It’s an absolute pleasure to be joining the blog tour for Linn B. Halton’s latest book Coming Home to Penvennan Cove. I’d like to thank Victoria Joss at Aria for inviting me to take part. Linn has featured on Linda’s Book Bag before with a super guest post about paperback reading that you’ll find here and I was delighted to host an extract from A Little Sugar, A Lot of Love here too. Today Linn stays in with me to discuss her new book.

Staying in with Linn B. Halton

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Linn and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Ah, my pleasure, Linda – sending a virtual hug! x

Thank you! So, tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

Coming Home to Penvennan Cove, the first in a three-book series—which is a first for me! What is exciting is that as I’m about to sit down and begin writing book number two, I have no idea where the characters are going to take the story. And that’s what keeps me writing.

It must be exciting and daunting in equal measure I think! Before you write book two, what can we expect from an evening in with Coming Home to Penvennan Cove?

Aside from some bracing walks along the beach and the eerie sound of the seagulls circling overhead…

Actually, I love that already! Tell me more.

The ideas for my stories all begin with a one-liner that pops into my head, is jotted down, and then filed away. Kerra Shaw was unnamed at that stage, but her words puzzled me: ‘If you leave home because you don’t fit in, what happens when you achieve your dream but still feel that something is missing? And then fate leads you back home…’

The heart of this story is about the way that life, love, and relationships impact upon the journey we each take. Kerra thought that having a successful career would make her feel more self-assured and she’d no longer have anything to prove to herself, or to other people. Instead, she’s becoming a chameleon and feeling the need to blend in. As a people watcher, it’s something I’ve often noticed and as Kerra tells her story I’m fascinated to see where it goes. And it’s made me think about whether there is a little bit of a chameleon trait inside of me… and if that is a good thing, or a bad thing? I guess I’ll find out by the time I get to the end of the series. That’s what I love about writing—it often throws up issues that change the way I look at things. And I like that.

Absolutely. I really enjoy books that make me question myself. I think we might all have a bit of the chameleon about us Linn!

What else have you brought along and why?

People tend to flock to Cornwall in the summer months, but I prefer the quieter seasons. And here are the photos that inspire me to keep going back! The best kedgeree I’ve ever been served for breakfast was at Rick Stein’s restaurant in Padstow. A-maz-ing!

These photos make me desperate to get back to Cornwall. I think I’d better get reading Coming Home to Penvennan Cove pretty quickly.

The tall ships in Charlestown remind me of Poldark and Aidan Turner. I always return home and start re-watching old episodes.

The tiny, shingle coves and the harboursides are dramatic in winter and bustling in summer. Nothing beats a walk along the shoreline, no matter what the weather is doing.

I agree. We’ve just bought a motorhome so that we can escape to the coast socially distanced as often as possible.

The truth is that my love for Cornwall began when I was a child on our annual holiday and whenever I return it conjures up old memories, as I create new ones…

In the end Linn, memories are all we have. I love the sound of Coming Home to Penvennan Cove so thank you so much for staying in with me to tell me all about it.

Coming Home to Penvennan Cove

Can Kerra’s Cornish hometown offer the fresh start she needs?

When Kerra left the quiet Cornish town of Penvennan Cove for the bright lights of London she didn’t look back. But after the death of her mother, she’s decided it’s time to face her past and return to the place she called home. Her father needs her, and perhaps she needs him more than she’s willing to admit?

Tackling town gossip, home renovations and a flame from her past, it’s not quite smooth sailing for Kerra. Ross is the bad boy she was meant to forget, not a man who still sets her heart aflutter. As he helps bring her dream home to life, they begin to break down the barriers that have been holding them back and in the process learn things about themselves they never thought possible.

As friends old and new come together, the future in Penvennan looks bright.

Perfect for fans of Milly Johnson, Phillipa Ashley and Julie Houston.

Published by Aria on 8th October 2020, Coming Home to Penvennan Cove is available for purchase on Amazon, Kobo, Google Play and iBooks.

About Linn B. Halton

From interior designer to author, when Linn B. Halton’s not writing, or spending time with the family, she’s either upcycling furniture or working in the garden. Linn won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award; her novels have been short-listed in the UK’s Festival of Romance and the eFestival of Words Book Awards. Living in Coed Duon in the Welsh Valleys with her ‘rock’, Lawrence, and gorgeous Bengal cat Ziggy, she freely admits she’s an eternal romantic. Linn is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors. Linn writes feel-good, uplifting novels about life, love and relationships.

For more information about Linn, follow her on Twitter @LinnBHalton, find her on Facebook or visit her website. There’s more with these other bloggers too: