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Snow Falls Over Starry Cove: Escape to Cornwall with this absolutely heartwarming page-turner!
This Christmas escape to Cornwall with a sweet and uplifting romance, perfect for fans of Jo Thomas, Sue Moorcroft and Holly Martin!
Emmie Weaver has it all – a handsome fiancé and students who love her. So why does she feel so lost?
When Emmie's estranged grandfather dies, leaving her a barge in Starry Cove, it's a welcome chance to hit pause. But as soon as she arrives in the Cornish village, it's clear this won't be the relaxing break she was expecting. Her grandmother wants nothing to do with her and Jago Moon, a handsome yet hostile town bad boy, is inexplicably determined to not let her boat touch water.
Christmas is fast approaching and so is her wedding date. Can Emmie stay long enough to see snow fall over Starry Cove? And will finding out about her past help her decide her future?
***
Readers love Snow Falls Over Starry Cove!
'Lovely, uplifting and heartwarming Christmas read... filled with lots of Christmas spirit, heart and charm.' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
'Sweet and cozy, just the way I like it. A highly recommended read if you want to experience the magic of winter and Christmas in a lovely Cornish village full of warmth and joy.' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
'Joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written.' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
'Couldn't put the book down, so much to find out, so much happening & so much you want to happen. Now, I want more.' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
'Grabs readers from the beginning and won't let them go until they finish the last page... I loved absolutely everything! Fantastic... I was immediately swept up. Dazzling and sweeping tale of love.' NetGalley Reviewer, 4 stars
'Fabulous festive story with a lovely heartwarming story. Really loved the setting and the characters. It's really gotten me in the festive mood!' @pinkpygmypuff_, 5 stars
'Gave perfect winter/Christmas vibes, which is my favorite season of the year!... Super awesome... The romance was super cute.' NetGalley Reviewer, 4 stars
'A must read for fans of Nancy Barone and for those fans of romance set in the U.K. Five amazing stars.' @cyireadbooks, 5 stars
'Christmassy read that makes you fall in love with Starry Cove and its residents... Starry Cove is full of secrets and mysteries... Brilliant... Amazing setting, makes me wish I lived in Starry Cove as well.' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
'Another delightful Christmassy book by Nancy.
Emmie Weaver has it all – a handsome fiancé and students who love her. So why does she feel so lost?
When Emmie's estranged grandfather dies, leaving her a barge in Starry Cove, it's a welcome chance to hit pause. But as soon as she arrives in the Cornish village, it's clear this won't be the relaxing break she was expecting. Her grandmother wants nothing to do with her and Jago Moon, a handsome yet hostile town bad boy, is inexplicably determined to not let her boat touch water.
Christmas is fast approaching and so is her wedding date. Can Emmie stay long enough to see snow fall over Starry Cove? And will finding out about her past help her decide her future?
***
Readers love Snow Falls Over Starry Cove!
'Lovely, uplifting and heartwarming Christmas read... filled with lots of Christmas spirit, heart and charm.' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
'Sweet and cozy, just the way I like it. A highly recommended read if you want to experience the magic of winter and Christmas in a lovely Cornish village full of warmth and joy.' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
'Joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written.' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
'Couldn't put the book down, so much to find out, so much happening & so much you want to happen. Now, I want more.' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
'Grabs readers from the beginning and won't let them go until they finish the last page... I loved absolutely everything! Fantastic... I was immediately swept up. Dazzling and sweeping tale of love.' NetGalley Reviewer, 4 stars
'Fabulous festive story with a lovely heartwarming story. Really loved the setting and the characters. It's really gotten me in the festive mood!' @pinkpygmypuff_, 5 stars
'Gave perfect winter/Christmas vibes, which is my favorite season of the year!... Super awesome... The romance was super cute.' NetGalley Reviewer, 4 stars
'A must read for fans of Nancy Barone and for those fans of romance set in the U.K. Five amazing stars.' @cyireadbooks, 5 stars
'Christmassy read that makes you fall in love with Starry Cove and its residents... Starry Cove is full of secrets and mysteries... Brilliant... Amazing setting, makes me wish I lived in Starry Cove as well.' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars
'Another delightful Christmassy book by Nancy.
331 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2022
50 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Barone
21 books83 followersNancy grew up in Canada, but at the age of 12 her family moved to Italy. Catapulted into a world where her only contact with the English language was her old Judy Blume books, Nancy became an avid reader and a die-hard romantic.
Nancy stayed in Italy and, despite being surrounded by handsome Italian men, she married an even more handsome Brit. They now live in Sicily where she teaches English.
