I have got to say firstly this was one of my favourite covers this year! It is just so beautiful! Looking at it really makes you want to pick the book up! Once I seen that cover I had to read it!

This time we are introduced to new characters Zoe & Martha, and it's not before long you just get so attached to them, they have had a really emotional hard year and they both need this fresh new start. If you've read the previous books you just know that as soon as they reach Budbury they are going to love it, the people, the village, the cafe, they are all just are so warm and friendly and really supportive of each other.

Our favourite characters from the previous books all feature and each put a smile on my face I loved them all. As usual there is plenty going on, its quite an eventful book!

I love love LOVE the comfort cafe books! They really do make you feel so good!

Another fantastic story from the Comfort Food Cafe series. Debbie Johnson knows how to weave a truly heartwarming story, I can't wait for the next one.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this story, but I didn't love it. The reason for that is because I didn't feel uplifted by it at all - grief tinges the story. I felt it all the way through, and not even the attempts at humour, or the nice ending helped. Yes, it is heartwarming the way Zoe and Martha are taken in by the Budbury community. The descriptions of the area are beautiful. There is some romance, although I'd say that primarily this book is about grief and life with a teenager. The characters are all likeable, and I did warm to Zoe, the main character. She is very vulnerable however, and I do wonder how realistic the ending was. It was all just a bit too neat. I don't know whether this is being billed as a Christmas read. I wouldn't want to read it to get me in the festive mood because of the sad feeling the story gave me. That said the way Christmas is celebrated in Budbury is lovely.

I believe this book is part of a series. I haven't read any others, so this is a standalone story.

This was a really warm and uplifting book from the first page. Perfect for the run up to Christmas and so funny at times as well. Has you wanting to read more and see what does happen simply a lovely book. Love reading about the little village and the people who live in it and especially about the cafe. Zoe moves to this little village and really does hope that the sea breeze and simple pave of life with ve a fresh start for her and her goddaughter. The lovely cafe is the centre of the community and people are always happy to listen and hear your problems. Martha who is Zoe's goddaughter gets confused when her absent father turns up and also confuses Zoe but can they get the support from new friends to help them through it and can they be happy in their new village and friends. Well worth reading with the run up to Christmas and to curl up with a hot chocolate and simply get so engrossed in the book and forget everything else.

I loved this book. Zoe’s best friend Kate dies leaving her as guardian to her daughter Martha, things don’t go to plan, Martha is struggling with the loss of her mum and in order to get Martha away from her bad influences they move away to rent a holiday home in Dorset. While they are settling in they have an unexpected visitor, Martha’s father from Australia who has not been in her life but wants to become more involved.
Throw in the colourful characters from the village and it’s a great book.

This is such a heartfelt story, It's hard to read Kate's letter to her best friend without putting yourself in the same situation and once that happens you are hooked and can't put this book down. Zoe's past has left its mark on her but Kate clearly saw something worth saving and this story proves her right. Martha is a rebel but with good cause. Even though this type of character is well used in women's fiction, she is no stereotype and you want to reach into the book and hug her.
Cal is the romantic interest but it's complicated and he has hidden depths that make him more than he first appears. The characters in the Comfort Food Cafe are delightfully familiar and still retain their magic. The story follows the path you would expect but its an absorbing read with lots of humour and sadness bringing the characters to life. Christmas only has a small part to play in this story but it's enough to make it an enjoyable festive read.
I received a copy of this book from Harper Impulse via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Having read all the books in this series I couldn't wait to get going on this one.
The story here Is quite an emotional one I think I went through every emotion possible whilst reading! I must say it is so well written and left me thinking about the story for quite a while after finishing. A fabulous follow up and leaves me very excited to read the next book!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I first started reading this book I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it I prefer books that let me escape the everyday worries. I decided to give it a fair chance and am pleased I did I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing them deal with their pain.
I have now purchased the previous books so I can get caught up on everyone else's stories and look forward to the next installment.

Raising a troubled teenager at any time is hard but when that teenager is not your own it's doubly difficult. This book transitions through the dark days of bereavement and despair to a future that looks bright and full of hope. It is a beautifully written book that had me laughing, crying and wishing I could find such a warm and friendly community to settle in. I didn't realise this book is part of a series and it can easily be read as a stand alone story. I will definitely be reading the other books.

In my four and a half year of doing book reviews I have had the pleasure and the privilege of getting to read the work of some really great authors. The greatest aspect of reviewing though is meeting an author through their writing and then having them become one of your favourite and trusted authors. For me that writer is Debbie Johnson. For me, she can do no wrong and once again she has proven me right with Coming Home to the Comfort Farm Café.

I truly believe that Budbury, the Comfort Farm Café and the characters that live there have magical healing powers. I want to live there. I want to be in the novel, in every book in this series.

In this third instalment we meet Zoe and Martha; both broken by the loss of Kate (Zoe’s best friend and Martha’s Mother) and are looking to be healed. Martha has become self destructive since her mother’s death so Zoe makes the decision to relocate to Budbury.

Like the previous novels in the Comfort Food Café series, more than just comfort food will help with the healing process.

Ok, as cheesy as this may sound these books are aptly named. Whenever I read them I do feel comforted. It may be that I feel like I am meeting old friends in the staple characters or the fact that they have managed to remain happy and now are helping others. I just love these books. Long may the series continue.

Coming Home to the Comfort Farm Café by Debbie Johnson is available now.

For more information regarding Debbie Johnson (@debbiemjohnson) please visit www.debbiemjohnsonauthor.com.

For more information regarding Harper Collins (@HarperCollinsUK) please visit www.harpercollins.co.uk.

For more information regarding Harper Impulse (@HarperImpulse) please visit www.harperimpulse.com.

Good read, finished in two sittings, great storyline, diff background to these characters but wonderfully written. A few tears shed. Also characters from the other books are in and ties up their stories nicely really enjoyed

Coming Home to the Comfort Café is the third visit I have made to such a wonderful series of books written by Debbie Johnson. Without question it is the best book yet and I read it in two sittings so caught up was I in the lives of the residents of Budbury and the customers of the very special café perched on the edge of the cliff tops. This series always has such beautiful covers and this new one is no exception, it is so inviting and draws you in so that you wish the café existed in real life. There is always a feel good, homely vibe scattered throughout the books and the sense that if you are a person in need of comfort, solace and support then the café and the surrounding area is the place you need although you don't at first realise it. The owner Cherie Moon has a habit of gathering lost souls and providing that time to come to terms with what may be bothering you to emerge stronger than before due to the support of people who become good friends and almost like family. She takes you under her wing and, along with the other familiar characters I have come to know and love, offers the care and attention that will bring you back to yourself.

Despite this being the third in the series, the book is easily read as a stand alone story as hints and teasers are offered as to the back-story of certain characters. For those who are already loyal fans of the series the opening chapters provide a gentle refresher and bringing up to date of certain situations and developments. I have to say this is very handy as it was last Christmas when I enjoyed the last book and having read so many books since then it is easy for details to slip one's mind. The opening few chapters to Coming Home to the Comfort Food Café were incredibly emotional and powerful. I wouldn't say they set the tone for the remainder of the novel because it would be wrong to say that. This is not a story of doom, gloom, sadness and little hope which is the feeling I got from the opening situation. Instead this story is one of hope, joy, love, acceptance and understanding and it was written in the most beautiful manner never once feeling too overbearing. Instead the characters were given the freedom to explore themselves emotionally and if help or wise words were ever needed or sought the right people would be there to offer them.

The story opens with a letter written by Kate to her best friend Zoe. It's a letter she never imagined having to write and it's clear so much emotion and pain has been poured into its construction. In the event of something happening to her, Kate wishes Zoe to look after her daughter Martha. Never believing anything would occur Zoe agrees but little does she know the events and battle ahead of her. Kate has now gone, through the cruellest of means, leaving behind a teenager daughter lost and adrift, angry and bitter and really who could blame her? No one is supposed to lose their mother at such a young age and be left to the care of a woman, although like a substitute mother, one who will never really replace the one person in your life you want there at all times. Martha never knew her Dad so it is up to Zoe to take over and step in as promised.

