Guest Review: Second Chances at the Hopeful Hearts Bookshop by Debbie Johnson

Single mother Jane can’t believe it when an invitation to Bonnie Bay falls from the pages of a book: the Scottish village she was supposed to run away to with her first love. Until he broke her heart, that is. But he’s far away now – and why shouldn’t she spend a summer there, daughter Beth in tow? They’ll snuggle up reading, stroll by the wild sea, and maybe even banish Beth’s teenage grumps.

But arriving in the charming village, Jane’s jaw drops when she sees a familiar pair of green eyes… it’s Rory Callaghan, her first love, and the boy who broke her heart. The problem? Rory is now very much a man. He’s taller, broader. His Irish lilt still makes her weak at the knees. And the sizzling spark between them crackles just like it used to.

Rory might be a long way from his Irish hometown, but he’s made a new home right here. The cozy bookshop is his refuge, and owner Moira his replacement family. So when Jane arrives it’s like an arrow through his heart. She’s still gorgeous, still his Jane. And the fierce look in her eye tells him she’s just as passionate as he remembers.

After promising to help Moira turn the bookshop into a community hub, and with Beth making friends, Jane can’t walk away. Soon, days at the bookshop turn into very late nights with Rory. And with them both spilling secrets, the real reason they broke up soon comes to light… but will this summer adventure turn into a second chance romance? Or will their hearts end up broken all over again?

Review: This is the second book in the Bonnie Bay series from Debbie Johnson. Bonnie Bay is a small fishing village in the north of Scotland with a wonderful community and, famously, the Edge of the World Bookshop, known locally as the Hopeful Hearts Bookshop with its reputation for bringing people together. Having read book 1, I couldn’t wait to dive into this sequel and reacquaint myself with some of the amazing characters I had got to know. As with the previous book, this one bears a highly colourful cover depicting components of the story.

This story concerns single mother Jane, who is surprised when a card falls from the book she is reading on which is written an invitation to visit Bonnie Bay, and particularly the bookshop there. By an amazing coincidence this is the very village where, as teenagers, she and her boyfriend, Rory, planned make a new start. All those years ago, he had broken Jane’s heart when he left her alone. Now, she and her teenage daughter, Beth, decide to take up the invitation and travel to Bonnie Bay. Jane gets a big surprise when one of the first people she meets in the village is Rory, who has settled there and is now a successful artist. Her first instinct is to leave the village, but she soon gets pulled into the community and involved in their plans for extending the bookshop into a hub and gallery. Even her grumpy daughter is happier there. When Jane finds out that Rory didn’t abandon her as she believed, she realises that she still has feelings for him and he for her. Could they have an opportunity for a second-chance romance?

I loved this compelling romance just as much as the first in the series. Once again, I was treated to a whole host of entertaining characters in an absolutely idyllic setting. I was truly invested in Jane’s story and willing her to make a home with the gorgeous Rory in this wonderful village. I really enjoyed meeting up with various characters from the first book and finding out what had happened in their lives in the intervening period. However, you wouldn’t have to have read the first book to follow events in this one. On the other hand, why not read both? I highly recommend these books to anybody who would enjoy escaping for a while to an absolutely marvellous and magical village. I’m hoping that there will be a Bonnie Bay book 3 soon!

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Guest Review: A Perfect Summer in Starshine Cove by Debbie Johnson

Suzie has always been the wild one. While her siblings settled happily into village life, she roamed the world – chasing adventures, collecting stories and running from that horrible day, sixteen years ago. But when it's finally time to return to the tiny Dorset village of Starshine Cove, Suzie must face everything – and everyone – she left behind.

There's her dad George, still the beloved heart of the village at almost ninety. Her sister-in-law Connie, who runs the irresistible Cove Café, where the scent of sugar and vanilla drifts on the sea breeze and the red velvet cake is to die for. And then there's Guy, a brooding stranger with secrets of his own who arrives in the village on the very same day…

As the summer unfolds and old wounds begin to heal, Suzie discovers that sometimes the bravest adventure isn't running away – it's finally coming home.

Review: This is the fifth book in the Starshine Cove series from Debbie Johnson, one of my must-read authors. Starshine Cove is a small, practically self-contained, village in Dorset. So small is it that it doesn’t even appear on a map and people often find it by sheer chance or as if pulled there by some kind of magic. It is a truly magical community where people all look out for one another and very rarely want to leave.

The central character in this story, Suzie, is the exception in that she just couldn’t wait to leave the village behind and see the world outside. Having left as a teenager and now in her forties, before this she had returned only for her mother’s funeral and then her sister’s wedding. Although unsure how long she will stay, she has finally felt that she should go back and visit her family, including her father, who will soon be ninety. On the day that she creeps back into the village, she encounters Guy, who is also arriving unexpectedly, looking for his daughter and unsure of his welcome. They seem like opposites to start with, as she flirts with him and he remains introspective. However, as they settle into life in the community, they become close and when Suzie reveals her secret she begins to rely on him and they can both see that perhaps their future is here in Starshine Cove.

This was a wonderful story, filled with drama, humour and also grief. I found myself laughing out loud at some points and sobbing into my tissue at others - typical of a Debbie Johnson book. The characters were absolutely marvellous. Having read the other books in the series, I was familiar with most of them, and I can see that Suzie and Guy will settle nicely into the village. I enjoyed watching as the pair began to change from the people who arrived in the village on that afternoon and relaxed into the atmosphere around them. I can highly recommend this book; it will have you coming back for more each time you put it down and leave you with a warm feeling long after it’s finished.

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Guest Review: Christmas Wishes and Irish Kisses by Debbie Johnson

From crying into Santa's beard at Macy's department store, to working the bar at a historic seaside inn thousands of miles away, Ellie de Vere has been through it all this Christmas season...

When Ellie trades her hectic New York life for the twinkling lights and snow-dusted charm of her childhood village of St Tilda, it's only to help her ailing father through the Christmas rush at their cozy family inn.

But all the festive holly, crackling fires and mulled cider in the world can't prepare Ellie for who she finds waiting for her back home. Her ex best friend Liam is also in town for the holidays... and they haven't seen each other in twenty years. He's now a devastatingly handsome single father with the same Irish lilt that always made her breath catch. If only he hadn't broken her heart irreparably all those years ago...

Can Ellie forgive Liam for what he did that disastrous final night in St Tilda? And is he even the same man she used to know? As Christmas approaches and old feelings refuse to stay buried, will Ellie finally find the courage to rewrite her future?

Review: I have been looking out for this author’s Christmas book, knowing that I would be in for a treat. Debbie Johnson has the knack of making me laugh out loud and shed a tear while reading the same book, but I always come away with a warm feeling inside. The title of this book suggested that it was going to have an Irish theme like last year’s Christmas story, which I enjoyed immensely. So I sat down to read this book, expecting to be entertained, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The story centres on Ellie de Vere, who is working in New York and is in a relationship with Tyler, but not sure about taking things any further. When she finds that her father in her Cornish home town of St Tilda is ill, she drops everything to go back and help him run his inn in the run up to Christmas. She has not set foot in the seaside village for twenty years, since her mother took her away to live in the USA. Soon, she finds herself face to face with the last person she expects to find in St Tilda - Liam Byrne, her one-time best friend who broke her heart before she left. He has come home to stay with his family for Christmas as well, bringing with him his three children. Both Ellie and Liam have done a lot in the intervening years since they last met and they have a lot to talk about and a lot of making up to do if Ellie can forgive and forget. In the midst of all the Christmas preparations and activities, can they find common ground and repair the relationship they once had?

I absolutely loved this light-hearted festive romance. Although, as I have come to expect with Debbie Johnson’s books, there were a lot of laughs throughout, there were also some sad and serious parts as well. Both Ellie and Liam had been through some hard times. Liam had lost his wife, while Ellie had a broken marriage behind her. While getting to know her father better, Ellie discovered disturbing things she did not know about her parents’ marriage. It was rewarding to witness Ellie grow to understand her father better at the same time as she and Liam learned about each other’s lives. Liam’s extended Irish family was a great source of humour, particularly his mother who coped amazingly well with an ever growing clan and always seemed so cheerful. I really enjoyed watching as the village prepared for Christmas while the snow fell. There was a lovely community feel about St Tilda, making me want to pay it a visit. I certainly recommend this feel-good romantic comedy which I shall certainly be visiting again.

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Guest Review: The Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson

Welcome to The Comfort Food Café!

It’s been a tough year for Maxine Connolly – so tough she's almost given up on finding her happy ending. But then she discovers The Comfort Food Café, shining like the star on top of the Christmas tree and welcoming her in to its cozy, cake-filled embrace for hot chocolates dripping with whipped cream, melty grilled cheese toasties and the funniest bunch of regulars she soon calls friends.

Then there’s gorgeous local Gabriel Moran, who looks at Max like she’s a present he can’t wait to unwrap – and she can’t help but think that, maybe, he’s just what she wants for Christmas too…

Review: This is the seventh book in the Comfort Food Cafe series from the lovely Debbie Johnson. I was very excited to hear that this book was in the offing as I have read all of the books in this series so far and looked forward to reuniting with the characters who have been introduced as the series has progressed. Each story can be read as a standalone, but how lovely it has been to read them from the start and build up a picture of the cafe and the people in the fictional village of Budbury where the series is set. For those new to the series, the Comfort Food Cafe is a magical establishment set on the top of a hill where a person can find just what they need to set things right in their world, be it a special dish or just the company of people good at listening. As a devotee of Debbie Johnson’s writing might expect, there is a fair amount of humour in this and previous stories in the series.

This story centres on Maxine (Max) Connolly, whose life has become very difficult for her due to a whole series of bad things that have happened one after the other. When her daughter, Sophie, sees an advert for help wanted at the Comfort Food Cafe, on impulse she applies on her mum’s behalf, outlining how low her mother has become due to her bad fortune. Although surprised by this, Max takes the job when it is offered along with accommodation, and both she and Sophie set off for Dorset. As others before have discovered, the inhabitants of the village and incredibly welcoming and make the pair feel at home. Among the sometimes zany group of regulars who frequent the cafe, Max meets the more sober Gabriel Moran who lives alone in a house he inherited from his great uncle. Their initial meeting was not too friendly, but they soon strike up a friendship which has the promise of so much more.

It was a treat to return to Budbury and the famous Comfort Food Cafe and meet up with familiar faces once again. I know I am not alone in wishing that the cafe was real. Max and Sophie were lovely additions to the group of people who arrived in the village and never left. Life had certainly thrown a heap of rubbish in Max’s direction and she was an amazing person to keep up an outward cheery persona despite it all. It was truly heartwarming to witness the gradual change brought about in her by the village and its inhabitants. She and the handsome Gabriel were made for each other and I was willing them on to get over their differences and strike up a romance. I can recommend this book and the rest of the series; I can guarantee you’ll finish the story with a smile on your face but wanting more.

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Guest Review: A Very Irish Christmas by Debbie Johnson

One part American sugar, two parts Irish spice. Cassie O'Hara is about to discover the recipe for the sweetest Christmas…

When New York-born Cassie O'Hara decides to use the money her sassy Irish nana Nora left in her will to book a month-long stay in a quaint country village, she's expecting a cozy cottage, steak-and-ale pie and plenty of Christmas cheer. Instead, she gets a draughty disaster covered in dust, a temperamental stray dog and two devastatingly handsome men vying for her attention…

There's Charles, the dashing English aristocrat with an enormous manor house and a heart of gold. And Ryan, a curly-haired Irish handyman with a past he won't talk about and an accent that makes her weak at the knees.

When Charles enlists Cassie's event-planning expertise to save his family estate, she finds herself working shoulder to shoulder with Ryan, breathing new life into Bancroft Manor. As village life weaves its spell, Cassie uncovers some intriguing secrets about Nana Nora's past. With her return ticket looming and her heart pulling her in unexpected directions, can Cassie find the love and belonging Nana Nora always wanted for her?

Review: I have been looking forward to reading this Christmas book from one of my favourite authors. She writes brilliant romantic comedies in wonderful settings. I just knew that once I started reading this one I wouldn’t want to put it down. It reminded me a little of the Christmas film the Holiday. I particularly liked this book’s cover, so striking in green, linking in with the Irish theme.

