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Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun
DREAMING OF THE PERFECT MAN?
Kate Golightly needs to move forward and what better way to do that then with a trip to the Cornish coast with best friend and boss, Izzy.
The sea wind is just what Kate needs to finally relax and begin to let go of her past. Except she’s suddenly got one big reason to panic! She RSVP’d ‘yes’ to the Queen Bee of her high school’s wedding saying she’s bringing her boyfriend (she doesn’t have one) who looks just like Ross Poldark!
With only two weeks to find the Poldark look-alike of her dreams Kate is under a lot of pressure for the Cornish coast to deliver…
A hilarious and moving romantic novel from bestselling author, Samantha Tonge. A must-read this summer!
Kate Golightly needs to move forward and what better way to do that then with a trip to the Cornish coast with best friend and boss, Izzy.
The sea wind is just what Kate needs to finally relax and begin to let go of her past. Except she’s suddenly got one big reason to panic! She RSVP’d ‘yes’ to the Queen Bee of her high school’s wedding saying she’s bringing her boyfriend (she doesn’t have one) who looks just like Ross Poldark!
With only two weeks to find the Poldark look-alike of her dreams Kate is under a lot of pressure for the Cornish coast to deliver…
A hilarious and moving romantic novel from bestselling author, Samantha Tonge. A must-read this summer!
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2016
About the author
Samantha Tonge
27 books340 followersSamantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK with her husband and children. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has travelled widely.
When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines.
She is represented by the Darley Anderson literary agency. In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category. In 2018 Forgive Me Not, heralded a new direction into darker women's fiction with publisher Canelo and in 2020 her novel Knowing You won the RNA's Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award.
http://samanthatonge.co.uk/
When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines.
She is represented by the Darley Anderson literary agency. In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category. In 2018 Forgive Me Not, heralded a new direction into darker women's fiction with publisher Canelo and in 2020 her novel Knowing You won the RNA's Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award.
http://samanthatonge.co.uk/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
September 15, 2017
Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun is pure summer escapism. Samantha Tonge created a charming, very readable story that's bound to bring a smile to your face. Likeable heroine, great best friend, strong but vulnerable love interest, handsome but unsavoury hunk, amazing grandma. The plot that's a mixture of soul-searching, intrigue and romance. Samantha Tonge put all those ingredients together and gave us a sweet and lighthearted summer read. If you're looking for a light, fun read, that's a book for you.
July 9, 2016
I spent pretty much the entire time I was reading this book with a huge grin on my face and the feeling of hunger in my belly. There are so many wonderful food descriptions, especially early on with a large amount of different doughnut flavours and toppings that I found myself craving a doughnut.
For you see Kate works with her best friend Izzy in a cafe/cocktail bar called Doughnuts and Daiquiris, which does coffee during the day, and turns into a cocktail place at night, complete with Kate moving from waitressing to singing, as she is also a lounge singer.
Kate manages to agree to go to an old school nemesis' wedding but also brags that she has a new boyfriend who looks exactly like Poldark. The problem is she is in reality single and only has a couple of weeks to find a willing volunteer that matches in the looks stakes.
Cue a holiday to Cornwall that Izzy and Kate go on, to a holiday park that has seen better days. In true fiction book style, Izzy and Kate can't help but try to help out the wonderful owners with their problems. In doing so Kate finds two potential men for her plus one - Lucas and Tremain.
Both men have their good points, although one of them is far better than the other, but the question is which one Kate will end up with. After all she only want's a plus one, she isn't ready to date again at all, after her previous relationship.
I loved the setting in Cornwall and all the people they met at this holiday park, and also all the various ideas that came about for rebranding the business. Kate is a truly talented lady and clearly feels passionate about whatever it is she does, whether its singing, waitressing or coming up with startling good ideas.
Kate's gran the Guv'nor also lives in Cornwall and is a formidable woman as she helps out and also tries to help Kate's heart recover from its previous upsets.
There are some wonderfully entertaining moments in this story, as well as the wonderful food descriptions that don't stop once they get to Cornwall, in addition to dashin Cornish heroes, an unsavoury but not particularly clever bad person, and just an all around feel good summery story.
I relished reading Breakfast Under A Cornish Sun, and it is set to be another triumph for author Samantha Tonge. This comes very close in my eyes to my favourite book by her, and is possibly even more enjoyable, just because I prefer doughnuts to scones!
With dougnuts, daiquiris, dramatic scenery, brooding Poldark-esque men, what more could a girl want from a book!
Thank you so much to Carina and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.
July 21, 2016
This really was a delightful book set in my favourite part of the country. Our holiday tradition is to sit outside a cafe overlooking 'our' beach when we arrive early on the first Saturday with a full English breakfast - so the title of this book drew me straight away!
Kate gets an unexpected holiday in Cornwall with her best friend Izzy, when their place of work 'Donuts and Daiquiris' is undergoing a makeover. Izzy owns the business and it sounds absolutely wonderful- delicious flavours of doughnuts and cocktails. Capturing both lunchtime and night time customers it sounds divine.
The holiday park they are staying at is being rebranded into a family holiday resort and the girls get drawn into helping out. Kate is also looking out for her own personal Poldark which adds some romance to the book and some really touching scenes.
White Rocks is in an idylic part of the world- can they save it? I would love to visit and spend a couple of weeks enjoying the scenery! It also boasts the best breakfast in Cornwall.
The book is both amusing, heartwarming and so many food heaven descriptions. The perfect read for your summer holiday. I just couldn't wait that long to read it- it really got me into the holiday mood and counting down to my own Cornish dream holiday this year!
With many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book. I will definately be buying it in paperback to go on my Cornish bookshelf!
