From the Fields of Porthlenn

by Deborah M. Hathaway

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Lieutenant Edmund Harris spent three long years getting over Poppy Honeysett’s rejection, using the sea to set him free. But when an old injury flares up and he is required to convalesce in Cornwall once again, he must prove to all of St. Just that he no longer has feelings for the woman. Of course, these things are always easier said than done—especially when Poppy blares back into his life like a blinding ray of sunshine.

Poppy Honeysett has never stopped loving the lieutenant, so when the very man returns to Tristwick when she least expects it, she can only hope he’s returned for her. However, she soon discovers how desperate he is to prove he has moved past their relationship, so she must now do the same—if only to save her pride.

Matters become even more difficult as hurt feelings and heartache stand between them, as well as the fact that the future of Tristwick hangs warily in the balance after an accident rocks the small community to breaking point. Now, she and Edmund must find a way to mend their broken hearts and work together for the good of Tristwick, or they might sacrifice the very people they love—including each other.

This is the fifth and final book in the clean Regency Cornish Romance series by Deborah M. Hathaway. Although this unrequited love, second-chance romance is a stand-alone novel, the books are best enjoyed when listened to in order.

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Book Details

Genre

Historical Romance

Subgenre

Regency (1811–1820), Small Town

Series

A Cornish Romance • Book 5

Audience

Adult

Bell Peppers

🫑🫑

Profanity

1 None

Violence

2 Mild

Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco

2 Mild

Publication Date

August 2, 2025

Language Versions

English

Narration Type

Human

Fiction Form

Novel

Sensitive Themes

Adultery or infidelity, Child abuse/endangerment, Depression or anxiety, Divorce or marital separation, Grief or loss of a loved one, Poverty or homelessness, Pregnancy/childbirth on-page, PTSD or trauma recovery

Representation

Veteran/military service representation

clean romance

Four and a half stars for this “final” book in a great series. Having read each of the books in the series it was great to see the characters in the author’s world still being a part of this book’s plot and characters.Edmond and Poppy each struggled with the time apart and misunderstandings that grew from their own perspective and experiences.My heart hurts for Edmond and the pain he suffered from neglect from those he should be able to trust.Poppy struggles with change and the fear she had experienced in the past as well.It was hard to see their story slowly work around misunderstandings but it was lovely to see healing and forgiveness.Do yourself a favor and read all the books in this series to immerse yourself in a new world.

A beautiful Cornish romance

Two years have passed since Poppy last saw the man who broke her heart, and she refuses to pine after him any longer. But when the lieutenant returns to the Cornish countryside, her resolve is put to the test.Edmund has spent most of his life at sea and firmly believes that is where he is meant to be. His heart and mind, however, often wanders to the young woman he left behind. Her rejection broke him, and he will under no circumstance ever allow her so close again. Ordered to take a few weeks to rest an old injury, Edmund returns to Tristwick, and seeing Poppy has his emotions in a knot.After a tumultuous reunion, Edmund and Poppy decide to lay the past to rest and rekindle their friendship in an effort to save the community from impending devastation. But the feelings they have both tried to suppress over the years linger just below the surface and are fighting hard to break free. Can they overcome the obstacles standing between them as they work together to save Tristwick?This was my first Cornish romance and WOW! I really enjoyed Poppy and Edmund. I loved the tension between them. They both had so much room to grow and did so beautifully. Deborah really pulls you in with the detailed description, and I loved being taken to a little part of England I've never been in my reading. This is the last book in the series (I think? XD), and I will absolutely be picking up the rest of them. I need to know more about all these other characters, esp the Kendricks!

Love and Cornwall

I was so excited for Poppy's story. I've enjoyed her character in the previous books in this series, especially In the Waves of Tristwick, so I was looking forward to seeing her happily ever after with Lieutenant Harris. I was surprised by how complicated their journey proved to be and how complex their characters were. It was moving and super satisfying to see them reveal deeper and deeper layers to each other and then to see them help heal each other's hurts and broken pieces.As with the other books in this series, I appreciated that the focus was not on the upper class, but rather that it showed what life was like for more 'ordinary' people at the time.The author's love of the setting shows through in all of these books, but it is especially evident here through Poppy's eyes.While this book could be read as a stand alone, for maximum enjoyment, I highly recommend reading them in order.

A very satisfying tale of Return

Ms. Hathaway's final story in the Cornish Romance series does not disappoint. Readers are welcomed into the warmth of a seaside hamlet community reminiscent of The Secret of Roan Inish, recovering from a recent tragic accident in which a few key members of the local fishing industry lost their lives. It is into this emotionally and economically bleak reality that the Hero returns to recuperate from an injury during a naval assignment, to his half-generation younger love who was still a bit too young during his previous visit to agree to wed him, leaving both of them at loose ends.Ms. Hathaway's character arcs are well-rounded for the hero and heroine, as the returning officer's aristocratic but abused childhood is gradually exposited, while we see the heroine mature from flashbacks of her teen years to her present young adulthood. Time and again the two nearly become separated once more by their own self-doubting internal monologues, but circumstances intervene on their behalf to give them both clarity and another opportunity. Most satisfying of all is the way the villagers reach out to the hero to enclose him in a sense of family that he never had.Nearly flawlessly written, I would only suggest one small edit: Seeds of doubt are "sown", rather than "sewn." Otherwise, Ms. Hathaway's use of metaphor is exquisite.Five stars.

Whisperings of Darkness and Shadow

*Trigger warning. This story contains descriptions of depression and abuse.The beauty of this series is the lyrical, lovely phrasing. Imagery brings alive sights of the sea from the shores or the cliffs of Cornwall.Beautiful, vivacious Poppy lives to bring sunshine and joy to others as she serves her family and friends. But a hidden darkness hides in the recesses of her mind and memory waiting to drag her under. “Poppy, dressed in the color of the sunshine, was fitting. Stunning. Spellbinding.”Time and again, Edmund returns to the siren call of the sea. His tattered heart remains in Tristwick, victim of his tragic romance with Poppy. “It unraveled the threads of his heart.”This is a story of hope and unrequited love. Imprint this last view of the craggy cliffs and untamed beauty of Cornwall. Revisit beloved characters as the curtains close on this memorable series. “If we spend our lives fearing the darkness, we lose the chance to live. We must acknowledge the past. Be mindful of the future. And live for the present.”