A Touch of Magic at the Comfort Food Cafe

Comfort Food Café #8

by Debbie Johnson

It’s autumn at the Comfort Food Café and the leaves are golden, the lattes are spiced and love might just be brewing for one new resident…;

Reclusive author Sarah is seeking refuge in the quiet village of Budbury, and the last thing she needs is a fake boyfriend. Except that’s exactly what she gets – and the fake boyfriend just happens to be gorgeous, rugged Aidan, complete with an easy charm and an old soul that makes him seem like he’s just stepped straight out of the pages of a novel. Using him to keep her nosy family at bay, he’s happy to do her a favour in return for help with his rather unusual dog-sitting predicament.

But nothing in Budbury stays pretend for long. Especially not when there’s a hint of autumn magic in the air, with a sprinkle of Halloween mischief.

Full of heart, humour and a touch of spooky charm, this is the perfect cosy read for autumn nights.

Readers love The Comfort Food Café series!‘Oh how I wish the Comfort Food Cafe was real!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I felt like I was returning home to friends who I hadn’t seen in a long while…warm hearted and just plain lovely’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘What a wonderful return to the Comfort Food Cafe…had me smiling from start to finish’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A sheer delight’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I'm sure you'll fall in love with the cafe and all its regulars’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Thanks, Debbie, for many hours of gorgeous escapism!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Beautifully written, with characters that just jump off the page, this is a gem of a book that I can't recommend enough.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I can’t tell you how much I loved this book' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'If only real life was like this, it would be amazing' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I didn’t want to put it down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'The absolute worst part of a Debbie Johnson book is turning over the last page and there is nothing more to read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Just brilliant!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Loved loved loved it!!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Halloween, Friends To Lovers, Audiobook, Plays, Chick Lit

353 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2025

About the author

Debbie Johnson is an award-winning author who lives and works in Liverpool, where she divides her time between writing, caring for a small tribe of children and animals, and not doing the housework.

She writes feel-good emotional women’s fiction, and has sold more than 1,000,000 books worldwide. She is published globally in many different languages, and has had two books optioned for film and TV.

Her books include the best-selling Comfort Food Cafe series, The A-Z of Everything, Maybe One Day, The Moment I Met You, Falling for You and the Starshine Cove books.

She is also the author of supernatural crime thriller, Fear No Evil, and urban fantasies Dark Vision and Dark Touch.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Touch of Magic at the Comfort Food Cafe
3✨

[Bookworman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big fan of the Comfort Food Cafe series and each new book is an automatic buy for me.

It was nice to visit Budbury again and all of the delightful inhabitants. I found myself getting a little impatient with Sarah's immature behavior at times but still enjoyed the overall story and yes, Aidan the total hunk.

A bit of profanity and a mildly R-rated love scene.

One thing that was odd to me was that Cherie Moon was called Cherie Bloom in this story. Typo? Not sure.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book #8 in the Comfort Food Cafe series. I love this series, and this book has to be my favourite so far! In this one we meet author, Sarah. She's a newcomer to the Dorset village of Budbury, and has come for some time out from her life in London. Of course you know there is going to be a romantic interest, no matter how much the lady doth protest, and in this story it's Aiden. Aiden sounds absolutely gorgeous, and I'd be happy with any kind of storyline as long as it had him in it!!

The storyline is wonderful and I was hooked from the very first page. I love all the other books but this one had me completely captivated and I couldn't have asked for anything more from this story (apart from it being a bit longer as I was so sad to have finished it!). We get to meet all the other characters again which have appeared over the past 7 books and it was wonderful for that little reunion! It's filled with lots of love and laughter and it may even bring a tear or two! I do hope this isn't the last of the series as I will be sorry to see it all over, but if it is at least I know the author saved the best till last!! Would recommend!

[Victoria Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this return to the Comfort Food Cafe! Aidan is ridiculously hot and I could not put this down, mainly because of that!

