A wonderfully languid, enjoyable meander through lives touched by alzheimers. Touches beautifully on the emotions of dealing with this awful illness.

A lovely feel good novel perfect for summer days on the beach!

Thanks to NetGalley, I’ve read two of Debbie Johnson’s Comfort Food Café books: Summer at the Comfort Food Café and Sunshine at the Comfort Food Café. Debbie Johnson says she gets letters from fans wishing that the Comfort Food Café really existed. Don’t we all? A place where everybody knows your name and your favourite food, even if it’s a fish finger sandwich. Where, whatever life throws at you, a network of support will immediately materialise. An idealised village (Budworth) of eccentric characters, always ready to help each other out. There’s a fixed cast of characters based at the café, which is owned and presided over by earth mother Cherie. Then each book focuses on an individual character and her problems.

In Summer at, widowed Laura lives in Manchester, going through the motions for the sake of her two children but still grieving for what she’s lost. Then she applies for a summer job as a cook at the Comfort Food Café and packs her disgruntled children into the car, away from the city lights and down to rural Dorset. She fits right in, loving to feed people and happy to listen to their problems. She’s just the sort of empathetic person Cherie wants at the café and when her six weeks’ ‘holiday’ is up, she has to decide between the familiarity of city life in Manchester and a different life amongst her new friends.

Sunshine at is mostly about Willow, a young woman we met previously working at the café, notable for her bright pink hair. Willow has the problem of looking after a mother with Alzheimer’s while holding down two jobs. It’s a lot to ask and, this being the Comfort Food Café, she gets the help she needs. This is the latest CFC book and I liked it even better than the first. If you’re looking for feel good books, these are for you. They feature very modern people, living in an old-fashioned way, with romance thrown in for those who can't do without it. There are two more: Christmas at the Comfort Food Café and Coming Home to the Comfort Food Café. I’ve already got hold of one of them.

This isn't the first book in the series, but it is the first I've read. It stood alone and I didn't feel I'd missed anything by not reading the first three books before starting this one, but I will look them out as I enjoyed this very much.

I love the current trend for cosy cafe books, and this one didn't disappoint. I would have no hesitation in recommending it. A lovely read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

A welcome return to the Comfort Food Cafe - I love this series!! And they can all be read as a stand alone too if you've not already 'visited' so I highly recommend dropping on by!

This time the story follows Willow who is a waitress at the cafe. She is also a part time cleaner, and also full time carer for her mother who is suffering from Alzheimers and this whole aspect of the story is sensitively portrayed throughout and really showed the highs and lows of being a carer and having to watch someone you love not remember anything. Willow does have 3 siblings but they've all gone off to live their own lives leaving Willow behind to shoulder the responsibility and this often gets Willow very down. But with the support of the community she gets by and it is wonderful to see everyone pulling together to help out each other when needed.

When Tom Mulligan moves into the House on the Hill it brings back many memories for Willow, her mum and Tom himself as he grew up in the childrens' home that was there before and is looking to revamp the tired house. He isn't keen on company and has problems dealing with crowds of people, so when he first meets Willow she is the ideal friend for him to meet as she doesn't rush things! But they're soon getting along like a house on fire and share the same geeky and weird sense of humour which often had me laughing out loud while reading!

This was just a delight to read from start to finish - the characters were wonderful, the topics discussed were a great mix of the light hearted and the more serious and I'm just counting down the days until we get to visit the Comfort Food Cafe again - I just wish it was real!!

This series is fab! Another beautiful story of love, life and laughter. You can empathise with everyone in this book and feel a part of their lives. Absolutely loved it

The author has a real knack of getting human emotions on to the page within a brilliant amusing yet insightful story line. I really identified with Willow and the portrayal of her mum's Alzheimers was so accurate and sympathetically done. Willow and Tom are great characters and I love the way their geekdom is celebrated. A real triumph of a book.

I have read and loved all of the books in this fantastic series. This could be read as a standalone novel but I would encourage anyone to savour the whole series. Just when you think the series can't get any better, it does.

I love the community based around the cafe and would love to either live here or at least visit! A wonderful cast of colourful unique characters which are well rounded and intriguing, some are very quirky. This book is based around Willow's story as a carer for her mum who has dementia. I found this a very emotional story which was dealt with in a very real but sensitive way. Heartwarming and heart lifting.

