Member Reviews

Another page turner from Fern Britton. I loved this book and enjoy her writing and the characterisation as you really care about them and dislike the ones you are supposed to.

A great read and can't wait for the next one.

Was this review helpful?

I didn’t know what to expect from this book but I loved it. You weren’t a newcomer to the village, you are a part of it.

The book coming full circle from the beginning was brilliant.

The pond dig made me laugh and wince.

More please...

Was this review helpful?

The Cornish village of Pendruggan sees a newcomer in its midst in the form of Angela Whitehorn - Reverand Angela Whitehorn. It seems that not all of the inhabitants of Pendruggan are best pleased at her presence. An enjoyable village drama and a gentle, easy going read.

Was this review helpful?

A very easy read this book with nice characters and a storyline that doesn't require too much thinking.

Was this review helpful?

I love Fern's series set in Cornwall, but i didnt enjoy this one so much.

Simon and Penny get the opportunity to move abroad for 12 months. Simon brings in a replacement vicar called Angela. She is married to Robert who is a very famous news reporter.

This details Angela's short, and temporary, move into the village and the things that happen. I didnt like either Angela or her husband, or her daughter who is a giant nasty brat, i found them very annoying to read about, the only character that kept me reading with Cecilia.

I will keep reading ferns series because i love going back to it, but i didnt enjoy this one at all.

Sorry Fern :(

Was this review helpful?

Thank you so much to netgalley and HarperCollins for an electronic arc.
Angela, her husband Robert, and their daughter Faith, along with Aunt Mamie have come to Pendruggan in Cornwall as Angela will be the interim vicar while the resident vicar and his family are doing outreach in Brazil. Having recently been ordained, Angela is looking forward to this new opportunity. She is very enthusiastic and has many ideas for bringing the community together. The characters in the village are an integral part of the story. Cantankerous Queenie who runs the village store becomes great mates with Mamie and they are hilarious, many laugh out loud moments. Descriptions of Audrey, the village battleaxe are priceless. But Angela’s over zealous interest in the community leaves her own family a feeling a little adrift. It seems to be putting someone else’s nose out of joint as well because Angela starts receiving hate mail.

I absolutely adored this book. I had never read anything by Fern Britton and was so pleased to discover what a great story teller she is. I assumed this was a stand-alone book, but skimming some reviews after reading I discovered she has a series set in Pendruggan. I will definitely be reading those soon.

Was this review helpful?

Sadly I didn't enjoy this book as much as the author's other Cornish novels.
I certainly didn't feel any of the storylines had enough about them to keep me that interested..
Not that I expect to be challenged too much by these books, they're a very easy read, but I do expect a little bit more intrigue or passion.
I really didn't believe in Faith's reasons for writing the secret letters or that she should have been the writer at all, it felt a little false for me and all glossed over a little too easily.
There was a lot going on but not much of consequence or substance and I was a little bored.

I like to think of this author as a very very gentle Jilly Cooper but maybe my time in Pendruggen is sadly coming to an end...

Was this review helpful?

We return to the Cornish village of Pendruggan just as a new vicar arrives on the scene. When I say new vicar I mean it in every sense of the word because Reverand Angela Whitehorn is newly ordained and starting a year-long placement in her first ever Parish.

Of course, Angela is nervous about her new placement. She has big shoes to fill, due to the much loved and recently departed vicar. Everyone adores Reverand Simon so Angela is bound to ruffle a few feathers in the close-knit community.

However, Angela has a great support team behind her in the form of husband Robert and daughter Faith. Then there is the wonderful Aunt Mamie and adorable Irish Wolfhound Mr. Worthington.

I read an interview where Fern was asked if Mamie was based on Joanna Lumley. She replied diplomatically that if her characters resembled real people it was never intentional. However, once this was in my head the character Mamie was Joanna Lumley. (Not the lovely actress of course but Patsy the character she played in Absolutely Fabulous). Whoever else would light up a cigarette in church, fall into the freezing sea fully clothed or go on a drug finding mission with a fellow pensioner? I need a Mamie in my life with her amazing anecdotes about meeting famous people, her glamour, her acid tongue, her refusal to grow old and her mahoosive heart!

