The Secrets of Love Story Bridge by Phaedra Patrick

Welcome to the Fresh-Brewed stop of Phaedra Patrick's newest novel, The Secret of Love Story Bridge. This is my third Phaedra Patrick book, and she has become one of my favorite writers.

Synopsis:

Single father Mitchell Fisher hates all things romance. He enjoys his job removing padlocks fastened to the famous "love lock" bridges of Upchester city. Only his young daughter, Poppy, knows that behind his disciplined veneer, Mitchell grieves the loss of her mother, Anita.

One fateful day, working on the bridge, Mitchell courageously rescues a woman who falls into the river. He’s surprised to feel a connection to her, but the woman disappears before he learns her name. To Mitchell’s shock, a video of the rescue goes viral, hailing him as "The Hero on the Bridge." He’s soon notified by the mysterious woman’s sister, Liza, that she has been missing for over a year. However, the only clue to where the woman could have gone is the engraved padlock she left on the bridge.

Mitchell finds himself swept up in Liza’s quest to find her lost sister. Along the way, with help from a sparkling cast of characters, Mitchell’s heart gradually unlocks, and he discovers new beginnings can be found in the unlikeliest places...

About the Author:

Phaedra Patrick is the author of The Library of Lost and Found, Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone and The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, which has been published in over twenty countries around the world. She studied art and marketing, and has worked as a stained-glass artist, film festival organizer and communications manager. An award-winning short story writer, she now writes full-time. She lives in Saddleworth, UK, with her husband and son.

Questions for the Author, Phaedra Patrick:

Would you tell us what inspired you to write about "love story” bridge?

The idea came to me after I noticed padlocks hanging on bridges, everywhere from my home city of Manchester, England, to Gran Canaria. I was aware of the famous Pont Des Arts bridge in Paris that collapsed under the weight of ‘love locks’ several years ago, and it made me wonder about who hung them there and what the stories were behind them. I had a picture in my head of a man whose job it was to remove the locks, and that he’d probably had his heart broken in the past. I called him Mitchell Fisher after the street my grandparents used to live on, Mitchell Street.

Which character do you most relate to and why?

I have a real soft spot for a minor character in the book, Carl. He’s the concierge of the apartment block that Mitchell lives in. Carl is a real trier in life and never gives up. He’s amiable, eager to better himself and can often be found making origami shapes out of paper. He was a joy to spend time with.

What challenged you the most while writing this story?

Sometimes, when I start a book, I have a small idea in my mind but don’t know the entire story. With The Secrets of Love Story Bridge, I had an image of a man on a bridge who saves a lady in a yellow dress from drowning in a river. But that was all! In the book, the lady in yellow subsequently vanishes, but I had no idea why and where she went to! It was a real challenge to try and work out her story, and I only found out her secret at the same time Mitchell does.

What was something interesting you learned while compiling research for the book?

I was amazed at how widely spread across the world hanging love locks is.  Research taught me that some people believe it’s a ritual that stems from ancient Chinese tradition, whereas others believe it started in a small Serbian town during the First World War. Wherever it originated, it’s something that’s still going strong today.

Do you find it easier to write character and dialogue for the opposite sex because you are the opposite sex? (A woman writing a man’s part and dialogue for example). 

My first two books, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, and Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone feature male characters, mainly because I’d written about female characters several times before without getting published. So, I decided to try something different and to challenge myself by writing about the opposite sex. I think men are more private with their emotions and so you can peel back the layers of their character like an onion, exposing more layers. They tend to use less words. With regard to female characters, I want to write about ones that other women can relate to and cheer on, as was the case in my third book, The Library of Lost and Found.

Pattie's Review:

I started reading this book a few days ago and finished today. It is such a hopeful book. Even while the main character, Mitchell, is grieving the loss of his love and the mother of his daughter, he is finding everything in his organized life turned topsy-turvy once he jumps off the bridge to save the woman. 

More than a grief book or a book about an unexpected hero, this book is about being a good human and helping other good humans be better together. It's poignant to read during the quarantine and its craziness in the spring of 2020.

I’ve really enjoyed reading Phaedra Patrick's novels over the past several months. Sweet and hopeful, The Secrets of Love Story Bridge is the perfect book for this time when we are longing for deeper connections while also learning to handle our grief. Highly recommended. 

 (PS: Write someone an encouraging letter on paper and mail it.)

Where to purchase:

It is available from all your usual online places, but consider calling your local independent bookseller and supporting them by purchasing it from their shop.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.