The Postcard

Product Information

Although this is another book set in Pendruggan, and I did love my return to Trevay, this is definitely a standalone book, and the few recurring characters that were present really were there in a minor way this time around. The Postcard is a compelling read, made all the more so thanks to the stunning Cornish setting. You can tell how much Britton adores the place because the seaside walks and descriptions of village life are so lovingly told. You can almost smell the salty sea air and picture the rounders match at the Pendruggan summer fair. Sennan leaves emotional chaos behind her. Her parents are responsible for raising Sennan’s children and, through the non-linear narrative, we learn about each generation and how the past meets the present. Not much time is spent on Sennan’s parents, the writer mostly focusing on Sennan’s story and her children – Ella and Henry. Moving from Cornwall to India, I loved the “sunshine feel” of this narrative and felt literally and emotionally warmed whilst reading this story.

And who the hell thinks inviting your new family to a huge event for your old (abandoned) family without mentioning it yo anyone is a good idea?! Apparently I'm the only one who thinks that's not normal behaviour. The characters in the book certainly acted as if it was normal... well apart from Henry... (See my next comment) I love programmes for gardeners on TV and radio. There are so many areas to be covered and tastes to suit. I’d like to do a programme about winter gardening. Not just the beauty of the things that survive and thrive through the winter but how to add light and sound and mirrors to turn it into a magical winterland. Set in a small village in Cornwall, the novel was warm and welcoming. There were an eclectic mix of characters who endeared themselves to the reader. It was a pleasure to get to know them. If you've read 'The Postcard' by Fern Britton, a couple of the characters may be incredibly familiar for you when you read this book. Don't worry, you're not going crazy!Sennen is a woman that leaves her hometown, her parents and her two little children (Ella and Henry) at 17-years-old because life gets too hard to handle. She has had issues with her family in the past, and those problems soon rear their ugly heads again and threaten to unsettle Penny and her family once more. Her sister, Suzie, is another pretty ghastly character which does distract a little from the main flow of the book. In 2011 Fern Britton would write her first novel, which would be titled ‘New Beginnings,’ and it would be a stand-alone romance novel. The following year in 2012 she would start her ‘Hidden Treasures’ series of romance novels, starting with the book also named ‘Hidden Treasures.’ These titles would fast see her becoming successful, as many would come to appreciate her as a fully fledged author in her own right.

Ella is that outsider, she becomes involved in Penny's life through looking after Jenna as well as working for Penny's new next door neighbour Kit. Ella though is in Pendruggan for another reason, she has come to speak to her grandmother's solicitor about her legacy - trouble is Ella is not the recipient that is Ella's mother who walked out and left Ella and her brother a very long time ago. Over the course of the book we learn a lot about Adela and William's relationship, and what Sennen was like as a child. We see what Sennen has been doing from when she ran away, and also what her children are doing in the present.Fern Britton's books are always such a delight to read. They are set in Cornwall and have such vividly drawn characters that you can imagine settling down over a glass of prosecco to have a chat. This review is part of The Postcard blog tour. Thank you very much to HarperCollins for sending me the book.