Event planner Julianne Rose is on the verge of making her dreams of ‘rescuing’ weddings in need of help a reality. She and business partner Kitty have finally finished transforming the dilapidated barn into a chic event space, and they even have a new client eager to use it—a quirky, charming space organization guru named Deirdre who seems capable of organizing everything but her own special day. As if that wasn’t enough, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity soon presents itself through the who’s who of their sleepy little Cornish village: the chance to step into the event planning void for a posh bride in desperate need of an emergency salvage for her wedding plans. A wedding that could establish Julianne and Kitty as two of Cornwall’s best event planners if all goes well.
But an event that big doesn’t come without a catch. To persuade the posh clients to commit to them, Julianne and Kitty must first impress them with the ceremony for their current bride-to-be—a task that seemed easy, but proves complicated when stories emerge involving a history of broken engagements, cold feet, and commitment phobia on the part of Deirdre, who soon begins to exhibit possible symptoms of nervousness regarding her big day. Faced with a real case of runaway bride—and with their future reputation at stake— they must attempt to the impossible task of holding together a wedding fraying at its seams, and Julianne finds herself seemingly facing a choice between what’s best for Save the Date’s survival and what’s best for her client’s happiness, regardless of the cost.
Are Julianne’s worst fears about to be realized, with Deirdre gearing up for yet another run from the church altar? Can she persuade the posh but sympathetic bride Alexi to take a risk on Save the Date regardless of it? And will Julianne and the handsome-but-equally-busy Matt find time to smolder anything in their marriage besides leftover chicken pie? Readers will learn these answers and more in the funny and heartfelt sequel to the first full-length titular novel Return to Cornwall .
Amazon UK
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
My Thoughts…
This first book in the Return to Cornwall series is believable, engaging and funny.
Readers familiar with the author will recognise the two protagonists from the A Wedding in Cornwall series. This book brings together old friends and new, in a delightful story of a would-be runaway bride, and the struggle to get a new business off the ground. For lovers of all things wedding, this is a perfect read. The event and wedding planning research makes this an authentic story and coupled with relatable characters its a must-read book.
Gentle humour runs through the story, especially when exploring family life, and the stress of getting married. There are some poignant moments which makes the happy outcome, well deserved.
This first book promises another lovely series from this author.
Creating Exciting Events for My Cornish Romance Reads!
- Laura Briggs Guest Post
Thank you so much to Jane for letting me drop by and share about my Cornish romance reads. My newest one, Wedding Vows and Cornish Ribbons, makes its debut today as book one in a new series about Julianne Rose, a busy wife and mum running her own event planning firm in the idyllic village she calls home. This isn’t my first time to write about Julianne’s adventures, though, with the same characters and setting used as the focus of my long running series known as ‘A Wedding in Cornwall’, where Julianne begin her career organizing special occasions at the village manor house—and found her own happily ever after with handsome, Poldark-esque gardener Matthew Rose. With the series reboot being launched, I thought it might be fun to look back at some of the more unique events Julianne has coordinated over her rather diverse career.
Pippa’s wedding in A Manor in Cornwall:
This was a fan favorite and special for multiple reasons, but mostly because it was the event that introduced Julianne to her new assistant (and future best friend and business partner) Kitty. Tough-as-nails on the outside, Kitty was a village girl who harbored a hidden talent for spotting the little details that make bigger events shine. She would go on to have her own happy ever after—and even her own narrative in one book—because she resonated so well with readers of the series. Of course, A Manor in Cornwall was also the story that bid a bittersweet farewell to Cliffs House kitchen maid Pippa, whose wedding reception would become a favorite memory for both Julianne and her young assistant. And the beautiful—though slightly dilapidated—old stone barn that Julianne and Kitty transformed for Pippa’s wedding reception becomes an important part of their brand new business in the series reboot, serving as a venue for their client’s special occasions.
The village play in A Star in Cornwall:
Shakespeare, community theatre, and a charming stranger in town with a secret made this another fan favorite in the original series. And even though Julianne didn’t exactly relish her brief stint as substitute director of the Cliff’s Edge Player’s summer production of Romeo and Juliet, it definitely made for an interesting change of pace from her usual kind of work. With a new (and temporary) assistant by her side, Julianne managed to navigate her way through the world of local amateur dramatics without too much disaster—although, her production is rather upstaged by a dramatic discovery about one of its lead actors before the next show’s curtain can rise!
The local music competition in A Talent Show in Cornwall:
Ah, who doesn’t love a good talent show? Friendly competition among neighbors in the sleepy Cornish village stirs up excitement after a drought of boredom—and offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance for whoever comes in first place. As usual, things don’t go as smoothly as Julianne would hope for. There’s a bit of humor and a lot of heart as Julianne helps friends pull together a show to remember. And she unexpectedly finds herself in the role of mentor for a shy, budding musician in need of a bit of encouragement.
Percy and Elaine’s would-be wedding in Return to Cornwall:
This official full-length reunion novel for the series characters was packed full of laughter, fun, and friendship. It also found Julianne building a reputation for her event planning business in the village after years of organizing events at Cliffs House. Her business partner is, of course, her old friend Kitty, back in Ceffylgwyn for good it would seem, after globetrotting with her husband Nathan. Together, the two planners are tasked with organizing an elaborate, late-in-life wedding for the eccentric earl Percy and his would-be bride, an archaeologist named Elaine. It’s among Julianne’s most challenging events and comes with a bittersweet twist at the end—but with a promise of hope for the future and more excitement to come for Julianne and her friends in the Cornish village, of course.
If all this sounds like your cup of tea when it comes romance reads, I do hope you’ll be sure to check out the books in all my Cornish series. They’re perfect for those in search of a feel-good, escapist story with humor, romance, and larger-than-life events.
Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller ‘A Wedding in Cornwall’. She has a fondness for vintage style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.
