Rating: 3.75 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel

Arlo should be happier than any troll has a right to be. After all, he’s been given his own bridge to guard and what more does a troll need? But Arlo isn’t like others of his kind. Rather than preferring isolation, he wants company and misses the familiarity of life with his mother and siblings. Demanding tribute from passers by just isn’t giving him the kind of interaction he wants. And then Arlo meets Toby, a sweet shifter who runs messages between the wolf packs separated by the bridge.

Almost at once, Toby offers to be the friend that Arlo desperately needs. As the seasons pass, Toby and Arlo come to care deeply for one another. But Toby is a pack animal, one who craves the companionship of his family and the cozy warmth of his little home. And Arlo is duty bound to work his bridge. They seem doomed to be apart until a bit of Christmas magic offers them both a happily every after.

Bridge to Love is a very sweet, very simple story. It reads like a fairytale with a very light touch of eroticism. There’s nothing dramatic or overly angsty here and equally, there isn’t a lot of depth. It’s the sort of thing you want to pick up when you’re looking for warm and fuzzy without much substance.

Toby and Arlo are a well matched couple despite their different backgrounds. Toby is a pack member used to large social gatherings and Arlo is supposed to prefer isolation and bachelorhood. His eagerness to be loved by Toby is truly endearing and even when they have misunderstandings, there is a gentleness to it. There’s only kindness between them and, frankly, that’s not such a bad thing these days.

There’s nothing particularly deep here. It’s a surface story and, while well enough told, you aren’t going to find many layers. I’m not really the sweet and sugary type when it comes to romance, so in some ways this one didn’t work for me. But that’s a personal preference and the story is still complete and well conveyed. I do think it could have been more structured and the world building needed a bit more support to really convey a sense of place, however.

Bridge to Love isn’t my kind of romance, but even a Scrooge like me enjoyed the sweet interplay between Arlo and Toby. This story has a lot of warmth and heart and if it doesn’t have much substance, then that doesn’t hurt the overall plot. I think it’s one most people will enjoy, especially if you’re looking for something cozy and comfortable.