When it comes to sweeping, escapist reads, I can think of no better setting than the wild and beautiful Cornish coast and countryside. Gorgeous scenery, turquoise waters, brooding moors and a rich, dramatic history make Cornwall an ideal backdrop for great storytelling. If you're looking for books to fling yourself into while you're on your honeymoon, these titles should do the trick.
The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
Rosamunde Pilcher's books are such a treat. The Shell Seekers is an enormously compelling read, beautifully written, with such fully realised characters that you will find yourself incredibly invested in their lives and (sometimes terrible) decisions. The book focuses largely on an artist's daughter, Penelope Keeling, taking the reader from her idyllic bohemian childhood in London and Cornwall through the war and into the 1980s. It's an epic, winding saga of love, loss and family. Warm, comforting and very difficult to put down, it's a perfect honeymoon read, and the beautiful setting around St Ives makes it an obvious choice for this list.
If you're looking for something atmospheric that will sweep you into a world of misty moors and sinister smugglers with a dash of romance, look no further than Jamaica Inn. Completely gripping, I couldn't tear myself away from this book as I raced to find out what was going to become of the orphaned Mary Yellan who finds herself thrust into a world of secrets and murder when she is sent to live with her aunt at Jamaica Inn. With plenty of gothic touches and a brilliant, spirited heroine, this is a fantastic Cornish read.
Under a Cornish Sky by Liz Fenwick
You can't go wrong with a book by the unofficial Queen of Cornwall, Liz Fenwick, and Under a Cornish Sky is a great place to start. Demi and Tori are two very different women, but they're drawn together by a sudden death and a beautiful Cornish estate. Full of romance and intrigue, this book evokes the best of Cornwall with stunning descriptions and is a perfect escapist read to enjoy in the sunshine.
If you, like me, love Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet Chronicles then The Camomile Lawn is a must-read for you. The book begins in Cornwall in the searingly hot summer of 1939 and tells the story of two generations of the Cuthbert family as they head into the Second World War. The writing is sharp, fast-paced and full of beautifully observed moments, and the tangled lives of siblings, cousins, lovers and spouses makes for gripping reading. The Cornish setting is wonderful and makes me long for a camomile lawn of my own.
words Laura Wood (author of A Sky Painted Gold, published by Scholastic, out now.)
Copyright Wed magazine 2018
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