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Author: Debbie JohnsonFormat reviewed: EbookSource: NetgalleyPublisher: One More ChapterPublication Date: 30th October 2026Rating: 5 Stars
The snow is falling and the hot chocolates are piled high with marshmallows at the Comfort Food Café, and one unexpected visitor is in for a holiday miracle…
Meredith Bailey is a woman who doesn’t do emotions, doesn’t do cake, and she absolutely does not do cosy Dorset villages. But when she’s sent a photograph of a little café overlooking a picture-perfect bay, Meredith does what she always does – she draws up a spreadsheet and makes an offer.
Cherie Moon, owner of the Comfort Food Café, has other ideas. She isn’t selling. But she is, rather inexplicably, offering Meredith an apron.
What Meredith doesn’t account for is a very handsome vet in a Santa hat, or a village with the magical gift for thawing the most frozen of hearts – one mug of the world’s best hot chocolate at a time…
Warm, funny and full of hope, this is the perfect read for snugging up with on long winter nights.
I had to pretty much laugh out loud at Meredith's intentions to get into Budbury, persuade Cherie Moon to sell the Comfort Food Cafe and return home all within a day! Anyone that has ever read any of this series will know what a laughable concept that is.
And yet that is what Meredith tries, after all she is a master negotiator and doesn't take no for an answer, but she hadn't banked on Cherie being her most formidable opponent ever, let alone just what spending time at the Comfort Food Cafe and town of Budbury would do for her.
I loved their initial battle of wits, with Cherie showing once again what an amazing woman she is, and an astute judge of character. She challenges Meredith to work in the cafe for 10 days, and then they can discuss things further. She gets the ladies of the village to give her some more appropriate clothing than business suits, and is introduced everywhere.
I loved seeing how she changes and develops over the course of her time in the village, and I felt for her when you learn her true reasoning for being there. There are many moments in this book that will tug on heartstrings, but will also make you smile a lot.
It was wonderful catching up with so many familiar faces to this series, seeing how their lives are getting on, while at the same time I believe this could easily be read as a standalone novel. I especially loved some of Edie's lines!
And Josh, the vet is rather a catch too. But the star of this is Nelly, who has a definitely place in my heart as well as quite a few residents of the village too.
This was a joyous read and another truly fabulous addition to this series. I couldn't get enough of reading it, and loved every page.
Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
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