THE NOEL BRIDGE

In Hale’s novel, a young woman rediscovers love and her Christmas spirit when she returns to her hometown after her fiance’s death.

Alicia Silver is spending her first Christmas alone after the sudden death of her fiance Bo in a car crash nine months earlier. Desperate to escape her memories in Savannah (“if she let herself think about spending Christmas on her own, she might fall apart”), her interest is piqued by a television program about a magical bridge located in her childhood hometown of Noel, Tennessee, that allegedly grants miracles to anyone who wishes. She wonders if visiting Noel again might do her some good and plans to spend Christmas in the small town. Her impromptu trip starts off on the wrong foot, though, when the last open restaurant closes right when she puts her hand on the doorknob. The owner of the diner is Leo Whitaker, an attractive man around her age who invites Alicia in to warm up. They part ways without speaking much, but Alicia finds she can’t stop thinking about how calming his presence is. When she eventually makes her way to the bridge to make her wish, she runs into him once more. Leo is there looking for his own miracle––his father has gone missing in the woods, and there’s a snowstorm on the way. The two end up bonding over their shared experiences with grief, and when Alicia’s flight gets canceled due to weather, they’re given the time to get even closer. Hale tells a heart-wrenching story of loss and grief in all of its stages. Alicia’s relationship with her deceased fiance is an important facet of her character that isn’t brushed aside for the new romance. Leo is a romantic lead who remains patient and understanding, even with his own difficulties surrounding his father’s disappearance. (The throughline of the mystery of Leo’s missing father remains a compelling element.) While some supporting characters aren’t given much to do, those who play important roles are well fleshed-out and add to the charm of small-town Noel.

A festive addition to the Holiday romance genre with a subtle poignancy that sets it apart.