Like Erica, the heroine of The Husband Diet, Nancy is of Italian descent, but she swears that is where the similarities stop. And she’s absolutely never fantasized about murdering her husband.
Nancy has had a number of romance novels published, but The Husband Diet is her first Women’s Fiction book. She is a member of the RWA and a keen supporter of the Women’s Fiction Festival at Matera where she meets up once a year with writing friends from all over the globe.
Nancy stayed in Italy and, despite being surrounded by handsome Italian men, she married an even more handsome Brit. They now live in Sicily where she teaches English.
Like Erica, the heroine of The Husband Diet, Nancy is of Italian descent, but she swears that is where the similarities stop. And she’s absolutely never fantasized about murdering her husband.
Nancy has had a number of romance novels published, but The Husband Diet is her first Women’s Fiction book. She is a member of the RWA and a keen supporter of the Women’s Fiction Festival at Matera where she meets up once a year with writing friends from all over the globe.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 29, 2022
Snow Falls Over Starry Cove is my fourth Nancy Barone novel and I’ve loved everyone so far.
Emmie Weaver should be ecstatic with her engagement to Stephen Stone. After all, he’s from a well to do family and he has a prestigious position as headmaster at a private school. But Emmie feels unfulfilled, even a little empty. To add to her doldrums, Emmie is informed that her grandfather passed away. A grandfather she never knew existed. A feeling of unease sets in and Emmie decides that she needs to get away for a spell. If not for herself, at least to get to know her estranged grandmother.
But the grass isn’t any greener in Cornwall compared to London. And Emmie learns that her estranged grandmother isn’t any better than her overbearing future mother-in-law. And to add insult to injury, Emmie also learns that the owner of the other half of her inherited assets is none other than that pompous bloke and nemesis, Jago Moon. Wow! How bad can it get? And can it get better?
Snow Falls Over Starry Cove is a light enemies to lovers romance novel. But it also contains elements of mystery and suspense, which made for a very absorbing read. I can’t say much more as doing so would spoil the big reveal.
There’s a wide case of characters. Some of them I loved and some of them I loathed. Barone really developed a wide range of them — even the minor players. Most of the characters are relatable, and there really wasn’t a bland character in the narrative.
Overall, Snow Falls Over Starry Cove is a must read for fans of Nancy Barone and for those fans of romance set in the U. K. Five amazing stars.
I received a digital ARC from Head of Zeus through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Emmie Weaver should be ecstatic with her engagement to Stephen Stone. After all, he’s from a well to do family and he has a prestigious position as headmaster at a private school. But Emmie feels unfulfilled, even a little empty. To add to her doldrums, Emmie is informed that her grandfather passed away. A grandfather she never knew existed. A feeling of unease sets in and Emmie decides that she needs to get away for a spell. If not for herself, at least to get to know her estranged grandmother.
But the grass isn’t any greener in Cornwall compared to London. And Emmie learns that her estranged grandmother isn’t any better than her overbearing future mother-in-law. And to add insult to injury, Emmie also learns that the owner of the other half of her inherited assets is none other than that pompous bloke and nemesis, Jago Moon. Wow! How bad can it get? And can it get better?
Snow Falls Over Starry Cove is a light enemies to lovers romance novel. But it also contains elements of mystery and suspense, which made for a very absorbing read. I can’t say much more as doing so would spoil the big reveal.
There’s a wide case of characters. Some of them I loved and some of them I loathed. Barone really developed a wide range of them — even the minor players. Most of the characters are relatable, and there really wasn’t a bland character in the narrative.
Overall, Snow Falls Over Starry Cove is a must read for fans of Nancy Barone and for those fans of romance set in the U. K. Five amazing stars.
I received a digital ARC from Head of Zeus through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
April 5, 2023
Emmie Weaver has a steady job, is married to the boss who comes from a well-heeled family and she has a wedding to plan for. What more could you ask for? Quite a lot apparently. Stephen (the fiancé) is already married to his job and whilst he can be charming and thoughtful when it suits him, work always comes first. He also still lives at home with an overbearing mother who is determined to organise Emmy’s wedding and her future down to the last detail. Then, out of the blue, Emmy receives a solicitor’s letter informing her that her Grandfather who lives in Starry Cove has died and that her presence is required by her Grandmother. Emmy has never met these people, in fact she didn’t even know that they existed but heads off to Starry Cove to investigate. It becomes clear that there are family secrets of which she was completely unaware.
There were a couple of things I liked about this book. Firstly the descriptions of Cornwall made me want to go back and visit. It is not a county I know well but this book reminded me of how special it is. Also, the premise of the book is a good one with a storyline which held lots of promise.
