What do you think?
Rate this book
Cornwall Summer Camp: The brand new romance with forced proximity, witty banter, found friendships, and sizzling spice...
A Heartwarming Rom-Com of Sun, Sea, and Second Chances
For fans of Emily Henry, Beth O’Leary, and Carley Fortune comes a sparkling rom-com filled with laughter, friendship, and the magic of finding yourself.
“I need a break, Lun,” I’d told Luna. I’ve been stuck in a groove—missing blonde-haired, blue-eyed Maxwell while also hating him; loving the luxury resorts I get to advertise while simultaneously resenting the fact that I’ve never actually visited one; and spending way too much time worrying about a dying spider plant. “I need some sea air. I need to Eat, Pray, Love my life.”
“Except instead of Eat, Pray, Love, you’re doing Camp, Sh*t in a Bucket, Swear off Men?”
“Exactly.”
When Velispar Smith signs up for two weeks at a quirky adult summer camp in Cornwall, she expects campfire singalongs, canoe races, and a few embarrassing moments. What she doesn’t expect is to fall for Finn—the charming, mysterious camp counsellor with a past of his own.
Between sizzling days by the lake, gossip-filled cabin nights, and stolen kisses under the stars, Vel discovers that summer camp isn’t just for kids. It’s a chance to heal old wounds, make lifelong friends, and figure out what she truly wants from life.
But as the days slip away and real life looms on the horizon, will Vel leave with just sun-kissed memories… or with her heart firmly anchored in Cornwall?
Packed with sparkling banter, sizzling chemistry, and a cast of unforgettable characters, Cornwall Summer Camp is your perfect escape for fans of summer flings, slow-burn romance, and heartfelt friendship.
This romance novel is standalone and is not part of a series.
For fans of Emily Henry, Beth O’Leary, and Carley Fortune comes a sparkling rom-com filled with laughter, friendship, and the magic of finding yourself.
“I need a break, Lun,” I’d told Luna. I’ve been stuck in a groove—missing blonde-haired, blue-eyed Maxwell while also hating him; loving the luxury resorts I get to advertise while simultaneously resenting the fact that I’ve never actually visited one; and spending way too much time worrying about a dying spider plant. “I need some sea air. I need to Eat, Pray, Love my life.”
“Except instead of Eat, Pray, Love, you’re doing Camp, Sh*t in a Bucket, Swear off Men?”
“Exactly.”
When Velispar Smith signs up for two weeks at a quirky adult summer camp in Cornwall, she expects campfire singalongs, canoe races, and a few embarrassing moments. What she doesn’t expect is to fall for Finn—the charming, mysterious camp counsellor with a past of his own.
Between sizzling days by the lake, gossip-filled cabin nights, and stolen kisses under the stars, Vel discovers that summer camp isn’t just for kids. It’s a chance to heal old wounds, make lifelong friends, and figure out what she truly wants from life.
But as the days slip away and real life looms on the horizon, will Vel leave with just sun-kissed memories… or with her heart firmly anchored in Cornwall?
Packed with sparkling banter, sizzling chemistry, and a cast of unforgettable characters, Cornwall Summer Camp is your perfect escape for fans of summer flings, slow-burn romance, and heartfelt friendship.
This romance novel is standalone and is not part of a series.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 30, 2025
3 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 24, 2026
BookSloth is fairly certain the UK has entered its 760th consecutive day of rain.
So when Cornwall Summer Camp drifted across her path, she picked it up in quiet hope of literary sunshine.
BookSloth paused before writing this review. Usually she knows, within a chapter or two, whether she’s been swept away, mildly charmed, or gently side-eyeing the narrative choices. But Cornwall Summer Camp left her sitting with her peppermint tea for a while, unsure exactly what she felt.
This is Jessie Sloane’s debut, and there is something undeniably heartfelt about it. The friendships have warmth, and there are lines scattered throughout that made BookSloth pause and think, Oh, that’s lovely. Little lines that shimmer.
At the centre is the forbidden connection between Finn and Velispar. The opening spark between them is immediate and undeniably hot. The chemistry is not in question.
But forbidden romance is a delicate thing.
For it to truly soar, the emotional progression has to deepen alongside the physical pull. Because when characters aren’t “allowed” to be together, what keeps us turning pages isn’t just desire, it’s the slow realisation that this connection matters more than the rule.
And this is where BookSloth hesitated.
She didn’t always feel them falling in love. The physical pull was strong, particularly in those early charged moments, but she found herself wanting more of the emotional layering, more of the quiet vulnerability, the conversations that reveal, the small shifts that turn longing into inevitability.
The ensemble cast is vibrant, but occasionally that shared spotlight meant less time spent inside the central relationship. And that relationship is where the heart of the story beats strongest.
There is also a strong sensory thread throughout, especially scent. BookSloth began noticing it… and then noticing that she was noticing it. By her rough count, smell is referenced nearly fifty times. Atmosphere can absolutely deepen immersion—sea salt, sunscreen, woodsmoke, damp grass—these are powerful anchors. But when a single sense is foregrounded so consistently, it begins to draw attention to itself. It’s a small craft note, but an important one: sensory detail works best when it feels effortless. At times, BookSloth became aware of the writing rather than fully inside the moment.
BookSloth will admit something else. She is not, historically, a fan of neatly-tied-off endings. The happy ever after, absolutely, just not the kind where every emotional thread is resolved in a neat paragraph and the obstacles dissolve just a little too conveniently. Real life is messy. Growth takes time. Consequences don’t always evaporate on cue. It takes a brave writer to leave some of those threads hanging. When it feels too quick, too perfect, too efficiently resolved, it can leave the reader blinking slightly, as though the emotional journey sprinted the final mile.
It is not often that BookSloth closes a book unsure what she thinks. But perhaps that’s not a flaw. There is promise here, warmth, chemistry, flashes of beauty.
But when she sat with the feeling—peppermint tea cooling, rain still tapping at the windows—what she actually felt was excitement.
Excitement at the restraint in the third act "break up". Excitement at the flashes of beautiful writing. Excitement at the sense of an author finding her voice.
This is Jessie Sloane’s debut. And for all BookSloth’s quibbles about emotional layering and the occasional overenthusiastic smells, there is something here that feels like promise.
And promise is exciting.
After 760 days of rain, even imperfect sunshine is still sunshine.
Three full-sized sloths and baby one, wearing sunglasses despite the downpour—and already packing a small rucksack.
BookSloth is heading straight to Buttercup Campsite next.
That’s how excited she is about this author.
So when Cornwall Summer Camp drifted across her path, she picked it up in quiet hope of literary sunshine.
BookSloth paused before writing this review. Usually she knows, within a chapter or two, whether she’s been swept away, mildly charmed, or gently side-eyeing the narrative choices. But Cornwall Summer Camp left her sitting with her peppermint tea for a while, unsure exactly what she felt.
This is Jessie Sloane’s debut, and there is something undeniably heartfelt about it. The friendships have warmth, and there are lines scattered throughout that made BookSloth pause and think, Oh, that’s lovely. Little lines that shimmer.
At the centre is the forbidden connection between Finn and Velispar. The opening spark between them is immediate and undeniably hot. The chemistry is not in question.
But forbidden romance is a delicate thing.
For it to truly soar, the emotional progression has to deepen alongside the physical pull. Because when characters aren’t “allowed” to be together, what keeps us turning pages isn’t just desire, it’s the slow realisation that this connection matters more than the rule.
And this is where BookSloth hesitated.
She didn’t always feel them falling in love. The physical pull was strong, particularly in those early charged moments, but she found herself wanting more of the emotional layering, more of the quiet vulnerability, the conversations that reveal, the small shifts that turn longing into inevitability.
The ensemble cast is vibrant, but occasionally that shared spotlight meant less time spent inside the central relationship. And that relationship is where the heart of the story beats strongest.
There is also a strong sensory thread throughout, especially scent. BookSloth began noticing it… and then noticing that she was noticing it. By her rough count, smell is referenced nearly fifty times. Atmosphere can absolutely deepen immersion—sea salt, sunscreen, woodsmoke, damp grass—these are powerful anchors. But when a single sense is foregrounded so consistently, it begins to draw attention to itself. It’s a small craft note, but an important one: sensory detail works best when it feels effortless. At times, BookSloth became aware of the writing rather than fully inside the moment.
BookSloth will admit something else. She is not, historically, a fan of neatly-tied-off endings. The happy ever after, absolutely, just not the kind where every emotional thread is resolved in a neat paragraph and the obstacles dissolve just a little too conveniently. Real life is messy. Growth takes time. Consequences don’t always evaporate on cue. It takes a brave writer to leave some of those threads hanging. When it feels too quick, too perfect, too efficiently resolved, it can leave the reader blinking slightly, as though the emotional journey sprinted the final mile.
It is not often that BookSloth closes a book unsure what she thinks. But perhaps that’s not a flaw. There is promise here, warmth, chemistry, flashes of beauty.
But when she sat with the feeling—peppermint tea cooling, rain still tapping at the windows—what she actually felt was excitement.
Excitement at the restraint in the third act "break up". Excitement at the flashes of beautiful writing. Excitement at the sense of an author finding her voice.
This is Jessie Sloane’s debut. And for all BookSloth’s quibbles about emotional layering and the occasional overenthusiastic smells, there is something here that feels like promise.
And promise is exciting.
After 760 days of rain, even imperfect sunshine is still sunshine.
Three full-sized sloths and baby one, wearing sunglasses despite the downpour—and already packing a small rucksack.
BookSloth is heading straight to Buttercup Campsite next.
That’s how excited she is about this author.
August 23, 2025
A perfect alternative to a beachy summer read.
After stumbling upon this book through my book club (we’d all seen adverts for it on socials) I decided to give it a go as from the cover it looked right up my street.
I loved the plot of this book. Velly was such a likeable character and I loved seeing her flourish and find her happiness.
I loved the setting of the summer camp. I’m more of a woods girly anyway so it was nice to have that instead of a beach.
Being from Cornwall, I was scared that’d I’d find incorrect information about the county. Although I’m not sure I know anyone who can shell an oyster, there was enough mentions of pasty’s to know that research was done.
It made me want to find a summer camp to join because the amount of fun these people had, was unmatched!
I loved everyone in this book, there were a range of characters but each brought something to the plot. Whether that be having their own funny story or enhancing Velly’s journey.
The book showcases true friendship, true love and true happiness. Thoroughly recommend!
After stumbling upon this book through my book club (we’d all seen adverts for it on socials) I decided to give it a go as from the cover it looked right up my street.
I loved the plot of this book. Velly was such a likeable character and I loved seeing her flourish and find her happiness.
I loved the setting of the summer camp. I’m more of a woods girly anyway so it was nice to have that instead of a beach.
Being from Cornwall, I was scared that’d I’d find incorrect information about the county. Although I’m not sure I know anyone who can shell an oyster, there was enough mentions of pasty’s to know that research was done.
It made me want to find a summer camp to join because the amount of fun these people had, was unmatched!
I loved everyone in this book, there were a range of characters but each brought something to the plot. Whether that be having their own funny story or enhancing Velly’s journey.
The book showcases true friendship, true love and true happiness. Thoroughly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews