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tlctbr's review against another edition
4.0
I didn’t like the last Viola Shipman book I read and did not intend to pick up another of their books, but this one was a available on Libby right when I was looking for a Christmas book to listen to, I was very surprised by how much I liked it. All the references to Frankenmuth and the Christmas store were perfect for putting me in a holiday decorating/wrapping/baking mood.
rmarcin's review against another edition
4.0
A sweet Christmas story, with a lot of nostalgia. (Plus a bonus novella-Christmas Angels!)
Henrietta Wegner (Henri) is on the verge of losing her job, and desperately says she will get her parents to sell their Christmas store to the large corporation. Now, she has to convince her parents it is the right time to sell.
Her parents are surprised that she returns for Christmas, and her brother suspects that something is up. Henri also reconnects with her old friends and her old flame. As she goes forward with her plan, she starts to wonder if it is the right thing, if she is being true to her heart.
The story gives all the good Christmas vibes!
Henrietta Wegner (Henri) is on the verge of losing her job, and desperately says she will get her parents to sell their Christmas store to the large corporation. Now, she has to convince her parents it is the right time to sell.
Her parents are surprised that she returns for Christmas, and her brother suspects that something is up. Henri also reconnects with her old friends and her old flame. As she goes forward with her plan, she starts to wonder if it is the right thing, if she is being true to her heart.
The story gives all the good Christmas vibes!
cherihy808's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. What a cute, “Hallmark Christmas movie” type of book this was! It was corny and predictable but those are the things I love about these types of books! The characters were all very likable. I love everything Christmas so it was nice to hold onto that Christmas spirit and read this in January after the holidays were over. I enjoyed all the the descriptions and it made me wish I could jump right in the car and take a drive to Michigan to visit Wegner’s Christmas store! I definitely recommend this one.
judithdcollins's review against another edition
5.0
Check out my fun #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A with Viola/Wade where we go behind the book and the author!
Bestselling author and master storyteller Wade Rouse, writing as Viola Shipman (favorite author) in honor of his beloved grandmother, returns following Famous in a Small Town with his highly anticipated magical holiday novel, THE WISHING BRIDGE —with a charming, quaint Christmas town setting, a tale of family, faith, friendship, choices, and some wise lessons.
THE WISHING BRIDGE will touch your heart —how memories of the holidays shape us. It is a beautiful and nostalgic tribute to our elders, tradition, and history with hope, humor, love, romance, and loads of heart—It is also about the choices we make, some good and bad, but it is never too late to cross that bridge—making this a perfect holiday read and a Hallmark Christmas movie. My favorite Christmas novel!
Can you go home again? Will the bridge lead Henri home?
"Why do we always wait until Christmas to return home and show how much we love one another?"
Meet Henrietta (Henri) Wegner from Frankenmuth, Michigan —a quaint Bavarian charming village. Her childhood boyfriend asked her to marry him over Christmas break during her senior year in college on the charming covered bridge.
She said no. Then, she was offered the job with Tolliver (mergers and acquisitions) in Detroit a couple of days afterward. She broke his heart, and then she broke her dad's heart when she told him she was going to accept the job and move to Detroit. She wanted to step out of her family's shadow and make her own mark.
Christmas had never been the same since. She has let her job consume her and, now in her fifties, is about to lose her job to the younger generation. The only way to save it is to convince her parents to sell Wegner's Winter Wonderland, the largest independently owned Christmas store to this giant corporation.
Her parents own thirty acres that make up the Wegner's beautifully landscaped grounds, and the store covers three of those acres. Her dad (an accountant) worked hard in his grandfather's basement to build this business. He had a dream, a vision, to bring Christmas to life for people.
She felt terrible and guilty and barely visited. She avoids going home because of painful memories, using work as an annual excuse. She does not want to see the hurt on her family's face or face her decisions. Her dad had wanted her to stay there and carry on the family business. She chose to leave.
Now two weeks before Christmas her entire life and job are on the line. Does she like the person she has become? What she is planning is wrong, and she will regret it. She yearns to be that little girl who wakes up on Christmas to a home filled with excitement, joy, family, friends, and HOPE.
There is nothing more magical than Frankenmuth in a December snowfall. She had forgotten how beautiful it is. Now, being back, she may realize she made a mistake the day she crossed the Holz Brucke wooden bridge leading out of town.
What will Henri choose to do? Will her father know what she is up to? Time is passing so quickly. How much has she missed? Is she the Grinch? The clock is ticking, and the countdown to Christmas is just around the corner. Henri has only a few days to decide her family's fate, or she will be forever the town rat.
