The #TFBookClub reads ‘One Cornish Summer’ by Liz Fenwick, set in CORNWALL

14th July 2018

Thank you for joining us as we read One Cornish Summer by Liz Fenwick, set in Cornwall (July/August 2018)

We hope you enjoy reading this romantic mystery, set in the beautiful county of Cornwall. It is a story of two women struggling with their past: one cannot remember hers, the other cannot forget…

One Cornish Summer by Liz Fenwick, set in CORNWALL

We will be chatting about the book throughout July and August 2018, so if you are reading it with us, please come and join the dialogue!

The #TFBookClub is your book club – we are here to help you discover new titles that will transport you to interesting locations via top literature for some exceptional #literarywanderlust.

As you read, please come and chat and share your thoughts in several ways:

  • Here on our dedicated blogpost, leave your thoughts in the Comments section below
  • On FACEBOOK
  • On TWITTER using #TFBookClub
  • On INSTAGRAM using #TFBookClub
  • On PINTEREST following this link 
  • And once you’ve turned the final page, we’d love it if you could write your own review, which you can do on tripfiction.com using the Add A Review tab. Help us to build the #TFBookClub and the TripFiction website!

REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO READING THIS BOOK TOGETHER!

Andrew and Tina for the TripFiction Team

Catch Liz on Twitter and on Facebook

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Comments

  1. User: Linda Rumsey

    Posted on: 27/08/2018 at 7:50 am

    A fascinating read about early onset dementia, Hebe’s story was well written and moving. I didn’t warm to Lucy till near the end of the book and Kit seemed too good to be true. Also, the title was a bit misleading as most of the book is set in the Autumn through to Christmas with flashbacks to the summer before.

    Comment

  2. User: Heather Rhodes

    Posted on: 11/08/2018 at 10:00 am

    I have had to wait until my holidays to start reading. As with Liz’s other books I am captivated from page one. Can’t wait to delve into Hebe and Lucy as the story unfolds, looking forward to seein which old familiar characters will pop up.

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  3. User: hlmcneill

    Posted on: 05/08/2018 at 7:16 pm

    As others have said, Hebe’s character and story were captivating. I really enjoyed this book and felt quite emotional by the end. I wasn’t so keen on Lucy to begin with but understood her more as the novel went on. I felt Kit being famous was a bit unnecessary, but again by the end we knew a bit more about his character and I liked the way all of the love stories tie together.

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  4. Evening all
    Have just returned from holiday having taken One Cornish Summer with me as a holiday read. I must say I was captivated from beginning to end. The emotional turmoil for Hebe, struggling to cope with her illness was heartbreaking. Clinging to life , she struggles on with the support of Lucy , her niece. Lucy’s story with its secrets, embedded in “Hell House” and it’s haunted past intertwines with Hebe’s story.
    I loved the Cornish history and folklore that were woven into the book. I also learnt a lot about the poetry of Donne , how it speakers of emotions – wonderful stuff!!!
    All in all an excellent read that has left me much to think about!!,

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 03/08/2018 at 5:39 pm

      What a lovely and thoughtful review, thank you!!

      Comment

  5. User: Rae Cowie

    Posted on: 29/07/2018 at 5:17 pm

    It was a joy to discover something of the history of the area surrounding Godolphin House, within the context of Hebe and Lucy’s story. Always a delight to be transported to Cornwall with Liz Fenwick’s writing…

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 03/08/2018 at 5:38 pm

      Liz’s books are always good for a story set in Cornwall!

      Comment

  6. User: Harriet Steel

    Posted on: 25/07/2018 at 1:53 pm

    I finished this last night and enjoyed it although I thought that the ending was rather rushed. The portrayal of the main female characters was, to my mind, the strongest part of the book. The men were less developed, but that didn’t really take away from my enjoyment of the story. I felt very sad for Hebe in her terrible predicament and hoped that Lucy would have better luck with men in the future! We may never know if Kit turns out to be ‘the one’.
    It was interesting that the house was based on a real place in Cornwall, and I was fascinated by the bits of Cornish folklore that came into the book. Other than that, I didn’t get a very strong sense of the location being Cornish, as I have in other books set there, such as Mary Wesley’s The Chamomile Lawn or Patrick Gayle’s Notes from an Exhibition.
    Hebe’s dread of her love affair with Rory being found out, quite apart from the problems her illness raises, was thought provoking. Why is it that people still have more trouble accepting a relationship where the man is much younger than the woman? I think the author is right when she makes that point. Any thoughts fellow readers?

