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Pine Hollow #1
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas
For fans of Holly Martin, Phillipa Ashley and Sarah Morgan, Lizzie Shane's The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is the perfect read to curl up with this holiday season!
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.
Look out for the next heartwarming Pine Hollow romance, coming summer 2021!
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.
Look out for the next heartwarming Pine Hollow romance, coming summer 2021!
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2020
92 people are currently reading
2081 people want to read
About the author
Lizzie Shane
31 books269 followersContemporary romance author Lizzie Shane was born in Alaska and still calls the frozen north home, though she can frequently be found indulging her travel addiction. Thankfully, her laptop travels with her and she has written her way through all fifty states and over fifty countries.
Lizzie has been honored to win the Golden Heart Award and HOLT Medallion, and has been named a finalist three times for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA Award®, but her main claim to fame is that she lost on Jeopardy!
For more about Lizzie and her books, please visit http://www.lizzieshane.com. Happy reading!
Lizzie has been honored to win the Golden Heart Award and HOLT Medallion, and has been named a finalist three times for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA Award®, but her main claim to fame is that she lost on Jeopardy!
For more about Lizzie and her books, please visit http://www.lizzieshane.com. Happy reading!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 441 reviews
November 17, 2020
Pure Christmas magic! This has been my favorite festive read so far this year and that's saying something because I have read over a dozen Christmas books already (yes I'm a bit obsessed). Lizzie Shane whisked me away to the lovely small town of Pine Hollow with her enchanting storytelling. Ally has escaped to Pine Hollow from her high pressure job just to find out that the family dog rescue is losing city funding. This leads her to confronting moody city councilman been, who appears less then enthusiastic about the situation. Could be because Ally just spilled coffee all over him. But Ben has a saucepot and that's his 10-year-old niece he has guardianship of, the girl is dog crazy. Sweet romance. Christmas cheer. Adorable dogs. The perfect recipe for a can't miss festive read.
Just love absolutely everything about this book! AllyWas such a wonderful character, she has such a huge heart. Loved the romance between Scrooge Ben and her. All the secondary characters were simply delightful and I was so excited to see that there will be another book in the series. Loved all the festive activities and the vibe of this Charming small town. And the dogs just took this holiday story to the next level. They were all so adorable with such engaging personalities. Fa la la la fabulous!
This book in emojis 🐩 🎄 🐕 📸 🐕🦺 ☕️
Five tails a wagging. Four paws a shaking Three noses a snorting Two ears a perking And a dog in a blankie...
*** Big thank you to Forever for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
Just love absolutely everything about this book! AllyWas such a wonderful character, she has such a huge heart. Loved the romance between Scrooge Ben and her. All the secondary characters were simply delightful and I was so excited to see that there will be another book in the series. Loved all the festive activities and the vibe of this Charming small town. And the dogs just took this holiday story to the next level. They were all so adorable with such engaging personalities. Fa la la la fabulous!
This book in emojis 🐩 🎄 🐕 📸 🐕🦺 ☕️
Five tails a wagging. Four paws a shaking Three noses a snorting Two ears a perking And a dog in a blankie...
*** Big thank you to Forever for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
December 13, 2023
slow burn wasn’t burning and romance wasn’t romancing but there were cute dogs🐕🦮🐩🐕🦺
December 10, 2025
As I continue my holiday reading spree, I couldn’t resist this one with a bunch of homeless doggies and an effort to find all of them a new home for Christmas. The romance was actually less of an interest for me than all the doggies and their antics and adorableness.
The book summary pretty much lays out the primary storyline of the animal rescue, that has been run for 20+yrs by Ally’s grandparents. Ally lost her parents in a car crash when she was an 18yr old college student, so her grandparents are the only family she has left. Since then, she has been living in NYC establishing her photography career and has really little to show for it, no friends, no money and no home. So, she lands in Pine Hollow with her grandparents where she knows no one else. Now, she must help her grandparents find homes for the doggies they have before they shut down the rescue, and her grandparents move to a senior community.
Ben, the town Grinch and single uncle has been raising niece, Astrid, for two years since the death of his beloved sister and brother-in-law in a car crash. As the book summary states, Ben, who was the town council member who cut the animal rescue’s funding, lightens up enough to agree to help Ally find homes for the rescued doggies by doing a feature on every dog in the local paper and spotlighting the dogs at the various town holiday functions.
The character development of Ally was good, but I found Ben annoyingly unlikeable even at the end. The rest of the characters were just basically talking heads, and I suspect that was intentional since Lizzie Shane plans to feature various residents in future installments that will all be focused on the featured residents adopting their own doggies. Yep, I will definitely be continuing with the series. The pacing was steady, the storyline adorable and the writing on par for the genre of a holiday, Hallmark story, which I do believe this story actually ended up as a Hallmark tv movie. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.8 that I will be rounding up to a 4star review.
The book summary pretty much lays out the primary storyline of the animal rescue, that has been run for 20+yrs by Ally’s grandparents. Ally lost her parents in a car crash when she was an 18yr old college student, so her grandparents are the only family she has left. Since then, she has been living in NYC establishing her photography career and has really little to show for it, no friends, no money and no home. So, she lands in Pine Hollow with her grandparents where she knows no one else. Now, she must help her grandparents find homes for the doggies they have before they shut down the rescue, and her grandparents move to a senior community.
Ben, the town Grinch and single uncle has been raising niece, Astrid, for two years since the death of his beloved sister and brother-in-law in a car crash. As the book summary states, Ben, who was the town council member who cut the animal rescue’s funding, lightens up enough to agree to help Ally find homes for the rescued doggies by doing a feature on every dog in the local paper and spotlighting the dogs at the various town holiday functions.
The character development of Ally was good, but I found Ben annoyingly unlikeable even at the end. The rest of the characters were just basically talking heads, and I suspect that was intentional since Lizzie Shane plans to feature various residents in future installments that will all be focused on the featured residents adopting their own doggies. Yep, I will definitely be continuing with the series. The pacing was steady, the storyline adorable and the writing on par for the genre of a holiday, Hallmark story, which I do believe this story actually ended up as a Hallmark tv movie. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.8 that I will be rounding up to a 4star review.
September 29, 2020
Such a warm and fuzzy read. In The Twelve Dogs of Christmas, Ally Gilmore travels to Pine Hollow, Vermont to help her grandparents operate their dog rescue shelter. There, she meets Ben West, a crusty town council member. Sparks fly when Ally accidentally bumps into Ben causing his new cup of coffee to get splashed all over the front of his dress shirt. A rough start as accusations are thrown between Ben and Ally, with more insult to injury as the shelter is at risk of losing funding from the town -- the swing vote in the hands of Ben.
What will happen to all of the dogs at the shelter if funding is lost? Can Ally and Ben find it within themselves to forgive and forget, not only for the shelter but in the spirit of Christmas? The answer to these and other questions lie within the pages of this delightful novel.
If you are looking for a cozy romance novel for the holidays, look no further than The Twelve Dogs of Christmas. It is a wonderfully adorable read. Rating it 4.5 stars rounded up. The half point being deducted because I felt that it was a little too drawn out. Nevertheless, the novel did impress me.
I received a digital ARC from Forever/Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
What will happen to all of the dogs at the shelter if funding is lost? Can Ally and Ben find it within themselves to forgive and forget, not only for the shelter but in the spirit of Christmas? The answer to these and other questions lie within the pages of this delightful novel.
