This book wasn't too bad. It was about a young, pregnant woman finding herself stranded in a snowstorm in the small town of Wishing Bridge. She is down on her luck and taken in by a kind woman, Maggie. Her 2 friends, also down on their luck, join her as she reaches out for help. This was a nice, clean fiction novel with a mix of romance and some intrigue. The theme of the "down on her luck" city girl retreating and deciding to stay in a small town is a bit overdone in books these days, plus the ending felt anticlimatic. But the book was an easy read that held my interest to the end.

This is a quintessential small town story, with three friends from the city who serendipitously land in Wishing Hollow and have their hearts healed with the peace and friendship they find in the small community on the verge of revitalization. The book is strong on dialogue and faith-filled words of wisdom, especially from Maggie, the sweet woman who takes Kelsey in. I didn't have much of a connection to the characters or feel much chemistry between Hale and Kelsey- I felt more removed as an observer rather than in the middle of the emotion. Thea and Jazz are focused on almost as much as Kelsey which made me invested and looking forward to reading their stories in the next books.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

The minute I saw the cover, I knew I had to read this book. What a wonderful, beautiful, uplifting book.

This is the first book that I have read by Ruth Logan Herne, and it will not be the last. I love her writing style, her characters and storyline. It is a hopeful thread that runs through the book, with lots of healing and acceptance thrown in.

I loved it! I just know there will be books for Thea and Jazz. I can't wait to see what life will bring them.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to discover a new author and to read and review this book.

This book was hard to get into. It took pushing through the first third to get into the story. From there is was a nice story about friendship.

A beautiful story...loved the premise...the writing...and the magic. Five stars.

Characters will delight you and the story line was amazing.

Although this does fall into the Christian fiction category, it isn't unenjoyable for non-Christians. The story itself is interesting and well paced, with God as more of a side dish than the main focus of the story. A great read that captures the essence of life in western New York, especially it's very small towns!

A beautiful story of friendship. This is a new author to me and I’m so happy that I found her. Can’t wait to read the next book.

An engaging and sweet read that was well written and draws you in. Loved the characters and how the whole story came together. Utterly delightful.

Thoughts:

WELCOME TO WISHING BRIDGE by Ruth Logan Herne slides past a broken relationship and into a bad situation with roadside danger, a snowstorm, and wrong turns to have things go even more out of control. Change arrives in the most critical way as we find one string from a lifelong mystery!

She makes a plan, plots the course, and sees it through.

Knowing the right choice and refusing to revive the old mistakes, Kelsey McCleary drives until the car hits a ditch. Worry and fear cloud around her. With most of her car buried in snow, the baby will not wait for help to arrive. Her connection in town may not be true, but birth pain makes it real enough. Reaching out to the sisterhood of love, she needs their assistance. Theirs is a fellowship born of broken lives and families in a place where kinship is not always by blood and faith changes lives.

Will her mistake shift everything?

Meanwhile, Deputy Hale Jackson answers a call, but the conditions don’t seem as described. This lake effect snow turns from a Christmas nicety to nearly a complete whiteout, but the caller left no doubts about what was out here. These snowdrifts are left undisturbed. Praying he will find whatever was going on, he keeps the light moving. A dim difference registers, and he spots a car as he nears.

A pregnant woman in labor in a town without a hospital closer than snow allows for travel means a whole lot of problems for Wishing Bridge, but it also means a lot of grief for Hale. Professionally, he keeps his emotions on lockdown and tends to the woman while calling in reinforcements, but he knows this night would replay repeatedly as this holiday draws near.

Will memories break his heart all over again this year?

***This opinion is my own.***

Preview:

Inside WELCOME TO WISHING BRIDGE by Ruth Logan Herne, four friends near the age of thirty, and their lives are not what they envisioned.

For Kelsey McCleary, her situation leads her frighteningly close to her broken home life.

A pregnant, single woman, without steady employment, fails in life as her car lands back end up in a ditch. Kelsey told herself this would not be her, but the baby’s coming far from a hospital, and her bad choice led them here.

Nearly freezing, when help arrives, she is surprised by the helpful people, the quaint town, and the handsome man who seems to have a problem with her. Sure, he assumes she’s a single, soon-to-be-mother, without the right kind of life for a child, but he doesn’t know the full story either. She makes the dreaded I need you call to her friends after the baby is born. She needs their help and support. She needs them to know that she now has a baby, and it didn’t go as planned.

They soon find that Wishing Bridge has a bustling revival, faith in people, and more is going on behind the scenes than at first glance.

As the mystery deepens so does the connection to Wishing Bridge.

