4.5 stars. Wishing Bridge, New York has become a place I want to visit in real life. The sad part? It's a fictional town. The second book in the Wishing Bridge series by Ruth Logan Herne, At Home in Wishing Bridge continues to captivate me with it's characters, story line and messages. Even though the focus is on Thea, one of three of the Soul Sisterhoods, we still get to check out how life's going for the other two, Jazz and Kelsey. Add in the great townsfolk of Wishing Bridge, Jeb and Maggie, Jill, Max, Garrett, and the local doctor and Thea's love interest, Ethan, Wishing Bridge comes to life.

The author is a master at presenting kids and tying their own stories into the intricacy of a well written novel. Her stories involving kids have always been my favorite and Keegan, Mara and Shannon's involvement have pretty much glued my eyes to the page. What I find most appealing is giving these kids their own story and voice that presents several messages for readers that may not have the same effect if told differently.
"If you can't make a difference to everyone, make a difference to the ones you can."

Messages align left and right in the author's stories, but the themes of kindness, resiliency and having faith and trust in yourself and the Lord tie in beautifully in a story of planning one's future.
"We can't change the past, but we have the future in our hands. Ours and the good Lord's. We change what we can and work around the rest... It takes effort, child. Every single day."

In all, a series well worth the few hours of reading, but if you let it, the messages will stay with you for a lifetime.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.

The small town setting and vibe continues strongly in the second book in the Wishing Bridge series. Thea has a pragmatic personality and it really came across as she works as a nurse practitioner with the doctor who has his sights set on something more than a local practice. I appreciated the storyline of Ethan's orphaned niece and nephew who need him, and Thea's insights that help him realize and focus his priorities. The progress he sees when he follows her advice, especially with his prickly niece, softens his heart toward the town even though it's not part of his long-term plans. Thea's aloofness made it difficult for me to connect with her as a reader, and like with the first book, I felt like more of an observer than a participant in the emotion of the story.

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

This book is the second book in Ruth Logan Herne's "Wishing Bridge" series but it can easily be read as a stand-alone book. I can honestly say that while I loved the first book in the series, I loved At Home in Wishing Bridge even more. I think it is because I felt more connected to Thea who worked in the medical field. But I also had a soft spot in my heart for Dr. Ethan Brandenburg because of how he was caring for his niece and nephew. Ms. Herne created such realistic characters that pulled at my heartstrings. Both Thea and Ethan came from difficult backgrounds and had a lot of scars they needed to overcome. But in Ruth Logan Herne fashion they overcame difficulties and rose above their pasts to bring them into a promising future.



If you enjoy reading sweet small-town romance novels, I would highly suggest you pick up a copy of At Home in Wishing Bridge. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.



On a 5-Star Scale - 5 Stars!!!!!



I would like to thank the author for my copy of At Home in Wishing Bridge. I received my copy for free but I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR. Part 255.

Anything by Ruth Logan Herne is worth your time to read and a place on your favorites shelf. This book is the second in a series but could stand alone; however some of the same characters appear again and it helps to know their back story.

Thea Anastas is a nurse practioner who ended up in Wishing Bridge when she got an urgent call from a friend that she needed her help. Now we finds herself working for the only local Doctor who is filling the current medical practice temporarily until he can move on with his future plans.

Dr Ethan Brandenburg has custody of his deceased sister and her deceased husband's two children. He is having trouble dealing with their deaths as much as the children are. His youngest sister shows up to take advantage of his good graces but with no plans to get a job or further her education.

Thea has serious issues from her childhood that only her friends understand and that she is afraid to share with Ethan even more so as their relationship seems to be developing into more than a Doctor-nurse relationship.

When Ethan suffers a heart attack, things come to a climax. You will enjoy this read, getting to know the town, and the characters. I give it 5 stars. Thanks to Waterfall Press for allowing me to read this novel through Netgalley.

Nurse Practitioner Thea Anastas loves her job, she truly cares about her patients, often going out of her way to help them especially if children are involved. Through her work she meets Shannie, a young girl suffering with appendicitis. Shannie only has a forgetful great-gran to care for her, so Thea goes with them to the hospital to make sure that she gets care because she is afraid that she might get lost in the system.