If you are looking for a cozy romance novel for the holidays, look no further than The Twelve Dogs of Christmas. It is a wonderfully adorable read. Rating it 4.5 stars rounded up. The half point being deducted because I felt that it was a little too drawn out. Nevertheless, the novel did impress me.
I received a digital ARC from Forever/Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
December 10, 2020
Sometimes I just need something completely lighthearted and fun during the holiday season, and this happens to be one of the sweetest Christmas romances I’ve stumbled across.
Despite referring to himself as the Scrooge of the small-town of Pine Hollow, Ben is more than his outward testiness. Councilman, member of the PTA, and guardian of his niece, Ben is feeling his time stretched thin. Constantly jumping hurdles and comparing himself to his late sister, I really connected with that nagging pressure of wanting to succeed as the perfect parent.
When budget cuts to the local dog shelter sends a furious Ally Gilmore to his door, the two team up to promote the shelter and its twelve residents before it’s forced to shut its doors. Filled with adorable canine antics, small-town gossip, Christmas baking, and a bit of hesitation from Ben toward accepting love again, it’s such a sweet story to indulge in this season!
Despite referring to himself as the Scrooge of the small-town of Pine Hollow, Ben is more than his outward testiness. Councilman, member of the PTA, and guardian of his niece, Ben is feeling his time stretched thin. Constantly jumping hurdles and comparing himself to his late sister, I really connected with that nagging pressure of wanting to succeed as the perfect parent.
When budget cuts to the local dog shelter sends a furious Ally Gilmore to his door, the two team up to promote the shelter and its twelve residents before it’s forced to shut its doors. Filled with adorable canine antics, small-town gossip, Christmas baking, and a bit of hesitation from Ben toward accepting love again, it’s such a sweet story to indulge in this season!
December 21, 2020
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Feeling restless and lonely, Ally decides that with a canceled photography gig and her apartment lease up, that now is the perfect time to leave New York and spend some time with her grandparents in small town Pine Hollow, Vermont. She loves helping out with their dog rescue shelter and is heartbroken when the city council decides to cut funding for the shelter.
After his sister and brother-in-law died in a car accident, Ben assumed responsibility for his niece, Astrid. Two years later and he still feels like his head is under water and he's not doing enough of a good job. Even though he has no time in his hectic schedule, he feels bad about being the deciding vote on the city council to defund the town dog shelter and agrees to help their twelve dogs find homes before the end of the year.
Ally's loving Pine Hollow's big holiday celebrations and Ben is nicknamed “Ebeneezer” but the more time they spend together, the more they want the New Year to include each other.
It was sort of adorable, the gruff man with the scruffy beard holding himself so stiffly aloof. Determined not to let the dogs into his heart.
The first in the Pine Hollow series, this introduces us to this holiday obsessed small town in Vermont. If looking for a festive read, this delivers with mistletoe, snow, and holiday celebrations. With more of a Hallmark than Lifetime movie feel, some kisses but that's the extent of the heat, this was leisurely and sweetly paced. Even with Ben's backstory of losing his sister and now caring for his niece, I would still call this very low angst. It was easy to feel for Ben, all the responsibilities he took on to try and be a mother and father to Astrid, while never cracking under the pressure so Astrid never thought he might resent or not want her. His walled up exterior and not wanting to accept help, thinking it was a sign of defeat or he couldn't hack it, made me want to shake him a time or two but overall, you're going to like this bearded gruff but softhearted guy.
Where they dating and she hadn't even known it?
Since Ben's story is so strong, Ally's character fades a bit but I liked how strong and willing to put herself out there for Ben, especially towards the end, she was. I wish we could have gotten even more scenes with her grandparents as I think that could have colored in her character more but I liked the women relationships she started to develop in Pine Hollow and how that gave us a look at different facets of her personality. For awhile, Ally thinks Ben is engaged, and I liked how that brought out conflicting emotions in Ally that in turn showed us how much she was starting to really like him.
“Look, you two! You're under the mistletoe!”
With the more leisure pace and low heat, Ben and Ally spend the majority of the story developing their friendship and I enjoyed the focus on this aspect of a relationship; I felt these two did have a lasting future together as they seemed to actually know one another. Ben has a circle of friends ranging from the town sheriff, a lawyer, and baker and with Ally's teacher and princess party organizer friends, the series future looks to be in good hands. If you're a dog person, you'll greatly enjoy the rescue shelter's residents, especially Partridge, who I'd let drool on my foot all day. If looking for a sweet romance with some doggies and festive cheer, this will be a holiday favorite.
She laughed, stepping out in the wintry softness of the night, and turned to face him, hooking one finger into the lapel of his coat. “You can pretend to be as curmudgeonly as you want. I see you, Ben West.”
He met her eyes---and that thing came alive again, that spark that always seemed to be lingering between them, waiting to be ignited. “I see you, too.”
Feeling restless and lonely, Ally decides that with a canceled photography gig and her apartment lease up, that now is the perfect time to leave New York and spend some time with her grandparents in small town Pine Hollow, Vermont. She loves helping out with their dog rescue shelter and is heartbroken when the city council decides to cut funding for the shelter.
After his sister and brother-in-law died in a car accident, Ben assumed responsibility for his niece, Astrid. Two years later and he still feels like his head is under water and he's not doing enough of a good job. Even though he has no time in his hectic schedule, he feels bad about being the deciding vote on the city council to defund the town dog shelter and agrees to help their twelve dogs find homes before the end of the year.
Ally's loving Pine Hollow's big holiday celebrations and Ben is nicknamed “Ebeneezer” but the more time they spend together, the more they want the New Year to include each other.
It was sort of adorable, the gruff man with the scruffy beard holding himself so stiffly aloof. Determined not to let the dogs into his heart.
The first in the Pine Hollow series, this introduces us to this holiday obsessed small town in Vermont. If looking for a festive read, this delivers with mistletoe, snow, and holiday celebrations. With more of a Hallmark than Lifetime movie feel, some kisses but that's the extent of the heat, this was leisurely and sweetly paced. Even with Ben's backstory of losing his sister and now caring for his niece, I would still call this very low angst. It was easy to feel for Ben, all the responsibilities he took on to try and be a mother and father to Astrid, while never cracking under the pressure so Astrid never thought he might resent or not want her. His walled up exterior and not wanting to accept help, thinking it was a sign of defeat or he couldn't hack it, made me want to shake him a time or two but overall, you're going to like this bearded gruff but softhearted guy.
Where they dating and she hadn't even known it?
Since Ben's story is so strong, Ally's character fades a bit but I liked how strong and willing to put herself out there for Ben, especially towards the end, she was. I wish we could have gotten even more scenes with her grandparents as I think that could have colored in her character more but I liked the women relationships she started to develop in Pine Hollow and how that gave us a look at different facets of her personality. For awhile, Ally thinks Ben is engaged, and I liked how that brought out conflicting emotions in Ally that in turn showed us how much she was starting to really like him.
“Look, you two! You're under the mistletoe!”
