I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I can't find this book anywhere. Was it published? I can't find it in print or in audio.

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Susan Wiggs is a 2023 William Morrow publication.

Brenda is not a ‘Christmas’ person. Too many bad memories attached – not to mention the recent Christmas eve discovery of her husband’s infidelity-which makes her even more determined to escape the holiday this year- which is how she finds herself traveling thousands of miles from Houston to New York to deliver a slew of dogs to their forever homes. But a series of events leaves Brenda stranded, sorely testing her ability to avoid Christmas...

Well, who can pass up a tail wagging Christmas tale? That cover is just too precious to pass up. This is a lovely romantic story with plenty of holiday cheer. There’s a nice balance between the romantic elements and the heartwarming holiday magic- nothing too sweet or too heavy.

The story is not entirely ‘clean’- the intimacy is closed-door-and though the language is infrequent- and pretty mild- there should be a ‘no-cursing’ clause in all holiday- themed novels- it just doesn’t feel right to me.

But besides that one complaint- I enjoyed this story. It was fun, whimsical, and super romantic… and of course… there were dogs!! Enough said!

4 stars

This is a good book. The two main characters are Brenda and Adam. Brenda works for a dog rescue and is divorced. Adam is a paramedic, divorced, and a father of a four year boy. They meet in Adam’s hometown, when Brenda and a friend are delivering 12 rescued dogs to adoption families. When their van crashes and Adam comes to the rescue. Brenda’s friend lands up in the hospital. Adam offers to help delivering the dogs. They start dating and fall in love.

A cute Christmas read with cute puppies I loved it. It's going to be one of the ones that I add to my yearly Christmas reads list every year.

As Brenda was celebrating Christmas last year, she discovered her husband had been cheating on her. Fast forward one year, and she is in a better place, having spent a good amount of time on self reflection, putting much of her energy into her work as well as helping with paperwork for a dog rescue. While helping prepare a set of dogs for their forever homes, Brenda finds herself instead, being part of the team to take them across the country, along with another volunteer.

The trip itself was mostly uneventful, until they arrive at their destination, and then chaos ensues. After an accident renders their vehicle unable to be driven, Brenda is forced to face feelings she had buried regarding Christmas and relationships, as she is immersed into a town that loves the holiday. Wiggs also introduces a romantic lead for Brenda, and the two have a slow build, as she reconciles her emotions, in order to move forward.

A feel-good Christmas story, I received a copy from NetGalley and have written an objective review.

The book The Twelve Dogs of Christmas was an enjoyable read. I would recommend any book written by Susan Wiggs. Happy Reading!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.

The Twelve Digs of Christmas by Susan Wiggs is book 12 of her Lakeshore Chronicles series. But DO NOT let that keep you from picking up this book. It has been a loooong time since I read a Lakeshore Chronicles book (yes, I’ve read them all), and this one can be read as a stand alone.

Brenda Malloy is recently divorced. She’s created a new life for herself, and her dog, Tim, who she rescued from Underdogs, a pet rescue organization she works closely with. After a pet transporter can’t make the transport of 12 dogs to the Catskills, Brenda is roped into helping. Brenda, otherwise known as Grinchette, helps drive the soon-to-be-adopted pups to Avalon, the most Christmas-y place she’s seen!

But the road is far from clear, and a couple miles from their destination they hit a patch of ice and must call for rescue.

Adam Bellamy is also a divorced dad, and on call when Brenda’s SOS comes in. He rescues her, her co-driver Dolly, and all of the pups, including the husky he’s adopting, Olaf. Stuck in Avalon for a few days, Brenda enlists Adam to help with the dog adoptions. They get to know each other, and the cold town of Avalon, and Brenda’s heart (and other parts) get warmed up. But can she get over past hurts and give love another try?

I just loved everything about this book! It’s a hallmark story, sure, but there’s so much warmth and depth, too. And it was just fun!

Thank you to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks and especially to @susan_wiggs_ for the advanced e-copy of #thetwelvedogsofchristmas .

