Sitting alongside the beach and just up from the gently lapping waves, sat a perfect cottage. She had found where she was going to live. Her own little cockleshell cove.
Ever since the Byrne sisters – Ariana, Aster, Clem, Paddy and Nic – discovered they were heiresses to the vast Hiverton fortune, their lives have never been the same. No longer living in poverty in London, they now own an estate in Norfolk, a castle in Scotland and a picturesque village in Cornwall.
When sensitive Paddy, the baby of the family despite her successful career as a model, swaps the catwalks of Paris Fashion Week for the cobbled lanes of Tregisky on the beautiful Cornish coast, it’s time for her to stand on her own two feet.
Soon, she’s settled in her new home of Cockleshell Cottage overlooking the wild surf, the seals her closest companions.
And when she meets retired soldier Hal, she’s instantly smitten. Funny, considerate, and not to mention drop dead gorgeous, he’s perfect in every way apart from one – he’s engaged. But after a misunderstanding brings the two together in ways they couldn’t have imagined, it seems like they might just change each other’s lives.
Will Paddy fall in love with more than just the glorious blue skies of Cornwall? Or are there storm clouds gathering ahead?
Escape to the Cornish coast this summer with this completely uplifting romcom – perfect for fans of Holly Martin, Phillipa Ashley and Milly Johnson.
Loved the second book in this charming series. Liz Hurley has written another whimsical romantic tale. In The first book of the series we Met Ari and her sisters. Ari had just inherited a load of money and a family title. The girls were adjusting to their new found wealth and responsibilities over all their newly inherited properties. Ari also found love in the first book, and now it is Patty’s turn. Patty is an X model who is now in charge of the families property in Cornwall. Patty meets Hal when the two of them are extras in a German television show, playing the parts of bride and groom. There is instant chemistry between Patty and Hal, and before the night is done they find themselves in between the sheets. Everything seems to be going well until... Hal’s fiancé calls. Patty acts how you would expect and sends Hal packing. What follows is a sweet, somewhat complicated, Occasionally frustrating, push and pull between Patty and Hal.
Love these sisters and it was fun to get to know Patty better in this book. She sure did get herself into one heck of a mess, but I did enjoy watching her try to get herself out of it. Hal confused me, I really wanted to like the guy, but wow he was engaged to one witchy woman. Not to mention he wasn’t completely honest with Patty from the beginning. There is so much love in this book both romantic and familial. Also loved how the Cornish community was brought into the story. An engaging story, can’t wait to see which sister gets there HEA next? My guess is Nikk with Hal’s friend Jamie?
This book in emojis 👰🏼 🏊♀️ 🏖 🍷 🤰🏻
*** Big thank you to Hera Books for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
Lady Patricia de Foix was beautiful, wealthy, and famous, but deep inside; she was just Paddy Byrne, a person raised in relative poverty that lost both parents way too soon.
Henry Ferguson was heir to an impressive estate in Cornwall and was engaged to the beautiful Bianca. He lived a life of privilege, but sometimes he felt empty and wished he could connect again with his comrades from the army.
They met during the filming of a German movie as the bride and groom. There was an immediate connection they could not deny.
He grew on me as the story progressed, and I ended up falling a little in love with him.
The side characters are exciting; the pretty, but vain Bianca, Paddy’s lovely sisters (especially Aster), and Sam, a homeless man that plays a vital role in the story.
I’m looking forward to reading Aster’s story, and I’m hoping Sam might get a HEA of his own as well.
The scenes on the beach, and around the Cornish Coast were lovely and perfect for a summer read.
The story is a tad fantastical, but fun. Wear your pink glasses and enjoy the ride.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This book is so entertaining. Charming characters, quirky scenarios, an enchanting backdrop, and a heart-warming romance made this a delightful romcom to read.
