A really fabulous, book which has you captivated and rooting for the characters from start to finish! Here's hoping for a sequel...

A really moving and emotional journey, written with great understanding and depth. A real story of love, loss and betrayal, however well meant and the fight to build a life again. A really heartfelt book, had me hooked from the start, wanting Jess and Joe to find happiness again after such a tragic beginning.....

After reading all the Comfort Food Cafe books, I was excited about this book. I always judge a book by how long it takes me to read and this one took a while for the story to grasp me. Although I enjoyed it, I just didn’t get that buzz I did from the previous books. It was a nice, but sad story, that was easy to read.

This was a beautifully written emotional read which I would recommend to anyone. Wasn’t sure what to expect but it surpassed by expectations. A must read.

A beautifully written book about finding your first true love. Not the normal light hearted story you would expect from Debbie Johnson. The story is emotional and pulls at your heart strings. We follow Jess from the day of her mother’s funeral, finding out that her first love, Joe, didn’t abandon her like her parents had made her believe to going on a road trip in search of him. Her two travelling companions, her cousin and a friend from her teenage years, provide a light humour to the story. The story develops along the journey learning more about Jess and Joe’s past together and apart. A great romantic love story with a tinge of sadness. Thanks to Netgalley, Debbie Johnson and Orion for the advance copy.

Jess is leading a solitary life without love. After her mum’s funeral she decides to empty the house with the help of her cousin and she finds some information that gives her the kick she needs to find love.
This book was just beautiful and emotive. I loved everything about it!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I feel bad giving this one a two stars especially because I love this authors usual work and The comfort food cafe is one of if not my favourite chic lit series but unfortunately this book did absolutely nothing for me.

I can’t put my finger on exactly why I didn’t find it enjoyable I just think that it was a mix of things I didn’t particularly warm to the main character and the whole hunting down your past love storyline has been exhausted beyond belief and this one lacked any originality or any surprises along the way. That being said it’s well written as are all of her books and if you don’t mind a repetitive or unoriginal storyline and want a quick chic lit with a happy ending then I’m sure that you’d enjoy this one.

When Jess’s mum dies she finds a box of letters from her lost love. This leads her to set off on an unforgettable journey of self discovery. Another sure fire hit from Debbie Johnson, I could not put this book down.

A little bit different to Debbie Johnson's usual kind of book, this lovely story was nonetheless thoroughly enjoyable with plenty of wonderful characters and a great story line. Jess and Joe were madly in love but became separated by circumstances several years ago. Jess's parents kept an enormous secret from her that changed the course of her life as well as that of Joe. Following her mother's death and the sorting out of her effects, Jess stumbles upon a box the contents of which are about to blow her world apart. She sets out on a road trip accompanied by her friend Belinda and her cousin Michael with the aim of tracking down Joe. What follows is an exciting, funny and moving story. I loved how content of the letters that Jess found were revealed gradually building up the back story piece by piece and yet keeping the reader enthralled and unsure how it would all pan out and it was this that kept the pages turning quickly for me. Jess is a likeable character and Michael lends a lot of humour to the proceedings. Debbie Johnson writes beautifully and this book was a real pleasure to read. I shall be looking forward eagerly to her next book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in return for my honest review.

Such an emotional read, this book follows Jess following the death of her mother, as she tries to tack donw Joe, her first love.

She though that he had left her, but discovers her mother had kept a lot of things hidden from her.

As she follows in his fottsteps over the years she meets the people who he helped along the way. As the book flicks between then, now and times inbetween, she catches up on what happened in his life.

You hope she can find him and they can be together again,

I must say after reading this I'm really disappointed in myself! Why?  Because I am totally in love with the writing style in of Debbie Johnson and I cannot wait to devour more of her novels.

When Jess and her cousin Michael are clearing out, they discover a box full of letters from Jess's true love Joe all those years ago - completely contradicting what she had been led to believe.  Along with Michael and her friend Belinda, Jess sets out to find Joe in the hopes they can rekindle what they once had.    

This novel is so easy to get lost in.  I was drawn into it immediately and just allowed myself to be swept away in the pages of Jess's emotional story.  It's not all sunshine and rainbows and there are some really emotive and thought provoking moments but it is so beautifully written. 

The story is told in the present and through flashbacks to the past and the more the reader earns about Jess, the more she becomes a part of you.  I felt so protective over her and angry on her behalf for the things that happened to her. 

