The Lights on Knockbridge Lane by Roan Parrish

Roan Parrish always does a wonderful job portraying mental health issues and Wes’s issues were sensitively written. It’s very focused on family and 8 year old Gus plays a major part in the story. This is a sweet, emotional story about belonging, acceptance, and unconditional love.

I’ve loved the Garnet Run series, so I was excited to read a Christmas book set in that world, but this book can absolutely be read as a stand alone. Adam Mills wants to make Christmas special for his daughter Gus by fulfilling her request for decorating their house with “the most lights ever.” Adam and Gus ask their reclusive neighbor Wes for help and he finds himself involved in their lives and bonds with the daughter over their mutual love of science and unconventional pets. But it also explores some very important themes.4.5 stars. It might actually be my favorite Holiday romance! The pure joy and happiness of this romance was so wonderfully done. This was a happy, cheerful, Christmas romance through and through. I loved to meet River and the other two Garnet Run couples again briefly too. It was so sweet to see Wes’ walls slowly come down the more and more time he spends with Adam and Gus. So, when finding out about their new weird vampire neighbors collection of extremely unusual pets she breaks into his house only to get immediately caught. Gus is eight years old and really into science and…unusual pets. Holy Adorable Meet Cute Batman! A freaking Breaks in! Wes is the neighbor across the street who according to the townspeople, is rumored to be a vampire. This understandably has a huge impact into how protective Adam is of both himself and Gus.

He tried for a while but eventually realized it wasn’t for him. Since the end of his last relationship, Gus basically loses her other father and both characters are still figuring life out without that jackhole Mason. But a messy divorce and having to look out for his daughter made him move back to where his sibling River is still living. Adam is back to Garnet Run, after moving away over a decade ago and never wanting to go back there again. Single Dad Adam live a fairly chaotic at times life but his priority always is his daughter August, aka Gus. This was one of the most endearing, small-town romance I have read in a very longtime. Tropes: emotional trauma, holiday romance, meet-cute, read, single dad, small town romance, LGBTQ+

The Lights on Knockbridge Lane by Roan Parrish