I loved the Epilogue! DAZZLING and awe-inspiring! Nothing like a quaint, charming covered bridge.
THE WISHING BRIDGE is a love story to family, friends, love, and magical Christmases.
With a cast of family, old friends, and an ex-boyfriend—a beautiful story of complex decisions, a touching father/daughter relationship, Christmas miracles, and learning what is essential in life. The little things matter.
There is also a lot of fun and wit with Sofie and Hannah, Henri’s BFF and childhood enemy, whose families own the dueling chicken restaurants in town, and Henri going back and forth with what to do with her life. Plus, Shep was married, but now he may be divorcing. Will there be a second chance?
I enjoyed the cast of friends and family. Bea, Sofie, Shep, Mouse, Finn, Clare, Ethan, the mom and dad, and Hannah. I loved Gertrude Heinrich (Granma Gert), 90 years old, who taught high school art, and when she retired, Henri's father hired her to run the store's new personalized ornaments business—never married, married to her work, and a true artist. I also loved the glockenspiel! I must visit this town. It sounds like Helen, Georgia, but quainter. I miss the covered bridge in Big Canoe, GA, where I lived years ago. Each time you go under the bridge, your stress level melts.
The Wegner's Christmas catalogs remind me of those old Sears and Montgomery Ward Christmas wish books that kept my sister and me occupied for hours.
As always, Viola Shipman creates memorable settings with flawed characters you can relate to. He has a rare gift for storytelling that will make you laugh, cry, and think. For many of us stuck in South Florida and unable to travel to the northern states we love so much at Christmas, with snow, cold weather, and charming Christmas towns, the author transports you to a magical setting without leaving your home.
I highly recommend all of his books. I particularly love his Christmas books that resonate with my childhood, traditions, parents and grandparents I have lost, those special holidays with my sons that I miss, and Christmas tree farms/stands.
THE WISHING BRIDGE would be a perfect Hallmark movie and a spectacular book club pick. A long-time fan, I adore Viola/Wade's book and have read all his novels and one of his memoirs. An excellent writer with a rare talent, each one is unique and has a special takeaway message. Time is precious. Do not waste those moments with family. They will be gone one day. We often forget what matters most: Family, friends, holidays, forgiveness of ourselves and others.
I loved that the story takes place in the authentic village of Frankenmuth, Michigan, a beautiful Bavarian Christmas wonderland inspired by Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, the largest Christmas store. The novel also includes the bonus novella Christmas Angels, a favorite.
Thanks to Graydon House via NetGalley for a digital advanced reading copy. Many thanks to the author and @thunderroadbooks for the beautiful print copy, swag: bookmark, signed bookplate, and holiday note - you made my Christmas!
Ideal for holiday gift-giving.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadbooks
Pub Date: Nov 7, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Nov 2023 Must-Read Books
Featured Nov #AuthorElevatorSeries
Nov Newsletter
Bestselling author and master storyteller Wade Rouse, writing as Viola Shipman (favorite author) in honor of his beloved grandmother, returns following Famous in a Small Town with his highly anticipated magical holiday novel, THE WISHING BRIDGE —with a charming, quaint Christmas town setting, a tale of family, faith, friendship, choices, and some wise lessons.
THE WISHING BRIDGE will touch your heart —how memories of the holidays shape us. It is a beautiful and nostalgic tribute to our elders, tradition, and history with hope, humor, love, romance, and loads of heart—It is also about the choices we make, some good and bad, but it is never too late to cross that bridge—making this a perfect holiday read and a Hallmark Christmas movie. My favorite Christmas novel!
Can you go home again? Will the bridge lead Henri home?
"Why do we always wait until Christmas to return home and show how much we love one another?"
Meet Henrietta (Henri) Wegner from Frankenmuth, Michigan —a quaint Bavarian charming village. Her childhood boyfriend asked her to marry him over Christmas break during her senior year in college on the charming covered bridge.
She said no. Then, she was offered the job with Tolliver (mergers and acquisitions) in Detroit a couple of days afterward. She broke his heart, and then she broke her dad's heart when she told him she was going to accept the job and move to Detroit. She wanted to step out of her family's shadow and make her own mark.
Christmas had never been the same since. She has let her job consume her and, now in her fifties, is about to lose her job to the younger generation. The only way to save it is to convince her parents to sell Wegner's Winter Wonderland, the largest independently owned Christmas store to this giant corporation.
Her parents own thirty acres that make up the Wegner's beautifully landscaped grounds, and the store covers three of those acres. Her dad (an accountant) worked hard in his grandfather's basement to build this business. He had a dream, a vision, to bring Christmas to life for people.