The heroine of the story is event planner Cassie O’Hara, who has decided to use the inheritance left to her by her beloved Irish grandmother to leave behind her native New York and spend Christmas in the UK. Searching online, she finds the perfect little cottage in a small English village where she pictures herself relaxing by the fire surrounded by Christmas spirit. The reality is quite different when she opens the door of the cottage to find dust and decay. Turning to find the village pub in the hope of a meal, she is intercepted by a small dog barring her way, but her fortunes improve when she is rescued from the whole situation by not one but two handsome men. The first is Irish handyman Ryan and the other is local landowner Charles, who offers her alternative accommodation in the local manor house that has been his family’s home for generations. While Ryan fixes up Cassie’s holiday cottage, she helps Charles with advice on activities that will bring in some income for his floundering estate. During Cassie’s stay, she also finds out some facts about her own family history. As time passes, she becomes attracted to both Ryan and Charles and they to her, but who will she choose or will she in fact return to New York?

What a marvellous Christmassy romance this was, filled with humorous situations and characters in an unusual setting. I loved the idea of the quaint English village that is so very Irish, filled as it is with families with Irish backgrounds. Cassie was a great character, so kind and helpful and not at all fazed by anything thrown at her. She has been unlucky in love in the past and then two lovely men are there before her - she certainly had a quandary. I loved the little stray dog who turned up mysteriously all over the place. The story was not all laughs. There were some serious issues dealt with and I was reduced to tears at times. I can thoroughly recommend this heartwarming Christmas book; charming setting, likeable characters and romance - what more could you want?

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Guest Review: Finding Hope in Starshine Cove by Debbie Johnson

Lucy Brown has spent years hiding from the world, as far away as she could get from her old life – and her ex-husband – back in London. But when she reluctantly agrees to leave her safe haven to attend her old friend Ella’s wedding in Starshine Cove, little does she know what’s in store for her down in Dorset…

When a chance airport encounter with a handsome stranger unexpectedly leads to a deeper connection, Lucy finds her trip becoming much more than just a last-minute holiday. But then her dark past comes knocking, just as she always feared it would. Will the magic of Starshine Cove be enough to heal the hurts that Lucy has carried with her all these years, or has this one-of-a-kind village by the sea finally met its match?

Review: This is the third book in a series from Debbie Johnson set in the magical and mysterious Dorset village of Starshine Cove, which is apparently difficult to find unless it wants you to do so. Once someone does find the village, its magic pulls them in and they never want to leave, but not in a creepy way. Each of the books can be read as a standalone, but reading them in order builds up a nice picture of the village and its growing number of inhabitants.

This story centres on single mother Lucy Brown, who now lives in Ireland with teenage daughter Rose, having left behind her life and marriage to a controlling and cheating husband in London. Lucy and Rose arrive in Starshine Cove for the wedding of one of Lucy’s oldest friends. They are both taken with the village and the people there right away. Lucy gets a shock when she encounters best man Josh, a man she has met once before in an airport lounge when there seemed to be an attraction between them. The wonderfully peaceful atmosphere of the village and growing relationship with Josh are disturbed for Lucy by an arrival who awakens in her feelings from the past. It remains to be seen whether this most magical of all villages can help Lucy conquer her fears and allow her to love and have hope for the future again.

I absolutely loved this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a few hours of real escapism. The village of Starshine Cove has drawn me in yet again; if only it were real, but then it would be full to overflowing by now with people looking for a bit of magic in their lives. As I have come to expect as an avid reader of Debbie Johnson’s books, this one has quite a lot of humour mixed in with the drama of the story - altogether very enjoyable. A very real problem faced by all too many people trapped in a marriage by a coercive partner is dealt with sensitively by the author. I hope that there may be more tales from Starshine Cove to come. I am enjoying getting to know all the characters who reside there and finding out how newer arrivals from previous books are faring.

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Guest Review: Secrets of Starshine Cove by Debbie Johnson

Cally, a devoted single mum, is stretched thin between caring for her clingy mother and her day job as a hairdresser with an always sympathetic ear. When her life in Liverpool is suddenly upended, she grabs her son Sam and jumps in the car to drive south for Christmas. Searching for a tiny speck of a village she once visited as a child, they nearly give up when a snowstorm hits, only to unexpectedly stumble across it: Welcome to Starshine Cove.

