rom the very first page you’ll be invested. Phaedra Patrick weaves a remarkable story that will keep you engaged page after page. From the mystery of the woman in the yellow dress to the juggling act of parenthood after loss, she brings to life in moving way a very complicated tale. Strong notes of grief and sorrow prevail throughout the novel, but are balanced with humour, hope, and healing. Our characters make mistakes – oh so many mistakes – but they also come to realise that in life and in love there is no such thing as perfection.

I did find all the story threads a little distracting at times and the mystery, when revealed, a little ridiculous – a bit too much of a hot mess for my liking… but, I still read the majority of this title in a single session and stayed up way past my bed time because I didn’t want to put it down. We will take a lesson from the author and recognize that something can be fantastic and wonderful without being perfect. Overall, it was highly enjoyable (even though it made me cry!) – not as a light read, but as a heartwarming tale of making it through, scars and all, and the joy of finding those who help us grow and thrive. It’s charming, completely feel-good, and even a little bizarre.



My thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary copy of this title to read and review.

"The lovers who attached their padlocks to the bridges of Upchester might see it as a fun or romantic gesture, but to Mitchell it is was an act of vandilism."

It's single dad Mitchell Fisher's job to cut these locks off the bridges of Upchester - he sees no sentimentality in defacing historic architecture. Only his young daughter Poppy sees through his gruff exterior to the man underneath, still grieving the loss of his wife. When a young woman falls from the bridge while attaching a padlock, Mitchell dives in to save her - not realising who she is and that her family have been looking for her for almost a year. Mitchell is hailed as a local hero - but can he find the woman? Does he even want to?

We've all seen the pictures of bridges all over the world covered in padlocks, left by people for a myriad of reasons - to celebrate love, to remember someone, to grieve. In this book, letters are important - we get to read some letters from people who have affixed padlocks to the bridge, and we get to see how letter writing is used by Mitchell as a coping mechanism.

When I read the words "Basildon Bond" on the very first page, I almost had an out - of - body experience - my Nana used to use that paper (and only that paper) to write letters to her sister in America up to a few months before she died. I was tasked with buying it, and in the late 1990s it was becoming increasingly harder to find locally - I haven't thought of that little writing pad in years, and it brought me a feeling of comfort and warmth that made me immediately delighted that I had chosen to read this book. So thank you, Ms. Patrick, for that lovely memory.

Mitchell is a lovely character, we really get a sense of who he is and how he's feeling. He's carrying around a huge amount of guilt, and I found myself rooting for him straight away. I really enjoyed how the book flowed, and I liked Liza a lot - she was fun, colourful, and I felt like I knew her straight away.

I hate comparing authors, but if you like books like Elizabeth Is Missing or The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, I think you may really enjoy this. I thought it was a lovely, easy read with lots of emotion and a good storyline.

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an e-copy via Netgalley.

For the next four weeks, I'm excited to be spending each Tuesday with you as a stop on a blog tour. I'm especially excited this begins with The Secrets of Love Story Bridge by Phaedra Patrick as this is a book that absolutely captivated me.

The story focuses on Mitchell. Mitchell's job is cutting off all the locks that couples leave on a bridge to profess their love for one another. This became a thing after a boy band filmed their "Lock Me Up With Your Love" music video there. This is a job he enjoys as he has soured on love. Mitchell is a single father to his young daughter Poppy and together they are grieving the loss of Poppy's mother/Mitchell's partner.

One day while Mitchell is going about his business, a woman falls off the bridge. Mitchell springs into action and rescues her. He is catapulted to instant hero fame, a status he definitely does not want. It also turns out this woman's family has been looking for her for the last year. He is connected with this woman's sister Liza as she wants to know what Mitchell knows and where her sister is. This includes finding and deciphering a message she left via a lock on the bridge. Mitchell just wants to step out of the story, but Liza asks for his help in the process, and things go from there.

