Book Review: The Christmas Dog Sitters by Lucy Mitchell

3.5⭐
Genre ~ contemporary fiction
Setting ~ England
Publication date ~ September 19, 2024
Publisher ~ Dreamscape Media
Est Page Count ~ 292 (44 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 3 minutes
Narrator ~ Charlie Albers
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ Christmastime, small town, single dad, slow burn, no steamage

Rachel and Grandpa Eric are house and dog sitting for her sister, Maddie and brother in law, Frank. They’re in a posh town, but it’s a small town where hardly anyone likes The Baxters. I don’t blame the town one bit after meeting him.

Humphrey the dog is quite mischievous, but also a do-gooder. At first I was like can’t they get a handle on this dog and keep him from running away, but then when he’s helpful all my thoughts on that go out the window.

The romance between Rachel and Ben is a slow burn and doesn’t happen until much later in the book. They didn’t get off on the right foot, but eventually they grew to care for each other. I loved the ‘link’ that brought them together.

I didn’t particularly care for Rachel all the much, or her mother and aunts for that matter. Actually there’s a whole crew of unlikable characters, with only a handful of nice ones.

This is more about Rachel’s journey of figuring her life out after losing her BFF and her job, and spending time with grandpa (my favorite part). Grandpa was great and I loved their bond. Always up for an adventure and just trying to live out the rest of his life how he wants.

Overall, there were some heartwarming moments amidst the chaos in this snowy Christmasy read.

Narration notes:
She did fine. She differentiated her voices well for an array of characters.

Add to your never ending TBR  ~ goodreads

I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve read it.

Book blurb:

Rachel is struggling. She’s navigating the loss of her best friend, she’s left heartbroken by her ex-boyfriend, and she’s recently been made redundant by her employer. So the impending holiday season is the last thing she wants to think about.

Then her rich sister suggests that Rachel dog-sit her spaniel, Humphrey, in her luxurious country house in a quaint village in Surrey. However, Rachel is soon manipulated into caring for her elderly Grandpa Eric, too. Between managing flight-risk Humphrey and rebellious Grandpa Eric, Rachel uncovers family truths, discovers a secretive west wing . . . and must cook Christmas dinner for an entire village.

Amid the chaos, Rachel meets handsome builder Ben. Working at the house, he’s also no stranger to loss, but is willing to re-enter the dating scene—albeit with a six-year-old daughter in tow. Can Rachel and Ben find their way through grief at this tricky time of year? And when a snowstorm threatens to ruin Christmas for everyone, can Rachel and Humphrey bring the community together?

The Christmas Dog Sitters is more than a heartwarming, festive comedy—it’s a story of love and loss, and finding your own path, from the bestselling author of The Car Share.

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