Review: A Touch of Magic at the Comfort Food Cafe

A Touch of Magic at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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.

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