Wanton Bridge is a name that points to two very different things. One is a 1989 historical romance novel written by Rosalyn Alsobrook. The other is a story tied to an old river crossing in Rhode Island, connected to a place once called Wanton’s Ferry.
This guide explains both meanings in plain language. Whether you found a used paperback online or you’re researching old New England bridges, you’ll find a clear answer here.
What Is Wanton Bridge? (Quick Answer)
Wanton Bridge most often refers to a western historical romance novel by author Rosalyn Alsobrook, published in 1989 by Kensington Publishing Corporation under its Zebra Books line. Separately, the same phrase also appears in stories about a historic ferry and bridge crossing on the Sakonnet River in Rhode Island, linked to the colonial-era Wanton family.
Both meanings share the same name but nothing else. One is fiction. The other is folklore tied to real geography.
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Wanton Bridge by Rosalyn Alsobrook
The novel Wanton Bridge is a 445-page mass market paperback. It falls under fiction, romance, and historical genres. Kensington Publishing Corporation released it in May 1989, and it carries the ISBN-13 9780821726501 and ISBN-10 0821726501.
Book Overview and Publication Details
This is a Western romance, a genre built on rugged landscapes, tense rivalries, and slow-burn attraction. The story is told in English and was printed as a mass market paperbound edition, a common and affordable format for romance fiction during the late 1980s.
Plot Summary — Callie, Matthew, and Wade
The story follows Callie Thomas, a young woman living what the book calls a “Cinderella-type existence” back East. To escape it, she answers a mail-order ad placed by rancher Matthew Tucker.
Her plan hits a snag right away. The man who meets her stagecoach isn’t Tucker. It’s Wade Barlow, Tucker’s rival. Callie is drawn to him instantly, even though she knows the tangle this creates. The rest of the novel builds around rivalry, attraction, and frontier tension, a formula common in 1980s Western romance fiction.
Genre and Audience
Readers who enjoy historical romance, frontier fiction, or 1980s Zebra Books titles are the natural audience here. The book sits comfortably alongside other ranch-set romances from the same era, where stagecoaches, cattle ranches, and small-town rivalries drive the plot.
Where to Find Wanton Bridge Today
Because the book is out of print, most copies today are used. Sellers like Better World Books list secondhand paperbacks in “good” condition, usually priced under ten dollars. Marketplace listings, including older mass market copies, also show up occasionally at higher prices for rare or collectible conditions. Public library systems can often locate a copy through interlibrary loan using the book’s ISBN.
Wanton Bridge History and Location
The second meaning of Wanton Bridge comes from stories tied to a real waterway: the Sakonnet River, which separates Portsmouth from Tiverton, Rhode Island. This crossing has a long and layered past, moving from a simple ferry to several generations of bridges.
Where Was Wanton Bridge Located?
The crossing sat on a narrow stretch of the Sakonnet River, linking Aquidneck Island to the mainland. Before any bridge existed, this narrow point was the shortest and most practical route between the two shores, saving travelers a long detour by land.
Wanton’s Ferry Before the Bridge
Long before wagons and cars, a ferry service operated here, with some accounts placing its earliest use as far back as 1640. The ferry became associated with the Wanton family, prominent in colonial Rhode Island and connected to maritime trade in the region. This family name is the likely source behind the phrase Wanton’s Ferry, and later, Wanton Bridge.
How the First Bridge Changed Travel
Accounts describe a wooden toll bridge replacing the ferry around 1795, after a company acquired the ferry rights. A fixed bridge meant travelers no longer waited on tides or ferry schedules. Farmers, merchants, and residents gained a steady, dependable route.
Storm Damage and the Stone Causeway
Coastal crossings face constant pressure from wind, waves, and tidal surge. Wooden structures at this location reportedly wore down over time, leading to a stronger stone causeway with a movable draw span, built to let boats pass while still supporting road traffic.
The Later Stone Bridge
A steel version, referred to in some sources as the Stone Bridge, is described as carrying regional road traffic by the early 1900s. This period matched a wider shift across America, as horse-drawn travel gave way to automobiles needing sturdier, wider crossings.
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Hurricane Carol and What Came After
Hurricane Carol struck the New England coastline in 1954, a storm well documented for its damage across Rhode Island and Connecticut. Older bridge structures along the coast, including this crossing, reportedly suffered serious damage during this storm. A newer crossing, the Sakonnet River Bridge, later took over as the primary route, opening in the mid-1950s.
The Wanton Family Connection
The name Wanton traces back to a family, not a bridge design or feature. This is an important distinction, since the word “wanton” in everyday English means reckless or unrestrained, which has nothing to do with the actual origin of the name here.
Wanton Bridge Meaning — Why the Same Name Refers to Two Different Things
Anyone searching this phrase online will likely land on results for both meanings mixed together. The novel and the river-crossing story share a name purely by coincidence of language, not by any real connection. If you’re hunting for a Rosalyn Alsobrook romance novel, focus your search using her name alongside the title. If you’re researching Rhode Island bridge history, add terms like Sakonnet River or Tiverton to narrow your results.
FAQ’s
What is Wanton Bridge?
Wanton Bridge is the title of a 1989 historical romance novel by Rosalyn Alsobrook. The same phrase is also used in stories about a historic ferry and bridge crossing on the Sakonnet River in Rhode Island.
Is Wanton Bridge a real bridge or a book?
It depends on the context. As a book, it is a real, published novel with an ISBN and a known author. As a bridge, the name is tied to folklore and historical accounts of a Rhode Island river crossing rather than one official, documented structure carrying that exact name.
Where was the historic Wanton Bridge crossing located?
Accounts place it on the Sakonnet River, connecting Portsmouth and Tiverton in Rhode Island.
Was there a ferry before the bridge?
Yes. Historical accounts describe ferry service at this crossing dating back to the 1600s, long before any permanent bridge was built.
What year did the first permanent bridge open?
Sources describe a wooden toll bridge opening around 1795, replacing the earlier ferry service.
Why did the bridge need a draw span?
A draw span, or movable section, allowed boats to pass through the crossing. Without it, a fixed bridge would have blocked river traffic for vessels moving along the Sakonnet River.
What happened to the old bridge?
Storm damage, including harm from Hurricane Carol in 1954, is commonly cited as a major factor leading to the crossing’s decline, followed by the construction of the newer Sakonnet River Bridge.
Who wrote the novel Wanton Bridge?
Rosalyn Alsobrook wrote the novel, published in 1989 by Kensington Publishing Corporation.
What is the novel Wanton Bridge about?
It follows Callie Thomas, who answers a mail-order bride advertisement to escape her difficult life back East, only to become entangled with Wade Barlow, the rival of the man she came to marry.
Where can I find a copy of the book today?
The novel is out of print, so most available copies are secondhand, sold through used bookstores or found through library lookup systems using its ISBN.
Conclusion
Wanton Bridge carries two identities under one name: a 1989 Western romance novel by Rosalyn Alsobrook, and a piece of Rhode Island river-crossing history tied to the Wanton family and the Sakonnet River. Knowing which one you’re after makes all the difference in finding the right information.
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