I’d like to thank HarperCollins and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Newcomer’ by Fern Britton in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The ‘newcomer’ of the story is the Revd Angela Whitehorn who, together with her husband Robert, daughter Faith and Aunt Mamie, takes over the parish of Pendruggan for a year while the previous Reverend Simon Canter goes to Brazil to continue his good works. Angela is determined to make a mark on the parish and when Simple Tony suggests digging for a long-forgotten pond she’s very enthusiastic. But Angela soon receives poison pen letters which become very personal and she wonders if she’s made the right decision to uproot her family and move to Cornwall to take over the parish.

‘The Newcomer’ is a gentle and warm story of life in a Cornish village, well-written and empathetic. There are a number of interesting and amusing characters such as Queenie, Audrey and Geoffrey woven into the story who I became more involved with as I continued reading. I’d have preferred not to have a prologue as I thought it spoilt the plot somewhat but the twist at the end more than compensated. I thought it was a lovely story which I enjoyed reading.

My Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review. I requested this, having previously read The Postcard, also by Fern Britton which, having overcome my initial prejudice against this genre of fiction, I ended up really enjoying. It was a great delight to meet up again with some of the original characters that inhabit the delightful fictional coastal village of Penndruggan in Cornwall. The action is again centred on the vicarage, but there are now temporary occupants, the permanent vicar and his family having gone off to do humanitarian work abroad. The temporary occupant is Angela, taking up her very first posting and with her come, husband, teenage daughter and aunt, all big characters in their own right. Angela is determined to make a difference during her short stay.

This is a warm comfort story with some tougher underlying themes to stop it being entirely a tale of a cosy fantasy world. It does look at some women’s issues, all be it rather superficially. To go into any depth would be to spoil the idyll. There are also some lovely moments of humour. Having read several gritty or poor novels, an occasional escape into a world which we all wish we could inhabit, is good. But as I said of the previous novel, great literature it ain’t. It’s comfort reading with some thought behind it

Revisiting the village of Pendruggan with Fern is like enveloping oneself in a huge comfort blanket. As with the previous books, of which this is the third I have read, they stand one their own without the need to have read the others in the series. *It's like coming home and revisiting old friends in this enjoyable easy gentle read. Each one of the books focuses on a different inhabitant on this Cornish village, this time it is the turn of the locum vicar whilst the usual incumbent is on a sabbatical. There is the usual mix of fun, laughter, sadness, problems, traumas plus a little crime within a small community with all the quirkiness that makes up a country village.

Fern's writing draws you into this close knit community and is perfect for a holiday read either curled up in front of a log burner or relaxing in the sun.

I love being transported to Cornwall by Fern Britton’s books, her descriptions of the locations and village life are bliss for me.

This book was full of every emotion, and the characters were so real to life I could relate to them all , we all know some of them in our lives.

Angela Whitetorn is the newly ordained vicar who will look after the parish of Pendruggan for a year. Robert her dashing husband and Faith her teenage daughter accompany her. Angela’s Aunt Marnie joins the family and adds fun and eccentricity to the family. Angela is determined to leave her mark on the village but finds this a struggle with lots of obstacles being put in her way.

When she receives unpleasant letters her life and happiness is put in the balance? But who could be behind them? Can someone really dislike her so much? These questions had me guessing but I still was shocked to find out the culprit.

It was only when I read the finishing pages of the book the beginning of the story became clear to me, a very clever and original concept which tied up the loose ends perfectly.

This book will transport you to Cornish village life and you will feel part of the community without ever leaving home. A lovely gentle read.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this fantastic book

A Wonderful Visit with Old and New Friends, 5 Stars 🌟

In Ms Fern Britton’s latest book The Newcomer, Reverend Simon Canter and his wife Penny are taking a year-long placement in Brazil, leaving the parish of Pendruggan needing a temporary Reverend, welcome Reverend Angela Whitehorn, her husband Robert, daughter Faith and colourful Aunt Mamie.

This secondment is Angela’s first placement since becoming fully ordained and she is desperate to make a good lasting impression; including introducing a host of new activities/clubs to the villagers, which isn’t initially well received by everyone in the village. Although it isn’t long that amongst the many new activities including the Running Club, Animal Blessings, the Pendruggan Association of Ladies and of course the Big Village Pond Dig that both the villagers (and readers alike) full in love with the newest albeit temporary addition to their village.

I don’t want to include any spoilers but the book opens with a life-changing traumatic event which we are then gently guided through the events that culminate to that fateful night. As always when exploring so many characters you can expect laughter and tears and Ms Britton has covered the subjects addressed with her own uniquely sympathetic and sensitive style.

Although this book is part of a ‘series’ it is possible to read as a standalone in its own right. However, I will warn you that once you visit the wonderful fictional village of Pendruggan it is like visiting with old friends (both the wonderful and quirky) and you will find yourself wanting to visit again and again, making this latest addition a definite must read for all fans of Ms Britton’s writing both new and old!

For your information, I received my copy as an ARC however, this does not influence my opinions as all opinions are my own.

This was a ‘nice’ quick read, but, I did skip a few bits and felt deflated at the end. Several days later, now I am thinking about it, I find that I am very unhappy with the behaviour of every character except Mamie....and she was killed off at the end....shame... I have read a few of Fern’s books but so far this is the one I have least liked, I will try one more just in case this is merely a blib in an otherwise ok writer’s repertoire.

