text: This book was so cute and the perfect book to get into the Chrismas spirit! I laughed out loud, I cried and experienced all the sweet cute feelings. I enjoyed Pine Hollow and the description of the community-centric small town. The snow falling, the tree lighting event, everyone knowing everyone gave me all the Stars Hollow and Virgin River feels. What I loved even more? All the dogs. While the romance was steam free, it was so sweet and cute that I was swooning over Ally and Ben. Definitely a go-to holiday read, you will be reading this drinking a Peppermint Mocha with a blanket around you sitting by the Christmas tree and/or fire.
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  Claire Y, Reviewer
  Such a warm and fuzzy read.  In The Twelve Dogs of Christmas, Ally Gilmore travels to Pine Hollow, Vermont to help her grandparents operate their dog rescue shelter.  There, she meets Ben West, a crusty town council member.  Sparks fly when Ally accidentally bumps into Ben causing his new cup of coffee to get splashed all over the front of his dress shirt.  A rough start as accusations are thrown between Ben and Ally, with more insult to injury as the shelter is at risk of losing funding from the town -- the swing vote in the hands of Ben.
  
  What will happen to all of the dogs at the shelter if funding is lost?  Can Ally and Ben find it within themselves to forgive and forget, not only for the shelter but in the spirit of Christmas?  The answer to these and other questions lie within the pages of this delightful novel.
  
  If you are looking for a cozy romance novel for the holidays, look no further than The Twelve Dogs of Christmas.  It is a wonderfully adorable read. Rating it 4.5 stars rounded up.   The half point being deducted because I felt that it was a little too drawn out.  Nevertheless, the novel did impress me.
  
  I received a digital ARC from Forever/Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley.  The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.  My review will be posted on Goodreads, Twitter, and my book blog within two weeks of the release date.
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  Marcia S, Reviewer
  An entertaining and well written romance.  Great plot and character development.  Pet lovers will enjoy this book.  I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.
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  Heidi S, Reviewer
  This book just might be the most ADORABLE thing I've ever read 💕 Christmas + Dogs = A full heart. My heart is absolutely overflowing right now. 
  
  Astrid and her Uncle Ben have things all figured out. She wants a dog and won't be happy til she gets one. Uncle Ben is known for being the town Scrooge and he's very bah humbug about the idea. 
  
  Ally is in town, helping her grandparents run the animal shelter when they find out that the town has cut their funding and they have until December 31st to empty the shelter. She intends to stop this travesty and goes head to head with none other than the town Scrooge. 
  
  I love the descriptions of the town. Painted perfectly in my mind! And the dogs... my favorite part, obviously! So many breeds, all portrayed in their own perfectly flawed ways. The chemistry between Ally & Ben. The love you see between Ben and Astrid. If you love dogs, Christmas, adorable romance, you definitely need to read this one!
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  Elle S, Reviewer
  Absolutely an adorable Hallmark card of  book. This book is about an uncle raising his nice,  photographer visiting her grandparents for the holidays and what happens when they team up to save some dog. 
  The romance in this book was very sweet if you're looking for a wholesome read I'd recommend this book.
  Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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  alisha w, Reviewer
  Such a cute book. I loved all the dogs at the shelter. They all had such personality. Fred and Ginger such a cute old pair. And poor Partridge just want to snuggle with him.
  Both protagonist were likeable, although you want to smack Been at first. Ally has such a big heart for her grandparents and the town.
  A fun Christmas read.
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  Talie L, Reviewer
  Thanks to NetGalley and Forever Pub for the e-arc of this book.
  
  The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Lizzy Shane is everything I want from a Christmas romance. The story itself is loosely based on of This is a Wonderful Life.  In the book Ally moves in with her grandparents to help them with their dog rescue/shelter.  Ben is a local city councilman who votes to cut city funding to the shelter.  Ben agrees to help Ally find homes for the remaining shelter dogs with The Twelve Dog of Christmas campaign..
  
  What did I enjoy about the book? A charismatic hero and heroine. Cute small town that turns into a winter wonderland.  Lots of great side characters that you know will make for great follow up books. And finally - dogs!  Seriously if you are a dog lover looking for a Christmas romance, this is your book.
  
  If you are looking for the book equivalent of a holiday movie, this book would be a great choice.  For those who like to spice to their romance - this one if most definitely rated G.
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  Courtney T, Reviewer
  I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 
  
  The Twelve Dogs of Christmas was another request made mostly because of the cover, because of the cute dogs. The promise of a heartwarming story of finding shelter dogs homes also seemed promising to the dog lover in me. 
  
  And of course, the dogs steal the show. While I can’t say any one stood out over the others (although I was mildly disappointed to find out the one called Peanut was the Chihuahua, given I own a French Bulldog with the same name), I loved seeing them participating the shelter’s holiday events and eventually each get claimed by loving families. 
  
