Cover Image: A Wedding at the Comfort Food Café

A Wedding at the Comfort Food Café

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Member Reviews

I’ve read all of Debbie Johnson’s comfort food cafe series and loved every one of them. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this one as much. The story was too long and I got disinterested reading about the love triangle. I enjoyed catching up with the other characters. I do look forward to the next one, if there is one, and this book wouldn’t put me off reading any more. Not the best in the series.

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Debbie is one of my all time favourites authors, especially this series of the comfort food cafe.
Auburn Longville is the former wild child turned pharmacist, brilliant red hair (hence the name) with a few bad habits (trying to stop smoking, drinks too much on occasion), she has turned her life around and her new relationship with Finn Jensen seems to be going really well. Then, in what Auburn refers to as 'Diary Irony', someone from her past comes to sleepy Budbury to stir things up and utimatley lead Auburn to question her life.

I've got to say I just love this series, set in a small village and centred on the Comfort Food Cafe run by the lively eccentric Cherie who is always full of delicious cake, wild parties, real life family dramas and second chances. This book is yet another gem.

Its part of a series but you dont have to read them all, you can read them all as a standlone book or a set.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
Absolutely loved this book! Couldn't read it quick enough!

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This was the last book in the series and I would recommend that the books are read in order.
Didn’t enjoy this book as much as the others in the series however it did finish off the story nicely.

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I adored this book and it is guaranteed to make you feel every emotion possible. The world building is outstanding and as you read you can feel yourself there, the writing is that good. Characters that are quirky and hilarious this book is guaranteed to lift you up. I devoured the entire book without realising it. Cannot wait to read more.

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I received a digital arc of this from @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've read each book in this series and loved each one. As soon as I picked the book up I was immediately transported back to the town of Budbury and felt like I was back among friends. I quickly remembered who each character was and couldn't wait to get back in to their stories.

However this book was tinged with sadness for me as I knew it was to be the last book in the series. I think that's why I took longer reading it than the others in the series - I knew when I finished it, that would be it - and I wasn't ready for it to be the end. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to these characters for the final time.

I did love the book though and I fully understand the author's decision to end the series now. I've loved when whole lot, so thank you Debbie Johnson - I thoroughly enjoyed the ride!!

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Another absolute winner from Debbie. Sad to see the end of the Comfort Food Café but lovely to see all the characters again. A brilliant series.

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This is the Last book of the "Comfort Food Café" series and what a lovely one! This book is all about friendship and help within a small community. If only every village could be as the one as the one where the Comfort Food Café is, the world would be a much better place! In this village everybody help each other and it's so lovely to read! In this book we follow Auburn, a woman who tries to forget her wild past and her toxic ex-lover and to rebuild a brand new life in this little village but her past is going to suddenly reappear and she will have to make some tough choices. I recommend this book which can be read as a standalone even though it's part of a series. You will be able to understand everything that's going on even if you haven't read the other previous books. I give this book a 4 stars out of 5!

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Nice feel good read. Perfect for the summer months. Easy to read, nice simple storyline that just keeps you happy and interested in reading more

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In the acknowledgements Debbie herself has admitted she is sad that this is the last book but that the time is right to end things as authors quite often keep a series endlessly running simply for the money and because it's easier. But when the ideas have run out and the series is still fresh and innovative now is the time to finish things. I would have hated to see the Comfort Food Cafe dragged out just for the sake of it because everything the readers have loved about this series would have been tainted if future books just didn't have the same feeling and warmth. I feel it is fitting to conclude now and end things on a high and throughout the story I felt there was a real feeling of tying up loose ends.

Auburn's story is the last to be told but that doesn't mean we don't get to hear from other characters or see further development of their plots from previous books. As usual there is plenty of recapping of previous books in a paragraph or two which allows new readers to become familiar with what has already happened. To be honest though, as this has been such a good series this last book would not the ideal starting place and to appreciate just how special Budbury, the café and all the wonderful people we have met truly are, you should read from the very beginning. Trust me there would be no better enjoyment than sitting and reading each book one after the other and just getting caught up in the magic that Debbie Johnson has created.

As we return to the café perched high on a cliff top that overlooks the sea, the characters I have become so familiar with are preparing for a big event. Laura who was the first person to feature is about to get married to vet Matt. She is eight months pregnant with twins and all the women she has grown so close to are gathered together to hold a little party in anticipation of the upcoming wedding. When each person is tasked to describe their dream wedding, Auburn is caught in a conundrum. She returned to the village last year to help care for her mother Lynnie who has alzheimer's but she has been harbouring a secret which has been eating away at her. When the dream wedding question is posed everything comes spilling out and she reveals what has been bothering her. It turns out Auburn is already married and has been for quite some time. Why hasn't she said anything? How can she be dating the handsome Finn and not have said a word even to him? Just what else could Auburn be keeping secret?

Auburn is a complex character who never seemed completely at ease in her skin. The story is told from her point of view and it was as if her brain could never settle and relax.That constant worries were rushing through her head and it was affecting how she was living on a day to day basis. This was one person where the past was affecting how she lived and enjoyed herself in the present and unless there was a significant resolution she would continue to go on like this forever. Now she has settled back in Budbury and done the right thing by returning to help her sister Willow care for her mother alongside Van, it's the time for her to put all past mistakes right.

Running the pharmacy with help from Katie keeps her occupied and she feels she has fallen on her feet when it comes to her relationship with Finn. But for too long she ran from things, preferring always to be on the move escaping, fleeing and moving forward instead of facing the realities of the past. The burning question for me was why had she kept the marriage a secret and why had she not done anything about it considering she had been separated for several years. As the reasons become clear it's evident Auburn had been in a very tricky situation that she got totally caught up in and the deeper she became involved her judgement became clouded. Things were taken out of her hands because she lost control due to the nature of the relationship and what she found herself engaging in. A destructive path was being trod and if her close friends in Budbury knew what she was previously like they really wouldn't have thought she was the same person at all. But Auburn saw the light but at what cost? She makes a significant decision and before she knows it her ex Sebastian arrives on the scene seeking clarification as to what happened. But will old feelings resurface and when faced with a life changing choice will Auburn make the correct one?

Auburn feels every time she attempts to relax and go with the flow and let happiness make a reappearance things go wrong but I think she needed to be open and willing to share the load with people. That's what this series has been about. The Comfort Food Cafe is at its centre and from that stems a unique group of women and their various partners who always want to be there for each other and to help out in any way. The feel good feelings and warmth ooze from the pages and I know countless people, myself included, really do wish that Budbury was real and that we could escape there away from the harsh realities of our lives. A family unit has been established and everyone I have read about is interconnected and interlinked in so many invisible ways. So I hoped that Auburn wouldn't bottle everything up and try to deal with the conundrum facing her all by herself. Cherie Moon, owner of the café and now in her seventies, had so much support and wisdom to offer, Auburn would have done well to go to her and have a chat. But I think Auburn was so used to being independent and working things out for herself that with this situation that she faced she felt she could manage things alone without truly expressing what she was feeling to anybody. I hoped she would change her mind as her heart was pulling her in different directions at different times.

I couldn't really warm to Sebastian at all and I think that's because before he arrived we knew his history and that affected my opinion of him. My judgement was clouded and perhaps I should have kept an open mind like Auburn was doing. But I wondered could a leopard change his spots? Did he seem just too good to be true? But as for Finn, my god I fell hook, line and sinker for him. He was a character who I thought didn't have a dominating and overbearing presence throughout the book and it was all the better for it. He was subtly written and came in every now and then and backed up Auburn when she needed it. Finn was so understanding, considerate, patient, accommodating and kind. If he were to exist in real life I felt as a partner he would just be there for you every step of the way when you needed support. He would always have your back and shower you with love and attention. I thought it was brilliant that he never pressured Auburn. He gave her the free rein she needed because he somewhat removed himself from the situation which I thought was clever and showed that he was considering the bigger, long term picture. I just wondered would Auburn understand what he was doing and would this help her in the life changing decisions she had to make at some point or other?

A Wedding at the Comfort Food Cafe was another excellent read from Debbie Johnson and it was a fitting conclusion to a series that has captured many readers hearts. It was packed full of warmth, humour and plenty of emotions come rising to the surface. A few truths need to be told and decisions made but it is all done with a strong community feel at its centre. Every person is always so enthusiastic and welcoming and everyone genuinely cares for the wellness of others. Right from Laura in the beginning and now to Auburn's story I felt everything has come circle and the time for ending is perfect. Even if many readers, myself included would love this series to run and run, unfortunately that can't be the way so enjoy every moment of this delightful read which has also has a few life lessons for us all. It's like one big family and circle of friends where everyone is loved, cherished and appreciated wrapped up in a fabulous story and one which I loved from beginning to end.

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I was sorry to read that this was the last part of the Comfort Food Café series, but I agree with the author who thinks it is best to quit on the top.
This book is also set in Budbury, and we can see all the endearing characters again we got to love in the previous books. Whenever I read about a close-knit community like this I feel a sort of nostalgy to become part of it.
This instalment is about Auburn with the troubled past who seems to find er place and peace of mind in Budbury. And her hero as well.
When a shadow appears from her past, the readers hold their breath and hope that she'll be able to make the right decision.
But will she? Read the book and see it for yourselves! :)

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I can't believe after 6 amazing books we finally have to say goodbye to Budbury, and The Comfort Food Cafe. I adore this series, but understand good things apparently must come to an end.

So not only do we finally get Auburn;s story, we get to see Laura and Matt's story resolve itself.

And what a story it is, with a massive secrete from Aubern's past being revealed.

I loved meeting up with all the Comfort food regulars, and seeing the latest instalments in their lives.

This was just a great feel good, massive celebration of a book, with a Wedding thrown in for good measure, and fabulous wedding it was too.

I loved every second of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

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Another great addition to the comfort food cafe books. I really enjoyed reading this one, it didn’t disappoint.

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I felt a bit emotional reading this as it is the final instalment from the Comfort Food Café so I had plenty of tissues at the ready. But I think this was a really fantastic ending to it and as much as I was gutted it was over when I read that last page I had a huge smile on my face.

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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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I love the comfort food cafe! I want to go! This is a warm and wonderful finale to the series and all the characters we know and love are there. Read it!

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This story is mainly about Auburn, the red headed wild child who came back to Budbury to help look after her mother with dementia. Auburn has settled back into life running the pharmacy and starting a relationship with Finn, which seems to be going from strength to strength......... is she finally going to settle down and be happy or will her past catch up with her when she least expects it!

Very sad that this is the last book in this brilliant series, as with all of the others this book is full of warm lovable characters and it's great to catch up with everyone from the previous books. It can be read as a standalone but would definitely recommend reading them all

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What a wonderful ending to a fabulous series, A Wedding at the Comfort Food Café was a
balm to my soul after a wretched week. Snuggling down, wrapped up in my throw I delved
back into Budbury, catching up with old friends. Autumn has been one of my favourite
characters in the Comfort Food Café series. I love her complexities, her spirit, and her
straightforwardness, she is a breath of fresh air.
Then there is Finn, *sighs*. Finn, the water to Autumn’s flame, a man, not without his own
problems, who gets Autumn and all her eccentricities.
My thanks to #Netgalley and #HarperImpulse for giving me the opportunity to read and
review the ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rated #AWeddingAtTheComfortFoodCafe I spent two wonderful days
lost in Autumn’s world, trying to work out who she would trust her heart to.

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The Comfort Food Cafe has been a favourite read, since its inception. There is so much to love, with its quirky characters looking for someone to love them and give them a second chance. Cake to die for, and a wonderful sense of community and friendship that symbolises the ethos of these heartwarming, humorous and ultimately happy stories.

The final book in the series has a very special wedding. Laura was our first introduction to the cafe and her story is still one of my favourites. It made me cry, laugh out loud and empathise will her trials and tribulations. Auburn is our narrator for this final book in the series, and even though she fits right into the Budbury and the cafe community, she is keeping secrets and somehow feels she doesn't deserve the friends, lover and life she currently enjoys.

The wedding is a delight and colourful, typically amongst the fun, love and romance there is conflict, thankfully not for the bride, but Auburn has to face her past. Even in this last book, there's more to learn about the characters, and they continue to baffle and delight in equal measure. The ending is romantic and rightfully quirky. Even though we have read the last line, you can imagine the antics, hear the laughter and tears and almost taste the cake as the cafe's comfort lives on.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Impulse via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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I have loved this series of books and was horrified with the preface from Debbie which said it would be the last in the series, however I can understand why .
Knowing the characters from the previous books helps with the enjoyment of this book, although it is a stand alone book.
I have loved the characters in these books and have really enjoyed the way each book explores one major characters story, whilst updating the lives of the characters in previous books.
Another fantastic book from Debbie and one I didn’t want to end! It is like being wrapped in a big, warm, snuggly blanket !
Thank you very much to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review

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