A beautifully told story about finding yourself again amongst the wild coastline of Cornwall.
A perfect summer read.

The Cornish Escape was lovely! T?he cover leads readers to believe it's a light, fluffy romance but it's actually got a lot of depth and weight, which was pleasantly surprising. I really enjoyed Lily's writing style and felt transported to the Cornish Coast. I think I preferred the historical timeline to the present day one, but both were heartwarming and sweet. I LOVED Seafall, and want to visit immediately. I enjoyed the mystery of the diary and had to know what was going to happen next. The ending is really my only true complaint. It leaves way too many questions, and I feel unsettled. But all in all, this was super enjoyable and captivatingly haunting at the same time.

My favorite quote:
“Living on the water took away the boundaries created by land and custom and introversion. Without fences and driveways, the water provided a constant thread of connection and dependency.”

Can Victoria learn from Tilly? Victoria's marriage has imploded and she's in Cornwall pulling herself together. She finds Tilly's diary in the old house she's renting, She also finds Adam. Will there be new love? No spoilers but this is a good read.

A lovely read. An enjoyable escape. I liked the characters and the plot was believable. Will read this author again. Recommended.

I read a book by this author awhile back, and I liked her style of writing so much that I added her name to a list of authors to look out for. Her descriptions are vivid and she has a way of setting the mood, so I feel as if I am completely immersed in the book. This book is no different. Her style captivates me; however, I am baffled by all the cursing. Is it only within the pages of this book that she has decided to truly let loose with lots of f-words and cursing using the name of Jesus? I don’t recall it in the other book I read. For some reason, all the most recent fiction books I have read contain curse words like that. Why? I don’t personally know anyone who curses, so why do so many authors fill books with curse words? The sad thing is that this writer is so very talented I don’t think she needs to fall into the trap of adding words that many feel are offensive. There are so many other ways to show the character is upset, angry or irritated. I wouldn’t even mind a “dammit” so much if an author feels they have to use curse words. Bringing God into it is offensive to many, including me.

I enjoyed the hint of a mystery, the decoding of the old diary and the way the author slowly unfolded all the details about the previous occupants of the house she bought. The ending neatly tied everything together, and there weren’t any loose ends. For atmosphere, descriptions, setting, character development, I’d give the author at least 4.5 stars. I’m not sure I’d recommend this to others because of the curse words, and I personally felt it devalued the book. .

A fun and easy read The Cornish Escape will take you to the idyllic world of renovating dilapidated cottages and living on the river. It also delivers some romance and intrigue and some lovely characters with which to explore it all. I whipped through this novel and definitely enjoyed it. However, I preferred my previous Lily Graham read A Cornish Christmas.

Victoria’s marriage is over but I didn’t get the impression that she minded all that much, just that she was seeking a world where she felt she was more comfortable, and doing something for herself. I liked her purposeful exit and her lack of wavering. Her new life seemed to suit her personality better, it was not so frenetic and it allowed her time to think and take each new experience in. The mystery surrounding the cottage’s history had me hooked and I wasn’t expecting the thorough back story for the cottage and the diary to be interwoven into the present so well. Their story felt current and linked with Victoria’s- very well done.

My prior experience with Graham’s writing was warm, embracing and a little bit gritty. She dealt with a difficult topic using people that I felt drawn to. This novel didn’t pull me in as much and though the intrigue was there I didn’t feel the subject was so tender and therefore didn’t require as much subtlety of navigation. However, I enjoyed the novel and I liked the tiny links between this book and A Cornish Christmas- I wished there had been more!


Thank you to Bookouture for our review copy. All opinions are our own.

Having only read one book by this author before and knowing that was excellent I was more than pleased to be offered the chance to read this one. I was totally immersed in the story, the place, the characters.

Victoria has escaped London and her marriage. Which has failed. She probably knew it was going to but her job as a biographer and the immense amount of research, detail and effort she puts into her work meant she was away from home a lot. Her husband has other ideas.

Victoria has escaped to Cornwall, to little village of Tregollan, her brother lives not far from where she finds herself, there is someone near if she needs them. Out walking she stumbles across a derelict, abandoned cottage, Seafall Cottage, but some locals think it is cursed and the name has stuck as the years have passed. But the cottage gives up a secret to Victoria, a diary, written in code from the turn of the twentieth century.

