| Title | : | What Happens In Cornwall... |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1474036589 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 288 |
| Publication | : | First published July 20, 2015 |
For a very British summer holiday…
When archaeologist Sam realises her relationship is as dead as the skeletons she’s exhuming, she knows it’s time to make a change. But with bills to pay her options are limited…until a discovery on Rock Island in Cornwall gives her a reason to escape…
Head to the Cornish coast!
In Cornwall, questions are thrown up at every turn: who is the glamorous owner of Rock Island that the paparazzi are so interested in? How has the irresistible, but impossibly arrogant, history professor James Courtney managed to get so far under Sam’s skin? And will it ever stop raining so Sam can lose the cagoule and sip a cool drink in the sun? One thing’s for sure: there’s never been a holiday quite like this one!
Enjoy a summer of surprises and romance with What Happens in Cornwall…, the perfect retreat for fans of Fern Britton
What Happens In Cornwall... Reviews
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I received a free copy of this book by the book's publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
This was a thoroughly enjoyable read which made laugh out loud at times. Sam is an archeology student studying for her PhD. Her relationship has been rocky, to be put mildly, when she is finally plucking up the courage to end things she gets dumped. However, fortune seems to be on her side when she gets the chance to dig on Rock Island. The mysterious famous owner and their labrador and being hunted by paparazzi, can Sam protect their identity and what will they find on the island? Not just artefacts that's for sure, it looks like romance is in the air...
I love how the protagonist of the story is written as a likeable, fun character. Equally Williams' writing style is hilarious, witty and well paced. As someone who doesn't tend to read many romance novels this was a breath of fresh air and was great after reading something quite heavy and monotonous. The only thing which I didn't particularly enjoy was the ending as it just seemed to fizzle out when it needed to go out with a bang.
I would highly recommend this book if you're looking for a light-hearted, fun romance. A great book to take on holiday and relax with on the beach. -
Sam is coming to the end of the road in her relationship- but is put out when her boyfriend dumps her before she gets the chance to end things.
She's studying at the university in the archaeology department and when they get the chance to do a dig on Rock Island in Cornwall they are all thrilled. Just who is the mysterious owner of the island and why are the paparazzi so keen to get the scoop on the island.
I loved the description of the Island and the dig itself. You could just feel the anticipation amongst the team and loved the way they got to know the owner and the labrador.
A book full of friendships, relationships, Italian Romeos, aloof professors who just happen to be very attractive and a summer spent in Cornwall- bliss.
Many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this one. -
Review originally posted on my blog
www.livinglifewithjoy.com
Samantha Squires is a 30 year-old post grad student at Exeter University that’s been dragging her feet on breaking up with her boyfriend to spare her depressed mother’s feelings. Her passion lies in archaeological studies and she gets a real high from running, which is no surprise from a former almost-Olympian. When her friend Becky offers her a chance for an already paid trip to Cornwall, Samantha jumps at the opportunity to get away from her life for a few days. By a somewhat fortunate accident, Sam meets an extremely important woman who owns a private island during their brief stay in Cornwall. Although the woman wants to maintain her privacy, she ends up helping Sam out in more ways than one.
This was a fun story filled with complex and entertaining characters. Samantha is a contrast of emotions and her personality makes her extremely relatable and charming. Sam’s friend Becky is hilarious and always seems to be on the hunt for a man. Becky keeps the laughs flowing and the drama alive. Dr. James Courtney is new to the university and is a specialist on medieval times. Although he’s very abrupt and seems a bit rude, there’s something about him that draws Sam in. I enjoyed watching the way the different friendships evolved and I was thoroughly entertained the whole way through.
One of the major themes in this novel was the idea of celebrity and wanting to have privacy and a sense of normalcy. The biggest themes were about love and relationships: damaged goods, baggage, dragging on a relationship for the wrong reasons, cheating and ultimately finding the right person that loves you for you, damaged bits and all. Sometimes you just need to open yourself to the possibilities and recognize a good opportunity from the bad. Sometimes things aren’t as they seem and you can’t make assumptions without communicating and knowing the truth rather than just speculating. It is important to learn to let people in and see the real you and sometimes you will find that true love was there all along.
I loved this story! It was entertaining with a little bit of suspense and a charming love story built in. I look forward to reading more by this author as I enjoyed his writing style and perspective and can’t wait to see what else he’s cooked up for us. -
Firstly i must add that T A Williams has now converted me!. I never usually want to read a book written by a Male Author, there is no big reason for this other than i love my Chick Lit and feel a Womans prospectus makes the books. And most books i read are usually about cheating men amd broken hearts. So how can a Male tell it from their point of view. Ok so this wasnt mushy but i still loved it. So despite having all of Trevor's books on my Kindle, this is the first one i have read and i am so glad i have all the others to look forward to.
So here we follow 30 year old Samantha Squires, an archaeologist student at Exeter University. Unhappy in her relationship, she jumps at the chance when friend Becky offers her a chance for a trip to Cornwall. Sam soon discovers a small historical island off the coast of Cornwall. Rock Island is owned by an unknown Celebrity. As Sam amd Ann become friends it is agreed that Sam and her team can do an archaeological dig on the island after discovering some human bones.
There are lots of bits to this book which will keep you hooked. I enjoyed the opening with the Kayak and Sam, this formed the plot well for me and got my attention. I really connected with Sam, she is such a lovely character. Trevor had it spot on by adding Italian's into the mix aswell.
I had to laugh out loud when Doris the dog got a little too friendy at breakfast in the b&b with Beppe. From Italian men to paparazzi, Celebrities to dogs. This is full of mystery, romance, and lots of history.
I am now Team TA Williams.
celebrities, romance, history, Italians, dogs.... -
What Happens in Cornwall What happens in Cornwall by T.A. Williams is a well paced insight into the life of Sam, a PHd archaeology student. Although predominantly about Sam, there are a host of other characters who’s lives are also interesting and add depth to the story.
All the characters are well developed, enabling you to feel the enormous myriad of feelings felt by Sam, as well as the excitement from Becky and Virginia, the fear induced by Miles and the life and strife of being a famous millionaire.
I loved the sub-stories weaved into the book, which not only added dimension to the book itself but also showed the authors diverse writing abilities. Not to mention his research..
The main underlying story is about Rock Island and the archaeology found there, The author researched his subject well and taught me a lot about the history of the island. I now want to visit it for myself, for the historical interest.
This book could easily keep anyone entertained and informed, so I highly recommend it. Enjoy.
NB I received this book free for an honest review. -
loved this book it had a good mix of happy and sadness in it which kept me wanting to keep reading it.
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A pleasant read.
This is the 3rd TA Williams book I've read. It's not as good as the others. The title is forced and the ending is rushed. If it was my 1st TA Williams book I wouldn't have read any others. It was an ok light summery read but nothing memorable. -
(review copy)
3.5
Posted in full
http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk/2015...
What Happens in Cornwall is the third book I have read by this author and Trevor always leaves me looking forward to his next release as soon as I finish the last page of his current book. His books are typically light-hearted, glorious escapism and his latest offering was no different. When we meet Sam, it’s obvious that her relationship with her boyfriend is going nowhere. Neil and Sam have reached the point of no return, where they are no longer too bothered about being in each other’s company. In fact, deep down, Sam is only really still with him to keep her mother happy because she doesn’t need something else to make her miserable. I was so pleased when the Neil thing was out of the way. Thank you, Trevor, for not making this drag on and on like so many authors would do. Sam instead chooses to focus on her studies in archaeology – which I loved, because what a cool thing to study. A discovery at Rock Island sees Sam off to Cornwall for the summer, and that’s where the story really gets going.
I loved the description of Rock Island – the setting was really built up beautifully and every nook and cranny was explored and delivered with intrigue. Trevor seemed to pay great attention to detail within Cornwall – with the location and scenery all realistic and brought to life. It felt like the ideal place for a holiday, if only the weather wasn’t so changeable and the rain wasn’t so persistent. There’s mystery to Rock Island, from who the famous owner of the island is to the bones and what the archaeology students were going to find. As the book went on, they were getting more and more excited by what they could discover in Rock Island and their enthusiasm was infectious – helping me become more engrossed in the story.
The characters in this book felt well thought out and their own stories were developed strongly. Sam is very honest, down-to-earth and from the start, very easy to like. To me she felt like your average young woman and very easy to relate to and identify with. She puts herself into some awkward situations without being made out to be ditzy and at the same time she’s not made out to be perfect. I always love a main character who feels so human and believable, flawed but easy to root for. My favourite thing about this book was the friendship that develops between Sam and the celebrity who owns Rock Island. Sam was so trustworthy and I thought the perfect person to keep the secret of the celebrity’s identity. The celebrity herself was actually not at all what I had imagined – much nicer than I had expected, not to mention a lot less high-maintenance than the stereotype. All throughout this book I was expecting a hitch in their friendship, so I was interested to see where it would get taken and if I’d be proven right. Sam’s time in Cornwall is also troubled by two men in James and Miles. James is a history professor who has caught Sam’s eye but he seems impossibly rude and difficult to get along with – even through the simplest of questions which he always tries to avoid. Miles is also a professor but where James felt harmless, Miles felt mightily creepy to me although I wasn’t sure why. The stories behind these characters added new dimensions to the book and I was fascinated by them all.
Being honest, What Happens in Cornwall was my least favourite of the three T.A. Williams books I have read. It started off slowly, which was a little off-putting. But the main reason I just didn’t love it as much as When Alice Met Danny and What Happens in Tuscany is because of the other perspective we hear from in the narrative, the Italian paparazzi. Occasionally I found them funny with their ridiculous stereotypes and their attitude. I’m pretty sure the situations they ended up in were meant to bring the humour to this story but for me, I really didn’t like their part in the story. I found them annoying and over-done and by the end I was even more confused by how I was meant to react to their characters. It felt like the story was leading up to something quite impressive which they would play a part in – after all, there was far more depth and focus on the archaeology and the paparazzi rather than the romance - but by the end it all seemed to fizzle out a little bit and left me feeling like I’d missed something. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the story. I always enjoy Trevor’s novels and this one was fun-filled and written with a lot of depth and what appeared to be a lot of research. The characters were, for the most part, strong and interesting but there was just quite a few things I wanted tying up and I thought the ending could have done with being extended so we could see what the story had being leading up to. Despite this, Trevor has delivered a lovely holiday escape to Cornwall with the setting so evocatively described and along with the fascinating, mysterious side to the plot, What Happens in Cornwall is a book well worth diving into this summer. -
I received a copy of this through Netgalley.
It is only by reading other people's reviews that I realised this book was written by a man, it has "women's fiction" written all over it. And for me it was rather clichéd women's fiction - romance and Cornwall are such a classic formula. Throw in a glamorous film star and a best friend who is behaving rather mysteriously and you're all set to go!
Enjoyable in a light and fluffy way, but not a memorable read or one whose author I will seek out in future. To sum up, "Nice, but not for me". -
Sam is coming to the realisation that her relationship with Neil may be over, and it feels like her job is a bit unexciting too, so she is delighted when she has the opportunity of a weekend in Cornwall. When in Cornwall she goes off kayaking one morning, and when the whether turns, what was a pleasant time, turns into a terrifying experience.
She ends up on the mysterious Rock Island, a small historical island off the coast of Cornwall. It is there she meets the incredibly private owner, and they get talking. After some persuasion, and the find of a bone by a dog, it is agreed that Sam and her team can do an archaeological dig on the island.
The archaeologists aren't the only one interested in Rock Island this summer, the paparazzi have had a tip off about the new owner of the island and they have been ordered get "top-e-less" pictures of who they think the owner is.
There are chapters from the paparazzi's point of view and the initial reaction and stereotypes the Italian paparazzi have of Cornwall, and England in general are hilarious. In fact most of the chapters involving Giancarlo are incredibly funny.
Add in the new professors to the university where Sam is studying, both of which are hiding something, and the incredibly down to earth person who owns Rock Island, and you have some budding romances on the Cornish coast.
T.A. Williams manages to get the scenery and changeability of the weather for Cornwall spot on. I had a really good idea of what Rock Island was looking light, as well as the dig site once they start.
I found this book started a bit slow but then was progressively more interesting as it proceeded. By the end I was completely loving it, and was fully engaged. I'm sorry to say this wasn't my favourite T.A. Williams book, I still really loved it though.
Overall I think What Happens in Cornwall is an entertaining summery romance book, with some brilliant parts to it.
Thanks so much to Carina and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. -
I was up early this morning finishing yet another amazing book by Trevor! This story has so many twists and turns, you never know what's going to happen next! I went into this book thinking one things and was COMPLETELY WRONG till the very end!
The story begins with Sam and Neil. You can tell right after the bat that this relationship is heading for splittsville and quick! The signs are there even if Sam fails to realize it or not.
Every day its a new fight and it all ends the same - badly.
Becks and Sam are best friends and PHD Archaeologists going to university together.
Cornwall comes into the picture in the very beginning - Becks is going on a trip and asks Sam along. She figures why not go? Her and Neil are on the outs anyway, time away will do wonders for her, she hopes!
This is when the ADVENTURE begins! It all starts with a simple little boat trip and her life with never be the same! She gets lost at Sea and then she happens upon Rock Island, thank god and her LIFE is SAVED!
She meets the owner - yet she has no idea who just helped her to the disguise she is wearing...Interesting and mysterious...
Along the way they are twists and turns with locals, stalker professors that won't seem to take no for an answer, best friends who don't know when Mr. Perfect is standing in front of their face and so much more!
Will Sam meet the man of her dreams or will her life be one misadventure after another? Will Becks keep finding Mr. Wrong and lose Mr. Right? Will Virginia have the dig she's always imagined? Will Ann enjoy her life of piece and tranquility or will that be ruined by the paparazzi?
This is the perfect summer beach read to take you away from your crazy life for a little while! Sick back, relax and drink a glass of wine and enjoy the ride! -
I am delighted to be part of the release date blog tour for What Happens in Cornwall. I read When Alice Met Danny last year and loved it, so when I was asked to read and review T.A's new novel I couldn't refuse and I wasn't disappointed!
T.A Williams is a fantastic author, his ability to get you hooked from the first page is brilliant. His writing is very easy to read yet intelligent and entertaining. There are lots of twists in this book so the story flows and stays exciting making you want to keep on reading.
The way he describes the characters, the feelings and the surroundings is perfect. I have been to Cornwall but it was a long time ago. Reading this book and the way the author describes it took me right back there and made me feel like I'd never left.
Sam was such an easily likeable character, it only took me about 2 pages to really like her. She is real and dealing with real life problems and issues that we all have, whether that is university, relationship or family, we can all relate in some way. It is clear that T.A Williams has done a lot of research into Cornwall and everything else he has written about, especially Archaeology, which Sam is studying at University. Everything he writes about it so believeable you actually wonder if you are reading a made up novel!
I knew I liked the writing of T.A Williams after reading When Alice Met Danny but I love it more now. I will be seeking out more of T.A's novels as I need to explore his writing further. This is the perfect summer read that you could enjoy again and again. A proper British read to enjoy during a proper British summer! -
I received a copy of this via NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review.
Immediately drawn in by the title and cover and the contents lived up to my expectations!
This story follows Samantha who finally realises her relationship with Neil is on its' last legs and has the opportunity to disappear to Cornwall for a free weekend away with a friend - how could she say no! And that is when the fun begins! Although fun may not be the right way to describe Sam's kayaking experience! This is when she stumbles across the mysterious Rock Island and leads to incredible possibilities for her archeological career. And maybe a new friendship with the mysterious new owner!
meanwhile in Italy, the paparazzi are sniffing about for the whereabouts of a major celebrity and their quest leads them to England, not their ideal location but for one of them it leads to the possibilitiy of romantic liasons!
Really enjoyed the very different cast of characters and it was really well written that some of them were not what they first seemed - I have to admit I did jump to conclusions with a couple of them only to be proved wrong - thankfully! Sam is a wonderful main character as she is so down to earth and likeable so while reading you are hoping she gets what she wishes for.
The perfect summer read for all fans of Chick-Lit
Additional Questions -
What Happens in Cornwall looked and sounded like the perfect chick lit book to me. Surprisingly though it isn't your average chick lit, it still has the romance that we love to read but it also had the air of mystery and suspense through out the story also.
Set in the picturesque setting of Cornwall this is certainly an ideal book to get you in that holiday mood.
Sam (Samantha) is a really likeable character who you can easily relate to, she has the same worries and concerns that runs through most of our heads at times. Her friendship with long time friend Becky certainly makes for enjoyable reading.
There are some wonderful characters in this book ranging from silly Italian photographers, a seemingly crazy stalker even down to two adorable dogs Doris and Henry. They certainly made the book more appealing and fun for me.
This is a really great read that I think everyone will love, the only slight downside for me was that throughout the book due to the mystery and suspense aspect to it, it felt like the story was really building up to something quite big but it just seemed to quietly end which left me slightly disappointed by the ending. Overall though I really enjoyed it and would certainly read more by the author.
Many thanks to Carina UK and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. -
I really enjoyed this very British read! I loved the setting, and the descriptions of Cornwall and Rock Island were vivid enough that I could picture them very easily in my mind.
Sam was a realistic heroine dealing with issues that were believable. Her relationship and family woes, her studies, and her at times indifference just made her seem real. I think what she does (archaeology)is fascinating, and T. A. Williams has obviously done her research into not only archaeology but the area and what could be found there. I loved this part of the plot! It was such a part of who Sam was, and everything blended together well to make a well rounded plot. I enjoyed watching Sam develop and her character really grew in What Happens in Cornwall. It was a fun journey to go on with Sam.
The secondary characters with the sub plots added dimension and were all very relevantly woven into the plot.
There is a little romance in What Happens in Cornwall, but it is subtle and not a major part of the plot. This worked well for this book.
Well paced, with great descriptions and characters, What Happens in Cornwall is an easy to read book that I'd recommend to any women's fiction reader. -
I thought What Happens in Cornwall was a thoroughly entertaining read! I had expected a light romantic tale and, while there is romance, it is actually quite a small part of the story. There were lots of surprises, lots of intrigue and lots of humour too. Trevor has created some really good characters in Samantha and the rather aloof James. Professor Miles Vernon was someone I didn't know what to make of initially but all is revealed near the end. The situations Beppe and Giancarlo, the Italian paparazzi, get in are some of the funniest parts of the book, though an honourable mention must go to Doris the dog! There are some serious issues touched upon too such as post-traumatic stress disorder - not perhaps what you would expect in a book which also features a private island with a celebrity owner and paparazzi desperately trying to get near! Cornwall itself features of course and I felt that the author describes the beautiful landscape so well - and the rain of a British summer! This is the first book I have read by this author but I will look out for his other books now. An easy, fun but very well written summer read
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I wish I could give 4.5 stars - this was a great book! I got the pleasure to read an ARC courtesy of Bliss Book Promotions through NetGalley.
