Carla Neggers - The River House

In this charming novel about the search for love, home and family, New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers takes readers on a journey to an irresistible town theyll want to return to over and over again

Felicity MacGregor loves organizing social events for others but her own personal life is a different story. After a brief but failed attempt at a career as a financial analyst, she returned to Knights Bridge where she enjoys running a thriving party-planning business.

Then Felicitys life gets a shake-up when her childhood friend Gabriel Flanagan returns unexpectedly to their tiny hometown. Now a high-flying businessman, Gabe always vowed to get out of Knights Bridge, but he is back for the local entrepreneurial boot camp Felicitys been hired to organize. Together again, theyll finally have to face each otherand their complicated past.

Gabe and Felicity soon realize their reunion is stirring up long-buried emotions. While Gabe has big plans for his future, Felicity is discovering that hers doesnt depend on fateshe must choose whats right for her. But if they can find a bridge between their diverging paths, they may just discover that their enduring connection is what matters most.

Praise for Carla Neggers New York Times bestselling Swift River Valley novels

A page-turning mystery and clever, slow-building romance featuring two wounded type-A personalities. [Neggers] seduces readers by expertly marrying characters, story lines and scenes, and keeps them up-to-date with series catch-ups. Her family dynamics keep it real, her costars add insight and her stars make it a keeper!

RT Book Reviews on Red Clover Inn

Masterful attention to detail, conversational dialogue and past-character catch-up expertly draw readers into her potent mix of romance, mystery and small-town drama.

RT Book Reviews on The Spring at Moss Hill

Appealing protagonists, good neighbors, small-town Christmas traditions, and Neggers own recipes make for a fine romance.

Publishers Weekly on A Knights Bridge Christmas

A heady mix of romance, mystery and genuine Quabbin history packaged in an enchanting holiday tale.

RT Book Reviews on A Knights Bridge Christmas

Neggers does the near impossible: she brings a small-town, family-loving heroine and a footloose hero together in an engaging romance that has its fair share of surprises.

Library Journal on Echo Lake

Her people, places and things are colorfully and expertly rendered in this compelling work of fiction.

RT Book Reviews on Cider Brook

Neggers captures readers attention with her usual flair and brilliance and gives us a romance, a mystery and a lesson in history.

RT Book Reviews on Secrets of the Lost Summer , Top Pick

Also by Carla Neggers

Swift River Valley

RED CLOVER INN
THE SPRING AT MOSS HILL
A KNIGHTS BRIDGE CHRISTMAS
ECHO LAKE
CHRISTMAS AT CARRIAGE HILL (novella)
CIDER BROOK
THAT NIGHT ON THISTLE LANE
SECRETS OF THE LOST SUMMER

Sharpe & Donovan

THIEFS MARK
LIARS KEY
KEEPERS REACH
HARBOR ISLAND
DECLANS CROSS
ROCK POINT (novella)
HERONS COVE
SAINTS GATE

The Ireland Series

THE WHISPER
THE MIST
THE ANGEL
THE WIDOW

Black Falls

COLD DAWN
COLD RIVER
COLD PURSUIT

Cold Ridge

ABANDON
BREAKWATER
DARK SKY
THE RAPIDS
NIGHTS LANDING
COLD RIDGE

Carriage House

THE HARBOR
STONEBROOK COTTAGE
THE CABIN
THE CARRIAGE HOUSE

Stand-Alone Novels

THE WATERFALL
ON FIRE
KISS THE MOON
TEMPTING FATE
CUT AND RUN
BETRAYALS
CLAIM THE CROWN

Look for Carla Neggers next novel in the Sharpe & Donovan series IMPOSTORS LURE available soon from MIRA Books.

Carla Neggers

The River House

To the memory of my cousin
Mary Ann Harrell Domingos,
always in our hearts

Contents

One

W e have to have badgers at your party.

Felicity MacGregor knew her comment would raise most peoples eyebrows, but she also knew Kylie Shaw would be fine with it.

Absolutely, Kylie said. Russ and I had a badger couple on our wedding cake.

That spring, Kylies whirlwind romance with Russ Colton, a security consultant, had taken them both by surprise, never mind everyone else in their small town of Knights Bridge, Massachusetts. Felicity smiled. Of course you did. They were seated across from each other at the table on the balcony of Kylie and Russs second-floor apartment in a renovated nineteenth-century hat factory. The balcony overlooked the river, flowing gently on the warm summer afternoon. Russ had spent the past two weeks in Southern California, wrapping up his life and work there now that he and Kylie had decided to settle in Knights Bridge. Theyd bought a house a mile or so farther up the river and were having work done on it before moving in later in the summer.

Kylie reached for her iced tea. Russ let Sherlock Badger oversee security for the wedding, she said, matter-of-fact.

Sherlock was one of her popular fictional characters. Im sure Sherlock did a fine job, Felicity said.

Hes the best. Russ likes to say well be fine provided I dont confuse my Middle Branch badgers with real badgers.

Who says your Middle Branch badgers arent real?

Kylie beamed. Exactly what I tell him!

Felicity wouldnt be surprised if Kylie was only half kidding. Under her pseudonym of Morwenna Mills, she was the creator of the Badgers of Middle Branch, a popular series of childrens books. Felicity, an event planner, was helping Kylie with a party to celebrate the newest installment in the series, set in an idyllic village on a river. The mom and dad badgers were veterinarians, modeled after Kylies own family. A tiny version of Sherlock Badger occupied a spot on Kylies worktable. Shed made the mini badger herself with scraps of fabric and tufts of dryer lint.

Unlike Felicity, Kylie hadnt grown up in Knights Bridge. Theyd hit it off upon Felicitys return to her hometown in May, when shed bought a house farther up on the river, just down from the site of Kylie and Russs new house. Felicity loved her house despite her complicated personal history with it, seeing how shed lost her virginity there. Not in the house itself. It hadnt been built yet. But on a blanket in front of the outdoor fireplace that still stood there...

Knights Bridge is keeping you busy, Felicity, Kylie said.

She yanked herself out of her thoughts. Works for me. Im having a blast.

Kylie studied her a moment, as if guessing Felicitys mind had wandered to someplace forbidden. They were both wearing dresses, given the warm weather, Kylie in a casual maxi, Felicity in a knee-length tunic. Kylie had her hair pulled back, its pale blond making her blue eyes stand out. Felicity had never been good with hair. Hers was dark blond, shoulder-length and unruly unless she fussed with it, which she rarely did.

My book party is just a week after the launch of the entrepreneurial boot camp, Kylie said. That wont stretch you too thin?

Not at all. The one-day boot camp, the brainchild of Dylan McCaffrey, another Knights Bridge newcomer, was Felicitys biggest event yet in her hometown. I did corporate event planning in Boston for three years. I love being on my own, having the chance to do more fun events. Baby showers, bridal showersyour book party. I have a Jane Austen tea party on Sunday at the local assisted-living residence.

The aptly named Rivendell. Theres a lot of knowledge in that place.