Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  The Lights on Knockbridge Lane

SERIES:  Garnet Run

AUTHOR:  Roan Parrish

PUBLISHER:  Harlequin Special Edition

LENGTH:  288 pages

RELEASE DATE:  September 28, 2021

BLURB:

Can one man’s crowded, messy life fill another man’s empty heart?

Raising a family was always Adam Mills’ dream, although solo parenting and moving back to tiny Garnet Run certainly were not. After a messy breakup, Adam is doing his best to give his young daughter the life she deserves—including accepting help from their new, reclusive neighbor to fulfill her Christmas wish.

Though the little house may not have “the most lights ever,” the Mills home begins to brighten as handsome Wes Mobray spends more time there and slowly sheds his protective layers. But when the eye-catching house ends up in the news, Wes has to make a choice: hide from the darkness of his unusual past or embrace the light of a future—and a family—with Adam.

REVIEW:

Folks, if you’re looking for a classic Hallmark Christmas movie in book form with queer characters, then this might be the one for you!

The setup is perfect – single dad Adam leaves behind neglectful and disinterested ex-husband and moves with precocious daughter back to his small Wyoming home town.  Despite the town not being perfect and Adam not necessarily having a lot of great memories from growing up here, he does have some support with his non-binary youngest sibling River and also a job at the local hardware store.  His 8-year old daughter Gus is not that happy – her Papa has deserted her and Daddy and she’s had to leave her home and all her friends.  What would make her happiest for Christmas is to have the most lights ever on their house 🙂

Westley Mobray has lived on Knockbridge Lane for four years.  He keeps to himself – mostly sleeping during the day and working at night.  He’s alternately been described as a vampire/werewolf/witch as he mostly goes out after dark and keeps his windows papered over.  He’s definitely a recluse.

Shortly after moving in, Gus decides to go exploring and she cannot resist Wes’s house.  She is enamored of Wes’s unusual collection of pets and the experiments that he is doing.  When she is returned to her father, Adam is mortified.  There is also the little issue of the kinds of pets that Wes keeps and Adam is not comfortable with Gus interacting with them 😉

Gus refuses to give up on getting to see more of Wes’s house and collections and science.  Wes has never had a relationship with a child before and this is nothing like he ever imagined.  But he really is intrigued by how Adam cares for Gus and tries to support her and give her what she needs.  We slowly learn this is nothing like his upbringing.  The more time Wes spends with Gus and Adam the more he opens himself up to them and shares his past.

When Adam’s instagram post brings him (and Gus) the lights they need for their Christmas project, it also brings some unwanted publicity and attention.  Wes is not ready to face his past and Adam and Gus may have their hearts broken again.

Well I just loved this.  Everything about it was so sweet and lovely.  Adam and Gus were an adorable little family.  Wes brings something totally different to their lives.  I really was so happy to watch both men grow into their relationship.  Gus is an awesome kid too and I loved her whole delightful personality.  It was really nice to revisit Rye and Charlie and River.  I hope that there will be more stories in this world – perhaps Bram the Christmas tree guy will find his HEA.  Maybe River will find someone.  This whole town is literally like right out of a movie and I adored how Adam handled the nosy neighbors and what he was trying to teach Gus.  Talk about parenting done right.  Adam rejected bad parenting – and so does Wes.  Just a really lovely and happy Christmas story that I think everyone will love.  Well done and highly recommended!

RATING: 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon

Carina