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    Escape to 1800s England in Julie Klassen’s Castaway in Cornwall

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    By Jessica on December 2, 2020 Adult Crossover
    A Castaway in Cornwall by Julie Klassen 2020A CASTAWAY IN CORNWALL, by Julie Klassen, Bethany House Publishers, Dec. 1, 2020, Hardcover $26.99, Paperback $16.99 (adult crossover)

    Smugglers, castaways and romance take center stage in Julie Klassen’s A Castaway in Cornwall.

    Set adrift on the tides of fate by the deaths of her parents and left wanting answers, Laura Callaway now lives with her uncle and his disapproving wife in North Cornwall. There she feels like a castaway, always viewed as an outsider even as she yearns to belong.

    While wreckers search for valuables along the windswept Cornwall coast–known for its many shipwrecks but few survivors–Laura searches for clues to the lives lost so she can write letters to next of kin and return keepsakes to rightful owners. When a man is washed ashore after a wreck, Laura acts quickly to protect him from a local smuggler determined to destroy him.

    As Laura and a neighbor care for the survivor, they discover he has curious wounds and, although he speaks in careful, educated English, his accent seems odd. Other clues wash ashore, and Laura soon realizes he is not who he seems to be. Despite the evidence against him, the mysterious man might provide her only chance to discover the truth about her parents’ fate. With danger pursuing them from every side, and an unexpected attraction growing between them, will Laura ever find the answers she seeks? —Synopsis provided by Bethany House Publishers

    Occasionally, Cracking the Cover features book that are labeled adult fiction but also offer some crossover appeal. A Castaway in Cornwall (Bethany House) is a historical Regency romance that may appeal to young adults who are fans of the genre, particularly those who enjoy the proper romance line from Shadow Mountain.

    Julie Kassen is the author of more than 15 historical fiction novels, and her books have sold more than a million copies. For her fans, A Castaway in Cornwall will no doubt be another winner. For those of you new to her work, whether or not you’ll be hooked, is more nuanced.

    A Castaway in Cornwall progresses at a leisurely pace. I usually breeze through similar books in a day, but this one took me a few days. Klassen’s easy prose is comfortable but not particularly dynamic. The story ebbs and flows fairly well, but I was expecting more force when the stakes where high.

    The setting is the star in A Castaway in Cornwall. Klassen does an excellent job in transporting readers to Cornwall’s coast. You can feel the spray of the ocean and hear the crash of the waves.

    A Castaway in Cornwall is a fine read for those of you wanting to escape to another place and time. I appreciated the author’s gentle use of Christian undertones — keeping with the time period, while never becoming heavy handed. For those new to Klassen’s work, I’d suggested checking this one out from the library prior to purchase to make sure it’s a good fit.


    A Castaway in Cornwall Blog Tour

    Nov. 30           Austenprose—A Jane Austen Blog
    Dec. 01           Bookfoolery
    Dec. 01           The Green Mockingbird
    Dec. 02           Cracking the Cover
    Dec. 02           Relz Reviewz
    Dec. 02           Lu’s Reviews
    Dec. 03           Bookworm Lisa
    Dec. 03           Among the Reads
    Dec. 03           Heidi Reads
    Dec. 04           Austenesque Reviews
    Dec. 04           Wishful Endings
    Dec. 05           The Christian Fiction Girl
    Dec. 06           Christian Chick’s Thoughts

     

     

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    Jessica
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    Jessica Harrison is the reviewer behind Cracking the Cover. She loves books and worked as the in-house book critic at a daily newspaper, writing reviews and interviewing authors for two years. When the company cut back, she lost her position covering books, but that doesn't mean she stopped reading. If anything, the whole experience made her more passionate about reading and giving people the tools to make informed decisions in their own book choices. She has been featured on NetGalley's Blogger Spotlight and is on Kindleprenuer's Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs. Contact her at jessica(at)crackingthecover(dot)com and follow Cracking the Cover on Bluesky, Instagram,  Facebook and Twitter (X) @crackingthecovr. You can also read scaled down reviews on Jessica's Goodreads review page. Jessica is also a reviewer on Amazon.

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