A Castaway in Cornwall

Written by Julie Klassen

Narrated by Elizabeth Jasicki

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?

"Danger abounds on the wild Cornwall coast and so does romance. With a perfect blend of intrigue and tender moments, A Castaway in Cornwall is my favorite Klassen title to date."—Michelle Griep, Christy Award–winning author of Once Upon a Dickens Christmas

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781705003503

Julie Klassen

Julie Klassen (www.julieklassen.com) loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. Her books have sold more than 1.5 million copies, and she is a three-time recipient of the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Secret of Pembrooke Park was honored with the Minnesota Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie has also won the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing's Best Award and has been a finalist in the RITA and Carol Awards. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full-time. She and her husband have two sons and live in St. Paul, Minnesota. For more information, visit julieklassen.com.

Reviews for A Castaway in Cornwall

[Donna Ellett · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Pretty good story. Perhaps not as enthralling as some of the author's other novels but still very entertaining. Details regarding the geographical locations make up for anything the plot may have lacked in my opinion. I have listened to almost 100 audio books and Elizabeth Jasicki is probably the best female narrator out there. I think Simon Prebble is the best male narrator with Patrick O'Brian's Captain Aubrey series audio books.

[Becky Baumgartner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent narration that brought the variety of accents alive. Interesting settings are what set this story apart.

[Diane · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So easy to listen to. Beautifully read to us. Well written.

[Jeff Sharpe · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not my favorite by Julie Klassen (Lady Maybe was much better). The flow of the story seemed disjointed at times. And it felt a little like the author eventually gave a pass to the inhabitants of Cornwall claiming flotsam and jetsam as their own without any serious attempt to find the rightful owners.

[Regan Deppe Willers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I cried when it ended because I loved this story so much!!!

[Donna Larson Christian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book. Very well read too. I felt like I was there in the setting many times.

[gmomaj · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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?

[fcplcataloger · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A Castaway in Cornwall is Regency fiction at its finest. There is intrigue associated with war and smuggling and questions about Alexander Lucas's true identity. Klassen teases us with Laura's interest in this unknown survivor and I kept hoping that Laura's gentle and trusting nature wasn't being taken advantage of. Laura is an outcast needing to experience the joy of belonging and I love when she finally understands that all of us are valuable in God's eyes. This is a wonderful story of love and forgiveness and I recommend A Castaway in Cornwall to all who enjoy inspirational historical romance.I received a copy of this book from the publisher. There was no obligation for a favorable review. These are my own thoughts.

[kimpotter-309059 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A Castaway in Cornwall by Julie Klassen is a stand-alone book set in picturesque North Cornwall in the early 1800’s. Laura Callaway lives with her aunt and uncle on the coast of England. She makes it a point to walk the beach looking for things that have washed up on shore from shipwrecks along the coast. A man is washed ashore after a wreck and Laura rescues him. She takes care of him and nurses him back to health. But is he who he says he is or is he a danger to them all? I enjoyed reading about the customs of Cornwall and getting to know the people from Fern Haven. Laura was such a compassionate, loving person. And yet she was strong and resourceful. The romance between Alex and Laura was very sweet and the mystery of the story did not take away from that. Another great story from Ms. Klassen.I received this book from the author for my honest review.

[rafram-951185 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

On a stormy night Physician’s daughter Laura Callaway is alerted that there’s a shipwreck on the local shore with only one survivor. Alexander Lucas hides his secrets well, but danger seems to follow him to Cornwall.A Castaway in Cornwall is written by Julie Klassen, published by Bethany House Publishers. The story is set in North Cornwall 1813 and we follow Laura Callaway as she works on her admirable project to salvage trinkets from wrecks and inform next of kin of their loved ones lost at sea. When another ship wrecks, a man is washed ashore and ends up in Laura’s care to be nursed back to life. He presents himself as Alexander Lucas, has a foreign accent and reveals very little about who he is and where he is from.While this is the second book I have read recently with similar setting, this plot stands out in the way it describes people’s struggles to survive in rather modest circumstances. With a backdrop of the Napoleonic War, the story deals with the need to belong to a family and a community. As an orphan, Laura struggles with both.Main character physician’s daughter Laura Callaway lost her parents and lives with non-blood relatives. For a woman who struggles so much, I quite admire how she is able to make such a difference in other people’s lives and that’s why she is my favorite of this story.Supporting character naval sea Captain Alexander Lucas struggles with consequences of war, and goes through a process of learning how to trust again. I felt he seemed human and likable as we got to follow his thoughts and perspectives. Danger seemed to follow him ashore in Cornwall.I loved the vivid descriptions of daily life and occasional celebrations at the Cornish coast. I could easily see how story could easily be adapted to a movie reminiscent of Poldark. I found the characters relatable and many of them sympathetic. A few really unlikable ones wired me up and added great drama. The mystery element was my favorite part, which related to Alexander Lucas previous life and family background gradually told via his perspective of the story. The romance part of the story seemed to be on the backburner until the last part of the plot. As danger was at the forefront, that made perfect sense to me. I enjoyed the dramatic parts of the story and the slightly surprising elements at the end. I felt it was all expertly tied up into a satisfying conclusion to this standalone novel.Anyone who enjoys a historical romance set in Cornwall will love this story. As will fans of Julie Klassen. Similar authors to explore while eagerly awaiting next release from Julie Klassenmight be Kristi Ann Hunter or Jody Hedlund Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for this eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.Conclusion: A Castaway in Cornwall is the entertaining and enjoyable story about a woman who struggles to belong and a man marked by war who both long for a place to call home.