Amidst the welcoming – if slightly mad – locals, Cally finds some unexpected new friendships and even the beginnings of something more. But as the year draws to a close, she faces a tough decision: she and Sam can’t stay here forever, and the future looks a lot less jolly back home…

Review: This is the second book from Debbie Johnson set in the magical and mysterious Dorset village of Starshine Cove, so difficult to find but also hard to leave behind. It follows on from Escape to Starshine Cove, but can be read as a standalone story. I was looking forward to reading this book, having enjoyed the first tale about the village and its inhabitants. It proved one of those stories that pulled me in quickly and kept me coming back until the very end.

The narrative in this case focuses on single mother Cally and teenage son Sam. With Christmas fast approaching, Cally’s world caring for Sam and her needy mother while working hard as a hairdresser suddenly changes, leaving her with time on her hands, a strange situation for her. Without really knowing where they are going, she loads Sam into the car and sets off for a village where she has happy memories of spending Christmas as a child. When they have almost given up trying to find this elusive place, a sign magically appears directing them to Starshine Cove. Both Cally and Sam are astonished by the welcoming atmosphere in the village and the way they are absorbed into the community. One family in particular appeals to Cally, and, as she gets close to them, she wonders how she will ever be able to leave Starshine Cove and return to the life she knew before.

I absolutely loved this book and can highly recommend it, whether or not you have read the first story about this village. The storyline here has so much to offer, filled as it is with romance, humour and amazing characters, all wrapped up in a Christmas book. It is pure escapism, leaving the reader wishing that Starshine Cove really existed and that they could live among these kind people in this wonderful seaside setting - great writing from Debbie Johnson as always.

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Guest Review: Escape to Starshine Cove by Debbie Johnson

Ella steps through the gate, and within seconds is standing at the edge of the most perfect beach she’s ever seen – a small horseshoe of sand fringing a rolling blanket of sparkling turquoise sea. Breathing in the fresh, salty air, she wipes the tears from her cheeks. Surely, in a place as beautiful as this, she can finally be happy?

Ella Farrell has reached breaking point. Shattered by her job and her boyfriend’s recent betrayal, she grabs her stuff and flees down the coast. When her car breaks down a few miles short of Cornwall, she’s astonished by where she’s ended up. Not on any map, the tiny seaside village of Starshine Cove is almost too perfect for words. A cobbled lane lined with pretty, thatched cottages slopes towards a pristine white beach… has she finally lost it, or is this place for real?

Spotting a little café on the edge of the cove, Ella settles in. It’s not long before – with a wedge of homemade raspberry cheesecake in front of her – Ella finds herself promising Connie, the café’s Dolly Parton-lookalike owner, that she might just stick around.

As days turn into weeks, Ella warms to the quirky little village and the people who live there. Particularly Jake, the broad-shouldered, dark-haired landlord of the Starshine Inn. As they sip cocktails together at sundown, Ella feels they’ve been friends for years… except that her heart does a little flip-flop whenever their eyes meet. Jake also came to Starshine Cove by chance – was he too trying to run away from something?

Just as Ella begins to feel the tension she’s carried for so long beginning to ease, the past comes knocking on her rustic, driftwood door. Will Ella find the strength to embrace this place and forge a new path, or is Starshine Cove – and her growing connection with Jake – simply too good a dream to last?

Review: This is the first book in a new series from Debbie Johnson that centres on Starshine Cove, a beautiful and magical bay and community in Dorset that I wished was real by the end of this story.

The tale concerns doctor Ella Farrell who has reached a crisis in her life, which has finally culminated in her fleeing home after catching her long-term partner cheating on her. After travelling around aimlessly for a few days, her car breaks down and, seeking help, she wanders down a path that opens out onto the most perfect beach she has ever seen. Further exploration reveals a village of small dwellings and businesses and a collection of truly warm and welcoming people who persuade her to stay for a while. At the Starshine Inn, she meets strikingly handsome landlord Jake, who also wandered into the Cove by chance and decided to stay. As the days and weeks go by, Ella gradually begins to feel part of the community and that maybe this is where she belongs. She also feels more and more attracted to Jake. However, a near tragedy has her realising that perhaps she should rethink her future and that Starshine Cove and her relationship with Jake could be just too good to be true.

