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 they’ll 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 Felicity’s 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 Felicity’s been hired to organize. Together again, they’ll finally have to face each other—and 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 doesn’t depend on fate—she must choose what’s 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.

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

THIEF’S MARK

LIAR’S KEY KEEPER’S REACH HARBOR ISLAND DECLAN’S CROSS ROCK POINT (novella) HERON’S COVE SAINT’S 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 NIGHT’S 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 IMPOSTOR’S LURE

The River House

Carla Neggers

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2018

Copyright © Carla Neggers 2018

Carla Neggers asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Ebook Edition © March 2018 ISBN: 9781474074759

Version: 2018-02-26

Dear Reader,

Thank you for reading The River House. I hope you enjoyed your visit to little Knights Bridge. If it’s your first visit, you can find a list of all the books in the Swift River Valley series and their reading order on my website.

For me, diving into a Swift River Valley novel is like returning home. I grew up on the western edge of the Quabbin Reservoir and its protected wilderness. How to fire a budding writer’s imagination! Our family homestead is still there, and I visit often.

Summer in New England is a special time, and as kids, my six siblings and I had our favorite swimming holes. On my runs at home in Vermont, I often pass a popular swimming hole that reminds me of Felicity and Gabe’s more private swimming hole. I’ve posted a few photos on my blog if you’d like to take a look.

I continue to add Swift River Valley recipes to my website. Unlike Gabe and Shannon, I love eggplant in my ratatouille! And you just can’t go wrong with brownies...or oatmeal bread fresh out of the oven...or anything Maggie Sloan puts together. Blueberry cobbler is one of my favorites. Turn the page for a recipe!

Thanks again, and happy reading,

Carla

CarlaNeggers.com

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.”