Really enjoyed this. Lovely feel good book.
I really enjoyed this. The plot was simple but a nice, easy to read, feel.good book.
Would definitely read more from this author.
I really enjoyed this. The plot was simple but a nice, easy to read, feel.good book.
Would definitely read more from this author.
May 2, 2019
Léger mais conforme à mes attentes. J'ai préféré au premier tome!
May 3, 2019
Excellent read
May 31, 2019
Good twist to a traditional plot.
June 4, 2019
A great feel good story! Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you!
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