A Winter Warmer at the Little Cornish Kitchen – Jane Linfoot

When Gwen Starkey and her best friend, Ella Simpson, arrive in St Aidan to take on a cottage
renovation, it’s the fresh start they both so desperately need. But when their new adventure begins with them unintentionally breaking into their neighbour, Ollie Lancaster’s cottage – thinking it’s their new home – and Gwen accidentally flashing the gorgeous Ollie before they flee, the life-long friends realise that life in Cornwall is going to be anything but quiet!
They also quickly discover that they’re in over their heads and it’s going to take a village to turn their cottage’s narrow walls into the luxurious hideaway of their dreams. St Aidan is full of colourful characters just waiting to welcome them, if only Gwen and Ella can find the courage to start leaving the past behind them.

I loved the idea of Stargazey Cottage, and particularly the idea of an intricate pottery stargazey pie on the doorstep. I immediately warmed to childhood friends Gwen and Ella.

I do like an interesting address (sad, I know), but if the name ‘Stargazey Cottage’ wasn’t enough, what really captured my interest was the fact that the cottage was situated on ‘Whelk Row’.

It goes without saying, that it was a treat to be back in the land of the Little Cornish Kitchen again, with the opportunity to catch up with some former favourite characters and indeed to meet many new people.

The fact that the cottage was being offered for rent at below market rates, in return for sourcing up the decor and doing some renovations, was itself a bit of a mystery, and I hoped that the secrets behind the offer would be unfurled in due course. As for the mix up – Stargazey House V Stargazey Cottage – surely a mistake any of us could have made, especially based upon sketchy childhood memories!

I loved the fact that the 2 friends remembered the cottage from frequent childhood stays together, and just hoped that the cottage and the village would be as wonderful as they remembered. Oops, as we fast forward to the Stargazey House/Cottage debacle! Their childhood label of ‘The Star Sisters seemed just perfect for them, even if the cottage, when they find the right one, is not quite what they were expecting. The descriptions of the area and of the food were fantastic; indeed my mouth was actually watering at the thought of the Little Cornish Kitchen Cake Box goods (or should that be Gods?)! – and Ollie certainly sounded like a bit of a catch!

The women have both suffered different degrees of tragedy in their lives, and the village of St Aidan could be just the place to start their healing.

The villagers seem terribly sociable and whereas the Star Sisters would prefer to keep to themselves, they find themselves dragged into a slew of activities, even going so far as to turning up to parties in fancy dress and agreeing for a village Facebook vote as to whose decorating and renovation ideas for Stargazey Cottage to follow. I must confess however, to being firmly in Glen’s ‘camp’, as her hastily thought up ideas sounded amazing!

I liked the humour in the book, and confess to a bit of a laugh out loud moment when the honorary Sisters inadvertently made themselves at home in their neighbour’s house.

I liked the idea of work parties, with what seemed like the whole village coming together to help Gwen and Ella. It certainly was good for the soul to read and imagine the scenes.

It turns out that Gwen has a lot more In common with Ollie than she realised, in that he too has lost someone close in a tragic accident.

Baking appears to play a role in Gwen’s recovery from her personal losses, but I’m unsure whether she feels better because she is baking and cooking or whether she feels better, SO she is baking and cooking. The Christmas ideas however were heartbreaking for Gwen – one step too far?

Can Gwen overcome the past, or is it just too much to ask? 

Is Ella really going to get back with her cheating ex?

Who actually owns Stargazey Cottage?

Could some uncharacteristic snow change things for Gwen?

If I didn’t like Ollie already, I found myself totally smitten by the story of Minty. What’s not to Iove! I so wanted him and Gwen to get together!

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winter-Warmer-Little-Cornish-Kitchen-ebook/dp/B09RQD3Y74/

Advertisement