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Love is in the Cornish summer air…

Charlie and Daniel are getting married. Wedding planner Ellie Moon, is determined to give them a day to remember. After a tough year, she’s had to move out of her cosy cottage and in with her sister, while she rents her home out to a new tenant, the handsome mechanic Jago, who keeps popping up around the picture-postcard seaside village of Porthgolow.

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2021

62 people are currently reading
111 people want to read

About the author

Cressida McLaughlin

61 books697 followers
I grew up in London surrounded by books and with a cat named after Lawrence of Arabia. I studied English Literature at the University of East Anglia and live in Norwich with my husband David.

I'm a total book nerd and my TBR pile is out of control. I would quite like to be a ghost hunter, and I'm a huge fan of a fictional hero.

When I'm not writing, I spend my spare time reading, returning to London or exploring the beautiful Norfolk coastline.

I love hearing from readers, so please get in touch if you have a question or if you just want to say hello.

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Community Reviews

5 stars
168 (65%)
4 stars
54 (21%)
3 stars
25 (9%)
2 stars
8 (3%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Profile Image for Staceywh_17.
3,708 reviews12 followers
April 19, 2021
I've had this since release day & am ashamed to say I've only just got around to reading it. It was definitely worth waiting for!

This is the first in what I imagine is going to be another fantastic four part series back in Porthgolow. I love the bright springtime cover & images. Prefect to read in one sitting, these little beauties are full of lovable characters, beautiful scenery, fun, love & Gertie's back for another adventure!

Wedding planner Ellie Moon is trying to keep her ailing business from going under, so she decides to add landlady to her resume, moved in with her sister & let's out her home to mechanic Jago, who catches her eye when she breaks down. One of the weddings she's been asked to plan is Charlie & Daniel's, can she give them a day to remember?

𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 5 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
Profile Image for Lyndsay.
607 reviews
April 4, 2021
Love these books for this series can't wait for the next one
Profile Image for Nessa.
1,861 reviews72 followers
November 8, 2022
Book 1 of a 4 part book series. Note to readers, you can either read/listen to this as a 4 part book series like I’m going to or there is a full length novel which includes all of the 4 parts should you prefer to read it in that format.

So first up, I am so very happy to be back in the picturesque Cornish village of Porthgolow and to be reacquainted with some of the previous characters (from the previous series in this ongoing book series set in Porthgolow) being Charlie, Daniel, Delilah & Hannah and others that live in the village but it’s also been a delight getting to know the new characters of Ellie, Rose, Jago and Mo, oh and Monty the cat, can’t be forgetting him lols.

I’m really excited about this 4 part book series as Charlie and Daniel are getting married and Ellie is on board as the wedding planner. It’s going to be just wonderful I know although I’m fully expecting a fair bit of drama along the way as these things never go smoothly right, but we’re off to a good start as it looks like Ellie may have found the perfect wedding venue.

There’s been no sign of Charlie’s cute dog Marmite yet but I’m hoping he’ll make an appearance in part 2 and the rest of the series. Without further ado I am heading straight into part 2.
Profile Image for Viktoria Chipova.
527 reviews2 followers
October 10, 2025
Rating: 1/5 Stars (Did Not Finish)

I went into Down on One Knead looking for the sweet, comforting escapism the title promises, but unfortunately, I hit a wall long before the climax, officially DNF-ing this book around the 20% mark. While Cressida McLaughlin has a reputation for lighthearted reads, this one felt like it was powered entirely by cliché and an absolute vacuum of genuine plot momentum.

The story centers on wedding planner Ellie, and while I understand her character is meant to be resilient despite setbacks, her constant internal monologue of anxiety and self-pity was a complete chore to read. Instead of rooting for her, I found myself irritated by her perpetual state of distress. The romantic lead, Jago, is the typical grumpy-but-gorgeous mechanic who instantly rents her cottage—a forced proximity setup so heavy-handed it nearly sank the boat.

What ultimately made me put it down was the excruciatingly slow pace. Nothing of substance happens. We are treated to endless, stultifying descriptions of the Cornish scenery, the quaintness of the village, and, naturally, numerous mentions of cream teas. These details felt less like world-building and more like filler, preventing the characters from actually interacting or developing chemistry. The dialogue felt wooden, and the spark—the fundamental ingredient needed for a romance novel—was completely absent. I couldn't justify spending another minute waiting for a plot or chemistry that clearly wasn't coming. A disappointing DNF.
Profile Image for Sarah Baines.
1,471 reviews11 followers
November 27, 2021
Really enjoyable

Down On One Knead is a really enjoyable start to The Cornish Cream Tea Wedding. The characters -as usual - are fab and Ellie's garden sounds amazing! it's certainly made me want to get out in the garden!! (Far too cold and rainy though!) I'm off to read part two!
64 reviews
December 29, 2025
well, it at least was short. the story went unfinished, so as to encourage picking up the next book, but I will probably not be reading the next installment. the writing was very much "telling" instead of "showing" the story. I felt like I was reading a newspaper article.
34 reviews
April 5, 2021
Enjoyable

A really enjoyable start to the series, I am looking forward to see how things develop between Ellie and Jago,
Profile Image for Bekha Youmans.
98 reviews
May 5, 2021
Fantastic!

Such another great read! Absolutely lovely book! Can’t wait to follow the story in the next part. So heart warming and feel good romance
Profile Image for Liz Smith.
88 reviews1 follower
June 11, 2021
I was a bit disappointed with this although the story was good and I gave is five stars. I downloaded it thinking it was the whole book but it suddenly ended so I’ll have to figure out how to read the rest of it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews

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