Even though I haven’t read the previous book in the series, I didn’t have any problems reading this as a standalone. The author did a wonderful job in diving right into the story. There are so many surprising situations that Paddy and Hal find themselves in. There are shocking revelations which I did not see coming, and that made this story so addictive. Moreover, I loved the beautiful backdrop of the idyllic village. The author describes the cottage and their residents so nicely that made me feel like I was living there.
Paddy and Hal are wonderful as the leads. Poor Paddy! She is just thrown from one situation to another, and hardly has time to adjust her lifestyle. Nevertheless, I loved Paddy and thought she fit the role perfectly. She is very interesting and complex than what I initially assumed. As an ex-model, I felt she would be haughty and overconfident like Bianca. But surprisingly, she is very sweet, and awkward and isn’t confident in public. Speaking of Bianca, I just loved to hate her! I really liked Hal as well but felt like I didn’t really know much about his background. Although he provides snippets of his time in the war, we don’t see how it impacted him. There were also a few supporting characters like Beryl and Jemima who I felt could have been more prominent.
Overall, this book was so much fun to read that made me order the first book to see how it started. I love Paddy’s bond with her sisters and cannot wait for the next book in the series!
I didn't realise until part way through this story that this is the second novel featuring the Byrne sisters. I found it completely satisfying as a standalone but I am sure that if you have read the first one, you would be able to pick out the different characters of the sisters more easily. They are certainly a varied family and I liked how different they were and yet how closely knit they are as a family. One of the delights of the book was the false first impressions and presumptions that people showed when they first met Paddy. They knew nothing of her background and completely underestimated her in consequence.
Paddy is an interesting character in that her family have treated her with kid gloves and yet she has shown backbone and courage in her career and in supporting them all. She can be impulsive but is obviously likeable. Henry seems a little lost at the beginning and has a lot of growing up to do. The dynamics within both his and Paddy's families, both of whom have suffered loss, seem to have had an effect on them both. This is a fun, escapist read on many levels. By the end, you can see future stories being set up featuring some of the characters who we have met- at least I do hope so.
In short: Escapist and endearing. Thanks to the author for a copy of the book
I love it when I open a book and effortlessly connect with the main character and sink into the setting! Although I've never been to the Cornish coast (in real life) this story took me there. And what a delightful visit. I can still taste salty sea air, and oh how I wished to help oversee the Cornwall properties! I'm a travel-bug, and am itching to go if the Coronavirus pandemic ever decides to retire...
Getting acquainted with the five Byrne sisters (Ari, Clem, Nick, Paddy, and Aster) was fun, and seeing as this story focuses on Paddy, I felt a great connection with her. Her previous modeling career wasn't fulfilling, and she longed for a change. I sympathized with her as she faced the uncertainty of her future, as well as understood the yearning to branch out and prove herself a grown-up to her older sisters. And what better place to settle into her new life than this little seaside cottage tucked into a fragrant, floral hillside.
Cornish Dreams at Cockleshell Cottage is a charming rom com with a blend of misunderstandings, depth, and delight! The cottage feels like home and Paddy, Hal, and the sisters feel like friends.
I mostly enjoyed it but like the last book there were too many misunderstandings between the couple and it became irritating. I also didn't like what seemed to me to be defense of hunting.
Saying that I will read the next book as I have it already, and I did enjoy it in the majority.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Initially I felt like this book started quite slow and I found it boring and was tempted to give up, but it definitely improved. I thought this was my favourite of the series so far. I liked the drama and it was a feel good read.
It was fun, but the miscommunication took much too long for me. It frustrated me a bit when it kept on being a thing, did like the characters other than that though.
I loved A New Life for Ariana Byrne so I was particularly excited when I discovered that Cornish Dreams at Cockleshell Cottage was nearing its publication! The Byrne sisters had a tough start to life, so when Ariana discovers that she has inherited the title of Countess of Hiverton and everything that goes with it, she and her sisters are left in shock. Their change in fortune is huge, and nobody deserves it more than Ariana. However with a number of large estates to look after, she needs her four sisters more than ever to help her in taking on this newfound responsibility.
