Christmas with Hamish

by Sophie Penhaligon

Christmas has never been the most wonderful time of the year for Verity Robinson. When her younger sister sends her an invite to her Christmas wedding on the other side of the country in Vancouver, she decides to kill two birds with one stone and plans a ski trip to Whistler with some old friends. However, her dreams of a snowy Christmas on skis are thwarted by her sister’s dog sitting crisis.

Instead of spending Christmas enjoying the après ski alcohol, she is instead stuck minding Hamish McDuff for the next week. They say that every cloud has a silver lining and for Verity, the silver lining comes in the guise of her sexy new neighbour, Nikau Taylor. Nikau seems determined to help Verity eradicate her ghosts of Christmas past, but what will happen when her time is up and it’s time to go home to Toronto?

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction

180 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2021

About the author

Sophie Penhaligon was born and raised in England but has lived in Canada for over 20 years. She enjoys reading and writing sweet and sexy romance novels with loveable characters and interesting locations.

You can find out more about Sophie's books by visiting her website: https://sophiepenhaligon.com where you can sign up to join her mailing list.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 STARS


This one is light and cute. A sweet romance with two adorable dogs. You can't go wrong with that combination. I really liked the characters. Don't know why I'm not rating it higher, it just didn't wow me. I did, truly enjoy the ending.. even got choked up a little, so you can probably add a half a star on my rating for that. 🎄

[Kristenelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up.

This was an absolutely delightful holiday romance read. I was looking for something cozy, light, and full of Christmas vibes. This delivered and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for those things.

I loved the descriptions of the fashion, venues, and Christmasy dates and romantic scenes. It really captures a romantic, Christmasy atmosphere. The characters were believable and sympathetic. This short romance manages to tackle toxic family relationships and dysfunction in really realistic, believable, and healthy ways. If you come from a dysfunctional family you will find this very relatable. The dogs were also a very cute and charming addition.

My one complaint is that there was a bit of over drama at one point and some of the situations/characters were portrayed in really extreme, black and white ways. But this is a romance and I expect that sort of thing in a romance.

All in all, a top notch read! I adored the ending and found it really satisfying. Give yourself a Christmas treat and read this charming holiday romance!

[ItaPixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas with Hamish is a roller coaster of emotion I didn't expect.
It was funny, sweet and emotional in the span of few pages but really really enjoyable.

Verity goes back to Vancouver to attend her sister's wedding and she is forced to take care to her dog, Hamish, while she enjoys her honeymoon cruise. She is not happy at all because her sister and mother never treated her well, fortunately Nikau and his dog Chunk live next door and they will help Verity during her stay.

I loved to follow Verity and Nikau journey. Their relationship is really special, it was such a pleasure to see them start as acquaintances and possible one night lovers to end as good friends and something more.
I have to say that Verity and her story broke my heart, but watching her slowly overcome his past gave me a lot of joy. I was there supporting her and cheering her chapter after chapter, I really wanted to hug her because nobody deserve to feel like that.

First time for me reading Sophie Penhaligon work and I appreciated her writing, she skilfully introduced the charaters' lives and experiences little by little and at the right time for the story development. I want to read more of her books as soon as possible.

I would recommend this book, but if psycholigical violence is one of your triggers please consider to skip it.

[Lisa Denton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas with Hamish is a great book for the Holiday Season, with love-at-first-sight, a whirlwind romance, and a dog (or two)! I really enjoyed the two main characters, Verity and Nikau, who meet when Verity attends her sister's wedding. Verity's Whistler vacation plans are put aside when her sister asks her to watch Hamish, the newly married couple's Scottish Terrier. Nikau lives next door to Verity's new dog-sitting job, and the initial attraction evolves into dog walking, Christmas tree shopping, and dreaming of a happily-ever-after that just can't be since Verity lives on the other side of the country.

Set in Vancouver, this book includes mention of local landmarks and sites; in fact, one of the main reasons I wanted to read this book was because of the setting. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Hamish the dog is such a main part of the book, and all the Christmas cheer is simply magical. If you're looking for a delightful Christmas book, this might be the one for you!

Reader beware: Verity's childhood was filled with trauma - verbal and physical abuse. While no longer an ongoing event, it is referred to throughout the book, not in detail, but perhaps enough that some readers need to be aware ahead of time. Verity is strong and has a new support system that allows her to face this past and move forward in a healthy way.

Thank you to NetGalley and author Sophie Penhaligon for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Madara · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.3/5
Quality of writing: 2
Plot development: 2
Pace: 3
Characters: 2
Enjoyability: 2
Ease of reading: 3

I was SO excited to read this. Because of all the great reviews and the description. And I am disappointed.
The main character was described as badass. But was she a badass? At times I found Verity annoying. And any adult person knows that chocolate and dogs don't mix. The love interest obviously is the perfect male - gentle, funny, tall, super sexy, hard working, takes no crap... The sex scenes were so short, it seemed like the sex lasted two pumps and he was done. But of course he was amazing!
I expected a lot more. It didn't even give me the Christmas feel! Ugh!!!

Review copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jane Shambler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a little different to what I actually expected. Yes, it is a romance and yes, there is a dog involved. This was a nice christmas romance. But what I didn't like was the way Verity was stone walled by her family to look after her sisters dog while she was going on her honeymoon. The dog sitter cancelled.
She was meant to be going away with her friends skiing.

At the wedding she meets Nikau. Who turns out to be her new neighbour while she's at her sisters dog sitting. There's an instant attraction. Romance blooms in a whirlwind. Hamish by the way is the dog.

I'm routing for Verity to stand up to her family. This book isn't very heavy although it sounds that there is. This is the perfect cold weather book. Curl up in front of the fire and be cheered by the read.

Enjoy!

[Buffyanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Verity Robinson spends Christmas in her hometown of Vancouver, BC, and finds an unexpected love, times 2, or 3! Verity suffered through a horrible (abusive) childhood and moved to Toronto to get away. Returning home for her sister's wedding, she becomes saddled with dog-sitting her sister's little Scottie dog, Hamish.

"𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘺. 𝘐'𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘯 𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵!"

Before long, Verity and Hamish have gotten cozy with the neighbor, Nikau Taylor and his own slow-moving pound rescue, Chunk. (Hence, one two-legged and two four-legged new loves!) Together, they teach Verity to re-discover fun in her childhood city and learn that Christmas can be a fun time of year after all!

"𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺."

I am absolutely delighted in this very well-written, fabulously romantic, and touchingly heart-warming Christmas story. Special features that really elevated this for me include the setting of Vancouver, BC, which is also MY hometown. So, when Stanley Park, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Grouse Mountain, the Christmas Market at Jack Poole Plaza, and Richmond, Surrey, and Langley are mentioned, my heart bursts with so many joyful "I know that, and that, and that"s! I am also a sucker for cute dogs and Hamish and Chunk are incredibly adorable and mischievous. They dare me to give nothing less than 5 stars! Finally, Sophie Penhaligon can always be counted on to deliver a happy ending, and Verity and Nikau certainly deserved their HEA. Read this if you are looking for an elegantly written, but short, Christmas story that will leave you feeling warm and happy inside!

[Taryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing read! Perfect romance for reading by the fire this holiday season. Something that makes you feel every feeling but mostly happiness. Nikau has become my new favorite book boyfriend I loved him has a character as well as verity I couldn't help but love her from the get go !!! They are relatable, I related to nikau being from England and moving to Canada I related to the differences in language and such! I highly recommend this book for this holiday!!!

[ReadBecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new favorite holiday romance! Verity and Nikau meet at a wedding where they both don't quite fit - Verity's sister is marrying Nikau's neighbor - and when things go horribly wrong with the couple's dog sitter for the honeymoon, Verity winds up dog sitting Hamish next door and getting to know Nikau in the process. As they get to know each other, they learn a lot about their individual familial baggage in past and present, finding themselves with immediate chemistry and connection that only grows from there.

I would say things probably moved a bit quickly, in terms of them falling for one another within a matter of days, but the forced proximity combined with the realistic heavy conversations they have while actually getting to know each other means this felt much more natural and less insta-love. That was my only real criticism though, the book managed to tackle really difficult topics in a true-to-life way, while also absolutely giving us the magic of the holidays and adorable dogs! Not only did this pack a punch in the topics and themes explored, the characters have such personality and depth, I couldn't believe how well fleshed out they were within such a brief book. For me it was wonderful that this showed us sometimes getting our happily ever after involves hard choices, instead of your typical too tidy romance ending. Loved it, the author immediately went to my to-watch list.

