After a devastating loss, Mitchell Fisher finds comfort in a rigid schedule designed to help him raise his young daughter. On a sweltering hot day, he breaks his disciplined timetable and courageously saves a woman who has fallen from a bridge into the treacherous waters below. Hailed as a hero, Mitchell has no idea that his actions will change his life forever. I loved the journey Mitchell takes from his stagnant existence to the small steps he takes to start living his life again. I especially enjoyed the letters Mitchell receives from complete strangers who shares their thoughts, stories and feelings with him after his selfless act. Filled with charming, eccentric characters that Phaedra Patrick writes so well, I found this to be the perfect tale of hope in these uncertain times.

The Secrets of Love Story Bridge is a warm-hearted tale of  flawed yet hopeful individuals who find one another and move forward in their lives.  The main character is Mitchell; he is a man with many regrets for how he lived his life with his partner Anita.  Now he is finding it difficult to move ahead without her.  A workaholic, Mitchell was often missing out on day to day life with Anita and their daughter, Poppy.

As the novel opens, Mitchell and nine-year-old Poppy form a tight (but somewhat rigid) twosome as Mitchell tries to control for all eventualities.  Mitchell tries to maintain his connection to Anita by writing letters that she will never read. He cannot get himself to read the last letter that Anita wrote to him.  Full of guilt, will Mitchell ever forgive himself?

Mitchell lives in Upchester, a town of many bridges.  One day he sees someone leave a love locket on the bridge and then go overboard.  He rescues this unknown young woman and this starts a period of change in his life.  Who went over?  What happened to her?  How will the private Mitchell cope with the ensuing publicity?

Mitchell was late to pick up Poppy on the bridge day so she was with a teacher, Liza.  The story of Liza and Mitchell will be the romance that you root for.  Readers will also learn about the connections between the woman on the bridge and the other characters in the novel.

This is a story of quirky characters who want what most of us want-a sense of connection and hope for the future.  In that sense, bridges that connect two places, form the perfect analogy for the novel.  During our current difficult times, this is a sweet book and may help readers to take a break from their worries.

Many thanks to  NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#TheSecretsofLoveStoryBridge #NetGalley

The Secrets of Love Story Bridge by Phaedra Patrick was the third book by this author that I have read. I so adored both The Curious Charms by Arthur Pepper and The Library of the Lost and Found that I was very excited to pick up this one up as well.

At its heart, the novel is a very sweet story about a man who has lost his way following the death of his partner and his journey back into a whole-hearted life. Phaedra Patrick shows us love in this story from all different angles - father/daughter, childhood friends, sisters, co-workers, new love, and old love. We see dysfunction and grief, and even crazy speed dating. On the flip side, we also see the quiet sweet moments and the grand gestures.

There is a lot packed into this book - family drama, a mystery and romance too. My only complaint is that I wanted more. I wanted more letters from the padlock people. I wanted more time with the side characters. I wanted the story fleshed out with more details. The characters were well-drawn, but I felt like we didn't get a chance to get under the surface of most of them. Maybe even a little more messiness . . . the ending came a little too soon and a little too neatly.

I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a light, feel-good read - especially anyone looking for some secrets of love. Or perhaps anyone who is looking for a great wedding toast.

I requested and received a digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This was a very sweet story... almost too sweet. There was a lot going on and it felt a bit rushed at the end. There was also a sense of cheesiness to how nicely it ended. I always prefer some conflict and an epilogue. That’s being said, I love hallmark movies and this was that in book form!

"The Secrets of Love Story Bridge' is Phaedra Patrick's new novel, set to release on April 28, 2020. This book is a bit romance, a bit family drama, and a bit mystery. The main character is struggling to move on after a major loss in his life. He finds himself being called a hero after rescuing a woman who falls from a bridge. This decision catapults him into relationship with several others and puts him in the midst of a missing person situation. As the plot moves on, he is forced to decide if he will move forward with his life or remain stuck in his ways.

I found it to be a quick and easy read. I enjoyed the characters and the multiple story lines. Some of it is a bit predictable but for once, I wasn't really bothered by it. I have been a fan of Patrick's previous work and I thought this one was very good as well. 4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

A lovely story of bravery, loving and letting go, finding new love, and the love between father and daughter.

A sweet heartwarming story of a man, a daughter and a quest for the purest form of love. Padlocks on a bridge play a central role in the theme if love in this touching story. Absolutely charming.

In this book we learn how one act of selflessness can change the lives of so many people. It was inspiring!

Mitchell is a widower who has taken a job far beneath his skill set in order to provide stability for his young daughter. He is an architect who has taken a job with the city doing grunt work. He spends his days cutting locks off the cities 5 bridges. He misses his wife and thinks of her every day.

One afternoon a women in a yellow dress catches his eye. He thought she had hair just like his wife. As he watches her she suddenly disappears. He goes to check and sees that she has fallen into the river. He knows she will drown so he jumps in to save her. He does not realize that this will change this women's life, and bring happiness to himself, his daughter, and a few other people he has yet to meet. It will also inspire others to tell their stories about love, redemption and loss.

This book was everything!!!! I absolutely LOVED it!! There was something about it. I couldn't put the book down. I felt like I was part of the book. I wanted to be friends with all the characters. Mitchell was such a wonderful man and an awesome father. Then there was Eliza. The perfect match for Mitchell. You never know what CD she is going to play in her car. Rosie and Graham- LOVED them. Between them gathering the locks and their very unique wedding (but wonderful wedding), they just made me smile. All of the characters added something special to the book. The ending had me trying to hold back my tears. Such an emotional roller coaster. I wish there would have been a little more about Anita and Mitchell's relationship.

Definitely recommend the book. It's one my favorites, I just can't stop thinking about it. I loved the characters, story and writing style. The cover of the book was perfect. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Phaedra Patrick has done it again. Her amazing story telling and depth of characters has made this a sensational read. I didn’t think I would have been able to make it past chapter four. The emotions that Phaedra brought through her writing took me on an emotional roller coaster. Mitchell is a single father trying to navigate through the present but struggling to leave his past love behind. Can leaping into a river to save a lady change everything? He is the first person to see this women in a year. Can he help her family and fix himself in the process? Will the secrets of the padlocks return his faith in love before it’s too late.

Can you move forward while being stuck in the past full of guilt? Maybe it can happen, if someone comes along to shake up your world. This is a lovely story of just that situation.

The author does a fantastic job of character development so that I truly care about what happens to the people in this book. The plot was a page turner for me, anxiously hoping for a happy ending.

I am a fan of Phaedra Patrick and have read all of her books. I adore the unique, flawed, lovable characters she creates in each of her stories. I think this book is another gem to add to her collection!

I enjoyed this story so much and recommend it! I want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) for allowing me to read the advanced reader copy of this book. My review is my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

This book was hard to put down. I devoured it in two sittings. The story was so captivating it made you not want it to end. I love it!

This started off a little slow, but I enjoyed it a great deal. This kind of story is right in my wheelhouse (forgiveness, loss, recovery, etc.) so I did expect to like it but it exceeded my expectations. I heartily recommend!