Santa Puppy

by Lynn Cahoon

Santa Puppy
A short and sweet novella
With a Christmas-grumpy Jill
And her handsome, supportive boyfriend Greg.
Live Christmas trees.
Family and friends.
A cookie exchange.
Older rescue dogs needing a new forever home.
Christmas party in support of the animal shelter.
A homeless man’s search for the woman of his dreams
And a magical Santa flitting in and out of Jill’s vision.
Merry Christmas to all!

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Lyrical Underground (Kensington Press) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: A Tourist Trap Novella with recipe for Russian Tea Cakes appended

Publication: November 6, 2018—Kensington Press (Lyrical Underground)

Memorable Lines:

I reached out and ran my hand over a tree’s needles. They were soft, and the smell that covered my hand was Christmas in a bottle.

For a lot of years, celebrating the holidays just brought on memories of a past we couldn’t recreate. This year, with the addition of friends and loved ones it felt like the holidays again.

“Regrets are just a way of not dealing with today. You can’t change the past, now, can you?”

Santa Puppy by Lynn Cahoon is novella number 9.75 in A Tourist Trap series. Jill Gardner who owns Coffee, Books, and More has agreed to host Christmas Adopt-a-pet party. Jill takes on another mystery, finding information about the human of a terrier dog names Baby, who's owner died of a heart attack. I enjoyed this short book, but I prefer this author's full size novels. I recommend this novella for a quick, fun Christmas story.

I was given a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.

Christmas Themed Two Hour Mystery
This is a sweet and cozy mystery that is part of the Tourist Trap series. It is short, not quite 100 pages. It is a cute story that is totally believable. It is filled with Dogs, Santa, Christmas Cookies and love. I received this book for free and this is my honest review.

Jill is going to host an adoption event for the local animal shelter. But, first, her boyfriend has to help her wash thirty dogs...

Lyrical allowed me to read this book for review (thank you). It has just been published, so you can grab a copy now.

Jill keeps seeing Santa around but no one else does. Is she seeing things?

Then she finds a little dog that makes her fall in love with him. She finds out his previous owner died. But was it really of natural causes? What amazes her is how many people knew him. As she gathers information, she's not sure it's making things clearer.

I liked the touch of Santa and how things worked out with the little dog. To me, that added to the authenticity of the story. (Yes, I believe in magic.)

This is a novella and doesn't take too long to read but it's very enjoyable. Give it a try!

I love this series, the town and the characters in it are so real. I feel like I'm catching up with old friends everytime I get to read another story. In this story Christmas is coming, Jill and friends are helping the local animal shelter. When Jill becomes attached to a little dog called Baby she finds out how he ended up in the shelter, and that leaves to another mystery.

I have a soft spot in my heart for animals and especially the ones that don't have loving homes, this story brought a tear to my eye.


Thank you to Netgalley and Lyrical press for a copy of this story to read and review.

Santa Puppy is a sweet novella by Lynn Cahoon. It is a great addition to the Tourist Trap Mystery series.
It is a heartwarming story perfect for the holiday season with a little romance, a little mystery, and a touch of sadness. It hits all the bases for real life.
Santa Puppy is an easy read. When I started reading it, I did not want to put it down. The characters and setting are great and though it is part of the Tourist Trap series, it can be a stand alone. Great novella for animal lovers.
I was given an ARC by Netgalley and Kensington for an honest review.

A quick, cozy read, this is a good introduction to Lynn Calhoon. I may need to read the previous 8 or so books in the series to get the full experience but I still enjoyed this novella.

Santa Puppy
By: Lynn Cahoon
Kensington Books – Lyrical Press
4 Stars

Jill Gardner and her friends are back in this holiday story of the Tourist Trap Mysteries series. This time they are getting ready for their Christmas party which will include animals for adoption from the local animal shelter. The gang goes to the shelter ahead of time to help wash the pets to get them all cleaned up for adoption. While there, Jill falls in love with a dog named Baby. His owner was found dead on the beach with Baby sitting by his side. Jill seeks to find out more information about the owner in hopes of placing Baby into the right hands.