Well paced story, I couldn't put it down and can't wait for the next instalment! Highly recommended with a cuppa and a large slice of cake!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is Willow’s story, she spends her time caring for her mother who is slowly losing the battle with Alzheimer’s. Willow rushes between her jobs and caring, juggling her life just to say still. She doesn’t have time for any distractions including the zombie killer geek who blows into town. I so love this series of books, highly recommended. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

-loved it, and can't wait to read summer at comfort café .Willow battles between caring for her mother who has Alzheimers disease, and her own happiness with Tom .I couldn't wait to see which won, it isn't until the very end that the reader finds out...

I had enjoyed a previous book in this series so was looking forward to returning to the Comfort Food Cafe. I enjoy the balance of light and shade that is created in these books, there are difficult themes explored sensitively which elevates the stories from being just a frothy enjoyable read. Thanks NetGalley!

I just loved this story, it was a really nice read. I laughed, smiled a lot, had tears in my eyes few times, but loved every word. I found it a little slow to get going but that all makes sense later on and it was worth the wait.

This is Willow's story, hard working, kind, loving Willow, with the Pink hair. She is such a great character, witty and sweet, looking after her Mum, who has Alzheimer's, all on her own isn't easy; not to mention juggling two jobs all on her own. However, she has the community who spend there time at the Sunshine Comfort Food Cafe and she meets Tom, who gets her.

I got all the feels from this story and loved every minute of it. This is a standalone read in the Comfort Food Cafe series, of which I have read one other. It was nice to catch up with the characters and although I missed two in the middle that didn't make any difference to my enjoyment of the story.

This was the first Comfort Food Cafe book I've read, and while it worked as a standalone, I'm going to go back and catch up with the series and get to know the rest of the characters properly. What can I say? It's like eating a big slice of cake without the calories - should come recommended by diet clubs! I want to live in Budbury, what a supportive, loving community. The book itself is a lovely story of Willow and her mum Lynnie, and the rest of the Longville family> Lynnie has early onset alzheimers and the world can be a scary place. I thought this was a lovely exploration of dementia - it didn't shy away from the bad times, but showed how there could be good times. Poor Willow is exhausted shouldering all the responsibility, but she has to decide if she actually wants help.- is she going to remain the bullied baby of the family or will she relate to her older siblings as an adult? When she meets the mysterious, awkward Tom, who has bought Briarwood, the big house that played a part in WIllow's childhood, we will them to get together. Mixed in is a big helping of village life, and I never wanted it to end! I want to see this on TV!

I'm always a bit dubious when reading the latest book in a series; will it be as good as the others, will the Author have run out of ideas. However Debbie Johnson has nailed it again with this installment .
This book tells the story of Willow and her mother who suffers from Alzheimer's. We see the struggle that Willow faces to try and live a normal life while caring for her mother. However a ghost from the past changes her life and forces Willow to live again with the help of her older siblings.
I loved the storyline, I always love the location and the characters are both charming and believable.
Now just need to pack my bags and move to Budbury and eat cake!!

It sounds like such a cliché but the Comfort Food Café series of books really do give you a warm, comforting feeling inside and inspire the feel good factor. Sunshine at the Comfort Food Café is the fourth in a series that just gets better and better with each book. Just when you think how can Debbie Johnson do it again, she only goes and throws an entire different angle to the story and leaves you feeling that you again have read an incredible book. This one in particular is very emotional and I'm sure will strike a deep chord with many readers. The fact that each book focuses on a new character or someone who has been waiting in the wings and now steps into the spotlight is what keeps this series fresh and highly readable.

I love how we are kept up to date with the stories of characters who may have been the main feature of the first three books but still new characters are allowed to shine, basically it's not a rehash of the same story over and over again. There was such an ingenious way of recapping on characters in this book for those that are new to the series which also acted as a gentle refresher for old fans. Not that I needed it as these characters and this setting are not ones that will leave your mind the minute you finish reading. Unlike other books I have read in this genre.

I can never find any fault with the Comfort Food Café series. All the characters are unique, some are quirky as in Edie May but all do provide plenty of laughs and humour whilst the people that need comfort, solace, advice or even acceptance are afforded this too. This special café perched high on a cliff top overlooking Budbury is a gathering/meeting place where the doors are always open, a chair always available, the coffee is brewing with delectable cakes and treats on offer. But most of all a sensitive, kind ear or a warm embrace when needed the most can easily be made available. It's found a place in my heart and with this new book that piece has only further widened to embrace Willow and her incredibly emotive and heart wrenching story.

