After Adam moves to Garnet Run, his daughter Gus's fascination with the mysterious neighbor across the street soon starts them on the path to romance. But Wes has issues that make it difficult for their relationship to stand the light of day.

This was a sweet romantic read with two quite unusual leads. Wes especially I thought was unconventional, and I have never read a hero quite like him before! Adam and Gus are also lovable, and I enjoyed the strong relationship between them. The romance between Wes and Adam was sweet without going saccharine, which can be a difficult balance to achieve in a Christmas romance.

I did think the plot was a touch thin, though. The fun of this book really lies with the interactions between the characters and nowhere else. Still, I greatly enjoyed my read and I would check out more by this author.

Adam and his daughter Gus have moved back to where he could be close to his sibling after a break up. He moves into a neighborhood where the neighbors are a little bit nosy and have described the man who lives across the street from him. Adam and Gus are curious about the man but it’s Gus who does a b&e into Wes house to see what he has hidden. This is where Adam and Wes meet and slowly start to build a friendship taking Wes out of his comfort zone.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt book with laughter, love and lots of lights!

Very sweet and cute and lovely and full of Christmas magic. Both men come from different backgrounds and the magic of Christmas--and the actions of Adam's daughter--brought them closer together. Although I wish there was a little less focus on Gus, Adam's daughter, and more on the romance, this ultimately made me smile throughout and made my heart happy.

“Cute” is probably the best word to describe this Christmas romance.

The basic plot is right up Hallmark’s alley. An adorably precocious kid brings together her recently divorced father and their handsome new neighbor, and romance ensues. There’s even a Christmas wish involved—the kid wants to have their house to have “the most Christmas lights on any house in the world.” Which of course her father attempts to make come true, in properly heartwarming fashion.

It’s the Roan Parrish spin on the details that keeps the story from going from cute to overly treacly. For one thing, the neighbor, Wes, seems like he might be more at home in a Halloween setting than a Christmas one. Before Adam and his daughter Gus meet him, their neighbors suggest that Wes might be a werewolf, vampire, or witch, given that he only comes out at night and lives in a creepy house with paper-covered windows. Well, he’s none of those, of course, but Wes is a recluse who’s much more at home with his pet tarantula Bettie than with most people. That’s down to some struggles Wes has with his mental health, another characteristic of the author’s work, and not one likely to make it into a Hallmark movie. Plus, Wes and Adam also both come from toxic families that have left them without a strong support network. That loneliness helps foster their romance, as they come to lean on each other while falling in love.

Readers who aren’t into books with kids might find Gus a little hard to take. The cute is laid on awfully strong with her. I liked that Adam’s undeniable love for her is frequently mixed with a large amount of exasperation at her antics. If I was tempted to lose patience with her, well, so was he.

Readers looking for a sweet, relatively low angst story about finding love and family at Christmas should give this romance a try.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Warm, soft, cozy, I loved Harlequin’s first foray into m/m. I really hope they do more. Adored the 2 MCs but it was really 8 year old Gus who stole my heart with her honesty and spirited nature. I’m with Adam - I, too, have a huge fear of spiders and every single time Betty (the tarantula) was mentioned, I cringed on the inside. But regardless, it was really sweet and I loved it.

CW: toxic parental relationship, toxic masculinity (mentioned in the past);

If you’re a fan of Parrish, this book has many of the elements of her other books, including pairing a tall, broad, and intense man with a small, sensitive and talkative one; here a single father and his reclusive scientist neighbor. The book weaves in themes around healing from toxic family of origin, building a caring circle of chosen family, and being gay in a small community. It’s a comforting read.

What I liked best was the relationship between emotionally sensitive Adam and his science-obsessed daughter Gus. She loves tarantulas, he’s terrified of spiders, and they both accept and love each other unconditionally. There’s some beautiful moments between them, and I especially loved the scenes where Adam cried easily, and Gus matter of factly explained to outsiders that this was perfectly fine. Adam is also a terrible cook, and while that means there are no scenes with delicious sounding Christmas treats, there are plenty of comic moments in the kitchen. I’m usual meh on children in romances, but Gus is a fabulous character, and Adam’s fatherhood is probably the most interesting thing about him.

