Austen fans....this one's for you! Charlotte has given up on men and dating and decided her next love will be a new puppy. This is nearly heartbreaking for George who has had a crush on Charlotte forever. George will take anything he can get, though, and the two end up spending more and more time together as their friendship grows. Meanwhile, George's 2 year contract is up in VT and he is considering a move back to his home of Colorado to be near his sisters again.

George and Charlotte are adorable together, although communication could have been better between the two. There is so. much. longing. in this book. So much. On both sides. Plus so many insecurities. That being said, I do know this can plague a person and it didn't take away from the story as much as just dragged it out just ever so slightly more than needed. I still had a blast reading this one and loved being back in Pine Hollow, VT. That small town feel is fantastic and the slow burn romance between George and Charlotte was satisfying in the end.

I fell in love with this series and would recommend all the books; however, this one can read well on its own. If you love a friends-to-lovers romance, unrequited love or a small-town romance, you will adore this one. There are so many nods to Austen throughout. This book runs more along the lines of Emma than Pride and Prejudice but is still great as is. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez finally decides to give up on dating after searching for her own Mr. Darcy for years. Instead, she's going to shower her new puppy with all of her affection and love, making a point of swearing off men. And no one can give her better puppy advice than her neighbor and coworker George Leneghan. He's quiet, patient, and, most importantly, far too kind to ever be her type. Just as Charlotte recognizes she's starting to feel things, George announces that he's thinking about moving across the country. Charlotte suddenly wonders if she's been keeping her soulmate in the friend zone for so long that she's completely wasted her shot at a happily ever after. Could it be that she's been screwing it up all along?
I really was hoping to enjoy Pride & Puppies, personally, the characters really made the book difficult to enjoy. I’m not a huge fan of extremely stubborn or clueless characters because it gets very irritating after a while. Sadly, Charlotte is exactly that and it did play a big part in the book being a “turn-off” for me.
I would’ve enjoyed the story more if Charlotte’s character wasn’t so frustrating. Her character was based solely on the fact that she loved Jane Austen and finding her Mr. Darcy. I could’ve excused that if she was younger, but Charlotte is nearly 30 and acting like this. I was constantly getting the feeling that she just needed to grow up and I hated it.
It’s kind of sad to say but the greatest appeal for me was the puppies. The scenes with either one of the pups always had me smiling and it was something to look forward to at some point. Who knows maybe it’s time for me to adopt another pup too?
Overall, I was sadly disappointed by Pride & Puppies, but if clueless MCs are what you’re into I’d say the book is a green light. Personally, I’d have to give it one star, it just wasn’t for me.

There were times I liked this book and others it fell flat for me. Due to the title, I expected a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, but it was more like Emma. George has crushed on Charlotte since he first met her at work; she’s a doctor and he’s a physical therapist. Charlotte is obsessed with finding her own Mr. Darcy, but without any success. After her latest failed relationship, she decides to swear off men and adopt a puppy.

George and Charlotte also live in the same complex and begin to spend a lot of time together with their dogs. They are basically together without the romance.
George and Charlotte are a good couple once Charlotte realizes she actually likes him as more than a friend. Around this time, the story goes from light fluff to more serious. You find out more about Charlotte’s insecurities and begin to understand why she is the way she is…think Emma.

I enjoyed the side characters and the dogs of course! Aspects I did not like included Charlotte’s personality (mainly during the first half). I found her to be pushy and of the mindset that she always knew best. It wasn’t very enjoyable to read. The miscommunication and lack of confiding things between George and Charlotte frustrated me.

Pride and Puppies is the newest installment in the Pine Hollow series, following Charlotte, Elinor's youngest sister. ⁣
⁣
Charlotte is over getting her heartbroken by the men she hopes are her Mr. Darcy, so she decides to declare herself on a puppy pact. Get a puppy and don't date. ⁣
⁣
George is her coworker who has been head over heels for her but has never been able to make her see him in that way. He's too nice, too accepting of who Charlotte is to ever make her want to cross that line. ⁣
⁣
When they start spending a lot of time together as friends, George has to decide if he wants to stay in Pine Hollow or go back home to Colorado. Charlotte has to decide if taking a risk on George and possibly losing their friendship is worth finally letting herself be accepted and loved in a relationship as she is and not who she thinks she should be. ⁣
⁣
It was a cute installment, heavily influenced by Jane Austen. And as someone not into the classics I'm sure a lot of the parallels went over my head. A lot of their 'issues' could have been solved by open communication and honesty which did get a bit old. ⁣
⁣
If you're a fan of small town settings - think Gilmore Girls - and love dogs, this series should be on your radar. I do feel like this series should be read in order, so just fyi! ⁣
⁣
3.5/5⭐️

