What’s not to love about a story involving dogs and Christmas? This tender novel centers around the Goss family dealing with some life crisis. The book flows making it a quick but pleasurable read. It’s amazing all we can do when we feel we have a purpose. This is true of all the characters as they each find their own way. If you are looking for a heartwarming story with all the feels pick this one up.#Netgalley #ADogsPerfectChristmas

My Review: You combine dogs and Christmas and I am so there! I was really excited for this book, I read one of the author's other dog Christmas books last year and enjoyed it. It was a bit confusing at first because there are multiple POVs, including one from the dog, Winston, but you quickly grow accustomed to them. Each character has clear voice and personality which makes them easy to distinguish. The first quarter of the book or so I was a bit worried that it was going to be a bit too dark and dreary of a holiday story this year but it was so worth it to continue. It was definitely an emotional journey with a lot of very relatable situations. I absolutely adored Winston and Ruby's simplistic perspective as compared the the much more complicated emotions and trials of the family. I love the way the story progressed and I ended up with such cozy happy feelings, definitely a great book for animal lovers during the holiday season.

My Rating: I was a bit unsure about the book at the beginning but the family really captured my attention and drew me into the story and the emotions. I give it a rating of Four Paws!

You can always rely on W. Bruce Cameron for a heartwarming story with compelling characters – both animal and human – and a happy ending. We knew we would love A DOG’S PERFECT CHRISTMAS, which we read in one evening. Instead of being centered on one dog character, as his books usually are, this story is about a family in turmoil. It begins with an elderly man, Sander, who’s just lost his beloved wife of many years, and his aging wolfhound, Winstead. Sander can no longer afford his home, having gone bankrupt by his late wife’s expensive medical treatments, so he goes to live with his son and his family. Each character is having his or her own problems – the granddaughter Ello, is having a hard time surviving the drama of middle-school, the wife is over-stressed by the chaos created by her new twins and longs to return to work as a trial attorney, and the husband is on the verge of getting fired by a new boss who hates him. With a new puppy, and new friends for Sander, Ello, and Winstead, things begin to change. The story alternates between the points of view of each, including Winstead, and we really felt for each of the characters and rooted for them to work out their problems and find happiness. This is the perfect Christmas book!

As Christmas approaches it feels daunting and stressful enough without the holidays to add to the chaos.

This is a heartfelt novel about family and friends and loveable characters and a story you won't be able to put down.

You will get all the holiday feels with this one.

This was an interestingand quick Christmas vacation book (what's the Christmas version of a beach book called?).

What a charming and quick read. I read a different Christmas book every year and I really enjoyed this one. It is a story of family and the crisis they face together close to the holidays. With a mom in the hospital with a serious, life threatening condition they must move ahead with difficult choices. Then a new puppy arrives quite unexpectedly and brings joy into this very troubled household.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I really enjoyed this Christmas book. I needed a little bit of a “pick me up” after my last book which was a total tear jerker AND with the possibilities of more shutdowns due to this covid virus, I just needed something to take my mind off of it and this book definitely did that. My teenage daughter has read many of W. Bruce Cameron’s books but this is my first one, I can see why she enjoys them. This book had some emotional parts that really made me sit and think about how blessed I am and not to take any day that we have for granted. I am happy with the ending of the book and I do highly recommend it if you’re looking for an enjoyable holiday read by a cozy fireplace and your Christmas tree. I want to add that this was almost a full 5 star for me but there was just one part of the book that bothered me...Sander (the grandpa) was becoming very depressed because of his wife’s passing but by mid book he was dating several widows at once. I thought that was a little odd. I think I would have preferred to see that he connected to just one person. I’m not going to reveal how that part of the story ended because I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that it did come together in a pleasing way at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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After hearing so many rave reviews about this author from his prior books, I was actually somewhat disappointed in this book. To me, it was not a book that I started reading and couldn't put down. Honestly it was somewhat of the opposite. I had a hard time wanting to go back and finish it. I mainly wanted to read this because my granddaughter has raved about all of Cameron's other books so I thought I would see what she loved about them. His other books it seems are more centered around dogs so I wanted to see what the fuss about his writer's were.

This story I felt centered around all the dysfunctionality of families and how so many issues come to light around the holidays. It seemed like each person in the book was undergoing some crisis and at times, The mom has a health emergency and the dad has job issues....all the while the kids have their own issues and put a dog and grandpa into the mix and it seemed like a perfect storm. Again this story was really hard for me to stay interested in although I still would like to read more by the author to see what else he has to offer.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher, Forge Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

This book has a very simple premise about a dysfunctional family. It tried to wrap things up into a nice little bow in time for Christmas. I think that putting the word "dog" in the title is very misleading. Most of the author's books are about the dog as the main character and from the dog's point of view. This one did not and could have actually have done just as well without any animals.

I really didn't care for any of the characters. They all seemed like stereotypes. No matter what the problems were they would all be solved by the end of the book. It reminded me of an hour TV show. No matter what was going on, it would be solved in an hour. People's personality changed and everything was happily ever after.

I probably would have read this book anyway because I enjoyed the author's other books and I like to read Christmas books at this time of year. If there is a sequel, I probably won't read it.

A beautifully written tale. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

** spoiler alert ** Having never read a W. Bruce Cameron book I picked out A Dog's Perfect Christmas because it was one of the 2020 offerings with the holiday in the title. When I began reading I was a bit put out because this certainly didn't have the feel of a Christmas story at all. I love dogs so I certainly appreciated the 'voice' that the main canine Winstead has in the story. A second, loveable little dog brings her own special part too. There are humans, one an old guy named Sander and here is where I almost put the book aside. He is in mourning. His is existing in a room in his son's house after the loss of his wife. He sounds to be close to hospice which hits far too close to the existence I'm experiencing with being a caregiver to my mother who has terminal cancer. This isn't exactly the Christmasy book I was expecting.
This Cameron guy has a good story going as he introduces Ello the sullen teenager, her off the wall twin three-year-old brothers, workaholic Dad, Hunter, and beautiful and unhappy, overburdened mother, Julianna. The members of the family unit seem to be living separate lives, unaware of what the others are experiencing, all while Winstead has his own observations going on. I kind of give permission in my reader's mind to let the lack of Christmas ambience go while continuing to read what has become a magnetic manuscript which has drawn me in.
After I finished the story that brought me close to tears, did spark some anxious moments and out right laughter. I read the acknowledgements which were also written with interesting paragraphs, I realized this is the guy who wrote a book that got made into a Dennis Quaid movie. Huh. When I set aside the want of a sparkling Christmas feel good story I realize and acknowledge that I got a powerful family read instead. One that shows the reality of life at home stress and loneliness. There is teen life curdling under the radar of adults trying to survive their own dramas. Mean while a good old dog just loves a changing old man with a loyal heart. The changes in the characters, their true depth rising to the surface as major trauma hits the family and shows what a unit they are, is heartwarming. It's an excellent any day of the year book despite Christmas being in the title (and celebrated at the end of the tale).

Special thanks goes out to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of the book. It is my own personal opinion that the author's fans will love the book as will a John Grisham fan who enjoys his non lawyer family-intense dramatic stories. It's truly a wonderful book. Personal note, books are nearly always better than movies.

This book took me back to the days before we got our Christmas Dog. My mother never wanted a dog in the house and my Dad always had a dog in the house.

So my Dad and I decided to have a puppy show up on our doorstep on Christmas Eve. Knowing that Mom would not turn away anyone on a cold winter's night. She fooled us. She had gone to the sherter eariler in the day and picked up a puppy for us.

Now we had to chose which one to keep and one to go back. For several days we talked about it and decided we had to keep both of them. That is how we got to have Mutt and Jeff. My favorite Christmas Mutts.

They helped me get through the days of losing my Grandfather that year and Dad the next year. The story tells us that having a pet is therpy for everyone in the family. Mutt and Jeff stayed close to us for many years.

The Christmas in the book was better because Roxy was there to help everyone when Mom was in the hospital.
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It is a well thought out story and a good Christmas story for everyone who needs a friend!

I love this author, and his previous books, so I was thrilled to get a copy of his Christmas book. I was sad to realize that Christmas is just a smidge of this book. All of the qualities that make his books wonderful were there but I was disappointed to see that this was not in fact a Christmas book, as its being marketed. Once I got over that, and settled into the story, I was hooked. The story was charming and full of so much love. I’m a sucker for rescue dog stories and this one was no exception. A Dog’s Perfect Christmas really focused on the family, making it a real family drama with the addition of an adorable pup. So while Christmas was not central to this story, and just an addition, I loved my time with this family. My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review/

I am becoming a huge fan of Bruce Cameron.
I am working my way through reading hopefully all of his books. This is only my second book I’ve read of his it did not disappoint. I think I will actually have to a copy of this book to add to my others.
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas was a sweet and heartwarming story. The story follows a family who is struggling through life. Going through hard times and filling like all hope is gone. Then one day a little puppy happens to find her way into their life and like magic things start changing for the better.

Heartwarming, delightful tale of a family facing an uncertain future and the effect a small puppy has on them as the holidays fast approach. I loved this story of a family who are individually caught up in their own chaotic paths but must come together after an unexpected health crisis touches the core of their family. Witty, beautifully written, this is the perfect book to remind us all what truly matters not only during the holidays but all year long!

This is a quick, enjoyable read featuring both an older dog and a puppy, although the actual focus is a bit more about the family encompassing three generations. Life and all it entails, including growing older, serious illness, job uncertainty, and teen angst, are all in the mix. Then add both the stress and the joy of Christmas!. I especially liked Winstead, the Grandpa's old dog, who finds renewed life when puppy Ruby unexpectedly joins the household.

Author #W. Bruce Cameron is one of those authors you know always writes a book worth reading. With stay at home still going on in so many communities this is the perfect read!! There is a lot going on and your going to get to laugh also. Head over to my Instagram blog Maddie_approves_book_reviews this week please. And enjoy a full review.🌟🐾🐾
Thank you,
#Netgalley, #W. Bruce Cameron and #Macmillan

W. Bruce Cameron is usually one of my all time favorite authors but I was not a fan of his new book, A Dog's Perfect Christmas. I did not like any of the characters and was very disappointed that the dogs played such a small role in the story when his books are usually the opposite. While it was a very quick read, I found it boring and I just wanted to be done with it. Although I will still read anything this author writes, I would not recommend this story.

A Dog's Perfect Christmas is a great escape book. W. Bruce Cameron has written a story that will give you a different perspective on life and the things that are really important in it. Including the devotion of dogs.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This is a sweet holiday story. Cameron uses many characters’ points of view, including the dogs. It is a fast read of teenage angst, job insecurity, and medical emergency with cute dogs thrown in. I have enjoyed Cameron’s previous dog books and was a little disappointed with this one. The title is A Dog’s Perfect Christmas but focuses more on the family than either dog. Had I known this prior to reading, I might have a different opinion. Still worth reading. My true rating is 3.5 stars.
#ADogsPerfectChristmas #NetGalley