I absolutely loved this charming, heart-warming and romantic story, with its incredible setting and amazing characters. There is a lot of the trademark Debbie Johnson comedy throughout the story, but also some very serious and heartbreaking back stories and moments for all the characters. Ella herself has had a hard few years and deserves a large dose of TLC, but others in the little village have also suffered hard times that had tears running down my cheeks as they were related. The stories of cafe owner Connie and elderly resident George are particularly poignant. It would be remiss of me not to mention perhaps the most important character of all - Larry, a stray dog befriended by Ella as she arrived at Starshine Cove, who became her faithful companion through thick and thin. This is a book that I recommend to all. Fans of Debbie Johnson will probably, like me, recognise echoes of her Comfort Food Cafe series which I also enjoyed immensely. I am already looking forward to the next book in this series, a taster for which is included at the end of this book.

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Guest Review: The Moment I Met You by Debbie Johnson

It only takes a second...

For life to change forever.

Elena Godwin could never have known that her dream holiday to Mexico would change her life forever. She thought that she was in charge of her own destiny. But on a gorgeous summer evening, her whole world is ripped from her feet in a single moment.

Ten years later, she still can't forget the face of the stranger who held her whilst everything she knew was destroyed. Thrown back together again, Elena starts to uncover the truth around that fateful night - and questions whether she made the right decision all those years ago.

She only met him for a moment, but maybe it's not too late...

Review: Ever since I read my first Debbie Johnson book, she has been a ‘must read’ author for me and I have laughed and cried my way through every book as they were published. I never really consider what the subject matter will be before I start to read, so was totally unprepared for the rollercoaster I was going to be boarding when I opened this book to read.

The story begins with 26-year-old Elena Godwin on a fantastic holiday in Mexico with boyfriend Harry, but at the same time wondering in what direction her future lies. Suddenly, in the little mountain village they are visiting, the enjoyment of the evening is shattered by a horrific disaster and Elena’s life is shattered with it. However, she shares this moment of horror with a stranger without whom she may not survive and who becomes important to her. The narrative then moves on 10 years to show Elena’s life as it has become. Only then does she begin to discover what really happened that fateful night and to wonder at what might have been and whether she can, even yet, take a different path to the one she has followed since.

I thought this was a wonderful, tremendously moving story and can highly recommend it. It captured my imagination from the very start and the writing was so compelling that I found it hard to put the book down; even when I wasn’t reading, the story stayed with me. The descriptions of that Mexican village were so vivid that I could picture myself there enjoying the festivities and I could easily imagine the noise of the English and Spanish tongues and the smell of the feast that was being prepared. Then there were the different noises when disaster struck. The author very ably puts across how much survivors of such an experience, and indeed their families, are affected in the years that follow. Even years later, the sights and sounds stay with them. I really liked Elena, with her strength and strong sense of loyalty; I was delighted that circumstances allowed her to meet up again with the stranger with whom she shared the whole experience and that the attraction they felt survived along with them. This story is full of emotion; although there is heartbreak and tragedy, there is still a healthy dose of Debbie Johnson humour and the promise of romance along the way.

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Guest Review: A Wedding at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson

Return to the Comfort Food Cafe for the wedding of the year!

Wedding bells ring out in Budbury as the Comfort Food Café and its cosy community of regulars are gearing up for a big celebration…

But Auburn Longville doesn’t have time for that! Between caring for her poorly mum, moving in with her sister and running the local pharmacy, life is busy enough – and it’s about to get busier. Chaos arrives in the form of a figure from her past putting her quaint village life and new relationship with gorgeous Finn Jensen in jeopardy. It’s time for Auburn to face up to some life changing decisions.

Settle in for a slice of wedding cake at the Comfort Food Café – a place where friendships are made for life and nobody ever wants to leave.