Spoiler/trigger warning: Verity's family is incredibly toxic, with details of physical and emotional abuse coming out eventually. The ending involves recognizing the unrepentant toxicity and going no contact! Woo for positive representation of chosen family over toxic relatives! I dreamed of this outcome at the midpoint, but never even dared to think it would actually happen in a holiday romance, so major kudos to the author on carrying it out, and doing it well.

[Leith Devine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book! It’s not what I expected based on the cover, it’s a cute Christmas romance with dogs! It’s a quick read that I finished in one day.
Verity goes home to Vancouver for her sister Millie’s wedding. Her mother is there, and belittles her constantly. She moved to Toronto to get away from her awful family. Verity meets a very attractive guy named Nikau at the wedding, who is Millie’s neighbor. At the last minute, Millie’s dog sitter cancels and her family forces her to watch Millie’s dog Hamish.
Verity and Nikau were were attracted to each other at the wedding, and now that they’re neighbors their chemistry is undeniable. Hamish has a dog named Chunk, and they all hang out together. Verity has never liked Christmas because of her family, but Nikau is determined to show her how much fun it can be. She’s falling for Nikau, but she’s not sure she can overcome her past and make a commitment.
I liked Verity’s character development as she falls for Nikau and discovers her self-worth. I recommend this book, 4 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Jenifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely delightful book that I could see being made into a Hallmark movie and being loved by everyone. Verity goes to her sister's wedding and while there meets the alluring Nikau who feels instant attraction towards her. When Verity's plans go awry and she ends up staying at her sister's apartment watching her dog Hamish for the week rather than skiing with her two besties, she never expected to find a relationship with the hottie next door. But alas a whirlwind of a romance later filled with a fun packed holiday adventure and so cathartic soul searching and you have yourself a pretty little holiday story all wrapped up with a nice bow and a happily ever after ending.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shivangi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today I bring to you this cute, cute christmasy holiday rom-com that you can enjoy with a hot chocolate, cuddled with your furry, snuggly pet dog! Before I start the review, I would like to thank Netgalley and Sophie Penhaligon for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful book. Now without further ado, let’s jump right in.

Christmas with Hamish is a holiday rom-com story about a couple falling in love with each other. Verity is surprised to be invited by her emotionally distant sister on her wedding and wants to get done with this event as soon as possible, owing to her disastrous and traumatic past with her parents, so that she can quickly go back to skiing with her best friends and never have the opportunity to face her family again. However, things take a wrong turn for her when she’s asked to take care of her sister’s pet dog, Hamish for a week the newly wedded couple are out on their honeymoon. What’s worse is that Verity doesn’t care about dogs all that much, nor does she have any knowledge about taking care of one. Enters Nikau Taylor. The sexy next door neighbour whose dog is best friends with Hamish and who is determined to make Verity stay even after her dog-sitting job is over. Verity, on the other hand, is holding back. A one night stand would have been easy to forget but a guy as nice as Nikau is really testing her theory of going back to live her usual life, away from her family. The time doesn’t stop for anyone and Verity must make a decision.

I really really enjoyed this book. Where do I even begin gushing about this book?

The writing is very immersive and very, very humorous. I could immediately see through the character-relationship dynamic within 3 minutes into reading, so the showing and telling of the character sketch was well done. The language was also not too wordy which made the content easier to lose myself into. 10/10 points to prose.

Pacing was quick too. I finished this book in 2 days and would have completed it in just one day, had it not been for other work related commitments. The short chapters and the easy language helped a lot. One thing I really liked about this book was that the author stuck to the script she had decided on. She did not let the plot wander over topics that did not advance the story. It was very to the point but in a good, simplistic way.

Did I mention that the story was an insta-love and yet I loved it? Usually I don’t gravitate towards instant love story or love at first meet tropes but in this book I did, because it was so well done. This book reminded me of this theory that Troy and Gabriella talk about in High School Musical movies that how when two strangers meet, they find something similar between them and then next thing they know, they have made this deep bonding of friendship. “Just like Kindergarten.” That’s exactly what happened with Verity and Nikau here which made the insta-love seem so realistic. Great job!

Christmas and dogs obviously played huge roles in the whole romance thing. So, if you like both of these things, then you would absolutely enjoy this book.

Speaking of Romance, there were one too many spicy bedroom scenes. Some a little descriptive, some not so much. However, if you don’t consider yourself much of a smut reader, then here’s your warning.

I also really liked the characters, especially Verity. She is this strong female character that people love reading about these days but not only that, she has legit fears that hold her back, owing to her childhood experiences. Her fears added tension and stakes to the story, making the story addicting and un-put-downable.

Speaking of the stakes or rather the lack of which was one thing that I did not like while reading about Nikau. Don’t get me wrong, I really loved him. But that’s the thing, he was way too simply perfect and therefore, unrealistic. I wished there was more depth to his character as there was for Verity. We do get to see his backstory but that guy is not flawed, nor has he any fears that hold him back. Very unrealistic. Similarly, even Verity’s bad family were just way too simply bad for literally no reason and I, again, wished there was more depth to their characters, and that “morally grey” aspect we all love reading about.

Moreover, like how with the progression of the story, I as a reader felt an upending, looming fear that Verity would have to make a choice- whether to stay with Nikau and be in touch with her bad family or go back to her old life, away from her only chance on love. This made the anticipation worth it! However, on Nikau’s part there was no such thing as tension. The guy seemed like he almost had no power over the plot, as if he’s the puppet to the story.

I just feel that there should be something more to why Nikau was so adamant about making Verity not leave him. I understand that love is a completely valid reason but then again, they had only been together for a week and they could always go with the option of long distance relationship. This factor did not bother me much in Verity’s point of view but it did in Nikau’s point of view. Probably because I knew why making a choice was so hard for Verity but there was no such thing with Nikau’s case.

I wanted to know why was this chance with Verity so important for him but I couldn’t find the reason. This might not bother a lot of people, but to me it felt a bit too easy, making the plot fall flat and become predictable at the end. So, this is the only complaint that I have for this story. The rest was flawless!

Overall, I guess I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars! Highly recommend if you like holiday rom-coms, dogs and Christmas!

Thank you so much for reading!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never heard of or read anything by Sophie Penhaligon but I am so glad I decided to read this book. I loved every single page and a week after finishing it I am still thinking about it. I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review. All the words that you will be reading are my own thoughts and opinions about the story.

A Christmas story based in Canada with a dog seriously there is no way I could turn that down not to mention the cover is super cute. This story is about a woman named Verity and if I am being honest she simply does not fit in with her family, the black sheep perhaps. Verity travels home to Vancouver to attend her sister's wedding before she goes on a ski trip that she had planned with her friends for the Christmas holiday. Things happen at the wedding which ultimately ruins her planned ski trip with her buddies. Instead, she is suckered into staying in Vancouver to take care of her sister's dog Hamish McDuff. This in itself is a bit overwhelming for poor Verity simply because she knows nothing about dogs or how to take care of them let alone the fact that she has never even met Hamish.

Something you must know about Verity is that her family does not treat her well and sadly they never have. This is the reason why she left her beloved city of Vancouver and moved to Toronto in the first place where she isn't very happy. There is a perk to this little arrangement of having to stay in her younger sister's place though and that is the neighbor she will have while her sister and new husband are away on their honeymoon. Nikau Taylor is an artist who also happens to have a dog named Chunk. Verity is quite taken by him and his little adopted pooch Chunk. He teaches her how to take care of Hamish and they become fast friends and maybe even a bit more. Nikau learns that Verity has never really had a good Christmas and that she treats it just like another day which saddens him. He decides that it is time for Verity to finally enjoy the season and he makes it his mission to make that happen.

When the Christmas season is over and the younger sister returns will Verity be ready to go back to Toronto? Will she be ready to go back to living in her basement apartment and continuing work as an editor? Oh, and lets not forget what will happen with Hamish? Does Verity become attached to him and his fantastic personality?

I think that anyone who decides to pick up Christmas with Hamish will be pleasantly surprised at the story. It is not only a Christmas romance which by the way would make an excellent Hallmark movie but it also touches on many different emotions. I found this book to be funny, romantic, entertaining, and emotional all in one. This book definitely did not disappoint in fact I will be picking up more books by this author in the future.

***There are trigger warnings that need to be mentioned and they revolve around abuse, addiction and loss so beware.***

[Vicki Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Verity, who planned on going on a ski trip after attending the marriage of her sister but unexpectedly ended up dog sitting for her, and Niihau, the neighbor to her sister who Verity meets at the wedding. They are instantly attracted to each other and spend time together as she dog sits for Hamish while her sister is on her honeymoon. This is a wonderful romantic comedy with great characters, a whirlwind romance, and steamy chemistry.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Seadaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute short xmas romance story.

Verity hates her horrid family and dislikes christmas due to the past.

Feeling obligated she does attend her wretched sisters lavish wedding, with plans already made to zip away to Whistler with her friends for skiing over xmas.

Somehow she ends up dog sitting for her sister and falling for the hunky neighbour.

Christmas, snow, romance and a cute little dog - how could this story fail..I loved it.

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas With Hamish is one of the most beautiful stories I've ever read.

Verity had a lot of problems with her family.
Nikau notices that the very first time they met.

Verity gets involve in her sister's whims by taking care of her dog while Millie (Verity's sister) goes to her honeymoon with Andy (Nikau's best friend). Verity and Nikau spend a whole week together taking care of Hamish (Millie and Andy's dog), they fell in love but nothing last forever because Verity had to go back to Toronto where she lives.

This couple is just perfect for one another, it's love at first sight and Nikau is so comprehensive and everything he wants is to Verity to be happy.

The story in general was so good, the characters were well built, they had a good backstory and their story is full of love. We see how much they love each other and the connection they had for the very first time was there.

They fell in love in less than a week but honestly who cares?

There were spicy scenes but just the necessary. Most of the time we see Verity and Nikau being a cute couple all over Vancouver.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas with Hamish by Sophie Penhaligon is my absolutely favourite holiday read this year!
Awwww! OH MY GOODNESS!
I saw the cover and it totally got my attention... well and what can I say?
This book totally surprised me! Honestly I thought I'd be a cute holiday love story with a dog involved.
BUT IT WAS SO MUCH MORE! ♡♡♡♡

Verity has to attend to the wedding of her sister. She never thought she would end up with babysitting the dog of the newlyweds during the holidays... and an absolutely hot neighbour. ;)
OH MY GOODNESS!
WHAT A WONDERFUL BOOK! Christmas with Hamish was such an amazingly funny and sexy love story!
I instantly fell in love with the main characters Verity and Nikau! Awww! I've a specific pic of them in my mind... and let me tell you: THEY'RE SUCH A HOT COUPLE!
Verity is such an inspiring, young woman!
Awww and NIKAU! The mysterious guy from her sister's wedding turns out to be her temporary neighbour.
Both are so perfect and good for each other because their families aren't the best...
And there are dogs involved in this beautiful book!
Verity takes care of Hamish and Nikau has Chunk. The dogs turn into great dog friends... and what about the humans?
Well... hope for the best!
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Oh, and Sophie Penhaligon was absolutely new to me. I'm gonna check out her other books now. 😁

[Michelle Herzing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good Christmas romance in December, and Christmas with Hamish by Sophie Penhaligon is one of the most heartwarming I have ever read. Sophie Pehhaligon is a new-to-me author, and I will quickly be putting her books on my wishlist for future reading.
When Verity meets Nikau at her spoiled sister's wedding, I fell in love with him almost as fast as Verity does; he is one of the most charming male romantic leads around. Mix the romance with a couple of dog buddies, and who wouldn't enjoy the story. Both lead characters' childhoods add depth and interesting layers to the story and their personalities, and the resolution of the book is everything I hoped for. I really liked the alternating perspectives with chapters occasionally being from Nikau's point of view. Love, love, love this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the opportunity to read this adorable novel. The opinions in this review are mine alone.

[Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing and I was hooked from the very start. It is such a brilliant but equally shocking Christmas novel. The depth of the characters was brilliant which increased the enjoyment of the story. It covers the shocking fact that some parents favour one child over another. The dogs in this book were such characters and made me laugh quite frequently. The love story although predictable was fantastic so heartwarming and perfect for the season. I loved the humour in this book it was so lighthearted and brought a smile to my face and distracted me from lifes troubles. It a brilliant escapism book. It was just the lift I needed. Its great sense of atmosphere was perfect to get us all in the mood for Christmas. This book was a real page turner and it flowed so well its very easy to read. I adored the cover it really stands out and is just perfect. The ending was brilliant and made me feel very content and I felt a great connection with the main character really hoping for a good outcome. But I won't be telling you how it ends you need to read it for yourself you won't be disappointed it a fantastic complete novel.
So much praise goes out to the author and publishing team for creating this stunning page turning story to get that Christmas spirit. I look forward to reading more from this fantastic author.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas with Hamish is the perfect reading fare in the run up to the festivities. It is a romance story with dogs thrown into the mix so has great appeal from the outset.

For my full review please visit my blog at:https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Verity and Nikau's Story . . .

Verity Robinson has had a miserable life with her cruel family. She had no intentions of spending Christmas with them, but she goes home to Vancouver at attend her sister Millie’s wedding. She then has plans to spend a few days skiing with friends. At the wedding, her mother is obnoxious. The one bright spot is that Verity meets a handsome guy named Nikau Taylor at the wedding and enjoys a little flirting. When Millie’s dog-sitter cancels at the last minutes, her family forces her to watch Millie’s dog Hamish and give up her own plans!

It turns out that Nikau lived in the same apartment building and is her sister’s neighbor. Their attraction to each other increases. Nikau also has a dog, so being together feels very comfortable. It is obvious Verity has never had a positive experience with Christmas, so Nikau is going to make sure that happens. Nikau could very easily be The One for her, but is she able to commit and to fall in love with him? Will she finally be able to stand up to her toxic family? And if he is everything she could ever hope for, is she willing to stay here and make a new life with him?

[Crystal Credeur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas with Hamish , a Christmas romance, begins with Nikau and Verity meeting at her sister’s wedding. The newlyweds are the parents of Hamish, a Scottish Terrier, and are across the hall neighbors of Nikau and his dog Chunk. Verity stays and takes care of Hamish while her sister and brother in law are on their honeymoon. It is during this time that Verity and Nikau’s romance develops and flourishes.
However, this Christmas romance is not the only thing that develops for Verity. Because of Nikau’s love and support, Verity develops the inner strength and courage she needs to face her family and her past.
Christmas with Hamish touches on the unfortunate but very real circumstances of family abuse, the scars and trauma left behind, as well as the resulting emptiness and loneliness of the holiday season.

[Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Verity makes me laugh with her pip. Although I feel a little sad for her been pushed out she's so relatable. Millie had her big wedding.
Verity then suddenly now looking after Hamish after Mrs. Drama won't put him in a kennel. Nakui I like his style with undeniable chemistry between these two during the wedding is there more to come when Verity looking after the dog. How canny is Andy. The interaction between Nakui and Verity are sweet. This is a lovely sweet romantic novel and makes you feel cosy inside.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the way each day was told from December 20th onward. Verity Robinson goes to Vancouver for her younger sister's wedding. She gets stuck with her sister's dog Hamish McDuff when Andy and Millie go on their honeymoon. She meets Nikau Taylor and his dog Chunk. I enjoyed seeing them get their happy ending. These are two people who have things in their past they must overcome to get their happy ending. The story was well worth reading. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas with Hamish by Sophie Penhaligon

At first I thought this book was just plain froth and there was a lot of froth in this Christmas romance novel, but there were some really deep scenes in it and this elevated it from a normal Christmas happy romance novel to a really excellent read. I loved it and I could not put it down until the end.

Verity attends her sister’s wedding and after a nasty encounter with her mother, she meets Nikau who is the grooms friend and neighbour, the hit it off and although Verity has plans to leave town after the wedding she enjoys a little flirt with Nikau, but her plans to leave are thwarted by her sister and she has to stay in town at her sister’s apartment with neighbour Nikau across the hall who is determined to woo Verity and make a life with the cautious Verity.

Verity is a lovely character, she has suffered familiar abuse as a child and is still healing from this and this makes her extra cautious about falling for Nikau, she lives in the opposite end of the country so she will not meet her family and although her heart is in Vancouver she is loath to leave Toronto to return because of this.

Veritys family are awful, and you are rooting for Verity to have the courage to tell them to just leave her alone, and to have a life that she yearns for with Nikau and to stay with him.

Although there are some heavy scenes it is a light book and I really enjoyed it.. it is a perfect Christmas read and it is a pure romance with a HEA. Hamish and Chunk steal the book but you already know that as Hamish is on the front cover of the book!

I loved every character in this book (except Veritys family) and was rooting for Verity and Nikau to get there happy ending.. and I was rooting for Hamish to get his as well!!!

I totally recommend this book to be read on a cold day when you can curl up with a hot chocolate and just need a little cheering up.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

#Romance #Canada #Dogs #NetGalley #ChristmasWithHamish

[The Book Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Christmas With Hamish by Sophie Penhaligon and I am just all warm and fuzzy. What an amazing Christmas romance! I loved everything about this book. Every little thing. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming all in one. I loved every second of it!

When you pick up this book you see this cute dog (Hamish McDuff) on the cover. You think it's going to be the usual Christmas romance novel but it is SO much more. I connected with all the characters in the book. even the rude sister Millie. This book touches on so many things we carry into our adult lives. Past trauma, heart-ache and hard childhoods. The book is so well written and brings light to each characters backgrounds.

I feel like my review does not do this book justice. If you love dogs, excellent love stories and Christmas magic.....you HAVE to read this book!

Thank you to Booksprout for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Debbie Mathis PA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about Verity Robinson a young woman who is traveling home to her younger sister's wedding at Christmas. Since she does not spend Christmas with her family her family she decides to attend the wedding and then meet some friends for a ski weekend.

Unfortunately for variety things don't go as planned and she ends up having to dog sit for her sister while she's on her honeymoon. The only bright side to this whole situation is that she gets to spend time with Hamish McDuff, her sister's dog and the sexy neighbor, Nikau.

Verity and Nikau seem to really hit it off but he can see that she has a troubled past and he is determined to help her make the best of this Christmas and forget all about the Christmas past.

By the end of this story Verity has a decision to make in whether to go back home to Toronto or stay with her new found love.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas with Hamish is a complete in every way. I read it in just a couple hours.
The story put a smile on my face from looking at the cover to the end of the book.
Verity goes to her sister’s wedding with plans to stay just one day and then go off skiing with friends. That was not what happens. Her sister goes off on her honeymoon and Verity ends up staying to dog sit Hamish, her sisters’ dog.
Verity meets very handsome Nikau at her sister’s wedding. The chemistry was instant between the two. It turns out that Nikau is her sister’s neighbor.
The path to happiness is a fun one to read in this book.
A story about Christmas, family, romance and two adorable dogs is a must read for every one’s holiday.
Thank you NetGalley, Sophie Penhaligon and BooksGoSocial for the book. This is my personal review.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

When our snarky protagonist meets her charming love interest, we’re initially lulled into thinking this will be a simple, cheery holiday romance. But then come the villains.

Christmas with Hamish is a toasty love story set against a holiday backdrop of twinkle lights and snow, and also an exploration of how we choose to allow our past to influence our present. With bonus cute doggos for lovable sidekicks.

Many thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this work.

[Hope Griffin Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley I was able to review this book.

This book is an edible, drinkable romcom treat! (I wish I had a bottle of wine to drink with them through out the book!)

If you are looking for a delightful Christmas themed read with two people who are definitely meant to be together, two dogs that are buddies for life, some family drama, snow, look no further. This book is a fast paced read that had me laughing, tearing up, and cheering for the main characters. Written from two points of view, you get to see the inter-workings of the thoughts of Verity and Nikau. Is it a Christmas fling or is it the real thing? Read and find out.

I truly enjoyed Sophie Penhaglion's witty writing style. Her Pop Culture references are magnificent. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.