Paddy Byrne has spent the last few years travelling the world as the famous model Holly McDonald, changing her name so as to protect the privacy of both herself and her sisters. Paddy was determined to do her bit to keep her family together when her parents died, so when she was scouted by a modelling agency she jumped at the chance to earn some money to help support everyone. However, with her money no longer required to keep them all afloat, she is keen to take a step back and help her sister with the Cornish estate. She wants to prove to everyone that she is more than a pretty face, that she can do her bit to help run the estate and assist those people that are counting on them for jobs and homes.
Hal is an ex-soldier who has returned home to help his father run their own estate in Cornwall. His life is all planned out, with his engagement to Bianca and his plans for expanding the estate. What he doesn't plan on is meeting Paddy. When they meet the sparks fly, and they find their lives intertwined in a way neither expected.
I loved this novel, just as I loved A New Life for Ariana Byrne. Obviously there's plenty of romance, miscommunications and drama but I particularly love the Byrne sisters. There is so much character development - you really get to understand how they got to be where they are, how their past has affected them and how they want to grow as people. I love how tight knit they are as sisters - as someone with sisters this is completely relatable, both the love between them and the annoyances! Whilst the first novel was set in Norfolk, Cornish Dreams at Cockleshell Cottage is set in Cornwall, and Liz Hurley really captures the raw beauty of the Cornish coastline. Setting is everything in a novel, and Liz has worked wonders with this one.
I am more than happy to recommend this novel as a standalone, but you'll be missing out if you don't read the series. I can not wait for the next Byrne sister novel, I'll be grabbing a copy at the earliest opportunity!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
I read and loved Liz's previous book called 'A New Life For Ariana Byrne' and so when I heard that she had written a new book featuring the Byrne sisters, I just knew that I had to read it as soon as I could. The new book featuring the Byrne sisters is called 'Cornish Dreams At Cockleshell Cottage' and it was released on 8th July 2020. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Cornish Dreams At Cockleshell Cottage' but more about that in a bit. It didn't take me long at all to get into this story. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first chapter, I knew that I was going to have trouble putting the book down for very long at all. I wasn't able to read this book over the course of a single day because boring things like life got in the way but any spare time I had was dedicated to reading this delightful book. I would pick the book up only intending to read a chapter or two but I would end up enjoying the story so much that I would still be sat there reading several chapters later. This book was the pick me up tonic that I so needed and I found myself smiling away to myself all the way through. I soon got to the end of the book, which I had mixed feelings about. Don't get me wrong I was pleased to finish because it meant that I knew how this instalment of the series finished but I was wasn't pleased because it meant that I had to say farewell to the Byrne sisters. 'Cornish Dreams At Cockleshell Cottage' is well written. The author certainly knows how to make a book stand out from the crowd with a unique and memorable title and cover. If the title hadn't grabbed my attention then the cover of the book certainly would have done. The story within the pages of the book sealed the deal as it were. Liz drew me into the story from the very I can honestly say that there was not one thing that I disliked about this book. Where the story is set sounds delightful and made me want to pack my suitcase and travel to Cornwall. Liz writes so realistically and describes the story so vividly and realistically that I felt as though I was part of the story myself. In short, I really enjoyed reading 'Cornish Dreams At Cockleshell Cottage' and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Liz's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
Cornish Dreams at Cockshell Cottage by Liz Hurley is my first experience with Hurley's writing and it was a most pleasant one. Paddy and Hal met by accident when both were extras in a movie. They never knew each other at all-even last names, but somehow ended up in bed together. Neither indulged in one-night stands and this one was interrupted when Paddy accidentally answered Hal's phone to find his fiancée on the other end of the conversation. From this point on, the lack of communication and plethora of wring turns was both amusing and heart breaking. As an avid romance reader I knew they would end up together, but through the skill of Turley's writing I was constantly in doubt.