Pride & Puppies
Book 4 in the Pine Hollow Series
Rating: 2 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***

To be honest when I saw the title of this book I thought it would be a P & P retelling (which is my catnip) and that puppies would be part of our two leads coming together.
Sadly I was very disappointed. This story was not to my liking and enjoyment. To start off both leads were so meh. They both had self esteem issues that were rooted from previous relationships they have had. They've always played a specific role in these past relationships that now that they are together don't know how to overcome these issues. It was the constant self doubt that made the story drag for me.
Also the FL got on my nerves. She's close to being 30 and most of the story she seemed to behave like a teenager. Her constant peppiness was a little over done. It was exhausting just reading that she could never stand still. Also her self sabotage was tiring. Her sisters, friends and George's constant reassurance seemed to be a little too repetitive.
The only good thing about this story was Bingley and Duke.

Charlotte is searching for her own Mr. Darcy, but discovers that most aloof, arrogant, entitled men don't really have a heart of gold underneath. After her latest breakup, she decides to swear off men for six months and get a puppy instead. Neighbor George—who's secretly had a crush on her ever since they met—helps her adjust to dog ownership. But just when she realizes he might be her perfect Mr. Knightley, she learns he's planning to move back to his hometown, two thousand miles away. Has she lost her chance at true love?

This is an adorable, entertaining book with likeable characters and a strong sense of family. Charlotte and George are perfect for each other. It's pretty clear from the beginning that Charlotte is more Emma Woodhouse than Elizabeth Bennet—it just takes her a while to realize that. The Austenesque aspects of the novel are fun rather than trite.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This was such a fun, lighthearted read about finding love and allowing yourself to receive love in it’s truest form. This novel was a love letter to Jane Austen and I enjoyed the quotes from books at the beginning of each chapter along with fun little pieces within the story relating to one of Jane’s storylines and/or characters. The puppies were adorable and the descriptions about little Bingley melted my heart.

George was a wonderful male lead and he deserves it all. His relationships with his sisters and Charlotte were so special and I really loved his interactions with them throughout. He was so so thoughtful and caring. Charlotte was such a complex character, with the grief of losing her mother at a young age and experiencing a string of bad relationships that really messed with her self-acceptance. At times it was hard to read her POV and understand her reasoning for reacting a certain way to situations, however I really appreciated that the author was able to bring to light how being in a unhealthy relationship(s) can really have a negative impact on a person’s self-worth. Charlotte was real, raw, and emotional, and I admired her journey with accepting love and to self-acceptance in this one! The friends-to-lovers storyline and the “he falls first” aspect were well done and I really enjoyed it!

Pride and Puppies by Lizzie Shane is a wonderful friends to lovers trope contemporary romance. I love Pride and Prejudice so I was thrilled to pick this up. Charlotte finds herself single again and does what many people do, buys a puppy to cope. What could go wrong?

I really enjoyed Shane's writing. I had SO many emotions while reading this book (there may have been some crying). The dual POV enhanced the writing. I've said it over and over how much I love multiple narrators. It was definitely a little cliche at times.

3 out of 5 stars for this quick and cute read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this novel.

I freely admit: I did not finish Pride & Puppies.

I didn’t find either main characters likable, especially Charlotte, our heroine. She’s grown up idealizing romantic relationships (a la Jane Austen) yet doesn’t seem to understand why she’s had so many bad relationships. She’s decided to focus on a puppy and no dating. So of course her coworker George is immediately friend-zoned.

Frankly, the only thing that reminded me of Pride and Prejudice was characters’ names. George was unassuming and passive and was no Mr. Darcy. And Charlotte honestly annoyed me and seemed much younger than she was intended to be.

And I refuse to let my love of Pride and Prejudice be tainted, so I quit Pride & Puppies.

Thank you to Forever Publishing for the review copy.