Martha is bottling things up, not expressing her feelings yet demonstrating them through typical teenage behaviour - late nights out, drinking, drugs and surly responses to any questions or comments. How can Zoe cope? She feels she is letting Kate down and that is the last thing in the world she wants. Something has to give, before it's too late for Zoe and irreparable damage is done. Zoe herself hadn't the best of childhoods and wants Martha's not to turn out the way it did for her. They both need peace in their lives, so Zoe decides to move them somewhere new. A chance to start afresh, to heal, seek comfort and support and to come to terms with a new stage in their lives. A stage which is unwanted but none the less one in which they have no option but to partake in it.

The opening scenes were brilliantly written. I felt every bit of Martha's anger and could really identify with what she was going through and feeling. It's rough and just pure unfair and even though she hates having to move little does she realise it could be the best thing for her and her relationship with Zoe. Soon when Zoe and Martha arrive in Budbury it felt so familiar to me and like returning to old friends. All the characters we had read about before were there and I enjoyed seeing how their stories were progressing, yet at the same time they didn't dominate as this was Zoe and Martha's story. Zoe's job was to keep them as a family, a unit who could weather any storm but have things gone to far to ever even attempt reaching that stage? Zoe soon discovers the café and it was a relief to see nothing had changed and it still gave me that sense of protection and a place to hide or to seek advice.

The descriptions of all the food and drinks made were once again mouthwatering and its location too just made me wish ever more that I could go and visit it myself. Cherie is taking a bit more of a back seat and allowing Laura to run the café. From when we first met Laura it's clear she has come a long way and is enjoying her relationship with Matt. Laura has been through the wars and can offer the right words when Zoe needs them. But I love how the characters just let Zoe and Martha be, to develop for themselves, to have time to think as they knew when they were ready they could step in and offer whatever was needed. Becca, Laura's sister, was present once again and I am glad we were brought bang up to date as to what was going on with her. As for 91 year old Edie May she was quite possibly the best she ever has been in this series. Her one liners and quips were bang on and had me laughing away to myself. They offered light relief when things at one or two points when things could have strayed into far more in-depth serious territory going beyond the level I felt needed for the book.

I loved how the book was split into parts which mirrored the stages both Zoe and Martha were going through in their relationship but just in their general acceptance at what had happened to them. There was a surprise arrival which turned things on their head but to me it didn't feel contrived or out of place instead this aspect of the storyline gelled well with everything going on and brought some much needed and wanted happiness. It all felt so natural and as if it was always meant to happen. At all times I felt the book was raw, honest and truthful and I am glad Debbie Johnson never shied away from the pain and anger Martha was going through the book wouldn't have been the same if emotions were brushed under the carpet. It was great too to see familiar friends accepting Martha and Zoe for who they were and never judging their actions or beliefs and that's what makes the Comfort Food Café such a special place.

Despite the cover of this book looking very festive, Christmas wasn't overly featured more so towards the end of the book. This would normally annoy me but it didn't matter in the slightest as when it did make an appearance it was so wonderfully written, festive and full of cheer and happiness. I loved every minute of my time spent reading Coming Home to the Comfort Food Café, it was a joy to read and I was sad to finish it. Make sure it is on your Christmas reading list this year as undoubtedly you will relish every minute of it. Thankfully another visit is in the pipeline as Sunshine at the Comfort Food Café will be with us come March and I for one will certainly be jumping to read it.

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. This book was full of tragedy, heartbreak, romance, happiness, friendship and a bucket of teenage angst - a perfect combination for an amazing read.
I was totally unaware that this was a series of books, it made a perfect standalone story but I now feel compelled to hunt out the other books to better understand the characters we met in this book.
Thanks for letting me read and review, I wouldn't hesitate to read anything by the same author again

This book just want the type that I enjoy reading. I'm sorry, I just couldn't make it through the second chapter.

last year I had the pleasure of reading Summer at the Comfort Food Cafe and Christmas at the Comfort Food Cafe and I fell completely in love with this cafe and its lively community. So when Debbie Johnson announced she was writing another full novel set in the cafe, I was over the moon. This time the story has a new cast of characters joining the regulars so if you haven't read the previous parts (why haven't you? They are amazing!), you can easily read this one as it has its own stand-alone story.

First of all, let me say this, as I didn't think it was possible... but Coming Home to the Comfort Food Cafe is even better than its predecessors. It's a story full of heart and delivers so much more than you expect. New characters Zoe and Martha are not your conventional family and they have been in a very dark place for a few months, but when they arrive at Budbury, the locals welcome them with open arms and open hearts.

The more we got to know Zoe and Martha, the more I liked them. They reminded me a bit of the original cast Laura and her moody teen daughter Lizzie and they actually soon became a great support for them. Their story was touching and very sad at times (I might haves shed a few tears while reading about them) but author Debbie Johnson balanced the sadness with the humour perfectly. The story was full of hilarious moments and little by little you could see these two opening up to their new community. A real joy to read.

There's nothing I didn't like... no wait, scratch that, there's nothing I didn't love in this story. Catching up with this bunch was a treat but getting to know the new characters was even better. I hadn't read a story that had left me with such a great feeling of joy and a such a warm heart in a long while. Debbie Johnson fans, this is her best yet, you cannot miss it! And if you are not familiar with her books, then you have to rectify that. Fast. Pick this up asap!

The setting around Christmas made this story even more magical but I'd say this is a story that can be enjoyed at any time. Even better with a nice hot chocolate to go with. I cannot wait for the next installment in this series (yes, there'll be one next spring *excited face*).

16/20 | 4 stars/5.

This story is so much more than I expected. This is not a happy story from A to Z. This is an emotional story ; The kind of story that will make you go through a lot of emotions. I smiled, I hoped, I laughed, and I also almost cried. A lot.
The story of Zoe and Martha felt real, authentic and touched me in ways I didn't think one second it would.

Zoe lost Kate, her bestfriend forever, the only person who always has been there for her since childhood. Martha lost her mother. No matter how Zoe try to make things right, both of them can't copy with their lost and can't stop arguing. Pain and anger are the only things palpable at home. Zoe decide to make a very last desperate move by moving to the countryside, because she care deeply about Martha and is worrying about her.
Maybe it's time to let it go. And maybe it's time for her to heal as well.

Martha is close to the edge. She's a sixteen-years-old teenager who lost his mother too young and too fast. She's not easy with Zoë, she's a rebel in every kind of way. We can see that Zoë love her more than everything, that she will do everything for her and everything for Kate, but we can't always see that it's mutual. There is a lot of unsaid things and a lot of pain between them.

And thanks to the Comfort food café, Budbury, and all its people, Zoë and Martha will learn how to feel loved and how to love again. They can count on the eccentric Cherie and her warm hugs. They can count on Laura and her comfort food. They can count on everyone to have their back. Plus, the real surprise is that they can count on Cal, Martha's father, who quite guessed that it was time for him to help.

If this is a love story, then it's a love story between Martha and Zoe who need to be a family again. And this kind of love is sometimes better than any romantic love story. Coming home to the Comfort Food Café is here to reminds you of everything that truly matters.

It feels wonderful being back in Budbury again at the Comfort Food Cafe. I absolutely adored the first two in the series and I knew I would enjoy this one. The cover drew me in straight away, the colours, the snow, everything looks perfect and so, so pretty!

When I first read the description, I was worried about the sadness this book included and I would say that the opening to this book was fairly emotional (you know what I'm like with emotional books - I just can't handle them!) but after the initial storyline was shown the book was really enjoyable and I couldn't put it down. It was so lovely to be able to read about past characters too - as I enjoyed the first two so much I couldn't wait to be back. It certainly did feel like coming home!

It was lovely to be able to read about Zoe and Martha becoming friends with the regular cafe characters and I enjoyed it even more simply because it included Christmas! I will say that even though the main two characters have had a hard time recently, the book is still uplifting and heartwarming. I really loved the Christmas Day talent show, it sounded like to much fun and it was lovely to see Martha and Zoe enjoying themselves despite what they've been through.