I love Fern’s depiction of the more mature characters, I think this really makes her books stand out in an overcrowded field. Mamie and Queenie strike up an unlikely friendship and their zest for life and refusal to be invisible is so inspirational. They provide humour and pathos to the storyline and it just wouldn’t be the same without them.

The book is a breath of fresh air. The goings on in a tiny Cornish village will have you gripped from the very first page. The characters just come to life before your eyes, the description of the setting is realistic and beautifully portrayed and the plot is thoroughly entertaining.

Yet again Fern has written another outstanding page-turner.

Was this review helpful?

Another Fern Britton novel set in the same village as a number of her other books, and sharing some of the characters. Cosy and comfortable but not mind-blowing. OK if you want something which is not challenging.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed reading this tale and liked the inclusion of characters from previous books. I did not feel it had the depth of the other books and found this a little disappointing. Looking forward to the next book though! Definitely recommended.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this book but was disappointed as well because I didn’t feel it had the depth of a story compared with the last 2 I have read by Fern. This story was pleasant, light but not gripping and covered a range a improbable incidents that held the story together

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely brilliant. My first book by Fern and was presently surprised. It’s always great reading a book based in UK and especially Cornwall. The characters were believable and true to life as a Church Ministers wife!! I loved how all the characters were described even if some were annoying. Although I love a happy ending this book went in a different direction but all the same brilliant. Thanks Fern.

Was this review helpful?

Really enjoyable, easy to read story, parts of this book had me laughing out loud, Mami is such a great character though not the main character in book. Would definitely recommend

Was this review helpful?

This is a delightful take of a village and is characters and how they accept the temporary vicar. It is full of thrills and spills. The characters are brilliant, funny, and mischievous. The story depicts the village wonderfully and really brings to life atmosphere of this lovely place.
Total escapism, full of smiles. .

Was this review helpful?

When the Reverend Angela Whithorn and her family, husband Robert, daughter Faith and Aunt Mamie move to Pendruggan to cover for the vicar for a year it was never going to be easy following in a well liked vicar's footsteps.
This is a story of the struggle to fit in for Angela and her family and of the community's acceptance.to move on .
This book makes you want to laugh and cry as it has been written with an underlying emotional themes. I must say I loved this book.

Was this review helpful?

I had been so looking forward to reading this. I have read other stories in the same series. But this one just wasn’t as good. I found it very monotonous. It just lacked something. I had to keep putting it down and reading something else then going back to it unfortunately it never picked up or kept my interest

Was this review helpful?

i escaped to Cornwall and was immersed into village life. I eventually discovered the truth of the poison pen letter writer, and was able to emphasise with each characters situation. This was an enjoyable read which kept me wondering til the end. Highly recommended.

Was this review helpful?

Another lovely book by Fern. I loved the setting of this story and really enjoyed the characters that were introduced.

The perfect summery story that is making me pine for a bit of warmer weather!

Was this review helpful?

I have read a few books written by Fern Britton and thoroughly enjoyed them so I knew I was going to love this one and I wasn't disappointed .It made me laugh it made me cry ,the characters were so lifelike I felt I knew them !I loved being transported back to the lovely Cornish village .This is a story of community spirit ,love and changes with a lovely feel good feeling about it .I loved the characters of Mamie and Queenie and the dreadful Audrey.!!! Another excellent book. Many thanks to the Publisher,the Author and NetGalley for my review copy in return for an honest review .

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book, I thought it was a bit of a slow starter but after a few chapters I started to really enjoyed it. I thought that the setting was great and I really enjoyed getting to know the different characters. The book has a good flow to it and I really enjoyed the writing style. Four stars from me for this one – I really enjoyed the story

Was this review helpful?