Perfectly written and set in the beating heart of a community, this story is a wonderful slice of Cornish escapism.' Helen J Rolfe As Ella settles into her new life, she faces some challenges. She must deal with the emotional fallout of her broken engagement, and she also has to learn to cope with the physical demands of midwifery. But through it all, she finds strength and support in the people of Port Agnes. The Midwife Role: I’ve always thought what a noble but often undervalued profession. I adored the midwives I met during my pregnancies and really enjoyed seeing the same spirit of commitment and competence reflected in the characters of this novel. Through the midwife unit in Port Agnes, readers get a sense of the inner workings of the town and the types of people living there.

It has been a good few years since I last read a Jo Bartlett book but I seemed to recall enjoying my previous experiences of her writing, so to see she had a new release and signed with one of my favourite publishers, well I was hardly going to ignore it. My heart went out for Izzy - she was an instant favourite for me, I loved reading her story. She's going through so much and she really rises to it. She's so passionate and caring and generous, you can't help but love her and root for her. I freaking loved Noah. I didn't think I would at first because I'm always a bit wary of religion, but I loved his drive and how he was always chasing a challenge. I loved seeing him work through his own crisis of faith, and open up his faith to others and support them however he could. Ella is a fantastic character, excellent at her job, she is calm and efficient and is a great help to the expectant mothers in the village, one or two of which rely on her rather more than strictly necessary as she can’t help involving herself in their problems. It’s just a pity she finds it so difficult making up her own mind about what what she wants for her future! I did admit to being a little frustrated at times when she kept flip flopping about her own plans but expecting others to fall in with hers. Midwife Izzy is devastated to learn that her beloved grandmother is dying. Abandoned as a baby by her own mother, her grandparents have been the only family Izzy has ever known and she wants to spend every last precious moment with them.With some trepidation she has to face her old friends and old flame. Lots of work to do as she is hoping to return to London. Ben, who steps in to help Maddie raise some money for a charity that’s close to her heart, and even dresses like an elf on Christmas gift day, seems too good to be true. Letting her guard down, she realizes that she is falling for the newcomer, however, once it turns out that he has this hidden agenda, she cannot wait for him to leave. Ella: Our protagonist is the epitome of sweetness and drive. I’ll admit, Ella’s determination to do what she perceives as right by her parents got a little much at times, as it’s blatantly obvious her parents simply want her to be happy. However, that’s pretty much a main conundrum Ella has to work through. She must figure out why she is so compelled to over achieve. At what point will she be ‘enough’? I love that we’re allowed to see Ella in her various roles: as midwife, friend, daughter and romantic interest. We’re also privy to her growth in each area. Dan: Our male protagonist is book boyfriend worthy with his charm, compassion and ambition. I wish we’d had a couple chapters from his perspective to really make his character shine. That said, however, through his interactions with Ella and others, his motivations are made quite clear. Cornwall has been my perfect holiday destination for many years, so any story that is set in this beautiful part of the world instantly grasps my attention.

However while the big day approaches disaster strikes, and their perfect day seems destined not to happen after all. Anna is certain that it is a sign to slow things down. Working as a community midwife keeps her busy and, even if some of the locals seem to have an unhealthy fascination with the breakdown of her relationship, the other midwives soon make her feel like one of the team. Despite her disastrous dating history, Ella manages to play matchmaker to her new best friend and even dodges her parents’ attempts to get her to settle down with the boy next door.Her only problem is Dan Ferguson, who seems hell bent on destroying a local landmark, which will tear the heart out of Port Agnes. When Dan turns out to be the one person who can help Ella, after a high risk pregnancy puts a patient in danger, she discovers he’s not the man she thought he was. But getting to know the real Dan is not as easy as she’d like it to be… New locum vicar, Noah, is a wonderful support – kind, considerate and always there for Izzy whenever she needs a shoulder to cry on. But secretly Noah is battling his own doubts about his faith – how can he offer Izzy comfort if he doesn’t truly believe his own words? And any book that gives me a brand new book boyfriend to fall in love with, is a winner in my eyes, and there is definitely one rather stunning candidate in this novel for that role! I'll miss him! This is the first book I have read by this author, and I can truthfully say that it won’t be the last. I loved the way in which this story was written, it really allows us to connect with Ella and understand her passion for her job on a much deeper level. The relationship between Ella and Dan was also lovely to follow, as they got to know one another once again, and had to face up to their past and what caused the demise of their romance all those years ago.