Much of this story is driven by Mitchell. He is initially characterized as a grumpy man who hates love. What is slowly revealed is that Mitchell's story, actions, and feelings are far more complicated. This is slowly revealed as the story goes. So much of what drew me into this book was Mitchell. I wanted to know more, and I also found myself rooting for him! The beauty of Mitchell's story really comes in the way it is revealed. He writes letters to his partner Anita, as he reflects on their time as a couple and where he is now. I loved getting to see this side of him in this way.

In general, I was so captivated by the whole cast of characters. Poppy, the sisters, co-workers, and other folks add such depth and dynamics to the story. This was one of those books I couldn't read fast enough because I was so drawn in by the people! It was just beautifully written. I love when people drive plot, and this was so much that. This was such an unexpected and wonderful read. I was intrigued when I first read the summary of this one, and y'all, I just loved it. Again, this is one of those where I could rave 50 different ways, but I want you to stop reading this review, so you can find your way to this book!

Also, the best news for y'all is this is out TODAY, so you can (and should!) check this out out now.

When we meet Mitchell in Phaedra Patrick's novel, The Secrets of Love Story Bridge, he is at his job cutting off the locks that people have attached to the bridge where he works in Upchester, England. A famous boy band filmed a video for their song "Lock Me Up With Your Love" on that bridge and ever since the song became a hit, people have been attaching locks with messages of love on them to the bridge.



The locks could weigh down the bridge and cause problems so Mitchell and another man spend their days cutting them off. One day, Mitchell spots a lovely woman accidentally fall off the bridge after attaching a lock and he jumps off the bridge to rescue her.



Mitchell becomes famous when a reporter writes a story about his rescue. He is perplexed by the attention, as he is a private person. A widower, he lives with his 10 year-old daughter Poppy in a small apartment. His wife Anita died three years prior.



Mitchell feels guilt about Anita's death. Trained as an architect, he worked long hours for a firm in a town far away designing the Upchester bridge. This kept him away from his wife and daughter, but he felt it was a sacrifice he had to make to advance his career and build a future for his family.



After his wife died, he quit his job to take the bridge maintenance one with steady hours so he can care for his daughter. Mitchell doesn't have many friends, and doesn't realize how lonely he is until he meets Liza, Poppy's music teacher.



It turns out that the woman he rescued from the bridge is Liza's sister Yvette, who had disappeared a month before the fall. Mitchell wants to help Liza and her family find Yvette. He feels like he couldn't save his wife, but maybe he can save Liza's family.



Phaedra Patrick writes lonely people so well. Her previous novel, The Library of Lost and Found, is about a woman who works in a library, but doesn't have much of a life outside that. Patrick creates such empathy for these characters, and I particularly like how she writes children. Poppy is a realistic depiction of a 10 year-old, not a smart-aleck or worldly beyond her years. I also like that the main character of the story is a man.



Patrick clearly believes in family, not only the family we belong to but also the one we create ourselves. The Secrets of Love Story Bridge is a sweet story, with enough of a mystery to keep our attention. Fans of Elizabeth Berg's The Story of Arthur Truluv would enjoy. I recommend it.

The Secrets of Love Story Bridge follows the life of Mitchell, a grieving single parent of a nine year old girl. He still hasn't forgiven himself for the part he believes he played in his partner's death. When he saves a woman at Love Story Bridge he finds a way to forgive his past mistakes and live into a new future.

This book flows easily. I didn't like it as much as Arthur Trulov, but it was a satisfying story with a very tidy HEA.

The books I read by Phaedra Patrick are at the same time weird and nice, if that makes any sense. The way the stories happen is kind of weird - something random happens, but then the main character's whole purpose in life becomes to solve a mystery surrounding it. Then there's a weird sequence of events in which the mystery is solved, and in the end, you feel good about it even though the story itself is absurd. In this particular book, Mitchell is working for the city when he spots a woman falling off a bridge. She goes on to the water to rescue her. But then the weird connections start when the person that fell on the water was actually related to her daughter's music teacher - which is where her daughter is waiting for him since he is late to pick her up after rescuing the damsel in danger. But at the same time that the story is weird, it is also super cute and makes you rethink your priorities in life. Anyway, weird or not weird, I would definitely read another book by the author.

I have always loved the idea of attaching a ‘love lock’ to a bridge, never giving a thought to the consequences of all that weight of thousands of pieces of metal added to the bridge supports. Such a dilemma is at the heart of this book. The mystery surrounding the woman who fell, the agony of bereavement of her rescuer and the love story which ultimately finds the main character are skillfully woven to create a charming novel of hope.

A sweet story of love and loss. Mitchell lost his partner recently and he's trapped in a rut. He controls his life with schedules and routines, scared to venture out emotionally or physically. Will he find the courage to move forward, not only for himself- but for his 9 year old daughter?

This is a feel-good story full of memorable characters and locations. Patrick has a way of writing genuine characters that you care for by the end of the story. I enjoyed this sweet book and it left me with a happy feeling in my heart.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with the ARC of this novel. All opinions are my own.

This book was very well done! I was thoroughly impressed with both the characters and the writing.

Mitchell Fisher is a single dad–a very devoted single dad–who is living life the best he can while still mourning for his late wife.

His job consists of cutting padlocks off of bridges in the fictional English town–trying to clean them up before a big celebration. Mitchell is getting to the end of a work day when he sees a young woman go over a bridge and into the water… And that’s when he becomes a hero.

From this point on, I’ll have to admit that I was a little slow. I thought the story was going one direction, but it went another. I don’t know why–I guess because I thought it’d be formulaic and predictable.

I really enjoyed the relationships in this story— between father and daughter and even the new budding relationships that start as friends and end as more.

I was pleasantly surprised by this one!

This review will be available at the given link on 5/5/20.

Mitchell Fisher cannot move fast enough. His city is beset with romance in the form of lovers, marriage mates and hopefuls are attaching padlocks to bridges. There are so many that if they are not removed en masse, they could weigh the bridge down,

Mitchell lost his chance at love when he lost his wife Anita. He is blessed, however, to have a delightful daughter, Poppy, who is nine years old. When his wife was alive, Mitchell was overwhelmed with bridge design work and spent way too much time away from her and Poppy. Now that Anita is gone, Mitchell strives to be the best father he can be by spending quality time with Poppy as much as possible.

One day one of the people attaching a padlock to a bridge caught his eye. It was a woman and before he knew it, she toppled off of the bridge. Mitchell jumped in and saved her life. This is when Mitchell's life took another turn.

As the story progresses in The Secrets of Love Story Bridge, letters and the writing of them become something that is part of the connection formed when Mitchell rescued the woman. This is because a woman, Liza, found Mitchell and let him know the missing woman was her sister. There were a few clues that made this more than possible. So the two of them do everything they can to find Liza's sister.

What a warm and wonderful story! I loved Mitchell, Poppy and Liza. Mitchell especially touched my heart. He was a broken man after the loss of his wife, and although it took him time to work on his feelings, it was more than rewarding for Mitchell to find something that would bring him true joy. With one of the bridges he works on is called Love Story Bridge, Mitchell may have just found his own. What a journey and what a book!

Many thanks to Park Row and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Who knows how the notion of placing a padlock on a bridge became a romantic expression of love, but with the addition of one particular heart-shaped lock, an uplifting and sweet story is born in The Secrets of Love Story Bridge by Phaedra Patrick.

The forlorn widower, Mitchell, spends his days removing locks from the various bridges in his quaint English town. This one-time architect has taken on this menial job as a way to have more time with his daughter Poppy. Mitchell is a bit cranky, but he is a devoted father and a good person. I adored Poppy. This delightful, nine-year-old character is not too precocious as to seem affected, but clearly an only child who is comfortable interacting with adults.

Is it Mitchell’s feelings of guilt about his partner’s death that lead him to save a woman who has fallen from the bridge? Regardless of his motivation, his actions have thrust him into the public eye, and in particular the path of one charismatic music teacher named Liza.

Like many of Ms. Patrick’s prior stories, this starts a lovely, quirky journey of rediscovery and renewal after the loss of love. Mitchell’s act of heroism starts a chain of events like a Rube Goldberg machine. He becomes “unstuck” and tumbles from one new situation to the next as he learns that moving forward can be the best tribute to his past.

Author Phaedra Patrick has a knack for storytelling. The character development is good, the plot flows smoothly, there is just the right amount of revelation and comeuppance so that the denouement is fully satisfying.

sorry- my bad- I screws up and posted the review for a different book here- will update later with a review for this book !

The Secrets of Love Story Bridge centers on a father, Michael, raising his daughter, Poppy, alone. Both are grieving the loss of her mother. Michael takes a job removing padlocks from city bridges. He chooses this big step down from his previous career to be with his daughter. He performs a heroic rescue and life changes. The book holds no surprises but progresses along smoothly. This heartwarming story is just what I was looking for.

This is about Mitchell and Poppy going on after Anita’s unexpected death. His job is removing padlocks that lovers hang on a bridge. One day he saves a girls life when she falls from the bridge. Then he meets Liza. It’s an enjoyable book with some quirky people on the fringes. There’s a bit of a mystery too. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

3.5 rounded up for GR
This is the third book I've read by Patrick and it is as sweet and endearing as the others. I warmed to Mitchell and Poppy and could empathize with his anguish and grief after his wife's death.
The book starts with Mitchell being happy to cut off the "love" padlocks from the bridges, but after he dives in to save a woman who falls, he starts receiving letters with stories from people. This is such a feel-good book all the way around--filled with romance and a little mystery to propel things forward.
Overall a charming story that will bring a bit of joy to readers' lives.

this ARC was given to me from publisher and netgalley for honest opinion and review

this was the first time i have read anything by this author. i felt like it was very romantic and easy to follow. i loved that it was told by the father and his good relationship with his daughter Poppy
i will def be looking out for more books by this author

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and she has a new fan. I loved the story and loved the fact it was told from the male characters perspective. Mitchell is dealing with grief, guilt and the belief he needs to have everything planned down to a tee and his 9 year old daughter despairs of her dads regime

I really liked the characters, and loved the journey Mitchell and his daughter poppy takes, it’s a fascinating tale of loss, love, faith and the ability to change the direction of your life

Patrick's books are so engrossing, I kept reading even in the middle of the night. The simple act of putting a padlock on a bridge spurs a multitude of reactions and changes in the characters lives. A compelling read.

I thought ‘The Secrets of Love Story Bridge’ was a charming story - I especially loved the relationship between Mitchell and his young daughter, Poppy. I was intrigued by the creative storyline and loved that there was some mystery involved, as well.
I was a big fan of ‘The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper’, and when I saw there was a new novel from Phaedra Patrick, I jumped at the chance to read it! I’m so thankful for the ARC, and I was so pleased to have read this delightful book.

Phaedra Patrick writes the most incredible, beautiful, heartwarming stories and I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I’ve read by her. The latest is The Secrets of Love Story Bridge and if you are looking for a light read, grab this one. Or any of Phaedra’s books!

Have you seen a bridge with the locks on them? I have seen them in a few places and am always intrigued by those who leave them behind. What’s the story? Why? Who? I like how the author takes the idea and runs with it creating the character of Mitchell, a single father, who tries to find the identity of a missing woman.

It’s summer in the city and passions are soaring along with the temperature—for everyone but Mitchell Fisher, who hates all things romance. He relishes his job cutting off the padlocks that couples fasten to the famous “love story” bridge. Only his young daughter, Poppy, knows that behind his prickly veneer, Mitchell still grieves the loss of her mother.

Then one hot day, everything changes when Mitchell courageously rescues a woman who falls from the bridge into the river. He’s surprised to feel an unexpected connection to her, but she disappears before he can ask her name. Desperate to find out her identity, Mitchell is shocked to learn she’s been missing for almost a year. He teams up with her spirited sister, Liza, on a quest to find her again. However, she’s left only one clue behind—a message on the padlock she hung on the bridge.

This is a sweet book and I know you will love it as I did.

Coming out on April 28!