Blog Tour ~ The Newcomer by Fern Britton

✨ Jaffareadstoo is delighted to host today's stop on The Newcomer Blog Tour ✨

Harper Collins
7 March 2019

My thanks to the publishers and Rebecca  for my copy of this book and the invitation to be part of the Blog Tour

Set in springtime in the Cornish village of Pendruggan, the community have come together to say a fond farewell to parish vicar, Simon, and his wife, Penny but this harmony is soon disrupted when a newcomer arrives causing quite a stir…

My Thoughts..

The prospect of taking over the running of an established village parish is rather daunting for Reverend Alison Whitehorn, as not only is the church at the heart of the village, but taking over from a much loved vicar and his family is a scary prospect, especially when this is your first ever parish responsibility. Undaunted, Alison, with the help of her handsome husband, Robert, teenage daughter Faith, and her incorrigible aunt, Mamie, sets out to win over the hearts of the people, which, it must be said, is no easy task.

The villagers of Pendruggan don't take kindly to change and for some, the idea of a new vicar making changes to an established system is an anathema, however, Alison forges ahead, winning over some, antagonising a few, and as the story progresses, it becomes ever obvious that not every one is happy about Alison's presence in Pendruggan. Beautifully observed, and described, the villagers, with their petty squabbles, their joyous moments and family tragedies, starts to come alive and whilst there are some villagers who you take to your heart from the offset, there are also some who, you soon realise, are going to be a whole lot of trouble.

The Newcomer is a lovely village saga, filled with drama and hidden secrets in a delightful Cornish setting. It's written with all the fine attention to detail and characteristic good humour which we have come to expect from this authors's fine writing. Fern Britton writes with such kindhearted warmth that you can't help but be drawn into the lives of the people she describes so beautifully. I was really sorry when the story ended as, so wrapped up in village events, I wanted to spend more time with Alison and the rest of the villagers of Pendruggan.

About the Author

Fern Britton is the highly acclaimed author of seven Sunday Times bestselling novels. Her books are cherished for their warmth, wit and wisdom, and have won her legions of loyal readers. Fern was a judge for the Costa Book of the Year Award and a supporter of the Reading Agency, promoting literacy and reading. 

Fern has recently turned her talents to acting, currently starring as Marie in Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s award-winning musical Calendar Girls. 

A hugely popular household name through iconic shows such as This Morning and Ready Steady Cook, Fern is a much sought-after presenter more recently presenting The Big Allotment Challenge (BBC2), For What It’s Worth (BBC1), Culinary Genius with Gordon Ramsay (ITV) and her advent series Fern Britton Meets (BBC1). 

Fern lives with her husband, Phil Vickery, and her four children in Buckinghamshire and Cornwall.

 Website

Twitter @Fern_Britton #The Newcomer

@fictionpubteam

Review ~ Coming Home by Fern Britton

Harper Collins
February 2018

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

What's it all about..

When the only place you want to be is home…

When Ella’s beloved grandmother dies, she comes back to the beautiful Cornish coast to heal her heart. There she finds her home again and discovers a new life, and new love… But she also opens a treasure trove of secrets.

Sennen left Cornwall a young single mum but unable to cope. She left her children, her

family and part of her. She’s spent the years hiding from her past, hiding from herself.

Now it’s time to come back. To Cornwall. To face her mistakes. To pray for forgiveness. To hope for a future with her daughter.

My thoughts about it..

This is my first venture into the Cornish world that Fern Britton has been so busily creating since her first novel, New Beginnings, way back in 2011. This latest novel is now her seventh book and whilst they are all stand alone stories, they nevertheless share a Cornish theme, with some recurring characters. 

In Coming Home the story starts with the lovely Ella who has returned to Cornwall following the death of her adored grandmother, Adela. That there is more to Ella's return becomes apparent when family secrets concerning Ella, and her brother, Henry start to be revealed. For not only does Coming Home focus on Ella and Henry, but it also gives us the story of their mother, Sennen, who abandoned them, into the care of their grandparents, Adela and William, when she was just seventeen years old.

Allowing both strands of the story to evolve gives a real insight into the way that Sennen's abandonment of her children affected, not just Ella and Henry, but also that of her own parents, Adela and William, who bewildered by the disappearance of their much loved daughter, then had the responsibility of raising two tiny children who missed their mother, so dreadfully.

At times, this was a quite an emotional read, especially when Sennen's life after her disappearance is laid bare, and I found myself looking forward to the chapters in which she takes centre stage. Not that there is anything lacking in the modern day story, far from it, as the author captures the hurt and bewilderment which even now, years later as adults, Ella and Henry are still experiencing. I enjoyed getting to know Ella, her boyfriend Kit, who is rather special, and her brother Henry, whose hurt and sadness over his mother's abandonment is still raw and palpable.

The author writes with a fine eye for detail and has a lovely way of bringing the story to life so that it feels authentic and believable. The glorious Cornish setting comes alive and whilst it is obvious that this is forming an important backdrop to the story, it is in the character detail where the story really comes alive. The sense of family drama and hidden secrets is a theme which runs throughout the story and is skillfully and emotionally explored.

As I said at the beginning, this is my first visit to Fern Britton's, Pendruggan, but after reading Coming Home, I am sure that I will be making further visits, perhaps even starting at New Beginnings and working my way along from the start.

About the Author

Fern Britton is a highly acclaimed Sunday Times bestselling author. Her books are cherished for their warmth, wit and wisdom, and have won Fern legions of loyal readers.

A hugely popular household name through iconic shows such as This Morning, Fern is also a much sough-after presenter.

Fern is deeply committed to a number of charities, in particular the Genesis Research Trust. She lives with her husband, Phil Vickery, and her four children in Buckinghamshire and Cornwall.

Website

Twitter @Fern_Britton #ComingHome

@fictionpubteam

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