With the more leisure pace and low heat, Ben and Ally spend the majority of the story developing their friendship and I enjoyed the focus on this aspect of a relationship; I felt these two did have a lasting future together as they seemed to actually know one another. Ben has a circle of friends ranging from the town sheriff, a lawyer, and baker and with Ally's teacher and princess party organizer friends, the series future looks to be in good hands. If you're a dog person, you'll greatly enjoy the rescue shelter's residents, especially Partridge, who I'd let drool on my foot all day. If looking for a sweet romance with some doggies and festive cheer, this will be a holiday favorite.
She laughed, stepping out in the wintry softness of the night, and turned to face him, hooking one finger into the lapel of his coat. “You can pretend to be as curmudgeonly as you want. I see you, Ben West.”
He met her eyes---and that thing came alive again, that spark that always seemed to be lingering between them, waiting to be ignited. “I see you, too.”
December 31, 2020
4.5 stars
This was a cute and warm-hearted Christmas read made even more cuter with the inclusion of the world's master race: dogs. Change my mind *mic drop*.
I loved both of the two main characters Ally and Ben because they both were charming and humorous while also being relatable. Although I did love both of their personalities and characters individually, I will admit that I liked Ben's character a wee bit more. He took on a lot of responsibility and it's easy and understandable that he had difficulty introducing other things (and people) into his life when Astrid was his priority. Also, can I just admit that his 'confessional' nearing the end of the novel made my own heart grow three sizes? I'm definitely more of the bumbling and rambling type than the kind of person that has everything perfectly scripted.
Judging by this book, I think the rest of this series would be just as lovable and cozy to read. I will no doubt pick up another book in this series when I have a chance.
***Thank you to Forever Publishing for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review***
This was a cute and warm-hearted Christmas read made even more cuter with the inclusion of the world's master race: dogs. Change my mind *mic drop*.
I loved both of the two main characters Ally and Ben because they both were charming and humorous while also being relatable. Although I did love both of their personalities and characters individually, I will admit that I liked Ben's character a wee bit more. He took on a lot of responsibility and it's easy and understandable that he had difficulty introducing other things (and people) into his life when Astrid was his priority. Also, can I just admit that his 'confessional' nearing the end of the novel made my own heart grow three sizes? I'm definitely more of the bumbling and rambling type than the kind of person that has everything perfectly scripted.
Judging by this book, I think the rest of this series would be just as lovable and cozy to read. I will no doubt pick up another book in this series when I have a chance.
***Thank you to Forever Publishing for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review***
December 13, 2021
It warms my heart to see people helping each other out, especially during the holiday season. Even though I might be more of a fan of cats, than dogs, I love how the storyline in this book revolved around finding forever homes for the dogs in the shelter. Add in a good romance between two likeable humans and it made for an enjoyable read.
Ben West is pretty busy these days between his job, duties as a city councilman and raising his 10 year old niece, Astrid. Photographer Ally Gilmore is in town helping out her grandparents' animal shelter. She's devastated when the city council votes to cut the shelter's funding. Even though he has a reputation as the town's Scrooge, Ben feels guilty about the shelter not having the money to stay open so he volunteers to help Ally adopt out the dogs. Keep in mind, this is a romance and both Ben and Ally are single. (hint, hint)
Ben can have a grumpy exterior at times and is pretty stubborn but you can't help but realize he has a big heart. He really stepped up to the plate to raise his niece after the death of her parents and even when he's being indecisive about his love life, it's still easy to root for him to be happy. There's a lot to like about Ally as well as she cares deeply about her grandparents and the dogs at the shelter.
Every romance is going to have a conflict or two but I do think this one was stretched a tad too far. When you start thinking of one of the characters as being wishy-washy it's time to wrap things up.
Overall it's a cute story and I'm interested in checking out other books in this series. The author did a good job introducing some eligible bachelors and bachelorettes who are friends with the main characters and no doubt some of them will be paired up in other books.
Thank you to the publisher, Forever, for providing me with a copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Ben West is pretty busy these days between his job, duties as a city councilman and raising his 10 year old niece, Astrid. Photographer Ally Gilmore is in town helping out her grandparents' animal shelter. She's devastated when the city council votes to cut the shelter's funding. Even though he has a reputation as the town's Scrooge, Ben feels guilty about the shelter not having the money to stay open so he volunteers to help Ally adopt out the dogs. Keep in mind, this is a romance and both Ben and Ally are single. (hint, hint)
Ben can have a grumpy exterior at times and is pretty stubborn but you can't help but realize he has a big heart. He really stepped up to the plate to raise his niece after the death of her parents and even when he's being indecisive about his love life, it's still easy to root for him to be happy. There's a lot to like about Ally as well as she cares deeply about her grandparents and the dogs at the shelter.
Every romance is going to have a conflict or two but I do think this one was stretched a tad too far. When you start thinking of one of the characters as being wishy-washy it's time to wrap things up.
Overall it's a cute story and I'm interested in checking out other books in this series. The author did a good job introducing some eligible bachelors and bachelorettes who are friends with the main characters and no doubt some of them will be paired up in other books.
Thank you to the publisher, Forever, for providing me with a copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
November 16, 2020
If you miss Gilmore Girls and like chaste happily ever afters with dogs, this is the book for you! It helps that it takes place in Pine Hollow and the main character is Ally Gilmore. It actually had a more serious through line about grief and adopting older kids and being able to ask for help, which had some relevance for me.
December 19, 2020
Ally has come to Pine Hollow to temporarily help her grandparents run the town dog shelter after her grandmother is injured. Ben is struggling to handle single-parenthood after his sister and her husband died two years ago, and he became guardian of his niece, Astrid. Their worlds collide when Ben casts the tie-breaking vote in the decision to cut funding for the dog shelter. Anger turns to friendship, as they join forces during the Christmas season to try and find funding for the shelter and adopt out the 12 dogs who need homes. But is there something more?
This is such a cute romance, which immediately transports the reader into the Christmas season. That is my top "must have" rule for Christmas novels. The reader must feel as if they are surrounded by Christmas, whatever time of year it might be. Besides Ben, Ally, and Astrid, there are many colorful characters living in this close-knit town. This includes the dogs, who were very much a part of this story, and whose individual personalities are so well described. This is a story about recovering from loss and heartbreak and having the courage to take a second chance. The dogs reinforce the idea of second chances as well, because they are in the shelter waiting for new families to adopt them. I would recommend this for dog lovers, fans of Christmas romance novels, or anyone who appreciates second chances.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
This is such a cute romance, which immediately transports the reader into the Christmas season. That is my top "must have" rule for Christmas novels. The reader must feel as if they are surrounded by Christmas, whatever time of year it might be. Besides Ben, Ally, and Astrid, there are many colorful characters living in this close-knit town. This includes the dogs, who were very much a part of this story, and whose individual personalities are so well described. This is a story about recovering from loss and heartbreak and having the courage to take a second chance. The dogs reinforce the idea of second chances as well, because they are in the shelter waiting for new families to adopt them. I would recommend this for dog lovers, fans of Christmas romance novels, or anyone who appreciates second chances.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
August 15, 2020
Very rarely do I finish a book in a day, but once I got into The Twelve Dogs of Christmas, I couldn't stop thinking about it and instantly knew this was a book I would read, read, read until I had it finished!
This is the romance between Ally and Ben. Ally has returned to small town Pine Hollow from New York City to assist her Grandparents with their animal rescue shelter and shortly after arriving, she learns that the town council is cancelling the shelter's funding to use that money toward the community center after their roof caved in. The deciding factor on that vote, was Ben. Ally and Ben do not get off on the right start so when she learns that he had something to do with the vote which now gives her about four weeks to find homes for all the dogs in the shelter-this doesn't help her already bad vibes with him. This is a romance though, so brace yourself and watch as Lizzie Shane unravels the romance between these two.