Unfortunately the bad things outweighed the good and I found it impossible to get past the fact that the book is dreadfully written. I am not talking about just grammar and sentence construction, but the plot itself which could have been managed so much better. There is a story in the making here but at times it dragged and was both predictable and boring. I know that it there is a lot of blood, sweat and tears which go into writing a book and I do not like giving negative reviews but on this occasion I do feel that the editor must take some responsibility as some of the issues, especially the grammatical ones, would have been so easy to rectify. As an example, one of the things that I found particularly irritating was the use of the word “assured”. This word was used far more than you would expect in a book of this length in sentences which went along the lines of ‘”Don’t worry, you’ll be OK” she assured’. Now I am no expert on grammar, but either this is grammatically incorrect or it is such an archaic usage of the word that it sounds completely wrong in a contemporary setting. Surely “assured” needs an object? This certainly raised its ugly head on multiple occasions but it grated on me so much that it felt like it was used in every other paragraph (which I’m sure it wasn’t).
This was the first Nancy Barone book that I have read and unfortunately it is likely to be my last.
There were a couple of things I liked about this book. Firstly the descriptions of Cornwall made me want to go back and visit. It is not a county I know well but this book reminded me of how special it is. Also, the premise of the book is a good one with a storyline which held lots of promise.
Unfortunately the bad things outweighed the good and I found it impossible to get past the fact that the book is dreadfully written. I am not talking about just grammar and sentence construction, but the plot itself which could have been managed so much better. There is a story in the making here but at times it dragged and was both predictable and boring. I know that it there is a lot of blood, sweat and tears which go into writing a book and I do not like giving negative reviews but on this occasion I do feel that the editor must take some responsibility as some of the issues, especially the grammatical ones, would have been so easy to rectify. As an example, one of the things that I found particularly irritating was the use of the word “assured”. This word was used far more than you would expect in a book of this length in sentences which went along the lines of ‘”Don’t worry, you’ll be OK” she assured’. Now I am no expert on grammar, but either this is grammatically incorrect or it is such an archaic usage of the word that it sounds completely wrong in a contemporary setting. Surely “assured” needs an object? This certainly raised its ugly head on multiple occasions but it grated on me so much that it felt like it was used in every other paragraph (which I’m sure it wasn’t).
This was the first Nancy Barone book that I have read and unfortunately it is likely to be my last.
August 10, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
This was my first Nancy Barone book, and I admit it did take me a while to get into it and I did debate whether it was for me or not. I did enjoy it but it didn’t live up to what I expect to get from a festive rom-com.
I did like the way that she’d used novel titles as chapter headings. I’m not sure what the purpose of that was, but as a bibliophile, it was a nice touch.
I couldn’t stand the characters of Stephen, his mother or Lady Heatherton. I know that’s the way they’re written, so it’s a good thing that they were received that way, but they really got under my skin and I didn’t like reading about them. Emmie was a good protagonist but I wish she wasn’t as much of a doormat, I wish she stood up to herself more. I did think there were a few too many characters. I read one book earlier that had over 20 main characters but it was so easy to follow and they all deserved to be there. With this, I just didn’t see why some of them were necessary and I don’t think they pushed the story along at all.
I did like the description of Cornwall at Christmas. I’ve never been in the war, but just knowing how beautiful it is in the summer (a season I dislike), I can only imagine how gorgeous it is at the festive season.
I did think there were possibly too many things happening; an unhappy engagement, a controlling mother in law, a street account, alcohol dependency, abandonment, death, grief - it all felt a little jarring and I think it would have benefitted by leaving a few of these out.
There’s definitely a feeling of telling the reader what’s happening, rather than showing them, which makes it a little flat to read, and it risks you skipping bits which I admit I did, well, not exactly skip, but I did skim.
It was an okay book but not one I would rush to recommend.
This was my first Nancy Barone book, and I admit it did take me a while to get into it and I did debate whether it was for me or not. I did enjoy it but it didn’t live up to what I expect to get from a festive rom-com.
I did like the way that she’d used novel titles as chapter headings. I’m not sure what the purpose of that was, but as a bibliophile, it was a nice touch.
I couldn’t stand the characters of Stephen, his mother or Lady Heatherton. I know that’s the way they’re written, so it’s a good thing that they were received that way, but they really got under my skin and I didn’t like reading about them. Emmie was a good protagonist but I wish she wasn’t as much of a doormat, I wish she stood up to herself more. I did think there were a few too many characters. I read one book earlier that had over 20 main characters but it was so easy to follow and they all deserved to be there. With this, I just didn’t see why some of them were necessary and I don’t think they pushed the story along at all.
