In the shimmering heat of summer, 1795, Kit and Samuel Cade are returning to Cornwall, taking the coach and four from London to Truro. Their travelling companions each have their own challenges and stories, and they are thrown together as they face the perils of stormy weather and the dangers of the road.
Lieutenant Edward Pascoe, badly wounded in a naval battle with the French, is heading home to begin a new life in Cornwall. He finds himself captivated by the beautiful Bethany Strange, yet she holds a secret that brings him further pain. Will Kit ever be able to see the shy governess, Alice, again?
The wealthy and sophisticated Mrs Meredith Darling has inherited a Cornish estate that she is uncertain she wants. Turning to Samuel Cade for guidance, she forms an unexpected friendship with him, but can they overcome the difference in their ages?
Will the stagecoach reach Cornwall safely, free from attack by highwaymen, and will love blossom during the week-long journey?
What did I think?
I enjoyed The Truro-Bound Coach and Four; it's a very charming story that made me feel very grateful about how easily we can travel from A to B these days.
There's a map at the start of the book showing the journey from London to Truro which is roughly 280 miles and would take around 5 hours by car today. Back in 1795 though, travellers took a coach and four that stopped off at various locations so the horses could rest. What a long and arduous journey this must have been!
Anyone who could afford to travel by coach and four, especially with the luxury of an inside seat, would very likely encounter highwaymen along the way. The coach and four journey is beautifully described by Mark Butterworth and I love how he balances the danger and mundanity of travel with a hint of romance. The travellers may have started as strangers but they finish as friends due to the shared experience of the journey.
It's a very gently paced book but I rather enjoyed the change of pace. I was completely invested in the characters and wanted them to reach their destination safely. The story and the style of writing has the feel of a modern classic and I absolutely loved how it ended. It's an atmospheric and enchanting historical fiction novel that is well worth a read.
I received a gifted paperback for the Novel Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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