The Cornish Diary

by Eleonor Samuel

This move, this new job at the architect’s firm, it’s the fresh start Livia desperately needs—if she’s ever going to forget what happened three years ago...

Then one day, crammed into a drawer in her creaking old fisherman’s cottage, she finds a diary. She’s utterly captivated by the unfolding story of infatuation, rejection and guilt, so similar to her own.

But just as the writer is about to confess a chilling secret, the diary stops, the rest of its pages torn out. Convinced that the author lived in the same cottage, Livia is desperate to find out the truth about how the diary ended.

Who wrote that diary, and what happened to her? And what will happen to Livia when she finds out?

Audible Audio

First published August 11, 2023

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has so much potential!

Things I loved:
✔️eye-catching cover
✔️intriguing title
✔️intriguing synopsis
✔️remote setting
✔️secrets

Things I struggled with:
✔️short choppy sentences
✔️lack of dialogue attribution/POV cues
✔️undeveloped characters
✔️unclear story arc creating confusion

I was gifted this copy by Joffe Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This move, this new job at the architect's firm, it's the fresh start Livia desperately needs - if she's ever going to forget what happened three years ago.... Then one day, crammed into a drawer in her creaking old fisherman's cottage, Livia finds a dairy. She's utterly captivated by the unfolding story of infatuation, rejection and guilt, so similar to her own. But, just as the writer is about to confess a chilling secret, the diary stops, the rest of its pages torn out.

The first chapter is quite upsetting, it concerns a baby. We also have a dual timeline - the present day, 2022 and told from Livia's perspective, and the past, 2015, that's told from a young girl. I like when a book is set in Cornwall, it's one of my favourite places to visit, and I liked that the location was remote. But the characters were a bit one dimensional and unlikeable. The story had so much potential, but unfortunately it fell a bit short. I did enjoy how the story ended.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #EleonorSamuel for my ARC of #TheCornishDiary in exchange for an honest review.

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
The story starts with an upsetting chapter concerning a baby. Then we go to 2 different timelines, with the main character in 2022 and a young girl in 2015. That was a tad confusing.
I wasn't too keen on the protagonist, she was overly shy at times and was constantly stuttering and turning red with burning cheeks and ears, irritating. Also, the book felt overly long. The story itself was good, though, and the ending excellent.

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I get through a lot of audiobooks in a year. And at this point I’m relying on the back catalogue of my library audiobook app and it’s slim pickings. So the only real thing that drew me to choosing this book was that it was based in Cornwall and I’d just finished another mystery/ suspense novel based there.

I don’t review the majority of books I read, but I really enjoyed this one and felt I needed to. And was confused that other reviewers didn’t rate it higher. But maybe as an audiobook listener things like sentence pattern and chapter pattern matter less in that format.

Also I’m not sure if it’s my autism but I actually prefer it when other characters outside the of the protagonists are less well developed/ more one dimensional when it isn’t key to the story line. But I also mainly read uk detective novels where this is the case rather than this type of book, so maybe that’s why my opinion differs.

Some of Sophia parts and flashbacks from other characters were abit graphic and hard to listen to. But overall the story really captured my interest and had me constantly guessing and wanting to know more. As someone who has had PTSD I feel the emotional aspects of the book were conveyed well and accurately and I liked hearing what was going on in Livia’s head. The final hour had me crying a lot of times.

[Ms. Sethi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a well done creepy mystery with lots of surprises, compelling characters, and multiple storylines, perspectives, and timelines. It was well executed as there was so much going on with multiple narrators, two storylines happening at different times with one being narrated traditionally, but also through a diary. So really there were two storylines happening at THREE different times. While impressively done, it was also a lot going on and the overlaps felt like too much of a coincidence and unrealistic.

My main criticism is that some of the content was pretty intense, but these major issues felt like they were mostly glossed over for the resolution. The relationships between the characters also felt a little fake and overdone, but while reading you aren't sure if the characters are misunderstanding or imagining sinister happenings due to the atmosphere, so in a way that enhances the story. But it felt like it was too much and not realistic.


*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Simon Fenwick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is billed as a great psychological mystery with an incredible twist. Hmm not so sure about that. There are several problems with the story. Firstly it is written with incredibly long chapters which makes it harder to read as you have to allow very long periods whilst reading just to get through a single chapter. Then there is the story itself. The main story is set 'now' but there is a back story every other chapter so you are constantly jumping from one year back to another and then back to today. I actually got this book because I love books based in particular parts of the country but with this one, although it is set in Cornwall, most of the time you wouldn't know because fictional place names are used. Really it could be anywhere.

This is only the second book by this author and I am afraid I will think very carefully before reading another.

[Barbara Deeprose · Rating 3 out of 5]

It Was Okay

Usually any book set in Cornwall is a big hit with me but for some reason I really struggled with this one. It took me a while to work out who was who and for some reason I couldn't care a lot for any of the characters. Livia moves to a small Cornish village to work at an architects company but she ends up living in the same room as a previous employee and finds a journal written by the former intern telling of her life, but the last page is missing. Livia is living with her own secrets and somehow the two lives seem to be running side by side. The book was good in parts and the ending was interesting.

[Aileen (Ailz) Grist · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the book interesting, but confusing. Not much idea as to who. was speaking when. Or the connections. Or what was happening for a lot of the book. I stayed with it - as parts are very good - but the last two pages just added the full stops to the confusion.

It's okay... but... I had lots of buts... in the book. If it wasn't for the blurb about the book I don't think I'd have managed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried my best to really like this book and I just couldn't. I actually quit reading it for several months and just tried again and nope, I couldn't finish it. As hard as I tried, I just felt like I couldn't connect with the characters, and I was confused the entire time I was reading. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest review.

[Beverly Kugler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Repiticious

While a good story, this author used so many descriptive word to convey her protagonist's thoughts and actions, that you just want to say "get on on with it". The book was rather plodding instead of mysterious. The ending was a surprise, I'm happy to say.

[Anne-marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The moment I see a book which is set in Cornwall I am instantly drawn and want to read, having been born and lived in there my whole life
I enjoyed this book
I loved the plot and the remote setting but I feel there could be more character development and shorted chapters.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the story line. It was kind of hard to follow in the audio version. I think reading it may have been easier to track timelines and speakers than the audio version. It’s definitely worth a read if you like twisty, somewhat lusty/scandalous mysteries.

[Helen Gowland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this quite confusing, but kept reading anyway. It sort of made sense in the end. Very long chapters and the changing time and characters didn’t make a good read for me.

[Vicky · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little confusing with the characters. And like other people have said, the chapters were too long