This book is a novella, and it is a quick, fun read. It can easily be read in one setting. There is not really any new character development of the main players in this series. That works for this novella though, because the story centers around Baby, his owner, their story, and of course the true meaning of Christmas. There is a small, mystical element to the story that I found unnecessary but not distracting. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to those who love holiday stories and cozy mysteries.

Thanks to Net Galley and Kensington Book for an ARC of this book. #NetGalley #SanttaPuppy

This is a cute, heart-warming Christmas novella with characters I have grown to know and love. It is Christmas time in South Cove California and Jill Gardner is planning to host an adopt-a-pet event at the bookstore. As she is meeting the animals that are being featured, she learns about the death of a homeless man and his small dog left behind. When Jill finds a key hidden in the dog's collar, they find a journal and money left to his childhood sweetheart. This piques Jill's interest and she sets out to find his sweetheart. This is a quick story, but it has a wonderful Christmas message, as well as interesting information about Veterans and their hardships. There is a bit of magic, and a couple of twists that will surprise the reader. I highly recommend this addition to The Tourist Trap Mystery series, whether you have read any of the other books or not. It is a sweet Christmas Novella. The publisher, Kensington Publishers, generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

Jill Gardner and her friends are helping out at the local animal shelter for the holidays. One dog in particular, Baby, catches her attention. Baby is an older dog, brought into the shelter when her homeless dog dad died of a heart attack. But Baby has a mystery surrounding her and Jilly wants to figure it out.
A very fast read, this is actually one of the better novellas in the series. Just a touch of magical realism that was a little iffy for my but overall a nice read.

Four stars
This novella came out November 6
ARC provided by NetGalley; Opinion is my own

Jill Gardner plans an adopt-a-pet Christmas party at her bookstore/coffee house in South Cove, California. Jill is drawn to Baby, a ten-year-old terrier whose owner was found dead on the beach the week before. Jill is determined to find a home for Baby, as well as learn more about Baby's owner and what happened to him so there is closure for everyone before Christmas.

"Santa Puppy" is part of the Tourist Trap Mystery series. I've read some of the other books in this series, but this holiday-themed novella is a perfect introduction to readers new to the series. At the center of this book is a love story about a military veteran who knew gave up trying to find the love of his life. His death wasn't a murder, but Jill wants to find his lost love, as well as a home for his dog, Baby, and won't stop until she does. I love how dedicated Jill is to her business, her friends and family, and helping others. Her attitude is perfect for a holiday story.

The story also focuses on people getting over past losses and making new holiday traditions with friends and loved ones. Reading about Jill make preparations for Christmas from decorating her tree to baking cookies will get you into the Christmas spirit. There is a happy ending in store for many of the pets in the animal shelter, but a bittersweet ending to the story of the veteran and the woman he loved.

I really enjoyed reading "Santa Puppy." This short, fast-paced novella isn't about a murder investigation, but new and returning readers alike will enjoy seeing Jill get ready for Christmas while solving a touching mystery.

I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Kensington Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Jill finds herself taken by a dog named Baby and determined to know the story of his owner, Thomas, a homeless man. A safe deposit box key found in Baby's collar leads Jill down a surprising path. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a lovely novella with a good positive message (and a cookie recipe).

Santa Puppy is the latest addition to Lynn Cahoon’s Tourist Trap Mysteries. It is the Christmas season, and as part of the festivities Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More, is set to host a Christmas adopt-a-pet party. Her group of friends, including her beau, South Cove’s police detective Greg King, meet at the animal shelter that will be bringing the animals for adoption, to bathe and get the pets ready for the event. A new inhabitant at the shelter, a 10 year old terrier called Baby, was brought in when his owner was found dead of natural causes on the beach.

