Summer at the Comfort Food Cafe - Debbie Johnson

Title: Summer at the Comfort Food Café
Author: Debbie Johnson
Genre: Chick-lit
Rating: 4/5
# pages: Audiobook ~10hrs
Date read: March 2024

The Comfort Food Cafe is perched on a windswept clifftop at what feels like the edge of the world, serving up the most delicious cream teas; beautifully baked breads, and carefully crafted cupcakes. For tourists and locals alike, the ramshackle cafe overlooking the beach is a beacon of laughter, companionship, and security – a place like no other; a place that offers friendship as a daily special, and where a hearty welcome is always on the menu.

For widowed mum-of-two Laura Walker, the decision to uproot her teenaged children and make the trek from Manchester to Dorset for the summer isn’t one she takes lightly, and it’s certainly not winning her any awards from her kids, Nate and Lizzie. Even her own parents think she’s gone mad.

But following the death of her beloved husband David two years earlier, Laura knows that it’s time to move on. To find a way to live without him, instead of just surviving. To find her new place in the world, and to fill the gap that he’s left in all their lives.

Her new job at the cafe, and the hilarious people she meets there, give Laura the chance she needs to make new friends; to learn to be herself again, and – just possibly – to learn to love again as well.
For her, the Comfort Food Cafe doesn’t just serve food – it serves a second chance to live her life to the full…


So... I had totally mixed up Debbie Johnson with Debbie Macomber :-P But I get why - they both write cozy chick-lit with substance that doesn't shy away from tackling heavier issues. So it wasn't until I sat down to write this review that I realized that they weren't the same person.

But happy accident, as that just meant I was biased in the book's favour, and I did end up really enjoying it. It was sweet and sad and poignant and funny and a really cozy comfort read. It can easily stand on its own, but I am looking forward to reading more about the Comfort Food Cafe.

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School - Sonora Reyes

Title: The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School
Author: Sonora Reyes
Genre: YA, LGBTQ+
Rating: 4/5
# pages: Audiobook ~9hrs
Date read: March, 2024

Sixteen-year-old Yamilet Flores prefers to be known for her killer eyeliner, not for being one of the only Mexican kids at her new, mostly white, very rich Catholic school. But at least here no one knows she's gay, and Yami intends to keep it that way.

After being outed by her crush and ex-best friend before transferring to Slayton Catholic, Yami has new priorities: keep her brother out of trouble, make her mom proud, and, most importantly, don't fall in love. Granted, she's never been great at any of those things, but that's a problem for Future Yami.

The thing is, it's hard to fake being straight when Bo, the only openly queer girl at school, is so annoyingly perfect. And smart. And talented. And cute. So cute. Either way, Yami isn't going to make the same mistake again. If word got back to her mom, she could face a lot worse than rejection. So she'll have to start asking, WWSGD: What would a straight girl do?


Very sweet and poignant book. I found myself literally "awww!!"'ing on multiple occasions - mostly due to Bo's parents!

The characters were believably YA - including making stupid decisions and failing to communicate for far too long. But it was an understandable lack of communication, and therefore didn't bother me as much as it usually does in such books. There were one or two instances where I found myself cringing with second-hand embarrassment, but fortunately they were quickly resolved, rather than dwelled on.

I loved pretty much all the characters. They felt real to me, and I enjoyed seeing their relationships grow. I wanted to cheer when Yamilet's mother turned out to be more of an ally than anybody would have guessed. THAT is how you support your children regardless of everything!

The audiobook was narrated by Karla Serrato who did a brilliant job. She either speaks Spanish herself, or did a really good job of convincing this non-Spanish-speaker that she does. The Spanish interjections flowed naturally.

The book (or the audiobook version at least) comes with a CW. Heed this, if bigotry/the consequences of bigotry is a trigger for you.