I've always said it's true - when you stop looking for your mate, the perfect person will appear. And for Dr. Rodriguez, she's learned this lesson is true. She's a tad obsessed with Jane Austen, but aren't all good readers? And then there is the saying about opposites... or giving things a chance... Oh there are so many cliché love messages in this book. Anyone looking for something heartwarming - this is a must read.

Homage to Jane Austen!

Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez had given up on men because she was done looking for her own Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen. She decided to get a puppy because she was done dating for a while and she could give the puppy all of her attention and love. But Charlotte has absolutely no experience with a puppy so she asks her co-worker George Leneghan for advice since he has dog.

Charlotte had been trying to set George Leneghan up with someone since he started working with her but he refused to tell her that he was in love with her but maybe something could happen since she was single again while he helped her with her new puppy.

I love how Lizzie Shane mixes up Jane Austen with a friends-to-lovers co-workers romance with some of the cutest dogs and friends that you will want to fall in love.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Forever Publishing for the free book.
It was so good to be back in Pine Hollow, this time with Charlotte and George. I adored their friendship and exploration of a relationship. I liked how they both pined and has hesitations - everything felt so realistic. This book also did a great job of exploring sibling hood in adulthood. Some of my favorite parts of the book centered around George and his sisters. There were also so many lovable dogs and little glimpses of the characters from the first three books. This book is definitely Jane Austen heavy, and if that's your thing, you are going to adore all of the little hints and references. I have only read one Austen book, so I didn't get all of the little winks, but that didn't detract from my reading experience. I hope there are more books coming in this lovely town because I could spend a lot more time here with all of these amazing characters.

On the hunt for her Mr. Darcy, Charlotte is dealing with a breakup and gets a puppy. An new friend George comes into her life and their friendship bonds and grows from their love of dogs. George has feelings for Charlotte, Charlotte does for George but her insecurities get in the way. Will they, wont they! Ah!

This book was enjoyable and I would recommend to anyone looking for a warm and fuzzy read! Thank you to Netgalley, author, and the publisher for this copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, Forever, and Lizzie Shane for the ARC of the book!
Charlotte is like most girls who love Jane Austen. She wants to find her Mr. Darcy. After going through yet another breakup, she decides to swear off men and adopt a puppy. Her neighbor, George, is new to Pine Hollow and is trying his best to fit in. George has always had feelings for Charlotte, but because she's been unavailable and his job contract up soon, has contemplated moving back home. To George's delight, they start forming a friendship because of their love of dogs. Charlotte tries to remind herself that they are just friends, but she slowly starts to feel more for him. Her self doubt and insecurities keep her from pursuing more even though everyone tells her George is head over heels for her. Will him possibly moving back home make her want to get him to stay?
This was a fun and cute story. It was a quick read filled with love, humor, and the warm fuzzies. There were times I was frustrated with Charlotte because she constantly let her insecurities get the best of her, but it is what made her a relatable character. The development of their friendship felt natural and sweet. I would recommend this for fans of sweet romances.

I’ve enjoyed all the previous book in the Pine Hollow series and I like this one as well with some reservations. This series takes place in the small Vermont town of Pine Hollow. It isn’t necessary to read the previous book in the series as there isn’t much catching up with the romances from the previous books. Dr. Charlotte (Charles) Rodriguez is a doctor at a senior living center. After realizing her current boyfriend is cheating on her she declares she is making a puppy pact. She is swearing off men and getting herself a puppy. Her golden retriever Bingley is perfect for this Jane Austin obsessed girl.

George Lenegham is a neighbor and also works doing physical therapy at her same senior living center. He has been nursing a crush on her ever since he moved to town 18 months before. He thinks it may finally be time to make a move when he learns she is swearing off men. But she is in need of help training Bing and he is up for the task. But he doesn’t want to stay in the friend zone.

This is a cute, fairly low angst story. The author chooses to write closed doors for intimacy which is fine, but in some of her other books I saw the passion building more before the door closed. And I missed the longing or increase in sexual tension. One of the fun things in the book is Charles love Jane Austin. But this went on and on to where at times I wanted to shake my device and say stop comparing life to fictional characters. (Which is funny considering I’m frustrated with fictional characters for doing that.) But this is a romance and you know things are going to work out.

I thought this might be the end to the series. The original poker group all got romances with the first three books. Charles is the sister of the female lead in book #3 and brings a new group of friends so I can see this series continuing. And even though I didn’t love this one as much I still recommend it and will still look forward to more from Lizzie Shane. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)

3.5 stars

Again with the requesting books in a series lol I gotta stop with that!

Pride & Puppies was freaking adorable! I loved this fun little twist on Pride & Prejudice, even if I was a little confused by the side characters and somethings I should have known from reading the previous Pine Hollow books. It's cozy and emotional, and just so sweet

This book had every single comfy cozy vibe that I was looking for as I get ready to launch myself into my seasonal reads after this. You couldn’t help but fall in love with the true stars of the story - Duke & Bingley. I have a dog and honestly agree that they really do make life just that much sweeter!

Charlotte is a Jane Austen lover who just can’t seem to find her Mr. Darcy. So, she decides to swear off men and get herself a sweet loveable puppy instead so she can focus on herself. George is also a Jane Austen lover and has been crushing on Charlotte for as long as he has lived in Pine Hollow. Here’s the thing, they are co-workers in more than one setting and live in the same apartment complex. How complicated could it be?

I loved this story. It was sweet, cozy, heartwarming and just all the things I wanted in a cutesy romance book! You get to see Charlotte and George both work through some heavy things that they’ve been believing about themselves for many years. It was so cathartic to watch them work through these things on the page, however it was SO frustrating to watch both of them mildly sabotage the other person in their own minds because of what THEY were thinking the other was acting/thinking themselves. Just communicate with one another okay?

[Mild spoilers here if you want them] If you want a romance that doesn’t have a third act breakup, this book is the one for you. Also, this is a closed door romance, so if you’re looking for steam, this is not the story for you!

⚠️TW: cancer, death of parent

Thank you @hbgcanada and @netgalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review! All of the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

The newest Pine Hollow book. Charlotte has decided to swear off men and adopt a puppy after her latest breakup. Meanwhile, George, who has been pining over Charlotte for years, is contemplating moving back home. Charlotte realizes that maybe her soulmate she’s always wanted has been right in front of her.

I hadn’t read any of the previous Pine Hollow books so I was a little lost with the characters here. I also didn’t love the writing style. I think though fans of the others in this series will enjoy this book!

You will love Pride and Puppies if you like:

🐕‍🦺 Dogs
🐕‍🦺 Closed door romance
🐕‍🦺 Friends to Lovers
🐕‍🦺 Small town vibes
🐕‍🦺 Jane Austen

I have not actually read an Austen novel. But, I have watched many of the movie adaptations. I have a beautiful book on my bookshelf with several of her works, but have been too afraid to try and read them. I loved that Pride and Puppies had Austen quotes from her different novels at the start of each chapter. They were quotes that were very relevant to the chapter and make me think Austen might not be as challenging to read as I fear.

Our main character has a habit of dating the wrong men. She's always looking for her Mr. Darcy only to realize the men she dates don't turn into a Mr. Darcy, they are just plain old jerks. After her latest dating disaster, Charlotte swears off men. She trys to enlist her friends in what she calls the "puppy pact". Six months single and get a puppy! Charlotte sees this as a perfect way to spend some time being independent and figuring out what she really wants. And a puppy will help keep her company. Charlotte turns to her neighbor and fellow dog owner George for advice on raising a puppy. As they start spending more time together, is Charlotte starting to have feelings for George? Maybe she doesn't really want a Mr. Darcy.....

I prefer a book with closed door romance. Things can be just as steamy when left to the imagination. I love that this book was set in a small town. Small towns just have all the feels. And of course, I LOVE dogs! This book just had everything for me and it was a really really enjoyable read.

Thanks to @netgalley and @readforeverpup for an advanced e-arc of this book for my honest review.

Pride and Puppies by Lizzie Shane
Rating: 4 stars
Steam: Kissing only
Pub Date: 11/22

Pride and Puppies is a super cute, clean, friends-to-lovers romance set in the small, picturesque town of Pine Hollow in Vermont. This is my first time reading a book by Lizzie Shane, and it definitely won’t be my last.

When Jane-Austen-obsessed Charlotte finds herself single once again, she decides to swear off men and get a puppy instead. Who better to turn to for pet advice than her coworker and neighbor, George Leneghan. He’s quiet, patient, and way nicer than the guys she usually goes for. And what Charlotte doesn’t know is that he’s had a crush on her since he moved to town two years ago. As their friendship starts to turn into more, old insecurities might ruin things between them before they even get started.