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is holiday perfection in one little book shaped package! I loved it! I'm a sucker for all things dogs/pets in books, and this was just so cute. You can't help but love the characters, the cause, and the canines. Super enjoyable read.

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is truly a lovely book.
I have only started reading Susan Wiggs’s books a few years ago and have loved every one that I have read.


This was a quick read; I just could not put it down. It’s funny, there is a lot of doggy mischievousness going on but the book has an emotional and serious side to it as well.


I am a big animal person and this book though a cute and fun story has an important message about animal rescue and adopting dogs. I hope this book will inspire some to adopt an animal into a loving forever home or to make a donation to a local animal rescue center or shelter.


Brenda Malloy is not the Christmassy type; she would rather just skip it but since that’s not possible she just gets by. After a divorce when she found out her husband was cheating on her on Christmas eve, she has revamped things, a new haircut, she is a marathon runner, and she volunteers as an animal transporter taking dogs from her home area in Texas up north for adoption. On this trip she is bringing 11 dogs up north to snowy New York for a Christmas adoption plus her own pooch she has brought along for company. Well, this slippery slope is getting slipperier all the time with the heavily falling snow and a rascal of an escaping dog.


Adam Bellamy—a single dad and paramedic to the rescue as the dog rescue ladies are the ones needing rescued this time. Unfortunately, that means Breanda will have to stay in New York a lot longer than she wants to while the vehicle gets fixed. Will Adam be able show Brenda how special Christmas is? A second chance romance book that’s heartwarming, lighthearted and emotional.


Recommended!

Pub Date 17 Oct 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Brenda helps deliver 12 dogs to new forever homes in a small town in New York. She is not a fan of Christmas and would love to do without, but in this sweet story she finds love and a new meaning in Christmas! Wonderful holiday story!

Brenda travels form Houston to upstate New York to deliver 12 dogs. She finds herself in a town that love Christmas but she has bad associations with Christmas. ARC from NetGalley

THE TWELVE DOGS OF CHRISTMAS
Susan Wiggs, author
Christmas Romance

When Brenda, who has sworn off Christmas, is volunteering at a dog rescue and is charged with taking 12 dogs to their forever homes for Christmas gifts. She is less than pleased when one dog escapes. Then the hijinks and real story begins.

This book is full of doggy hijinks, and a dash of romance making it a perfect book for any Christmas and dog lover. I loved it. It was a 5 out of 5 star read for me.

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas is a new addition to The Lakeshore Chronicles by Susan Wigg. We once again spend time in Avalon with all it's delightful citizens, but not before starting the story in Texas with a recently divorced aspiring young author and dog rescue volunteer.
Her background leaves her a bit bitter about love and Christmas or anything to do with its celebration. In a move to escape her confusing feelings about Christmas, she agrees to help the rescue driver haul 11 dogs, plus her own rescue, Tim, to new homes in Avalon, New York.
So begins her adventure and perhaps a change of heart as she finds herself in a city that doesn't take no for an answer when it comes to Christmas and a man who is just waiting for one of the rescue dogs for his young son. Adam is also ready for someone like her to walk into his life. Will his willingness to love reach her guarded heart?
I absolutely recommend this title for anyone who has read and loved the other books of The Lakeshore Chronicles, but also to rescue dog lovers and fans of Christmas magic. There is a good mix of interesting characters and delightful dogs in a picturesque setting along with a second chance love story.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Great little Christmas story with a different twist. If you are a dog-lover you will especially enjoy this one. Brenda works with an animal rescue group and is tapped to help transport a load of dogs cross country to their new owners in time for Christmas. She has had a very difficult year after a divorce but is finally on a new path. Various mishaps and problems derail the trip but true to the Christmas story genre, there is a possible romance and some cute dogs and kids. New friends and a snowstorm keep things interesting. If you enjoy a nice light fiction Christmas story, you will definitely enjoy this one just in time for holiday reading.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was such a heartwarming Christmas romance. I couldn't resist reading this one as soon as I saw that it featured so many dogs in it. I honestly wish we had gotten to see more of the dogs. That's about the only thing I can think of that would have made this story even better.

Brenda isn't the biggest fan of the holidays because she associates them with some of the worst moments of her personal life. When we first meet her, Brenda is in the process of transporting twelve rescue dogs to a distant location where they will find their forever homes. The weather is snowy and the roads are treacherous, however, and Brenda ends up getting into an accident. Adam, her handsome rescuer, ends up being one of the people on the list waiting to get a dog, which means he and Brenda will get to spend some quality time together and this might be exactly what Brenda needs to get into the holiday spirit.

It honestly took me a little while to warm up to Brenda, just because she was so negative at first. That said, I loved the psychological and emotional transformation she goes through. Adam is a wonderful and supportive guy, and he really helps change Brenda's perspective.

If you're looking for a moving and heartwarming holiday story with Hallmark movie vibes and lots of cute pups, be sure to check this one out!

I loved this heartwarming Christmas romance. I'm a huge dog lover and grabbed this mainly because of the cover. I was disappointed that the dogs weren't made a bigger focal point of the story though. Brenda got on my nerves a bit with her negativity and Grinchy behavior. But the most important thing for me in a good romance is that I feel the romantic chemistry and I can say for me that was a success. I even teared up at one point. A fast, short, easy, enjoyable read.

I also love that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book are going to an animal rescue organization! 😻😻

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this eARC.

Great, heart-warming characters. Very interesting plot. Vivid descriptions. I felt every emotion. Kept me intrigued from the first page to the last. Simply a GREAT read!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

I don’t have twelve dogs, although some days it feels like it, but I do love Dogs and Christmas (and, of course, books). Of all the Christmas books I’ve read this year, this was my favourite.

This story revolves around Brenda, whose Christmas the year before was not only a disaster on that night, but it turned her life upside down when a pair of panties were ‘returned’ to her, found by a guest at her and her husband’s Christmas party. She hasn’t been a big fan of Christmas since she was a child, but realizing what this means brings an end to her marriage and another reason to associate Christmas with the worst moments of her life. It doesn’t help matters that she almost just lost her dog.

As an advocate for dogs, Brenda spends her time with the organization that helps place dogs who have been lost or given up by their previous owners. She typically does all her work at her new place, but when she is needed to help take the dogs to a distant location that will involve driving for days, and just as they are almost there, the weather turns and the icy driving conditions ends up with one of them in the hospital, and Brenda being taken to stay at the home of one of the men who rescued them.

Needless to say, there is a romantic connection for one of them. A man who was on the list for one of the dogs, as a gift for his young son, who happens to be the man who rescued them.

While this means she is frequently near him, as she’s staying in his mother’s home, and she appreciates all that he and his family are doing for her, she is both ill prepared for staying there as long as it will take for their vehicle to be ready to be driven. Also, her friend is still in the hospital, and will be for a while. As the temperatures outside drop, Brenda needs some warmer clothing, and enough clothing until she can leave. Meanwhile, her rescuer seems like he’s trying to convince her that it isn’t all that bad there, you just need to embrace the snow. But Brenda is not a fan of the cold, for more reasons than it is cold.

I wanted to read this because it revolves around dogs, but enjoyed seeing Brenda embrace looking at life with a new, more positive, view for the future.


Published: 17 Oct 2023

Many thanks for the ARC provided by William Morrow

What a fun Christmas Book. This fast-paced book makes me believe in the Christmas Spirit even more. I loved all the dogs and having the story center around them getting to a loving forever home. One small town and one right man can help Brenda remember why Christmas is so great. It was a sad tale to read about Brenda, but I am glad that, in the end, she saw the true meaning of Christmas. I'm not saying this book is all sad; it is fun to read. I highly recommend this Christmas read.

The twelve dogs of Christmas is a cute holiday read. I loved Brenda’s character immediately. This truly encompasses the holiday spirit of transporting dogs and a holiday romance . A must read for Christmas book lovers !