Victoria is intrigued about this diary and its previous owner Tilly Asprey, who lived in the big house all them years ago. The locals know something but they are reluctant to tell Victoria anything and when she goes to Adam, the lawyer managing the sale of the cottage she has one of her many questions answered.

Trouble is Adam gives her even more questions and some of them are nothing to do with her recent purchase.

As Victoria throws herself into the cottage, she embarks on finding out about Tilly Asprey and exactly why she was writing a diary and letters in code.

What for me was an added bonus, was the fact that we got read Tilly's story, we got to find out about the person that Victoria ended up researching. There were connections to the present day, but I could not see how the jigsaw was going to fit together. Of course it did, with the help of Adam and the lovely people who Victoria had managed to surround herself with. Gone was the anonymity of living in London, being in Tregollan has been the perfect remedy to heal a broken heart and a life spent looking for something.

The author brings to life Cornwall, I want to go and find my own cottage and just experience the simple view, ever-changing through the windows that look out across the sea. I want to be able to read in comfort a book such as this as the weather does its worst. Knowing that tomorrow is a new day and something else may be discovered.

The book is full of characters who all interact perfectly, whether it is with Tilly and her pompous sister and mother or Victoria and her new-found friendship with Angie who just happens to run a floating bookshop! The mix is vast and the characters various and there is I know so many more stories that could be told by them all. But of course this book is Victoria's story and the telling of Tilly's.

For me it is the sign of a good book when you are disappointed when you finish, but you know that perhaps those characters are still living on long after you've stopped reading. Sometimes a sequel is not what is required just simply the starting point of an author and their story and then the reader's imagination.

An excellent read and one you can escape into whether your holiday be in Cornwall or Corfu!

I was looking forward to this release by Lily Graham as I absolutely LOVED A Cornish Christmas. However, I was surprised as this one seemed a little slower to get into.

Our lead character Victoria's has gone to Cornwall and made an extremely rash decision and brought herself a derelict house. Following the breakdown of her marriage it appears this is her way of retreating to lick her wounds in private. ‘Seafall Cottage' Has its own secrets though and when she finds some diaries in the house she cannot help but be pulled into the stories within those pages. Before long she becomes almost obsessed with the owner and writer of the diaries Tilly. Tilly is a young girl living in the early 1900s and we see the story flip between present day and Victoria and then back to the past with Tilly.

Additional characters such as Angie, Victoria’s houseboat neighbor struck a cord and I really liked her and then there is Adam and a whole host of others. Somehow though I never really connected all that much with any of them. The writing was brilliant and the story enjoyable but I just felt there was something lacking with this latest book that wasn’t with the last one. I certainly enjoyed it, but think her first book was so amazing I spent the whole time comparing which is never a good idea.

was so pleased to have the chance to read this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers. I first met Victoria in ' A Cornish Christmas' and it was lovely to see she now had her own story. There were hints of the other characters within this new book and it always fun to see where characters have got to after the last page of their story has been turned.

Victoria's marriage is in shatters and she has decided to take herself to Cornwall to put the pieces of her life back together in some way. As she journies along the coastline, she discovers 'Seafall Cottage' a derelict house that looks like it is about to fall away into the ocean. It calls to her in many ways, not the least of which is the mystery of who owned the house and the diary she discovers within. In no time at all, she is making this cottage her home (well after a bit of restoration), she is becoming part of the community of Tregollan, she is exploring the mystery of the diary and finding out that maybe her heart could love again.

Ms Graham once again has created the most lovely of stories. What is fabulous in particular about this one is the fact that there are actually two tales unfolding, Victoria's as she finds her way back to herself and Tilly's, the owner of the diary. Both of these stories grab your attention and you really don't mind which one is being told at any point in time so long as they are being told. I cannot recommend this writer highly enough. She creates the most whimsical of places and completely commands you come and explore. I am a definite fan.

An old cottage with hidden family secrets and a newly discovered diary containing the details of star crossed lovers - sign me up!

This story starts a bit slow, but evolves into a dual timeline set of two love stories. We have Victoria, a successful biographer, who is going through some life-changing events and stumbles upon a seaside cottage which steals her heart. After she discovers a diary written in code, the story of its past unfolds.