  The romance between Ally and Ben is also quite charming. While the circumstances bringing them together were less than auspicious, especially with Ben feeling responsible for the shelter’s impending closure, I like that he worked to make it right. I did feel that their relationship was in the “will-they-won’t-they” phase for a bit longer than necessary, and it’s more sweet than spicy and definitely a slow-burn. But it ultimately made things satisfying when they did end up together. 
  
  I also really liked Ben’s relationship with his niece, Astrid, as he navigates being her guardian. They have their issues, one of them being his reluctance to open their home to a dog, but I appreciated seeing them navigate it in a realistic way. 
  
  The town of Pine Hollow also feels really sweet and cozy, and I’m curious, given the Christmas motif for this book, what the future of the series is for the other town residents. And while this is not a particularly unique book, it has all the ingredients for a perfect comforting winter read.
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  Kimberly M, Reviewer
  Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com
  
  Ally comes back to Pine Hollow to help her grandparents with their animal shelter but finds that the shelter is having funding taken away and given to the community center. Now she has to find homes for all the animals in a month. 
  
  And as always, there is a devil in the details and in this case it is Ben who was the deciding vote on being defunded and since he is already on her list she is not a happy camper. So off she goes to confront Ben.
  
  But there is more to Ben then being the Grinch. He is raising his niece who happens to love dogs. So Ben says he will help Ally find homes for all of the dogs. And as expected romance begins to bloom.
  
  Ally, Ben, Astrid and the pups make this story worth the read. Living in a very small town I could see this exact thing happening here.
  
  By the end of this book I kept thinking how Hallmark HAS to make this book into a Christmas movie. Great way to start getting into the holiday spirit.
  
  Disclaimer:
  I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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  Amy J, Reviewer
  Thank you Forever for my review copy, all opinions are my own.
  .
  Welp, that was freaking delightful. I mean, sigh. So stinkin cute. 
  .
  Let’s talk about what I loved...
  .
  Dogs. All the dogs (I’m partial to the little old dachshunds Fred & Ginger tho).
  .
  Small town
  .
  Small town Christmas events.
  .
  The small town square. 
  .
  Yes, small towns are my jam. 
  .
  How truly clean and lovely this novel was. I love some good steam. But some sweet sugar is also needed. This one was so sweet.
  .
  The atmosphere was lovely, Pine Hollow is the perfect town to fall in love
  .
  The Stars Hollow feel. I expected to see Luke and Loralei arguing on the town square. 
  .
  Knowing that there are so many characters that I can’t wait to meet in the next novels. 
  .
  I will absolutely recommend this one. If you love Hallmark Christmas movies....or Gilmore Girls....or even Virgin River....or Sweetwater Springs series by Annie Rains....this is for you.
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  TONI L, Reviewer
  This novel was the perfect antidote to a high stress week.  Kids, dogs, and all the feels, it was exactly what I needed.
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  Kayla W, Reviewer
  This book is what it would be like if Gilmore Girls and a Hallmark Christmas movie got together and had a batch of puppies. This is the sweetest, cutest, more festive book I've read in a while. It's just perfection!
  
  Ben and Ally are both great characters. They're written with warmth, understanding, and the perfect mix of being well-developed from the beginning but also having room to grow as they get to know each other and learn a few things about themselves. I was genuinely rooting for them as a couple and as individuals from the beginning. I just wanted them to be happy!
  
  The other characters in Ben and Ally's lives and in town are fantastic too. I adored Astrid and Deenie and Elinor. They're all so fun! I'm really hoping we see more Deenie soon! Ally's grandparents are also fantastic and are written as such loving and caring people. 
  
  And the dogs! They may be the best part of the book! Lizzie did such a great job writing about all the dogs, giving them their own personalities and fun quirks and really showing how the humans loved them and how dogs can bring people together.
  
  This book is an instant holiday romance classic for me. I can definitely see this being one I return to next Christmas, and I'm sure I'll love it just as much then!
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  Sarah S, Reviewer
  This was such a sweet, fun Christmas romance.  It also had plenty of cute dogs and a wonderful romance.
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  Carole B, Reviewer
  This is such a cute read and the title is so perfect! I've only ever had one dog in my life and that was when I was a teen but after reading this story, I want to go adopt a whole bunch of them! lol Every one of them had such a character and I could just picture them all in my mind as I was reading. I love Christmas stories that take place in small towns with all the Christmas traditions!! 
  
  Ally is at loose ends in her life and decides to go help out her grandparents at their dog shelter and maybe even settle down there but then she learns the town will no longer fund the shelter and it will close down in the new year. When she literally runs into Ben, the councilman who is responsible for stopping funding the shelter, she vows to fight it and him!! As they get to know each other, Ally discovers that Ben is not the Scrooge everyone thinks he is. He has a lot of personal problems, though, and it might just take a Christmas miracle to make him realize he can't control every little thing in his life. Be ready for a slow burn romance, a dozen adorable dogs and a cast of characters that will have you entranced.
  