My only 'con' with this book is a personal preference thing, specifically something I noticed. You know how when you're reading a book and you begin to pick up on certain words the author uses a bit too much.. Every time someone spoke to Ben, we'd get, "Ben grimaced," I was seriously at one point, like Why is Ben grimacing all the time? Again, this is just something I noticed and it's a really small con.
One of my issues with 2019 Christmas romances is that they didn't really feel Christmas'ey at all and if the rest of the new releases I read this year give off the same vibes as Twelve Dogs of Christmas, I'll be happy. Can we please get Hallmark to adapt this into a film? I think it'd be perfect. Small towns are perfect for Christmas romances. Sometimes you have to separate yourself from the hustle and bustle of the big city to figure things out and I liked seeing that with Ally. I loved her selflessness which I think you have to be when you're rescuing and caring for animals, a lot of which have been completely discarded. I loved that entire premise to the story. Ben realizes how crappy the whole vote is that is effecting the shelter, so he goes to Ally with the idea to help her get all of the dogs adopted before the end of the year by posting photos of them in the town paper and website, as the Twelve Dogs of Christmas. They eventually get some of them on a float during the holiday parade and some get to be part of the Christmas pageant. I'll never get tired of that close knit, small town feel and seeing people come together to help out. I am a sucker for the close proximity that working together brings and how that factors into the blooming romance so I loved seeing Ben and Ally spend time together and get to know more about one another.
Ben was so complex. He is the guardian of his niece Astrid, after her parents died. He is so consumed with getting everything right on his own, he's one of those guys who refuses to ask for help and unintentionally pushes people away. His journey and his growth could be frustrating at times but it got to a point where Ally had to stick up for herself and put her own feelings first which leaves Ben to either get his crap together or lose the girl. Sometimes we truly do get in our own way.
As a girl living in South Texas where a beautiful white Christmas is nonexistent, I loved the descriptions of the snow and all of the holiday festivities. This was really a fun holiday romance and I am excited for more from Lizzie Shane.
This is the romance between Ally and Ben. Ally has returned to small town Pine Hollow from New York City to assist her Grandparents with their animal rescue shelter and shortly after arriving, she learns that the town council is cancelling the shelter's funding to use that money toward the community center after their roof caved in. The deciding factor on that vote, was Ben. Ally and Ben do not get off on the right start so when she learns that he had something to do with the vote which now gives her about four weeks to find homes for all the dogs in the shelter-this doesn't help her already bad vibes with him. This is a romance though, so brace yourself and watch as Lizzie Shane unravels the romance between these two.
My only 'con' with this book is a personal preference thing, specifically something I noticed. You know how when you're reading a book and you begin to pick up on certain words the author uses a bit too much.. Every time someone spoke to Ben, we'd get, "Ben grimaced," I was seriously at one point, like Why is Ben grimacing all the time? Again, this is just something I noticed and it's a really small con.
One of my issues with 2019 Christmas romances is that they didn't really feel Christmas'ey at all and if the rest of the new releases I read this year give off the same vibes as Twelve Dogs of Christmas, I'll be happy. Can we please get Hallmark to adapt this into a film? I think it'd be perfect. Small towns are perfect for Christmas romances. Sometimes you have to separate yourself from the hustle and bustle of the big city to figure things out and I liked seeing that with Ally. I loved her selflessness which I think you have to be when you're rescuing and caring for animals, a lot of which have been completely discarded. I loved that entire premise to the story. Ben realizes how crappy the whole vote is that is effecting the shelter, so he goes to Ally with the idea to help her get all of the dogs adopted before the end of the year by posting photos of them in the town paper and website, as the Twelve Dogs of Christmas. They eventually get some of them on a float during the holiday parade and some get to be part of the Christmas pageant. I'll never get tired of that close knit, small town feel and seeing people come together to help out. I am a sucker for the close proximity that working together brings and how that factors into the blooming romance so I loved seeing Ben and Ally spend time together and get to know more about one another.
Ben was so complex. He is the guardian of his niece Astrid, after her parents died. He is so consumed with getting everything right on his own, he's one of those guys who refuses to ask for help and unintentionally pushes people away. His journey and his growth could be frustrating at times but it got to a point where Ally had to stick up for herself and put her own feelings first which leaves Ben to either get his crap together or lose the girl. Sometimes we truly do get in our own way.
As a girl living in South Texas where a beautiful white Christmas is nonexistent, I loved the descriptions of the snow and all of the holiday festivities. This was really a fun holiday romance and I am excited for more from Lizzie Shane.
October 5, 2020
Warm, adorable, and cosy!
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is a tenderhearted, amusing rom-com that transports you to the small town of Pine Hollow, VT and introduces you to the overworked, broody Ben who is struggling to juggle a council position and the guardianship of his ten-year-old niece, and the kind, spunky photographer, Ally who will do whatever it takes to help her grandparents save their dog shelter and find homes for all the four-legged residents in need of a permanent family.
The prose is polished and light. The characterization is spot on with a cast of characters that are fun-loving, quirky, and endearing. And the plot is an irresistible blend of heart, humour, nostalgic moments, misunderstandings, family, friendship, tension, chemistry, attraction, spirited shenanigans, Christmas cheer, and a whole lot of puppy love.
Overall, The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is a heartwarming, feel-good, delightfully magical tale by Shane that I can say wholeheartedly is another one of my favourite holiday reads of the year!
Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in an exchange for an honest review.
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is a tenderhearted, amusing rom-com that transports you to the small town of Pine Hollow, VT and introduces you to the overworked, broody Ben who is struggling to juggle a council position and the guardianship of his ten-year-old niece, and the kind, spunky photographer, Ally who will do whatever it takes to help her grandparents save their dog shelter and find homes for all the four-legged residents in need of a permanent family.
The prose is polished and light. The characterization is spot on with a cast of characters that are fun-loving, quirky, and endearing. And the plot is an irresistible blend of heart, humour, nostalgic moments, misunderstandings, family, friendship, tension, chemistry, attraction, spirited shenanigans, Christmas cheer, and a whole lot of puppy love.
Overall, The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is a heartwarming, feel-good, delightfully magical tale by Shane that I can say wholeheartedly is another one of my favourite holiday reads of the year!
Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in an exchange for an honest review.
December 21, 2021
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I had a good time with this book! After reading and enjoying the third book in this series, To All the Dogs I’ve Loved Before, I was eager to go back and read the first book in this series. This book was just as enjoyable as I had hoped it would be with tons of small-town charm and a whole shelter full of adorable dogs. This was the holiday romance that I didn’t know I needed.
Ally is in Pine Hollow to visit with her grandparents while helping them out with their shelter. When she literally runs into Ben, things don’t go well and that is before he casts the deciding vote to close the shelter. Ben wants to help find homes for all the dogs before the shelter closes just after the holidays so he works with Ally to help feature the dogs in the local newsletter and a few local events. Ben is raising his niece, Astrid, who happens to be determined to have a dog of her own.
I really liked the characters in this book. Ally was easy to like. She was very thoughtful and just wanted to find a place where she felt like she belonged. Ben was determined to be everything he believed his niece needed him to be. He had a very hard time asking anyone for help and tended to shut down anyone who offered. Ben and Ally had fantastic chemistry and I thought that they were very good for each other. There was a lot of growth for both of them over the course of this story. The supporting cast of characters was also a delight and added a lot to the story.
I decided to listen to the audiobook and I thought that Alastair Haynesbridge and Greyson Ash did a great job with the narration. I thought that the voices that they used for each of the characters helped to bring the story to life. I believe that this was the first time that I have listened to either narrator and I would definitely want to listen to more of their work.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a wonderful small-town romance with just the right amount of holiday cheer and enough furry friends to keep things interesting. I cannot wait to read more of this fantastic series.
I received a review copy of this book from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and purchased a copy of the audiobook.
I had a good time with this book! After reading and enjoying the third book in this series, To All the Dogs I’ve Loved Before, I was eager to go back and read the first book in this series. This book was just as enjoyable as I had hoped it would be with tons of small-town charm and a whole shelter full of adorable dogs. This was the holiday romance that I didn’t know I needed.
Ally is in Pine Hollow to visit with her grandparents while helping them out with their shelter. When she literally runs into Ben, things don’t go well and that is before he casts the deciding vote to close the shelter. Ben wants to help find homes for all the dogs before the shelter closes just after the holidays so he works with Ally to help feature the dogs in the local newsletter and a few local events. Ben is raising his niece, Astrid, who happens to be determined to have a dog of her own.
I really liked the characters in this book. Ally was easy to like. She was very thoughtful and just wanted to find a place where she felt like she belonged. Ben was determined to be everything he believed his niece needed him to be. He had a very hard time asking anyone for help and tended to shut down anyone who offered. Ben and Ally had fantastic chemistry and I thought that they were very good for each other. There was a lot of growth for both of them over the course of this story. The supporting cast of characters was also a delight and added a lot to the story.
I decided to listen to the audiobook and I thought that Alastair Haynesbridge and Greyson Ash did a great job with the narration. I thought that the voices that they used for each of the characters helped to bring the story to life. I believe that this was the first time that I have listened to either narrator and I would definitely want to listen to more of their work.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a wonderful small-town romance with just the right amount of holiday cheer and enough furry friends to keep things interesting. I cannot wait to read more of this fantastic series.
I received a review copy of this book from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and purchased a copy of the audiobook.
November 24, 2020
When his sister and brother-in-law died in an accident, Ben West inherited all of their responsibilities. As difficult as he find taking over the rest of his BIL's term on the city council, nothing is more stressful than wanting to do what's best for his ten years-old niece. Loving someone would do that to you and Ben is someone who always felt the need to do everything by himself. Though decisions must be made also for the city's effective operation and just like for everything else, Ben gets the job done.
Ally Gilmore is a professional photographer presently without contract and spending the Holidays in Pine Hollow, helping at her grandparents's shelter, so her grandma can heal from a recent injury. Ally can't believe her ears when she learns that the city council decided to cut the funding for the animal shelter and she intend to go to town hall to give the councilman responsible of this a piece of her mind.
Ben didn't have other choices but he still feels guilty about that so he'll volunteer time he doesn't have to help with finding the dogs new homes.
I really enjoyed this book. I wish for a little bit more romance (the MC were in the friend-zone for too long) but there was plenty of canine presence to satisfy the dog lover in me😄. Ally was great and I love the sense of community in this novel but the hero was particularly touching. He wasn't the Grinch people assumed him to be. He appear serious because he's got a lot of responsibilies but he also have an amazing sense of humor. His desire to be the best parent for his niece was very compelling too.
Ally Gilmore is a professional photographer presently without contract and spending the Holidays in Pine Hollow, helping at her grandparents's shelter, so her grandma can heal from a recent injury. Ally can't believe her ears when she learns that the city council decided to cut the funding for the animal shelter and she intend to go to town hall to give the councilman responsible of this a piece of her mind.
Ben didn't have other choices but he still feels guilty about that so he'll volunteer time he doesn't have to help with finding the dogs new homes.
I really enjoyed this book. I wish for a little bit more romance (the MC were in the friend-zone for too long) but there was plenty of canine presence to satisfy the dog lover in me😄. Ally was great and I love the sense of community in this novel but the hero was particularly touching. He wasn't the Grinch people assumed him to be. He appear serious because he's got a lot of responsibilies but he also have an amazing sense of humor. His desire to be the best parent for his niece was very compelling too.
December 22, 2021
I’m a cat person but I very much wanted all the canine (and human) characters in this book to find love in their forever homes.
January 16, 2022
the sweetest holiday romance
I’m a little late on the holiday reads, but better late than never… and I would argue that this book is so adorable, it’s worth reading any time of the year. It combines a small town holiday romance with a bunch of puppies, and this wholesome story will warm even the Scroogiest of hearts. (For anyone worried like I was, no harm befalls any doggos!) This book is full of humor - the writing is sharp and witty, and I laughed out loud multiple times. I grew to love the lead characters and the small town quirks of Pine Hollow. I was absolutely delighted to learn that this is the first of the Pine Hollow series, and the author has two more books starring side characters introduced in this story! (Looks like I found my next TBR…)
Recommend for anyone looking for the sweetest of holiday romances, no matter the time of year.
I’m a little late on the holiday reads, but better late than never… and I would argue that this book is so adorable, it’s worth reading any time of the year. It combines a small town holiday romance with a bunch of puppies, and this wholesome story will warm even the Scroogiest of hearts. (For anyone worried like I was, no harm befalls any doggos!) This book is full of humor - the writing is sharp and witty, and I laughed out loud multiple times. I grew to love the lead characters and the small town quirks of Pine Hollow. I was absolutely delighted to learn that this is the first of the Pine Hollow series, and the author has two more books starring side characters introduced in this story! (Looks like I found my next TBR…)
Recommend for anyone looking for the sweetest of holiday romances, no matter the time of year.
January 11, 2022
3,5 stars
A cute small town romance, around Christmas time and that has lots of Dogs in it!
A combination of a lot of story elements I love to come across in a romance haha.
Overall, this was a fun and fast-paced read for me. It was cute, I flew through it but it also didn't wow me either. Somehow these characters couldn't quite get that 'grip on me' that I really need in a romance. Dunno what it was really haha. It wasn't that I didn't like them though, it was just okay?
Loved the setting and would probably pick up another Pine Hollow book in the future though. This was most of all, a solid/good in between read for me and if you're into the small town romance trope, set at Christmas and has dogs in it, this is definitely one you should look into!
A cute small town romance, around Christmas time and that has lots of Dogs in it!
A combination of a lot of story elements I love to come across in a romance haha.
Overall, this was a fun and fast-paced read for me. It was cute, I flew through it but it also didn't wow me either. Somehow these characters couldn't quite get that 'grip on me' that I really need in a romance. Dunno what it was really haha. It wasn't that I didn't like them though, it was just okay?
Loved the setting and would probably pick up another Pine Hollow book in the future though. This was most of all, a solid/good in between read for me and if you're into the small town romance trope, set at Christmas and has dogs in it, this is definitely one you should look into!
