A review by theavidreaderandbibliophile
The Wishing Bridge by Viola Shipman

3.0

The Wishing Bridge by Viola Shipman takes readers on a journey to Frankenmuth, Michigan. I enjoyed the descriptions of the town decked out for Christmas. I felt transported to this Bavarianesque town. I had mixed feelings about Henri (I believe that is the idea.) I was not a fan of some of Henri’s choices and I had to wonder what she was thinking (she needed an intervention). We get to see Henri look at her family, the town, and the family business through the eyes of a mature adult. I enjoyed Henri’s memories of the Sears Wish Book as well as the JCPenney and Montgomery Ward Christmas Catalogs. I looked forward to their arrival just like Henri. Henri’s mentions a couple of items in the catalog that would not have been available in 1975. Like other girls of that time period, I was a fan of Shaun Cassidy (I watched the Hardy Boys), and his first album was not released until 1977. The Simon Says electronic game was released in 1978 (one of my cousins got one for Christmas) and the Star Wars figures came out in 1978 (I had a cousin who got the whole set, and we had fun playing with them). There were some good characters in the story. I especially liked Henri’s parents, Bea, and Mabel, the family dog. The store that Henri’s parents started was wonderful. It is a Christmas wonderland (it would takes days to go through the whole place). Henri’s high school boyfriend is divorced and the chemistry between the two is still palpable. In a small town, they are bound to run into each other. Henri is getting a second chance not only with her family but with a special fellow. The Wishing Bridge is a heartwarming holiday tale that will appeal to those who love Hallmark’s Christmas movies (you never know, it could be one someday).