In the middle of a heavy snowstorm, Deputy Hale Jackson goes to check out a call about seeing tail lights go off the road, and finds Kelsey McCleary unharmed, but in labor and stuck in her car. He helps her to safety and to a midwife.



Maggie and Joe, the couple who reported the accident invite Kelsey to stay with them until she figures out what to do next. They are welcoming and understanding towards Kelsey and are excited to share their home with her and her baby girl. I admired their faith and how they shared their faith with Kelsey through the way they lived.



Hale came home to Wishing Bridge after an injury ended his NFL career and he bought a farm. He is hesitant to give interviews and doesn't want to be called a hero for doing his job and being in the right place t help Kelsey out when she needed him. But he is good with handling the press, and finagles a deal. He has his own heartaches around the holidays, and he volunteers to work so that others can be with their families. He admires Kelsey's strength and determination, but wonders if there is more to her being in town when her face sparks a memory.



I love how Kelsey's friends, Jazz and Thea, come to see her even though it's been a long time since they have seen each other.



I love how this story comes together, with lots going on and several surprises along the way! I can't wait to return to Wishing Bridge and all the wonderful people. The perfect book for holiday season!







Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Welcome to Wishing Bridge is the first installment to the Wishing Bridge series. I thought it was a great beginning to the series and can not wait for the second installment.

I first fell in love with Ruth Herne's writing with her Double S Ranch series. Her incredible talent for bringing characters to life coupled with telling a story that tugs at both your heartstrings and soul is one of the best in the industry! She makes you fall in love with a town you wished you could actually visit & make your own and engulfs you in the story where reality fades away. You'll find yourself spending hours in the pages with no concept of time passing.

Welcome to Wishing Bridge was another one of those type of stories that brought out all the emotions I love to feel and realistic characters I could easily call friends. Kelsey is a woman who finds herself in a bind; alone, scared, and her original plan taking an unexpected turn. With a snowstorm rescue by a handsome Deputy and the kindness of strangers she finds the strength to forge a new life even better then the one she had all laid out in her mind. Reunited with her best friends Jazz & Thea after an SOS call, they embark on an almost fairy tale Christmas story. Rife with heartache but handled with grace is my favorite way for a story to be told. Life is messy and nobody escapes it, it's in how you move forward and Ruth is a master at telling just that in her books. I loved everything about this, and especially the way she shows how strong a faith in God can be through Maggie & Jeb—the couple who take Kelsey into their home—in times of trouble. You won't meet a more gracious or loving couple, the hands and feet of Christ in action! Do I detect a bit of romance between Deputy Hale & Kelsey? That's sigh worthy stuff right there!

You don't want to miss this one! Really, if you want a story to take you away to a place you could call home and characters to call your band of friends (aka The Soul Sisterhood) this is where to find it. Heartwarming stories with a deeper meaning, full of faith & love!

With a cover like this and a title with wishing in it, do you even wonder why I read this book on a cool wintery December morning? And this book is everything which is needed to bring the warmth. Sitting in my reading nook, in a comfy armchair with tea and toast, here goes my review.
The story is simple, Kelsey is conned, finds herself pregnant decides to put the baby up for adoption. But Fates have a different idea, so she has an accident hours prior to delivery, delivers the baby in the firehouse, and residents of Wishing Bridge rush to make her life comfortable. A SOS call to her best friends bring them all to this beautiful town.
I love the way the author Ruth Logan Herne, has described this town. There is so much love and generosity abounding in the hearts of people. Taking a stranger into their homes and showering her with love is so beautifully depicted in her words.
Reading this book a few days before Christmas is the right way to read Ruth's words. There is something magical about her writing, something which made me want to go to Wishing Bridge and experience the holy atmosphere.
It is not the tree and gifts which is true Christmas, but the empathy, the willingness to help a fellow human being which is the true Christmas spirit, and that is precisely what Ruth has shown in this book.
I loved the friendship between the 3 girls, Kelsey, Thea and Jazz. A friendship born out of the rigors of a negligent childhood is forged in fire and survives all hardships. The three girls love and support each other throughout the story. And that is a beautiful sight to see. Ruth's words make every scene come alive.
The secret of Kelsey's connection to Wishing Bridge adds another layer to this delicious women's fiction. Then Ruth decided that we need a hunk to add romance to the flavor. And lo and behold, we have — the absolutely gorgeous cop, with a beautiful, courageous heart, Hale Jackson. Is there anything else which this book needs??
Ruth has added so many emotions to this book, all of which cover the heart and reache deep into the soul where distrust and hurt reside. Healing the soul piece by piece is what this book does. Reading this book, I was taken to a place so far away from real life, that I longed to have a home in Wishing Bridge.
There may have been some niggles in the book, but in the hope and laughter which the words bring, those niggles are forgotten and the heart is just left remembering the beauty.
On this holy and beautiful month of Christmas, I thank Ms Ruth for giving us such a book. She is like Santa bringing joy and hope where there seemed none, bringing light where darkness abounded, and bringing courage where fear resided.
Some books are truly magical and bring a smile to the face. And this to me is one of them...

Welcome to Wishing Bridge by Ruth Logan Herne was an enjoyable read. A fresh start is what Kelsey is looking for. After making a error in judgement she has made a life-changing decision. She is also trying to find some answers to her mysteries past. On her way she has an accident where she is rescued by a handsome policeman. Her friends come to help her out of a tough place and all are going through their own stuff. Mysteries and romance and decisions are made. This is the first book I have read by Ruth Logan Herne and probably not the last. I hope there are more books about her friends. I received this book from NetGalley for my review and honest opinion.

Ruth Logan Herne writes beautiful romance stories while handling difficult social issues. She gets you involved with the characters and their communities. In Welcome to Wishing Bridge, we meet Kelsey McCleary, single, pregnant and stranded after sliding off an icey road in a blizzard with no help in sight.


But a woman sees the lights from her front window and realizes something isn't right and calls in a distress call and Deputy Hale Jackson cruises out in the wicked weather because he knows Maggie wouldn't have called if she wasn't sure. He doesn't find any signs of a vehicle but persists and calls in the snow plows. He is rewarded when he struggles through the drifts and finds Kelsey stuck in her vehicle and, to his surprise, now in labor.


Kelsey had been on her way to place her child up for adoption because she believes that will benefit her child as she, herself, has grown up in foster care without the love of two parents; however, her plans are delayed when she delivers her child and then finds many of the towns people willingly come to her aid--especially after her story is told on Christmas Eve over a Television program.


Hale feels drawn to the young mother and her new baby especially because he feels his finding and saving her was meant to be. He begins stopping by several times a day just to check on Kelsey and the baby.


In the meantime, Kelsey's two friends Jazz and Thea arrive after receiving a previously agreed upon signal if any of them needed each other.


The plot thickens as the two friends develop relationships in Wishing Bridge and decide to stay for the time being (of course this will be future episodes in this series). Kelsey and Hale sense that they are attracted to each other and the relationship begins to bud; but Hale has a history and issues of his own. To complicate matters, someone wants Kelsey gone and begins sending threatening notes.


This is a great read and it looks like the beginning of a great series to add to your keeper shelf. I received this book through netgalley for my honest review.

I had the hardest time reading this book! I can’t pinpoint quite what it was that made me have a hard time. The story didn’t come to life for me. I wish it would have because it was a nice concept.
I received a digital copy from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Very enjoyable book! The characters are likeable and easy to relate with. My favorite character was Maggie because of her positive attitude. I'm glad to see this will be a series and will be looking forward to the next book. I've not read anything written by this author so am happy to find her. Highly recommended!

A winter storm, a pregnant woman with no home, and a small town police officer kick this story off with a bang.

Determined to provide her baby with a better upbringing than the one she had, Kelsey McCleary has a plan. One that a winter storm and the small town her mother mentioned once derail. Stranded in Wishing Bridget with strangers, Kelsey sends an SOS to her two best friends. Two women she hasn’t talked to in years.

Ruth Logan Herne does not steer away from difficult issues in the first book of her new series with Waterfall press. She tackles eating disorders, foster kids, infidelity, joblessness, and more with a gentle touch that brings them to light in the residents and visitors to this sleepy New York town.

I enjoyed the introduction to the residents. There aren’t as many scenes with the hero and heroine together as one would expect in a romance, but they ones that are there are satisfying enough to keep fans of the genre happy.

Instead, Herne allows Kelsey, Hale, Maggie, and Thea to develop their personalities as individuals through their pain, disappointments, wonder, and joys.

A story filled with forgiveness, hope, friends, family, and some holiday cheer, Welcome to Wishing Bridge is one of those winter stories that reminds us that there are good people in this world. People who take a stranger under their roof and care for her despite their own broken hearts.

I wasn’t ready to leave this little town when I reached the last page, so it’s a good thing Kelsey’s besties agreed to stick around!

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

I couldn't wait to read this book and it was everything I hoped it would be. There are no slow times so it moves a long well. The characters are great and I could envision other stories coming from this one. Small towns really do offer so much in so many ways.