Is the storm which breaks out just two days before Christmas, and cuts Holly Bay off from the rest of the world, give Ben another chance to prove himself to her? Or will Maddie be destined to spend another Christmas with just her books for company? I could put on my own art exhibition in Pottery and Paper, with a gallery of all the willy pictures I’ve been sent! I never knew they could come in so many shapes and sizes, and there are enough variations in colour to rival a Dulux paint chart.”There is so much to love about this charming story including an enchanting setting and endearing characters. Stunning setting, wonderful characters, and oozing with warmth. A triumph from Jo Bartlett.' Jessica Redland I absolutely love the Cornish Midwife series, especially being an aspiring midwife from Cornwall. Despite being fiction, these books never fail to motivate me to carry on studying when things get tough and really become The Cornish Midwife myself.” Tegan from Reading with Tegs (book blogger and trainee midwife) In fact just due to Ella being a midwife, there is a fair bit of drama involved in this book as let's face it babies have a mind of their own when it comes to when they want to enter the world, and giving birth never sounds like the simplest of things either.

Dan Ferguson is her only problem, who seems to be hellbent on destroying a local landmark, which is going to rip the heart right out of Port Agnes. When Dan winds up being the only person that can help Ella, after one high risk pregnancy puts one patient in danger, she learns that he is not the man she believed him to be. However getting to know the real Dan is not quite as easy as she would like it to be. I really loved getting to know the other midwifes in the unit where Ella is working temporarily, as well her her catching up with old friends and loves. Welcome to Seabreeze Farm” is the first novel in the “Seabreeze Farm” series and was released in 2022. Elle Chapman is desperately in need of a change, since she is unhappy with her life in London, and with her love life a total disaster. So when she discovers that she has inherited a farmhouse perched up high on the cliffs above the English Channel, it seems like a perfect escape. I get the feeling that this may be the first of a series, in which case I can't wait to see which of the midwifes we get to know better next, as well as more of Port Agnes. The narrative switches between Frankie, Noah and Izzy, and I loved their vibrant personalities and how it shone through their perspectives. I always knew who I was reading, the characters were well developed and stood apart from each other.

Full Series List in Order

I loved Frankie's positivity, how even though she was so understandably sad she was still a light to those around her. I want more of her story because the bits told in A Leap of Faith for the Cornish Midwife made me really care for her and her happiness. I just love reading about a character that is either a nurse or a midwife so when I was serendipitously asked to be a part of this blog tour, I immediately jumped on it. I am so glad I did. I also love a great second chance story and characters looking for a fresh start, and this book was all that I wanted in a fun and cozy escape read, with the right amount of drama and romance I exactly needed. All of the midwifes are such a close knit community and really cherish their clients but also each other and this is so nice as you know that they would all be there for each other when needed. It feels like the kind of work environment that anyone would want to be in, where your colleagues become your friends. The whole cast is excellent, but I really must say a special word for Ella’s parents. She was something of a miracle baby herself, and being in her thirties doesn’t stop them treating her like their precious little girl – and I found that particularly lovely. Her father Jago is a quite wonderful character – a proud Cornishman, fierce about the changes brought about with all the incomers and second-home owners, and I really loved his passion, however many problems it might cause. I feel like any review I leave will not do this book justice. I loved this quaint little story based around a group of midwives in Cornwall. I’ve never been to Cornwall myself, but I know there are some picturesque villages along the seaside, and this is exactly the village in which the book was set. Ella is the main character and she has been through more than a lot, and is very relatable to many readers for her overthinking personality, but always wanting to do the best for her family to make them proud, and in the process forgets about making herself happy.