I certainly enjoyed the story, the past more than the present timeline. It took some time to get into the meat of the story, but once we did, it became unputdownable.

I have to say, I believe the cover art, while beautiful, does not fully represent the story here. I was under the impression that this would be a light read and it much more substantial that I thought it would be (a good thing!).

Also, I believe readers will either love or hate the ending. I thought it was very sweet, but it left me feeling like I needed a bit more closure.

3.5 stars, rounded down due to the slow start.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Cornish Escape is the third novel by British author Lily Rose Graham. Biographer Victoria Langley has discovered her husband of almost 10 years has another love. She packs up and heads to the Cornish coast where her brother Stuart lives with his wife and child. However, as Victoria nears their Cloudsea home she decides what she needs is alone time and finds the Black Horse Inn in Tregollan.

And it is here in this little Cornish town by the sea that Victoria begins her new life. And as a result of a morning walk and a cottage nestled in the cliffs, she falls in love with the wildness and the whimsy of the deserted cottage, especially when she finds an old cryptic diary there. When she learns the cottage is to be demolished, she makes an offer and begins the huge undertaking of restoring the overgrown building and making a new home for herself.

Victoria deals with young lawyer, Adam Waters, to make the purchase of the cottage. He also rents her a small houseboat to live on during the renovation. As they become friends he learns of the diary she is trying to decipher and offers to help. As Victoria had already arranged for a six month sabbatical with her publisher prior to the death of her marriage, she had the time to devote to both the cottage and the diary and she is ready to unravel the story of Tilly and Fen.

Magically written with rich characters, well described scenery, and complex relationships, I found this book to be as endearing as Ms. Graham's other novels. I do recommend this book.

This book started off quite slowly in my personal opinion but as soon as you start getting into it the story becomes really interesting and you struggle to put it down!

The story follows Victoria as her world crumbles around her after her husband leaves. She quickly gets up and goes to Cornwall, hoping that the rugged shores will help her recover from her broken heart. The village that she goes to, Tregollan is surrounded by sea cliffs and Victoria is drawn to Seafall Cottage where she finds a diary from 1905.

What she soon finds is that everyone in the village seems to be keeping a secret about the diary and Victoria is determined to work it out. The diary tells a devastating love story which is just like Victoria's. So the question to be asked is can Victoria learn from the diary's mistakes?

This book is full of mystery and new beginnings right from the start. As I said I don't tend to read books like this but I found it really enjoyable. So if you're thinking twice about reading this novel, think no more and just do!

I wasn't sure whether this book would be too fluffy, but the cover was so lovely, I just had to request and read it. I am glad I did, and was not disappointed! The story is lovely, but has depth, too, and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters as the story unfolded. The beautiful setting of one of my favorite places in the world didn't hurt either. I will keep my eye on this author!

I have a fascination with Cornwall, so I was excited to read this one. It’s a solid, interesting read, even though I seriously question the “romance” labelling. (The UK and US differ pretty heavily on what they define a romance as, with the expectation in America that much more time be spent with the love interest.)

This women’s fiction mystery was a well-written, engaging read. It has a bit of everything in it, with marriage issues, a big move to a new town, a mystery surrounding an old diary, new friends (and, yes, eventually some touches of romance).

It was a surprise to see it written in the first person, which is practically a universally hated style outside teen books, but I think the author had the talent to pull it off. It’s a tough way to write without starting every sentence with ‘I’.

There’s a fine line between making a small town quirky and interesting and making it clichéd. It worked here, and I think the appeal of Cornwall for many is the sense of community the area gives off in the media.

I also liked that the major players seemed to be regular people you might to see in real life. Dialogue and behaviour was natural; this is an author who doesn’t feel the need to make her characters perfect in order for them to have a romance.

Overall, I enjoyed this book for a change from my regular reading. It’s an easy read with solid writing throughout.

4.5 stars...

