Most of us have dreamed of finding a sweet, playful puppy under the tree on a bright Christmas morning. While few have had this wish come true, all of us can delight in finding W. Bruce Cameron’s “The Dogs of Christmas” (Macmillan Publishing Group, $11.99, 252 pages) in our stocking.
When an abandoned, pregnant dog and a box full of puppies are unexpectedly thrust into the life of a broken-hearted Josh Michaels, his world turns upside down. Seeking advice from a local shelter, he meets the beautiful Kerri, who helps him learn how to care for the pups and prepare them to be adopted. Soon the litter teaches Josh how to open his heart to life and love again.
He finds himself in love with Kerri and his beloved pack of puppies.
But with Christmas coming and the scheduled adoption date for the pups looming, Josh also finds himself in a quandary. He’s not ready to give up his furry friends. At odds with Kerri over it, he struggles to solve this dilemma, finally learning, that sometimes the only way to hold on to love is to let go.
Cameron writes “Dogs are with us for such a short period of time. They are our best friends but we only have a decade, maybe a decade and a half and then they’re gone. So, losing them is just part of the deal, something you have to learn to cope with. But listen, I really, really believe that one of the lessons they teach us by loving us so intensely while they are here is that we need to celebrate life while we have it, that yes, everything ends and we have to move on but that while we are here, we should make sure we don’t waste it, you know?”
A heart-warming holiday tale that explores the power of love, trust and a basket full of puppies.