Dr. Ethan Brandenburg works at the Wishing Bridge Clinic with Thea, he has plans to return to the city to join a research team at a top hospital. He took a year off to care for his niece and nephew after the death of their parents, they are still adjusting to living with him, and Mara especially is having a hard time.



Thea and Ethan find themselves spending more time together after the clinic gets flooded ruining all of their equipment. Shannie is a friendly girl with a joyful spirit, she is very outgoing she keeps trying to be Mara's friend despite Mara's rebuffs.



Thea is strong and compassionate, she has a strong faith and she enjoys getting to know Ethan more, but doesn't believe that it will last. She's lived through pain in the past and doesn't believe that she'll ever marry.



Ethan is an excellent doctor and a good man, he is a man of science and doesn't give faith much credence. However, Thea has him thinking more and more about his late sister's faith, and how much he enjoys having Thea and Shannie in their lives.



I love the way that Thea and Ethan grow to known one another better, there is great dialog, with plenty of give and take, but also caution because they both know that the other is leaving soon.



I also really liked how this book followed Jazz as well, she is Thea's roommate and former model. She runs frequently and knows that if she goes back to modelling that it would be too easy to slip back into her eating disorder. Wishing Bridge has been good for her and her faith is strong.



I loved returning to Wishing Bridge and catching up with all of my favorite people. Ruth Logan Herne always does an excellent job of weaving together warm and welcoming communities with her books, bringing characters to life in memorable ways. A highly enjoyable read!



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."

At Home in Wishing Bridge is the second installment of this series. I haven't read book one but I intend to read it soon. this book is so faith and family filled. I liked the way the wtiting flowed. The characters are believable and realistic. This is a good book. tganks netgalley for the gift of the arc in exchange for this honest review.

I enjoyed At Home in Wishin Bridge. Looking forward to the next book in the Wishing Bridge series.
4 1/2 stars.

Reviewed for Hope by the Book magazine (online)

Herne’s compassion for people from all walks of life is unabashedly woven into the undeniable authenticity of her skillfully crafted stories. The genuine heart of this small-town community draws even its staunchest city-slicker residents as they grapple relevant, raw, challenging issues. Dedicated nurse practitioner Thea has an endearing combination of confident independence and sensitive vulnerability. While she and Dr. Ethan Bradenburg often experience frustration with one another, their biggest obstacle is their growing attraction considering the temporary nature of their positions. Wishing Bridge presents readers with a realistic cross-section of residents in a variety of ages, economic classes, cultural backgrounds, and professions. Grief, poverty, racism, foster care, accessibility of medical services, and human trafficking all play a role within the plot, yet the community, friendship, and sweet romance keep darker themes from overpowering the inspiring hope of faith.

I was thrilled to discover Ruth Logan Herne’s return to the Wishing Bridge series. With the publisher doing away with their fiction line, I wasn’t sure we’d get Thea or Jazz’s stories, so when I saw At Home in Wishing Bridge released last month, I immediately grabbed it.

This book touches on some hard and heavy topics such as human trafficking, loss of parents/family, and anorexia. And while Herne delves more deeply on some than others, each his handled with grace and care.

With many changes happening in their lives, the last thing either Thea or Ethan need is romance. But working together leads from annoyance to respect then eases into a friendship. And time together equals a growing attraction. Although, Thea and Ethan are both loathe to act on it when they’ll be moving on to their dreams.

What made this book for me was the children. Herne excels at bringing little ones to life on her pages. Ethan’s niece and nephew are complete opposites in their attitudes and mannerisms yet I’ve known children who fit in both categories. Add in little Shannie (oh, this girl broke my heart a little), and this little group is not easily forgotten by the reader.

And because this book included enough about Jazz to make me wonder about her even more, my fingers are crossed for one more Wishing Bridge book.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books 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.

