Moving to the little village of Budbury, Zoe hopes the crisp Dorset sea breeze and gentle pace of life will be a fresh start for her and her goddaughter, Martha.
Luckily for them both, the friendly community at the café provide listening ears, sage advice, shoulders to cry on, and some truly excellent carrot cake. And when Martha's enigmatic, absent father suddenly turns up, confusing not only Martha but Zoe too, the love and support of their new-found friends is the best present they could ask for.
Have Zoe and Martha truly found their home at the Comfort Food Café?
Many thanks to Harper Impulse for my copy of Coming Home to the Comfort Food Café to review via NetGalley and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
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.
All links in bold are Amazon UK Affiliate links which will earn me a few pence if anyone clicks through and makes a purchase - any money earned will go towards buying books or gifts for giveaways.
No comments:
Post a Comment