Book Review: The Twelve Dogs of Christmas (Pine Hollow #1) by Lizzie Shane

I am thrilled to share my first holiday book review of the season. The Twelve Dogs of Christmas was so entertaining and sweet, it immediately pulled me in. From the characters to the dogs to the town, there was nothing about this heartwarming romance I didn't love. It's not to be missed!

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas (Pine Hollow #1) by Lizzie Shane

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.

5 out of 5 stars

I feel like I waited all year for this story and I didn't even realize I was waiting for it. I loved this book so much! This story filled my heart and made me laugh and cry. I was immediately pulled in and loved how everything unfolded. There was an excellent build as Ally and Ben came together and I was caught up in the wonderful dialogue and amazing moments. And the dogs! Oh my, the dogs! They were the sweetest!

Ally and Ben were incredible. I loved learning about them and understanding where they were at in their lives. I loved them meeting, the tension, and how everything evolved. Ben was so sweet and determined to do everything right for his niece. I loved Ally and her big heart and how she was trying to find her place in life. I loved the friendship they developed and how their feelings grew. I really liked their internal struggles and the personal battles they were fighting. There was so much emotion happening but also these incredibly fun, charming scenes that had me smiling. It gave me such a feeling of hope and healing. I loved the personal growth they both experienced.

The writing was superb. It had such a great flow and I was hooked the entire time. It was entertaining, emotional, and heartfelt. I loved the layers and depth, and the amazing build. There were just so many touching things, I couldn't get enough. There was a fabulous slow burn happening that I really enjoyed as well. The dogs were fantastic and added so much to the story! There were so many great scenes with them that made me smile. There was a great cast of characters too. Ben’s niece and friends, Ally's grandparents and the friends she made, and the gossipy yet well-meaning townspeople. They all made the story so inviting.

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is the first in a series and I thought it was an excellent way to kick things off. I love the world the author created with the wonderful cast of characters and I am thrilled there will be more stories in Pine Hollow. This was an exceptional feel-good read that’s not to be missed!

Complimentary copy received from Forever Romance for review.

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.