The pacing of this romance was a little tough for me. It’s a very low conflict read. I enjoyed the first third of the book which was slow but sweet as the heroes meet and mysterious neighbor Wes slowly comes out of his shell. The book does care, comfort and learning to trust very well. But I was hoping for a slow burn. Instead, they sleep together fairly early, and the sexual tension dissipates in the second half.

As usual for RP, I found the sex scenes strangely heteronormative. If you’re not a fan of Parrish’s style, this book is unlikely to change your mind. If you loved her other books, but are looking for less angst and more nesting, this is a good bet.

There’s also a research subplot that involves Wes planting trees that have been genetically modified with jellyfish DNA in public spaces without permission, which wow, is pretty unethical.

4.5 Stars

Adam Mills is licking his wounds in his tiny hometown of Garnet Run, Wyoming, now that his marriage is over. He's just moved in and is trying to reconnect to his only family who will speak with him, a younger sibling called River. They live and work at a cat shelter as will help out with the care of Adam's eight year old daughter Gus (August). And, River hooked Adam up with a job at Charlie's hardware. We learned all about Charlie and Rye in BEST LAID PLANS. Gus is a heck of a handful, and Adam's reminded of this when she is hauled back home by their surly recluse of a neighbor Westley Mowbray--after she broke into his basement to see his lizards.

Wes is a man living in a run-down house on Knockbridge Lane. He's nocturnal, and weird, and all the neighbors think he's a vampire or a witch, but Gus adores him immediately. Because she's enamored with science and it's clear to her that Wes is kindred spirit. He's running all sorts of experiments out there in his home, and Gus absolutely wants to know Wes's secrets. Wes isn't sure how he became so fascinating but he's been alone so long that it's a bit unnerving to be so wholly welcomed by anyone, and Adam does make him welcome, as long as he leaves his tarantula back at his home. 

Getting over Mason, Adam's ex, has been hard, and he really wants to make Christmas good for Gus now that they are settling into their new home. Her idea of what would make this the best Christmas is to decorate their house with the most Christmas lights ever, and Adam is determined to try and make that happen. He puts out a call for donations of lights on his Instagram, and is happy to receive lights from some nearby folks who can drop them off locally. This means they need Wes's help attaching them to the house, which keeps Wes in their orbit, to some degree. He's not super neighborly, at first, but Gus is certainly charming him with her keen interest in all his experiments.   


Adam's more than overwhelmed with his personal issues, and he's trying to mask it for Gus's sake, putting up the lights that keep pouring in and sharing pics of the results on his social media. His request for lights goes viral, though, which starts to bring people from all over to take pics of the house, and this spooks Gus and Wes--as well as Adam. Wes has been hiding out in Garnet Run from his own sordid history--once a semi-famous child actor, he's keeping a super low profile due to anxiety from paparazzos. And it's building again with the strangers who are appearing on Adam's lawn.

This is honestly such an amazing read. I'm not actually doing it justice in the review. Adam is a sweetheart, a big ol' marshmallow trying to cope with his grief and manage the care of his exuberant and precocious daughter. She's a trip, and I loved how she and Adam were so tight in their bond. Meanwhile, Wes doesn't want to need anyone, and he thinks being a recluse will facilitate that, but he's parched earth awaiting a rain--and Gus and Adam are a flood of love. He has no capacity to keep their generosity of hearth and home at bay. That said, there are moments of hurt, and self-preservation, and need. And, sometimes there do not match up well for Adam, Wes and Gus. They each have issues to work through, and it takes a minute or two to find closure and allow healing to happen. 

There aren't a whole lot of steamy moments, but there is joy, and elation, and connection--not only for Adam and Wes, but for Wes and his estranged family, for Wes and his community--that he thought he could live without. Well, Adam may not exactly connect with Bettie, Wes' pet tarantula, but they do reach an understanding of sorts. And, because this is romance, there will be a falling out and a grand gesture and these guys will connect ever stronger after having that small break. I'm so in love with this series that I STILL wish Garnet Run was a real place so I could be friends with Adam, and chat with Wes and help Gus with her next experiment.

This book is so sweet. Adam and Wes are both dealing with relationship issues, Adam with his previous partner and Wes with his family, that shape the way they approach this new relationship. I’m never one for children in romance but Gus is truly a delight and gave some real weight to the decisions made by both men. It was really fun to see how Adam reacted to Wes’s unusual pets and how Gus immediately latched on to them. If you’re looking for a low-angst, charming, and delightful holiday romance, this is the perfect book to add to your list.
Big thanks to Harlequin for sharing an advanced copy of this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

Rainbows and Sunshine
October 5, 2021

I absolutely loved this book! It's a lighthearted Christmas romance novel with opposites attarct and tons of fairy lights. I really enjoyed the development of the relationship of Adam and Wes from neighbours to friends to lovers.

Meet cute via the help of a tarantula named Bettie? Check✔
Sweet and charming romance? Check✔
Warm and fuzzy Christmas feels? Check✔
Baking cookies? Check✔

It's the third book in the Garnet Run series but can be read as a standalone. I loved it so much that I'm definitely reading the previous books! Loved Gus, Adam's daughter, who plays a major role in the book. Wes is my favourite character, the shy, nerdy and hot type and I love hiw Adam is very emotional.

Overall a really enjoyable read, especially if you're in the mood for a holiday romance novel. Highly recommended!

*ARC provided by the author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

I absolutely ADORED the first two books in this series. And I liked this one a lot, but it didn't feel like it was on the same plain as the first two. That isn't to say it wasn't a great book, it was. Let's dig in.

Adam, newly single dad moved home to Garnet Run because their sibling offered to help with Adam's daughter. She was born his niece, but his sister was unwilling and unable to care for her, so Adam took her. Adam's husband wasn't too thrilled with the situation but somehow stuck with it for 8 years. I don't know how he then pretty much cut off contact with her after being a dad to her since birth, but hey. Not everyone bonds with a child, not everyone loves children.

The neighbors warn him of the strange guy who lives across the street. Turns out he isn't so much strange as he is socially awkward and wanting to be invisible. But Gus (Adam's daughter) wiggles her way in.

I would have loved to see more trauma evident from both Adam AND Wes. But Adam seems to be adjusting to the single dad life pretty well and after just a few visits, Gus had Wes wrapped right around her little finger. But, as been noted before, I love angst and drama and trauma. It was a little too tidy for me, but I get that this is a Christmas story and most of holiday stories don't have a lot of that. I won't say that the past traumas of these characters are wasted, but they aren't fully realized either.

And precocious Gus. Eight year olds can be pretty amazing and mature. But she was a bit too mature. I love how Adam parented her- no lying, looking things up, etc. But she needed to really be a kid more. Her letter to Santa was a brief glimpse into what she really feels and that also needed to be explored more.

This all might sound like I didn't like the book- but that couldn't be further from the truth. I have just come to except a certain depth to the characters that Roan Parrish writes. It's one of the things I love about her writing. ONE of the things.

This was still a great story. The social media aspect, a single dad wanting to make his daughter happy, small town life, two men finding each other...it was all very swoony. And I liked that although the conflict was expected, it didn't linger on.

I really hope this isn't the last we see of Garnet Run. I'd especially love to see River get their happily ever after.

Adam Mills wants to make this Christmas, their first Christmas in Garnet Run, the best possible for his daughter Gus. They’ve had a hard year and all Gus wants is to have as many Christmas lights as possible on their tiny home. It’s a simple enough wish, but a none too easy task. Complicating things is Gus’ obsession with their next door neighbor, Wes Mobray. Wes is something of a hermit, preferring the company of his animal menagerie to that of humans. But he finds himself charmed by the irrepressible Gus and her handsome father.

