Yes, I picked this book because of the cover. I am not exactly sure what genre this fits into. It is a detective/K-9 story but there is a mystery, a bit or romance and a lot of self-doubt and deprecation. Andrea is a hard working police detective who works with her K-9 dog, Justice. Justice showed up at her home two years earlier and she worked with him to train him to become a drug sniffing dog. One night when they return home, Justice takes off barking into the woods beside their home. With a high pitched shriek, Justice is stabbed and the person who did it comes after Andrea. She has to protect herself and make a split second decision. Andrea's life is about to change big time because the attacker was a teenager and neighbor, and she is now being charged with murder in the media and the public. Andrea is relieved of duty while Tom, a deputy sheriff, investigates the event to see if it is a justified shooting or not.

The story alternates between Andrea and Tom's point of view. The neighbor who she barely knew stabbed Justice before charging at her with his knife, and she doesn't understand why he would have done this. Then we have to deal with the reality that is the public and the media, the human rush to judgement. With a few keystrokes, the press has Andrea as the perpetrator and the attacker is now the victim. Even the shell-shocked Andrea has her doubts and questions her reaction. Tom worked very hard to remain fair and unbiased, even though there was some history between them. I felt so bad for Andrea. She had so much doubt about her actions and whether or not she made the right decision. She was also heartbroken about the injuries to Justice. She was a good cop, who worked hard to do what is right and she has her heart ripped out. This book brings up a lot of questions about the media and how they spin popular opinion. The issue of victim and perpetrator and who decides which role is which. Death by cop or abuse of power by police officers. There are a lot of things to think about in this book, one that I felt was not really dealt with is the fact that as a K-9, Justice is a police officer, yet that did not seem to be a factor in the unravelling of the shooting. I really enjoyed the story and just wished there were some things addressed after the conclusions found by the investigation. The publisher, Kensington Publishing, generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, opinions and ideas shared are my own.

Having recently finished “A Healing Justice” by Kristin von Kreisler, I am happy to have had the chance for the preview; thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corporation!

This story did not receive as many stars from me as I hoped it would. The German shepherd on the cover grabbed me right away, but I did not warm up to the main character, Andie and her chapters of the story at all. I wanted to sympathize with her situation, but her “woe is me” attitude went on for too long for me. She was written as depressed, bitter and angry, and that is how I felt when I was reading her parts of the story.
The alternating chapters spent with Tom, the investigating officer, were the most interesting parts of the book for me. His bits of wisdom and observations made sense; he was working toward an answer and trying to find an explanation for the attack.
Another “eh” part of the story for me for some reason was when Justice’s thoughts were interpreted in italics as if Andie knew what he was actually thinking. It seemed like filler and a bit repetitive at times. I’m definitely a shepherd fan, but not a total fan of this book.

In a few minutes, police officer Andrea Brady’s life changed forever. She arrived home one evening after a long work shift, along with her loving K9, Justice, and found someone in her yard. Andie recognized the youth as a boy who lived in the neighborhood, from whom she had once bought a ticket years before. This boy, Christopher, slashed Justice almost to death and started after Andie, who ended up shooting him. When Christopher died enroute to the hospital, the local force began an investigation into the incident. Andie no longer had control of her life. The investigating officer, Tom, probed every place a lead took him, but all he found was what appeared to be a “choir boy”—no one could figure out any motive for his actions that night. Finally, Andie was cleared by the force, but the memory of that night lingered on with her, taking on many of the well-known aspects of PTSD and totally affecting her life. Though he had found Andie was justified in her actions that night, Tom continued to look for any explanation about what led to Christopher’s actions that night, until he had just about exhausted all avenues. Then, with some luck, he found clues about what had been going on with Christopher and a possible explanation for his actions. Meanwhile, Andie and Justice continued on with life, trying to figure out themselves what had happened and how to somehow bring some closure to all this.

I think this is a fantastic book for any dog lover, as Justice really personifies what I know is a real dog, not some canine character in a book. The author surely knew a lot about dogs and how they act/react and managed to bring it all right into the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the snippets of Justices’ ideas/thoughts as they appeared throughout the story, as they gave me a better picture of how Andie and Justice, in particular, were faring, while helping to fill in cracks and smooth out the story and provided a good insight into their personalities. I did not particularly like the investigating officer Tom a lot, especially at the start of the book, though I am not sure the reader was supposed to like him. There were some hints of a budding romance or even just a friendship between Andie and Tom, but not much. The story really focused on Andie and Justice and their reaction to this incident and their lives trying to reconcile themselves with everything that occurred. The ending was a bit different, a bit of a surprise and one that I have not found in any other book. Kudos to the author for that creativity—and for her ability to tie together this traumatic incident, while providing a good glimpse on a police officer’s life before and after the incident and especially about the bond Andie and Justice shared. This is a book that will stay with me long after reading. I have not read anything else by the author, but, as impressed as I was with her powerful style and story line, I will seek out other works she has written, for I think they will be well worth reading. I also hope this will the start of a series, so she can continue the story of Andie and her canine buddy Justice in other books. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

This was a very hard book for this animal lover to read as the dog is injured . However it was a good book and a very heartfelt story to read. For sensitive people you may have to skip the crime where the dog is shot. .I found it to difficult to read and very emotional..
This is the story of a police officer and her dog who are attacked at her home. When the dog protects her he is shot and she kills the teenager. The aftermath for her is horrific with the media dubbing her a child killer and her job gone and suffering with her dog fighting for its life.

Its a well told story of starting over, of the great love for an animal and how we begin again after trauma. I did enjoy reading the story. I give it 5 stars for the authors compassion.

Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my honest review..

This book first attracted me when I saw the German shepherd on the cover. That's my breed of choice, so Justice had my heart from the beginning! Author KVK's plot translates to the reader all of the fears a police officer must face each day. From the threat of an injured 'partner' to the evidence which points in all the wrong directions. She is put on leave and being investigated by an officer with whom she has an uncomfortable past. Loving this book, I now have to go back and discover the author's prior books!

My appreciation to Kensington, Ms. von Kreisler and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and offer an honest review of this book.

Paraphrasing one of this months’ titles: “Oh, my stars.” It just happens that this women’s fiction column is almost all Christmas stories (I think there is one that isn’t). Which is fine and dandy — because you can read them now, then read them again in December or put them back and pull out one of these heartwarming tales when you just can’t bake another batch of cookies, or wrap another present, or decorate another room. Still, no matter the season, all explore the gift of love and friendship.
The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan
What it’s about:
In the snowy Highlands of Scotland, Suzanne McBride is dreaming of the perfect cozy Christmas. Her three adopted daughters are coming home for the holidays and she can’t wait to see them. But tensions are running high…
Workaholic Hannah knows she can’t avoid spending the holidays with her family two years in a row. But it’s not the weight of their expectations that’s panicking her—it’s the life-changing secret she’s hiding. Stay-at-home mom Beth is having a personal crisis. All she wants for Christmas is time to decide if she’s ready to return to work—seeing everyone was supposed to help her stress levels, not increase them! Posy isn’t sure she’s living her best life, but with her parents depending on her, making a change seems risky. But not as risky as falling for gorgeous new neighbor Luke…
As Suzanne’s dreams of the perfect McBride Christmas unravel, she must rely on the magic of the season to bring her daughters together. But will this new togetherness teach the sisters that their close-knit bond is strong enough to withstand anything—including a family Christmas?
The right stuff: Complex family relationships caused by past trauma are resolved in this heartwarming tale. Perfect assembled cast of characters. (See an excerpt on HEA from The Christmas Sisters.)
The Christmas Star by Donna VanLiere
What it’s about:
Thirty-two-year-old Amy Denison volunteers at Glory’s Place, an after school program where she meets seven-year-old Maddie, a precocious young girl who has spent her childhood in foster care. Unbeknownst to Amy, Maddie is a mini-matchmaker, with her eye on just the right man for Amy at Grandon Elementary School, where she is a student. Amy is hesitant – she’s been hurt before, and isn’t sure she’s ready to lose her heart again – but an unexpected surprise makes her reconsider her lonely lifestyle.
As Christmas nears and the town is blanketed in snow and beautiful decorations, Maddie and the charming staff at Glory’s Place help Amy to see that romance can be more than heartache and broken promises.
In The Christmas Star, Donna VanLiere delivers yet another sweet, joyous story that is sure to capture readers’ hearts.
The right stuff: Christian romance book with a heartfelt message of new beginnings and a wonderful second-chance-at-love story.
What Happened to Us? by Faith Hogan
What it’s about:
Sometimes the end is only the beginning…
After ten years together, Carrie Nolan is devastated when she’s dumped by her hot-shot chef boyfriend, Kevin Mulvey without even a backwards glance! But on reflection, she has sacrificed her own long-term happiness by pandering to his excessive ego in their successful Dublin restaurant (and out of it) – but not anymore!
While Kevin is ‘living the dream’ with his beautiful new Brazilian girlfriend, Carrie seeks solace from a circle of mismatched strangers who need her as much as she needs them.
With Christmas just around the corner, all is not quite as it seems and a catastrophic sequence of events leads to the unthinkable.
How far do you need to fall before you learn the true value of family and friends? And is it ever too late to start again…
The right stuff: Spot-on feel-good book. Great characters, wonderful serendipitous reunion and a special bit of karma.
A Healing Justice
by Kristin von Kreisler
What it’s about:
Two years ago, police officer Andrea Brady fell madly in love with a black-muzzled, slightly rumpled German shepherd who showed up at her house one misty autumn day. Now, with the brave and intuitive Justice as her expert K-9 drug sniffer, she’s found an unbeatable partner. Then the unthinkable happens. A savage attack leaves a teenager dead and Andie trapped in every cop’s worst nightmare. Placed on administrative leave, she’s pursued by media and investigated by a deputy sheriff whose handling of the high-profile case could earn him a coveted promotion.
Haunted by self-doubt, Andie is in danger of losing everything—her career, her freedom, and the critically injured dog who’s her soul mate. But as she finds kind allies in her Puget Sound island community, the road back becomes a journey of healing for both Andie and her canine companion. And Andie learns important lessons about justice—and about Justice—as she struggles to find the courage to forgive herself and reclaim the gift of her life …
The right stuff: Perfect homage to people in law enforcement, exploring the split decisions that they must make. Another pet lovers’ delight, along with enticing developing romantic relationship.
Oh My Stars by Sally Kilpatrick
What it’s about:
A heartwarming, hilarious Christmas story with a Southern twist.
Like most things in Ellery, Tennessee, this year’s Drive Thru Nativity is a little unconventional. The Dollar General parking lot doubles as a Bethlehem stable, and widowed writer Ivy Long, who’s been roped into playing Mary, sure as heck isn’t a virgin. But then comes an unexpected development: a genuine, real-life baby left in the manger, with only a brief note. And somehow, in the kerfuffle that follows, Ivy finds her life is about to change …
The holidays are a bittersweet time for Ivy—filled with memories of her beloved late husband and reminders that life doesn’t always offer the happily-ever-afters her readers expect. So when Ivy ends up with custody of the baby, she can only chalk it up to a Christmas miracle. She doesn’t know if it will be forever, but with help from family, she’ll make little Zuzu’s first Christmas a good one. The nativity’s Joseph, aka Gabe Ledbetter, has a pediatrics background that’s coming in mighty handy. In turn, Ivy is helping Gabe find his place in the quirky community. If that place turns out to be somewhere near Ivy, well, maybe this particular Christmas story will turn out to be merry and bright after all …
The right stuff: Down-on-their-luck characters get a second chance at love and new beginnings. Quirky and fun with the right amount of pathos!
Mutts and Mistletoe by Natalie Cox
What it’s about:
Thirty-one-year-old Charlie isn’t in the mood for Christmas cheer...
Her boyfriend has left her for his personal trainer, her mother has absconded with her latest husband for the holidays, and—adding insult to (literal) injury—her London apartment has just been destroyed by a gas leak. Single, mildly concussed and temporarily homeless, Charlie realizes there’s only one place to go: Cozy Canine Cottages, where she’ll spend the season looking after her cousin Jez’s doggy day care center. And if she’s not exactly a dog person, well, no one has to know…
But her plans for a quiet Christmas in a quaint country village are quickly dashed. Peggy the pregnant beagle and Malcolm the anxious Great Dane seem determined to keep her up all night. A strange man has been casing her cousin’s house. And where is Cal, the unbearably patronizing but disturbingly handsome local vet, when she needs him?
As the days tick down to Christmas, Charlie’s life has never felt so out of control—but with some help from her new four-legged friends, she just might learn a thing or two about living in the moment, embracing the unexpected and opening herself up to love…
The right stuff: Looking for a little bit zany and a bit of armchair traveling? Then this is the perfect book for you. Pets, humor and romance!
Christmas at the Cat Café
by Melissa Daley
What it’s about:
The town of Stourton-on-the-Hill has its very own cat café. Resident cat Molly, and her kittens, live here in feline paradise, while owner Debbie serves the locals home-made goodies. But even in the most idyllic surroundings, things don’t always go according to plan …
When Debbie’s heartbroken sister Linda arrives at the café, Debbie insists she move in. But Linda is not alone, and the cats are devastated with the arrival of Linda’s dog, Beau. Sadly, Beau’s arrival is not the only bombshell – now Molly’s home is also under threat when a rival cat moves in on her turf.
With Christmas approaching, Molly is unsettled, barely roused by the promise of tinsel to play with. Fearing for her feline family she hopelessly stares out of the café window searching for an answer. Only a Christmas miracle could bring everyone together.
The right stuff: While this is the second book in a series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. Think cozy, because that is exactly what this story is. Put your own cat in your lap and enjoy!
Leigh Davis is a former contributor to Heroes and Heartbreakers. When she is not reading, she’s usually outside throwing balls to her insatiable dogs. She loves hearing and talking about great books. You can connect with her on Twitter and Goodreads.
MORE ON HEA: See more posts by Leigh

