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Snowed in at the Comfort Food Café
Not yet published
Expected 30 Oct 26Return to the cozy Comfort Food Café series from best-selling author Debbie Johnson 🎃🍁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!!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘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!!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 30, 2026
About the author
Debbie Johnson
35 books1,016 followersDebbie 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing me with this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Wow. Wow, wow, wow. 4 enthusiastic stars for now but I'm going to read it again after writing this review so I may end up bumping this up to 4.5 or even a rare 5 stars.
This story has all of the best qualities of a Debbie Johnson book. There's the lovely romance, the heart-tugging and heartwarming family relationships, forgiveness and redemption, adorable dogs, all of the wonderful Budbury characters, and such a satisfying HEA. "Coming Home to the Comfort Food Cafe" has been my favorite of the series for many years but now it is definitely this one. Johnson handles some painful topics with so much grace and I was also pleasantly surprised at the closed door love scenes and the lack of profanity.
Very enjoyable! I highly recommend reading this book. I look forward to re-reading the final version and listening to the audiobook when it's released.
Wow. Wow, wow, wow. 4 enthusiastic stars for now but I'm going to read it again after writing this review so I may end up bumping this up to 4.5 or even a rare 5 stars.
This story has all of the best qualities of a Debbie Johnson book. There's the lovely romance, the heart-tugging and heartwarming family relationships, forgiveness and redemption, adorable dogs, all of the wonderful Budbury characters, and such a satisfying HEA. "Coming Home to the Comfort Food Cafe" has been my favorite of the series for many years but now it is definitely this one. Johnson handles some painful topics with so much grace and I was also pleasantly surprised at the closed door love scenes and the lack of profanity.
Very enjoyable! I highly recommend reading this book. I look forward to re-reading the final version and listening to the audiobook when it's released.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review to follow
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Debbie Johnson invites readers back to the snow-dusted, windswept cliffs of Dorset, delivering a story that feels like wrapping your hands around a warm mug of hot chocolate on a freezing day! Yes, I did enjoy the newest installement in the "Comfort Food Cafe" series :)
The setting is practically a character in its own right. The Comfort Food Café is as magical as ever, transformed into a winter wonderland buried under thick blankets of snow. Johnson captures the isolating yet deeply comforting feeling of being snowed in with a community that refuses to let the cold dampen their spirits. From the roaring fireplaces to the scent of cinnamon and freshly baked treats, the brilliant, light and inviting writing instantly transports you to a place where you feel safe, sheltered, and thoroughly spoiled.
The true joy of this installment lies in the characters. It was absolutely lovely to reconnect with the old, familiar faces we’ve come to love in this series—returning to them feels like a warm hug from an old friend. However, the new additions are just as brilliantly written. Meredith is a wonderful protagonist; her reliance on spreadsheets and logic to shield her from messy emotions makes her incredibly relatable. When she clashes with the chaotic charm of the café and its vibrant regulars, the dynamic is pure magic.The Standout Stars: The Dogs - a special mention must go to the canine characters. Especially Nelly steals the show completely, adding an extra layer of pure joy and unconditional love to the story.
Where the book stumbles slightly is when it eventually starts to feel repetitive and lightly too flat. The last part of the novel feels quite repetitive, as the narrative loops back to Meredith’s internal monologues multiple times. All of her complex feelings about Molly are established really well, but then repeated over and over again, which slows down the pacing just when the story should be reaching a triumphant emotional climax.
Nevertheless, it is a great return to the Cafe, I think I could read those books over and over again. Read it for the dogs, the hot chocolate, and the lovely small-town community!
The setting is practically a character in its own right. The Comfort Food Café is as magical as ever, transformed into a winter wonderland buried under thick blankets of snow. Johnson captures the isolating yet deeply comforting feeling of being snowed in with a community that refuses to let the cold dampen their spirits. From the roaring fireplaces to the scent of cinnamon and freshly baked treats, the brilliant, light and inviting writing instantly transports you to a place where you feel safe, sheltered, and thoroughly spoiled.