After surviving the streets of South Philly, Thea Anastas never thought she’d wind up working in rural New York. But a call from a friend in need convinced the nurse practitioner to make the trip. Now her temporary position is making a difference in Wishing Bridge—though Thea can’t afford to make a difference, to fill a gaping hole in the sweet, small town. After all, the current medical practice is being dissolved in three months, and bigger opportunities are luring her away…
Her partner, Dr. Ethan Brandenburg, has his own struggles: caring for his orphaned niece and nephew and holding firm to his decision to leave Wishing Bridge for a prestigious job in Chicago. Though Thea’s no-nonsense advice in the office has been good for business, her compassion in Ethan’s personal life has been good for his heart. But how can he offer a commitment to a woman when they’re both about to say goodbye?
Wishing Bridge may be surrounded by forests and farms, but Thea is starting to realize that friendships and family form its heart—and that what she wants in life and love may be right in front of her eyes.

This is the second book in the series. I didn't read the first book and it probably would have helped me understand some of the references made and some of the situations. I also thought that Mara's age was wrong. I have a seven year old granddaughter and there's no way she could have some of the conversations that Mara had. I'm thinking more like a 10 or 11 year old. Overall this was a good book. I'm looking forward to Jazz's story.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

Small towns are the best towns to live in. Since I do not currently live in a small town, I love books that take place in small towns because they are a way for me to be able to enjoy small towns without having to convince my husband to move to one . Since At Home in Wishing Bridge by Ruth Logan Herne takes place in a small town, I thoroughly enjoyed this boo. The way this book was written reminded me of a Hallmark movie. It had the quaint, small town, the fun citizens of that town, and the sweet romance between the two main characters who find themselves living in the quaint town. Yes, there were conflicts and highly emotional moments, but overall, it was a sweet romance that left me feeling happy and wishing that I too could live in Wishing Bridge or at least a similar town.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sweet romances in small town settings.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterfall Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a heartfelt and engaging read. This book was so full of faith, family, and deep relationships that endure. I love the wonderful examples of true friendship in this book. Everyone truly cared about each other. There needs to be a lot more of that in this world.

I fell in love with Ruth Logan Herne’s books when I read her Double S Ranch series. I loved those books so much, I knew I had to read one of her other books. I hadn’t read the first book in this series, but picked this one up anyways. I do wish I had started with the first book because I did get confused a lot when I started reading this. The characters do carry over from the first book, and without having some background on the characters, I was a little lost. Now I am going to find the first book and read that, then reread this one.

Recommendation: I recommend this book to anyone, however, I do recommend you read the first book first.

*I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.*

What a great book. Great plot, believable characters and fantastic writing. I haven’t read the previous book in the series but definitely will be reading soon. I received a complimentary copy and this is my unbiased review.

AT HOME IN WISHING BRIDGE by RUTH LOGAN HERNE is a charming romance novel which takes place in a small country village. I haven't read any of the other books in the series, but, whilst it is a good idea to do so, the story is easy to follow as a stand alone.
The three friends, Thea, Jazz and Kelsey, who met when they were troubled foster-care teens and pledged undying friendship to one another, have all landed in Wishing Bridge. Except for Kelsey, who is engaged to be married, they see their stay in the small town as temporary.
Dr Ethan Brandenburg, Thea's boss, has put his plans to take up an important position in genetic research because his sister named him in her will as guardian to her children, and only intends staying there a few more months.
The characters are sincere and likeable, and we are really drawn into their feelings. As they seem to fall in love with the town and its people we wonder if they will follow their dreams or give them up to serve the community they have grown to love!
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Waterfall Press. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

AT HOME IN WISHING BRIDGE is the second book in the Wishing Bridge series. To be honest, I fell in love with the cover the minute I saw it. I knew I would read it anyway, because I love Ruth Logan Herne, but the cover really pulled me in. I loved everything about this beautiful story and I’m excited to continue the series. Ruth Logan Herne always has a way of grabbing her readers and she never lets us go. Thea grew up in South Philadelphia and never thought she could be happy in a small rural town, but Wishing Bridge is really growing on her.

She has been working at a medical practice with Dr. Ethan Brandenburg. Ethan is taking care of his niece and nephew since their parents were tragically killed. They are only supposed to be staying in Wishing Bridge temporarily as Ethan has a big job offer for a hospital in Chicago. But you know what they say about life’s plans, they hardly ever turn out the way you thought they would but they are sometimes exactly what you need. When the medical practice gets flooded during a storm, AT HOME IN WISHING BRIDGE really takes a turn that will have you unable to put this beautiful story down. Neither Ethan nor Thea are looking for a relationship with both of them moving on shortly. It was cute watching these two dance around their feelings for each other.

