Carla is a go to favorite and never disappoints. Romantic, suspenseful, and oh so atmospheric. I really enjoyed it.

Free-spirit Adrienne Portale has returned to Knights Bridge as an innkeeper after a rough visit the winter before when, under false pretenses, she took a house-sitting job with the biological father she had just learned about. She’s never stayed in one place for more than 6 months, and doesn’t see that pattern changing, but she’s committed to learning on-the-job and spending time with her father Vic, a retired diplomat. Soon after she arrives, she is surprised to see handsome stonemason Adam Sloan, the quiet brother in a large family with deep roots in the town. Despite a growing attraction that started the winter before, she is hesitant to start a relationship that will end badly if and when she leaves and that will take up time she could be spending with her father. Will the friendships she makes and the possibility of a lasting relationship with Adam be the key to her finding a home at last?

Although this story could be considered a standalone, it is heavily-populated with characters from the eight previous books in the series, so much so that the story opens with Vic providing Adrienne with a cheat sheet to keep everyone straight. What might have been a better choice was to provide a family tree since almost all relationships feature the Sloans or O’Dunns. The story got bogged down by the ongoing explanations of who’s who, the mundane details of everyday life (down to what people were wearing), and the slow pacing of the relationship between Adam and Adrienne. (Their first kiss doesn’t even happen until after the halfway mark.) There was very little action to break up the monotony other than a short, uneventful search for some missing boys early in the book. So the decision they make at the end of the book makes very little sense given the time frame. After all the stalling, what’s the rush? Fans of the series will enjoy this installment, but most romance readers will be frustrated and bored.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Mira through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Stone Bridges is a good story, where the characters become friends you want to visit with over and over. I laughed until I cried. It is so worth your time and I know you won't be sorry you enjoyed this book.

This is my first Knight's Bridge novel and now I have 8 more novels to treat myself too. What a charming, cute small town Ms. Neggers created. I loved it.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

<b>New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers has captivated readers with Knights Bridge—a scenic New England town where families and friends experience joy and face challenges together. With its world of inns, old houses, wonderful, quirky characters, romance and adventure, it’s a town you won’t want to leave. </b>

<I>Adrienne Portale has never settled in one place for long, but takes a job as innkeeper in tiny Knights Bridge, Massachusetts, to spend some time getting to know the father she only recently found. When three small boys get lost in the wilderness that borders the inn, Adam Sloan leads the search. His family ties to the town go back generations. Adrienne sees the bond that people in a small town have as they band together to find the missing children. Adam is impressed with her calm strength, but he’s sure she won’t find what she’s looking for in his quiet hometown.

Despite their differences, Adam and Adrienne discover they have more in common than they’d expected. They love to explore old stone walls and bridges, and she adores his dog. As summer bleeds into the gorgeous New England fall, the attraction between them grows, and they must decide where—and who—makes a place home.</I>

I’ve read Carla Negger over the years and she has always delivered. My love of small town romances in far away America towns is quenched. I fall in love with the characters and the story plot. I’m able to get lost in the story. Unfortunately Stone Bridges didn’t deliver the same experience. Adam had this calm standoffish quality that is extremely attractive. Adrienne appears to be a strong independent woman. On paper their budding romance should be a beautiful romance and yet there was no connection. I didn’t connect with the characters, it was easy to be distracted from the story. It was easy to put the book down and forget about it.

<b>**Thanks to the author and netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.** </b>

#StoneBridges #Netgalley

A spectacular addition to the Swift River Valley series. Even if you’ve never read any books in the series you will be fine delving right in. In fact you will probably be tempted to read the first eight books immediately following this one as you will fall in love with Knights Bridge and not want to leave.

I enjoyed being back at the inn with Adrienne and Adam’s story. The inn is magical when it comes to love. The inn makes me want to start an herb garden in my backyard.

Stone Bridges is the perfect romance to read on the first pool weekend of the season. It just may help heat up the water!

I received a complimentary copy from Harlequin/MIRA through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

This was another wonderful story in the Swift River Valley series. I have been a fan of Carla Neggers for many years and she never disappoints. This installment in the small town series is heartwarming. Three children are lost and as would happen, the townspeople work together to find them. Our heroine, Adrienne doesn't like to stay in one place very long but she sees something appealing here that she hadn't before. Then she meets Adam and together they learn there is room for romance.

Adrienne Portale, a restless soul, has never settled down in one place for long. She takes the job as an innkeeper in the small town of Knights Bridge, Mass., to get closer to the father she recently found, that her mother had kept secret. The quaint and picturesque little New England town has charmed her, as have the townspeople; some have family ties going back generations. The Sloane siblings, including the handsome stone mason, Adam Sloane, are related by family or marriage to most of the town. As Adam and Adrienne begin to spend time together, they discover they do have a lot in common, but will her wanderlust keep them apart, fearing hurt and rejection, or not?

I loved this story, the author painted a beautiful picture of the New England country side, and of a traditional and yet close and caring community, making it a wonderful place to live. A really feel-good book, and I do highly recommend it

This book will win you over, having you join the list of Carla Neggers fans. A heart-warning romance that will give you many hours of sweet reading of a deeply human relationship’s growth. A 5-star must read book.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more of this authors work. I highly recommend this author to friends and family alike.

Adrienne Portale was introduced in one of the previous books in the series as the "surprise, I'm your daughter" character. She's back in Knights Bridge as the innkeeper for Maggie and Olivia's place. There was a cute conceit at the beginning of the book introducing her to all of the townspeople (and thus to the reader as well.) It was more than a little blatant but maybe slightly better than just throwing everyone in. And it makes sense since there are a lot of cast members that show up. Mainly because our hero, Adam Sloan, who is working on the stone wall at the inn has a lot of siblings who realistically will show up in the book.

This is a slow burn book. It makes it so that the ending was a bit rushed. A nice read but not much of a story.

Three stars
This book came out March 26
ARC kindly provided by publisher and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

If you’re looking for a real light feel good romance novel this is it. I haven’t read the rest of the series but the small town it is so intriguing and the characters within that I can’t wait to go back to the begging and learn more about them all. If you haven’t read the whole series this book is nice because you learn a bit about the paste and present of each character within this one.

Wow this book was just so good and so easy to get lost in. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I just didn't want it to end. I just couldn't get enough of these wonderful characters and I just loved getting to see their journey. I will most definitely be reading more stories from this wonderful author.

Carla Neggers has another success with Stone Bridges. A delightful addition to her charming small town of Knightsbridge in New England filled with believable, lovable characters and a helpful cheat sheet at the beginning to help recall the residents of Knightsbridge series. I enjoy the author's detailed descriptions of people, places and everyday happenings. The author delivers a heartwarming story filled with real life characters and emotion.

This was DNF for me. I just couldn't get into the writing. I'm giving it three stars because I do think it is a good book for people that connect with this type of writing, just wasn't for me

Adrienne and Adam dont seem to have much in common at first glance, but the further you read you can see them connecting. This was a little slow moving for my taste, but I did enjoy this. All the characters were very well written and you were able to keep up nicely considering this is the 9th book in the series and I hadn’t read any of the previous books.

A slow burn, but I’m glad I stuck with it as I found myself really enjoying the characters, and will definitely read more from this author

Adrienne showed up last year to housesit for the Father she never knew existed and did so under cover. Maybe not her best introduction to a small town. Now the perpetual nomad is back to manage the inn and build a relationship with her Father. All our favorites from this series make an appearance. The Sloan's are prominently featured and as entertaining as ever. On the surface it would be hard to imagine what Adrienne and Adam Sloan might have in common. Read the book to find out and you won't be disappointed.

This was a very pleasant read. I've read some of the Swift River Valley series so I knew what to expect. I really like the author's town that she's made and the characters. I thought it was a slow start to the read but it was worth hanging with it. I would recommend.

Stone Bridges
Swift River Valley #9
Carla Neggers

Carla Neggers takes readers back to her iconic small New England town of Knight’s Bridge and continues the story of Adrienne Portale who costarred in a previous novel when she learned she was the illegitimate daughter of a diplomat and came to Knight’s Bridge to confront him. Tired of wandering (for now) and deciding she likes this small hamlet she (temporarily) takes a position as an innkeeper but finds herself unbelievably adapt at her job and more than just a little attracted to the local stonemason Adam Sloan –– Adam who is as steadfast as Adrienne is impulsive is 4 of 6 in the large Sloan brood, a vet who wanted nothing more than to come home from war and never leave.
Set during a postcard perfect NE autumn Carla draws her audience in with crisp air and inviting scents from the kitchen including some fantastic recipes at the end of the book, some real local history plus some exciting (moose) wildlife sightings and a little needed drama when a group of little boys go missing in the woods. Plus she keeps fans in the know with some crucial series and character catch-ups and a fantastic Knight’s Bridge, who’s who cheat sheet.
She also takes her good old time with the romance, takes the simmering route over the sizzling one and it works really well with her unlikely, odds attract couple and does a convincing job that they’re the perfect pair.
If you’re a fan of small towns with an interesting history inhabited by caring but extremely nosey salt of the earth folks with deep roots, incredible scenery, a low-key romance and an unforgettable story look no further. Story reads well alone but for series continuity books should be read in order.