Will’s gran always suckers him into helping her and this time its a puppy who is super huge. He gets into mischief like leaving the house and he winds up meeting jis new neighbor this way. Through the trouble of Harley, Will and Macie fall in love and decide later to adopt Harley because Will realizes how much he would miss Harley if he took him back after the holidays.

I just love all holiday stories and these 3 in the Rescuing Christmas anthology were some of the best. Each in them revolves around The Haven Animal Shelter in Tacoma, Washington and the people that are connected to it. When you put cute animals with couples who might need a little rescuing themselves, you get 3 heartfelt stories just in time for the Christmas season.

Holiday Haven by Vicki Lewis Thompson story is about Tansy Dexter, the director of the shelter, who is out promoting the shelter at the local TV station when she encounters Ben Rhodes the cameraman. They fight their attraction for each of their own personal reasons but end up having one night of romance when it all falls apart. As much as Tansy wants Ben to adopt Max the cat, Ben doesn’t want to have anything to do with taking on a pet. Tansy might have been a little too pushy but I think it was the right push to get Ben over his fear of past hurts and opening his heart again.

Home for Christmas by Catherine Mann was my favorite of the three because it was about giving love a second chance and of hope. Shelby Conrad, a volunteer at the shelter, has offered her services to drive 3 dogs around the state to prospective owners in time for Christmas, and has done this in hopes to have a real honest talk with her husband. Tech Sargent Alex Conrad has just returned from a deployment and things are quite strained with their marriage that they’ve agreed to separate and divorce right after the holidays. Lack of communication and failed pregnancies have put this marriage on the rocks and neither of them see any point of prolonging things. These two characters were very real with their feelings. They just needed a little time together to break down their barriers and pray that it was enough to halt their separation. The story was quite touching and the trip opened both their eyes that you can find your way back to love if you give it a chance to grow again. I don’t want to give too much away but it was a bit of a happy tears ending for me.

A Puppy for Will by Kathie DeNosky is the last story is about Will fostering a dog over the holidays because he just can’t say no to his grandmother Rose. While chasing after his runaway dog Harley he runs into Macie. Macie is his new neighbor in the boathouse community he lives in and invites him to a neighbor holiday party. Will wants no entanglements with her since he’s sworn off relationships since his divorce. He’s thrown himself into his work ever since and has gotten to the point where he’s overworked and on the verge of burnout. Macie herself has sworn off men too after her own failure at love. Will and Macie can’t fight the attraction but they too had a bit of a fallout and needed time to get over hurt feelings and learn to trust again. Will’s reaction might have been a bit abrupt but didn’t hurt the story in any way. Might have concluded a bit fast but it didn’t matter when love was fast and true for both Will and Macie.

I love it when an anthology has interwoven stories because it makes me feel like I’m reading one big story. I especially love Christmas stories and this one definitely had the Christmas spirit throughout. And how can you pass up stories with cute animals that are so adorable? I felt like I got 3 full length stories instead of shorts in this anthology so I didn’t feel shortchanged when the stories ended. I’m a fan of V L Thompson and her cowboy stories so that was a big plus, and was a great introduction to the other two authors. I hope you do too.