I adored the way the relationship between Jess, Belinda and Michael was developed and how they showed their true friendship and positiveness.    

This is a wonderfully written story of lost love, friendship and moving forward.  I cannot recommend it enough.  I was completely enamored by this book and cannot wait to read more by Debbie Johnson.

This book completely shattered me, I was a blubbering mess from early on and right the way through to the end. There were times I literally had to stop reading as I couldn’t see for crying. What a heartbreakingly wonderful book. Each new person Jess meets in her quest to find Joe left me with a smile and a tear in my eye.
I had no idea of the emotional journey this book was going to take on when I started, whilst there are some funny and light hearted moments, the issues dealt with in this book are deep, thoughtful and moving. I loved every moment of pain and anguish Jess did and experienced Joes as the story unfolded.
I loved the character of Michael, he and Belinda were the perfect balance that this book needed. After reading this book I’m certainly experiencing a book hangover!

Wow what a lovely story, beautifully written by new-to-me author, Debbie Johnson.

I loved this book even though at times it was very a sad read. I loved how the story was told, with glimpses into Jess’ past, running parallel to the present storyline.

Jess was a lovely character who I empathised with right from the first page all the way through the book. Michael her cousin was great fun, bringing light relief when they all needed it. Belinda was the friend Jess really needed to track down Joe and I’m so glad she stayed to help Jess along the way.

I don’t want to say anything else about the plot, as I’m sure I’ll say too much and ruin this lovely book. I didn’t cry but I did well up a few times, which I’m doing right now whilst writing this review.

I highly recommend this if you enjoy a contemporary tearjerker that’ll also make you smile.

Where to start? First, while I really enjoyed this, it is not your typical Debbie Johnson novel which really threw me because I kept expecting the novel to be something it isn't.

Jess returns to the family home after her mother's funeral and discovers that for the past 17 years her parents have deliberately hidden letters and cards from her first love, Joe, addressed to her. Her sense of betrayal is only surpassed by her need to find Joe, to assure him that she didn't ignore him, to see if the spark is still there.

Using Joe's cards and letters Jess, her cousin Michael, and one of Joe's friends Belinda travel from place to place, piecing together Joe's life and the people he met along the way.

This vaguely reminds me of the film P.S. I Love You, mainly I suppose because Joe leaves a series of letters for Jess. We also see flashbacks to when Jess and Joe first met, and the events that led to them being separated.

I don't want to say too much more because the journey is part of the experience with this novel. It's sad, and uplifting, funny and poignant, touching and charming, different from Debbie Johnson's normal style but engrossing nonetheless.

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

Jess has (mostly) lived her life by her parent’s rules. She’s stayed within the routines and doing what ‘should’ be done. Her life after Joe feels very saturnine and predictable, not engaging with life or emotions (for obvious reasons)… until her mother’s death and the finding of the hidden box of letters and postcards in the attic. This opens up a gateway for Jess to start remembering and opening herself up to opportunities and emotions. But she doesn’t do it alone, she has Belinda and Michael by her side. They’re both fabulous characters and bring so many emotions to the story.

From Jess’ reflections/flashbacks we meet her as she starts rebelling at the age of 16 and other key points in her life. From Joe’s letters and the people Jess meets on her quest to find out more about his life, a picture builds of the type of person he is. His messages to Jess are heart-warming. I loved them both! Jess learning to break those parental expectations is a slow process and I cheered her on every step of the way. I didn’t know if we would ever get to meet Joe – I loved the suspense – and thoroughly enjoyed walking beside Jess, Michael and Belinda as they follow in his footsteps. Those footsteps take us to Ireland, Cornwall, London and New York. Debbie Johnson’s writing brings these places to life with their sights, sounds, smells and tastes.

I applauded and whooped at the incident in school when Jess takes her first stand. I cried big, ugly tears when Belinda shared with Michael. I also cried when Jess finally reads her mother’s letter. And more big, ugly tears at the ending. I really didn’t expect that! There are so many positives as Jess powers through obstacles and questions her habitual responses. Belinda and Michael brought amusement and laughter (loved their banter!). I can guarantee you won’t be able to hold your emotions in check.

Maybe One Day is more than a quest to find a lost love. It’s about family and friendships and putting others before yourself. It’s about overcoming childhood issues to be the best that you can be. Highly recommended!