[Bookishgirl75 🍁📚❄️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75🌟

Your typical lighthearted small town cosy romance book 👍🏼

[Louie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There really needs to be a 2.5 star rating button..
Another cookie cutter autumn romance but I didn't mind it at all. It was one of the better ( I say that loosely) autumnal reads I've read this month I guess....ish
Was it bad? No. It was alright for a quick autumny read.
Was it good? ehhh...it was decent. seemed a bit far fetched. Far too much happened in the space of a month.. could have done with it being spaced over a longer period of time to make it more believable.
The main character was extremely immature for an almost 50 (as she liked to bang on about) year old..and the main male character was a bit too good to be true.
I loved the idea of Bidbury but being close to the MFC age myself and have recently gone through two moves (once by the sea like the MFC) it really isn't that easy to make friends, especially that many, that quickly. It just doesn't happen.
I didn't realise it was something like book 8 in a series, but I don't think that matters. Seemed fairly stand alone.

Don't think it quite deserves 2 stars but it doesn't deserve 3...will be kind and give it 3 (mostly because the cover is pretty and I'm easily swayed by a pretty cover) although I've just noticed that the imagine on the cover is not how the café is described in slightest so I'm actually going to change my review down to a 2. Come on illustrators! at least read the source material!

[Lina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I expected a cozy autumn book but it’s really not the vibe. I’m only giving 1 star for the ambiance of the comfort cafe, everything else was just so wrong for so many reasons. The main character is way too immature, it’s making the story not believable.

[Niomi Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump so glad to finally get this finished. I think my mental health has played a part in why it took me so long and what I actually think about this story.

So, the story was nice!

However, I feel like too many things went on in the space of a month. From moving house & settling in, to heading back to London for her nieces birthday party where her dad is put in his place & she stands up to her stalker to then spend so much time with these new people who she can completely trust after a whole 49 years of being reliant on herself, then she falls in love with the new guy in town & manages to get all 4 of his wolf dogs to trust her only to drive this amazingly sweet & support man away to then get him back. (Also throw in her sisters marital problems of leaving her husband & going back to him AND a massive Halloween party)

Honestly, what a month that would be- no wonder she kept going on about how tired she was!

I don’t think I will read any more of this series but it was a nice wee story- just a tad farfetched for me!

[Erica Gabel]

Dnf at 1%

British writing and mannerisms. Not my thing.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series of books, never fail to be comforting.

[blin ishka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its started off well, I really wanted to love it… and I do like parts of it but little more than half way through I rolled my eyes every give 5 seconds, I rolled so hard that I am afraid my eyes are stuck back there. It just started to get cringe and annoying and repetitive…. MFC so immature… did I mention Heavily repetitive!!!

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah is an author of grisly detective stories with a hint of the supernatural. Now fifty years old, she has bought a cottage in the village of Budbury, sight unseen, on a whim. Partially to escape a relationship gone wrong in London, partly for space to walkalong the beach, and partly to get away from her slightly annoying older twin sister Sally, and her parents. As a writer Sarah relies heavily on her imagination, but that also means that she can become prone to flights of fantasy where she imagines that every creak and groan from her cottage means she is being attacked by zombies, or vampires, or werewolves, or something.

Immediately Sarah is struck by the welcoming nature of the villagers (even though she actually would prefer to be left alone), and soon she has made friends with Cherie, the owner of the Comfort Food Café and the many women who congregate there. ON one such afternoon Sarah is initiated into what I refer to as the ladies' Diet Coke moment ... another newcomer to the village, a thirty-something man runs along the beach past the café most afternoons topless and the women shamelessly ogle him as he passes. The man keeps himself to himself, lives alone in the woods, and people have heard loud howls coming from his property, speculation is rife that he may be a werewolf.

When Sarah finally meets the clothing challenged hunk, Aidan, the truth is more prosaic. As a man fourteen years or so younger than Sarah, Aidan is definitely a toy boy, although his air of assurance makes him seem much older, and he seems to be interested in Sarah romantically. But after her last two relationships crashed and burned Sarah is not willing to take chance on something that clearly won't last the distance.

Then, when Sally yet again disparages Sarah's ability to attract a man and laughingly says at least she won't have to worry about Sarah asking to invite a plus one to Sally's daughters' eighteenth birthday party, Sarah may just have snapped and told a little white lie ... that Aidan would be accompanying her.

This was cute, cosy and perfect for a gentle romantic read cuddled up under a blanket.

Special offer at 99p when bought.

[Margie Bunting · Rating 5 out of 5]

In A Touch of Magic at the Comfort Food Cafe, the latest book in the Comfort Food Cafe series by Debbie Johnson, It seems that almost all the women in Budbury moved there after having problems elsewhere, and now all of them are living their best lives in this scenic small town. Or, at least, that's how it looks to Sarah, who has a particularly fraught history including a divorce and a stalker. She is secretly a successful author of rather strange books under a pen name, but soon after she moves into town and into a house she has never seen, that fact is easily discovered by her new acquaintances.

Sarah's biggest issue is that, from childhood, her family has made her feel like she deserves the bad luck she has had. She has ultimately sworn off any desire for romance in her life, thinking there is no way she could ever attract a good man who is willing to put up with her foibles. Sarah's fraternal twin sister, who is married with children, appears to have had all of the success Sarah had wished for, but things aren't always as they appear.

When Sarah meets Aidan, the best-looking of the universally attractive men in Budbury, there is definitely a spark between them. Aidan volunteers to be Sarah's plus-one at the 18th-birthday party of her nieces (also fraternal twins), so that her family will stop putting her down, and it is a memorable occasion. As they build a friendly relationship, they bond over shared issues with their horrible fathers. But can they overcome--horrors!--a 16-year age difference (she's older)?

Honestly, I like both characters, although I have a couple of reservations. Sarah goes on too long about how she sees herself and how it can never work with Aidan. And Aidan is almost too patient with her. But I am willing to read any Debbie Johnson book, all of which have so far tuned out to be true comfort reads for me. The inhabitants of Budbury are beautifully detailed and unique, and the sense of community there is reassuring in these uncertain times. Lucky me--there are many more books in this series beyond the two that I have read so far, and I will definitely be seeking them out!

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Touch Of Magic At The Comfort Food Cafe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Not knowing this was part of a set of books I bought it from Amazon... it was the beautiful cover that attracted me to the book! It's also my first Debbie Johnson book to read.

What a lovely warm cosy hug of a book, such wonderful characters that you can't help but want to read about, fantastically based around autum and halloween which was great for this time of year 🍁🧙‍♀️

In this book we get to meet alot of different characters and follow them through another great story, now for me as I haven't read any others I thought I might get lost but to be honest I just felt like it was a novel on its own which was great.

So Sarah a very private author decides to move to Budbury to start again, she's left behind her London apartment the place that holds so much trauma for her to start all over again. She vowels not to get involved with the villagers but that doesn't last long after everyone makes her feel incredibly welcome.

One day whilst visiting the Comfort Cafe she gets to know about a local resident Aiden who happens to be passing by the cafe on his afternoon run... with no top on it takes all the ladies by surprise, Sarah being one of them.

Sarah has told herself not to get involved with any man after suffering awful hurt from her previous relationships in London.... however Aiden and the villagers have other ideas.

Dealing with her demons and emotions has always been hard for her, its almost like a self destruct default within her that won't let her find happiness.... now could Budbury be the place that changes her??

Open the pages to find if Sarah gets her happily ever after? Will Aiden prove to Sarah he is a true gentleman? Will Aidens pack accept Sarah? and will the Halloween Ball organised by Edie the oldest resident of Burbury go ahead?

Thank you Debbie Johnson for a proper warm cosy read of a book that made me sad and smile... I can't wait to read more of your books 😀

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warm hug of a book, ideal for this time of year.

This is as warm, cosy, heartwarming, charming and as irresistible as all the others in this series. And it was such a quick read, given how absorbed I was by the pages.

I know it's a good book when I have read 200 pages between two tube journeys without being sure exactly where I was on the journey, especially in paperbacks which I tend to be slower with! I just had to keep turning the pages.

There is something ever so wonderful about Budbury and all of the regular residents. I enjoyed seeing more of Cherie and the whole Comfort Food Cafe gang. And for those of you new to the series, all the various relations between the main characters do get explained, and I always love seeing how previous main characters are now getting on.

Sarah has a very good reason for wanting to retreat to her new cottage in Budbury, and to ideally not be an active part of the community. She is rather reclusive, but that is impossible when you are surrounded with well meaning friendly people that just want to help you. Add in Aiden who is gorgeous, younger than her, and has some absolutely wonderful dogs and you have a mix for a really comforting escapist read.

I loved Aiden and his dogs (which I will let you discover for yourself, but they aren't your most typical breed), and the fact he was willing to help Sarah out and pretend to be a fake boyfriend, is just another level to his fabulousness.

This is a series that I have always loved and will continue to love for as long as the author is happy to continue writing for it. More please!

