Christmas at Corgi Cove, by Annie England Noblin

 

Publication Oct. 17, 2023

Break out the hot chocolate! Bake some Christmas cookies! Pet a dog...or two. Corgis preferred but I'm not picky, even tho' my own is staring at me right now with her nose on my knee. This one has all the makings of a Hallmark Christmas movie, I must admit, but sometimes it's nice to know there will be a "happily ever after" ending. And, oh, I loved the cover. Actually, I think I asked to review this one before I even read the blurb, all based on this adorable cover. The dogs, Bonnie and Clyde, are featured in the book, btw, even when they might prefer not to have been the center of attention. Toss in a slow building love story, small town gal and big town guy, and a financially struggling inn and you know sparks will fly. Will the inn be saved? Oh, come on. If you know romances, especially holiday ones you know the answer to that, even if a five--year plan might be helpful.

Obviously, I've read a few of these Hallmark flavored holiday romances but I still enjoy them. Nothing wrong with happily ever after, even if it's sometimes a rocky road to reach that ending. The prologue sets a somber tone, true, but that quickly abates as main character Rosie grows to love her new home with her aunt and uncle after a troubled youth, not to mention the adorable corgis that live there. Family is important in this story, including a broken relationship, so romance and corgis aren't the only focus. That said, the romance is sweet and the corgis provide plenty of humor, including their role on stage. Nope, not telling. You'll have to read the book for that one. Heck, Bonnie and Clyde even help bring Rosie and big city guy Everett together (in a way) at the end. Smart dogs, those two. 

I'm not going to detail the plot aside from that it's focused on Rosie's efforts to save the floundering inn and her only real home. Romance was an unexpected plus. So, too, is how the community comes together, despite some quirky characters. You'll see Rosie grow as a person, learning to trust and allow others into her life. We even have the advantage of dual viewpoints, so to speak, with chapters largely alternating between Rosie and Everett. That provides an interesting, much fuller picture than single viewpoint might. Bottom line, I fully enjoyed the read despite author Annie England Noblin being new to me and will be on the lookout for future books from her. Thanks #NetGalley and #Avon - #HarperVoyager for giving me a playful dose of corgi mixed with romance and community and the Christmas spirit. I am now feeling the urge for hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies.