Well I really enjoyed this book! I was really taken in from the first page! I manage to finish this beauty in 1 day. It’s a lovely story and easy to read. Brilliant stuff

Thank you to netgalley and Harper Collins UK for allowing me to review The Newcomer by Fern Britton
This was a very interesting read. It wasn’t one which transported me to the area as I got far more into the various characters and their life challenges so that was great. I definitely didn’t expect the reveal so well done Fern.
It had echoes of The Vicar of Dibley -but not from Angela. I loved her gracious and down to earth faith yet no one else really showed any restraint in relation to language or lifestyle. The church was presented simply as a village club.
I did really enjoy it and read it in one day but it is fairly light so a perfect summer beach read perhaps.

Wow, definitely not what I was expecting. I’d anticipated a gentle, boring tale of life in a Cornish village, but this story had everything - death, mystery, intrigue - right from the start. When the Revd Angela Whitehorn moves her family to the Cornish village of Pendruggan for a year long post, she expects it to be an easy posting, but soon she’s dealing with poison pen letters, infidelity, health scares and domestic abuse. Can she and her family cope with all the issues.

I hadn’t realised that Fern Britton was an author until this book came along but I’m definitely planning to read more of her stories now. The Cornish setting helps but the wealth of characters with their own personalities made this story so entertaining. Their lives were filled out without being overly tedious and kept the story flowing.

A real page-turner.

To be honest, I haven't read one of Fern Britton's books in a while, but I have to say it was lovely. I got hooked on the characters from the very beginning and couldn't put it down. The story of a whole community, not just the main characters Angela, Robert, Faith and Mamie. It was well-written, and such a diverse collections of characters, along with a great story, reminding us how community should be. There were sad moments, along with happiness and self-doubt. It had all the emotions, and I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future.

This is the second book of Fern Britton’s that I have read - the first was Coming Home which I gave a firm five stars. The Newcomer however just didn’t seem to live up to Fern’s usual style. Although it resisted Pendruggan and a few familiar characters, the writing was quite flat and dull. The beautiful Cornish countryside was described perfectly - there was a real essence of being in the sunshine with gorgeous scenery. But the characters seemed a little weak - it is however an easy read and good as a Summer chick lit.

I really enjoyed story, the characters are interesting and believable. Fern Britton brings the English seaside to life.

Aghh, I hate leaving negative reviews, It was ok, just ok. I was just bored with it, it started off so slow, it did pick up a bit towards the end but I found this book a bit of a chore to be honest. This book reminded me of a book I would pick up and flick through that someone had left behind in a holiday rental or a doctors waiting room. Something to pass the time for an hour or two but not something I would normally persevere with.

Thankyou to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for my honest review.

It’s my first read by the author and I’m glad I chose to read her books.
I enjoyed the small town setting and all the great descriptions about it and even felt like I was there with the characters and living their life.
Not sure if the characters are present in the other books but they seem very interesting to say at least.
There’s love in the family as there’s drama and some twists that will keep you wandering what’s happening and how it will be solved.
Looking forward to more from the author.

This is a story of a newly ordained vicar getting the chance to look after her first parish in a small village with some small mysteries along the way.

I didn’t really enjoy the book but I didn’t hate it, it’s an easy summer read. I think it felt like it was trying to leave too many options open in case the author wanted to choose a different ending. Some characters were really built up and some weren’t who should have been, like the daughter.
There were still quite a few grammatical and spelling errors throughout the book too which was annoying.

Well, my first Fern Britton book, I wasn’t sure what to expect, the reviews have been mixed, but, I went in with an open mind. Got to say, I was very pleasantly surprised. The setting for this story, Pendruggan is a quiet Cornish village, I live in a village (in Lancashire, not Cornwall), and reading The Newcomer certainly rang true for me. From the vicar and the parishioners, to the quirky characters, the trouble makers, the gossips and the old dears, I’ve got to say , most villagers truly are set in their ways. I was laughing to myself at some of the idiosyncrasies that people have in rural England. Obviously Pendruggan has a LOT of drama, it wouldn’t make for a good story without it, but believe me when I say, some of the happenings weren’t too far-fetched. I loved the story (a whodunnit with some real plot twists, I loved Angela and Robert, in fact I loved them all, each one added to the story, and I have to say, Fern had me questioning the sincerity of the whole village at times. A truly addictive read. I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Welcome to the small village of Pendruggan, where the newcomer is Angela, the new vicar, with her husband, Richard, and daughter, Faith.
It's never easy to fit into an already established community, especially when you have some rather comfortable boots to fill. But That is exactly what Angela does: with her caring ways and modern ideas, she creates her own imprint among the villagers.
A story that was very easy to settle into, with romance, laughter, tragedy and celebration.
This was the first Fern Britton boon I have read and I will certainly be reading more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it !!! A bit of book withdrawal now . Nothing beats being tucked up on the sofa on a Sunday with a Fern Britton book . Can't wait for the next book ♥️

The prologue of this book completely misdirected me, I was expecting a cosy crime story, but instead read about a woman vicar taking on a new parish. The novel was peopled with ‘typical’ characters who may well populate a village and their stories were well told. The ending was quite sad as Angela and her family moved on to a new life having supported the residents through several months of turmoil and problems. Not going to win the booker prize but I enjoyed a quick and easy read.

