The Lights on Knockbridge Lane (Garnet Run) – book review

The Lights on Knockbridge Lane
by Roan Parrish
Release Date: September 28, 2021
Publisher:  Harlequin Special Edition
Book #3 in the Garnet Run series
Number of pages:  288
Kindle Edition
Source: Amazon PreOrder
Contemporary Romance/Holidays
Ages 17 & up

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 neighbour 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.

I absolutely love being able to return to Garnet Run. I love the characters in every one of these books. I’m also a sucker for a holiday romance, so it made this story even better for me.

Roan Parrish always serves up a swarm of butterflies in my belly. They’ll usually be there through the whole story and swoop around in a frenzy at certain points. This story is no exception to that. Adam and Wes have amazing chemistry. And, more importantly, Wes and Adam’s daughter have a very sweet connection from the start. Gus is a very precocious and curious child and Wes understands her fascination with the world in a way even her father doesn’t. Adam always encourages Gus’ scientific mind, but doesn’t understand her passion for all things creepy crawly. These three seem as though they were meant to be a family.

Not that everything is perfect and easy-peasy for this trio. Both main characters have a lot of baggage they need to overcome. Neither of them have truly been in a healthy relationship (not even with their parents) in their lives, so there are definitely some missteps. There is also a whole lotta hope.

As much as I adore Wes, Adam really spoke to me. I really saw a lot of myself in him with his emotional reactions and the inability to hold back tears of happiness or anger. The frustration there is in those tears popping out so easily.

I would love to see Adam’s sibling, River, find their HEA. We’ve seen River in the last two books now and they are just an amazing person. There are some characters that are briefly introduced and/or mentioned in this story that give me hope that River will find their own happiness. At least I’m hoping this author isn’t done with stories from Garnet Run.

5 stars