Fern, Joy of Her Father

by Emmeline Bennett

Fern never knew her father, who died before her birth, but she bears in her middle name—Abigail—the testimony of his prayers for her. But she is far from the bold woman of faith he prayed she would be. When she agrees to visit an unknown cousin in Carnforth, she fears that her weak faith could never bring her through the ordeal—that is, until she meets Fred, who brings a sense of peace into her fearful heart. Curious to know the source of his peace, and further intrigued by the revelation of her father’s story, she is drawn to a deeper knowledge of her Heavenly Father. Learning to seek the Lord for herself and starting to trust Fred with her heart, it seems all is going her way—but when illness strikes and her life crumbles around her, will she finally surrender her life—and her love—into the Lord's hands?

ebook

Published May 12, 2026

About the author

Emmeline Bennett is an independent Christian author of sweet and clean romances, hailing from Somerset, UK. Having been home-educated through her teen years, Emmeline began her writing career at the age of seventeen, when she wrote her debut novel, ‘Laughter at Withy Hill’, a Victorian romance.

Since then, her faith journey has brought her into the world of Christian fiction, and she now writes romances with explicit Christian themes. She is currently working on her Jewels of Carnforth series, an interconnected series set in the English town of Carnforth in the 1930s.

Emmeline seeks to glorify God in her writing, making her faith a thread running through all that she writes. She prays that readers will be blessed by her writing, and that in some way they will be pointed to the God who inspires her.

Reviews

[Kellyn Roth]

This was an interesting read! I enjoyed the writing style and the cozy village setting a lot. The themes the book communicates are very timely and sweet, and I think the author has a real way with words. This book feels like something from another century, and that's good. We need more stories that remind us of the world of The Music Man, simply put. I would definitely recommend this to lovers of stories like Anne of Green Gables or even Betsy-Tacy. It has that vibe of "a bunch of young people are good friends and get to enjoy life and support each other," which I LOVE. We need more "community vibes" stories. This book is awesome, and I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a story that is light but not too light. It feels EXACTLY like a classic novel!

I'm sharing a few thoughts on this book below which are not universally "positive," but they are just my personal thoughts and not a reflection of the book or author as a whole.

To me, the historical setting of the story was a bit off. At times, the characters spoke and acted in a very Victorian or pseudo-Victorian way. The village felt untouched by the major changes of social and political climate in the era. This was kind of fun, but it also felt very jarring whenever I remembered that this was not Victorian or even Edwardian; this book was supposed to be set in the 1930s, and it didn't feel that way a lot.

I wasn't a huge fan of either of the main characters. The MMC seemed very condescending and paternalistic to me, and though I appreciated the representation of anxiety and other mental health issues, and I wanted to like the FMC because I understood what she was going through, I struggled to relate to her because I felt like she was *only* her anxiety. As someone who has had mental health issues all my life, I definitely know how hard it is to represent them without making them take over everything you are, so I am NOT saying that's a bad thing. I'm just saying it made it tricky for me to understand or relate to the characters.

Though the FMC, MMC, and all their friends are supposed to be older, they all felt much younger to me - like high school or at most college kids. The friend group in particular felt very immature to me ... not in a bad way, just in a way that differentiated them from what people in their mid 20s to early 30s are actually like. This is a big reason why it reminded me of the Betsy-Tacy series!

I kept thinking, "surely, the plot will start soon!" but it never did. :P And that's part of the charm of the book. I also had heard talk in the marketing (maybe?) about the FMC undergoing some great tragedy that made her unable to marry the MMC, so I was expecting her to have a tragic accident and become permanently bedridden. I was a little surprised by how minor the conflict was, and how easily it was resolved, and I felt like both the FMC and MMC were a little dramatic about it, given the actual circumstances.

I also felt some of the language around chronic illness and being a person with chronic illness was a little modern.

But these are just things I noticed while reading the book, that perhaps other readers might care to know about, and honestly, they're not PROBLEMS nor did they decrease my enjoyment of the book since I wasn't really viewing it as a modern book - I was thinking of it more as a classic. ;)

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This is a great historical romance with a faith-centred narrative. I don't often read romances these days, but I decided to give this one a chance. What a story! The author handles some difficult subjects with a sensitive touch including anxiety, faith, and chronic illness. I was both challenged and encouraged by the story, and really felt immersed with the characters and setting. Personally I would have liked more historical details to help connect with the time period, but the piece still works well enough without.
I recommend this novel to those who are looking for clean Christian romance in a less common setting, but be warned- you may want to have a handkerchief nearby! It's not a challenging read in terms of vocabulary or grammar, but you might shed a tear or two as I did during the odd bittersweet scene.
All in all, a lovely romance with lots to think about <3

[Cassie’s Writing Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I read the first page, it was like slipping into the 1930s with Fern. The description, dialogue, and character traits draw you in from the beginning.

Reading how Fern learns to lean on the Lord when faced with a new adventure in her life is the sweetest thing. You can’t help but want all the good things for her.

I also loved how Fred’s steady encouragement, dedication, and faith helped Fern grow as well. It was beautiful to read how Fern learns who she truly is in the eyes of the Lord. Loved. Cherished. Seen.

This is a fantastic story about stepping out in faith when we don’t see the finish line or a straight path forward. It shows that even though we may not know the way, the Lord does. He is with us even when life throws us unexpected trials. We can trust Him, He sees us, and loves us dearly.

Contains past death of parents, chronic illness, and kisses only.


I received a complimentary copy of Fern, Joy of Her Father. All thoughts and opinions are my own.