November 3, 2020
I read this back in September but waited to post my thoughts until now, mostly because I think it may be the most perfect holiday romance EVER and I wanted to wait until a little closer to Christmas so it didn’t fly under your radar. It has everything I want in a holiday read and more, it’s warm and cozy and set in the cutest little town, it has a menagerie of sweet and zany dogs, there’s a single dad type trope, and a wonderful supporting cast of characters too! See, everything you could want!!
This was such a magical read, it really brought the Christmas spirit alive for me. Hell, it had me wanting to decorate for Christmas in mid September so it definitely will put you in a holiday state of mind. The romance aspect was adorable and tender and gave me all the warm fuzzies. If you read one holiday romance this year make it this one, I don’t think you’ll regret it!
This was such a magical read, it really brought the Christmas spirit alive for me. Hell, it had me wanting to decorate for Christmas in mid September so it definitely will put you in a holiday state of mind. The romance aspect was adorable and tender and gave me all the warm fuzzies. If you read one holiday romance this year make it this one, I don’t think you’ll regret it!
December 7, 2022
I wasn't expecting this grumpy/sunshine, single Dad, dual POV romance to be such a standout Christmas read for me this year but it really, REALLY was!!
Full of small town charm ala Stars Hollow (the town is even called Pine Hollow!), this story sees Ally Gilmore (!) - a big city photographer coming home for Christmas only to end up fighting to save her grandparent's local animal shelter, get homes for the last 12 dogs and try not to fall for Ben West, the town Grinch and single Dad to his dead sister's ten year old daughter.
I couldn't get enough of these characters, the quirky dogs who find their way into the perfect homes or the way Ally and Ben fight their feelings only to learn that love is worth taking a chance on.
This author has written for Hallmark Movies before and I completely understand why. This book was great on audio and reads like the very best feel-good Christmas movie you could ever want to watch during the holidays.
Highly recommended especially for fans of Melanie Jacobson. I can't wait to read more stories in this series and fingers crossed they'll come out on audio soon too!
Steam level: Kissing only
Full of small town charm ala Stars Hollow (the town is even called Pine Hollow!), this story sees Ally Gilmore (!) - a big city photographer coming home for Christmas only to end up fighting to save her grandparent's local animal shelter, get homes for the last 12 dogs and try not to fall for Ben West, the town Grinch and single Dad to his dead sister's ten year old daughter.
I couldn't get enough of these characters, the quirky dogs who find their way into the perfect homes or the way Ally and Ben fight their feelings only to learn that love is worth taking a chance on.
This author has written for Hallmark Movies before and I completely understand why. This book was great on audio and reads like the very best feel-good Christmas movie you could ever want to watch during the holidays.
Highly recommended especially for fans of Melanie Jacobson. I can't wait to read more stories in this series and fingers crossed they'll come out on audio soon too!
Steam level: Kissing only
December 2, 2024
Kerstmis met een staartje is een Hallmark kerstfilm in boekformaat. Het is zoetsappig, voorspelbaar en ook enorm genieten. Small town. Grumpy-sunshine. Heerlijk kerstverhaal.
January 8, 2021
This is the perfect closed door holiday romance. It has a grumpy Scrooge-type hero, a sweet heroine, a cute ten year old, fun side characters, and a bunch of furry friends! I flew through the first half and would have read the second half just as fast if I hadn't had a bunch of things to do to get ready for Christmas. I'm so glad there is going to be a second book! If you are done with your holiday reading for the year, make sure you put it on your TBR for next year!
December 10, 2020
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Lizzie Shane is an excellent festive contemporary romance that was hilarious, creative, warm, and fuzzy novel that put me in the Christmas spirit.
There are so many things I love about this book:
1. First off, I am a passionate advocate and lover of all canines, have furry babies here at home, and am a firm believer in supporting local animal shelters, rescues, and Humane Societies. So, obviously this was right up my ally (no pun intended haha). I loved that this book centered around a small town, Pine Hollow, Vermont, and saving/keeping the doors open on the much-needed Furry Friends Rescue that is owned by Ally Gilmore’s grandparents. The passion, love, compassion, selflessness, and drive this family had to help out these down on their luck dogs, touched my heart so many times. I loved it!
2. I love all of the character cast, especially the main characters: Ally Gilmore and Ben West (and Astrid of course...and Deenie, and Elinor, and Connor...). I really loved the complexity, the backstories, the strengths, weaknesses, and gifts that each of the two MC have. They compliment each other perfectly and seem to bring out the best in one another. I am really glad that both are able to overcome the difficulties they have experienced in life, find a second chance at happiness, both find a sense of belonging, home, and purpose and find love and acceptance within themselves and one another. I also think Colby and Partridge are some of the cutest canine characters around!
3. I love the adorable, quaint New England town. Its picturesque descriptions, businesses, inhabitants, and of course, decorations! There is plenty of material here to use for future books.
4. I love the dialogue. It is cute and romantic, but at the same time it is sarcastic, hilarious, witty, surprising, and the one-liners are just classic. It all balanced out so well to create a wonderful story.
5. Finally, I loved the end! Perfect in every way.
I love this novel so much, and to add to my excitement, I also find out that it is the first in a new series: Pine Hollow. Eeeek!!!! I am also now a legit fan of Ms. Shane!
5/5 stars enthusiastically
Thank you Forever/Grand Central Publishing for this copy and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR, Instagram, Bookbub, Amazon, and B&N accounts immediately. Published on 9/29/20.
There are so many things I love about this book:
1. First off, I am a passionate advocate and lover of all canines, have furry babies here at home, and am a firm believer in supporting local animal shelters, rescues, and Humane Societies. So, obviously this was right up my ally (no pun intended haha). I loved that this book centered around a small town, Pine Hollow, Vermont, and saving/keeping the doors open on the much-needed Furry Friends Rescue that is owned by Ally Gilmore’s grandparents. The passion, love, compassion, selflessness, and drive this family had to help out these down on their luck dogs, touched my heart so many times. I loved it!
2. I love all of the character cast, especially the main characters: Ally Gilmore and Ben West (and Astrid of course...and Deenie, and Elinor, and Connor...). I really loved the complexity, the backstories, the strengths, weaknesses, and gifts that each of the two MC have. They compliment each other perfectly and seem to bring out the best in one another. I am really glad that both are able to overcome the difficulties they have experienced in life, find a second chance at happiness, both find a sense of belonging, home, and purpose and find love and acceptance within themselves and one another. I also think Colby and Partridge are some of the cutest canine characters around!
3. I love the adorable, quaint New England town. Its picturesque descriptions, businesses, inhabitants, and of course, decorations! There is plenty of material here to use for future books.
4. I love the dialogue. It is cute and romantic, but at the same time it is sarcastic, hilarious, witty, surprising, and the one-liners are just classic. It all balanced out so well to create a wonderful story.
5. Finally, I loved the end! Perfect in every way.
I love this novel so much, and to add to my excitement, I also find out that it is the first in a new series: Pine Hollow. Eeeek!!!! I am also now a legit fan of Ms. Shane!
5/5 stars enthusiastically
Thank you Forever/Grand Central Publishing for this copy and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR, Instagram, Bookbub, Amazon, and B&N accounts immediately. Published on 9/29/20.
September 29, 2020
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is a total hallmark movie! If they haven't optioned this yet, they are missing out! City girl uprooted to small town? Check! Town grump trying to raise his niece? Check!