Reverend Angel Whitehorn arrives with her husband and daughter to the small village of Pendruggan in Cornwall as caretaker whilst the present vicar and his family go to Brazil for a year.
It her first placement and she wants so much to be welcomed but as in village there are strong characters already in place. The family are joined by Angela's aunt who is a vibrant character to say the least.
Anglea starts making footsteps into the community and then the poisonous letters start arriving. Who is behind them and who doesn't want her there? Who knows her secrets and those of her parishioners?
This is the book to curl up with and not put down to the last page and will not disappoint..

Fern has produced another hit in her Pendruggan series. Whilst Simon the vicar and his family go to Brazil for a year, newly ordained Angela Whitehorn and her family take up residence in the vicarage. Aunt Mamie, with her wonderful travel tales and meetings with famous people was a well drawn character and it was easy to forget her fate as described in the prologue. Angela was a mixture of a strong woman doing a job she loved, a wife with insecurities and a mother with a teenage daughter growing up too fast.
As usual the book was filled with humourous episodes, but throughout the story there was a thread of sadness and it was not until I read the acknowledgements at the end that the reason became apparent.
However, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Pendruggan and cannot wait for the next instalment.

I have just finishied reading this book. I have laughed and cried, tried to puzzle out who was ‘doing what’, was concerned that I could see an affair about to start. In fact I fully engaged with this story of a vicar, and her family, beginning her first parish in a Cornish village. The vicar’s ups and downs and, particularly, her tussles with the village battle ax brought me firmly on her side and longing to see what would happen next.
This is a very easy read which is full of, obviously, carefully crafted characters and their interactions. I absolutely loved it and felt I had to share snippets with the family with whom I am on holiday!
I thoroughly recommend it and have, already, been telling people that they must read it

Angela is determined to leave her mark on the village where she is to be the vicar for a year . Not everything turns out as planned, and her family's happiness is put in jeopardy .Really enjoyable book, characters well written, some laugh out loud moments, some sad . Fern Britton has written another best seller.

This is the 2nd Fern Britton booked I've read and just as good as the first.

Angela Whitehorn goes to Pendruggan in Cornwall for a year as a newly ordained vicar along with her husband and daughter. She's taking over from Simon who's going to Brazil for a year.

Angela hopes to make some good additions to the community but is met with opposition from Audrey Tipton who believes she commands everything in the village.

Well I’ve never read a Fern Britton book before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I think it’s a bit Midsomer Murders, a bit Agatha Christie and a bit Agatha Raisin.
A gentle tale about a lady vicar who moves to her first parish in Cornwall, how she gets there, what happens whilst she’s there and how things are not always what they seem.

Was absolutely thrilled to get Fern Britton's new book having devoured all her others. Immediately I was immersed in Pendruggan and delighted in all its characters. A engaging story woven around the newcomer Angela and her family and very lively Aunt Mamie when they come to look after the parish for a year. Angela gets stuck in to village life initiating some new ideas much to the consternation of the very upstanding Audrey! Things go a little awry when Angela recieves some unpleasant mail and a villager befalls an unfortunate accident, and things in her family aren't as they seem. There are some hilarious moments between Queenie and Mamie. The story takes you full circle from its opening pages. Another excellent book, which I thoroughly enjoyed...it was one that I was sad to finish. Highly recommend

Fern Britton never ceases to amaze me when she writes about this fictional village. By page two I am in the story line watching the people as if they were my family
This book follows the story of a newly qualified vicar and her family as they take on the task of holding together a small village,Pendrugan by looking after the church and its family whilst the current vicar works in Brazil for a year
Angela,Robert and faith move in to caretake the church and vicarage. Shortly followed by Mamie, Angela's slightly excentric aunt, her dad passed away years before but her mum died leaving her with just Mamie and her little family
Angela is a part of the story that I feel Fern most in,the emotion so raw at time at the loss of her mother and the way a village encompasses her and takes her in as their own also mimics Ferns real life and that is what comes through in this story raw emotion, extreme love for her husband ( very handsome like Fern's) and her child
It's because of that emotion that I think I have loved this book more than any other she has written, I loved all them but I felt connected to Angela the vicar and I fell in love with this village in Cornwall
I cannot sing my praises enough for this fabulous book

When your main family characters are a vicar, her journalist husband, teenage daughter and a wayward aunt; add in a move to a small Cornish village and a few local characters then you know you’re in for an interesting read!

A great light hearted read that also deals with some darker issues.

This was a delightful story of life in a typical Cornish village. A good storyline and great characters with a big feel good factor. I still miss my years living in Cornwall and this story takes me back again.. Loved it!

When I’m having a bad or gloomy day, I know I can count on Fern Britton to bring me out of my slump, so I was delighted to be able to read her newest book on one of the coldest and snowiest days of the year. In the middle of my mid winter slump I was transported to springtime in Cornwall, heaven! This book begins with the departure of a much-loved vicar and the arrival of his replacement, Angela Whitehorn and her husband, Robert. Not everyone takes kindly to Angela’s more progressive ideas for the village and she begins receiving a series a nasty letters. When she refuses to back down, it becomes obvious that her anonymous tormentor will stop at nothing, including spilling secrets no one wants made public. The idea of faith and feminism together is unique, Britton doesn’t go over the top with the religious aspect of her story, just presents it in a quiet and steady fashion and as a backdrop to a wider story