Starting a relationship isn’t something Adam expected and after being abandoned by his ex, he’s hesitant to risk Gus’ heart again. Still, Wes seems like a natural fit for their quirky family and Adam finds himself looking forward to Christmas for the first time. But when a secret from Wes’ past threatens to undermine their future, Adam and Gus must find away to remind Wes why Christmas miracles are always possible.

The Lights on Knockbridge Lane is the third in the Garnet Run series and the first to be published under the Harlequin banner. Though you can easily read The Lights on Knockbridge Lane as a standalone, I think you’ll enjoy the entire series more if you read them in order.

I think The Lights on Knockbridge Lane is probably my favorite of the series so far. Normally, I find precocious children to be somewhat annoying in romances, but Gus is sweet and altogether charming and I found it impossible to dislike her. Wes and Adam mesh well and I appreciated that their romance was slow burning and realistic. Wes has some serious mental health issues (a recurring theme throughout the entire series) and Adam’s gentle handling of the situation was just another reason to like his character. There were times I wanted to give Wes a slap because there was a measure of (understandable) selfishness in some of his behaviors, but the author did an excellent job of showing how his past had traumatized him.

The overall story is pretty straightforward and fairly predictable. There isn’t anything here that I found to be overly original, but it was written well and with a depth of emotion that elevated the plot. The pacing is a little slow at times, as the narrative tends to wind its way quietly towards the end, rather than relying heavily on excessive action or “big” moments. That said, I was never pulled out of the story or bored with it, I just think it could have moved a bit more quickly.

The Lights on Knockbridge Lane is a strong entry into the Garnet Run series and was, at its core, the sweet story of two men moving past their pain to make a family. It avoids becoming overly saccharine and I found that despite being a holiday story, I found it an enjoyable read during the middle of summer. Consider this one recommended.

Roan Parrish writes such beautiful stories about love, acceptance and finding home in a person (or a family) that changes everything for someone. This book is no different. I loved the Hallmark story feel and the beautiful love that bloomed between Adam and Wes.

This is a story about family and it includes Adam’s daughter a lot in the book. I am not a huge fan of having so much of a child in a romance book but with this story it fit.

This is definitely a different book than the other I’ve read if Parrish’s and I did miss some of that angst but if you want a feel good Christmas romance this is definitely a book to read!

What would you get if you introduced Roan Parrish’s hallmark eccentric, unsociable characters into a Hallmark movie? “The Lights on Knockbridge Lane.” This third title in her Garnet Run series is executed in an absolutely delectable manner, though no one can actually cook in this Christmas tale. (Gotta love a Christmas story with bad food.)

Adam Mills has returned to his hometown after splitting with his long-time boyfriend who couldn’t adjust to ongoing fatherhood. Adam has always wanted a family, and Gus, his sister’s daughter, is the child we all wish for, bright, quirky and honest to a fault. Adam’s other, younger sibling, River, who has wanted no part of their niece’s life, got Adam a job in the town hardware store. Since it’s a small town, readers run into people from Garnet Run’s first two installments, but this is a standalone.

Eight-year-old Gus is immediately attracted to their reclusive neighbor, Wes, a scientist with a secret. A man whose wonderful pets (a tarantula, snakes and lizards) terrify Adam, while thrilling Gus. And if you, like off-beat personalities, you’ll adore Wes, who is jokingly introduced as a vampire, because he tends to avoid neighbors, and only goes out at night. Yet he is a warm, fuzzy man, someone to be cherished. There is no artifice between Adam and Wes. In fact, the only things that keeps these three from becoming a family is – you guessed it – their own insecurities.

Roan Parrish can be counted upon to show us how we keep creating our worst fears by proving them true. Wes’ discomfort with being observed is completely relatable, especially once we know his background. “After a while, he felt like a mass of whirling energy trapped in a strange and clumsy form that became a prison. When people looked at the prison, or needed it to function, it became bigger and clumsier and less effectual. And then, all Wes wanted was to disappear.” But Adam and Gus provide him a safe haven.