Review: This is the sixth, and, sadly, the last book from Debbie Johnson about the Comfort Food Cafe, a wondrous establishment set high above the sea in the Dorset town of Budbury. I have read all of these stories and have very much enjoyed getting to know the cafe, its proprietors and customers, the town, and the newcomers arriving with each book and staying after falling under its spell. Although I am truly sad not to be able to look forward to any more novels in this series, I am sure that Debbie will still be skilfully entertaining us with subsequent books, and look forward to them. 

This story is told from the point of view of Auburn, daughter of Lynnie, one of the older inhabitants of the town. Along with sister Willow and brother Van, Auburn combines her work as the local pharmacist with looking after Lynnie, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. She has recently found a romantic interest in the shape of Finn, a Danish man who has come to the town to oversee the local school for supremely clever and inventive young people. At the start of the story, Auburn is attending a meeting of the local ladies who are holding a combined baby shower and hen do for Laura, who is expecting twins and getting married, both in the near future. The fun and laughter turn to shock following a revelation from Auburn. This secret, previously unknown even to her family, could have wide-ranging implications; in fact, its effects on her relationship with Finn are felt throughout the book. At the same time as Auburn is struggling with her personal problems, life is continuing in Budbury, with Cherie serving up delicious food in the cafe and generally looking after the community, the teenagers growing up and relationships forged in previous books thriving. The question is: how will it all pan out for Auburn?

I have loved every one of the tales from the Comfort Food Cafe series, but I think this might be my favourite. As always, I devoured the book in just a couple of sittings, laughing and crying my way through its pages as events in the town unfolded. The dilemma that Auburn faced and the need to rake over her past were heart rending. These worries were partially balanced by the humour in other situations and the description of the quite magnificent wedding that took place in the cafe part way through the book. I was pleased that Debbie Johnson softened the blow of having to leave the Comfort Food Cafe and the residents of Budbury by giving the reader her thoughts on what each of her characters might be doing in the future; nonetheless, I shall miss them. As you might guess, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to one and all. It can perfectly well be read as a stand-alone, but I’m sure if it is your first visit to Budbury, you will want to go back and read the previous books as well.

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Guest Review: Sunshine at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson

For Willow, the ramshackle café overlooking the beach, together with its warm-hearted community, offers friendship as a daily special and always has a hearty welcome on the menu. But when a handsome stranger blows in on a warm spring breeze, Willow soon realises that her quiet country life will be changed forever.

Review: How wonderful to be back at the Comfort Food Cafe, that magical spot in the Dorset village of Budbury. This is the fourth book in the series about the cafe, the people who run it, the rest of the villagers, and those who visit it and fall under its spell. I have loved each and every story, and was excited to read this latest addition. As usual, there is a mix of laugh-out-loud humour (apologies to those who were sitting nearby when I was reading) and real life experiences, some of them so heart-rending as to bring tears to my eyes. 

This book focuses mainly on Willow Longville, who has been one of my favourite characters all through the series. To those who are not familiar with the Comfort Food Cafe stories, she is a 26-year-old easily identified by her bright pink hair who lives in a cottage with her mother, Lynnie. Sadly, Lynnie is suffering from Alzheimer's, but Willow is doing a marvellous job of making sure that her life is as full as possible. Willow has siblings, but they are all off doing their own things, most completely unaware of the situation at home. Willow has her routine all in place, working at the cafe and running her cleaning business alongside caring for her mother. However, the arrival of a stranger, Tom, in the village is about to bring about big changes in her life that she never dreamt possible. 

It was lovely to return to the Comfort Food Cafe, with its glorious location on the cliffs overlooking the sea. Marvellous also to be reacquainted with the villagers of Budbury and, of course, with all the delicious food that is served up at the cafe. I'm sure I am not the only reader who wishes that it was all real. It would be packed to the seams if it was. As is usually the case with Debbie Johnson's books, there was loads of humour in this story, but also the heartache of someone dealing with a very cruel disease in a loved one. Anyone who has been in that situation will identify with Willow and salute her for her dedication. 

I would recommend this book as an excellent read for all ages. If you haven't read the others in the series, this could easily be read as a standalone story, but it's well worth catching up with its predecessors as well. 

This is out on March 8th UK and August 7th US

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US