The true joy of this installment lies in the characters. It was absolutely lovely to reconnect with the old, familiar faces we’ve come to love in this series—returning to them feels like a warm hug from an old friend. However, the new additions are just as brilliantly written. Meredith is a wonderful protagonist; her reliance on spreadsheets and logic to shield her from messy emotions makes her incredibly relatable. When she clashes with the chaotic charm of the café and its vibrant regulars, the dynamic is pure magic.The Standout Stars: The Dogs - a special mention must go to the canine characters. Especially Nelly steals the show completely, adding an extra layer of pure joy and unconditional love to the story.
Where the book stumbles slightly is when it eventually starts to feel repetitive and lightly too flat. The last part of the novel feels quite repetitive, as the narrative loops back to Meredith’s internal monologues multiple times. All of her complex feelings about Molly are established really well, but then repeated over and over again, which slows down the pacing just when the story should be reaching a triumphant emotional climax.
Nevertheless, it is a great return to the Cafe, I think I could read those books over and over again. Read it for the dogs, the hot chocolate, and the lovely small-town community!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Fiftyish Meredith Bailey is a hard-core businesswoman who lives and breathes her career, to the exclusion of almost everything else. So when she visits the village of Budbury on England's Dorset coast, she expects Cherie Moon to agree to sell her the Comfort Cafe for an agreed-upon price. But Meredith quickly discovers that Cherie's price includes spending time in the town for a week or two and working part-time for free in the cafe before any contracts are signed.
Reluctantly, Meredith agrees. Against her better judgment, she begins to understand that there is something special about Budbury and its residents, who all seem to be living their best and happiest lives there. And it doesn't hurt that the sexy Santa at a pre-Christmas celebration turns out to be Jack, the local veterinarian. Meredith has a troubled background that includes a divorce, a family tragedy, and an estranged daughter, so she has closed herself off from relationships and romance to protect herself from more disappointments. Jack also has some difficulties in his past, but he has opened his heart to the friends he has made in this unique town.
I felt that it took Meredith, on whom the story is centered, a bit too long to let go of some of her self-imposed restrictions, but it is a well-written, emotional story, peppered with delights such as the amazing food that graces every event and many home tables, the lovely supporting characters, and the town itself. Since Snowed in at the Comfort Cafe is written by Debbie Johnson, a comfort read author extraordinaire, you can be sure that a happy ending will be coming.. The Comfort Cafe series started a decade ago, but you don't have to have read the previous books (I haven't read most of them) to be comforted by this one.
My review is based on a complimentary pre-release copy of this book.
Reluctantly, Meredith agrees. Against her better judgment, she begins to understand that there is something special about Budbury and its residents, who all seem to be living their best and happiest lives there. And it doesn't hurt that the sexy Santa at a pre-Christmas celebration turns out to be Jack, the local veterinarian. Meredith has a troubled background that includes a divorce, a family tragedy, and an estranged daughter, so she has closed herself off from relationships and romance to protect herself from more disappointments. Jack also has some difficulties in his past, but he has opened his heart to the friends he has made in this unique town.
I felt that it took Meredith, on whom the story is centered, a bit too long to let go of some of her self-imposed restrictions, but it is a well-written, emotional story, peppered with delights such as the amazing food that graces every event and many home tables, the lovely supporting characters, and the town itself. Since Snowed in at the Comfort Cafe is written by Debbie Johnson, a comfort read author extraordinaire, you can be sure that a happy ending will be coming.. The Comfort Cafe series started a decade ago, but you don't have to have read the previous books (I haven't read most of them) to be comforted by this one.
My review is based on a complimentary pre-release copy of this book.
September 27, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars
Snowed In at the Comfort Food Café by Debbie Johnson
If I could write a recipe for my perfect Christmas book, it would contain love, reunions, snow, festivities, cute animals and, very importantly, a healthy dose of jeopardy. 😂 And Snowed In at the Comfort Food Café pretty much served me the whole lot!