I really enjoyed this one! This was my first read by Lizzie Shane and it won't be my last. Although I felt a little silly when I realized this was book 4 in a series and I had not read the previous three LOL! However, I don't think my reading experience suffered at all having not read the rest of the books - I will definitely go back and read them though.

What I Liked:
- Themes of self-discovery and growth
- Friends-to-lovers (one of my favorite tropes!)
- Jane Austen references!
- Great side characters (another reason I want to go back in this series!)
- Puppies!!!

Something I didn't love was how long it took for the two MCs to admit their feelings for each other! I wish there had been better communication between them, but that isn't unique to this book and something I see a lot in romances overall. I also wish we got a little more spice, but hey, that's just my preference. Also George's sister Beks seemed pretty toxic throughout the book but redeemed herself towards the end.

Overall, really enjoyed this one and the fact that the two MCs were both strong individuals and didn't settle easily.

TW: Loss of a parent, mention of cheating

I love Pine Hollow, and while I wasn't sure if I'd love Charlotte Rodriguez after meeting her in Elinor's story, it turned out that she and George were just the charming couple I needed to read about. I love George, and that this was one for the good guys, and that he never asked Charlotte to be anything less than she was. The Jane Austen references were fun, Pine Hollow is its usual quirky self, and this was an entirely enjoyable reading experience.

This was a really cute friends to lovers romance. It was a fun little twist on Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. I hadn’t read any of the previous Pine Hollow books so I was a little lost with the characters here, but it was still enjoyable.

Thanks goes to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing/Forever for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Are you a Jane Austen fan? I am a die-hard Austen lover so am always intrigued by books that are Austen-esque updates. This isn't a Pride and Prejudice retelling (which can honestly go either way) but just a book about Charlotte, who- like all of us- is obsessed with P&P, and, more specifically Mr. Darcy.

Charlotte is on the hunt for the perfect Mr. Darcy- men who are cold on the outside but eventually show their inner softie. Except in her case, they just don't.. It's too bad George- who has a crush on her- is more of a Bingley, sweet and straightforward. Charlotte decides to swear off men and instead get a puppy and this seems to me like the most intelligent decision anyone has ever made. But will Charlotte and George find love?

Let's start with the good. Every chapter starts with an Austen quote and there were lots of puppies and therefore this book will appeal to pet owners. It was a quick read and I liked the small town everyone knows everything and everyone knows everyone vibes. I liked that Charlotte was smart and a doctor, and George was incredibly likeable (honestly a guy like that should not be single). However, I wanted more from this book. I found it just a little too fluffy for my liking and lacked depth and substance. It would be good for those looking for a light and breezy read.

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

Pride and Puppies is a cute, clean friends-to-lovers romance. At first I thought this would be a modern adaptation, but after reading, it is more like a Jane Austen themed novel. I am a Pride and Prejudice lover, so the Jane Austen quotes at the beginning of each chapter was amazing and I loved it.

George moved to the town looking to belong, but after 1.5 years, he still felt like an outsider. He had not found his community or a solid group of friends. Charlotte has sworn off men and decided to get a puppy. George and Charlotte are neighbors, and George has had a crush on Charlotte since they met, but Charlotte has always been in a relationship.

Charlotte's insecurities and issues cause the majority of the issues in this book, and anytime I would get annoyed I was thankful her friends continued to call her out on her bs. George was a sweetheart and you could arguably say Charlotte did not deserve him, but she was what he wanted, and that made them perfect together.

As a Jane Austen fan, I love a good book that highlights aspects of my favorite author. The book was charming and adorable.

My thanks goes to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing/Forever for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Romcom
Heat Level: Low spice (closed door)
Trope: Friends to Lovers

I needed something light and funny! Whew—this fit the bill in every way. I even laughed aloud. And I had to reread some lines because they tickled me so much.

Charlotte has abominable taste in men. Yes—like many other women—Mr. Darcy has ruined her for ever finding the right man. So she, with much enthusiasm, declares it is time for her to give up men. Permanently. Forever.

Then there's George. He's not the leading man—in fact women run away from him when they find the ONE. But this time, he's going to change. Maybe. Maybe not. Charlotte has shut him down! But at least they can be friends.

The one thing that I had to navigate was Charlotte's friends and her sisters—I read fast, but I got a tad confused for a moment. Especially when "Bailey" was a women—that sounded like an androgynous name and I didn't realize Charlotte's sister was marrying a woman. There are also the other townsfolk and mature people at the fancy condos.

The dogs in this book are loved and the people do all the goofy things we do with our pets. They also provided opportunities for close proximity. Our lead characters both had reasons to doubt the other's intentions—and it worked very well. I felt like they had great chemistry because of their friendship.

This was such a fun read. Now I need to check out if this author has written more romcoms, because I'm in!

It's a YES—recommended especially if you need a break from anything. It's lighthearted and funny!

Happy reading!

This romance novel was super sweet, where we have a ton of Jane Austen references, a ton of denial, puppies and a puppy pact that just doesn’t make sense lol. We have charlotte who has the worst luck with men, she keeps dating them, but then she has a friend who is the new guy in town who has been crushing on her since he got there.

The denial dragged til I was blue in the face because of Charlotte and her true feelings, but she decided to stick to her pact to only dedicate her love to her new puppy for the time being instead of a man. Listen, I get it, but George was the total package, and he was SOO friendzoned, I kept thinking “how is this going to even end between them.” But then it ended up working out of course but with a ton of more insecurities between both characters.

I loved their friends and families in this book. Very straight forward, funny as hell, and I know without them added to this book I don’t think I would have liked it as much. Even though there was a ton of sweetness in between, I was expecting a little bit more of a connection between them, I didn’t feel it as much as I should, I was expecting a HUGE explosion of romance since they FINALLY got together but, no.

Not saying that it’s not a good read because it is if you understand the Jane Austen references, which I don’t, and if you like the hallmark channel romances.

Having read all three of the previous Pine Hollow books, I was already in love with this town in Vermont, its slightly quirky inhabitants and all of the doggos that have passed through the Pine Hollow shelter. Charlotte is an orthopedics specialist, the younger sister of Elinor from the third book. She's very bright, has a big personality, messy emotions, and wants nothing more than a partner who chooses her first and loves all of her. The problem is that she tends to be attracted to egotistical jerks and then ties herself into knots trying to fit in the box they want to put her in. After her most recent relationship crashes and burns, Charlotte swears off men, instead deciding to adopt a puppy whom she can lavish all of her big emotions on.

Of course, as soon as she's decided this, complications arise in the form of George, a sweet, adorable cinnamon roll who works as a PT at the local senior assisted living facility. George moved to Pine Hollow attracted by the small town charm but after two years of despairing that he'll ever be seen as anything other than "the new guy", and two years of pining after Charlotte who is oblivious to his crush, he's about to give up and move back to CO.

George and Charlotte have always been friends, but now that she's out of a relationship, their friendship quickly deepens and turns into more, but both characters have baggage that prevents them from seeing what's right in front of them, that they are perfect for each other. I liked both Charlotte and George individually and as a couple and was happy to get plenty of puppy in action in the form of Bingley, Charlotte's newly adopted golden pup, plus a bonus of Duke, George's full grown Bernese Mountain dog. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Pride & Puppies was inescapably charming and captivating from the first few lines. I started it while at the airport waiting for a delayed flight and devoured the first ten chapters without even noticing the time—I’m so grateful they loudly announce when boarding begins! Seven days later I was reading the last few lines.

It’s a very sweet and light story that quickly became the highlight of my nights (generally I only have time to read when I go to bed). The writing is solid. George, Charles, and the entire cast of characters is easy to love. Communication problems abound between the two as their hangups and imperfections threaten their HEA, but my frustrations never led me to lose hope.

My favorite moment that made me laugh out loud? “I hate my job,” Kendall said without missing a beat. “Are we just saying obvious things now?”

Lastly, a plea that Magda and Mac are the next protagonists in the Pine Hollow series. I NEED their love story. I could feel it living amidst the lines.

Pride and Puppies is a charming story. Charlotte loves Jane Austen but hasn’t found her Mr. Darcy so she gets a puppy instead. Sounds reasonable to me.
George, a potential Mr. Darcy, is right under her nose, but they’re just friends. Who hang out together, a lot.
The romance developed slowly which is more realistic than white hot forest fires of love.
Charlotte and George are both hesitant to open themselves up for love, but their dogs are a perfect match.
The best scenes involved Bingley. I wanted to reach through the pages and give him a big squeeze.
You can’t go wrong with this book.