Advent Reads Day 10: The Dogs of Christmas by W. Bruce Cameron

Read for: Advent Reads & Mount TBR

Synopsis: "While nursing a broken heart, Josh Michaels is outraged when a neighbor abandons his very pregnant dog, Lucy, at Josh's Colorado home. But Josh can't resist Lucy's soulful brown eyes, and though he's never had a dog before, he's determined to do the best he can for Lucy—and her soon-to-arrive, bound-to-be-adorable puppies.

Soon in over his head, Josh calls the local animal shelter for help, and meets Kerri, a beautiful woman with a quick wit and a fierce love for animals. As Kerri teaches Josh how to care for Lucy's tiny puppies and gets them ready to be adopted through the shelter's "Dogs of Christmas" program, Josh surprises himself by falling for her.

But he's fallen even harder for his new furry family, which has brought incredible joy into Josh's life. He barely has time to sit down, between chasing after adventurous Sophie and brave Oliver, but when he does, his lap is quickly filled by the affectionate Lola. And Rufus and Cody's strong bond makes Josh wonder about his own relationships with his family.

With Christmas and the adoption date looming, Josh finds himself wondering if he can separate himself from his beloved puppies. At odds with Kerri, Josh isn't willing to lose her, but doesn't know how to set things right. Can a surprise litter of Christmas puppies really change one man's life?

W. Bruce Cameron's The Dogs of Christmas is a charming and heartwarming holiday tale that explores the power of love, trust, and a basket full of puppies."

My Review: This was a holiday story that animal lovers will really enjoy. It has a Christmas feel, features sweet dogs and a bit of romance. I do admit that the main character, Josh, was a bit difficult to connect with, he wasn't particularly likable; he was definitely a bit selfish and self-centered, and oddly enough that doesn't seem to go away throughout the story. The other character featured is Kerri, and she is definitely much more my type of character but we only see her when they are interacting. With that said, the stars of course are the dogs and I really fell for them. Throughout the story, we are taken on quite the emotional roller-coaster, we experience the full spectrum from anger and sadness to joy and grief, it was all packed into a story that can be enjoyed in a sitting or two.

My Rating: Of course, anytime you put dogs in a Christmas story you will get me to read it! I did enjoy this one thanks to the dogs but the human characters weren't quite to my liking. It was still a really enjoyable story and I give it a rating of Three Paws and a Stump Wag!