I did like the description of Cornwall at Christmas. I’ve never been in the war, but just knowing how beautiful it is in the summer (a season I dislike), I can only imagine how gorgeous it is at the festive season.
I did think there were possibly too many things happening; an unhappy engagement, a controlling mother in law, a street account, alcohol dependency, abandonment, death, grief - it all felt a little jarring and I think it would have benefitted by leaving a few of these out.
There’s definitely a feeling of telling the reader what’s happening, rather than showing them, which makes it a little flat to read, and it risks you skipping bits which I admit I did, well, not exactly skip, but I did skim.
It was an okay book but not one I would rush to recommend.
December 4, 2022
Snow Falls Over Starry Cove by Nancy Barone
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Aria and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
Emmie Weaver has it all – a handsome fiancé and students who love her. So why does she feel so lost? When Emmie's estranged grandfather dies, leaving her a barge in Starry Cove, it's a welcome chance to hit pause. But as soon as she arrives in the Cornish village, it's clear this won't be the relaxing break she was expecting. Her grandmother wants nothing to do with her and Jago Moon, a handsome yet hostile town bad boy, is inexplicably determined to not let her boat touch water. Christmas is fast approaching and so is her wedding date. Can Emmie stay long enough to see snow fall over Starry Cove?
My Opinion
I have read a few books by Nancy Barone now but this one fell slightly short of what I was expecting. For me, Emmie was a frustrating character and so I struggled to connect with the book. This is a relatively quick, festive book but for me there was just a little bit too much going on.
Rating 3/5
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Aria and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
Emmie Weaver has it all – a handsome fiancé and students who love her. So why does she feel so lost? When Emmie's estranged grandfather dies, leaving her a barge in Starry Cove, it's a welcome chance to hit pause. But as soon as she arrives in the Cornish village, it's clear this won't be the relaxing break she was expecting. Her grandmother wants nothing to do with her and Jago Moon, a handsome yet hostile town bad boy, is inexplicably determined to not let her boat touch water. Christmas is fast approaching and so is her wedding date. Can Emmie stay long enough to see snow fall over Starry Cove?
My Opinion
I have read a few books by Nancy Barone now but this one fell slightly short of what I was expecting. For me, Emmie was a frustrating character and so I struggled to connect with the book. This is a relatively quick, festive book but for me there was just a little bit too much going on.
Rating 3/5
September 1, 2022
Emily is a teacher in London and engaged to the headmaster Stephen who thinks he is the bee's knees and between him and his mother try to control Emily
A letter from a solicitor arrives to inform her that her grandfather has died and that her presence was required by her grandmother, Emily is shocked as she didn't know she had any relatives. She decides to go even though the funeral is on the same day as the day they were meant to be getting engaged. Stephen can't believe she wants to postpone the party and tells her she is ungrateful even though she didn't want it in the first place
Emily heads off to Starry Cove in Cornwall wanting to meet her grandmother but the meeting doesn't go as well as she expected but she does finally realise that her relationship with Stephen isn't right
What will she do ?
Loved it
A letter from a solicitor arrives to inform her that her grandfather has died and that her presence was required by her grandmother, Emily is shocked as she didn't know she had any relatives. She decides to go even though the funeral is on the same day as the day they were meant to be getting engaged. Stephen can't believe she wants to postpone the party and tells her she is ungrateful even though she didn't want it in the first place
Emily heads off to Starry Cove in Cornwall wanting to meet her grandmother but the meeting doesn't go as well as she expected but she does finally realise that her relationship with Stephen isn't right
What will she do ?
Loved it
September 2, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. I do love a Nancy Bourne book, they never disappoint.
Emily Weaver is a teacher in London, engaged to Stephen Stone, who is just living until a letter arrives to tell her that her grandfather has died & her grandmother wishes to meet her as soon as possible. All this is a shock as she didn't know she had any living relatives. Emmie's life is turned upside down & she visits Starry Cove in Cornwall to see what is going on. Nothing is how it seems & she looks at her life & realises she needs to change it. Jago Moon has a lot to answer for!
I couldn't put the book down, so much to find out, so much happening & so much you want to happen. Now, I want more. Highly recommended read.
August 8, 2022
Emmie is engaged to her boss, headmaster Stephen, and has his very controlling mother to deal with. When she receives a letter asking her to go to the little village of Starry Cove in Cornwall to visit family she didn't know she had, she jumps at the chance. Will she manage to hold onto the happiness her heart desires?