And Adam’s fear that he will introduce Gus to another flake who deserts them… well, which parent can’t empathize with that? But Wes is careful with Adam, whom he recognizes as “so optimistic, so sweet, and so utterly unrealistic. But what was reality anyway.” Or is Adam truly that vulnerable? “The truth was that Adam had never once regretted forgiving someone. Because forgiveness was about him, and not about them at all.”

Roan Parrish’s attention to detail allows her to fashion people made precisely for one another, interlocking puzzle pieces. And I always feel blessed to visualize the picture emerge as each piece is put into place. “The Lights on Knockbridge Lane” left me a mushy, snuggly mess, and I enjoyed every second of it. Sweeeet, indeed!

I was so excited to see Harlequin has it's first gay romance. This M/M read was perfect to get into the holiday spirit. Now I know September is a little early to really think about Christmas, but for me who is a Christmas nut it's never too early. This book had me falling in love with the cover. It's so pretty! It gives me Christmas vibes for sure. Then this book had me completely sold being a single dad romance. Gus is something else. I love her sassy curious nature. You can tell Adam is one awesome dad though he questions himself all the time. This book has plenty of emotion and heart. Wes pulls on the heartstrings along with Adam and Gus. I loved watching Wes some out of his shell with Adam and Gus. The over all feeling this book gives me is hope and happiness. A great book to get you into the holiday spirit!

First off - this is a milestone to be celebrated - a M/M romance in a Harlequin Romance main line!

Second though, it means that it's balancing a lot of sensibilities - The Lights On Knockbridge Lane feels just like the first M/M Hallmark Movie in a lot of ways... but we'll get to that...

I haven't read a Harlequin Romance in years - I used to be obsessed with them and devoured hundreds of titles over the years, but since they were firmly in the M/F realm and I stopped reading M/F over a year ago for the most part, I haven't even looked at one in probably 18 months... so I was shocked when I got a Netgalley notification of a Harlequin Special Edition in my LGBTQ+ lit listings...

The Lights On Knockbridge Lane is definitely a Hallmark Movie style romance with one surprisingly steamy bedroom scene and a lot of stolen kisses and a bit of making out. It fits the pattern of the Harlequin Special Editions that I remember reading and has a very sweet, wholesome vibe throughout.
This book is going to be a gentle way to ease Harlequin's M/F readers into the amazing world of M/M romance - as a gateway drug, it's amazing!

I struggled with my rating for this - mostly because I read so many dedicated M/M authors and so many indie authors who don't have to follow the trope formulas that Harlequin sets out - it was the best written book it could have been given the parameters required to fit in the Harlequin Special Edition series... I love both MC's, struggled a bit with the daughter Gus' behaviour and character and was rooting for them all throughout the book... I also struggled a little with the end because the book doesn't resolve how the guy who is terrified of spiders and creepy-crawly things is going to live with the guy who has a house full of weird and wonderful creatures, but, this story is meant to be a Hallmark Christmas movie in book form, so I'm sure they'll magically figure that out...

I'm rating The Lights On Knockbridge Lane 4 stars because it's a well written book, sweet story and breaks the long established barrier of Harlequin Romance, but I didn't absolutely love it like I wanted to.

What a charming holiday story that will be a great way to make the season more festive. The featured men were complete opposites in everything from personalities to hobbies. Their being together didn’t feel forced, and the growing relationship felt genuine.

Adam is a soft-hearted, sweet man that is a role model of what a parent should be. The dynamics between Adam, and his spunky eight-year-old daughter Gus, was charming and equally touching. I thought the author gave Gus the perfect amount of attention, who made the pages light up with her quirky spirit and determination. Father and daughter make a great team, but Adam is struggling. To start over, he has moved to Garnet Run, Wyoming, and Adam wants his daughter to be happy with their new home.