A fun summer light read. I found the story line a little too predictable and everyday. Good twist at the end though.

A story that gradually sucks you in once you realise that this isn’t a village where it is all sweetness and love. This is a village with its normal share of people who both and hate, have grudges and affairs, and generally cause happiness and grief in equal measure.
There is a surprise ending to the mystery of the letters and a few tears can be shed in the last chapters if you are so inclined.
Overall, a well plotted and written book.

thank you for allowing me to read this book. it was very easy to read. i enjoyed the story line and the characters. look forward to reading more from Fern.

Fern Britton immerses the reader in the lovely coastal location of the Cornish village of Pendruggan, in what is my first read of the author. Spring has arrived and the local vicar, Simon Canter, his wife, Penny, and their young daughter, Jenna, are leaving to spend a year in Brazil. The new temporary vicar covering his absence is the newly ordained Reverend Angela Whitehorn, on her first posting, keen to do well and make an impression. She is married to Robert, a high flying political TV news correspondent, who has decided it is time to support Angela after all she has done for him within their marriage. Their teenage daughter, Faith, has left behind her circle of friends and is to attend the local school. Joining them is Angela's offbeat, bold and brash Aunt Mamie, a tower of strength, in the support she provides for Angela after the death of her mother. Angela is still griefstricken as she embarks on her tenure, vowing to do her very best to serve her small community, whether they are churchgoers or not.

Angela initiates a whirlwind of activities, she is a breath of fresh air as she sets up a women's group and bookclub, a keep fit running club, a blessing for pets, and the large project of locating and digging the village pond, long since lost and rumoured to be cursed. Mamie makes a beeline for the elderly stalwart that is Queenie, famed for her knowledge of insider gossip, who runs the post office and store. Queenie provides Mamie with a path into the heart of village life, who is who, and precisely what is happening below the radar, as the two women become fast friends. Robert's good looks and fame has many of the local women swooning over him, as he settles into his unfamiliar role as house husband, but before long he is supporting Angela by setting up a village website and social media presence with the help of Helen, the partner of archaeologist, Piran, who becomes involved in the pond project.

Angela finds herself pulled into the lives of the local women, their trials and tribulations, and whilst she experiences great success, there are problems. There is Audrey Tipton who has run everything before, and is not happy about having her power base challenged. Angela is plagued by her inner insecurities, worries about Faith's friendship with Ben, and someone is sending her poison pen letters, telling her she is not wanted. Fern Britton writes a compelling book, about marriage, being a parent, family, trust, friendship, loss, and community. This is a entertaining read, driven by the eclectic characters that inhabit the story, my favourite being Mamie, a wonderful example of a woman who refuses to accept that getting older is any obstacle to living life to the full. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

So when I do a book review I am brutally honest and I pride myself on being brutally honest so here goes.. I was quite excited to be given the chance to read this book, I’ve never read any of Fern’s work so I was eager to start, however I took an immediate dislike to the book due to the use of one word she used to describe someone, the word she used was ‘simple’. I think it’s absolutely disgusting to use a word like that to describe someone who may have learning difficulties. I am a mother to 3 kids 2 of which have learning difficulties so as you can imagine I was fuming, but I persevered with the book because I wanted to give my followers an honest review on the full book not just one word. So putting that word aside I did start to enjoy the book and found myself falling in love with Mamie and Queenie they were an absolute hoot especially when they were stoned, it was laugh-out-loud funny . I loved the village of Pendruggan and everyone in it. If it wasn’t for that one word that Fern used to describe Tony then it would have got top marks from me. If you take offence to words like that but could see it upon yourself to ignore it then I think you’d definitely enjoy this funny, witty and lovely book. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I love Fern Britton's books - they are so heartwarming and cosy. This novel returned to Pendruggen and it was like meeting old friends again. It was great to meet some new characters and lovely to catch up with some from previous novels. However, I think this novel could also be enjoyed as a standalone book although I would recommend Fern's previous books too.

I really liked the character Angela and was rooting for her throughout the book. There are a fantastic cast of supporting characters too. I particularly loved Angela's Aunt Mamie with her outrageous stories of her flamboyant life which made me laugh.

A delightful light hearted feelgood novel about family, relationships, friendship, community spirit, secrets and love. Perfect for a lazy weekend. I was sad to finish it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've enjoyed the previous books in the Pendruggan series and although it's not necessary to have read them before trading this one, it does help to place some of the characters and understand the relationships.
This book deals with the departure of the vicar on a years sabbatical and the arrival of his temporary replacement. The local residents take her to their hearts by and large although there is some resistance, but a campaign of anonymous letters begins causing her to doubt her worth.
There are lots of gems of village life and some good understanding of the jockeying for position in a small community.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and have no hesitation in recommending it.