She felt terrible and guilty and barely visited. She avoids going home because of painful memories, using work as an annual excuse. She does not want to see the hurt on her family's face or face her decisions. Her dad had wanted her to stay there and carry on the family business. She chose to leave.
Now two weeks before Christmas her entire life and job are on the line. Does she like the person she has become? What she is planning is wrong, and she will regret it. She yearns to be that little girl who wakes up on Christmas to a home filled with excitement, joy, family, friends, and HOPE.
There is nothing more magical than Frankenmuth in a December snowfall. She had forgotten how beautiful it is. Now, being back, she may realize she made a mistake the day she crossed the Holz Brucke wooden bridge leading out of town.
What will Henri choose to do? Will her father know what she is up to? Time is passing so quickly. How much has she missed? Is she the Grinch? The clock is ticking, and the countdown to Christmas is just around the corner. Henri has only a few days to decide her family's fate, or she will be forever the town rat.
I loved the Epilogue! DAZZLING and awe-inspiring! Nothing like a quaint, charming covered bridge.
THE WISHING BRIDGE is a love story to family, friends, love, and magical Christmases.
With a cast of family, old friends, and an ex-boyfriend—a beautiful story of complex decisions, a touching father/daughter relationship, Christmas miracles, and learning what is essential in life. The little things matter.
There is also a lot of fun and wit with Sofie and Hannah, Henri’s BFF and childhood enemy, whose families own the dueling chicken restaurants in town, and Henri going back and forth with what to do with her life. Plus, Shep was married, but now he may be divorcing. Will there be a second chance?
I enjoyed the cast of friends and family. Bea, Sofie, Shep, Mouse, Finn, Clare, Ethan, the mom and dad, and Hannah. I loved Gertrude Heinrich (Granma Gert), 90 years old, who taught high school art, and when she retired, Henri's father hired her to run the store's new personalized ornaments business—never married, married to her work, and a true artist. I also loved the glockenspiel! I must visit this town. It sounds like Helen, Georgia, but quainter. I miss the covered bridge in Big Canoe, GA, where I lived years ago. Each time you go under the bridge, your stress level melts.
The Wegner's Christmas catalogs remind me of those old Sears and Montgomery Ward Christmas wish books that kept my sister and me occupied for hours.
As always, Viola Shipman creates memorable settings with flawed characters you can relate to. He has a rare gift for storytelling that will make you laugh, cry, and think. For many of us stuck in South Florida and unable to travel to the northern states we love so much at Christmas, with snow, cold weather, and charming Christmas towns, the author transports you to a magical setting without leaving your home.
I highly recommend all of his books. I particularly love his Christmas books that resonate with my childhood, traditions, parents and grandparents I have lost, those special holidays with my sons that I miss, and Christmas tree farms/stands.
THE WISHING BRIDGE would be a perfect Hallmark movie and a spectacular book club pick. A long-time fan, I adore Viola/Wade's book and have read all his novels and one of his memoirs. An excellent writer with a rare talent, each one is unique and has a special takeaway message. Time is precious. Do not waste those moments with family. They will be gone one day. We often forget what matters most: Family, friends, holidays, forgiveness of ourselves and others.
I loved that the story takes place in the authentic village of Frankenmuth, Michigan, a beautiful Bavarian Christmas wonderland inspired by Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, the largest Christmas store. The novel also includes the bonus novella Christmas Angels, a favorite.
Thanks to Graydon House via NetGalley for a digital advanced reading copy. Many thanks to the author and @thunderroadbooks for the beautiful print copy, swag: bookmark, signed bookplate, and holiday note - you made my Christmas!
Ideal for holiday gift-giving.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadbooks
Pub Date: Nov 7, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Nov 2023 Must-Read Books
Featured Nov #AuthorElevatorSeries
Nov Newsletter
sdcd24's review
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
whatmorganreads21's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
msavich's review against another edition
3.0
Cute easy read. A little cringy in some parts and you can easily guess the ending but a story that is about Christmas, family and lost love. Fun holiday scenes taking place in a real Christmas town in Michigan.
smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn't my favorite Viola Shipman book but I did like that it was based on the real life Christmas town of Frankenmuth, Michigan and featured a second chance romance with a FMC in her 50s who returns to her small town hoping to win a promotion but falling for all the charm she ran away from. Good on audio with a bonus short story and note from the author included at the end.
maureen4163's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.5
Viola books leave you loving life, feeling peaceful and hopeful! The winter ones have you tasting the snowflakes on your tongue: the summer ones have you feeling the sun kissing your skin !