A Secret Gift: The most heartwarming, feel-good romance set in Cornwall! (Cornish Escapes Collection, Book 1)

I was invited to take part in the blog tour for ‘A Secret Gift’. After reading the synopsis of ‘A Secret Gift’, I knew that I had to read this book and I had to take part in the blog tour. I liked the idea of ‘A Secret Gift’ and so I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed my Kindle and settled down for what proved to be an emotional but ultimately heart warming story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘A Secret Gift’ but more about that in a bit.I loved the character of Joy Pentire and I warmed to her from the very start. She is a young woman, who has been through the emotional mill somewhat. She lost her husband and soulmate three years prior to this story beginning. She is still at a fairly early stage of grief and goes through the various emotions. I got the impression that Joy doesn’t feel as though she could be happy again. Oy is a natural caring person and it is no surprise that she is highly thought of as a carer. In fact one of the old ladies that she cares for, Hope, resides in the home where Joy works. What starts as a working relationship becomes a firm friendship. Hope knows that she is dying but before she passes, she wants to talk to Joy about something special and important- ‘A Secret Gift’. What follows is one hell of a story and then some.It took me no time at all to get into ‘A Secret Gift’. In fact as soon as I started reading, I knew that this was a special story and that I would become addicted to reading it. I was spot on too. I found it extremely difficult to put this book to one side for any length of time. I just loved the idea of the story and I had to keep reading to see how the story panned out. My Kindle wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I just couldn’t bear to miss a single second of this charming story. I was like an addict constantly in need of my next ‘fix’. This was one of those stories that was constantly on my mind. If I wasn’t reading the book, then I was thinking about the book, if I had to put the book to one side for any length of time then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. I soon got to the end of ‘A Secret Gift’ and I had to say ‘goodbye’ to Joy. I found ‘A Secret Gift’ to be an emotional but ultimately uplifting and heart warming read. This is a delightful story which will appeal to many.‘A Secret Gift’ is superbly written and then some. The author certainly knows how to grab your attention and draw you into what proves to be a hell of a read. Amanda has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading this book felt more like a chat between friends. Amanda clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the story and the way in which the characters are described. I love the way in which Amanda makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action. That’s how I felt at any rate.In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘A Secret Gift’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Amanda’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Now who can resist a bit of Cornish magic? I certainly can’t but when Amanda James’ heroine, Joy, is first given the secret gift she really thinks she can. But meeting a young homeless man on the verge of suicide changes that, and begins to change Joy too.This is a colourful book with an engaging cast of characters and a Cornwall I recognise. And as a resident of the county, that is a rare thing to find. It’s a place where real people live, and for me that gave the story a fantastic grounding, an effective counterpoint to the mystical, magical elements. But hey, this is Cornwall after all, so they could very well be real too. Read it and find out.

Firstly, now that I have finished reading this book I can appreciate how the gorgeous cover fits in with the story. I have been a fan of this authors stories for quite a while now and have read most of her books. She is an author who crosses genres and doe sit very well indeed.This story is about Joy, a widow who is getting by. Not ready to move on after the death of her husband. She works at a local care home. while it is a job it is not what she originally hoped to do. Talking of hope, Hope is the name of one of the residents and if I am honest one of Joy's favourites. Hope doesn't have long left, she knows it as does Joy, so Hope bequeaths on Joy a secret and a jar of pebbles! Sounds a bit random I know, but the story that follows is one that I found captivating. So captivating that I read this book from start to finish in one sitting!This is such a gorgeous read, a story of a young woman trying to deal with life. Working, helping others and not quite fulfilling her life, she isn't miserable, but she isn't happy. Melancholic I think would sum her up.The secret, well if I told you what that was it wouldn't be a secret, but believe me when I say it is something quite special. It is a secret that not only helps others but will in time help Joy herself. And yes, the pebbles are part of it.This is another wonderful and captivating story. It has some wonderful sentiment and emotions to it. I found the main character of Joy, to be a really lovely one. Friendly, warm and one of life's plodders. She plods along doing her best. The author does inject a touch of romance, but for me, the story was about friendship and helping others. About being a friend, a shoulder and supportive when needed, also about trying to move forward after heartache, about trusting people and your instincts.This really was a lovely story and one I adored and would definitely recommend.

Okay so it's got a bit of a twist to it, but in reality it's another A likes B which turns into A loves B and they all live happy ever after. Let's just say if I had a paper copy I'd not inflict it on any friends..

I love the characters and how they come together after their individual pain.This book kept me hooked and is a great lazy day read.

This certainly isn't great literature but is an excellent and as it says in the blurb, a feel-good book. If you want cheering up I recommend this one.

But a good one in all senses of that word, whether one is a physicist like me, or a youthful philanderer.

Meet Joy. A young widow, her life going nowhere until a special gift is bestowed upon her. The gift to help others.I really loved this charming tale, set against the backdrop of the Cornish coast. I rooted for Joy, hoping that she would find her own happiness, whilst giving others theirs.The author paints a beautiful canvas, dotted with humour, warmth, sadness and stunning scenery.I'll be checking out more of her books.Highly recommended.

Fun, funny, whimsical, touching and an utterly delightful read. Lovable characters, beautiful setting a a unique and unusual story line. A make you smile book.

If you are looking for a quick read with a bit of magic and a lot of heart, give this a try. The setting is Cornwall which, although far from the States, is not so exotic that readers can’t relate. The narrator is Joy, a young widow afraid to get on with her life. The pleasure of the story is watching her share some of that joy with others while learning more about herself.

What an amazing story, very different but absolutely brilliant. Well written with great characters. Highly recommended . Hope her next one is equally as good!

I didn't totally get the concept of the pebbles. It would be great but seems a little unbelievable. Still a fun read.

This could have been a cute story but at times, I felt like I was back in junior high school with boys and girls wondering who "likes" who. Then, the author could not resist a political dig at a famous person. If i want to read about politics, I'll buy that kind of book.These negatives earned only 2 stars from me and brought the quality of the story telling down quite a bit. I regret this purchase.