Aaah, it is such a treat to be back with the Cornish midwives again. I didn’t particularly enjoy the previous book in the series, which disappointed me as it was one of my favourite current series, so I was a little uncertain of what to expect from this book. I needn’t have worried though as this book has delivered the Cornish Midwives right back to top form.
I really enjoy Jo Bartlett’s style of writing, telling the stories of a number of characters throughout the book so readers get to know them well as the book progresses.
As always, sensitive issues are handled with compassion and empathy, and I found myself shedding a few tears for various characters. I did feel a little concerned that as the book covers stillbirth, which I’m not sure is mentioned in the synopsis, this may comes as a shock & be particularly upsetting for readers who have experienced similar situations.
There is quite a bit of loss in this book, and this risked giving it a morbid, sombre feel, but it doesn’t - quite the opposite in fact, as lives are celebrated and positives are found, which shine throughout the book.
I really loved the stories of the four main characters, one couple at the tentative start to a new relationship and one facing the end of their long relationship.
I do hope there’s another Cornish midwife book around the corner as this series is firmly back up there with my favourites.

A Leap of Faith for the Cornish Midwife is a charming romance reader that will tug at your heartstrings.

Oh, Jo knows how to write a story that takes my emotions on a wild and unforgettable ride. Once again, I find myself falling head over heels in love with the Cornish Midwife world. This is the fifth book in the series, and like other books, in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone (Jo does a fabulous job at bringing her readers up to speed). But it is a beautiful series, so I highly recommend reading the other books in the series; you won’t be disappointed.

A Leap of Faith For The Cornish Midwife focuses on Izzy, whose story we started to follow in the previous book. Izzy has a wonderful relationship with her grandparents. They raised her, and Izzy just adores them. In the last book, Izzy is trying to come to terms that her Nonna (Eileen) is sick and doesn’t have much longer to live (you may want to grab the tissue box for this book). At the beginning of this book, we learn that Eileen underwent a medical treatment that helped subside her symptoms enough to allow her to live a little longer. Izzy and her grandparents plan on spending this precious time they have left doing all the things Nonna had on her bucket list. Izzy’s relationship with her grandparents made this book shine for me. It reminds me of my close relationship with my Nanny and how important it is to cherish the time we spend together.

I have to hand it to Jo; she knows how to make each book in this series unique and stand out in its own way. There isn’t a book that I haven’t enjoyed. Each story tackles an important issue: grief, family problems, faith, or societal issues. Jo does a wonderful job at approaching these issues in a well-thought-out manner; you can tell that she has done her research. This book focuses on faith and how hard it can be to keep one’s faith in God when cruel and heartbreaking things happen. We see this crisis of faith in Noah, a vicar; he is struggling with his faith because of the tragedy he went through. I enjoyed watching Noah’s journey and how events in the book helped him to see the good in the world. As always, this book has plenty of wonderful and heartbreaking midwifery moments.

The relationship between Noah and Izzy is so sweet! There is this charming slow-burn feel to their relationship, and I just adored every cute moment between these two. I loved their conversations with each other because they have so much depth and substance to them. It helps to make their relationship believable and real.

I cannot wait to see if Jo writes another book in this series!

A Leap of Faith For The Cornish Midwife is an uplifting and vibrant story that is hard to forget.

Thank you, Boldwood Books and Rachel Random Resources, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read all of the books in this series as yet, but the ones I have are highly enjoyable.

We venture back to the gorgeous Port Agnes. In this book we follow Izzy and Noah (the hot vicar) and watch their slow-burning relationship begin to ignite. The midwives are all so lovely, and there's such a fantastic sense of community spirit between them and the other residents of Port Agnes.

As always Bartlett comes up trumps with a beautifully written story which is uplifting, heartwarming and in places absolutely heartbreaking.

There are some hard hitting themes which are dealt with in a sensitive manner (stillbirth and cancer).

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.

Rating 👶👶👶👶

Jo Bartlett really knows how to write a beautiful book. Book 5 and I enjoyed being back as much as book 1.
The main character is Izzy and it follows the story of her preparing to say goodbye to her beloved grandmother Eileen..
When Noah the stand in vicar arrive in the village with his little dash hound Pablo Eileen find the peace she needs in the comfort of the church. Izzy and Noah have an instant connection and can their friendship lead to more and help her to grieve.
Along with midwife’s from the previous 4 books jo tells another beautiful and emotional story of love, friendship and loss.
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC of this book.

5 Word Review: Family, faith, love, loss, belonging.

Get the tissues ready, you will need them. This book will make you feel every emotion.

This is the fifth book in the Cornish Midwife series, but I jumped right in having not read any of the previous ones. This can absolutely be read as a standalone as it seems each book focuses on a different character, but I will definitely be going back and reading the rest of the books so I can find out the rest of the stories.

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.

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.

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.

This book is absolutely perfect for fans of Call the Midwife, for those days where you want your heart to be both torn to shreds and full of love. It's a ride, and best enjoyed with a hot cup of tea and a whole box of tissues. I can't wait to go back and read the rest and end up a sobbing mess again, because it was so cathartic and the hope and happiness in the story more than made up for the sad times.

I think I’d maybe better alert you to the fact that you’re definitely going to need tissues for this one – tell you what, make it two boxes, just to be on the safe side. Izzy’s lovely grandmother Eileen is terminally ill – her grandparents brought her up, surrounded by love and taking the place of a mother who was never there for her – but she’s still active thanks to her current drug regime, and she and her husband George have hired a houseboat in Port Agnes for the summer to be closer to their much loved midwife granddaughter. There’s a certain inevitability about how things progress, but it’s beautifully handled – the relationships between them all are something particularly special, and there are plenty of moments of lightness and sheer joy throughout.

Missing her garden at home in Redruth, Eileen enjoys spending time at St Jude’s, looking after the flowers – where Noah is covering the absence of Reverend Sampson. Noah’s struggling with his faith after a traumatic personal experience – and he could also rather do without all the social media attention he’s been getting through his “hot vicar” following on Instagram. At first, Izzy’s not quite sure what to make of him – but her barriers are lowered when they find themselves supporting a young couple through the extreme grief of their loss, and a lovely supportive relationship begins to develop. But life intervenes – as Eileen’s health worsens, Noah isn’t there when she needs him – and the possibility of a happy ending amid all the sadness looks increasingly unlikely.

I’d hate anyone to get the impression that this book is all tears and sadness though – it most certainly isn’t, it’s filled with warmth and ultimately uplifting, and the emotional content is really sensitively handled and nicely balanced by the focus on the day-to-day business of the midwifery team and the lives of all the individuals we’ve grown to know through the earlier books. There are some of the loveliest events and celebrations – and I did particularly enjoy the development of Frankie’s story, a character previously rather more in the background who I really warmed to. There’s plenty of light humour too – much of it provided by Gwen and her total absence of filter.

There’s a real chemistry between Izzy and Noah – the story is told from both their perspectives – and I was very much invested in them both, two people I entirely took to my heart. And relationships are something the author does so well – that closeness between Izzy and her grandparents was really moving and especially well handled. I also enjoyed (wrong word maybe?) Noah’s struggles with his faith, the support of his uncle and the more combative relationship with his father – and the way that particular storyline then unfolded. And I really have to mention the dogs – particularly little dachshund Pablo, a real character and a wonderful source of emotional support.

Although you’d be missing out on the background, this story really is strong enough and sufficiently self-contained to be read as a standalone – but, if you do, I guarantee you’ll want to read the rest of this wonderful series. Despite the many tears, I really loved this book – and recommend it really highly.

Jo Bartlett you’ve done it again. Broken my heart and then mended it again with your beautiful story of Izzy and Noah. I loved the idea of the houseboat for Izzy’s grandparents and her time with the two of them was so special.
The slow burn of Izzy and Noah’s relationship was so lovely to read, they both had such need for eachother at such difficult times in their lives.
Jo Bartlett writes with such compassion and difficult subjects are covered so sensitively and I’ve loved being back in this warm and inviting community in Port Agnes.

An emotional return to Port Agnes and our favourite group of midwives. I thoroughly enjoy returning to this series with each new book giving us more about one of the lovely midwives we have already come to know. Whilst it’s great to catch up with the previous characters storylines, each can be read as a standalone – if you haven’t read any of this series don’t worry, this book in particular is quite a step away from what we have come to know and love (but in a brilliant way of course!)
Its an emotional, poignant read that will strike a chord with even the coldest heart. Whilst we still look at the lives of soon to be parents, and new born babies, Izzy’s story also lets us take a look at the sad, but realistic aspect of those getting to the end of their life too. Izzy has known her Grandmothers' terminal illness has but a limit to the time she has left but everyone is determined they make the most of the time they have left. This leads to wonderful, life affirming, memorable moments but of course, it comes with sadness and heartbreak too.
In finding some final days of happiness, Izzy’s Gran turns to Noah, Port Agnes’ temporary Vicar, and the church gardens. Noah himself is having a crisis of faith, wanting to do good but not confident he has found the best way to do this. His chemistry with Izzy is instant but both struggle with their own personal battles and this could be the barrier neither can get over.
I really enjoyed A leap of Faith for the Cornish Midwife; emotive and engaging but containing both heart break and heart-warming moments. As always the supporting cast of characters brought their own moments of entertainment and I am already looking forward to the next book.
A great summer read, I recommend everyone take a read of this book but also the others in this series.

I have read and loved all of The Cornish Midwife series, but I can honestly say that none of them have ever gripped my heart and made me cry so much.

If you have read any of the other books in this series, then you know that Izzy is a midwife in Port Agnes, but what few people know is that her Grandmother Ellen is dying, Izzy's Grandparents are the people who raised her and loved her when her own mother was too narcissistic to care. But to fulfill one of Izzy's Grandmothers' "bucket list" requests, Izzy and her Grandparents are staying on a houseboat for the summer.

But there is a new temporary vicar in Port Agnes, But Noah was struggling with his faith, not only because of the loss of a very close friend, his overbearing father but also being stalked by a member of the congregation, who took photos of him and posted them online. But from his first day in Port Agnes, he met some wonderful people, especially Ellen, who from their first meeting embraced him as a friend, and introduced him to Izzy.

But nothing is smooth sailing in life and Izzy and Noah's summer had been a myriad of storms, but when things start to settle will they be able to find each other again?

I cannot tell you just how much I loved this book, evening if it's heartbreaking in parts. You can tell that not only did the author take a lot of care researching the book, but poured all her love into the words too!

This is the fifth book in the Cornish Midwives series, but can easily be read as a standalone novel.
Izzy is a midwife in Cornwall and is very close to her grandparents, while being estranged from her mother Kirsten. But her grandmother Eileen has a terminal illness and Izzy knows their time together is not as long as she’d like it to be.
Meanwhile, a new arrival is exciting the midwives – a man known as #TheFitVic online is taking over in Port Agnes while Reverend Sampson has an operation. Reverend Andrews (Noah), however, isn’t pleased about being sent to such a quiet place. His little dachshund Pablo seems quite happy though. I do love a good dog in a novel!
As you would expect, there are plenty of ups and downs for both characters. Noah helps Izzy through her grief, but will there be romance between them, or are there too many obstacles to overcome? Of course, you’ll have to read the book yourself to find out what happens.
I love Jo Bartlett’s books. They are easy to get into, I am always hooked by the first couple of pages. I am really interested in babies and midwives (I’m a mum of five myself) and I enjoy reading about all the pregnancies, labours and births.
I love the team of midwives Jo has created and following their lives through the series. I enjoy catching up with characters from the previous books too. Each of the characters is very believable and you care about them and hope things turn out well. Gwen (one of the midwives) is always hilarious and comes out with lots of very funny comments. The dialogue in general is really good, often very witty with some fab one-liners.
As well as the romantic element present in Jo’s books, there’s always plenty of drama and the sort of things people experience all the time – friendships, family dynamics, health issues, etc. I loved how close Izzy was to her grandparents, but our elder family members becoming ill is also something most of us have to deal with, so it is easy to relate to her plight. Jo’s characters are always relatable and I think this is one of her many strengths. Her books don’t shy away from serious issues and you may find some of this story upsetting, but her novels are very engaging and always worth reading.

This is the first book I’ve read in the Cornish Midwife series and I shall now go back and read the others. I didn’t feel I missed out and the book stands alone. The characters are easy to love and follow especially Izzy a midwife and Noah the local Vicar. Although fairly predictable it’s a great live story and emotionally moving. Thanks to Jo and her publisher. Also thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

We return to Port Agnes for another installment from the midwifery unit although this time the main focus is on Izzy who is dealing with the prospect of her beloved nonna dying, a still birth for a patient in the unit and trying not to fall in love with the local vicar Noah as she has trust issues because her mum wasn't exactly mum material, along with trying to do her job as a midwife.
A lovely read although sad at times

Predictable yet heartbreaking - comes with a trigger warning for cancer and stillbirth

Izzy is a midwife, and usually lives with her Grandparents in Redruth but they are currently renting a houseboat in Port Agnes as they make memories together - her grandmother, Eileen, has terminal cancer.

Noah is a church minister who is currently questioning his faith after the death of a young man he was desperately trying to help. He is sent to St Jude’s in Port Agnes temporarily by his Godfather, in the hope that the change will do him some good.

Eileen finds solace in St Jude’s and in the company of Noah, who always manages to find the right thing to say, whatever the situation. He is introduced into the family and plays a pivotal role, especially for Izzy as she learns to trust him. The question hangs over them; will he stay?

This was a quick, easy read that i completed in a day. I laughed out loud and sobbed my heart it - it was quite a rollercoaster! Whilst I’m not religious, one of my favourite quotes of the book was ‘There are good things and there are God things. If you can only do good things at the moment, that’s enough’. I think this should be a mantra for everyone!

While the main storyline was a little predictable, it was the other themes of the story that made this a great read. The fact that Izzy was raised by her grandparents and the love between them, the midwifery and the amazing work of the team there, Frankie’s side story which was lovely nonetheless and the role the dogs played throughout.

There was only one part that I found a little too cheesy but otherwise it was a great
Romance. The cancer storyline was upsetting and all too relatable but it gave the whole thing a realism, and the way it was dealt with was, in my opinion, nicely done. I didn’t realise this was the fifth novel in a series, so will definitely be looking up the others!

I would recommend

I love this series by Jo Bartlett. Each midwife has her own story and this book focuses on Izzy, who is spending the summer with her grandparents on a houseboat in Port Agnes. Unfortunately for Izzy, her grandmother Eileen is dying and she knows their time together is limited. Vicar Noah is a great support for Eileen even though he is questioning his calling and his future. Even though Izzy and Noah find themselves becoming more attracted to each other, it becomes difficult for them to see a way forward.

Let me just start with saying that I adore the midwives of Port Agnes, their friendship and companionship just shines a beacon throughout the story. The main character Izzy is such a sweetheart and a wonderful character, who I was rooting for throughout the book. The other main character, Noah, wasn’t bad either. But I found him less interesting than Izzy.
This book will tug at your heartstrings, and while I do enjoy some emotional parts of a story there was just a bit too much sadness in this to make me feel-good afterwards. There was also some anger and guilt, especially from Noah, that just ruined the mood. But if you don’t care about that, or are less sensitive than me to that kind of stuff, the book is a great story about love, family, friendship and loss.

Life's beginnings and endings define this emotional and heartwarming story. Izzy experiences an emotional journey of loss and love. Her grandparents are lovely people who have brought Izzy up, and her grandmother's illness makes her vulnerable. Gradually she realises the value of good friendships and understanding from the other midwives and the new vicar, Noah. Full of poignancy and gentle humour, this is a page-turner that touches your heart. Authentic characters, a coastal setting, and an engagingly emotional plot make this one of my favourite books I've read this year.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Love this series.
Its a tearful story and the character Izzy once again in Port Agnes Cornwall has taking my heart once again.
The author is amazing of pulling you whole heartily in with a leap of faith. Readers are going to love this heart warming Joyful read. Have your tissue's ready its a heart throbber from start to the very end.

Another fab instalment for the Cornish midwives that really does tug on your heart strings, I wasn’t expecting to find myself fighting back the tears quite as often as I did but this book just really got to me.

I have fond feelings towards Port Agnes and wish I could visit somewhere like this but the church was a big focus of this book and it really struck me how things resonated so well to what was happening in real life while i was reading this as well.

Izzy is so lovely and I could feel her pain at every turn of the page, I just want to reach in and give her a big hug but there were so many emotionally strong characters in this book that you know she’s in safe hands.

I’m going to go and blub into my tissues now as I really didn’t want this book to end! Already booking my return to Port Agnes asap!!!

Another in the series about the Cornish midwives, and another great read, hope there will be many more books in this series as I and many others love and enjoy them. The more you read, the more you want to follow their lives. This book is well worth far more than 5 stars and I highly recommend it to all.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Have loved all of the Cornish Midwife series. Izzy moved to Port Agnes when she discovered her grandmother was dying. Her grandparents and her are living on a houseboat. Izzy meets Noah the locum vicar who's only there for a few months and isn't sure about his faith any more