A quick read, with a number of characters appearing from other Starry Cove books (I've only read one other, so didn't know much about them, but the book works as a stand alone). I liked Emmie, and her craving for stability and love, but did find her inability to speak up for herself a bit annoying at times! A book with a predictable but satisfying ending.
A quick read, with a number of characters appearing from other Starry Cove books (I've only read one other, so didn't know much about them, but the book works as a stand alone). I liked Emmie, and her craving for stability and love, but did find her inability to speak up for herself a bit annoying at times! A book with a predictable but satisfying ending.
August 12, 2022
What a lovely read. This was a beautifully woven tale that I soon found myself lost in. Emily and Jago are brilliant characters, each broken and lost in different ways. I enjoyed watching Emmie grow as a person and finally break out of the shell that she had self imposed upon herself in order to find the happiness she thought she needed. Jago saw her natural inner light and even when he didn’t want to be, he was drawn to her and she inspired him.
The twists and turns that were written in, what a complicated family, but Jago and Emmie were able to set everything right.
A lovely Christmas read with some beautiful descriptions.
The twists and turns that were written in, what a complicated family, but Jago and Emmie were able to set everything right.
A lovely Christmas read with some beautiful descriptions.
December 7, 2022
Emily is in an unhappy relationship with the principal of the school she teaches at. He always puts her last and she feels like something is missing.
Then a letter from a solicitor arrives telling her that her grandfather has died and her grandma wishes to meet with her. Emily is shocked, as she wasn't aware she had any living relatives.
Unfortunately the meeting doesn't go to plan and Emily has to make some very hard decisions about her future.
A happy holiday romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Then a letter from a solicitor arrives telling her that her grandfather has died and her grandma wishes to meet with her. Emily is shocked, as she wasn't aware she had any living relatives.
Unfortunately the meeting doesn't go to plan and Emily has to make some very hard decisions about her future.
A happy holiday romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 13, 2022
Thank you to Aria, Head of Zeus & NetGalley for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review
Although I didn't finish this in time for its pub date (oops!) I did enjoy this book a lot! It started out kind of slow, but once it picked up it breezed by so quickly. Even though I read it in August/September, it gave perfect winter/Christmas vibes, which is my favorite season of the year! Not only were the vibes super awesome, but the romance was super cute - and I love a cute romance. And it had such a lovable MC!
Although I didn't finish this in time for its pub date (oops!) I did enjoy this book a lot! It started out kind of slow, but once it picked up it breezed by so quickly. Even though I read it in August/September, it gave perfect winter/Christmas vibes, which is my favorite season of the year! Not only were the vibes super awesome, but the romance was super cute - and I love a cute romance. And it had such a lovable MC!
August 25, 2022
I enjoyed this festive and heartwarming story. It made me smile, root for the characters, and liked the descriptions of Cornwall.
The characters are well developed and loved how they changed during the book.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
The characters are well developed and loved how they changed during the book.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
September 11, 2022
I really enjoyed this light hearted enemies to lovers story.
Emmie seems to have it all “on paper” so why is she feeling so unsettled? Unexpected news about estranged grandparents gives her the out she needs to pause her life. Throw in some angst with the town bad boy and I was a happy reader.
Great dialogue, dash of mystery and a cute HEA.
I received an arc of this book.
Emmie seems to have it all “on paper” so why is she feeling so unsettled? Unexpected news about estranged grandparents gives her the out she needs to pause her life. Throw in some angst with the town bad boy and I was a happy reader.
Great dialogue, dash of mystery and a cute HEA.
I received an arc of this book.
February 19, 2023
Great read
Loved this story about Emmie, her development and realisation of all things love, or not love. The characters and setting are great, I just couldn’t put this book down. Highly recommended
Loved this story about Emmie, her development and realisation of all things love, or not love. The characters and setting are great, I just couldn’t put this book down. Highly recommended
August 29, 2022
Fabulous festive story with a lovely heartwarming story. Really loved the setting and the characters. It's really gotten me in the festive mood!
February 26, 2023
I did start this book, but didn’t finish it. I found it obvious and predictable. To be fair, I’m not the greatest fan of romantic novels, so am probably not the target audience.
July 19, 2023
DNF @ p44 after the MC’s best friend attempted to bully her into cheating on her (admittedly awful) fiancé. The dude is a douche but that is not the vibe
December 7, 2025
Sorry mum, the story made no sense and was too poorly written for me to give it more than one star! Was also lacking the Christmas element
December 16, 2025
Very repetitive and not very interesting at all. The author seems to have forgotten things from literally a page before so it’s a bit contradictory in places.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews