4 ways ‘Poldark’ inspired this modern Cornish series
Remember when Poldark swept onto our TV screens just six short years ago?
For many of us, guest contributor Laura Briggs writes, it became must-see viewing, packed with romantic tension, melodrama, and—of course—the stunning Cornish coastline.
Fans’ devotion for the show crept into their social media, their travel plans, and even their reading choices, with books like Looking for Captain Poldark, Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun, and Summer at the Cornish Cafe.
Stories with Poldark-ish roots became such a trend, the Guardian even published an article with the headline ‘Rugged coastline and hunky blokes: is Cornwall the UK’s new literary capital?’
Even now, roughly two years since its final episode aired, fans of the show still crave Cornish-based reads.
If you’re one of them, I hope you’ll enjoy this look at how Poldark shaped my own book series, starting with the most important aspect of all:
The escapist setting
Craggy cliffs with scenic beaches, a stately hall, a cosy cottage and rambling gardens—it’s a world that BBC’s Poldark made us want to visit again and again. So, of course, I tried to capture some of its magic when crafting the sleepy fictional village where event planner Julianne finds a new start in book one, A Wedding in Cornwall.
As new event planner for the local manor house, she’s instantly smitten with her surroundings, despite being an ‘incomer’ with a lot to learn about life across the pond. She’s especially enchanted with the rugged cliffside views, where she’ll end up wrestling with more than one emotional dilemma while gazing across its sweeping vistas.
But the quaint side of the village tugs at her heart strings as well, especially Rose Cottage, the idyllic home of a certain handsome gardener. Which takes us to the next part of the series that owes its roots completely to the BBC drama.
The rugged hero
It’s no secret that Matthew Rose, the handsome botanist-turned-gardener in ‘A Wedding in Cornwall’ is a bit of a modern Ross Poldark. True, his circumstances don’t really call for reckless antics involving smuggling or jail breaks, but he’s definitely the chivalrous and protective type. He’s also still carrying the scars of a broken heart when event planner Julianne first crosses his path in book one of the series.
His quiet sense of humor draws her as much as his strength or the chiseled appearance that makes the manor house maids swoon at the sight of him.
Oh, and his nickname among certain villagers is ‘Ross’ given his resemblance to lead actor Aidan Turner—although he only wears a tricorn hat in Julianne’s sillier daydreams it would seem. As interim gardener for the local manor house, he does work quite a bit with his hands, of course…but shirtless scything is hardly part of the job.
The bold heroine
Much of Ross and Demelza’s tension on the show came from Demelza’s penchant for involving herself in other people’s affairs, often with disastrous consequences. Julianne has a similar stubborn streak that causes more than a few quibbles with Matt as their relationship begins to grow.
But also like Demelza, she has the best of intentions at heart, even when things don’t work out the way she pictured. Matt is mostly understanding when it comes to Julianne’s strong-willed nature, having first glimpsed it during their ‘meet-cute’ on the pathway from the manor house to the cliffs.
It’s one of her many facets that sparked his interest—although he admits it might also be the fact that when sunlight touches her hair “…there are strands of red that shine like fire.”
The romantic misunderstandings
On Poldark, romantic angst ran wild, causing heartache and havoc for most of the characters at some point. In Julianne’s world, matters of the heart are a bit less complex, but certain storylines definitely bear shades of Ross and Demelza’s more tumultuous moments.
For instance, when Matt’s seemingly flawless ex pays an unexpected visit to the village…or when a handsome young academic attempts to woo Julianne with poetry and admiration in a Poldark connection that fans will no doubt recognize. There are more ups and downs, more surprises, and plenty more romance to come as Matt and Julianne’s story continues to grow in my new series of full-length novels ‘Return to Cornwall’.
If you’re missing Poldark, perhaps you’ll find these and other similar reads a welcome addition to your TBR pile. And who knows—maybe the pages will even sweep you back to magical Cornwall, where excitement, romance, and impossible ‘what if’ scenarios carry you along like Ross’ trusty horse galloping along the shore.
Laura Briggs’ A Wedding in Cornwall novels are available on Amazon.