It wouldn't be a Chick Lit book without a bit of drama, and it was a bit shocking to say the least when Martha's dad shows up out the blue! It made for great reading and I was so immersed in the storyline that my coffee went cold on several occasions! I can't wait to read more about the Comfort Food Cafe, because every book I've read on it so far have been so enjoyable.

Overall, a lovely read with some heartwarming moments. It was lovely to read about old characters as well as new ones. There's sad moments as well as lighthearted ones and I loved Coming Home to the Comfort Food Cafe. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

I've read a couple of the Comfort Food Cafe books before, and really enjoyed them, and I'm happy to say that Coming Home... is another excellent book from Debbie Johnson.

Zoe is our narrator for this book, a new character who hasn't been in the previous ones. The story starts in the summer of the year Zoe's best friend (and Martha's mum) has died. Following Kate's wishes, Zoe has become Martha's guardian, and they now live together, but unsurprisingly they're both struggling a lot. For 16-year-old Martha, that's taking form in her sneaking out the house, sneaking into clubs, and drinking too much. Zoe is worried for both of them, so uses her savings to quit work for a few months and take them down to the Dorset coast to stay in a picturesque holiday village.

One of the things I like about Debbie Johnson's writing is that she does a 'tragic backstory' very well. It's not overdone, it doesn't feel forced - she writes grief very well, and that comes through in all the Comfort Food Cafe books. I'm reluctant to call the book 'contemporary romance' - there is a slight romantic element to the book, but predominantly it's about dealing with tragedy, making fresh starts, and raising a teenager. I really enjoyed the focus on those elements, and how the importance of friendship shines through in the books. The village of Budbury, with its social focus being the Comfort Food Cafe, has a really strong little community, and gradually Zoe and Martha both start to engage with it, and discover some incredibly supportive friends.

Coming Home to the Comfort Food Cafe is a beautifully heartwarming story that will have you crying both sad and happy tears! It's about the ups and downs of starting over, the importance of friendship, and about being a parent. Cosy autumn reading, with a lovely Christmassy finish. I'm giving it 7/10.

'Summer at' and 'Coming Home to' both begin with a letter and although for very different purposes, both have similar content in that they draw you in immediately as well as letting you know exactly where the main characters are in their lives. I still think this is a fabulous way to start!

16yo Martha is off the rails, hitting out at a world that has changed beyond recognition. Zoe has to put her own grief on hold while she puts Martha first. In need of a change of environment and remembering the happiness of a Dorset seaside holiday three years earlier, she makes the decision to take them both off for a sabbatical. And so they move from Bristol to Budbury.

Arriving in September where the season is changing and there are no reminders, they’re greeted by a mad scene on the green. The 'old' crowd - Cherie, Frank, Laura, Matt, Lizzie, Josh, Nate, Becca, Sam, Willow and Edie are up to their crazy stunts and it really did feel as if I had come back home! Laura still has the green streak in her hair and it’s obvious the decision that Becca made :)

Through the autumn/start of winter, Budbury and the Comfort Food Café works its magic. There’s plenty of action with more than one unexpected arrival … and a visit highlights how this community rally round and protect their own.

Zoe is such a fabulous character. Tough on the outside from having to protect herself from a neglected childhood but on the inside just wanting to be accepted and loved. She is astute too, using her own experiences to understand what Martha might be feeling and gauging when to push and when to pull back. The scene in 'The Dump' had me so emotional I had to have a break before I continued reading.

Such an emotional read for me with a balanced mix of sadness and humour. Tears of laughter as well as the sadness! I tried to read slowly because I just didn’t want it to end. The ending? More tears! Just perfect.

Coming Home to the Comfort Food Café is a story about surviving loss and how it's possible to move on while still carrying that love in our hearts. It's about the emotional connections we have with the people we meet (not just intimate relationships) and how communities work together to bring about change. It’s a keeper!

Another great book from Debbie Johnson and nice to catch up with the characters from the previous book and meet some new ones. An eclectic mix of characters each who have had their own issues in life but still make the time to look out for their friends and new people who come in to their lives.
The last few chapters were moving and I have to admit I was a bit teary reading them!

Can't wait for the next book to come out.