Julie Klassen’s A Castaway in Cornwall is a sweeping tale with mystery, romance, and adventure.
Book Blurb
Laura Callaway daily walks the windswept Cornwall coast, known for many shipwrecks but few survivors. She feels like a castaway, set adrift on the tides of fate by the deaths of her parents and left wanting answers. Now living with her parson uncle and his parsimonious wife in North Cornwall, Laura is viewed as an outsider even as she yearns to belong somewhere again.
When ships sink, wreckers scour the shore for valuables, while Laura searches for clues to the lives lost. She has written letters to loved ones and returned keepsakes to rightful owners. She collects seashells and mementos, and when a man is washed ashore, she collects him too.
As Laura and a neighbor care for the castaway, the mystery surrounding him grows. He has abrasions and a deep cut that looks suspiciously like a knife wound, and he speaks in careful, educated English, yet his accent seems odd. Other clues wash ashore, and Laura soon realizes he is not who he seems to be. Their attraction grows, and while she longs to return the man to his rightful home, evidence against him mounts. With danger pursuing them from every side, will Laura ever find the answers and love she seeks?
My Thoughts
I wasn’t sure about this novel at first, and it took me a few chapters to get into it. But once I was sucked in, I was invested and ready to reach the ending.
Klassen blends suspense and romance with a historical setting that is rich and vibrant. This small parish on the coast of Cornwall almost felt like home, and the rich characters that populate this village seemed like old friends.
And by characters, I mean characters. From wrecker Tom Parsons to gentle giant Jago. I couldn’t help but love each one. But Alexander definitely grabbed my interest from the moment he opened his eyes in the Brays’ guest room. The melding of his secret with Laura’s protectiveness drove the plot as hurdles appeared and friendships were tested. I found myself entranced as clues were slowly revealed and everything began to come together.
The story definitely took a surprising turn, which I don’t want to spoil for you. But it deepened the plot and forced the characters to face their past in an unexpected way, leading to a satisfying ending.
There’s also a great spiritual thread about God’s hand in our lives. Klassen ties in the castaway theme with this thread, and I don’t know how to fully explain. You’ll just have to read it to find out.
Overall, A Castaway in Cornwall is a satisfying Regency romance filled with intrigue and adventure.
(Note: I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.)
Further Information
To grab your own copy of A Castaway in Cornwall, click the book cover to order it from Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. Or you can go to your favorite book retailer.
For more on Julie Klassen, you can visit her website and sign up for her newsletter. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
You can also check out my reviews for other Julie Klassen books: An Ivy Hill Christmas, The Bridge to Belle Island, and The Bride of Ivy Green.
