I enjoyed this book very much. I shot through this book in just a few days, a rel feel good story for a cold winters night.

I have been a fan of Phaedra's work for a little while now. I love the way in which she crestes such charming characters, who are impossible to dislike. She takes them through the worst of times but at the same time her books show that you can come back from tragedy. I read the synopsis for 'The Secrets Of Sunshine' and I just instinctively knew that it was going to be another amazing read from Phaedra Patrick. I must be psychic because that describes this book perfectly. I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Secrets Of Sunshine' but more about that in a bit.
I was drawn to this book by the very bright and vibrant colour. The colours certainly caught my eye. As soon as I started to read, I just knew that it was going to be an emotional read but at the same time an uplifting one. I wasn't able to read the book in a single day because boring things like life got in the way but I did manage to read the book over the course of a few days. I immersed myself in the story so deeply that I was able to shut out all other distractions and focus solely on the story. I seemed to race through the book despite my best efforts to ration how much I read at a time. I enjoyed the storylines, the characters and the author's writing style so much that I just couldn't stop reading.
'The Secrets Of Sunshine' is superbly written but then I think that to be true of all of Phaedra's books. She has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. Reading her work feels more like a chat between friends. I hope that makes sense. She creates interesting characters and describes them so vividly that they seem to leap off the page and seem just as real as you and I. Phaedra has written a beautiful story that will tug on even the toughest of heartstrings but after you finish reading this book, you will likely feel all warm and fuzzy inside. That's how I felt at any rate.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Secrets Of Sunshine' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Phaedra's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

This is thoughtful, moving and ultimately uplifting novel based around the phenomenon of leaving padlocks as love tokens on city bridges. I was inspired by the padlocks attached to the Rialto bridge in Venice and found myself wondering about all the stories behind each one. It never occurred to me, despite knowing that Venice has thousands of visitors a day, that they might damage the bridge or that someone would be paid to remove them.

Mitchell is employed to remove the padlocks that appear regularly on the bridges around the city of Upchester. A famous boyband filmed a video on one of the bridges, which depicted them leaving a padlock and it has become a place of pilgrimage for their many fans. The sheer weight of the padlocks are causing structural damage, so Mitchell takes then off with bolt cutters, However, Mitchell is an architect and until recently worked on designing Upchester’s newest bridge. He recently lost his wife and became a single parent to 9 year old Poppy. He decided to find a job more suited to being there for Poppy’s school pick-ups. Poppy has gone through an awful lot of change. Not only has she lost her Mum, but they’ve sold their house in the countryside and moved into the city pad Mitchell used for weekdays working in his architect’s office,

The story begins as Mitchell becomes famous as a local hero. He notices a young woman in a yellow dress standing on the bridge one minute and gone the next. Realising she has either jumped or fallen in, Mitchell dives into the river and and rescues her. On the bank, the bedraggled woman declines any more help and disappears. It turns out the woman was leaving a padlock on the bridge with a line from a song.
Later, when collecting Poppy from her music teacher’s house, Mitchell notices a photograph of three women and one looks strangely familiar. The music teacher, Lisa, tells him that it’s a picture taken with her two sisters and the one he recognises is Yvette. When he tells Lisa he saw her this afternoon, she is so shocked because Yvette has been missing for some time. So, Mitchell and Poppy find themselves involved in the mystery of Yvette’s disappearance and through this perhaps a certain amount of healing can take place.

I found Mitchell quite a complicated and closed off character. Most of this is to do with loss. It’s like he’s gathered up his daughter and encased them both in the small, secure apartment out of fear. Then there’s his schedule. He always seems to know exactly what’s going to happen every day of the week and Lisa discovers a wall full of paper lists and planning. It’s as if he thinks they have to keep moving, every hour has to be filled, because if he stays still he has to think. He’s avoiding processing his emotions about Anita, his wife. In fact, when he’s on an outing ice-skating he thinks he sees Anita in a cafe queue. He knows she can’t be there, but he still walks over to speak to her. It’s as if his brain can’t accept she’s no longer in the world. Lisa is perhaps one person who could understand this. After her sister disappeared she’s had so many questions and she’s always scanning crowds to see if she’s there. Will Mitchell be able to let her in? Even though they’re just friends he starts to feel guilty and reverts back into his planning and schedules.

Letters form a central part of the work and I reality enjoyed that because I love old-fashioned written letters. Mitchell writes to Anita in bed at night. Every time he has something to tell her he takes out a pad of paper and he seals his letters in lilac envelopes. We learn from these letters that there is much more to their relationship than we think at first. Mitchell was very focused on his architect job, especially around the design of the new bridge. Mitchell is more of a traditionalist - his favourite bridge un Upchester is a simple red brick archway. He was designing the new bridge in a classical style - which fits with his more structured personality. However, a new starter at the office is challenging his vision and sees something a little more modern and ambitious. Mitchell is so caught up competing with her that he starts to stay later at the office, being alone in his city flat and breaking promises to his family. A large part of his letters is the regret he feels.

However, it’s when he starts to receive letters that there’s a possibility of change.. A local reporter does a story on his act of heroism and it seems to inspire people. They start to write in to the newspaper in the hope she will pass then on to this modest hero, Then they start to arrive by the bagful. Many are simply congratulating him, others are heartwarming, and some are moving tales of love and loss. I hoped that as other people opened up to him, Mitchell would learn to open up to others.

This was an easy and light read, even though it covers some difficult themes, and that shows a lot of skill in the writer. I enjoyed the character development and all the stories behind the padlocks on the bridge. I thought it was a moving and uplifting story.

I’ll be extending this review to appear on my blog at the end of the month.

Such a sweet, lighthearted but also heartwarming book. This is the second book I’ve read by the author, she writes such wonderful characters and a beautiful story that It has definitely confirmed for me I’ll reading all her books. It’s perfect escapism, I loved Mitchell and Poppy so much I didn’t want to leave them when the book ended. Just wonderful and uplifting, a perfect summer story.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Mitchell works for the council. His job is cutting the padlocks people leave on the bridges in Upchester. One night, he was just finished work when he saw a woman accidentally fall from one of the bridges. Without hesitation and leaving his work tools behind, Mitchell jumps into the water to save her. What then ensues is a change in Mitchell's life. Usually his life is regimented. He writes lists for him and his nine year old daughter Poppy to do together. He also writes letters to Anita, his late wife. But he's desperate to find out who the woman was who went over the bridge.

As always with Phaedra Patrick we meet a ,ot of marvellous characters. There's the doorman Carl and Poppy's music teacher, Liza. Mitch and Poppy are still grieving for Anita. I loved the mystery behind the woman who had jumped of the bridge. I also loved Mitchell's development throughout the story. This is a beautifully written book. Its intriguing and easy to read. There is a moral to this story. I do recommend this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HQ and the author Phaedra Patrick for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Our lead character, Mitchell is grieving for his wife, Anita who tragically died several years ago leaving him alone with their nine year old daughter, Poppy. An accident on a bridge leads Mitchell to meet the lovely Liza, and her family. Driven by his involvement in the accident, Mitchell is compelled to help Liza solve a family mystery. A relationship beckons, but is Mitchell still too wrapped up in his grief for Anita to be able to let himself love again? Not in the realms of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, I enjoyed this book all the same and it was a nice, lighthearted read.

My review is on Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon on publication day.

"'Then one hot summer’s day, everything changes when Mitchell bravely rescues a woman who falls from the bridge into the river. He’s surprised to feel an unexpected connection to her, but then she disappears. Desperate to find the mysterious woman, Mitchell teams up with her spirited sister Liza to see if she’s left any clues behind. There’s just one – a secret message on the padlock she left on love story bridge"

I loved this book, it was quirky, kind and beautifully written and thought out.
Lovely characters who made sure that I never felt that the story was contrived but which kept me engaged to the very end.

This is the beautiful story of Mitchell Fisher, who tragically lost his wife in a traffic accident. Hes given up everything, including any further chance at romance, to devote himself to his daughter Poppy.

It all begins when Mitchell dives into a river to save a young lady who has fallen from a bridge. Mitchell becomes a local hero and through the press receives hundreds of letters from people spilling their secrets and their undying love for others.

When he discovers the woman he has saved has been missing for a year, he decides to help her family to trace her.

This is a story about regrets, guilt but mostly love. I adored this story and I fell in love with the characters so much I was crying happy tears.

If you love a good love story, you have to read this!

Thank you to Netgalley and Phaedra Patrick for allowing me to review this book.

This is not my usual genre but I fancied a change from my usual blood and guts. I really enjoyed the book. It was a good, light read, perfect for a holiday. Having read this in the middle of the corona lockdown, it was good escapism even if the story was predictable. There were minor editorial errors, but as this was an ARC I'm sure the final copy will be perfect. This would make a great 3 part drama on TV.

I love Phaedra Patrick's books. They are always so different and quirky. I was pleased to have the opportunity to read a preview copy of this book.
This book follows Mitchell, who is raising his 9 year old daughter after the death of his Wife. Everything is structured as he tries to be a good parent. It is unusual to have a male protagonist, and it was refreshing and different to have a Male point of view.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is happy in places, but also sad at times. Overall it is a good, interesting read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

As a single dad, Mitchell is only focused on raising his daughter. Years after his dear wife Anita died, he is still grieving her and not allowing himself to start al over. Mitchell keeps on writing letters to his wife in order to keep her updated, but also to keep her presence alive. He is keen on maintaining her memory as still a part of his current life in order to not feel so lonely.
Mitchell becomes “the hero on the bridge” when he bravely saves a woman who accidentally fell into the river. He appears on the news and people start to recognise him for his act. Mitchell starts receiving both positive and negative feedback letters from people who had heard about him.
Meanwhile, Mitchell desperately tries to find the mysterious woman who saved from drowning, but she disappeared without even knowing her name. As he keeps on looking after her, Mitchell finds out her name and discovers something on the locker she put on the bridge. When she finally reappears, her secret comes out to light.
I wish I could have read more romantic suspense because there is not much of a dialogue between the main characters.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Mitchell Fisher has sworn off romance, he relishes his job of cutting the love locks fastened by couples to his local bridge, but his 9 year-old daughter Poppy knows different. She knows that underneath it all he is still grieving the loss of her mother.

Until one day when Mitchell saves a woman who falls from the bridge, surprised to feel an unexpected connection to her before she disappears.

Desperate to find her, Mitchell teams up with her sister Liza to see if there are any clues left behind. A secret messaged etched into a padlock attached to the bridge appears to be the only one.

After loving ‘The Library of Lost and Found, I was thrilled to be approved on NetGalley for this ARC. At first I found Mitchell difficult to like, he was extremely rigid and his back story was a bit of a mystery so it was difficult to have much empathy. Impulsiveness is not Mitchell’s style but the further the search progressed and pushed him out of his comfort zone the more I warmed to him, I found his development highly endearing. The supporting cast of Poppy, Liza, Graham and Rosie were great and often quite humorous.

This is a wonderful story of overcoming grief, opening yourself to new possibilities and friendships old and new. I really enjoyed some of the sub-stories told via letters written to Mitchell, The Hero on the Bridge, and each one contributed to him opening his heart to possibility. Something we could all do a little more of.

Sumptuous, heartwarming and uplifting. This will be THE book of Summer 2020 that everyone will be talking about.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This is not my usual genre therefore am extremely pleased and grateful for opening up my mind to something totally different. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Phaedra Patrick is my favourite writer for a good holiday read and this book is just as good as her earlier books. It's a lovely light, heart-warming read. At first I wasn't drawn to the main character, Mitchell Fisher, but he soon grew on me. The story is all about sharing stories, communication and, of course, love. A delightful feel-good story that can't help but make you smile.

I absolutely loved the sound of this book; however, it just didn't deliver for me.

Whilst I really liked the fact our main character was male, which made a wonderful change, he felt somewhat two-dimensional. There was a lot of telling how he felt, rather than really showing, and his character development, what there was of it, felt very rushed. It was therefore very hard to actually feel connected to him on any meaningful level, and really understand the grief he reportedly felt. Constantly.

Other characters seemed to pop up randomly, and felt quite jerky in the narrative. Barry and his stream of dates, that never really went anywhere as a story. He genuinely felt like filler to add another 1,000 words or so. He did nothing to move the story on, and was a nothing character in and of himself.

Carl had the potential to be a cute, sweet enjoyable side story, but even that felt rushed and like the author had changed their mind about his importance.

The relationship with Liza was rushed, and focussed predominantly on the search for Yvette (which in itself was so far fetched as to be impossible to get on board with). Next thing we know BOOM, they're in love.

The author is asking the reader to fill in too many gaps, which just felt lazy. This seemed rushed, and with so many continuity errors (for example, the dog's name changing, when they're going to Yvette's flat they keep saying they're going to Naomi's, at the end Mitchell is gripping the steering wheel whilst waiting for a bus …) it was hard to follow in places.

A good first draft, but in my opinion, needs a lot of strong editing before it's ready for publication.

I had previously enjoyed The Library of Lost and Found so requested this one by Phaedra Patrick as well. Oh what a disappointment. It was so incredibly dull. I had to force myself to keep reading it.
While attaching padlocks is something that is known, I can't think someone is employed day in and day out to remove them. Nor would two people who fell/jumped in the river not be taken to hospital after, where were the emergency services.
Inconsistency with Victor's dog's name. First she is Penny and then she is Rosie.
A rushed book to satisfy her publisher. I'll not be rushing to read another.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for my ARC in return for an honest review.

Loved this book from start to finish. Mitchell was a wonderful lead character. His journey from the moment he jumped in the river to save Yvette was engaging, touching and hopeful. I found myself hooked on the mystery surrounding her and how the author handled the resolution.. It was wonderful how one act helped Mitchell find his way out of the emotional rut he was in and let him start living properly. I loved the supporting characters, Poppy, Barry, Carl, Graham and lovely pineapple Liza. The letter writing was especially lovely and made me want to write a few of my own. Really well written, highly recommended book.

Light, sweet and lovely, as to be expected from Phaedra Patrick.

Mitchell is a single dad to daughter Poppy, after her mother died. Still grieving, he’s packed in his job as an architect and now works for the maintenance team removing lovers’ padlocks from the city’s bridges. However one day, he finds himself in the water, as he leaps in to rescue a faller. Cue a whole big mystery… finding the woman on the bridge, getting away from his detailed daily timetables, and looking to an exciting new future and love again.

I whipped through this in a couple of days, charming and soothing, and a real feel-good read.

A sweet and touching book with likable characters and a happy ending. Perfect for a cold, dreary winter day.
Thanks to netgalley/publisher/author for ARC..