Blurb
Abandoned puppies found under the porch of their duplex become an issue when Ruby Innes overrides her co-tenant, Thatcher Rollins, in his demand she call in the SPCA. Instead, she becomes a surrogate mother to the tiny balls of fluff… with the cranky good-looker’s unexpected assistance. Not surprising, one of the pups bonds with Thatcher and won’t be put aside. After all, it’s exactly how she’s beginning to feel about the guy whose bluff exterior hides a mushy heart. Seriously, how can a woman ignore someone who loves his mother so much, he’s willing to fly to Vegas to stop her wedding to a man he believes will make her unhappy? Until Ruby finds out the groom is her father. Then she has no option but to follow and put a stop to Thatcher’s meddling. But…will she be in time?
Review
In book five of the Holiday Heartwarmers series, Ruby Innes works for the local newspaper and is adamantly against a new building project that going to run people out of their homes. After she moves out of her family house and buys one half of a duplex, she finds an injured stray dog living under her veranda.
Thatcher Rollins doesn’t want to deal with a dog and her puppies, but he’s not going to fight about it with his feisty new neighbor. He’s far too busy trying to get his development project off the ground and is having trouble with a certain reporter at the local paper. When he finds out who Ruby is and how her dad and his mom are connected, his ordered life turns upside down.
This sweet romance novella has some kissing but doesn’t go beyond that. I liked Thatcher for the most part. He’s sweet, kind, and a little stubborn, but some of his flowery, romancey dialogue made him seem almost feminine. I couldn’t really connect with Ruby. She was pretty naive and didn’t act like a responsible reporter. For being enemies, Ruby and Thatcher got over their differences pretty quickly, so there wasn’t much conflict.
There were a few typos, stray POV jumps, and the story ended abruptly with unanswered questions.
I enjoyed the overall plot with the puppies and her dad and his mom getting married, which I would’ve liked to have seen more of. Overall, this is a cute, lighthearted story to pass the time.
My copy of this book came from the A Valentine She’ll Remember box set.
3 Stars
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