From Baby’s tattered collar a small key falls, thus opening a mystery to be solved. What is learned about the homeless veteran is the basis for the remainder of the story. Exploring such topics as homeless veterans, interracial relationships, and the placement of senior pets, this is a touching holiday tale that will leave you with a sense of satisfaction. I did enjoy this novella and would recommend it.

A touching novella that will put you in the holiday spirit. When Jill Gardener is volunteering at a local pet shelter giving dogs a bath she discovers a key in a dogs collar. This dog had belonged to an unknown homeless man who had died on the beach. The question now becomes what does the key belong to and will it help determine the man's identity?

This story is part of A Tourist Trap Mystery series but it could easily be read as a stand alone. Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Santa Puppy is the latest installment in Lynn Cahoon’s Tourist Trap Mysteries. This novella is a quick and easy read that can easily be read as a standalone. Ms. Cahoon’s writing style flows smoothly at a steady pace in this well-written story, with well-developed and affable characters.

Jill Gardner owns Coffee, Books, and More in the quaint small town of South Cove, California. She’s hosting an adopt-a-pet event and she and her boyfriend, Detective Greg King, join her best friend, Amy, and her boyfriend, Justin, her aunt, Jackie, and her boyfriend, Harrold, to help groom and dogs for the event. While at Bakerstown Shelter, a sweet ten-year-old male terrier named Baby catches Jill’s eyes. She learns Baby’s owner was a homeless man who recently passed away from a heart attack on the beach and her heart is breaking for Baby. When Jill takes Baby’s collar off, she finds a key and asks Greg to try to find out what it goes to. Greg learns the homeless man’s name was Thomas Raleigh and that he left a journal, plus a letter and lots of money for a woman named Lizzy, the love of his life. After reading the letter and journal, Jill’s determined to find out what happened to him and to make sure Baby has a new “forever home,” even if it’s with her.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

One of my favorite amateur sleuths is back. Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books and More, finds herself in the middle of another mystery. She is hosting a local adopt-a-pet function and her heart is breaking for Baby, a male terrier whose owner recently died.

Baby’s owner was a homeless man. Jill is sure there is more to his story than they know about. She vows to find out what happened to the man and to make sure Baby has a new “forever home”. Little did she know, she’d be delving into the past and uncovering some surprising things.

Yay! A new entry into the “A Tourist Trap Mystery Series”. I love this series so much and this is another wonderful addition to it. Santa Puppy is a novella and a fast read.

This book tore my heart apart. Lynn Cahoon, once again, gives her readers an amazing story in a small package. Although it’s a short read, it’s not short on emotion. I found myself crying at the end. This is a quick read for the holidays. It’s a true “feel good” read and perfect for this time of year. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series. Since the book brought me to tears, I can’t help but give it five stars.

This short story was very straightforward and wholesome but it didn’t add anything to the series or deepen character relationships. It’s just not worth reading.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for this review.

Knowing in advance that this was a novella I didn't expect much and was richly rewarded. I miss the full length Tourist Trap mysteries, but this fulfilled my need to visit South Cove and Jill, Greg and the crew. Jill starts out the Christmas season with a negative attitude and some mystical 'sightings' of Santa quickly put her on a proper path to the proper spirit for the season. A puppy, a key to a safe deposit box and live Christmas trees start a chain of events that help Jill to participate with the true meaning of Christmas. I highly recommend this delightful Christmas story.

An enjoyable Christmas time novella set in South Cove with Jill and her friends. Jill is getting ready for the holidays when a homeless man is found dead on the beach with only his dog. Jill would love to find his dog a home by researching the man's past and discovers a few secrets.

This is a cute book with a happy ending. Thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am really enjoying this series. This is only the second book I've read by this author, but I never felt lost about what had happened in previous books. The characters and fun and I'd love to be able to visit the town of South Cove, California. I plan on adding this author to my TBR pile as well.

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review.