Dog lovers will delight in the plot for sure. Ally and Ben are trying to find homes for 12 dogs. I LOVED that the author put a positive spin on pit bulls. The dogs are some of the sweetest but they get such a bad rap in the mainstream media. Adding to the delight of the dogs is the endearing townspeople. They are your mix of campy gossip mongers, loving family, and zany characters. They really make the town feel real and I wanted to visit.
Ally and Ben have a slow burn relationship; this would normally not be my thing, but I was so charmed by the story, I wasn't bothered by it! Their romance is the main point of the story, but it isn't the ONLY thing in the story. I think readers who don't want a sexy romance will enjoy this because it's very low flame. At the same time, regular romance readers who enjoy all heat levels will be charmed by the story and romance! The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is sweet, lovable small town romance that will provide an escape for readers!
Dog lovers will delight in the plot for sure. Ally and Ben are trying to find homes for 12 dogs. I LOVED that the author put a positive spin on pit bulls. The dogs are some of the sweetest but they get such a bad rap in the mainstream media. Adding to the delight of the dogs is the endearing townspeople. They are your mix of campy gossip mongers, loving family, and zany characters. They really make the town feel real and I wanted to visit.
Ally and Ben have a slow burn relationship; this would normally not be my thing, but I was so charmed by the story, I wasn't bothered by it! Their romance is the main point of the story, but it isn't the ONLY thing in the story. I think readers who don't want a sexy romance will enjoy this because it's very low flame. At the same time, regular romance readers who enjoy all heat levels will be charmed by the story and romance! The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is sweet, lovable small town romance that will provide an escape for readers!
December 29, 2021
Denna är exakt vad jag förväntar mig av en julroman, mys och kärlek i en snötäckt stad. Att den handlar om hundar är en extra bonus. Och Colby är dessutom en St. Bernard! Behöver jag ens nämna att det är en av mina favorithundar?
Ally var lätt att tycka om men däremot så hade jag svårt för Ben. Jag blev nästan stressad av att läsa alla hans “tvångstankar” om hur perfekt allt måste vara, hur han ständigt kände sig otillräcklig och vägrade be om hjälp.
Romansen var gullig, men jag hade gärna haft mer konflikt, den bestod ju nästan enbart av ett missförstånd i mer än halva boken. Handlingen tuffade på i samma lugna takt fram tills de sista femtio sidorna då det blev allvar på riktigt.Upplösningen var väldigt fint och fick mig att le.
Jag är nu aktiv på instagram med bokkontot @the.perks.of.being.anna
Allt som allt, en mysig bok som är perfekt att läsa under julen.
Ally var lätt att tycka om men däremot så hade jag svårt för Ben. Jag blev nästan stressad av att läsa alla hans “tvångstankar” om hur perfekt allt måste vara, hur han ständigt kände sig otillräcklig och vägrade be om hjälp.
Romansen var gullig, men jag hade gärna haft mer konflikt, den bestod ju nästan enbart av ett missförstånd i mer än halva boken. Handlingen tuffade på i samma lugna takt fram tills de sista femtio sidorna då det blev allvar på riktigt.Upplösningen var väldigt fint och fick mig att le.
Jag är nu aktiv på instagram med bokkontot @the.perks.of.being.anna
Allt som allt, en mysig bok som är perfekt att läsa under julen.
December 24, 2021
Wat een heerlijk boek was dit! Ik heb echt genoten van het verhaal van Ally, Ben en de honden. Ik was dan ook blij verrast te horen dat dit onderdeel is van een serie én dat deel 2 volgende maand al beschikbaar is. Daar kijk ik nu al naar uit! Het verhaal heeft een heerlijke opbouw waarbij je rustig alle personages leert kennen, kennis maakt met het Pine Hollow en verliefd wordt op alle honden. Het leest echt als een heerlijke kerstfilm, (met liefde, verdriet, koppigheid, moeilijke verledens, een goed doel, een kleine gemeenschap en mensen die lekker langs elkaar praten) en daar ben ik in december enorm verslaafd aan! Ik kan dit boek echt aan alle "kerst-junkies" aanraden. Maar ook zeker de rest van het jaar prima te lezen ♡
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December 23, 2022
Do you enjoy books with animals in them?
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas : A Pine Hollow Novel
By Lizzie Shane (book review).
Book 1 of 4
My thoughts:
As a huge dog lover, the adorable cover of the book immediately drew me in. The story is sweet and just what I needed for Christmas. Winter is the perfect time to read this cozy and heartwarming book.
Blurb:
A delightful holiday romance about a small-town single dad and an animal rescue owner as they try to find forever homes for a dozen lovable pups before Christmas.
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.
Thank you Lizzie Shane, Read Forever Publishing and Hachette Book Group for sending me this touching book. Your kindness is appreciated!
#TheTwelveDogsOfChristmasAPineHollowNovel #LizzieShane
@ReadForeverPub #ReadForeverPub #HachetteBookGroup
#bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas : A Pine Hollow Novel
By Lizzie Shane (book review).
Book 1 of 4
My thoughts:
As a huge dog lover, the adorable cover of the book immediately drew me in. The story is sweet and just what I needed for Christmas. Winter is the perfect time to read this cozy and heartwarming book.
Blurb:
A delightful holiday romance about a small-town single dad and an animal rescue owner as they try to find forever homes for a dozen lovable pups before Christmas.
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.
Thank you Lizzie Shane, Read Forever Publishing and Hachette Book Group for sending me this touching book. Your kindness is appreciated!
#TheTwelveDogsOfChristmasAPineHollowNovel #LizzieShane
@ReadForeverPub #ReadForeverPub #HachetteBookGroup
#bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta
September 16, 2020
Saving puppies for Christmas? You cannot go wrong. This is my favorite holiday read of the year so far, and I will be raving about it even after we ring in the new year.
Obsessed. Pine Hollow, I’m moving in ASAP. This town is the exact way I imagine small town stories, and it was painted so beautifully by Lizzie Shane. the landscape, the people, the community, the joy of Christmas, this is what my romance dreams are made of and this is what Lizzie Shane has brought to life.
PS I’d like to adopt Partridge.
Our MC, Ally, is feisty and I love her. She’s a true city girl and I enjoy the way she carries herself. I think she takes after her grandma 😉 Ally and Ben’s chemistry was so natural. I was gushing over here as they were starting to be friends. Ben was hilarious to me how clumsily goofy he was. I caught myself laughing out loud as he interacted with the dogs. He had such a realistic and caring relationship with Astrid that I definitely found myself cheering for him. Deenie and Elinor were also amazing support characters. I didn’t want to like Deenie at first because I was worried she was Ben’s ex, then I out loud did a sigh of relief when he did his ex was Isabelle (yes!) I loved Elinor being the voice of reason and was so wise.
Also, can I just thank Lizzie Shane for painting pit bulls in such a good light? I have 2 mixes, and people think they’re scary. Y’all. They are scared of everything and are my favorite cuddle monsters. I held my breath waiting for a pibble to be mentioned, and Jelly was perfect., Y’all have no idea how much that means to me. 🐶
This is for the dog lovers, those who believe in the magic of Christmas, love the big city moved to the small towns, and those who like a good laugh whether it’s friends to lovers or enemies to lovers, this has it all.
PPS: I’m going to really need Pine Hollow to feature a story of Deenie & Connor. Speaking it into existence.
Thank you Forever for this amazing copy! I will probably rant about this one for quite some time. This one is out Sept 29th.
