Summer in Tintagel

This summer I was disappointed not to see Cornwall in real life, but in the end it hardly mattered, because this wonderful story took me right there. Even better, the scenery and characters stayed with me, making Tintagel a place of magic and dreams come true.Amanda James always weaves a great story, and Summer in Tintagel is a gem of a book. Rosa’s life is on the point of changing dramatically. Her grandmother Jocelyn has a dying wish, and only Rosa can make it happen, but the ghosts of old tragedies and the heat of new passions mean the way forward is anything but clear.I loved the descriptions of the unpredictable Cornish weather too, such as ‘It was the kind of spring morning that had forgotten its place in the seasons.’ The temperature rises and falls, the wind howls and the sun blazes down, as changeable as Rosa’s feelings. She isn’t looking for romance and adventure when she follows in her grandmother’s footsteps, but she certainly finds it, even though the past does its best to get in the way at times. I do hope there is going to be a sequel. And soon.

A beautifully written story full of romance, secrets, and mystery. Amanda James has such a wonderful way with words. In fact, I found some of the descriptions in this novel almost poetic. But there’s also lots of humour and passion going in this tale as we follow Rosa, a London-based travel journalist, to Tintagel in a quest to fulfil her grandmother’s dying wish – to put right the wrongs of the past.I thought the descriptions of the location were incredible (I want to go there) and the characters just bounced off the pages, from the very likeable, witty heroine Rosa to the quirky white witch Morganna (one of my fave characters), and let’s not forget the gorgeous main man, Talan.I thought I wasn’t going to manage to get away this year, but I was wrong, this book transported me to Cornwall night after night. A romantic, evocative and atmospheric read that I’d recommend in a heartbeat.

My second Mandy James book ( certainly not my last ) and I loved it. A beautiful balance of love and loss, happiness and hurt and a desperate need to right the wrongs of the past make the story a truely emotional read. Add to this Rosa's somewhat reluctant acceptance of her psychic abilities and troubled childhood and you have all the ingredients for a great read. I especially loved the relationship between Rosa and her gran - so emotional. The setting was just stunning too. Having visited Tintagel many times I have to say that I could picture every street, shop and pub ! I feel like I've just come back from holiday without having to leave home. I have just ordered two more Mandy books and can't wait to get started. Keep them coming please Mandy.

I loved every single word and page of this warm and touching story that was laced with humour and at its core, one of my favourite subjects- spiritualism. The close bond between Jocelyn and Rosa was a joy to read and I was soon transported to Tintagel which was described perfectly. There’s a great mixture of characters like the whacky white witch and the gorgeous Talan, and the ghostly images of Jory gave me tingles. This is a must read, any time of year, and will see you through summer beach days or cosy wintry nights. Thoroughly recommended.

I really enjoyed this novel for many reasons. It’s well written for one, and it’s a very atmospheric and visual read that played as a kind of film in my mind.There’s always something lovely about Cornwall in a novel and it was so nice to spend time in Tintagel as it sounded magical and I didn’t know if it was a real place at first. Now it is I want to go there and eat Cornish pasties and eat cornish cream.The underlying theme of this story is one of past regrets and trying to make things right again. I shivered at many points in the story as there was often an ethereal feel to the whole story – never spooky – but rather more calming and spiritual. This is no mean feat to get in a novel – serious topics, spiritual thoughts, reflections on the past and love and relationships in their various forms.I just thought the whole story – the returning to your past to try and put things in order and fulfill a dying wish was just a lovely premise. It was exciting to explore and I felt emotionally attached to all of them.I won’t give anything away but to say that it weaves a special kind of reading spell this book. One to read this summer (on a Cornish beach if possible)The picture shows one of the locations in the novel - Tintagel Castle and the full map is on thebooktrail.com

This is not my preferred genre but I was drawn to it and I am glad that I was. I was drawn in the moment I knew it was set in Cornwall and Amanda James took me on a virtual tour of Tintagel, a place I love, that feeling captivated and enhanced a real feel good story. Rosa is on a quest for the past for her beloved Grandmother who fell in love in Tintagel many years before. Rosa must learn age old secrets and find the key to the death of Jory, the man whom her Grandmother had fallen in love with. Rosa is forced to face things about herself that she is not open to due to her upbringing and it all comes together in a story to make a reader feel captivated and lost in idyllic surroundings that cultivate an unusual kind of romance with a touch of the paranormal. Something to enhance a cold winter night .Amanda James knows Cornwall and this bookis like virtual reality for anyone who loves this beautiful place.