Mutt's and Mistletoe Book Review

Review of Mutts and Mistletoe by Natalie Cox

From the first page of this laugh-out-loud Holiday Romance set in the English countryside, British Author Natalie Cox had me smiling at her heroine’s Ten Things I Hate About Christmas list. Told in the first person, the story gives the reader access to Charlie’s thoughts (gently snarky) as well as her words and actions. This adds an extra layer of humor to the hilarious fish-out-of-water mix.

Charlie’s seemingly stable urban life is overturned in a flash when she discovers her live-in boyfriend has been cheating on her with his personal trainer for over a year. Charlie struggles to make sense of what happened.

At the ripe old age of thirty-one, she’s lost (or had stolen) four years of her life, and she wants to make the most of what remains. But her self-confidence has been shaken. Her romantic heart is battered and bruised. She’d rather be alone than live with someone she can’t trust.

Charlie’s plans to hole up alone over Christmas with a bottle of Chardonnay and watch Audrey Hepburn movies is blown to smithereens when her apartment building blows up from a gas leak. Suffering from a concussion and temporarily homeless, she agrees to stay with her cousin Jez in the country while she recovers. Jez runs a high-end boarding kennel, Cozy Canine Cottages.

Unfortunately, Charlie has no experience with country living, and her only experience with dogs was with her mother’s third ex-husband’s over-indulged and under-disciplined pugs. At five years old, she experienced them chewing up her dolls, constantly trying to hump her leg and getting the attention she craved. Nothing to love there as far as she is concerned.

Charlie finds herself a fish out of water, but being an adventurous soul, she gamely tries to fit in with Jez and Slab (ancient Poodle), Hulk (spunky Pomeranian), Malcom (nervous, deaf Great Dane), Judd (three-time national champion Irish Setter), The Twins (two huge Alaskan Malamute sled dogs) and Peggy (very pregnant beagle).

When Jez’s long-term internet romantic partner gives her two weeks in the Arctic together for Christmas, and none of Jez’s friends can kennel-sit for her, Charlie gamely volunteers. After all, how hard can it be?

Plus, the pay is REALLY good.

When the boiler in the kennel building breaks down, Charlie must bring all the dogs into the house with her so they don’t freeze to death. Jez’s off-beat local friends rally round to help and before she knows it, Charlie begins to appreciate and enjoy the company of canines.

Unfortunately, every time Charlie runs into the handsome-but-prickly vet, he seems to get the impression she’s reckless and irresponsible. But he has such sexy forearms…and she’s learned he had his heart broken, too.

Natalie Cox has an amazing comic voice. Her characters are interesting and relatable, including the dogs. The plot has plenty of fun twists and turns with a heartwarming and happy ending.

I read Mutts and Mistletoe in bed the first time, and woke my husband multiple times laughing out loud. Two weeks later, I read the story again because it was soooo funny. I laughed just as much the second time around.

This book goes on my ‘keeper’ shelf! ~ Sarah McDermed

Buy at  Amazon

Available in Print, Audible, E-book. Can be found at all the large print and e-book retailers, and in many languages.