I really liked this one! The author’s writing style is light and breezy, and it was easy to read this one in a day. The premise is super cute, and I had to fight the urge to start looking at puppy rescues when I was finished reading.

Here’s a confession: I’m not a big fan of Jane Austen. (Sorry, I know it’s blasphemy.) And Pride and Prejudice retellings often fall flat for me. But this was really well done, and I especially enjoyed Charlotte’s personal connection to the author and the “Emma” references.

This story gets a little repetitive at times, and I had to stop my eye roll every time Charlotte mentions that she can be too much for some people and George worries about being too nice of a guy. Bringing this up a few times in the beginning to lay the groundwork for the eventual third-act breakup was fine, but to keep bringing it up every chapter got to be too much. Otherwise, I really liked both MCs and their distinctly different personalities. They had a real opposites-attract vibe, and I was here for it.

I really enjoyed the small-town setting, George’s family dynamic, Charlotte’s best friends and sisters, and the dogs! What’s not to love about a book featuring so many adorable puppies?!

This book can be read as a standalone, but I always felt like I was missing something. I didn’t realize this was the fourth book in the Pine Hollow series and that we’ve met some of these characters before. But that’s on me and has no bearing on my review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever for this arc to read and review! I look forward to reading more from this author. Pride and Puppies will be available on 11/22.

I wanted to like this one, puppies and Jane Austen im in. But I didn’t know it was part of a series and i felt like I was missing something especially with the abundance of other cast members. I also found the main characters soo just blah and hallmarky. Charlotte annoyed me with her I know George likes me but let me set him up with another women, and George had no personality his pov bored me to death. I did love the dogs tho! Thank you to the plubisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book for an honest review

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book! It was a cute read.

Star Rating: 3⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: November 22, 2022

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. The characters were fun, the story was enjoyable, and I was rooting for love, of course. I also am content to read anything that is a remote retelling of a Jane Austen book. For the enjoyment factor, this one gets two thumbs way up!

That being said, this one was just too perfect. I think the romance genre has come a long way towards normalizing romance stories in that real world issues are pretty much the norm. Having just read a romance that tackled some pretty serious issues, I felt disappointed as I read Pride and Puppies because it just seemed so shallow.

If you're looking for an enjoyable romance, definitely pick this one up. If you're looking for a deep story, this is not the book for you.

This one was a Jane Austen ANTI Darcy story, which I couldn't resist. By anti-Darcy, I mean that the hero is NOT the brooding jerk- it's the golden retriever boy-next-door, which is a lovely twist.

I'm glad I read it. George is a perfect cinnamon roll (we love a Bingley!) and Charlotte had a good character arc (even if I did wish she would get out of her own way). Their romance progressed in a natural (if painfully awkward at times) way, but I did feel like this book was hard to remember to pick back up. I'm not sure why, but I wasn't like, obsessed with it. I think because Charlotte had a lot of the same issues repeat over and over, and she wouldn't just have a conversation with George (my #1 complaint in the contemporary genre).

Characters from the previous books either make a tiny cameo or don't appear at all, so it wasn't necessary to read the previous books. But I did love this town and the Estates Oldies that really got the quirky, small town vibes going. This is also closed-door, which is my preference, so that was a nice addition.

Toward the end I got really frustrated with Charlotte not being willing to communicate and assuming like a LOT of things about George, but all's well that ends well, and I got my HEA. I don't think I'll go back and read the past books, but I would absolutely love to know where Kendall and Magda's stories go, so I'll keep an eye out for more from Shane.

✨BOOK REVIEW ✨
Pride and Puppies
By Lizzie Shane

This book is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

In saying that, this book was just cute for me. Honestly who doesn’t love a book with love and puppies? This just fell flat for me.

I found it so hard to get into the storyline, and there was a lot of what I like to call “filler” that just could have been left out.
There were parts in this book where two main characters argue, and I had to skip through those parts, it became too much.

Other than those minor issues, this was a cozy little love story, perfect for this Fall.

Thanks so much to @readforeverpub for both the physical and e book copies of this book.

Rating: 🦴🦴🦴🦴/5

QOTD: Do you have a dog?
Meet Harlow, she’s a Catahoula Coonhound

#bookreview #netgalley #netgalleyreads #foreverpublishing #prideandpuppies #romance #cozyreads #bookinfluencer #bookinfluencers #dogsandbooks #furryfriends #furryfriendsofinstagram #readingbuddy #catahoula #catahoulaleoparddog #catahoulasofinstagram #bookrecs #🇨🇦bookenablers #canadianbookcrew #retelling

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was a cute story of learning to love yourself, learning to accept love from others, and, of course, PUPPIES!

This was overall an average, good read for me. The chemistry was okay, but I found Charlotte and George's inability to communicate irritating at times. While at times I did find this book dragged, the ending was very strong and made it worth the read. The last few chapters and epilogue had me grinning from ear to ear! And of course, there were lots of puppy appearances to keep the story going.

If you are a fan of fluffy, sweet, closed-door romances featuring adorable canines, then this book may be what you are looking for!

A sweet no steam friends to lovers small town tale. Charlotte has sworn off men and is devoting herself to her puppy Bingley. George, the physical therapist who is a colleague and a neighbor, moved to town 18 months ago and Charlotte is the first woman he's felt sparks for. Except she keeps trying to set him up with other women. Will these two recognize they are meant for each other before it's too late and George moves? That might be a foregone conclusion but it's the little details that make this a fun read. I liked George's sisters and Charlotte's friends and well, who doesn't love a puppy. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A fun read with Jane Austen quotes (and yes, Austen always will do it better but still....)

As a Jane Austen and dog lover, the title and synopses for this book immediately jumped out at me, and I’m glad I read it, because it was cute!

Charlotte has always had bad luck when it comes to dating. She’s always so caught up in her fantasy of finding her perfect Mr. Darcy that she overlooks red flags and ends up making excuses for the guys she dates. After another brutal breakup, she vows to stay single and instead adopts a cute puppy to pour her love into. Enter George Leneghan, her next door neighbour and fellow dog owner. George is the anti-Darcy. AKA the Bingley. He’s been in love with Charlotte practically since he moved to town and all he wants is her to see him in a new (non-friend) light.

Things I liked:
-The puppies! Of course, you can’t have a book called Pride and Puppies, and not include puppies, but I think Duke and Bingely got just the right amount of screentime to make us care about them, but also not so much that they stole focus of the story.

-Friends-to-lovers trope was handled really nicely. I bought George and Charlotte as good friends and I liked their chemistry a lot.

-George’s niceness. I really like that George is just an unequivocally nice guy. There were a few times I was worried he was crossing into ‘nice guys finish last’ and ‘why do girls only date assholes’ territory, but I think he toes the line nicely without going overboard.

-The small town setting. It’s charming and I liked reading about the quirks of the town. Particularly all the different inns.

Things I wasn’t a huge fan of:
-The ending was kind of rushed. The main central conflict is resolved quickly, and the impact of the decision that George makes is kind of downplayed in my opinion

-There’s what seemed to be an important plot thread with George’s sister that just doesn’t really pay off. There’s a throwaway line to wrap it up in the epilogue but it felt kind of like an afterthought. But I also know this is one book in a series of books that takes place in the same universe, so maybe it will get more screentime in a future book

All in all, this was a cute closed-door romance. If you’re in the mood for a Hallmark-esque feel good romance, definitely give this one a try!

Charlotte is on a streak of bad relationships so she decides to swear off men and get a puppy instead. She wanted to give all her attention and love to a new puppy instead of getting into another meaningless relationship.

Her friend and coworker George lives in the same complex and has a dog as well. George has been in love with Charlotte since he set eyes on her, but he has been friendzoned.

I really enjoyed the friendship George and Charlotte had. I am glad Charlotte finally realized that he was perfect for her.

I love how learned more about both of the characters. Getting to know George through his book club and his sisters worked really well. Then you get to know Charlotte through her friends, sisters, and through her tragic loss of her mother.

This is the fourth book in a series called “Pine Hollow”. However, this can be read as a standalone. I have not read any other books in this series and had no issues.

If you love puppies and “friend to lovers” romance, than this book is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was surprising. I enjoyed the integration of the dogs as side characters themselves - it was done well and in a way that didn’t distract from the hero and heroine and instead fleshed out their personalities more. The miscommunication trope was used well here, highlighting their issues and fears as individuals instead of placing the blame on one another. A quick and easy read that warmed my heart and made me smile.