Paddy is an insecure ex-model, off to supervise a family holding in the form of a mansion and a village in Cornwall. Her four sisters were full of concern, from outright doubt that she could be successful to worry for their inexperienced younger sister. She arrived and was not at all sure, until she discovered the cottage on the grounds that faced the sea. She moved out of the mansion and into the cottage immediately where she immediately began swimming in the bay daily and began to relax and come into her own. As her confidence grew, so did Baby ... yes, a reminder of her one-night stand. She began to develop plans for the future, both her own and that of the estate and the village. Hal is a man at loose ends. Home from Afghanistan, he has no purpose in life. His father runs their estate and is not really interested in Hal's input. He has a fiancée that he doesn't really like and spends much of his time drunk. He is the epitome of a spoiled rich kid. These are two very wonderful characters, slightly damaged, but ready for one another. I loved this book. I highly recommend it.
I was invited to read an ARC of Cornish Dreams at Cockshell Cottage by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #cornishdreamsatcockshellcottage
Thank you to Netgalley for a pre publication copy. In return for an honest review #cornishdreamsatcockleshellcottage #netgalley
Paddy is one of five Hiverton sisters. Her sister Ari inherits a lot of land, money and property alongside the title of "Lady." Therefore Paddy as the youngest, is sent to the safest and easiest estate to manage. In Cornwall. While there she integrates herself into Cornish village life. Not only this but she takes part in filming at the estate but she gets more than she bargains for. Will she manage to overcome everything thrown at her?
This is book 3.5. I have read the book before this so naturally moved straight onto this one.
I have also found out this is a part of a series but the author has made note this can be read as a stand alone book or in any order. I do feel it can be read as a stand alone but reading this in order. I feel it couldn't be read out of order without becoming confusing.
Although this book is a romcom. Their are some emotional subjects included such as marriage for money, pregnancy, car accidents, accidental marriage and death amongst many more. However this does not take away from the feel of the book. It adds many twists and turns to the story and allows for these to be explored further throughout.
The concept of the story is great and it provides many tears, laughs and thoughts along the way. You have many different emotions in just one chapter never mind the whole book. It has been put together so that all these emotions seamlessly flow throughout. Intertwining with the growth of Paddy specifically.
Having read this directly after book two. I was really able to feel that the authors writing confidence had grown. She was exploring concepts further and added backstories to important parts of the book. Something I felt book two lacked. You could really tell her writing style had begun to shine through.
On the other hand I did feel slightly shocked when I opened the book and Ari was getting married. Book two there was no mention of Seb at all. Potentially this relationship was explored in book one. Which i haven't read but if it was I feel he should have been mentioned alongside Ari in Book two. If it wasn't then I feel this should have been developed and explored rather than this being presented to us as a wedding on page one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The follow-up to the charming A New Life for Ariana Byrne, Cornish Dreams at Cockleshell Cottage follows Ariana's younger sister Paddy as she investigates the Cornish village her family inherited (along with a title, a fortune, and a whole host of other properties). Poor Paddy might be a successful model but her older sisters still treat her like the baby of the family so she jumps at the chance to prove she can handle family responsibility. Meeting Hal seems like the icing on the cake, until she discovers he's engaged, and Paddy must decide if this Cornwall plan is really her future.
I enjoyed reading this book. It's sweet and funny, even if it never quite makes it as the 'rom-com' it is marketed as. It's a coming of age crossed with a romance and topped with a series of unfortunate events. The de Foix/Byrne sisters are delightful - all different, but the love between them shines brightly. Paddy wears her heart on her sleeve and her kind sincerity helps her make friendships wherever she goes. I especially liked old Beryl.
I do wish the book hadn't swapped POV so much, sometimes without warning. Rather than fleshing out the supporting cast, it made everything a bit disjointed and opened a lot of character arcs that were left unfulfilled. There was also a lot of telling not showing, describing a conversation rather than letting the characters speak.
I also can't review this book without a mention of infidelity. I expected a love triangle and mutual pining. I didn't expect the main romance to begin with cheating, which really doesn't endear Hal to me at all. He's obviously caught in a bad situation, but he makes a lot of poor choices before he gets his happy ending. Some people might be okay with those choices, but they weren't for me.