Oh Willow, how you spoke to me directly from page one and throughout the story and this feeling never left me. Many personal memories came to mind when reading Willow's story and I think many readers will feel the exact same way whilst reading. I felt as if Willow was sitting next to me getting everything over her chest and what a difficult situation she finds herself in. But still Willow is a fighter but maybe now its time to let the doors open and allow help in. For continuously working through things on our own may not be best for all involved. Willow's life is one of constant multitasking. She works in the café and runs her own cleaning business but also on the home front life is not that easy. Her mother Lynnie is suffering from Alzheimer's and it is getting progressively worse, the days or moments of lucidity are getting few and far between.

The anxiety Willow feels only ever increases as she does not know what each day will bring. Will Lynnie wake up and know her today? Will she come out of her bedroom in the mornings in some outfit that really shouldn't be worn outside the front door? Locking every window and door at night for fear of her mother's escape is not something that should be on a young girls mind. But this is life and the daily reality for Willow and she will always do it for she loves her mother so deeply and if the roles were reversed Lynnie would do the same for Willow. Her sister Auburn and brothers Van and Angel have flown the nest. Angel is teaching in Scotland and when he did return to see the situation at home he couldn't get out the door fast enough. Both Auburn and Van travel the world from place to place inspired by the nature of their upbringing. If it had been me I would have been demanding more support from my siblings surely Willow shouldn't have to do everything on her own. Having every minute of every day accounted for. Life is for living, for being spontaneous and free but for Willow that is sadly not the case.

Willow's friends at the café are her support system, her backbone, when things get really tough she can turn to them and they will be there waiting. Laura, who is manger of the café is forever providing food when Willow just can't muster the energy after a long day. Cherie, owner of the café and married to Farmer Frank is full of wisdom and compassion. She will never replace Lynnie for Willow but still wise words and ideas are always on offer. Edie May, approaching her 92nd birthday although at times she comes out with the most cracked sayings, provides the balance of humour and wit to the more serious issues being described.

The one thing missing from Willow's life is romance, not that she is complaining about its absence or running out looking for it at every available opportunity. Still it would be nice to have someone to cuddle up to at night, someone to share her burden with in the absence of her siblings. The old house on the hill Briarwood, once a former children’s home and now abandoned for many years, has been bought but by who? The Budbury grapevine is a buzz with who it could be. Employed to clean out the house, Willow meets the new owner Tom Mulligan and his dog Rick Grimes. Bella Swan, Willow's dog, is instantly smitten. Might Willow too have the same feelings for Tom?

God Tom was just the best male character I have read about in ages. He wasn't brash or in your face, he just felt like this was an ordinary man you may chance meet and someone you could fall in love with. He wasn't up on some pedestal never reachable or attainable. He never felt out of Willow's league so to speak and when they realise a connection from childhood it meant all the more to the pair. Tom openly admits he is geeky and loves technology. He doesn't shy away from what he loves in life but overall he is shy and doesn't like to interact with people he does not know. He is awkward around people and has a strong preference for solitude. So to strike up such a friendship instantly with Willow was surprising for him. But maybe the point in time in their lives was right for Willow and Tom to meet.

The banter and one liners that flew back and forth between the pair was just brilliant. Everything just felt so genuine about the two meeting at Briarwood. Tom might just be the person who makes Willow see that she should just pause and take time to appreciate the way the world is at that exact point in time rather than constantly worrying about what the future may bring. What Tom does for Willow was so romantic and demonstrated the feelings he is beginning to develop for her. OK initially I thought she was right to feel angry but Tom could see the bigger picture at play and that underneath it all whether she realised it or not, Willow really was crying out for help.

The abrupt arrival of Auburn to Budbury could really have set the cat among the pigeons but Willow coped with it admirably. Auburn, now a pharmacist was very much a closed book. Clearly there is something bothering her but we are given no clues as to what. Does this mean Auburn will be the focus of a future book? Oh I do hope this will be the case. Even Kate with her young son Saul, who steps in and minds Lynnie when needed. She too seemed an enigma and that there is room for her story to be told. So much then begins to happen for Willow and the story of her mother and that of Tom become almost as one. Life is still not easy and indecision plays a big part in Willow's life. I felt both myself and the community of Budbury could see what needed to happen. But was Willow willing to let go and allow more people and opportunities into her life? Was her control too strong or will she begin to weaken? I mean this in a good way as I don't thinks he could have kept things going on her own the way she had been up until the point when we meet her.