Absolutely love Debbie Johnson and this book has not let me down, it’s another amazing read, but not in her usual light way. It’s an emotional ride, full of amazing characters, each one is so well written and developed even the side characters. This book isn’t as light hearted as Debbie’s comfort series, but it is still full of love and hope, however it is very emotional (bring the tissues) dealing with grief and loss. It’s a wonderful emotion rollercoaster and I didn’t see the way the book was going in any way, it’s so well done. I don’t want to go into detail as I don’t do spoilers but this is an amazing read, but be prepared to cry, but I can promise it will lift you and fill you with hope. It’s a special book.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

What an emotional rollercoaster. Wow, Debbie Johnson had written this heart wrenching powerhouse of a read that will test even the coldest heart.
I’m a huge fan of Johnsons’ and having delighted in the Comfort Food Café for so long I was excited what this book would bring. I never doubted the brilliant of Debbie’s writing or her fantastic storytelling and was absolutely blown away.
I don’t want to give a thing away with this review as it is so much more than the blurb gives away. It takes you on a journey of discovery, of heart break and missed chances. I didn’t see the story panning out the way it did, but it was so beautifully done.
With unlikely, random characters along the way I was kept on my toes throughout, but I was fully absorbed and read it in a couple of gorgeous sittings.
With themes of loss, love, relationships and regret, this is truly one wonderful read that will have fans delighted and a whole audience of new readers appreciating the talent of this author.
Highly recommended.

I've read and enjoyed Debbie Johnson's books before, especially the Comfort Cafe books. I was sad when the series of books ended, so I was excited to see that there was a new novel by her.
This is nothing like the Comfort Cafe series, or Debbie's earlier books. They were more lighthearted whereas this book is much more emotional. It is very well written, but it is more complex than her previous books.
This is a very sad book, which deals with grief, suffering and PTSD. There is also romance, love and loyalty as well as having hope. There are some funny moments, to balance it out. It is such a beautiful book, which stayed with me after I had finished it. I kept thinking about the characters and the events in the book.
There were lots of twists to the search to Joe, most of them unexpected, and you are left guessing until the end of the book.
This is a completely different style to Debbie Johnson's usual books, but I absolutely adored it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

Poor Jess discovers after her Mothers death that everything in her life has been a lie.
The man she knew in her heart who was the love of her life hadn't really abandoned her but instead her parents had lied to her and told her to carry on with her life without her man.

When Grace, her little daughter dies, Jess ends up in hospital having suffered a breakdown. Over time Jess resumes her life only to discover a box of secrets in the attic which had been hidden away for years which she discovers following her Mum's death

Loss and grief and lots of emotions as you turn the pages and get lost in the story of this rollercoaster ride. This is not my usual genre but I loved the writing by Debbie Johnson and found myself researching the author with a view to read more of her books.

On the day Jess says goodbye to her Mum at her funeral she doesn't realise that her life is about to change as she goes on an adventure with her cousin Michael to discover what really happened in the past. Joining Michael and Jess is a fabulous character called Belinda who as they navigate around Ireland and the UK they trace Joe and discover the life he had - that he had built up a future thinking that Jess didn't want him.

Heartwarming and sad at the same time with sprinkle of hope and a glimmer of happiness.
I would recommend this read and its characters - it will have you almost reaching for a handkerchief and hoping for an ending that Jess deserves.
Thank you for the advance copy.

After having read and loved every one of Debbie Johnson’s books up until now, I was so excited to see that she had a new one out this year. However, I was left slightly disappointed with this one as it was a very different genre and had a much more sombre quality to it that I wasn’t expecting.
I am used to her lighthearted books that make me laugh, cry and love the characters. I think I’d class them as Romantic Comedy. This book, however, is Contemporary Fiction. It has a much slower pace to it than her others, and I found myself really struggling to get through it.
The main character, Jess, has too much inner dialogue, and this really slowed the story down. I felt myself trudging through the pages to get to the conclusion of the story.
This is not to say that the book is not well written because it is. Debbie is a fantastic writer, but it just wasn’t what I was expecting, and I probably wasn’t in the right frame of mind for this type of book. I’d been expecting something different, and this took me by surprise, so I ended up not enjoying it.
You could certainly feel the emotion coming off the page through the writing, but I’m afraid this book just wasn’t for me. I only persevered to the end out of respect for the author’s time and energy that she had put into this novel.