louetta's review
4.0
I was given this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is a cute holiday mystery novella, well written and great plot. Loved the characters.
This is a cute holiday mystery novella, well written and great plot. Loved the characters.
peggyemi's review against another edition
4.0
This is a terrific holiday novella that hits all the right Christmas notes. I enjoy these peaks into the lives of the residents of South Cove.
cj_mo_2222's review
4.0
Jill Gardner plans an adopt-a-pet Christmas party at her bookstore/coffee house in South Cove, California. Jill is drawn to Baby, a ten-year-old terrier whose owner was found dead on the beach the week before. Jill is determined to find a home for Baby, as well as learn more about Baby's owner and what happened to him so there is closure for everyone before Christmas.
"Santa Puppy" is part of the Tourist Trap Mystery series. I've read some of the other books in this series, but this holiday-themed novella is a perfect introduction to readers new to the series. At the center of this book is a love story about a military veteran who knew gave up trying to find the love of his life. His death wasn't a murder, but Jill wants to find his lost love, as well as a home for his dog, Baby, and won't stop until she does. I love how dedicated Jill is to her business, her friends and family, and helping others. Her attitude is perfect for a holiday story.
The story also focuses on people getting over past losses and making new holiday traditions with friends and loved ones. Reading about Jill make preparations for Christmas from decorating her tree to baking cookies will get you into the Christmas spirit. There is a happy ending in store for many of the pets in the animal shelter, but a bittersweet ending to the story of the veteran and the woman he loved.
I really enjoyed reading "Santa Puppy." This short, fast-paced novella isn't about a murder investigation, but new and returning readers alike will enjoy seeing Jill get ready for Christmas while solving a touching mystery.
I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Kensington Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
"Santa Puppy" is part of the Tourist Trap Mystery series. I've read some of the other books in this series, but this holiday-themed novella is a perfect introduction to readers new to the series. At the center of this book is a love story about a military veteran who knew gave up trying to find the love of his life. His death wasn't a murder, but Jill wants to find his lost love, as well as a home for his dog, Baby, and won't stop until she does. I love how dedicated Jill is to her business, her friends and family, and helping others. Her attitude is perfect for a holiday story.
The story also focuses on people getting over past losses and making new holiday traditions with friends and loved ones. Reading about Jill make preparations for Christmas from decorating her tree to baking cookies will get you into the Christmas spirit. There is a happy ending in store for many of the pets in the animal shelter, but a bittersweet ending to the story of the veteran and the woman he loved.
I really enjoyed reading "Santa Puppy." This short, fast-paced novella isn't about a murder investigation, but new and returning readers alike will enjoy seeing Jill get ready for Christmas while solving a touching mystery.
I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Kensington Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
slferg's review
3.0
Jill's store, Coffee Books and More is working with the animal shelter for a Christmas party and adoption event. The emplyees and friends go to the animal shelter on day to bathe and trim all the dogs to 'pretty them up' for adoption. Jill is washing a terrier, when his collar falls off and falls apart. There is a key in the collor which goes to a safety deposit box. The dog had been discovered on the beach with a homeless man who had died. Greg takes the key to see if the box will contain something that tells them who the man was. He discovers he was a veteran who suffered an injury that left him with some mental problems. Jill isn't quitting until she finds out who killed him and what the story is.
In places it is a little disconnected and the story doesn't always run smoothly - but it's a good read.
In places it is a little disconnected and the story doesn't always run smoothly - but it's a good read.
xkay_readsx's review
3.0
A good short story perfect for holiday read to tie you until the book comes out. Christmas cookies, puppies, and great South Cove characters.
bookwoman37's review
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This is a quick short Holiday read. Jill is hosting a Holiday Pet Adoption event at store. One of the dog's owner has died and Jill sets out to discover who the owner was and the mystery. I enjoyed the setting and the characters. There is a lot Holiday cheer, dogs and food but the mystery is pretty weak. Read this for a quick Holiday read not the mystery.
bookwyrm_lark's review
3.0
A short, cute holiday tale, Santa Puppy finds Jill and Greg trying to identify a homeless man who died leaving only a dog and a safe deposit key… while simultaneously running an event to aid a local animal shelter and getting ready for Christmas. Despite the book’s series number (9.75), the story is set somewhere between books 4 and 6, since Sasha is working at the bookstore but not yet dating Toby.
While the novella is pleasant overall, there’s not a lot for Jill to get her teeth into here. The solution to the puzzle surrounding the man and his long-lost love was pretty clear to me early on; the ending comes quickly and feels a bit anticlimactic. A mysterious Santa-like character appears occasionally, making cryptic remarks; he is never explained or identified, leaving the reader to wonder if he’s intended to be the ‘real’ Santa Claus or just a figment of Jill’s imagination.
My verdict: Enjoyable for fans of the series, but not a great place to dive in if you’ve never visited South Cove before.
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.
While the novella is pleasant overall, there’s not a lot for Jill to get her teeth into here. The solution to the puzzle surrounding the man and his long-lost love was pretty clear to me early on; the ending comes quickly and feels a bit anticlimactic. A mysterious Santa-like character appears occasionally, making cryptic remarks; he is never explained or identified, leaving the reader to wonder if he’s intended to be the ‘real’ Santa Claus or just a figment of Jill’s imagination.
My verdict: Enjoyable for fans of the series, but not a great place to dive in if you’ve never visited South Cove before.
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.
carolsnotebook's review against another edition
3.0
Christmas and puppies and a mystery - how could I pass up Santa Puppy? I haven't read any of the others in the series, but I thought this worked fine as a cute standalone. Jill Gardner owns a bookshop (also an awesome thing) and has volunteered to host a Christmas party with the goal of getting pets adopted from the local shelter. One of the dogs, Baby, touches Jill's heart. Its owner, a homeless man, was found dead of a heart attack on the beach and Baby needs a new home. Jill, with the help and approval of her detective boyfriend, does some sleuthing to find out who the man was and if he had family who might take the dog.
It was nice that Jill's boyfriend helped her and approved of her digging. Of course, there wasn't any danger involved, it was a natural death, the mystery was more about who the man was and how he ended up homeless. It was a good story, but a little sad too. The puppy gets a happy ending though, so no fears on its behalf.
There was a hint of the paranormal, but with Santa Claus around that's not unusual. Overall, it was a fun addition to my Christmas reading this year. I don't know that I enjoyed it enough to read the rest of the series, though.
It was nice that Jill's boyfriend helped her and approved of her digging. Of course, there wasn't any danger involved, it was a natural death, the mystery was more about who the man was and how he ended up homeless. It was a good story, but a little sad too. The puppy gets a happy ending though, so no fears on its behalf.
There was a hint of the paranormal, but with Santa Claus around that's not unusual. Overall, it was a fun addition to my Christmas reading this year. I don't know that I enjoyed it enough to read the rest of the series, though.
ssejig's review against another edition
4.0
Jill Gardner and her friends are helping out at the local animal shelter for the holidays. One dog in particular, Baby, catches her attention. Baby is an older dog, brought into the shelter when her homeless dog dad died of a heart attack. But Baby has a mystery surrounding her and Jilly wants to figure it out.
A very fast read, this is actually one of the better novellas in the series. Just a touch of magical realism that was a little iffy for my but overall a nice read.
A very fast read, this is actually one of the better novellas in the series. Just a touch of magical realism that was a little iffy for my but overall a nice read.