[Jessica Tout · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a long-time fan of the Comfort Food Café series, I was so excited to return to Budbury and spend more time with the lovely community that always feels like home. A Touch of Magic at the Comfort Food Café follows Sarah, a woman looking for a fresh start after a difficult past. Hoping to rebuild her life, she finds herself drawn into the warmth of the seaside café and the people who make it so special. Among them is Aidan, a kind and grounded newcomer who slowly begins to break through Sarah’s emotional walls. As the story unfolds, Sarah learns to open her heart again and trust that magic can still exist in everyday life.

The book starts off beautifully—I really enjoyed getting to know Sarah and seeing all the familiar faces from previous books return. The café setting remains as cosy and comforting as ever, and Debbie Johnson captures that heartwarming sense of community perfectly. However, as the story went on, I found myself becoming a bit frustrated with Sarah’s indecisiveness and constant excuses. The slow-burn romance between her and Aidan, while sweet at first, began to feel a little drawn out and lost some of its spark for me.

Overall, this was still a charming and comforting read, full of warmth, friendship, and a touch of hope. While it didn’t quite have the same magic as some of the earlier books in the series, it was lovely to revisit the café and spend time in such a familiar, feel-good world.

[Debbieafranklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah and Aidan are the 2 new residence in Budbury

Sarah moves to Budbury for a new start after a bad thing had happened to her. She's moved from a top floor flat in an Edwardian property in London. She was having a bad time aneeded to leave. She's not sold the London flat yet as she goes to z lot of meetings in London. Sarah's a written of horror fiction. Sarah doesn't like to talk about her work , doesn't have friends or like socialising much. She meets lots of nice friendly people but feels a bit awkward as she's not used to people being nice and friendly. She gets invited to a group at the comfort cafe and everyone is making her so welcome. After they've been drinking and eating cake for a while the others all get up and move to seats by the window so Sarah joins them. A few seconds later a guy runs past along the cliff trail. He is shirtless & gorgeous they all watch and go Google eyed . The others tell Sarah his name isAidan and he's also a new face in Budbury. They all say where he lives and speculate if he's a vampire or a werewolf as he buys loads of bloody meat from the butchers. It turns out he has 4 dogs. I'm not going to say anymore cos I don't want to spoil anything. I'm just going to say it's definitely would recommend it.

[Milly Carroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the charming fictional English village of Budbury, Debbie Johnson’s immersive writing made me wish it were real so I could visit. This was a fun, easy read. Warm and cosy, and filled with adorable side characters.

Sarah, an author of terrifying thrillers, moves to Budbury to escape her life in London. She’s seeking solitude, but little does she know that’s the one thing she won’t find in her new home. Instead, she finds herself reluctantly warming up to its close-knit community.

The one thing I didn’t love about this story was Sarah’s immaturity. Sure, we’re all allowed our own demons and insecurities, but hers became a bit much. She’s scared of her own shadow, second-guesses everything, and the narrative kept reminding us that she’s almost 50, as if that’s the greatest tragedy in the world.

The love interest, Aidan, seems absolutely gorgeous, and honestly, just because he was part of the story, I found myself more invested.

Everything else about this book fit like a glove. The autumn vibe, the small-village charm, the fake boyfriend trope and the easy yet descriptive writing style all came together beautifully. Definitely one to pick up if you’re in the mood for a fun, cosy read.

For a full review, check out the link to my book blog:- https://milesofcomfortandbooks.com/a-...

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So... I want to live in Budbury and be friends with all these wonderful people. This is one of my favorite series, and I loved it just like all the others. Sarah, the MC, is an author with a natural inclination to avoid people. Add to that the fact that she is divorced AND has a stalker, and when she leaves London for Budbury, she is convinced that she can live in her cozy little home with NO contact with the village. Anyone who has read any of the books set in Budbury knows this is not going to happen, these people are all about community.
It was great revisiting this world and meeting a new couple. I, for one, hope that there will be more Comfort Food Cafe books!!