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 29/07/2018 at 3:42 pm

      Thank you so much for the very thoughtful comments… there are actually quite a few themes laced together which combine to make an interesting storyline.

      Comment

  7. User: readerofbooks

    Posted on: 22/07/2018 at 10:13 pm

    Liz Fenwick is a new author to me so didn’t know anything about her style or type of novel. It took a little getting into because of the structure and I’m not a fan of stories that go back and forth in time. But I kept going and found it a moving portrayal of Hebe’s Alzheimer. I love the background of Cornwall. Look forward to reading more by Fenwick.

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    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 29/07/2018 at 3:37 pm

      Thank you for stopping by, it is indeed a moving portrayal of mental demise, and Cornwall makes for a lovely backdrop.

      Comment

  8. User: Beverley Bookless

    Posted on: 22/07/2018 at 3:30 pm

    Finished last night and I’m hopeful that Lucy will allow love into her life.
    I’ve only been to Cornwall one, 25 + years ago. I didn’t really get a sense of the location from the book but see that Helwyn Hall is based on a national trust property. I would recommend this as a holiday read, gets you hooked in quite quickly, there’s a range of different characters to get to know as well as the old, new and developing relationship particularly with Hell House.

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 29/07/2018 at 5:14 pm

      The novel has a wealth of components which make it very readable!

      Comment

  9. User: oconnea

    Posted on: 22/07/2018 at 8:10 am

    I sat down last night to read just a bit (it was already quite late), and an hour and a half later, I was still there and the book was finished!
    I really enjoyed this story and thought it was well written. Hard to tell whose story touched me the most.
    I haven’t been to Cornwall for over 20 years. I must rectify that soon!

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 22/07/2018 at 7:12 pm

      Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It does make one want to visit Cornwall….

      Comment

  10. User: julie ryan

    Posted on: 21/07/2018 at 9:17 am

    Realy enjoying this so far

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    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 22/07/2018 at 7:10 pm

      So glad to hear that, thank you!

      Comment

  11. User: Bonnie K.

    Posted on: 21/07/2018 at 4:52 am

    I was in tears at the end. I loved Hebe’s thoughts regarding her lover and trying to spare his grief or loss. Trying to avoid spoilers, I just wanted to say how I loved how it all unfolded and ended.

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    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 22/07/2018 at 7:08 pm

      Poignant thoughts, thank you so much for sharing….

      Comment

  12. User: Beverley Bookless

    Posted on: 19/07/2018 at 5:03 pm

    Having spent a little time getting to know Hebe and Lucy and also getting used to the writing style, I’m hooked. I particularly like the quotes from Donne, which I’m trying to recall from my A level Eng Lit, decades ago.
    Hebe is 7 years younger than me and my heart goes out to her. Having to lose her lover as well as her memory.

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    1 Comment

    • User: Jane Willis

      Posted on: 20/07/2018 at 3:13 pm

      The Donne was unfamiliar to me and I really enjoyed the quotes taken in the context of the book, I now feel I want to take a closer look at his works.

      Comment

  13. User: John Jackson

    Posted on: 19/07/2018 at 11:45 am

    I read this as soon as it was available – AND LOVED IT!

    We all like to describe a book as “unputdownable” or “a page turner”, and just for once, in THIS case, it was true.

    Such a contemporary issue as a theme. Super characterization, great description, wonderful atmosphere, and Liz Fenwick’s insightful and lively style.

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    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 21/07/2018 at 9:14 am

      How lovely to hear how enthralling the book is for you!!!

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  14. User: Bonnie Karoly

    Posted on: 18/07/2018 at 9:30 pm

    I’ve just started this book a couple of days ago and am reading it on my computer; so, I’m reading a few pages at a time. I’ve just passed page 100, and I’m really getting into the scene in Cornwall. I love Hebe and her niece. Looking forward to finding out more to why Hebe needed to be there and why Lucy dread the place.

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 19/07/2018 at 10:00 am

      Thank you so much for stopping by! Lovely to hear your thoughts….

      Comment

  15. User: oconnea

    Posted on: 18/07/2018 at 9:42 am

    I read a quarter of the book in one go last night and am hooked. It’s not the kind of thing I would normally read (which is why I took up this opportunity) but it’s proved already that I should try all sorts!

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    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 19/07/2018 at 9:57 am

      It often feels so safe to stick with a genre with which one feels comfortable! I am just reading a rather good “ghostly” backstory which I would have said is not my thing but am really enjoying it (The Lingering by SJI Holliday, out later this year, in case you are interested!), The author keeps the pathos well-tuned…

      Comment

  16. User: Sara Hill

    Posted on: 17/07/2018 at 12:13 pm

    I have been weeping during the last few chapters of this wonderful book. As Hebe’s condition is so like my husband’s I have found it very moving. Of course Lucy’s final decision also made me cry. A beautifully written book with great descriptions of Cornwall making me determined to revisit very soon.

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    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 19/07/2018 at 9:53 am

      What lovely feedback… it is quite an amazing experience when a book can “speak” to one. Do hope you get to revisit this beautiful part of the world! xx

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  17. User: Beverley Bookless

    Posted on: 17/07/2018 at 8:37 am

    I have just started reading this book and feel way behind as some of you have already finished. I am finding the story difficult to follow in the way it is structured. This maybe because I’m not reading it for long periods in one sitting. Perhaps I can start to sympathise with Hebe’s situation! What I have found interesting so far is the way that Cornwall is seen by Lucy as isolated and the corner of the country but Hebe clearly has very different connections.

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    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 19/07/2018 at 9:51 am

      The construct can really reflect the disconnect of mental deterioration…. the two takes on Cornwall are really interesting, aren’t they?!

      Comment

  18. User: Janine Phillips

    Posted on: 17/07/2018 at 8:15 am

    What a poignant and thought provoking read. I really enjoyed this book. Family dynamics can be so complex and this was beautifully written.

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 17/07/2018 at 8:49 am

      Thank you for stopping by, yes a novel delving into family relationships, it was a good read.

      Comment

  19. User: Jane Willis

    Posted on: 16/07/2018 at 1:00 pm

    Started this as soon as it arrived and have been glued to it ever since. I’ve just finished it and loved it. I’m going to have to be careful to not give away any spoilers! I found Hebe’s situation heartbreaking but I do wish she had confided in more people given her family history. But then maybe there would have been no story, so I’ll just have to accept that she didn’t.
    I thought the whole book was a fascinating portrayal of family tensions and changing dynamics, although I didn’t feel there was as much of a sense of Cornwall to the story as in other Liz Fenwick books I have read. However although Cornwall itself may not have been fully present, Helwyn House itself was, and I found I could clearly picture every nook and cranny, and exactly how the rooms were transformed during the renovations. At the end of the book the author says the inspiration for Helwyn House was Godolphin House, and I’m going to have to try to visit it on my next trip to Cornwall.
    I wasn’t that impressed with the title though. One Cornish Summer. The story begins at the very end of September and continues until mid January – not exactly summer! Both Hebe and Lucy have flashbacks to memorable summers in Cornwall, but each of them to a different one, so really there are TWO Cornish summers with neither being the main event!

    Comment

    2 Comments

    • User: Beverley Bookless

      Posted on: 19/07/2018 at 5:06 pm

      I’m quite enjoying Hebe’s flashbacks to 2015, the writing style is different in that she is almost talking to her lover. It creates a real turmoil of emotion in me because you know what is happening to her more than a year later.

      Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 17/07/2018 at 8:48 am

      Yes, isn’t Helwyn House colourfully portrayed… apparently it is based on the NT property Godolphin! I totally get where you are coming from with the title, it seemed very odd as the main focus was the period going into Winter…. odd…

      Comment

  20. User: Karen Lewis

    Posted on: 15/07/2018 at 5:31 pm

    Hello all,
    Have just started reading One Cornish Summer. The story I am finding captivating , insightful with a touch of nostalgia. Hebe ‘s story is so poignant and I can’t wait to find out Lucy’s secret!!!!
    Now back to the book!!!!

    Comment

    1 Comment

    • User: tripfiction

      Posted on: 17/07/2018 at 8:44 am

      Great… it’s lovely to have 2 protagonists with such different backstories… enjoy!!

      Comment