Book Review: ‘The Twelve Dogs Of Christmas: A Novel’ By Susan Wiggs

Brenda Malloy has not liked Christmas very much, ever since she was a young girl. And last year didn’t help when she and her husband were giving a Christmas party, and their dog Tim got sick and rushed to the emergency vet. He had eaten a thong, one that did not belong to Brenda, and that ended their marriage, but Tim survived. Now this year her whole life has changed, she has gotten into shape, is working on her children’s novel, and is a volunteer at a dog rescue organization in Houston. Every year at this time there’s a big fund-raising gala, and they work with their partners in the Catskills, in a small town called Avalon, and drive dogs there to be adopted, and this year Brenda is needed to help with this. Along with Dolly they have a van full of dogs, plus Tim, and the trip should be an easy one, until they are just about there, and the Van has to swerve to avoid hitting some deer. Hunky paramedic Adam is on the scene, helps rescue her, Dolly and the dogs, and has his mother put her up in her mansion, next to the cottage that he lives in with his son, when he has him, he’s divorced. He was also one of the people getting one of the dogs. Until the van is fixed she cannot leave, and Adam helps her deliver the dogs to their new families, and they become close, which freaks her out because she will be leaving soon to return to Houston, or will she? With the love and understanding of Adam, she may just open her heart to a true love, and put her issues behind her and start a new life. This is another great character-driven Susan Wiggs novel. No one writes like her. You root for Brenda to be happy and make the right decision, and it contains a lot of dogs, calling attention to the holidays, adoption, and the plight of dogs needing forever families. Susan never disappoints.

You can pick up The Twelve Dogs Of Christmas in stores on Tuesday, October 17th from WIlliam Morrow.