[the.bookish.kingdom · Rating 2 out of 5]

נטישה ב-20%
התחשק לי ספר cozy עם אווירה של סתיו. ראיתי את הכריכה המעלפת והספר היה במבצע בקינדל אז ברור שרכשתי.
מה אהבתי? הכתיבה מהממת; יש וויבים של עיירה קטנה, גברים חתיכים וקהילה מחבקת, מלווה הרבה קפה וקינוחים. דבי (הגיבורה), היא סופרת של ספרי מתח וגם בחיים האישיים שלה, יש סטוקר שהיא ברחה ממנו.
אז למה נטשתי? בתקציר בעצם משתמע שיש זוגיות מזויפת (שאח״כ כנראה תהפוך לאמיתית). אבל מה שלא צוין וגיליתי בעמודים הראשונים של הספר זה שהגיבורה בת 50- משהו שכבר קשה לי מאד להתחבר אליו אבל החלטתי להתגבר עליו. אבל ב-20% הספר גיליתי שהגיבור הוא בחור צעיר (או לפחות ככה דבי כינתה אותו) ופער גילאים מהסוג הזה פשוט לא בשבילי✍️🍰

[The Lit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m giving this book a full 5 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
​This was such a beautiful, enjoyable cozy read that really tugs at the heartstrings. The story centers on themes of forgiveness and incredible FMC growth that felt both earned and inspiring. While the characters are very relatable, their depth and the challenges they face might resonate most with a slightly more mature audience rather than very young readers. It is the perfect "comfort food" book for anyone who believes in second chances and the magic of finding where you belong!
​Follow me @TheLitWhisperer for more Cozy Romance reviews!

[Amreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)
Spice Level: 🌶️

A Touch of Magic at the Comfort Food Café by Debbie Johnson was an okay read for me, though it didn’t completely hit the mark. I didn’t realise going in that it’s part of an interconnected standalone series — but you can absolutely read it on its own, and if you decide to pick up any of the other books, you’ll already be familiar with some of the characters.

That said, this story just wasn’t my cup of tea. It’s not that it’s a bad book — I can definitely see why others would enjoy the storyline and the cozy charm of the setting — but it simply didn’t click with me. I also felt that parts of the story were dragged out a bit too much, which made it harder to stay fully engaged.

One thing I did really enjoy was the age gap romance, with the FMC being older than the MMC. I loved how he encouraged her to feel confident in herself, and it felt realistic that she struggled with insecurities — especially after her past awful experiences. That part of the story was heartfelt and added nice emotional depth.

Overall, if you enjoy small-town romance stories with a cozy, fall vibe, this could be worth picking up. But for me personally, it just didn’t keep me gripped.

[Beatrice Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited for this. Loved the all the other books in the series but this one i struggled with. I was a little taken a back by the age gap.. thats me though. but the constant going on about it started to bore me. I think I continued with this book solely for the previous love for the past characters. I just found sarah boring..
sorry..
not all negative though. still blooming love cherie. ❤️

[Sue Rouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so wonderful to be back at Budbury with the main characters Sarah and Aidan alongside the old
favourites of Comfort Food Cafe. It was great getting to know new friends although I would have liked more interaction with those we’ve met before. I do hope we go back to Budbury soon. Thanks to Debbie and her publisher.

[Meryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and it’s also the first book I have read In the comfort food series, it was nice learning about the two new residents in the town of budbury and how they get to know each other, I did find that it e edged a bit abruptly, I was expecting to hear a bit more about Sarah and Aiden and what happened next.

[Sarah Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a few of Debbie Johnson's books and a few in the Comfort Food Cafe series. I found this a really lovely read. I liked the characters of Sarah and Aidan, and loved meeting some of the old characters again too. Well written with a good plotline, I probably read this in just over a day. A nice quick easy comfy read, that I enjoyed.

[Nicola Crichton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I as always loved reading another comfort food cafe book. The author really makes you feel all the emotions along with the main character. It definitely makes you wish it was a real place you could visit and meet all the characters I have come to love through reading these books. I would 100% recommend these books to anyone!

[Mel Garraghan-Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comforting read.

A catch up with the familiar characters of Budbury as a couple of newcomers try to hide away in its quiet enclave. Although it's not before the locals draw them out of their hiding places and draw out their secrets.

[Les · Rating 5 out of 5]

Telling the tale of Sarah who is wary of men and love. She moves to Bidbury and meets Aidan. What happens next….you’ll have to s,we for yourself. Suffic,e to say, another great read in this series. I can’t get enough of them and want to move…..

[Emma Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute and cosy read. I loved the easy to follow story and the close community around the cafe. Plus there was a great cast of characters. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.