Wedding Bells at The Dog & Duck is the 3rd book in the Dog & Duck series, although it is the first that I read. I enjoyed it a lot and although I wish I had read the previous two books, I was not lost, and I had no problem following the story. The Dog & Duck is the local pub in Little Leyton, and Ellie Browne is the landlady. Ellie's partner, Max is the owner of the pub, bought after his granddad died. The stopy opens on Christmas Day, with a party at the pub. With a snowstorm brewing outside, things do not go quite to plan, and young Noel is welcomed into the world. After the dramatic events of the holiday season, Ellie settles into her new life at Max's huge country mansion, Braithwaite Manor. As summer rolls around, Ellie is busy planning her friend's wedding and thinking about her own life and whether she is ready to accept Max's proposal.
I loved meeting the characters in this story. They were part of a wonderful village, friendly and helpful, and I would love to meet them all. There are also the non-human residents and they were just as lovable. Digby, Ellie's dog, is a faithful and loyal companion that I just wanted to snuggle with. Max is so in love with Ellie, I just wanted her to accept his proposal and put him out of his misery. Ellie is a great friend, daughter and mother. She is strong and independent, but the pressure is a lot more than she was expecting. Wedding Bells At the Dog & Duck is a beautiful, heartwarming, story. It has some angst, as Max's family deals with secrets, but a lot of happy elements to go along with it. This story has romance, secrets, family drama, friendship, personal growth, and new beginnings. I am definitely going to go back and read the first two books in this series, so I have the full story about Leyton, the Dog & Duck, and all the characters that inhabit the area.