'The Bridge to Always' is Lynda Marron's second novel.

After her mother's death, Maeve moves from Dublin to a small town in Cork with her daughter Emer. Here she is hoping to reconnect with Tim Corcoran, her former lover and Emer's father. But he is now married with his own family. We also meet some other local characters, who are very well described, and Bran, the dog. Local politics and a natural event drive forward the narrative until decisions have to be made. Some of the chapters are written from Emer's perspective which fits in well with the storyline. At times I questioned Maeve's choices and hoped that it will all work out for her.

It is a very enjoyable and emotional novel which I highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for the ARC.

I was sucked straight into this book, into Maeve’s life and needs and it didn’t let up. I found myself questioning Maeve’s choices but then realising how bereft she feels after the loss of her mother and life’s disappointments I knew why she sought what she thought would solve her problems. This is a journey of self discovery, a hard one at times and a lesson in seeing what is right before our eyes and learning to take joy in those things. I laughed, I cried and I was torn apart and built back up again. Thank you for the ride, Lynda.

this book is what books are made for. and why books are made. this is one hell of a beautiful read. this is one of those books you want on your dream book shelf in your dream room full of books. it would take its pride of place.
i dont want to say too much because i want the readers to meet these characters and their content fresh. and i want you to feel all the feel new without me spoiling it. because this a book and characters and plot you will want to know. and somehow even if tiny it will change your world,even for a little while. certain books have my heart. and show me once again why i love books more than i can possibly say.

this book is about Maeve who in a fit of grief does that only thing she can in this mindset.... goes and seeks love somewhere else? goes and seeks the only person whos given her something before? yup, of course that must mean going back to find the man who gave her their daughter. nooo dont worry, of course its ok that he has no idea about his daughter. nooooo dont worry of course it doesnt matter hes now happily married and a pillar of the community. Emer is a wonderful little girl. and its clear her beahviours and the way she is is the innocent way little humans deal with life when not all feels well but they havent got the maturity to say why or know how to fix it.
having her come to find tim sparks something in him too. ones that wont sit well with anyone.
Malachi was my favorite character. i immediately fell for his character and would happily read a seperate book of him.
this is up there with one of my treasured pile.
anyone thinking whether to read this? DO!

This book was a joy to read, an absolute favourite recent read of mine. I spent some lovely hours , curled up, fully immersed in the story; a love story with a difference

There is a host of well developed characters and the warmth and depth of the writing was such that I could hear their thoughts and feel their feelings; the heartache, the loneliness, the wistfulness, the tiny joys, the exhilarating highs, the depths of despair! I particularly loved the gentle presence of Malachi and of course the Bran the dog.

The standout chapters for me were the ones from the perspective of Emer, the little'un. They skillfully showed the distorted perspectives and coping strategies children take on when the world around them is chaotic. Her journey in the book is told with a beautiful sensitivity and it made me well up on several occasions.

I'm purposely saying little about the plot because I think this is a book best experienced as the story unfolds. I will say though, there was a glorious gasp out loud moment near the end.

The Bridge to Always

Lynda Marron’s second book ‘The Bridge to Always’ showcases an author who has style, wit, and a deep understanding of what it is to be human. Following single mother Maeve Gaffney, the story brings us a journey from Dublin to Cork when Maeve decides to uproot her daughter Emer after the death of her own mother Greta.

It doesn’t take long to see that these characters are undeniably real. Maeve, following her heart with disregard for anything or anyone that crosses her path; Emer who’s stammer and silence speak volumes, and dear, beloved Mal, a man of few words but with the kindest of hearts… they were as real to me as my own friends and family when I immersed myself in the pages of this book.

When it comes to The Bridge to Always, all I can say is that I adored it. I loved seeing my home county being described. The descriptions of familiar places was special, and the accents, the accurateness of our Corkisms, and the general feel of the book stayed true to place.

There’s no shock in me saying that Lynda knows how to write and how to do it well. Her two books are stunning and capture the human condition in all its glory, and pulls you into their experiences in a way that bowls you over. I’ve cried reading this, I’ve laughed, and I’ve savoured it as much as I could so that I didn’t finish it too soon. It’s a gorgeous book and, due for publication on April 3rd, should be top of your list for April releases.

With sincere thanks to @sultanabun and @eirubooks for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A perfectly paced real depiction of a messy love story.
No faultless characters are found here. They are flawed, complex and at times unlikeable.
I enjoyed the small town setting and I was left wanting to visit this beautiful little place.
I am not a fan of sickly sweet romance novels and this was not one of them.
Would definitely recommend this book.

When Maeve Gaffney’s mam dies, she moves from Dublin to the little West Cork town of Drohid. In the throes of her grief, she seizes this rare opportunity to chase her wildest dream: a reunion with Tim, the man who captured her heart years ago and, unbeknownst to him, is the father of her daughter, Emer.

The problem is Tim’s well settled now, married into one of Drohid’s most prestigious and influential families. Finding out he’s got a secret child? That’s one hell of a land. But the spark with Maeve? Ah, sure, some things never fully go out.

For Agnes, an achingly lonely landowner, Maeve and Emer’s arrival is an opportunity to make some much needed money—and, hopefully, new friends.

Then there’s Malachi, the taciturn but kindly farmer; he’d never admit it, but sure, it’s clear he feels everything ten times over.

For painfully quiet young Emer, it’s a transformative journey of self-discovery and finding her own voice amid the chaos of adult lives around here.

Marron, much like in her captivating debut Last Chance in Paris, has taken the bones of what, in less skilled hands, could be a pretty basic love story and brought everything vibrantly to life, so much so I could almost hear these characters in my mind’s eye. I laughed, cringed, and cried - albeit mostly for the dog, but still and all like, tears were shed.

The throwback chapters? Perfection. The small-town drama? You’d be glued. And the characters?
Perfectly curated if not always likeable - yes, Maeve, I’m looking at you.

Look, I'm running out of superlatives and don't want to go ruining the read for you with any spoilers, so I’ll end my review here - The Bridge to Always is a pure decent read, in the most Corkonian of ways. And by that, I mean I loved it.

Many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy via NetGalley; as always, this is an honest review. The Bridge to Always is published on April 3rd—you’ll not want to miss it!

Rating: 9 out of 10

Moving, comforting, heartwarming, uplifling... this was an emotional read! The Bridge to Always had a lovely story at its heart, with very well-timed throwbacks, twists and revelations; it also had great characters (including Bran the doggie), and something that we all love - short chapters!!

Not a fan of Maeve (the main character), but also understand how truly blinding love (or obsession) can be, making you do silly things. She was a very realistic, flawed character though, and I appreciated that.

Overall this was an easy, enjoyable read.

Many thanks to @netgalley and @bonnierbooks_uk for the advance reader copy.

📖 Synopsis: After her mom dies, Maeve moves from Dublin to West Cork with her daughter, Emer in the hopes of reuniting with her long-lost love, Tim. Tim has his own family and does not know that Emer is in fact his daughter too. While trying to win Tim over, Maeve meets the small town's various inhabitants and slowly realises who really has her back and who doesn't.