This was absolutely right up my street. Cosy, Christmassy and wonderfully heartwarming, with all those festive ingredients that make me want to curl up under a blanket with a hot chocolate and disappear into a book.
There’s romance, Christmas magic, snowy scenes, lovely relationships, adorable dogs and enough drama and jeopardy to keep things interesting. Because apparently I don’t just want my Christmas books warm and fuzzy, I also need someone to be in a spot of bother. 😂
I absolutely loved the Comfort Food Café setting and the wonderful sense of warmth and community running through the story. It had that gorgeous balance of festive cosiness and emotional moments, with plenty happening to keep me completely invested.
This was everything I want from a Christmas read. Festive, romantic, snowy, furry and mildly perilous. 😂🎅🏻🐾
An easy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from me. I absolutely loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Snowed In at the Comfort Food Café by Debbie Johnson
If I could write a recipe for my perfect Christmas book, it would contain love, reunions, snow, festivities, cute animals and, very importantly, a healthy dose of jeopardy. 😂 And Snowed In at the Comfort Food Café pretty much served me the whole lot!
This was absolutely right up my street. Cosy, Christmassy and wonderfully heartwarming, with all those festive ingredients that make me want to curl up under a blanket with a hot chocolate and disappear into a book.
There’s romance, Christmas magic, snowy scenes, lovely relationships, adorable dogs and enough drama and jeopardy to keep things interesting. Because apparently I don’t just want my Christmas books warm and fuzzy, I also need someone to be in a spot of bother. 😂
I absolutely loved the Comfort Food Café setting and the wonderful sense of warmth and community running through the story. It had that gorgeous balance of festive cosiness and emotional moments, with plenty happening to keep me completely invested.
This was everything I want from a Christmas read. Festive, romantic, snowy, furry and mildly perilous. 😂🎅🏻🐾
An easy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from me. I absolutely loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have enjoyed the previous Comfort Food Cafe stories. So I was looking forward to another one, and I wasn't disappointed. This time, Meredith Bailey, a no-nonsense businesswoman, comes to the cafe with the intention of buying it to try to win favour with her estranged daughter. However, things don't go as she expects, and the Comfort Food Cafe works its magic to help Meredith find her way.
This is a real comfort read, a mug of hot chocolate with Marshmallows sort of read. The characters are wonderful: Cherie, the cafe owner with her larger than life personality and Jack, the new vet in town who is kind, gorgeous and a little lost himself. Then there is Nelly, the scared rescue dog who adopts Meredith. They are all so likeable and weave together this story about repairing the past, healing, finding yourself and finding love and friendship too.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It would have been 5 stars from me, except that I found that towards the end it got a little lost in Meredith's internal conversations. Apart from that, though, it's a lovely story and a must read this Christmas.
This is a real comfort read, a mug of hot chocolate with Marshmallows sort of read. The characters are wonderful: Cherie, the cafe owner with her larger than life personality and Jack, the new vet in town who is kind, gorgeous and a little lost himself. Then there is Nelly, the scared rescue dog who adopts Meredith. They are all so likeable and weave together this story about repairing the past, healing, finding yourself and finding love and friendship too.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It would have been 5 stars from me, except that I found that towards the end it got a little lost in Meredith's internal conversations. Apart from that, though, it's a lovely story and a must read this Christmas.
September 3, 2026
Having read all of the other books in the Comfort Food Cafe series I already knew I’d love this book. This book not only gave me all of the wintry and Christmas feels I look for in a story but it sent me on a rollercoaster of emotions. The characters in this book feel real and I laughed and cried alongside them. Whist similar books go for a happily ever after/ nothing bad ever happens feel, Debbie isn’t afraid to deal with challenging subjects within her storylines and this book really got me with it’s story as it deals
With a subject matter that’s quite close to home on a personal level.