  I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
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  Jessica S, Reviewer
  Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 
  
  Wow. I didn't know what to expect going into this book- I love both dogs and Christmas, but I didn't get that immediate feeling from the cover/description. However, was I thrilled to be wrong- this is one of my new favourite holiday books!! Ally and Ben are lovable characters, but both have moments that leave you wanting to shake them. (As any good well-rounded character should!) All of the supporting characters play their roles perfectly- foiling when needed and moving things along. And of course- the dogs! The dogs are present throughout but aren't distracting from the main plot. 
  
  This would make the perfect Hallmark Christmas movie (the highest compliment I can give)! There is a spark, a holiday spirit that Shane has written perfectly without shifting into corny or cliched. I literally could not put this book down, and read it in one sitting. If you are looking to get into the holiday spirit, this is your book!
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  Chris G, Reviewer
  Loved reading this book. Can't wait for the 2nd book in the series. Christmas themed books are 1 of my favorites
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  Shae H, Reviewer
  What a sweet Christmas book! We have a single parent romance where he is raising his niece after her parents died in a car crash. He's trying to do everything for everyone else, at the sacrifice to himself.
  Ally is searching for a place where she can call home. She comes to help her grandparents at their dog shelter, but it is losing its funding and 12 dogs need to be placed in new homes by January 1. 
  Ally and Ben team up. She helps him become less of a Grinch, and he helps her with the dogs. It's sweet, adorable, and all too loveable!
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  Ann L, Reviewer
  I try very hard to not pick a book by its cover or title. That can get you into trouble big time. So often good books have bad covers and bad books, have good ones. But every once in awhile a cover or title draws you in and you have no choice. That's what happened with this book. I just loved the title so much I had to try it.
  
  Plus, I'm always looking for new to me authors so it was a win-win situation. 
  
  You have to admit the title is great. The cover is okay. I haven't yet tried Lizzie Shane so I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I was thrilled to be starting a new small-town romance because those are really my jam right now. 
  
  I enjoyed both Ally and Ben. I had to work a little harder to warm up to Ben. At times he drove me crazy but by the end of the book, I totally understood. You feel for him and his situation. His life is tough but he's making it tougher on himself. No one is doing that other than him. 
  
  I also later in the book felt for Ally and was really pissed at her grandparent for a minute or two. I won't explain more because you need to read it for yourself to truly understand it. She's a really great person who I think really and truly needed friends. It's almost like she doesn't know how to act around them when she starts to get them.
  
  As a whole, this is a wonderful Christmas story that you'll enjoy at the holidays. I will say that when the author introduces Ben's friends the story got much better. They help to sell the whole small-town, grew up together feel. She needed to have them all interact sooner. I think it would have made for an even better story. 
  
  Even with that small issue, I thought it was a wonderful, heartwarming story that will bring you holiday cheer. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one if you read it. Any of you read her?
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  Addie Y, Reviewer
  This came highly recommended by a good friend and she was not wrong.  I really enjoyed Twelve Dogs of Christmas.  The dogs weren't the main focus, but provided such good side characters in this small town Christmas romance.  I love that it's so well set up for a series and I hope that is what we get.  Twelve dogs is a heartwarming and fun story about two people finding themselves and what they want and then each other.  If you love Hallmark Christmas movies and warm love stories, this is one you don't want to miss.
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  Mellie S, Reviewer
  Saving puppies for Christmas? You cannot go wrong. This is my favorite holiday read of the year so far, and I will be raving about it even after we ring in the new year. 
  
  Obsessed. Pine Hollow, I’m moving in ASAP. This town is the exact way I imagine small town stories, and it was painted so beautifully by Lizzie Shane. the landscape, the people, the community, the joy of Christmas, this is what my romance dreams are made of and this is what Lizzie Shane has brought to life. 
  
  PS I’d like to adopt Partridge. 
  
  
  Our MC, Ally, is feisty and I love her. She’s a true city girl and I enjoy the way she carries herself. I think she takes after her grandma 😉  Ally and Ben’s chemistry was so natural. I was gushing over here as they were starting to be friends. Ben was hilarious to me how clumsily goofy he was. I caught myself laughing out loud as he interacted with the dogs. He had such a realistic and caring relationship with Astrid that I definitely found myself cheering for him. Deenie and Elinor were also amazing support characters. I didn’t want to like Deenie at first because I was worried she was Ben’s ex, then I out loud did a sigh of relief when he did his ex was Isabelle (yes!) I loved Elinor being the voice of reason and was so wise. 
  
  Also, can I just thank Lizzie Shane for painting pit bulls in such a good light? I have 2 mixes, and people think they’re scary. Y’all. They are scared of everything and are my favorite cuddle monsters. I held my breath waiting for a pibble to be mentioned, and Jelly was perfect. Like, y’all have no idea how much that means to me. 🐶 
  
  This is for the dog lovers, those who believe in the magic of Christmas, love the big city moved to the small towns, and those who like a good laugh whether it’s friends to lovers or enemies to lovers, this has it all. 
  
  PPS: I’m going to really need Pine Hollow to feature a story of Deenie & Connor. Speaking it into existence. 
  
  Thank you Forever for this amazing copy! I will probably rant about this one for quite some time. This one is out Sept 29th.
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