4.5 Stars

Yes, I picked this book because of the cover. This is the second book I picked this week because of a German Shepard on the cover.
Andrea is a hard working cop with her police dog Justice, a dog she found (or who found her) two years before. One night, they are attacked in their back yard. In a matter of seconds, Andrea has to protect herself and make a split second decision. What happens is a well written, thought provoking, and button pushing story that grabbed me and sometimes made my blood pressure rise. And Andrea's life is about to change big time because the attacker was a teenager and neighbor.
The story alternates between Andrea and Tom's point of view. Andrea is relieved of duty while the case is investigated. The neighbor who she barely knew stabbed Justice before charging at her with his knife. Then we have to deal with modern reality. The human rush to judgement-by neighbors and the "press". With a few keystrokes, the press has Andrea as the perpetrator and the attacker is now the victim. If its in print, it must be true, right? Even the shell-shocked Andrea has her doubts and questioning her reaction. Tom was iffy at first, Andrea had turned down a date with him a few years before so I hoped he was going to be fair and unbiased.
I felt for Andrea who had a good heart and cared about her community as she has to deal with the public and the "victims" parents. Tom comes through and I can't reveal anymore about the whys involved. I really enjoyed the story and just wished there were some things addressed after the conclusions found by the investigation, like some much owed apologies. JMO.
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The cover of this thoughtful book suggests it's a lighthearted story of a woman and her dog- but it's about more than that. Justice, the dog, is wounded by a teenager who springs from Andy's bushes when the two of them return home after a shift as police officers. The teen, Christopher, then heads at Andy with a knife and she shoots and kills him. This book is about the aftermath. Tom is assigned to do the review; he's a single dad who finally admits to himself that he finds Andy intriguing. He does not, however, let this influence his investigation, which reveals that the teen who they were initially told was a good boy had more going on than others realized. There are occasional oddities in the syntax here (Put down the gun vice put the gun down springs to mind) but thumbs up for an author who correctly uses a Garrity warning, not once but twice. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a little deeper than I expected it to be. It's a very good read.

If it’s a dog book, you can bet your bottom dollar I’m going to read it. A Healing Justice concerns a K9 team of female officer and her GSD partner who are involved in an officer involved shooting.

The book is told from multiple perspectives, not just Andrea’s, but Tom’s, the officer brought in to investigate the incident. Von Kreisler does a good job describing the shock that comes from such a devastating ordeal and the long road necessary for Andrea to truly heal.

The book takes place in the present day, so there is lots of controversy about an OIS. The media goes wild. People on the street think it’s okay to go after Andrea. So often we only hear the media painting the police as the bad guys. I appreciated how well Von Kreisler represented the trauma the police face in those few seconds available to make a decision.

The book works best when describing how Justice and Andrea relate to each other and work together. But I had real trouble with the author planting thoughts in Justice’s Head. It went a little too far in anthropomorphizing Justice.

The mystery concerning why Christopher attacked Andrea lacked suspense. The revelations could be seen coming a mile off, although how Tom handled the investigation seemed realistic. Overall, a decent but not gripping book.

My thanks to netgalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy of this novel.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of A Healing Justice by Kristin von Keisler that I read and reviewed.
I did enjoy this book even though I was a bit disappointed by the end. I wish that the author would have wrapped up the relationship between Andrea and Tom and bit better. It was a bit rushed in my opinion but a again that was just how I felt.
Overall, this was a good story and it was a sweet relationship between a dog and his handler. I really enjoyed how well that story played out throughout the book and how the author kept telling things through Justice's point as well as the human's as well.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I am giving it three out of five stars.

This is a phenomenal story about love and healing after a terrible shooting. When I saw the beautiful dog on the cover and read the blurb, I just had to read this. While not necessarily in my genre it does have some suspense to it. Andre Brady, a police officer, has found a one of a kind k-9 that actually found her and she named him Justice. After training Justice to be a drug sniffing dog, he and Andrea became partners at work and together at home. As fate would have it, one night after work they arrive home. The outside lights are off and Justice senses something. After getting out of the car and looking around the house, Justice corners a man and then there is a yelp from him. Andrea knows something is wrong and pulls out her service pistol. The man tries to attack her and she shoots him. Will Justice survive? That is literal as well as physical. Love, honor, and justice is all entwined in this beautifully written novel.


5 out of 5 ⭐️

A Healing Justice by Kristin von Kreisler is a general fiction title that has a bit of mystery to it and a whole lot of emotion. This is the story of one female police officer’s struggle to overcome the aftermath of a shooting.

Andrea Brady is a police officer that fell in love with a stray German Shepard that had wandered into her yard. When the owner was no where to be found she adopted Justice herself and began his training program. Two years later the pair were partners at home and on the job.

One night after a particularly long shift Andrea and Justice pull in to find the outside lights out at the house. Justice immediately jumps to attention and corners a man in the yard. Before Andrea knows it Justice is yelping in pain and the man runs and tries to attack her so she pulls her gun and shoots.

The story then follows the investigation and aftermath of that night by switching the point of view between Andrea and the investigating officer. Obviously there is a lot of emotional turmoil involved for everyone during the entire read and a bit of mystery to just why everything happened the way it had that night. A completely compelling story that had me engaged from the opening pages and one I’d definitely recommend.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Light and enjoyable but I didn't feel the author got the truth of being a cop across. The author did being knowledge of shepherds clearly to the reader. I could feel what he went through

A heartwarming story about a policewoman and her K-9 companion. Andrea Brady has been on the San Julian police force for seven years. For the past two years, a German Shepherd that wandered on to Andrea’s yard has become part of her life. No one claimed the shepherd and as dogs had been abandoned before in the area, Andrea kept him and named him Justice…it was love at first sight. After training, Justice has served her and the department faithfully as a drug sniffing K-9 officer. One night a local teenager attacked Andrea and Justice as they returned home and life for Andrea would never be the same. Justice was severely injured in the attack and Andrea is left dealing with the nightmare as she is hounded by the press and others who want her to be at fault. She will have to dig deep to heal with the help of Justice and her department. There is so much heartfelt emotion as Andrea describes the uncertainty she feels as to whether there was anything different that she could have done. She feels guilty for taking a life even though deep down she knows it was the only way for her to survive. I loved the way Ms. von Kreisler gives Justice a voice in the story…his thoughts about the events that happen adds a sincere touch of humor. Whether you are an animal lover or not (I am), this is an amazing and thought provoking read. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to give an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

All I have to say is wow. This book just amazed me and I will be looking fir more novels from this author.
Andie and her K9 are involved in an off duty altercation. The book goes through the motions of will Justice survive. Can Andy live through the guilt?

Phenomenal story. I literally couldn’t put this down.