Review: The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Lizzie Shane

 

Pine Hollow has everything Ally Gilmore could wish for in a holiday break: gently falling snow in a charming small town and time with her family. Then she learns some Grinch has pulled the funding for her family's rescue shelter, and now she has only four weeks to find new homes for a dozen dogs! But when she confronts her Scroogey councilman nemesis, Ally finds he's far more reasonable -- and handsome -- than she ever expected.

As the guardian of his dog-obsessed ten-year-old niece, Ben West doesn't have time to build a cuddly reputation. But he does feel guilty about the shelter closing. So he proposes a truce with Ally, agreeing to help her adopt out the pups. As the two spend more time together, the town's gossip is spreading faster than Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. And soon Ben is hoping he can convince Ally that Pine Hollow is her home for the holidays. . . and the whole year through.

I try very hard to not pick a book by its cover or title. That can get you into trouble big time. So often good books have bad covers and bad books, have good ones. But every once in awhile a cover or title draws you in and you have no choice. That's what happened with this book. I just loved the title so much I had to try it.

Plus, I'm always looking for new to me authors so it was a win-win situation. 

You have to admit the title is great. The cover is okay. I haven't yet tried Lizzie Shane so I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I was thrilled to be starting a new small-town romance because those are really my jam right now. 

I enjoyed both Ally and Ben. I had to work a little harder to warm up to Ben. At times he drove me crazy but by the end of the book, I totally understood. You feel for him and his situation. His life is tough but he's making it tougher on himself. No one is doing that other than him. 

I also later in the book felt for Ally and was really pissed at her grandparent for a minute or two. I won't explain more because you need to read it for yourself to truly understand it. She's a really great person who I think really and truly needed friends. It's almost like she doesn't know how to act around them when she starts to get them.

As a whole, this is a wonderful Christmas story that you'll enjoy at the holidays. I will say that when the author introduces Ben's friends the story got much better. They help to sell the whole small-town, grew up together feel. She needed to have them all interact sooner. I think it would have made for an even better story. 

Even with that small issue, I thought it was a wonderful, heartwarming story that will bring you holiday cheer. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one if you read it. Any of you read her?





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