Two Cute Dogs and a Cinnamon Roll in Horsebox...

 

TITLE: That Festive Feeling

AUTHOR: Heidi Swain

PUBLISHER: Simon and Schuster

PUBLISHING DATE: October 12, 2023

PAGES: 448   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: Holly has the place to herself this Christmas. It's not her place, though - she is house-sitting for friends who live on Nightingale Square - just there to keep the place warm and cosy and only for long enough for her to sort her life out. Newly single and finding herself unsure about next steps for her career, she plans to hunker down and make some life decisions. 

To clear her mind, she sets off on early morning walks around a nearby lake and bumps into May, an older lady who is also new to the area, and her dapper Dachshund Monty. Quickly, a firm friendship blossoms. Then when Holly meets Bear, a rather large and rather attractive man, at the local pub, and his rescue dog Queenie, her stay at Nightingale Square suddenly feels even more appealing. 

As the community comes together for the season's festivities, Holly must start thinking about where her life will take her next. Some big decisions need to be made, but distractions close to home make thinking about the future trickier than ever...

MY THOUGHTS: Wow, I had no idea when I borrowed this on Libby it would become one of my favorite reads of the year. I am so glad I picked it up. And I'm not going to lie, it was a complete grab based on those two tiny dogs on the cover.

Holly is recently divorced and looking to move. She gets the chance to housesit for two friends over the holidays and wants nothing more than to hide away and contemplate where she wants to live and decide if she is really happy being an illustrator.  Holly has no intentions of trying to fit into her friend's small community of Nightingale Square, but the neighbors won't let her be.  One morning while walking, she saves an elderly lady's dog from drowning and she and Holly strike up an unexpected friendship.  It's after this that she meets Bear.  A grumpy man visiting for the holidays and parking his horsebox, which he converted into a living quarter, in Nightingale Square (he really isn't that grumpy, but Holly did step on his dog - I'd be grumpy too!)  Holly quickly finds herself caught up in the spirit of the season and discovers hiding away isn't the best way to move on.

This book was everything I want in a holiday read.  It has romance, but also a few pretty serious storylines.  In addition, the whole book really brings a found family together and that is hands down one of my favorite tropes as I recently discovered.  And the dogs!  Bear has a dog he rescued named Queenie, and she is the most adorably pittie everyone and she becomes so enamored with Monty the dachshund. 

I had no idea this was actually part of a series when I picked it up and didn't even learn about it until after I had finished.  I really loved the characters and the community and can see me checking some of the others out at some point in the future.  However, this book was such a perfect timely read for me, maybe I should just leave well enough alone.  Anyone else have any suggestions or experience with this series or this author?  Let me know what you recommend.

MY RATING: 5 PAWS