This book could easily be read as a standalone, but to really get the full impact please read the other books or you will be missing out on so much context for the cast of characters featured in the series.
With a subject matter that’s quite close to home on a personal level.
This book could easily be read as a standalone, but to really get the full impact please read the other books or you will be missing out on so much context for the cast of characters featured in the series.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A lovely return to the Comfort Food Cafe and all the quirky characters.
This time we're meeting Molly's mother (Molly was in a previous book) who strides into the Comfort Food Cafe planning on buying it from the owner (Cherie), but ends up dragged behind the counter to help with serving as they're so busy, and she doesn't know what hit her - very funny! Meredith is an extremely successful, high powered businesswoman who doesn't have much of a life outside of work, because of various reasons, but of course her stay at The Comfort Food Cafe changes all that, with the help of the local handsome vet and a wonderful rescue dog.
Lots of humour with the usual mad characters, along with some more emotional parts. A wonderful addition to this very enjoyable series.
This time we're meeting Molly's mother (Molly was in a previous book) who strides into the Comfort Food Cafe planning on buying it from the owner (Cherie), but ends up dragged behind the counter to help with serving as they're so busy, and she doesn't know what hit her - very funny! Meredith is an extremely successful, high powered businesswoman who doesn't have much of a life outside of work, because of various reasons, but of course her stay at The Comfort Food Cafe changes all that, with the help of the local handsome vet and a wonderful rescue dog.
Lots of humour with the usual mad characters, along with some more emotional parts. A wonderful addition to this very enjoyable series.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Set at Christmas this is part of a series but you could read it standalone. However you’ll miss out on so much it’s such a wonderful place to visit!
This book sees Meredith , successful businesswoman try to buy the cafe and come face to face with the marvellous Cherie Moon.
Meredith has a really sad backstory and her story is just lovely to read.
It’s like a warm hug it will drag you in and keep you just where you are. It’s a journey about Meredith and how fabulous Budbury is at helping people grow. With plenty of fun thrown in.
There really isn’t anything not to love and give 5 stars too
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Loved this story about Meredith who went to the Comfort Food Cafe thinking she could buy it. Instead she ended up working there and becoming Lauren and Elenia and the rest of the community. After she fulfilled her comitment working there she was heading back to London. She became a temporary owner of a dog named Nelly and met a guy named Jack and really didn't want to go back but she returned back there to celebrate Christmas and the town had a surprise for her and that was her daughter Molly. They were reunited and trying to work things out. Does she move back to the village and what happens with her dog and Jack.. With her job she can work anywhere . A VERY GOOD READ>
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I thought some of these characters were familiar, and when I did a search in my 'what I read' files, I found that I read two in this series in 2018 - and loved them. Loved this one too.
Merrilyn is perhaps overdrawn at the beginning as the uptight CEO, but as she untangles we see more of the reason for the masks and shutting out of people. I cried in several places, and enjoyed this read. A feel good, even if you can guess the ending.
Merrilyn is perhaps overdrawn at the beginning as the uptight CEO, but as she untangles we see more of the reason for the masks and shutting out of people. I cried in several places, and enjoyed this read. A feel good, even if you can guess the ending.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A sweet story about a woman aho finds herself at the small village cafe with intentions of buying it, only to find it changes her life. The story starts roughly for me, but once it gets going, it is very enjoyable. The themes focus around grief but also how grief can become deep seeded fear which looks different for different people. Lovely.
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wow I laughed I cried this was lovely. Lots of wonderful characters and a happy ending as well. Meredith is a professional lady highpowered with no time in her life for fun. She visits the Comfort food cafe as part of a business plan in her head a way to reconcile with her daughter, but the cafe works its magic and her life changes for the better.
Now I need to read the rest of the series. Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins publishing for introducing me to a new world
Now I need to read the rest of the series. Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins publishing for introducing me to a new world
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews