Pride & Puppies

Pine Hollow #4

by Lizzie Shane

Struggling to find her modern-day Mr. Darcy, a Jane Austen fan gets more than she bargained for when she swears off men and adopts an adorable puppy. 

Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez is single—again—and she blames Jane Austen. She made brooding, aloof men sound oh sodreamy. But after years of failing to find her own Mr. Darcy, Charlotte decides it’s time to swear off dating. She’s going to lavish all her love and affection on someone who actually deserves it: her new puppy, Bingley.

And there’s no one better to give her pet advice than her neighbor and coworker George Leneghan. He’s quiet and patient and, best of all, way too sweet to ever be her type. But as their friendly banter turns flirty, the unimaginable happens—Charlotte starts catching feelings.

Just as Charlotte is trying to untangle what it is she truly wants, George announces he’s contemplating a cross-country move. Suddenly, Charlotte wonders if she’s kept her soulmate in the friend zone so long that she’s entirely missed her chance at a happily ever after. Dear Reader, could it be possible she’s had it wrong all this time?
 

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Adult, Chick Lit

352 pages, Paperback

First published November 22, 2022

About the author

Contemporary 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!

Reviews

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzie Shame you are such a great author. After a bad month I needed something to make me laugh. Your book did that for me. I am a animal lover of any kind. Every chapter starts with a Jane Austen quote which was a lovely addition given this is an Austen retelling. I am in love with every single character and every sentence of this book. I am buying this book as a gift for several of my friends. As a animal lover, I couldn’t stop smiling at all the parts talking about love at first sight when she meets her puppy. The joys of having a pet are so amazing, I don’t think I could ever not have a dog again or cat etc. I highly recommend.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well Lizzie Shane has done it again. This book is adorable! I first read her book “The 12 Dogs of Christmas” last holiday, and now I can’t imagine why I waited a whole year to read another one! “Pride and Puppies” takes us back to the quintessential small town of Pine Hollow, this time focusing on Dr. Charlotte, our wonderfully bold and Jane Austin loving heroine who decides to swear off men and instead, get a puppy… so of course this is when she connects with her handsome neighbor! This book is actually the fourth in the series, and we get to check in on some familiar faces from her Lizzie Shane’s previous books. I really enjoyed this romance and felt Charlotte was so authentic. Time to go read the rest of the series!!

Recommended for anyone loving romance and puppies (which, isn’t that everyone?!?)

Thank you to Forever for my ARC of this book!

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not convinced that someone with Charlotte’s level of insecurities could have made it through med school. It was a little bit old by the end of the book.

[CYIReadBooks (Claire) · Rating 5 out of 5]

After failing at yet another relationship, Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez decides she’s had it with men. She then vows that rather than investing anymore effort in finding THE ONE, she would get herself an adorable puppy. A puppy that would love her unconditionally. But, Charlotte would need help in raising her new pup since she’s brand new to pet adoption, pet training, and pet raising. So who better to help with training than her neighbor and co-worker, George Leneghan. After all, George had a dog of his own. Perfect!

George and Charlotte were more than just co-workers. They were friends in every sense of the word. They could talk, commiserate, laugh, and act as sounding boards to each other. That’s what best friends do, right? And then, their friendship seemed to evolve into something more…Or was it Charlotte’s wild imagination?

Pride & Puppies is a wonderful contemporary romance novel and you don’t even have to be a fan of Jane Austen.

There’s just a handful of characters. Wonderfully fleshed out in a way that I connected with all of them. I certainly enjoyed Charlotte, George as well as their siblings. And Charlotte’s close friends really made for some fun entertainment. Author Shane has a talent for developing her characters that make for not only comedic moments, but heartfelt and poignant moments as well.

The narrative follows a friends to lovers trope and it is clear that Shane has clearly sketched out the plot, the turns, and the ultimate outcome. I laughed, I cried, and in the end I was left with an overall warm and fuzzy feeling.

Pride & Puppies is one of those novels that will have you wanting to read more from author, Shane. It’s a must read for fans of Marina Adair, and Annie Rains. Five swoon worth stars.

I received a physical ARC from Forever (GCP.) The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was adorable, as you can expect with a title and cover like this! After another failed relationship, Charlotte is giving up on finding her Mr. Darcy—and instead buys a puppy. But perhaps the right man is closer than she thinks!

Neighbour, coworker, and fellow dog owner, George is there every step of the way. He was such a genuinely nice guy! And I loved that his insecurities stemmed from that, viewing himself as the man everyone likes but doesn't fall for. I wanted to give him a big hug.

Pining after Charlotte since his move to Pine Hollow, his shot at love feels even more unlikely when she places him strictly in the friend zone, even offering to play matchmaker for him. Oh, Charlotte ...

It was frustrating at times how oblivious she was, often self-sabotaging any potential romance with George, but overall I enjoyed her growth and this story! Lots of great side characters, small town charm, and of course, puppies!

(heat level: closed door)

I voluntarily read and reviewed a gifted copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own

[Sheena ☆ Book Sheenanigans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just like many before, “Pride & Puppies” is a Jane Austen inspired modern-day romance featuring a MC who is well obsessed with… Jane Austen. Like almost every other page, ‘Darcy’, ‘Blingley’ and ‘Jane’ are mentioned obsessed. Was it annoying to the point you couldn’t help but roll your eyes when the forsaken three were mentioned? Ab·so·lute·ly.

Despite my digressions, Charlotte (“Charles” by her wannabe Darcy) is single again after dumping her cheating boyfriend, Jeff. After a wild night of venting with her best girlfriends with a strong bottle of liquor in her hands, she decides it’s time to swear off men… for six months at least and get a puppy that she always dreamt of and who would love her unconditionally—forming the Puppy Pact. Cue in her neighbor, co-worker and friend George—who has been pining for her since the moment he arrived at Pine Hollow—providing pet advice and being a shoulder to lean on as Charlotte rediscovers herself and what love should mean to her. Amidst that, George announces he’s contemplating a cross-country move which then spirals Charlotte's emotions out of whack and pushes her to realize she may have less than friendly feelings for him. Mixed emotions, miscommunications, should they shouldn’t they drama upfolds—leaving me much to desire.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to connect with either MCs—George and especially Charlotte. I found her to be pushy, messy and just plain annoying. In regards to the romantic components—the chemistry and flirting was practically non-existent. In all honesty, I truly didn’t believe Charlotte's feelings were genuine for George and the romance seemed too forced, especially after she discovered his decision to possibly move back home and her sudden ‘realization of her feelings’. They worked better as friends than lovers. Let’s not forget Jane Austen obsession and references were too much of the focal point of this novel.

All in all, a strong engaging start but once the wishy-washy back-and-forth with Charles and George began, I started to tune out. It gradually became worse towards the later half of the novel when Charlotte proclaimed she was in love with the real life Blingley. It just was not believable nor did the romance stand out. I was far more intrigued by the side characters and their stories. Nonetheless, not the worst Jane Austen inspired romance novel I have read but it could have been better.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

While each book in this series can likely be read as standalones, the groundwork for each successive book is laid in previous installments. Knowing Charlotte was a diehard Jane Austen fan while reading book three made it easy to connect with her in this fourth book.

It was patently easy to see from the third book in this series how sad Charlotte was and why she made the decision to swear off men. In fact, she trades men for a dog, a new puppy with whom she connects with instantly. The problem comes in when her friend George just might become more. Unaware of his long-standing crush, Charlotte continues with her determination to remain single. In fact, she is going to find the perfect woman for him.

I love both Charlotte and George’s relationships with their sisters. Especially with Charlotte and the loss they shared. This is where the constant Jane Austen references come into this sweet book. In fact, having not read Jane Austen is something I plan on changing in the coming year.

Is it too sweet, too gimmicky? Perhaps. But in today’s troubled world, why not take a bite of something that makes you feel warm and gooey inside?

One thing that I love about this series is there are an inordinate amount of singles, but then, that gives us the potential for lots more delightfully enjoyable books by Lizzie Shane!

Many thanks to Forever and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

[Cat Carstairs]

"Struggling to find her modern-day Mr. Darcy" same girl

[Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy Saturday! PRIDE & PUPPIES by Lizzie Shane is the 4th book in the Pine Hollow Series. I enjoy the series because it has a small town feel and there are puppies involved. In this book, I enjoyed the characters. However, the "friends to lovers" plot dragged a bit and lacked sparks. George was a bit too perfect. He needed some character flaws. I am glad Charlotte and George eventually found their happily ever after. This novel is a feel-good romance with lots of great Jane Austen’s quotes and two cute puppies in it. You can’t go wrong with that.

#bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibliophile #prideandpuppies #lizzieshane #romance #romcom #hbgcanada #readforeverpub #bookreview

[Mia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

The book is a quick read with a cute cover with a super cute dogs is a definite bonus. This is a cutesy story perfect for Hallmark Channel. The romance itself didn’t really work for me but this was pure escapism offering a sweet, clean romance.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea that was the fourth book in a series until after I started it, but it can easily be read as a standalone. I requested it on NetGalley for a reading challenge prompt of a Jane Austen inspired book. I am so glad that I did! This book far exceeded my expectations which were low since I'm not a classic book lover and don't read retellings.

#1 - puppies (its why I really requested it).
#2 - lots of pop culture references
#3 - swoon-worthy neighbor
#4 - puppies
#5 - I loved the Jane Austen quotes at the beginning of the chapters (worked so so well)
#6 - puppies

Thanks to Netgalley & Forever for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Megan (megs_bookblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pride and Puppies by Lizzie Shane
Rating: 4 stars
Steam: Kissing only
Pub Date: 11/22

Pride and Puppies is a super cute, clean, friends-to-lovers romance set in the small, picturesque town of Pine Hollow in Vermont. This is my first time reading a book by Lizzie Shane, and it definitely won’t be my last.

When Jane-Austen-obsessed Charlotte finds herself single once again, she decides to swear off men and get a puppy instead. Who better to turn to for pet advice than her coworker and neighbor, George Leneghan. He’s quiet, patient, and way nicer than the guys she usually goes for. And what Charlotte doesn’t know is that he’s had a crush on her since he moved to town two years ago. As their friendship starts to turn into more, old insecurities might ruin things between them before they even get started.

I really liked this one! The author’s writing style is light and breezy, and it was easy to read this one in a day. The premise is super cute, and I had to fight the urge to start looking at puppy rescues when I was finished reading.

Here’s a confession: I’m not a big fan of Jane Austen. (Sorry, I know it’s blasphemy.) And Pride and Prejudice retellings often fall flat for me. But this was really well done, and I especially enjoyed Charlotte’s personal connection to the author and the “Emma” references.

This story gets a little repetitive at times, and I had to stop my eye roll every time Charlotte mentions that she can be too much for some people and George worries about being too nice of a guy. Bringing this up a few times in the beginning to lay the groundwork for the eventual third-act breakup was fine, but to keep bringing it up every chapter got to be too much. Otherwise, I really liked both MCs and their distinctly different personalities. They had a real opposites-attract vibe, and I was here for it.

I really enjoyed the small-town setting, George’s family dynamic, Charlotte’s best friends and sisters, and the dogs! What’s not to love about a book featuring so many adorable puppies?!

This book can be read as a standalone, but I always felt like I was missing something. I didn’t realize this was the fourth book in the Pine Hollow series and that we’ve met some of these characters before. But that’s on me and has no bearing on my review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever for this arc to read and review! I look forward to reading more from this author. Pride and Puppies will be available on 11/22.

[Emily Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pride & Puppies
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 11/22/22
Author: Lizzie Shane
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 368
GR: 3.71

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: This is book number four in the Pine Hollow series, however, each of the books in the series can be read as stand alongs, including this one. The story is narrated by Charlotte and George, in their respective POVs. Charlotte was independent, strong, sworn off men for six months, and decided to get a puppy that would love her unconditionally. Her coworker and friend, George, was secretly in love with her, so when she asks for his help in training her new puppy, he jumped at the opportunity to spend more time with her. I adored the Jane Austen references sprinkled throughout the story. The story follows a friends to lovers trope, which is one of my favorites. Shane delivers an excellent plot with turns and of course, the HEA. The characters were well fleshed out well with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and creatively paired up with dogs. I adored the side characters in this book. All of the characters were likable and relatable. The author’s writing style was complex, funny, heartwarming, and kept me engaged. This book releases tomorrow and I highly recommend picking up.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlotte Rodriguez is a Jane Austen super fan looking for her own Mr. Darcy. After her most recent romantic disappointment, she swears off men and adopts a puppy. It’s an unfortunate turn of events for George, Charlotte’s coworker and friend. He moved to the small town of Pine Hollow for a job and has had a crush on Charlotte practically from day one. This is a closed door romance but there is a lot of swearing that I could have done without. It’s book four in a series, but the first that I’ve read and it works well as a standalone story. It’s a quick read but I felt like it could have been tightened up a bit more. I really liked the Austen references throughout and quotes at the beginning of each chapter.

I received an eARC from the publishers via NetGalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[dahiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez blames Jane Austen for her recurrent single status. She gave haughty, gloomy males an oh-so-dreamy sound. But Charlotte believes it's time to give up dating after trying for years to find her own Mr. Darcy. She's going to shower Bingley, her new dog, with all of her love and devotion because he deserves it.

And her neighbor and coworker George Leneghan is the best person to offer her pet advice. He is too kind to ever be her type, but he is quiet, patient, and most importantly, compassionate. The unthinkable occurs though—Charlotte begins to feel things as their casual chat turns flirtatious.

George makes the announcement that he's thinking about moving across the country as Charlotte struggles to figure out what it is she really wants. Charlotte starts to question whether she's kept her soulmate in the friend zone for so long that she's lost any possibility of a happily ever after.

Let me tell you this, Pride & Puppies was a finger-licking-good read. The characters were lovable, their development is top-notch. I felt the love they have for Jane Austen. I liked George, he is so sweet, and way he always made Charlotte feel important and loved, which she is of course. The relationship George has with his siblings is amazing, I liked the established book club. The events that occur in these characters' lives are what brings them together, the same thing for Charlotte and her sisters. Overall, this story is sickly sweet and I'm so glad to have read it.

I received an eArc through Netgalley by Forever (GCP) in exchange for an honest review!

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was mostly disappointed that with a title of “Pride” & Puppies one of the characters would have a prideful aspect to them. Nope. I get that the title was paying homage to Austen and don’t get me wrong we were reminded of Austen regularly throughout the book. The references were a plenty but still the use of “pride” in the title left me baffled.

I also didn’t particularly love the female MC which made it hard to connect with the whole romance

Altogether, not a horrible read but I wanted more Pride. Yeesh, isn’t that why we all love Mr. Darcy?

[tahaslibrary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pride & Puppies by Lizzie Shane hooked me in with the title. A reference to my favourite of Austen's works and puppies combined? Sounds like a hit to me.

You'll like this story if you like:
- Small town romances
- Jane Austen references
- Dual POV
- Friends to lovers
- Puppies
- Great support systems

The story introduces us to Charlotte who has been in multiple disastrous relationships where she's always putting in the most effort. She's a romantic at heart and being a huge Jane Austen fan has her looking for her Darcy. However, after her most recent break-up, she decides to take a break from men and take a chance on a puppy. She conjures up the idea of Puppy Pact with her best friends to vow to focus on herself and a new puppy rather than dating and men for the next six months. She doesn't anticipate George, the new town resident who she's become pretty close with over the past few months. George himself doesn't have a good track record with relationships but is looking for the one. It just so happens that he has a massive crush on Charlotte.

This book has all the makings of a Hallmark story and was a very cozy and cute story taking place in a small town in Vermont called Pinehallow.

First and foremost, I loved the puppies in this story. George's dog Duke and Charlotte's dog Bingley were named so well and I adored them.

I think the author did a great job of showing how two very different people could fit well together and make it work. Their fears of being in a relationship felt genuine and the author did a great job of using the people in both characters' lives as a medium for discussing and exploring Charlotte and George's fears and issues.

Charlotte has some great support in her life in the form of her two sisters and her two best friends. I appreciated that they understood where her fears and self-sabatoging nature was coming from and they didn't judge her but instead were honest with her and supportive when they saw her struggling or making bad decisions. I really enjoyed that Charlotte's best friend Kendall was the voice of reason for her and would call her out when necessary. I'd love to read a story about Kendall actually!

Similarly, I think George was an interesting male lead. I worried the author was taking a Nice Guy track but there was a pretty great spin on that. He's a man who grew up with multiple sisters, who knows how to respect women and is sensitive and welcoming to other people's needs. Truly a refreshing change! The author does a great job of exploring what that means for George, who is used to getting put in the back seat, and Charlotte, who hasn't been treated right by the men she's dated. However, George adores her and treats her right, sees her for who she is and loves everything about her. And that more than anything is what I loved about the story.

My main issues were with the pacing. The first half of the story was great and I was really excited to see how they fell in love, but I can't help but feel that it fell flat somewhere after the 50% mark. Some love stories don't need grand gestures and that huge firework show inside, but it felt like this one was leading to that but the spark kept flaming out until the final act? By then I wasn't so sure that these two were going to have a satisfying ending. It felt a bit rushed and I really wish we got more time spent on the pay-off. Some portions of the romance felt like they were a bit too 'fade to black' and we miss out on weeks of development.

This book is part of a broader series and I wasn't aware of this going in but I don't think it detracted anything from my overall reading experience! I'm more interested now in going back and seeing how Charlotte and George had their funny meet-cute/misunderstanding and became good friends.

If you love Hallmark movies, you'll definitely enjoy this read. It's very a sweet and quick read that leaves you feeling pleasant.

Thank you so much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[chloe (chloeslibrary1) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute romance and puppies! What more could you ask for? I'm so glad I was able to read this book, as I really enjoyed it. It was a quick read for me, simply because I was so invested in the characters and I just couldn't put the book down. I love the characters of Charlotte and George so much. I mean, George hosts a family bookclub zoom meeting every month! That's top tier. The characters are just so well written and Lizzie Shane did a wonderful job conveying their thoughts and emotions. The writing itself was lovely and the story was super cute. The puppies were a bonus too! I've only read a couple Jane Austen books (planning to read more), but I loved how each chapter began with a Jane Austen quote. It was such a unique touch and I looked forward to reading a new one every time a new chapter started. Overall, I would definitely recommend this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this free arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Kait · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute neighbors / coworkers / friends to lovers romance with Jane Austen references. ❤️

Charlotte has made a pact with her friends - no men, only puppies. She’s tired of picking the wrong men and getting her hopes up. She needs to find herself and quit looking for her own Mr Darcy. George moved to the small town hoping for a sense of peace and to find his home. He’s had a crush on his neighbor ever since - too bad she’s always in a relationship. So for now he’s her friend until she’s ready, or until he gives up hope.

These two. I love their friendship so much! George is so sweet and caring, and Charlotte is honestly a force to be reckoned with. They’re both pretty insecure in their own ways but fight for what they want, even if it takes time. I felt so many emotions reading this, it truly was a beautiful story. The epilogue 😍

*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review with my honest opinion.*

[Heather Moll · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know why I picked up this book, and it’s not for the puppies. But when the FMC’s father was compared to Mr Bennet for being kind and caring, I knew I’d have trouble. But I dove in, hoping for hallmark cuteness.

Charlotte is oblivious Emma Woodhouse who has friend-zoned George, the Mr Knightley role—but he’s more of a passive Edward Ferrars than a direct Knightley.

Way too slow, way too much telling. The MCs lacked depth and chemistry and never captured my interest. This is part of a series and I think it’d help to read in order.

Each chapter begins with a quote from an Austen novel—except chapter 17 that attributes a movie quote to her. “We are all fools in love” is not from Austen. It’s from the 2005 P&P movie. This so called Austen fan or her editor should’ve known that.

So then I skimmed the rest to see how it ended and saved myself some time and frustration.

I received an arc from NetGalley

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed all the previous book in the Pine Hollow series and I like this one as well with some reservations. This series takes place in the small Vermont town of Pine Hollow. It isn’t necessary to read the previous book in the series as there isn’t much catching up with the romances from the previous books. Dr. Charlotte (Charles) Rodriguez is a doctor at a senior living center. After realizing her current boyfriend is cheating on her she declares she is making a puppy pact. She is swearing off men and getting herself a puppy. Her golden retriever Bingley is perfect for this Jane Austin obsessed girl.

George Lenegham is a neighbor and also works doing physical therapy at her same senior living center. He has been nursing a crush on her ever since he moved to town 18 months before. He thinks it may finally be time to make a move when he learns she is swearing off men. But she is in need of help training Bing and he is up for the task. But he doesn’t want to stay in the friend zone.

This is a cute, fairly low angst story. The author chooses to write closed doors for intimacy which is fine, but in some of her other books I saw the passion building more before the door closed. And I missed the longing or increase in sexual tension. One of the fun things in the book is Charles love Jane Austin. But this went on and on to where at times I wanted to shake my device and say stop comparing life to fictional characters. (Which is funny considering I’m frustrated with fictional characters for doing that.) But this is a romance and you know things are going to work out.

I thought this might be the end to the series. The original poker group all got romances with the first three books. Charles is the sister of the female lead in book #3 and brings a new group of friends so I can see this series continuing. And even though I didn’t love this one as much I still recommend it and will still look forward to more from Lizzie Shane. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

(3.5 stars)

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book. Ironically this reminds me more of Emma than Pride and Prejudice.
I didn’t realize until after I started this book that it was a series book, it’s actually book 4 in a series. Embarrassingly I even own book 1 and hadn’t read it yet. I mention all of this because I want to say that this book works as a standalone. Clearly there’s backstory between the characters but you don’t feel lost if you start with this book.

Charlotte loves Jane Austen just like her mom did, and in large part because her mom did. She lost her mom when she was only 9.

Charlotte has dated a lot but not found the guy for her. Her friends and sisters have even taken to calling her ex boyfriends “the Darcy’s” . She decides to take a break from dating and get a puppy. She knows a puppy will appreciate her love.

While she’s in her dating break, she starts spending a lot of time with George. She doesn’t know that George has had a crush on her forever and never asked her out because she’s never single long. And now that she is single, she’s on a dating hiatus so he doesn’t ask her out.

Poor George.

They start spending a lot of time together as friends, CHarlotte’s other friends point out that she is “platonically dating” George.

So she continues to try to set George up with everyone which drives poor George crazy. Things get more emotional when Charlotte realizes George might move out of the state. She knows she can’t let him go. She doesn’t want to think too much about why that is. But she realizes in her attempt to avoid dating jerks she might be pushing away the best guy she’s ever met.

I thought this book was cute. I really liked George. I like that we got both George and Charlotte’s perspective on the situation. I liked the Austen references and Charlotte’s friends. And the puppies of course. I loved that George thought arguing over dishes was romantic. My only constructive criticism is that Charlotte started to get on my nerves towards the end of the book. I won’t elaborate because I don’t want to post spoilers. I did enjoy the ending though.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely the cutest!

I was trying to stay away from NetGalley, but as soon as I saw this book I knew I had to have it.

Right from the get go it felt more like the characters were from Emma and not Pride and Prejudice, with George loving Charlotte silently, and always being there for her. And I hoped it would evolve in the same way. It did! and then there was more.

** spoilers ** I was surprised when I noticed at which point of the book I was when George and Charles got together, it intrigued me. The characters were very human and flawed and they had to work on themselves before being able to be happy. I loved how the author made this point: you can love someone but you have to love yourself first. Both Charles and George didn’t trust what the other was seeing because they didn’t love themselves, they felt like they were lacking and these imperfections would end up being their downfall. But - as wise old Howard say - it’s about chemistry… it’s about how we fit together with all our imperfections.

I LOVED the side characters they were all fantastic and real. The author did a fantastic job with them too, they became more than a supporting cast, they had their lives and their voices. They took the space they wanted, they weren’t only there to support but to steal the scene. All of them.

I hope the author will make this into a sort of series and that we get a book about Magda and Mac at least. I also want Kendal to be happy with her job and get her father to listen. I want to know about all the sisters on both sides and about Charles’ father new and last love. I want to know why Charlotte was named Charlotte and why her mom disliked Emma (which i loved!!!).

The only thing that upset me a bit? The fading into black and skipping all the steam. I didn’t feel like the book needed the steam, but I would have liked to know more about how good George was after all these romance books!

[Wendy W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pride & Puppies by Lizzie Shane is the fourth book in her popular Pine Hollow series but can be easily read as a stand-alone. This friends-to-lovers story set in a delightful small town with a couple of sweet dogs made for a delightful feel-good story.

Story Recap:
Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez blames Jane Austen for being single again. She goes for those dark brooding characters and it’s always ended in disaster for Charlotte. She’s sworn off men and decided to focus on her own life and her new puppy, Bingley.

George Leneghan lives next door to Charlotte for the past year and has harbored a little crush on Charlotte. Since George is also a dog owner, he’s the perfect person to give dog advice to Charlotte as she tries to train her very active new puppy. Will spending time together training the dogs keep George in the “friend zone” with Charlotte or will Charlotte and George figure out they have a lot more in common?

My Thoughts:
I loved this sweet romance where the main characters developed a friendship first and then realized there was more. Both Charlotte and George have issues with love, and neither is ready to put their hearts on the line. It was clear that they enjoyed each other’s company and complimented each other’s personalities.

The side characters added to the story and were also a lot of fun to read about. Of course, my favorite side characters were the dogs. Bingley was a cute and energetic puppy and Duke is the older, well-trained dog.