Their neighbor, Wes, is part of the town’s rumor mill. Is he a vampire or a weird mad scientist? He has a bad reputation, and no one has looked past the gloomy and dark house across the street from Adam and Gus to find out. Assumptions are made, and Wes is happy as this makes people leave him alone.

Gus is the glue that makes these two men spend time together. The description of Wes’ unique interests was hilarious, and I enjoyed Adam’s reaction when first visiting his home. The author’s writing was strong, and they completely pulled me into the story. I adored this unlikely couple and enjoyed how much they wanted to be part of each other’s extraordinary world.

Past trauma makes an unwanted appearance and fractures their new and fragile bond. Ms. Parrish added just the right amount of angst to this book. The story was an absolute delight, and even with a conflict, it just felt right. I highly recommend this unique Christmas tale that is sure to make you smile. Happy reading.

If ever there was a book that deserved to be made into a Hallmark holiday movie, it’s Roan Parrish’s early Christmas gift to her readers, The Lights on Knockbridge Lane. This story is told with a heart full of so much love and pure and honest compassion that, for at least a little while, it just might make you believe the world itself is a much softer, kinder, more generous, and infinitely brighter place. It holds its arms wide open and embraces readers in its warmth and message of hope, the kind of hope that means taking a chance on loving someone will be worth the risk.

The romance in this story hinges upon the whims and wishes of a delightfully precocious eight-year-old, Adam Mills’ daughter, Gus. Small-town rumors have made themselves known to Adam, gossip which fancies their neighbor, Wes Mobray, as everything from a vampire to a witch. When Gus unintentionally draws out the virtually reclusive Wes, and Wes discovers not only that he and Gus share some unexpected interests but that Gus’s dad happens to be gay too, and really beautiful, it becomes impossible for Wes to even want to turn down the invitation to help fulfill Gus’s one true wish—to have the most Christmas lights of any house in the world—despite how much his anxieties push him to resist.

Adam and Wes are boundlessly remarkable people—gentle, charming, gracious, vulnerable, sincere, and everything immensely lovely—and the way Parrish builds their relationship around a series of unfussy, quiet moments takes nothing away from the effervescence of the story. The one thing they have in common is that they both know what it’s like to walk away from family that’s done nothing but hurt them and made them feel less-than. Adam also understands how important it is to give Gus what he didn’t have, and eventually Wes comes to recognize, after watching Adam be such an amazing father to Gus, what a terrible father he was burdened with. There is some emotional purging necessary to move forward that doesn’t come easily for Wes, which introduces a smidge of conflict to this otherwise serene romance.

There are a handful of supporting characters that do everything to make this story fuller and richer, some familiar to readers of the previous Garnet Run books. Adam’s sibling River plays an important supporting role in the story to their brother and niece, but they are also a fully interesting character in their own right, and I’d love to see them have their own book as the series continues. Of course, this book wouldn’t be quite as robust without Wes’s menagerie of pets, either; they served the unintentional role of matchmaker, which I couldn’t help but be charmed by.

The Lights on Knockbridge Lane believes in the miracle of good will and gives readers faith in its happily-ever-after every step of the way. It’s a story composed of promise and joy, and it held me under its spell from beginning to end.

The Lights on Knockbridge Lane by Roan Parrish
Garnet Run #3

Smiling now and many times as I read this charming, heartwarming, delightful, holiday romance. Once begun I could not put this book down and it will linger with me for a while.

What I liked:
* Adam Mills: single father of an inquisitive eight-year-old, newly returned to Garnet Hills after breaking with his partner, photographer, working in a hardware shop, excellent parent, honest, kind, loving, tender, emotional and perfectly charming.
* Westlley “Wes” Mobray: loner, scientist, well educated, creator, lover of unique creatures, has some anxiety issues, interesting backstory, fascinating, perfect for Adam & Gus.
* August “Gus” Mills: Adam’s daughter, honest to a fault, outspoken, inquisitive, loving, accepting, understands Adam well, protective, adds a great deal to the story, and one of the major reasons I smiled so often throughout the story.
* River: Adam’s sibling, manager of a cat rescue, helpful, there for Adam and Gus, interested in finding out who they will end up with in a future book of the series
* Bram: a man met at the Christmas tree buying that I thought about and wondered if he might show up in a future book.
* Getting to see how Charlie and Rye are doing (from book two of the series)
* Seeing Marie and wondering what her story is
* That both Adam and Wes were willing to open up to one another and were open and communicated as adults.
* The relationship that grew between Adam and Wes
* The relationship that developed between Gus and Wes
* Finding out about the backstories of Adam and Wes
* The lights and how they played a part in the story
* The scientific bits and the menagerie at Wes’ house
* Hoping that I will see this group again in the next book in the series
* That it made me think, and feel, and care, and was filled with the joy of the holiday spirit

What I didn’t like:
* That more than one character had parents that caused pain in their lives
* Having to say goodbye to the characters in this story

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and HQN – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

ncredibly irresistible, this Christmas story will warm a reader's heart. When it comes to unique character who march to a different drum, Author Parrish delivers every time. In this latest book in Garnet Run, Adam Mills moves back to his hometown after a heartbreak. He brings his brokenhearted daughter back with him and thinks about starting new. When the neighbor next door turns out to be neither witch nor werewolf, things get interesting.

This is not a paranormal romance. This is a contemporary romance showcasing people who live life different than a 9 to 5 job. And it's okay to be this way. I love how Author Parrish shows that people can be different and enjoy life the way that want it. Adam's neighbor has good reason why he prefers to be a night owl as well as why he prefers to be away from people. Honestly, with how uncivil people have been in the past decade or so, I can completely understand Wes. The stories the neighbor makes up about Wes and his oddities is both amusing and sad. It shows how humans try to explain what they don't understand and make up the craziest stories.

This contemporary romance is so sweet because it brings together three people and creates a family unit. It may not be a conventional family unit definition, but at heart, that is what is going on here. Adam and his daughter, Gus, (who almost steals the show) are trying to do their best after Adam's partner decides he doesn't want to be with Adam anymore. More specifically, he is tired of their daughter and wants to get rid of her. Some people are meant to be parents and some... not so much.

For me, this series is all about acceptance. The acceptance of how people are different and it's great to be different. Finding that partner or "tribe" to be in your groove is the best thing ever. Because they lift you up instead of beat you down. I love how Wes comes out of his shell when Gus is interested in all Wes's pets and his experimentation. Gus is an adorable with how she accept people for who they are. I wish more people were like Gus. Adam's fear of spiders and Gus's excitement with the unusual pets is hilarious. This contemporary romance is recommended to mm reader who enjoy something different.

I received an arc of The Lights on Knockbridge Lane from @netgalley and @harlequinbooks in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of Adam and Wes. Adam and his daughter Gus have just moved back to Garnet Run, where Adam grew up. They live down the street from Wes who only goes out at night and is a big mystery in the neighborhood. He has a menagerie of nighttime creatures for pets and Gus is enamored. We see some familiar faces from other Garnet Run books: Charlie, Rye, and River. They visit the cat shelter several times and Adam works at the hardware store. I don’t want to say more and spoil anything.

This book has everything I love from Roan Parrish: a deceptively simple plot, lots of character growth, steamy scenes (less so than her indie pubs but still good), and a uniqueness that makes it feel totally fresh. However, even though all the ingredients were there, something was missing for me and it didn’t feel magical. Maybe because it was trying so hard to feel magical…it just didn’t get there. Or it could have been I just wasn’t in the headspace for it. I can’t totally blame the book. The only thing that actively annoyed me was how much it was stressed that Wes was weird. Yes, he’s weird, and yes, Adam and Gus love that about him. But can’t we move on? Again, though, I think that’s just me.

I give this 4.5 stars for gorgeous words and a precocious kid and a great parent and a swoony love. I’m sad that this is the last book in Garnet Run. I want River to get their happy ending.


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