Kate gets an unexpected holiday in Cornwall with her best friend Izzy, when their place of work 'Donuts and Daiquiris' is undergoing a makeover. Izzy owns the business and it sounds absolutely wonderful- delicious flavours of doughnuts and cocktails. Capturing both lunchtime and night time customers it sounds divine.
The holiday park they are staying at is being rebranded into a family holiday resort and the girls get drawn into helping out. Kate is also looking out for her own personal Poldark which adds some romance to the book and some really touching scenes.
White Rocks is in an idylic part of the world- can they save it? I would love to visit and spend a couple of weeks enjoying the scenery! It also boasts the best breakfast in Cornwall.
The book is both amusing, heartwarming and so many food heaven descriptions. The perfect read for your summer holiday. I just couldn't wait that long to read it- it really got me into the holiday mood and counting down to my own Cornish dream holiday this year!
With many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book. I will definately be buying it in paperback to go on my Cornish bookshelf!
July 11, 2016
Sweet, charming, and heartwarming!
This story sweeps you away on a seaside holiday, complete with sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, scrumptious food, and handsome men.
The characters are amusing, funny, and intriguing. The writing is well done. And the plot is a wonderful mixture of earnest soul-searching, suspicious mishaps, and of course a little romance!
This is a lovely, lighthearted, easy read that is a perfect choice for summer!
Thank you to NetGalley, especially Carina UK, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This review and more can be found on my blog at www.whatsbetterthanbooks.com
This story sweeps you away on a seaside holiday, complete with sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, scrumptious food, and handsome men.
The characters are amusing, funny, and intriguing. The writing is well done. And the plot is a wonderful mixture of earnest soul-searching, suspicious mishaps, and of course a little romance!
This is a lovely, lighthearted, easy read that is a perfect choice for summer!
Thank you to NetGalley, especially Carina UK, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This review and more can be found on my blog at www.whatsbetterthanbooks.com
September 11, 2016
Just loved this book - great heroine and romantic hero. Wonder if it was because I read it under a Cornish sun ? Perfect beach read for a Cornish holiday. PS I am still looking for Ross Poldark!....
August 10, 2016
I actually have nothing against women covering for the fact that they're single and inventing boyfriends only to "keep a face" for their friends, and I thought that "Breakfast Under a Cornish Sky" could be THIS book. Especially as it is set in Cornwall, which lately seems to be THE place to go - I mean, to set a story. And also, there is something that Ms Tonge has already proven she's brilliant at - and namely, there is food, glorious food! The descriptions of all those delicious goodies were mouth - watering, and you had a great range to choose from, starting with English breakfast and ending with brilliant doughnuts made by Izzy (I might feel inspired. I might. Daughter is actually on the doughnuts - phase, I can bake them every second day. May "borrow" some of Izzy's ideas, thank you very much.)
The story lacked a little in the originality and the plotline didn't surprise me - mostly I could predict all the things that happened but the book had its moments as well. I loved Kate's imagination and spontaneity, her creativity and never - ending ideas how to better up the White Rocks Resort in Cornwall. I was also incredibly intrigued how the search for the perfect Poldark is going to end and what's going to happen in between, and the few dates made me laugh out loud, and also Kate's idea of finding herself a man at the harbour was hilarious... However, as it turned out, the search for the perfect man didn't overtake the whole plot, it was actually somehow upstaged by Kate and Izzy taking on the renovations but it doesn't mean that it's wrong. It made the book a little different, in a good way.
I don't want to sound harsh but I just can't wait for Ms Tonge to write something that is exceptional and original because to me it seems that there are books about food, they are very popular and Samantha Tonge writes a book with food; then we have books set in Greece, they are very popular and Ms Tonge writes a book set in Greece; now it seems that books set in Cornwall seem to be trending and so we have a book set in Cornwall! Please, don't be annoyed with me, lovely Samantha, I just know that you can much, much better, that there is THIS story in you waiting to be written and I can't wait for it! Nevertheless, I think that with every book Samantha Tonge's writing is maturing and developing without losing her lovely sense of humour - I'd even say that this sense of humour is getting better and better, as I still can remember that after reading my first book by this author I thought, oh heck, a little too far - fetched and the author tried really too much. This time the humour and storyline flow seamlessly and effortlessly and "Breakfast Under a Cornish Sky" is a light - hearted, not too demanding read.
And I personally think that those were the characters that saved the story. When we forget about rather impossible to accomplish mission that Kate's takes on herself - basically single - handedly saving of the resort (I mean, a person comes for holidays, finds the place is in troubles and immediately starts to pitch her ideas how to save it, and yes, the ideas are great and I loved them, but let's face it, would it really go so smooth in reality? And so quickly? Or am I a malcontent? But on the other hand, even though not too realistic, I still liked it and I think that the girls, Kate and Izzy, were so unselfish to forget about their own holidays to help Kensa Maddock and Tremain to save White Rocks.) - Samantha Tonge had created lovely, larger - than - life characters with great personalities, characters that were not perfect, that had flaws but this only made them much more realistic. Kate annoyed me slightly as she hasn't seen the obvious things, things that I've noticed years before she even started to contemplate them possible, and then it developed and progressed so, so quickly. Too quickly for my liking, in comparison to the whole story. But other than that she was a lovely character, a person that always put other people's happiness first but not in this victimy - way - it came to her very natural, and I really loved it in her. She never gave up, neither on things nor people and methinks we need such people in our lives - especially if you are Tremain!
As usual in Ms Tonge's books we have a romantic element in this story as well, however, the plot mostly concentrates on the problems faced by the resort and the girls' frantic attempts of helping it. Nevertheless, the love triangle is there, we have the good one and the bad one, though I must admit that the "good one" made me mostly feel annoyed and desperate. Sure, I know where he was coming from, and I felt for him, really I did, but he just behaved like a spoiled child mostly, inculpating everything and everyone around him.