Come spend some time with the de Foix sisters - and I'm especially looking forward to Nick's story!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own
This is the second book in this series and was just as much fun at the first one.
The series is about five sisters who inherit titles/property/money from an uncle they never knew they had and how they start to settle into their new lives and figure out how to run the various properties they have inherited.
The eldest sister is Ari, who is the Countess (first book), and the rest inherit the titles of Ladies. This book is about Paddy, who is just retiring from modelling and trying to decide which way her life will go in now. Whilst figuring things out she takes over the running of properties the family own in Cornwall, and during this meets Hal. But various misunderstandings ensue keeping them apart, even though they are obviously meant to be together.
I really enjoyed this book and although it did seem a tiny bit disjointed at times and seemed to jump around a bit, I still really enjoyed reading it and wanted to keep reading to find out what happened in the end, even though you really knew they'd finally sort things out!
Liz Hurley is a fairly new author to me, this is the second in this series I've read, but I am definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the books about the other sisters. There are a few characters in this book that I'm hoping we hear more of in future books, maybe love interests for other sisters? A very easy-reading bit of escapist fun, loved it!
Five sisters that grew up rather poor are now living a much better life. Their mother chose to leave her wealthy life to marry the man she loved resulting in her father disowning her. Sadly, the girls’ parents perished in an auto accident. Now, their uncle David has died and Ariana and her younger sisters have inherited it all. This includes many properties. She is now the Countess of Hiverton and has just married Sir Sebastian Flint Hyssop. It is her second marriage and she has two little boys.
Paddy is a model who has chosen to step away from it for awhile. She is heading to Cornwell to look over a town that the family now owns. Rather than stay at the large family home, she has chosen to stay in a smaller cottage closer to the water.
Henry (Hal) Ferguson had been in the service until an ACL injury sent him home. Now, he is living in Cornwell and doing some acting. It so happens that Paddy agreed to do some acting in a play where she and Hal were acting being married. Afterward, they went to dinner. She did not want to tell him who she was even though some diners seemed to recognize her as a model. But she has decided to step back from that and work with her sisters on some charitable endeavors.
Paddy starts to meet people and makes friends. She encounters Hal now and then but they don’t have a good relationship. It appears that he is engaged to a pushy bimbo named Bianca who is jealous of Paddy. But when Paddy learns that something major is in her future, many things change - some for the better and some not.
Gosh, folks, I really wanted to like this book but there is so much stuff going on and, quite frankly, I found it boring. Sometimes, these loving sisterly books can be pure saccharine In addition, the ending was abrupt without tying the pieces together as it should. Nope, not my cup of tea but I am generously giving it 3 stars anyway.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Paddy Byrne is tired of modelling around the world. She needs some time alone to figure out what she really wants from life. And what better way to do that than going to the Cornish Coast? So she settles down in her new home of Cockleshell Cottage. When she meets Hal, an ex – soldier, they instant like each other. They would be a perfect match, if only he wouldn’t be already engaged… How much can I enjoy a book? The answer to that question is: if it’s a book like this one, A LOT!!! In first instance I was happy to read about the Byrne – sisters all over again. And when Paddy her story starts, I started reading and I had to be forced to put the book away.
Paddy is a model, and now also heiress of the Hiverton fortune. Yet she remained her humble self. Even modelling did not make her forget who she truly is. She is so down-to-earth and trying to make every one of her family happy. Yet the sad part is that she is so unsure… she didn’t finish her education, making her a bit otherworldly. She does not have the average knowledge and this makes her more receptive for people with les good intentions… But her kindness, her readiness to help out wherever she can, makes up for her “shortcoming”. And even when the one time she thinks of herself, and she has to pay the consequences, she does not choose the easy way out. She makes a decision, and stick to it.
And Hal is also every woman’s dream, putting his engagement aside. He is a nice guy, and despite his personal troubles, he makes the best of everything. He is having his own struggles yet he is there to help the community and Paddy.