AT HOME IN WISHING BRIDGE is filled with twists and turns and had me staying up way too late one night to finish! I had to know where Ruth Logan Herne was taking us and what would happen to Thea. I really loved how the whole community came to Thea and Ethan’s aid and only wanted them to feel loved and welcomed! The same goes for the kids! There is so much heart in Ruth’s writing that I’m always left with a huge smile on my face and my heart very happy. I could totally see AT HOME IN WISHING BRIDGE becoming a Hallmark movie and I would love to see it. All of the characters are very interesting and believable, so much so that I felt as if I’ve known them for a long time. I love how Ruthy does that to me each and every time.

I loved this book!! You will fall in love with the people and the place in this well written book. I can't wait to read part three of this series. Thank you WaterFall Press via NetGalley for the free copy of this amazing book. This is my honest opinion.

#AtHomeInWishingBridge #NetGalley

After surviving the streets of South Philly, Thea Anastas never thought she’d wind up working in rural New York. But a call from a friend in need convinced the nurse practitioner to make the trip. Now her temporary position is making a difference in Wishing Bridge—though Thea can’t afford to make a difference, to fill a gaping hole in the sweet, small town. After all, the current medical practice is being dissolved in three months, and bigger opportunities are luring her away…

Her partner, Dr. Ethan Brandenburg, has his own struggles: caring for his orphaned niece and nephew and holding firm to his decision to leave Wishing Bridge for a prestigious job in Chicago. Though Thea’s no-nonsense advice in the office has been good for business, her compassion in Ethan’s personal life has been good for his heart. But how can he offer a commitment to a woman when they’re both about to say goodbye?

Wishing Bridge may be surrounded by forests and farms, but Thea is starting to realize that friendships and family form its heart—and that what she wants in life and love may be right in front of her eyes.


I loved this more than the first in the series. Thea's back story was horrible but she has made a lot of herself into a lot. I really like how you get to know everyone, but it focused on just a few. I thought the little girl that was an inspiration. She looked at everything in a great way even though she had every right to be mad at the world. Great book. Better than the first.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

I so admired the charming little town of Wishing Bridge and all of its’ residents who have created a tight knit community that is inclusive of all and showers its’ citizens with a depth of empathy and compassion that is truly inspirational. I enjoyed meeting each and every character who has lived their life with pain and adversity and yet they still believe in the healing love of The Lord. Thea and Ethan are flawed characters who are still struggling with past hurts and betrayals but while Thea has a deep abiding faith Ethan is too mired in his struggles to open his heart to God. This is a beautifully written story that is compelling and heartwarming and I enjoyed every moment I spent in this very special town. I can’t wait to catch up on the first book in the series so I’m ready to enjoy the next release by this talented storyteller. I read an early copy of this book provided by Waterfall Press through NetGalley and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.

I've always appreciated this authors sweet way of weaving her characters together, and this was no exception.

It would have helped to start with the first book as I did mix up the characters a little through the first half. But I still grew close to each one and enjoyed their journey. I need to go back to book one now! The romance wasn't overally done, although a couple comments are a little humorous (romantic feelings). There are a couple non-detailed kisses.

Spiritual content weaved well into the story. I would have liked to see more of Ethan's journey as he understood more about God. There are a few statements that pinpoint salvation which was a blessing. Some of her other books had some doctrine I didn't like, but I found this one better in that aspect.

The sweetest part of this book was Ethan and Eva. There's nothing like a sister and brother relationship, and it was so well rounded and tear-worthy to see how they interacted together.

While, I enjoyed a lot of the story, I still found it a three star read as I wasn't extremely engaged with it for a good amount of the book. The events involving adoption, child abuse, and other tough subjects were extremely good and well-written. I'd recommend to contemporary readers who love a deep, yet sweet story.

Oh my goodness.....fell in love with this book...the characters and the setting. Thank you Ruth Logan Heme. I hope you will write more...I enjoyed it soooooooooooo much!