I really loved this book! I was thinking it was a fluffy romance, but it was so much more than I was expecting! Nothing fluffy here. I was pulled into the story of Victoria from the first chapter and loved the second storyline revolving around Tilly from the early 1900s as well. In Victoria we find a woman reeling from things she has discovered about her husband and trying to make sense of what her life will be like in the future without him. She escapes to beautiful Cornwall and finds that it feels like home. As she finds a mysterious old diary and begins to connect with it's writer and those around her, she starts to make a life for herself there. But of course we know life is full of surprises and she gets a few. There are compelling mysteries sprinkled throughout this book and in both time periods. It's a beautiful tale of love lost and love found with both era's stories equally compelling to the reader. The setting is haunting and vivid, and I cannot wait to visit Cornwall myself. Highly recommended! Would make a great book to get lost in while on vacation:)

Victoria is having a really bad day: her husband is having an affair with a younger woman, and she just needs to get away. Dashing off to Tregollan, a seaside village in Cornwall, where she hopes the isolation, sea air and gorgeous views will help her to heal and decide on her next move. I could instantly relate to Victoria’s running for the coast – it’s a wonderful place to think and regroup, but on one of her many wanders around the area she comes upon a run-down cottage. Even more surprising is the older man who dashes off, leaving behind a book – and within the pages Victoria finds a mystery, and a project.

Seafall Cottage is run down, rather spooky, and the locals claim it is haunted. As Victoria engages the help of Adam, the local solicitor, she is able to purchase the cottage and start to discover the secrets hidden within. But even in the purchase there are secrets, as Adam and his family own the little building, and he’s also curious about what is contained within. The little book that Victoria retrieved from the old man contains a diary from 1905 – it is the story of Tilly – and while it is written in a sort of code, Victoria needs to know her story.

Travelling along a dual timeline, bits of Tilly’s story are revealed as Victoria sets about to rehab the cottage and find her own place in the village. A tale of star-crossed lovers and a touch of mystery brought out from the diary help to provide an intricate tapestry, while much has changed in the intervening years, some things are still recognizable from the descriptions in the diary – and Victoria is paying a sort of homage to the past as she works through to find her own present. With wonderful secondary characters (Angie with the bookshop on a houseboat, an aging hippie who is prone to offer “suspicious brownies” was a particular favorite), plenty of clues to help suss out the mystery and a touch of romantic connection for Victoria, the story was wonderfully plotted and planned. Sure to provide you with an escape of your own, I couldn’t put this one down, and am anxious to read more from this author.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” http://wp.me/p3OmRo-90z/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

When I picked up this story I was expected a seaside romance story which I’ve read quite a few of lately, but it turned out to be much more than that. We actually have two stories running side by side, one in the present day and one at the beginning of the 20th century.

Victoria has been betrayed by her husband after he cheats on her with a younger woman so she escapes to Cornwall for some much needed breathing space. Whilst out walking she comes across a run down old house and instantly feels drawn to it – so she buys it! (I know, I’d love to be able to just buy a house like that too!). It’s in the house that she discovers some old letters – and that’s where the mystery begins.

I’m not ashamed to say that I blubbed several times in this book. True, I am crying at books far more often recently – I’ll put that as a side effect of my job! But this crying was well deserved. I did not want this story to end at all – I was absolutely captivated by the story of Tilly and Fen that we hear through the old letters. It was romantic but gave a very haunted feel too which I loved. ‘A beautiful summer romance to warm your heart’ absolutely does not do this book justice – how about a timeless romance to warm your soul?! I can’t remember the last time I was so sad to reach the end of a book and I’ll definitely be reading this one again.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and obviously Lily Graham for letting me read and review this

Although in my opinion not quite as good as Lily Graham's previous book, The Summer Escape, I still thought The Cornish Escape was a good read. I absolutely love Cornwall, so reading a book set in this beautiful county is practically a winner in my eyes. I would recommend reading this book, especially if you love Cornwall and I'm looking forward to Lily Graham's next novel.

Victoria blindly leaves home after her husband tells her that he's in love with someone else. She ends up in a Cornish village called Tregallon. She stumbles upon a cottage that is falling down and decides to buy. She then finds a diary from a girl called Tilly. You are taken back and forwards between the 1900 and present day.and a love story that goes from then to the present. Will definitely be looking for other books from this author as I loved this story.

I honestly didnt want this book to end!! Beautifully written. True romance and love lost and found. Definitely be reading more by Lily Graham. Thank you Netgalley.