I also enjoyed all the nods to some of the classic Jane Austen novels, and I loved that Hannah was a big fan. George is such a wonderful hero, he never tries to push Hannah, and instead, he waits until she is ready.
Recommendation:
I highly recommend Pride and Puppies to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

[Blessing Bloodworth (naptimereaders) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!!
I found myself enjoying this book more and more the further I got into it. As an Austen-lover myself, I was Instantly hooked by the story’s connection to & the main character’s infatuation with Jane Austen. And the pinpoint Austen quotes to intro each chapter were an added bonus of joy.

The characters had fast & witty dialogue with each other, which actually sounded like conversations real people would have. And the characters themselves were authentic; not perfect, but also not insufferable or annoying. I especially appreciated the MFC’s self awareness of her own shortcomings; characters aren’t often written to be self-aware and so they can easily bother me. But not with this one!

The love story was romantic and sweet, without being unrealistic or idealistic. I appreciate how they actually (eventually) communicated to each other instead of just holding it all in. A precious story of a friend falling for another friend, spending time in unrequited love, waiting for it to be reciprocated - and after pursuing, wooing, and commitment, it is!

Some sparse language, vulgar talk/innuendos, and light acknowledgment of bedroom activity I could’ve done without. But the amount was very small that it didn’t ruin the story.

[Lauren | TransportedLFL · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet, closed door romance. Pride & Puppies takes us back to Pine Hollow, Vermont as the fourth in a series. But this can absolutely be read as a standalone novel. This is one of my very favorite small town romance series. I loved getting the chance to know some of the characters from previous books better here. And George is such a great, romance reading hero!

Charlotte is a doctor, and she works with George, a physical therapist new to the town. She has tried setting him up with lots of women, while she searches for her own Mr. Darcy.

I always love all the puppies in this series. In this book, I was especially pleased by how seriously Charlotte's decision to get a puppy was treated. While she made an impulsive decision to give up men in favor of a puppy, she then spent a month learning about and preparing to be a responsible dog owner.

Just to clarify in case you were wondering from the name, this is not a Pride and Prejudice adaptation. Instead, it features a heroine who loves all things Jane Austen. Each chapter starts with a quote from Jane Austen, and her books are celebrated. As a fellow Jane Austen lover, I loved it.

Thank you to Forever for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

4.5 stars rounded up

[Addie Whelan · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I was given an ARC by NetGalley in exchange for this review.

Oh my gosh. Combining two of the best things in the world - Jane Austen and a sweet, baby soft puppy. I absolutely loved this so much. I found myself laughing, tearing up, excited to know what happened next and so much more.

What I really loved about Pride & Puppies was that I actually didn’t feel like I knew what was happening next. There wasn’t a stereotypical piece of the puzzle because i felt like things could go so many ways. I loved the external plots happening, in fact, I must now go and pick up more of the authors works.

The writing in this was beautiful, reminded me of Gilmore Girls in a way and just had me wanting to keep going and keep going. I loved Charlotte and George’s story and I may eventually need to get a doggo named Bingley.

[Caitlin (CMAReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Forever Publishing for the free book.
It was so good to be back in Pine Hollow, this time with Charlotte and George. I adored their friendship and exploration of a relationship. I liked how they both pined and has hesitations - everything felt so realistic. This book also did a great job of exploring sibling hood in adulthood. Some of my favorite parts of the book centered around George and his sisters. There were also so many lovable dogs and little glimpses of the characters from the first three books. This book is definitely Jane Austen heavy, and if that's your thing, you are going to adore all of the little hints and references. I have only read one Austen book, so I didn't get all of the little winks, but that didn't detract from my reading experience. I hope there are more books coming in this lovely town because I could spend a lot more time here with all of these amazing characters.

[Stephanie Estrada]

Pride & Puppies follows Charlotte, a Jane Austen fanatic/doctor who has had enough of the modern dating scene, as she navigates life after having sworn off men for the foreseeable future. Her solution to the problem? Adopting a dog. Meanwhile, her fellow doctor and friend, George, is crushing on her hard.

Pride & Puppies gives a fresh take on the workplace romance and was reminiscent of so many Hallmark movies people have come to know and love. It is a sweet friends-to-lovers novel that is perfect for fans of Jane Austen. Anyone looking for a clean, romantic read will surely enjoy this one!