The residents of Budbury and the friends in the café are all allies and cheerleaders in life and this is demonstrated to perfection in this book. There are lots of life lessons and morals to take from this fantastic story and to say I was completely absorbed in Willow's life would be an understatement. My only regret is that I read this book way too quickly and now I am left bereft at the fact I will have to wait some time to hear more from Willow and co or even someone else. This book was pure class from beginning to end that has left me screaming more, more, more please Debbie Johnson.

This series is just brilliant !! I really loved this book! Excellent story with brilliant main characters. I would recommend this book so much.

I requested an advanced copy of this book as I'd seen a lot of positive comments about the author on book club websites. I knew this would be a different type of book for me as it's not something I would normally read. Sadly, this book is not one that would change my reading habits. Firstly, the good points - the location is outside the normal cliches of Cornish seaside villages and is in a part of Britain that I love. Johnson evoked it very well and I felt like I could see the places she described. Furthermore the characters were mostly original and I loved the emphasis on many of the older people. But these were outweighed by the predictability of the plot and the overdone 'kookiness' of the lead character. In the end it felt like a long version of the Vicar of Dibley with no real plot development, just a series of vignettes of village life. Perhaps I needed to be by a pool with a glass of wine to appreciate it better as its definitely more of a holiday read.

A story of finding out who you really are underneath the barrier that you portray to other people.
Willow lives for today, she looks after her mum who suffers with Alzheimer’s with the support of her friends, (she likens them to Village Elders) who each have their own stories which have been wonderfully told in the previous books. She has her own cleaning business and works as a waitress at the comfort food cafe.
She meets Tom a shy but brilliant inventor and love blossoms amongst a great unfolding story of secrets and adventures - you will not be disappointed

Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for a copy of this book. As always, for me a book by Debbie Johnson is a must: a sure sign that there will be a great romantic read, lovely characters who are friends and family of the main heroine. Looking out for Debbie’s next book.

This is the fourth in the Comfort Food Café series, however having not read the previous books I can vouch that it works perfectly as a standalone book. The author has cleverly weaved a comprehensive run down of all the charters into the story which allowed me to feel I knew and understood their collective backgrounds well.

This book focusses on Willow, the zany, pink-haired, Doc Marten wearing waitress at the Comfort Food Café. The youngest of four siblings Willow grew up with her single Mum Lynnie in a noisy, unconventional, hippie household in the village of Budbury. Now in her twenties Willow is running her own cleaning business alongside her waitressing duties in order to make ends meet, as well as being the sole carer for her Mum who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Due to the free-spirited nature of her older siblings, Auburn, Van and Angel, Willow has been coping alone with only the help of her close-knit group of friends.

Employed to clean Briarwood, the ‘house on the hill’ that used to be run as a children’s home, Willow bumps into Tom Mulligan the new owner. On the surface the two couldn’t be any more different with introvert Tom preferring order and his own company the polar opposite to Willow’s chaos and noise filled life. Despite this the two instantly hit it off with their shared geekiness and a friendship blossoms. Willow is instantly attracted to Tom, even more so after unwittingly stumbling across him doing a spot of skinny dipping, however she feels she doesn’t have room for romance in her life alongside her other commitments and it’s too much for her to even consider anything other than friendship.

Cue the reappearance of her older sister Auburn who arrives home to help with brother Van being not far behind. Willow finds it difficult to accept their help and relinquish control after doing everything alone for so long, but could it be the chance she needs to spend more time with Tom?

The characters are very well-written and believable, I felt I really got to know them and was given a real insight into their lives. Lynnie’s Alzheimer’s and the struggles it brings are portrayed in such a realistic way it is heart-breaking at times to read how this awful illness has affected her life, as well as the impact it has had on Willow as her carer. This book has a bit of everything thrown in, humour, romance, heartache plus important choices that need to be made, but the real vibe for me was one of community and friendship. The relationships between the village residents who congregate at the Comfort Food Café is amazing and such a supportive network which proves invaluable to Willow – with heart-to-hearts accompanied by plenty of coffee and cake it’s a winner in my eyes!

This is the first book by Debbie Johnson I have read and I will be making a point of reading the other books in this series so I can fill in more detail about the residents of Budbury . I really enjoyed this book, it left me with a wonderful happy glow it’s just perfect!