Who would have thought that a ChickLit author would be a guy? Reading this book, you couldn't tell at all. This book had a little bit of everything that I enjoy - romance, suspense, action. The main character, Sam, realizes that her relationship isn't the one so it is time for change. While on vacation, Sam happens across a very interesting mystery purely by luck. What she discovers is something that everyone is wanting to know - who the real owner of Rock Island is. It is during this chance meeting that the two become acquaintances. When the owner's pet finds something of interesting value, the owner reaches out to the only person that can be trusted and would know what to do - Sam. Will the owner's identity remain anonymous? Will Sam find new love? Just what does happen in Cornwall? You will need to read to find out! -
I am a fan of this authors work and couldn't wait to read this one. I was not disappointed!
As with his previous books I was instantly drawn into this one. The characters were written very well, the story flowed well also, and the storyline kept my interest so much I read this in one sitting.
The setting for the story sounds amazing. An island off the Cornish coast, inhabited by...... Ah now that would be telling!
The book has it all - celebrities, archaeology, romance, mystery, and a whole lot more. I actually would love to see a sequel to this book as I believe there is a lot more we could get from the characters, in particular a certain foreign gentleman with a love for the fairer sex!
A great read, perfect for summer holiday reading or, indeed, a weekend of peace and quiet. Bring on the next one! -
Recommend to cozy mystery and sweet romance readers.
A charming combination of mystery, romance and humour at the gentle pace of a cornish coastal town.
The story follows a young archaeologist, Samantha and her friends when they get the rare oppourtunity to carry out a dig on a private island off the coast of cornwall.
The characters are likeable and there is a great sense of place. A few additional sprinkles of humour make this an enjoyable light-hearted read as Sam and her friends dodge Italian paparazzi and a creepy professor as well as rain showers to uncover a priceless treasure and love. -
What an unexpected pleasure! The plot was unusual and the characters diverse. The story moved at quite a pace and was very easy to read. It kept me guessing with a couple of nice twists and I was keen to find out the ending. I felt that was a little hurried - the author set the scene for an action-filled finale and then skipped it completely. I have to say I felt a bit short changed by that.
But overall it was an good read and kept my interest to the end. I look forward to the next "What Happens In" book! -
This was a nice light read - perfect holiday material. Sam is single after her relationship fizzled out and isn't in a rush to start a new relationship - but you don't know what is around the corner - or on an island. Set in The South West as the title says the story involves archeology, Italian paparazzi, a mysterious celebrity and a Labrador called Henry.
Was quite surprised to discover T A Williams is a man as this is definitely chick lit material.
Thank you for the publisher and Netgalley for a chance to read this title. -
Sam is an archaeologist who is ending a bad relationship when she goes on a vacation with her entertaining friend, Becky, to the Cornwall coast. That is when the story really takes off. I enjoyed suspense, romance, a few chuckles and many smiles while reading this. This book was a light hearted, entertaining, fast read. I really enjoyed it, the story line was non stop and captured my attention, the characters were people that you felt you knew, or wanted to. I will definitely read other books by this author.
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Honestly, this book was boring to me. I felt like the pace was slow and I had trouble keeping everyone's names straight. Sam did have very relatable and realistic problems and situations she faced, and I think that might have been a bit of the problem for me. I read books mostly to explore something different or to just have a fun read. I just did not find any of that in this book I'm sad to say.
**I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a review** -
I received a copy of this via NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review.
It was a good fun read, made more enjoyable by the fact that it's set near by in lovely Cornwall. Nice characters and a fun plot, I only wish that more was made of the other elements instead of focusing on the romance. Also it ended more abruptly than I'd expected.
Recommend as a summer chick-lit read. -
What is essentially a formulaic romance novel is made readable by the uncommon assemblage of archeology academics, a Julia Roberts-status film star in hiding on a coastal island, and the Italian paparazzi, with the story taking place in a small Cornwall village. Not the wacky fun that all suggests, but a cute story that promises in no way to strain your brain.
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This was such a fun and enjoyable read!
A last minute decision to visit Cornwall with friends leads Sam down a path she could never even have dreamt of, after a near death experience in a kayak Sam finds herself meething the mysterious owner of Rock Island, who is she and what is she hiding from.