"Breakfast Under a Cornish Sky" is another light read by Samantha Tonge and I am sure it is going to find its faithful fans, but personally I preferred "Game of Scones" and "My Big Fat Christmas Wedding" better - they just felt somehow much more honest - but I am not saying that the newest release is not good! It is a perfect novel for the summer, to read on your holidays, as it is uplifting, cheery and optimistic and there are characters to die for.
Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a review.
October 9, 2017
Bit slow to start but once the story got going it was fab.
March 26, 2022
I am a little bit undecided in how to rate "Breakfast under a Cornish sun". There were a few things that I liked and a few things that I didn't like.
I enjoyed the relaxed vibe throughout the book and it was very enjoyable. It made me feel all relaxed too. The setting in Cornwall was pretty nice too and the surroundings were described quite nicely.
The story itself remained a little bit shallow and there wasn't that much happening. The love story part lacked for me as well and I couldn't really fell a chemistry between the characters.
The characters themselves were nice but also remained a little bit shallow.
The story was nice to read but unfortunately not much more.
I enjoyed the relaxed vibe throughout the book and it was very enjoyable. It made me feel all relaxed too. The setting in Cornwall was pretty nice too and the surroundings were described quite nicely.
The story itself remained a little bit shallow and there wasn't that much happening. The love story part lacked for me as well and I couldn't really fell a chemistry between the characters.
The characters themselves were nice but also remained a little bit shallow.
The story was nice to read but unfortunately not much more.
October 1, 2016
When Kate Golightly receives an unexpected invitation to her high school frenemy's wedding, she panics. She's so insecure about her lack of success on both the personal and professional fronts that she lies to the bride-to-be, telling her she has a boyfriend who's a hunky Ross Poldark lookalike and he'll be escorting her to the wedding. Now she only has a few weeks to find a gorgeous man with dark, curly hair and washboard abs to play the role of her significant other!
Kate's best friend and boss, Izzy, comes to the rescue, surprising her with a girls' trip to Cornwall. On a mission, Kate plans to scour every nook and cranny of the seaside town to locate her own Poldark. She meets two men who might fit the bill at her hotel - sexy chef Lucas and grumpy manager Tremaine, but her romantic problems take a backseat when she gets involved in helping revitalize the hotel, which is about to go out of business. Will Kate's efforts succeed, and how will her experience in Cornwall change her own plans for the future? Could Lucas or Tremaine be the guy to fill not just the seat next to her at a wedding, but the void in her heart?
What a lovely surprise this book was! When I was reading it, I felt as though I was transported to the shores of Cornwall. Although the book had its light moments, there was a lot of emotional depth to the characters. Both Kate and the man she ends up with had tragic pasts that were heart-wrenching. Those pasts made them both wary of opening themselves up to more pain, but they also bonded them in a profound and intimate way. I could certainly understand why they fell in love, and it was nice to see them both find happiness and peace again. All of the secondary characters were great, including the aforementioned Izzy (What a smart cookie! I loved the concept of her Donuts & Daiquiris restaurants.), Kate's grandmother, and even the hotel guests, some of whom wanted to help keep the place in business and others whose motives were suspect.
This book was a fast and engrossing read. I blew through it in just two days, then I was sorry it was over and wanted to book myself a ticket to Cornwall. I look forward to reading more from Samantha Tonge!
Kate's best friend and boss, Izzy, comes to the rescue, surprising her with a girls' trip to Cornwall. On a mission, Kate plans to scour every nook and cranny of the seaside town to locate her own Poldark. She meets two men who might fit the bill at her hotel - sexy chef Lucas and grumpy manager Tremaine, but her romantic problems take a backseat when she gets involved in helping revitalize the hotel, which is about to go out of business. Will Kate's efforts succeed, and how will her experience in Cornwall change her own plans for the future? Could Lucas or Tremaine be the guy to fill not just the seat next to her at a wedding, but the void in her heart?
What a lovely surprise this book was! When I was reading it, I felt as though I was transported to the shores of Cornwall. Although the book had its light moments, there was a lot of emotional depth to the characters. Both Kate and the man she ends up with had tragic pasts that were heart-wrenching. Those pasts made them both wary of opening themselves up to more pain, but they also bonded them in a profound and intimate way. I could certainly understand why they fell in love, and it was nice to see them both find happiness and peace again. All of the secondary characters were great, including the aforementioned Izzy (What a smart cookie! I loved the concept of her Donuts & Daiquiris restaurants.), Kate's grandmother, and even the hotel guests, some of whom wanted to help keep the place in business and others whose motives were suspect.
This book was a fast and engrossing read. I blew through it in just two days, then I was sorry it was over and wanted to book myself a ticket to Cornwall. I look forward to reading more from Samantha Tonge!
November 27, 2016
http://www.jerasjamboree.co.uk/2016/1...
The opening scene with Kate at work in Donuts and Daiquiris lays the foundation of the story. Her friendship with boss Izzy is open and warm whilst a telephone call with old school friend Saffron leaves us in no doubt there is past hurt there. Giving Saffron an untruth about her current relationship status leads on to intrigue about a past love and the depth of feelings she still has for him.
Izzy books two weeks away at White Rocks Resort which is close to Kate’s gran. Before they go, Kate dips into online dating and despite that failure, is determined to find her Poldark lookalike in Cornwall. There’s plenty packed into those two weeks away. On arrival all is not as Izzy was led to believe from the brochure but it’s not long before both women are getting involved with the re-branding of the resort. Conflict with chef Lucas and regular visitors the Peppard’s, Tremain blowing cold one minute and hot the next and some heartwarming scenes kept me engaged throughout the story.
What a fabulous setting! No matter what time of year you read Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun you’ll be transported to the countryside and coast. And those donut recipes will have your mouth watering craving to try them yourself!
I know this is a romantic read (and there are two hot leads!) but the themes for me were letting go of past emotions. Kate reflects on the past and although this could be maudlin, in my opinion, Samantha Tonge has the tone of the emotions exactly right. Tremain has just never worked through his past and Kate is the key to him being able to talk about and own his emotions.
Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun is a romantic read that will give you plenty to smile about and have you looking forward to your next holiday
The opening scene with Kate at work in Donuts and Daiquiris lays the foundation of the story. Her friendship with boss Izzy is open and warm whilst a telephone call with old school friend Saffron leaves us in no doubt there is past hurt there. Giving Saffron an untruth about her current relationship status leads on to intrigue about a past love and the depth of feelings she still has for him.
Izzy books two weeks away at White Rocks Resort which is close to Kate’s gran. Before they go, Kate dips into online dating and despite that failure, is determined to find her Poldark lookalike in Cornwall. There’s plenty packed into those two weeks away. On arrival all is not as Izzy was led to believe from the brochure but it’s not long before both women are getting involved with the re-branding of the resort. Conflict with chef Lucas and regular visitors the Peppard’s, Tremain blowing cold one minute and hot the next and some heartwarming scenes kept me engaged throughout the story.
What a fabulous setting! No matter what time of year you read Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun you’ll be transported to the countryside and coast. And those donut recipes will have your mouth watering craving to try them yourself!
I know this is a romantic read (and there are two hot leads!) but the themes for me were letting go of past emotions. Kate reflects on the past and although this could be maudlin, in my opinion, Samantha Tonge has the tone of the emotions exactly right. Tremain has just never worked through his past and Kate is the key to him being able to talk about and own his emotions.
Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun is a romantic read that will give you plenty to smile about and have you looking forward to your next holiday
July 28, 2016
When Kate Golightly ( love her name by the way) is invited to the wedding of the girl who used to bully her at school, she invents a Poldark lookalike boyfriend to accompany her. From then on it's Mission Poldark as she tries to ensnare the right man. With lots of lavish description of both Cornwall and Mr Poldark's dark smouldering looks and rippling muscles not to mention the delectable donuts created by her boss, this book just oozes summer. It wouldn't be much of a book if things went smoothly though and as Katie finds herself desperately trying to save the holiday park from financial ruin, she wonders if the chef she's set her heart on might have another agenda. With time running out will she find the right man and will the park survive the bank manager's scrutiny? You'll have to read to find out.
November 27, 2017
3.5 stars. The main character Kate lost her love in an accident and is having a hard time moving on. Her best friend and boss takes her on vacation with the hopes of her finding her own Poldark love interest to take to the wedding of her former high school friend. Love the twist the story takes of Kate and Izzy helping out at the resort they are staying at. Fun weekend read that makes me such a fan of British Chick Lit.
July 29, 2017
I enjoyed this. There were some minor flaws in the story but nothing that stopped me from reading or stopped me enjoying. Simple, quick read.
July 7, 2016
Review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley.
Kate receives an unexpected call from her school-days frenemy and catches herself making up her ideal boyfriend before knowing the consequences. Now she has been invited to a wedding and her non-existing soulmate is to be her plus one. While frantic in her search for someone to play the part, she goes South with a friend to a resort where she will meet one too many candidates while helping out the owners rebrand the place.
This book has slow development and weak plot but great characters. I expected something more exciting from the exclamation marks in the summary but for about 20% the plot feels all over the place. Indeed, I had fun in that portion with Kate's situation and bizarre turnouts to her pursuit. Still, I wondered whether the story would ever start.
Despite the initial apparent lack of planning, she reaches the resort and we finally discover her problem: she finds her perfect plus one but also someone who's far from perfect and still manages to swoon her. However, the focus isn't on the love triangle, but on the adversities faced by the resort where she is, and the urge Kate feels to help.
While I also felt happy to see how Kate's plans could actually make a difference, a part of me couldn't help thinking how far-fetched that plot was. I appreciate the author not wasting time angsting over who Kate should choose—this went smoothly, if you're one to roll eyes to love triangles. Still, the resort renewal happening basically due to Kate's pitches was hard to believe.
Moreover, the plot twist was more than expected, it was too obvious. On the other hand, I was glad it didn't take long for the characters to notice the truth.
Even though the plot turned out convoluted and somewhat superficial, this story wins you on characters and details. The author knew to built humane characters with both flaws and qualities, even when she could have just gone the archetypal route.
Albeit some immaturity making her sound a bit too naive at times, Kate is a protagonist who felt so real I wondered how much from personal/friends experience the author imbued in her. The manner she deals with her past relationship just broke my heart. And Tremain, poor guy! Each new face soon acquired a color of their own, and I was even pitying the bad people in the end.
This story also brings up good themes for a book club or something sorts, notably on how to get over bad situations.
Summing up, this is for real who are in for the characters—you'll fall in love with them. Although the story isn't your ordinary romance book, I feel that is the audience it appeals most to. Additionally, despite Kate's young age, themes of loss and starting over make this a story enjoyable to most—if not all—ages.
Kate receives an unexpected call from her school-days frenemy and catches herself making up her ideal boyfriend before knowing the consequences. Now she has been invited to a wedding and her non-existing soulmate is to be her plus one. While frantic in her search for someone to play the part, she goes South with a friend to a resort where she will meet one too many candidates while helping out the owners rebrand the place.
This book has slow development and weak plot but great characters. I expected something more exciting from the exclamation marks in the summary but for about 20% the plot feels all over the place. Indeed, I had fun in that portion with Kate's situation and bizarre turnouts to her pursuit. Still, I wondered whether the story would ever start.
Despite the initial apparent lack of planning, she reaches the resort and we finally discover her problem: she finds her perfect plus one but also someone who's far from perfect and still manages to swoon her. However, the focus isn't on the love triangle, but on the adversities faced by the resort where she is, and the urge Kate feels to help.
While I also felt happy to see how Kate's plans could actually make a difference, a part of me couldn't help thinking how far-fetched that plot was. I appreciate the author not wasting time angsting over who Kate should choose—this went smoothly, if you're one to roll eyes to love triangles. Still, the resort renewal happening basically due to Kate's pitches was hard to believe.
Moreover, the plot twist was more than expected, it was too obvious. On the other hand, I was glad it didn't take long for the characters to notice the truth.
Even though the plot turned out convoluted and somewhat superficial, this story wins you on characters and details. The author knew to built humane characters with both flaws and qualities, even when she could have just gone the archetypal route.
Albeit some immaturity making her sound a bit too naive at times, Kate is a protagonist who felt so real I wondered how much from personal/friends experience the author imbued in her. The manner she deals with her past relationship just broke my heart. And Tremain, poor guy! Each new face soon acquired a color of their own, and I was even pitying the bad people in the end.
This story also brings up good themes for a book club or something sorts, notably on how to get over bad situations.
Summing up, this is for real who are in for the characters—you'll fall in love with them. Although the story isn't your ordinary romance book, I feel that is the audience it appeals most to. Additionally, despite Kate's young age, themes of loss and starting over make this a story enjoyable to most—if not all—ages.
August 1, 2016
B- at AAR, so 3.5 stars Remember the heyday of chick lit (still wishing they could find a better term for it) 10-15 years ago? The combination of comedy, often with a dash of romance, and deeper emotion could be hard to pull off, but when it worked, it was such fun. Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun is a romantic comedy written in that vein and while it gets off to a rough start, readers who persevere past the first chapter will find themselves swept into a charming story.
As I warned above, that first chapter is quite the slog. Our narrator, Kate Golightly, apparently has the attention span of a gnat and so the book opens with her treating readers to a disjointed spewing forth of everything that happens to pass through her brain at that moment. From this stream of consciousness we can glean that Kate needs a break, she’s obsessed with Poldark, and she needs to find herself a plus-one so that she can impress guests at the wedding of some girl who bullied her back in high school. And yes, this is all as eyeroll-inducing as it sounds. But it gets better – much better.
All of this ruminating leads to a trip for Kate and her boss/best friend Izzy to a resort in Cornwall. Even if Izzy isn’t quite on board with Kate’s quest for a Ross Poldark lookalike, she can certainly get into the idea of a holiday. And Kate really does need a getaway. She has lost her job and as we learn in the early chapters of the book, her serious boyfriend was killed in an accident and Kate has largely put her life on hold since it happened. The trip to Cornwall could be just the change she needs.
When Kate and Izzy arrive at their resort, they find it in the midst of a “transition period.” In fact, the family business has fallen on hard times and the owners are in dire straits. Even though service isn’t what Kate expected, she and Izzy feel oddly drawn to the place and its people and find themselves trying to help them turn the place around. Along the way, Kate continues her hunt for a Poldark twin and this leads her into both hilarious escapades and the discovery of someone at the resort who isn’t quite what he should be.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://allaboutromance.com/book-revie...
As I warned above, that first chapter is quite the slog. Our narrator, Kate Golightly, apparently has the attention span of a gnat and so the book opens with her treating readers to a disjointed spewing forth of everything that happens to pass through her brain at that moment. From this stream of consciousness we can glean that Kate needs a break, she’s obsessed with Poldark, and she needs to find herself a plus-one so that she can impress guests at the wedding of some girl who bullied her back in high school. And yes, this is all as eyeroll-inducing as it sounds. But it gets better – much better.
All of this ruminating leads to a trip for Kate and her boss/best friend Izzy to a resort in Cornwall. Even if Izzy isn’t quite on board with Kate’s quest for a Ross Poldark lookalike, she can certainly get into the idea of a holiday. And Kate really does need a getaway. She has lost her job and as we learn in the early chapters of the book, her serious boyfriend was killed in an accident and Kate has largely put her life on hold since it happened. The trip to Cornwall could be just the change she needs.
When Kate and Izzy arrive at their resort, they find it in the midst of a “transition period.” In fact, the family business has fallen on hard times and the owners are in dire straits. Even though service isn’t what Kate expected, she and Izzy feel oddly drawn to the place and its people and find themselves trying to help them turn the place around. Along the way, Kate continues her hunt for a Poldark twin and this leads her into both hilarious escapades and the discovery of someone at the resort who isn’t quite what he should be.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://allaboutromance.com/book-revie...
October 14, 2016
My thanks to Samantha Tonge for a free e-book copy of this as a competition win. I had so much on my mind, that I didn't realise I already had a copy of this from the Publishers and NetGalley too. I would never have entered the competition if I'd realised.
Anyway I've digressed already. I had a copy of this from NetGalley and as such it's always in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the premise of the story, it was an easy light hearted read. I liked the characters and what's not to like when one of the characters is likened to Poldark. Who doesn't like all things Poldark at the moment and the lovely Aidan Turner, I think most women would love their own Aidan Turner.
I've digressed again, back to the review. It was an easy read, but it was lacking something to me. It didn't hold my attention, sorry to say. I might be in the minority with my thoughts as there are plenty of 5 star reviews of this story around, but it's not one of them from me.
It'll make a nice change to the wintry days, that we'll all soon be experiencing. So grab a copy and take yourself away from the wet weather and find a little bit of Cornish sunshine.
Anyway I've digressed already. I had a copy of this from NetGalley and as such it's always in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the premise of the story, it was an easy light hearted read. I liked the characters and what's not to like when one of the characters is likened to Poldark. Who doesn't like all things Poldark at the moment and the lovely Aidan Turner, I think most women would love their own Aidan Turner.
I've digressed again, back to the review. It was an easy read, but it was lacking something to me. It didn't hold my attention, sorry to say. I might be in the minority with my thoughts as there are plenty of 5 star reviews of this story around, but it's not one of them from me.
It'll make a nice change to the wintry days, that we'll all soon be experiencing. So grab a copy and take yourself away from the wet weather and find a little bit of Cornish sunshine.
July 13, 2017
This was my first book by this author and will not be the last a really good book and set in beautiful Cornwall. Kate needs to get away and forget her past so goes to Cornwall but just as she tries to forget her past she needs to reply to a so called friends wedding invite and she wants to take mr perfect with her so can she find him and also move forward or is this just impossible as to much to move forward with.
October 14, 2016
This is a pretty fun read, I quite enjoyed it but found the story a bit slow sometimes.... But the main character is lovely and fun. I could have given a 4 stars to this book but unfortunately I found the plot not enough developed and it was a bit "simple" to my taste. But I still I had a nice time reading it!
August 5, 2016
Absolutely fantastic! A sizzling hot summer read. Definitely a top read this summer. Perfect for relaxing in the sun with cocktails. Very bright and attractive cover too! Perfect!
July 28, 2016
Cornwall seems to be the location of choice this year for a lot of chick lit books and alongside this seems to run the theme of a new start and trying to make a go of a business or rejuvenate it. This new book from Samantha Tonge Breakfast under a Cornish Sun has similar themes with the added bonus of our main female protagonist Kate Golightly searching for a date that she can bring to the wedding of a friend who she hasn't seen for years. I'll say straight away I did think I have read more or less the exact same storyline only a few months ago of a woman searching for a date for a wedding to cover the fact that she hasn't a boyfriend just so she can show friends from the past that she has made something of her life. Basically a big cover up for the fact that she is single. Not that there is anything wrong with being single so I question why the women needed to do this? Anyway I felt with this book it was going to be too similar to the book I am referring to and I would be bored reading it as said book hadn't really done that much for me. Thankfully Breakfast under a Cornish Sun proved to be vastly different and my doubts disappeared the further I read in to the book.
I'll admit it took awhile for me to get into this book as I thought it really didn't get going and pick up pace until finally Kate and best friend and co worker Izzy reach Cornwall and become involved in the lives of the owners of the White Rocks Resort. I set aside the book for a couple of days and then came back to it and finished it in a few hours. Poldark apparently is a strong influence in the book and I know it has a cult following but I've never seen an episode as it's just not my kind of thing so I presume the main male character Tremain is a reference to Poldark but only fans of the series will get this. Still not knowing anything about Poldark didn't detract from my enjoyment of this story.
Kate Golightly is a waitress at a café by day and cocktail bar by night called Doughnuts and Daiquiris run by her best friend Izzy. Kate loves vintage clothes, retro music and enjoys singing at gigs at pubs or parties if she can get the work. But Kate is not as happy as she once was as she is still missing Johnny and when the reason for this becomes evident the reader understands the position Kate has found her self in, one in which it is difficult to break free from. Out of the blue a friend request arrives on Facebook from Saffron and Kate's inquisitive nature means she accepts but this only leads to some bother as Saffron is getting married and wants Kate to attend the wedding. The only problem being Kate lies and says she is very happy with her boyfriend whom Saffron will get to meet at the wedding. I did think it was strange that someone whom you hadn't seen or heard from in years since school would just randomly contact you out of the blue. We learn from Kate the pair had been best friends and then it all went a bit sour. If it had been me I would have just clicked the ignore button but I suppose Kate had something she wanted to prove. This aspect of the story really took a back seat until the very end and I was thankful it did because we got a much better story for it allthough it was tied up suitably at the end and I didn't find the reasons given far fetched but realistic. So as you can imagine Kate is down in the dumps and can't see how she can magic a hunky man out of thin air. Dating sites won't prove that successful so what better way than to escape from it all and to relax and begin to break away from the past than a holiday with Izzy to the fabulous White Rocks Resort in Cornwall? Surely the fresh sea air and the chilled atmosphere on the site will give Kate the chance she needs to reassess her life's direction and all the better if a good looking man makes an appearance that will solve the quandary of needing a date asap?
The book really got going once the girls arrive at what they think will be a fabulous resort. It turns out the place is in need of renovation and rejuvenation otherwise the family run business will be closed. Even with the resort not being up to scratch the author certainly did a god job of making me want to visit there, she showed its potential and highlighted the beautiful Cornish setting. Not to mention all the fabulous food described throughout it was truly mouthwatering from scrumptious full English breakfasts to the doughnuts Izzy makes which are not just your normal jam in the middle. They come in all flavours, both sweet and savoury, and just made me very hungry throughout the time I was reading this book. I'm glad the 'finding a date for the wedding' wasn't centre stage throughout the book, it's been done before and I wanted something different. Yes there was a funny scene involving Kate down at the harbour but as the girls being so kind and decent decided to help Kensa Maddock and son Tremain bring White Rocks back to life Kate's own personal problems didn't disappear but were rather over taken by other events. I loved how Kate and Izzy more or less forgot they were on holiday and put their plans into action and more characters were allowed to come to the fore. Their ideas were clever and workable and I hoped they could make a success of everything.
It wouldn't have been much of a book if everything had gone smoothly and I loved how the slight mystery element came into play. There were plenty of surprising mishaps and events which proved entertaining in a way and kept everyone on their toes. None of what happened seemed over the top as someone plots to stop the venture becoming a success. In fact some of what occurred read like a bad holiday you would see on a TV programme and I just wanted to pick the person up who was doing this and give them a good shake and find out their reasons why. Not that anything was given away but I had my suspicions. So what about romance surely a book in this genre has to have some and yes it's here but not in your face its subtle and grows. The person in question is hurt and afraid to open up to love and when the reasons become clear you just want to give them a great big hug and say it's OK just let it all out and everything will be OK.
Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun was a lovely, light read ideal for the summer. I did prefer Game of Scones and My Big Fat Christmas Wedding just that little bit more but that's not to say this book wasn't good it's just my personal preference. The author did a great job of creating a character in Kate of someone who was brought back to life through her generous nature of helping others and in doing this she healed a part of herself and hopefully found some happiness of her own.I'd like to know what happened to the characters next, maybe a Christmas novella set in Cornwall would be a good idea? Amidst all the books published this summer Breakfast under a Cornish Sun is an enjoyable read that you shouldn't miss out on.
I'll admit it took awhile for me to get into this book as I thought it really didn't get going and pick up pace until finally Kate and best friend and co worker Izzy reach Cornwall and become involved in the lives of the owners of the White Rocks Resort. I set aside the book for a couple of days and then came back to it and finished it in a few hours. Poldark apparently is a strong influence in the book and I know it has a cult following but I've never seen an episode as it's just not my kind of thing so I presume the main male character Tremain is a reference to Poldark but only fans of the series will get this. Still not knowing anything about Poldark didn't detract from my enjoyment of this story.
Kate Golightly is a waitress at a café by day and cocktail bar by night called Doughnuts and Daiquiris run by her best friend Izzy. Kate loves vintage clothes, retro music and enjoys singing at gigs at pubs or parties if she can get the work. But Kate is not as happy as she once was as she is still missing Johnny and when the reason for this becomes evident the reader understands the position Kate has found her self in, one in which it is difficult to break free from. Out of the blue a friend request arrives on Facebook from Saffron and Kate's inquisitive nature means she accepts but this only leads to some bother as Saffron is getting married and wants Kate to attend the wedding. The only problem being Kate lies and says she is very happy with her boyfriend whom Saffron will get to meet at the wedding. I did think it was strange that someone whom you hadn't seen or heard from in years since school would just randomly contact you out of the blue. We learn from Kate the pair had been best friends and then it all went a bit sour. If it had been me I would have just clicked the ignore button but I suppose Kate had something she wanted to prove. This aspect of the story really took a back seat until the very end and I was thankful it did because we got a much better story for it allthough it was tied up suitably at the end and I didn't find the reasons given far fetched but realistic. So as you can imagine Kate is down in the dumps and can't see how she can magic a hunky man out of thin air. Dating sites won't prove that successful so what better way than to escape from it all and to relax and begin to break away from the past than a holiday with Izzy to the fabulous White Rocks Resort in Cornwall? Surely the fresh sea air and the chilled atmosphere on the site will give Kate the chance she needs to reassess her life's direction and all the better if a good looking man makes an appearance that will solve the quandary of needing a date asap?
The book really got going once the girls arrive at what they think will be a fabulous resort. It turns out the place is in need of renovation and rejuvenation otherwise the family run business will be closed. Even with the resort not being up to scratch the author certainly did a god job of making me want to visit there, she showed its potential and highlighted the beautiful Cornish setting. Not to mention all the fabulous food described throughout it was truly mouthwatering from scrumptious full English breakfasts to the doughnuts Izzy makes which are not just your normal jam in the middle. They come in all flavours, both sweet and savoury, and just made me very hungry throughout the time I was reading this book. I'm glad the 'finding a date for the wedding' wasn't centre stage throughout the book, it's been done before and I wanted something different. Yes there was a funny scene involving Kate down at the harbour but as the girls being so kind and decent decided to help Kensa Maddock and son Tremain bring White Rocks back to life Kate's own personal problems didn't disappear but were rather over taken by other events. I loved how Kate and Izzy more or less forgot they were on holiday and put their plans into action and more characters were allowed to come to the fore. Their ideas were clever and workable and I hoped they could make a success of everything.
It wouldn't have been much of a book if everything had gone smoothly and I loved how the slight mystery element came into play. There were plenty of surprising mishaps and events which proved entertaining in a way and kept everyone on their toes. None of what happened seemed over the top as someone plots to stop the venture becoming a success. In fact some of what occurred read like a bad holiday you would see on a TV programme and I just wanted to pick the person up who was doing this and give them a good shake and find out their reasons why. Not that anything was given away but I had my suspicions. So what about romance surely a book in this genre has to have some and yes it's here but not in your face its subtle and grows. The person in question is hurt and afraid to open up to love and when the reasons become clear you just want to give them a great big hug and say it's OK just let it all out and everything will be OK.
Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun was a lovely, light read ideal for the summer. I did prefer Game of Scones and My Big Fat Christmas Wedding just that little bit more but that's not to say this book wasn't good it's just my personal preference. The author did a great job of creating a character in Kate of someone who was brought back to life through her generous nature of helping others and in doing this she healed a part of herself and hopefully found some happiness of her own.I'd like to know what happened to the characters next, maybe a Christmas novella set in Cornwall would be a good idea? Amidst all the books published this summer Breakfast under a Cornish Sun is an enjoyable read that you shouldn't miss out on.
May 14, 2026
Far from the best book I’ve ever read, but like a windswept Ross Poldark galloping moodily across a Cornish cliff in a shirt three buttons too open, Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun absolutely understands the assignment. Samantha Tonge’s style is nothing special, yet it’s fluid enough to sweep you straight into the salty air, holiday cocktails, emotional baggage, and collective national delusion that somewhere in Cornwall a brooding man with excellent cheekbones is waiting to heal us through meaningful eye contact.
I actually loved the central idea of a heroine trying to cure herself of the past by throwing herself into a Cornwall holiday and indulging in the fantasy of finding her own Ross Poldark. There’s something wonderfully humane and brave about admitting that kind of yearning outright. It turns the whole novel into a shared guilty pleasure, like eating scones with both jam and cream while dramatically staring at the sea as if you personally lost a tin mine in 1792.
The holiday resort setting, the summery atmosphere, the believable supporting cast, love interests, villains, all of it works together beautifully to transport you somewhere warmer, brighter, and emotionally safer than real life. Will the story stay with me forever? No. The writer’s voice is perfectly pleasant but entirely forgettable. And yet the vibe lingers. Months later, when the sky is grey and life feels like damp laundry, I can still suddenly recall this book like a little burst of Cornish sun warming my face through the clouds.
For that alone, this book achieves exactly what it set out to do, and honestly, that deserves praise.
July 13, 2017
Kate needs a boyfriend and she needs one fast, unfortunately she is looking for a very specific sort of person, in short - he needs to be poldark! Her former best friend turned bully invites Kate to her wedding and she describes a mythical boyfriend she plans to bring along, the only problem is that now she needs to find someone to match what she's said so Kate sets off on a mission to find the perfect poldark boyfriend, but gets distracted along the way.
There are a few unexpected twists and turns in the story, and a main plot that you can pick clues up throughout the story, can you piece them together and work it out before the characters do? There are descriptions of Kate growing up and life before this book, I would love to read a prequel to this story and learn more about her past.
I read this book over multiple sittings and found it so quick and easy to settle back in where I left off, within half a page I remembered everything and was back in the Cornish holiday park. I am happy to have found a new author and will definitely be looking to read more by Samantha Tonge
There are a few unexpected twists and turns in the story, and a main plot that you can pick clues up throughout the story, can you piece them together and work it out before the characters do? There are descriptions of Kate growing up and life before this book, I would love to read a prequel to this story and learn more about her past.
I read this book over multiple sittings and found it so quick and easy to settle back in where I left off, within half a page I remembered everything and was back in the Cornish holiday park. I am happy to have found a new author and will definitely be looking to read more by Samantha Tonge
February 14, 2018
Sitting here in the throes of winter, i yearned for some of that Cornish sunshine! Breakfast Under A Cornish Sun is a delightful feel good story. It’s a will they/won’t they get together kind of book....and just like all good romances? There’s always a happy ending!
Samantha Tonge is a very good writer - I love the light heartedness and feel good factor she gives. I love how she combines good food and drink to a story perfectly. I love how she can tackle subjects such as loss, and create positives. Like Guvnah saying that no one could ever replace the something special she had with grandad, but she could go on to find happiness with her new fella Geoff. And of course Kate tackling her feelings over the loss of Johnny, and over the course of the holiday, managing to unfriend Johnny and take down the wind spinner.
Overall, a lovely light hearted gem of a read!
4/5 shiny bright stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Samantha Tonge is a very good writer - I love the light heartedness and feel good factor she gives. I love how she combines good food and drink to a story perfectly. I love how she can tackle subjects such as loss, and create positives. Like Guvnah saying that no one could ever replace the something special she had with grandad, but she could go on to find happiness with her new fella Geoff. And of course Kate tackling her feelings over the loss of Johnny, and over the course of the holiday, managing to unfriend Johnny and take down the wind spinner.
Overall, a lovely light hearted gem of a read!
4/5 shiny bright stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟
July 27, 2018
This was a quick, fluffy, pretty happy read. There were a few errors but I still enjoyed the book. I liked the main characters and felt for what they had gone through but I do feel like the author missed the boat about PTSD. I think a little more research should have been done in regards to symptoms and treatment to make this more realistic, the same goes for grief counseling for the heroine of the story. But overall this was a light, enjoyable book.
May 30, 2020
I had to give up on this one. I wanted to like it, really I did, but it was just...... awful. I thought something easy and fun would be the way to get myself out of my reading slump, but how wrong I was. Perhaps contemporary "chick lit" just isn't for me.... but I was unable to find a single thing I liked about this. None of the characters were interesting, I found Kate to be extremely unlikable and the writing style was puerile at best.
February 16, 2018
A good holiday read
I probably would have enjoyed this more if I hadn't read Game of Scones first; I enjoyed that a lot and was expecting this book to be just as good. I was initially put off by the typos in the first part of the book but I'm glad I kept reading - it's often predictable but enjoyable and very easy to read.
I probably would have enjoyed this more if I hadn't read Game of Scones first; I enjoyed that a lot and was expecting this book to be just as good. I was initially put off by the typos in the first part of the book but I'm glad I kept reading - it's often predictable but enjoyable and very easy to read.
March 21, 2018
This a very good easy read. Good fun and nothing taxing - just something good to lose yourself in. It's also made me want to move to Cornwall for some reason!! My only niggle with this book is that my copy was in dire need of a proofreader. Lots of missing/wrong words. This is my first book by Samantha Tonge but it certainly won't be the last.
June 20, 2019
Did this book even have an editor look through it? Yikes... I found 4 grammatical/spelling mistakes.
Oh and the names.... cringe. Shirl. Pearl and Earl....
It could have been a good old cheesy chiclit, it has the usual feel good moments, but it just deserves 2 stars due to all its silly mistakes!
Oh and the names.... cringe. Shirl. Pearl and Earl....
It could have been a good old cheesy chiclit, it has the usual feel good moments, but it just deserves 2 stars due to all its silly mistakes!
July 19, 2025
I really enjoyed this book and was completely involved in Kate's story.
It had everything - laughter, tears, friendship and love. Although several difficult subjects were involved like PTSD and coping with loss, they were handled beautifully.
A great book and I will be looking out for more by this author.
It had everything - laughter, tears, friendship and love. Although several difficult subjects were involved like PTSD and coping with loss, they were handled beautifully.
A great book and I will be looking out for more by this author.
April 6, 2018
Really enjoyed reading this book. It's a light read based during a holiday and incorporating the love for food (you can blame the book if you find yourself munching in the middle of the night), and also a surviving resort.
The book is based in summer, and has a nice story around the romance.
The book is based in summer, and has a nice story around the romance.
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