Despite many misunderstandings, there is a real spark between Paddy and Hal.
It may seem like an easy book, and somehow it is. Yet somehow the author managed to write a real captivating story. The location, each character and every event elevate this story even to a higher level.
I truly enjoyed it, reading about Paddy and also getting to know the sisters a little bit better. Can’t wait to see what adventures the other sisters are awaiting!
Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for inviting me in the blog tour.
I was really attracted by the cover of this book however a little weary as it’s the second book of a series and having not read the first I always wonder wether it will be easy enough to pick up! However rest assured this can definitely be read as a stand alone but if you can read the first book I would just to get a better idea of the family. 🌸 These sisters are really relatable and being the only girl in my family I could really picture how it must feel to have sisters around you. 🌸 The setting of this story really swept me away and I would find myself closing my eyes to wish I was really there! 🌸 The romance is gorgeous and at first you find that Hal is not in your good books however he soon wins you around and steals not only Paddy’s heart but yours too!
Such a lovely uplifting lovely book. So descriptive, I could smell the sea, see the seals and feel the sunshine on my face. I loved the dynamics between the sisters. I lived Paddy’s backstory of modelling to keep her family afloat financially. I admire that she can walk away and start a new life for herself. The book was so lovely and you could feel the warmth from paddy and her sisters, the chemistry between her and Hal. The friendship between her and the villagers. This arc copy was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review by netgalley. Excellent and I can’t wait for more in the serious.
British Romantic Comedy Farce This is such a funny and moving farce. It is a clean romance that takes place in Cornwall. Five sisters are in a 'rags to riches' situations and a just barely getting used to their lives as landed gentry. The plot is very well done. I did not want to put the book down. In fact, I just bought the first book in the series as I don't want to miss a bit of this story. While the story is completely believable, it is also the thing that dreams are made of. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
Didn't know this was Book2 of a series and have to admit I felt hugely lost at the start of this book - too many people, whom I was supposed to know but didn't, so it all became a blur and very confusing for me (maybe it would've worked on the screen, actually seeing the different characters so you could differentiate them.) As such, I felt the story stalled and took a long while to actually get to Paddy's romance, which I found pretty whimsical and cute, though it had its moments. Overall nice feel-good story. Read Book1 first, though
I didn’t enjoy as much as I’d hoped. I did like getting to know the characters and the 5 sisters and their varying personalities. It took a while for me to understand all the characters names/who they were/their involvement in the story etc! I was a good 100 pages in and still not hooked. I didn’t really ever get the feeling of ‘I want more’. We find out something the main character doesn’t know so you’re just waiting for her to find out but it’s not an exciting time more of a ‘realise the obvious now’. Nice ending but very cliche.
The five Byrne girls going from rags to riches virtually overnight when an estranged uncle dies and the eldest becomes a Countess and the other girls become ladies . This book follows the life of Paddy aka Lady Patricia de Foie.
The characters and the humour and twists in the story are all really enjoyable. Another well written book which is a page turner.
I read in one sitting. 4.5/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A little slow to start but I ended up gripped and stayed up too late finishing it!
It's the first time reading this author and it seems this is the second in a series about the sisters (it's great as a standalone book too). I'm off to find the first book!
Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The 5 de foix sisters have recently inherited an estate each one given their own job to deal with. Paddy ends up in Cornwall which bid a long way from her job as a successful model. She tries to find herself a new life as well as finding true love. This is a fabulous book which would be great to be heard from the point of view of the other sisters. Thanks to Netgalley for this book.
I loved this book of sisterhood and romance. Things are a mess between Paddy and Hal. They just get messier and messier. It kind of feels like a very modern twist on an Austin novel. The Cornish coasts sounds amazing and I want to go there and share in the adventures.
An entertaining, heartwarming and enjoyable story that made me smile and root for the characters. A good storyline, interesting characters and lovely descriptions of the setting. Recommended. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.