Obsessed. Pine Hollow, I’m moving in ASAP. This town is the exact way I imagine small town stories, and it was painted so beautifully by Lizzie Shane. the landscape, the people, the community, the joy of Christmas, this is what my romance dreams are made of and this is what Lizzie Shane has brought to life.
PS I’d like to adopt Partridge.
Our MC, Ally, is feisty and I love her. She’s a true city girl and I enjoy the way she carries herself. I think she takes after her grandma 😉 Ally and Ben’s chemistry was so natural. I was gushing over here as they were starting to be friends. Ben was hilarious to me how clumsily goofy he was. I caught myself laughing out loud as he interacted with the dogs. He had such a realistic and caring relationship with Astrid that I definitely found myself cheering for him. Deenie and Elinor were also amazing support characters. I didn’t want to like Deenie at first because I was worried she was Ben’s ex, then I out loud did a sigh of relief when he did his ex was Isabelle (yes!) I loved Elinor being the voice of reason and was so wise.
Also, can I just thank Lizzie Shane for painting pit bulls in such a good light? I have 2 mixes, and people think they’re scary. Y’all. They are scared of everything and are my favorite cuddle monsters. I held my breath waiting for a pibble to be mentioned, and Jelly was perfect., Y’all have no idea how much that means to me. 🐶
This is for the dog lovers, those who believe in the magic of Christmas, love the big city moved to the small towns, and those who like a good laugh whether it’s friends to lovers or enemies to lovers, this has it all.
PPS: I’m going to really need Pine Hollow to feature a story of Deenie & Connor. Speaking it into existence.
Thank you Forever for this amazing copy! I will probably rant about this one for quite some time. This one is out Sept 29th.
September 21, 2020
Thank you Forever for my review copy, all opinions are my own.
.
Welp, that was freaking delightful. I mean, sigh. So stinkin cute.
.
Let’s talk about what I loved...
.
Dogs. All the dogs (I’m partial to the little old dachshunds Fred & Ginger tho).
.
Small town
.
Small town Christmas events.
.
The small town square.
.
Yes, small towns are my jam.
.
How truly clean and lovely this novel was. I love some good steam. But some sweet sugar is also needed. This one was so sweet.
.
The atmosphere was lovely, Pine Hollow is the perfect town to fall in love
.
The Stars Hollow feel. I expected to see Luke and Loralei arguing on the town square.
.
Knowing that there are so many characters that I can’t wait to meet in the next novels.
.
I will absolutely recommend this one. If you love Hallmark Christmas movies....or Gilmore Girls....or even Virgin River....or Sweetwater Springs series by Annie Rains....this is for you.
.
Welp, that was freaking delightful. I mean, sigh. So stinkin cute.
.
Let’s talk about what I loved...
.
Dogs. All the dogs (I’m partial to the little old dachshunds Fred & Ginger tho).
.
Small town
.
Small town Christmas events.
.
The small town square.
.
Yes, small towns are my jam.
.
How truly clean and lovely this novel was. I love some good steam. But some sweet sugar is also needed. This one was so sweet.
.
The atmosphere was lovely, Pine Hollow is the perfect town to fall in love
.
The Stars Hollow feel. I expected to see Luke and Loralei arguing on the town square.
.
Knowing that there are so many characters that I can’t wait to meet in the next novels.
.
I will absolutely recommend this one. If you love Hallmark Christmas movies....or Gilmore Girls....or even Virgin River....or Sweetwater Springs series by Annie Rains....this is for you.
September 29, 2020
I have honestly got such a big grin on my face right now.
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is a holiday book about the local dog shelter which has been forced to close down. Ally, the granddaughter of the owners, is helping out over the holidays and is now tasked with finding homes for twelve dogs. Luckily, help is on hand in the form of the town Scrooge, Ben, who was the deciding vote on the closure. But Ben has his own problems with raising his niece alone, and when Ally starts to fall for the Scrooge with the big, soft heart, she has to decide whether to go back to her life in New York, or embrace small town life in Pine Hollow...
If you're looking for the perfect read to get you in the Christmas spirit, then I would suggest picking up this book because The Twelve Dogs of Christmas will give you all the warm Christmas fuzzy feelings.
I loved the way Lizzie Shane dealt with grief over the loss of a loved one in this book. It's so hard sometimes, especially during the holidays, but the way she wrote about Ben and his niece reminiscing over both the good and the bad was heart-warming.
Ally is such a strong heroine, she's been looking for a place to belong but she feels left out in Pine Hollow, where everyone knows everyone else. She's still determined to help though, and resolves to save the dog shelter by any means necessary. Also her concern over her grandparents was so lovely.
This book has aaaall the Christmas festivities you could want in a this type of book, it's just a really cosy, easy read that is perfect for the holiday season.
Lastly, it's a book about twelve dogs. I mean, what's not to love ? From Partridge, the drooler, to Harry, the mischievous escape artist, they all have their own brilliant personalities and it was so fun to read about them.
If you like small town books, you'll love this one. There's gossip, there's everyone being everyone else's business, but also there's the sense of community you can only get in a small book romance. I can't wait to get back to Pine Hollow and read more about its residents! Bring on Deenie and Connor's book ❤️
And well if you're in the mood for a holiday book full of joy and festive feels, with an adorable love story and even more adorable mascots, then you can't go wrong with The Twelve Dogs of Christmas!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Headline Eternal for an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is a holiday book about the local dog shelter which has been forced to close down. Ally, the granddaughter of the owners, is helping out over the holidays and is now tasked with finding homes for twelve dogs. Luckily, help is on hand in the form of the town Scrooge, Ben, who was the deciding vote on the closure. But Ben has his own problems with raising his niece alone, and when Ally starts to fall for the Scrooge with the big, soft heart, she has to decide whether to go back to her life in New York, or embrace small town life in Pine Hollow...
If you're looking for the perfect read to get you in the Christmas spirit, then I would suggest picking up this book because The Twelve Dogs of Christmas will give you all the warm Christmas fuzzy feelings.
I loved the way Lizzie Shane dealt with grief over the loss of a loved one in this book. It's so hard sometimes, especially during the holidays, but the way she wrote about Ben and his niece reminiscing over both the good and the bad was heart-warming.
Ally is such a strong heroine, she's been looking for a place to belong but she feels left out in Pine Hollow, where everyone knows everyone else. She's still determined to help though, and resolves to save the dog shelter by any means necessary. Also her concern over her grandparents was so lovely.
This book has aaaall the Christmas festivities you could want in a this type of book, it's just a really cosy, easy read that is perfect for the holiday season.
Lastly, it's a book about twelve dogs. I mean, what's not to love ? From Partridge, the drooler, to Harry, the mischievous escape artist, they all have their own brilliant personalities and it was so fun to read about them.
If you like small town books, you'll love this one. There's gossip, there's everyone being everyone else's business, but also there's the sense of community you can only get in a small book romance. I can't wait to get back to Pine Hollow and read more about its residents! Bring on Deenie and Connor's book ❤️
And well if you're in the mood for a holiday book full of joy and festive feels, with an adorable love story and even more adorable mascots, then you can't go wrong with The Twelve Dogs of Christmas!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Headline Eternal for an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
December 12, 2020
ciepła świąteczna opowieść przy której miło czas spędziłam ;)
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