Christmas in Cornwall

October 1, 2012
A widower and his young son find a new life in a convent community of elderly nuns, which is close to the estate that's been in their family for generations and is still home to his mother and her parents. The book begins on Epiphany and ends the following Christmas, spanning a tumultuous year in which a tiny community of nuns hopes to be spiritually guided toward the right choices for their future, and the futures of the laypeople who are like family to them. Clem is their helper and jack-of-all-trades, and Janna is the commitment-phobic wanderer who's found an unexpected home in the community, while Jakey, Clem's 5-year-old son, adds a generous helping of childlike wonder to the elderly women and their resident priest. Nearby, Clem's mother, Dossie, and his aging grandparents, Pa and Mo, live at The Court, an estate that's been in the family for generations and has, until recently, been run as a B&B. The book opens with threats to the convent from shady developers who hope to play some legal tricks on the nuns to gain control of the property without compensating its residents; and to The Court, when Dossie's brother and his grasping girlfriend put pressure on Mo and Pa to sell the property and split the proceeds. Dossie, who has a history of bad luck in romance, becomes involved with a new, mysterious man, Rupert, throwing a wrench in Mo and Pa's plans to have Dossie restart the B&B business and keep the property self-sustaining, intact and in the family. Over the course of the book, we see relationships tighten and mature, and hinted truths come out in both expected and unexpected ways. While the book is classified as a romance, nothing is completely settled in the end as far as the real and potential romances in the book go, and the slow pace and overt spiritual slant to the plot will leave many modern romance readers dissatisfied. For the right reader, this book has charm, appealing characterization and a sprawling, unhurried storytelling style--though Willett's present-tense writing and occasional head-hopping may be distracting. For most contemporary romance fans, the lack of a convincing happily-ever-after ending and the not-quite-concrete plot wrap-up that speaks to more spiritually decisive conclusions, rather than romantic ones, will likely make them feel disappointed and misled by the romance designation. Overall, a quiet, sweet, slow-building story of spirit, faith, family, and community and the love that binds them--but not really a romance.

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 15, 2012
Following his wife's death, Clem and his young son, Jakey, move to Cornwall, England, to be closer to Clem's mother, Dossie. Clem finds work as a groundskeeper at a nearby convent where the elderly nuns become a surrogate family. But when a mysterious stranger arrives in town, Clem and the nuns' peaceful existence is threatened. Now they'll need some heavenly inspiration to contemplate a new future if they're going to spend another Christmas together. VERDICT Willett ("The Summer House; A Week in Winter") deftly portrays all of the characters in this touching multigenerational story of love and family. [Library marketing.]--Melissa DeWild, Collection Development Manager, Kent Dist. Lib., Comstock Park, MI

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2012
For the nuns of Chi-Meur convent, life on the Cornwall coast is filled with peaceful purpose. Despite their dwindling numbers, they continue to survive with the help of a devoted group of followers. Janna, the cook, lives in a caravan nearby. Handyman Clem is raising his small son, Jakey, and hoping to become a priest. Clem has his own family nearby. His mother, Dossie, runs a catering business, and his grandparents, whom everyone calls Mo and Pa, live in a rambling house that has been in the family for generations. But change is coming to this tight-knit community. An offer to buy the convent by a shady group of developers offers the nuns a way out of their financial trouble but threatens to close the order, leaving Janna and Clem to face the unknown. Dossie's longed-for new relationship has given new meaning to her life, while Mo and Pa struggle to decide who should inherit their property and what the future holds for their family. Willett carries readers through a year in the life of these families, creating a deeply meaningful story about the power of family and finding the strength to face the future.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)