This was a very cute story.

- I received a free copy of this book. As always, this is my honest review.

Firstly, this cover is SO CUTE! Hi adorably puppy!

I am such an animal lover, and as soon as I saw this book, I just knew I needed to read it!

Goldie, who is a veterinarian in California, moves to Blue Dog Valley in Wisconsin, and begins working there. Goldie is such a strong woman with a heart of gold, and while not everyone in town is welcoming to begin with, she soon begins to gain their trust.

This book truly has so much in it: adorable animals, holiday spirit, romance, heartbreaking moments, heartwarming moments, and so, so much more!

I highly recommend this book! I look forward to reading what Annie England Noblin writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon for the e-ARC of this book, and to Avon for the beautiful finished copy! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love Christmas stories and if they include animals all the better! Unfortunately this one was not able to engage my attention and I wished for more character depth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this cute story about an L.A. veterinarian who moves to a small town in Wisconsin in the dead of winter to run the clinic on a trial basis and see if she wants to permanently take over the town vet moniker.

This story was a delight to read. It is filled with fun characters of both the two and four-legged variety and takes place during the holiday season. It's not in your face cheesy, but definitely does provide for some Hallmark moments along with some more serious moments.

So glad I picked up the bingeable story as a part of my holiday season reading. Truly entertaining.

Goldie is a veterinarian from California who takes over a small vet practice in Wisconsin. She is doing a favor for the retiring vet who wants to move to Florida. The small town isn't sure what to expect from a woman with several ranches and farms in the area. Never agree to upend your life when you're hungoverPot-belly pigs are not true farm animalsShe's going to need a warmer coatAt first Goldie is nothing more than a fish out of water, with few clients and few friends. But after a less than pleasant encounter with a man whose dog is suffering from a possibly fatal case of bloat, she's finally earning the trust and goodwill from her fellow Blue Dog Valley citizens. Her clientele grows to include the many farm animals in the town, including a horse named Large Marge, a cape-wearing therapy alpaca, and a yardful of sweater-wearing goats. Add in Kevin, the "worst sheepdog in Blue Dog Valley," and a Sphinx cat named Airport, and Goldie is having the best time a vet can have. . . aside from the annoying attractive town grump, Cohen, who seems intent on making sure she always feels like an outsider.
With Christmas approaching she need a miracle to make her grumpy friend realize she's a good bet in the romance department.

This was such a fun story to read and a nice break from the heavier historical books I've been reading recently.
You've got to admit Blue Dog Valley is an unusual name, but I liked it. It's the name of a town in Wisconsin, I'm not sure if it's a fictional town or not.
A young woman, a veterinarian goes through a bad breakup in Cali where she's she from and on a whim buys a sight unseen veterinarians office in Wisconsin.
From acquiring a cat at the airport to feeling like a fish out of water in her new surroundings this book is fun and funny. Wisconsin is a whole lot different than California and its never more evident than when she arrives at her new veterinarians' office dressed up and everyone else wears boots and jeans.
At one point the book had me laughing out loud reading a part where she wakes up with a hissing cat on her head.
I loved the small town; everyone knows everyone, aspect of the story.
The characters are great, the typical grumpy yet friendly old guys at the diner, the gossipy old ladies, the farmers and their animals.
I thought it was so fun to read about the country house calls she makes for horses, alpacas and a cat.
There was some family drama, but a very nice reunion happened too.
I enjoyed seeing Blue Dog Valley's Christmas carnival and how the town's people all jumped in and worked together planning it and running it.
I will be on the lookout for more books by this author.

Pub Date 20 Sep 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. If you are looking for a light hearted Christmas read you might want to check this book out. Cute romance from two people who love working with animals. Status off as a hate relationship but turns romantic.

I really, really enjoyed this book! This will be one of my favorite Christmas books this year, I’m sure of that.
This book reminds me a lot of Virgin River with its character who is new to this small, beautiful town which is filled with quirky characters.

Goldie moved from California to Blue Dog Valley, Wisconsin. She doesn’t know anyone there but she wants a fresh start.

She will be the new town veterinarian. The town doesn’t exactly want their beloved veterinarian to retire and move. They aren’t quick to welcome Goldie at first.
But Goldie is a wonderful, loving person to people and animals and they can’t resist liking her for long!

Before Goldie has even left the airport she has acquired a cat (someone abandoned the kitty at the airport!) and within a day of living in her new place she has also acquired “the world’s worst sheepdog” Kevin.

Goldie immediately loves Blue Dog Valley.
It’s almost the holidays and she wants to help to bring people back to town. She somehow gets herself pulled into planning a town Christmas carnival.

I’m addition to a cast of lovable characters there’s also a bunch of wonderful animals.
I will warn you that in chapter 45 one of wonderful animals passes away. Every other animal in the book is saved.

I’ve really enjoyed this author’s books in the past and I am thrilled that she decided to write a Christmas book!

I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley. Thank you!!

Goldie McKenzie, DVM, was born and raised in LA and is a well-respected "veterinarian to the stars". However, after her veterinarian partner/fiance lets her down both personally and professionally, she decides it's time for a change in scenery and conditionally buys a vet practice in a small village in upstate Wisconsin. At first, pretty much everything that can go wrong does, and she is not given even a lukewarm welcome by the townspeople, but she starts to win them over and slowly falls under the charm of her new home. The abandoned hairless cat and overgrown sheepdog that she adopts contribute to her sense of homecoming and she starts to make connections and friends in the town and comes to see that she can make a real contribution there. Even the grumpy local farrier slowly starts to let down his guard and a reluctant attraction grows between them.

I really enjoyed this book. It had plenty of holiday spirit, lots of adorable animals, and a strong, likable heroine who overcame every obstacle thrown in her path with determination and grace. The romance was a bit tepid for my taste and Cohen, the hero, seemed to be grumpy for no real reason but he wasn't a bad guy and I was happy to see him slowly thaw for Goldie. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Christmas in Blue Dog Valley by Annie England Noblin is a delightful small town holiday romance; this is just what you need to put you in the holiday spirits. Definitely recommend.

First of all- is this one of the cutest cover ever?!

If you are a dog lover like me, whenever a dog is on the cover, I have to investigate! This was the sweetest story and I enjoyed every single bit of it.

Read this if you love:
* small town setting
* grumpy sunshine trope
* characters who find their self-worth
*books with heart

I loved that this book featured a smart and independent main female character. I also loved that this book was light on the spice but had a good amount of romantic tension. The balance of heavier subjects and lightness felt perfect to me.

One thing I feel obliged to mention is that this book isn’t really about Christmas. It happens in a town that loves Christmas, is in the Nov-Dec time frame and spends a hot minute at the Christmas carnival the town hosts- but that is the extent of the Christmas feel. I wasn’t bothered by that- but I think it’s nice knowing that going in.

Definitely recommend this sweet, light and heartwarming story for a much needed HEA. I don’t always love an HEA- but I needed this one❤️

Thank you to @netgalley and @avonbooks @harpervoyagerus for the ARC to read and review.

Christmas in Blue Dog Valley is the first book I have read by Annie England Noblin. Goldie McKenzie, DVM, is transplanted from Los Angeles to Blue Dog Valley, Wisconsin. Cultural shock is a given in this story but I wasn’t expecting the animosity of the local town people. Thank goodness for Ruby or I may have not continued after reading Goldie’s first interactions in the small town. Living in a small Southern town for over forty years this was not what I am accustomed to seeing I thought Goldie had every right to pack her bags and go.

But the animals, oh how they made up for the people. I loved each one including the hairless cat named Airport but especially Kevin, the sheepdog and Alice, a cape-wearing therapy alpaca. Kevin earns my admiration along with the town people's by the end. As for the people, well, I liked some better than others. Cohen Gable could have used some therapy but no doubt would have been too stubborn to benefit from it. I would have also like to Brandon admit that he was a jerk and wanted Goldie back. Of course she wouldn’t have gone. Even Goldie’s best friend was selfish in her actions. No Goldie was better off with the animals.

Read this story for Goldie and the amazing animals she gets to know and treat in her clinic. You will love them as I did.

The publisher through Net Galley provided a digital ARC. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.

This fish out of water story is delightful from beginning to end. Goldie is such a relatable heroine. The animals, of course, steal the show. Anyone who is wondering what they want to do when they grow up will thoroughly enjoy this novel.

If you want to delve into a charming holiday read in the middle of nowheresville, Wisconsin, look no farther.
I was prepared to like the animals much more than the people in the book, but they came out even.
Kevin the vagabond dog who lets himself in and out of the vet’s cabin along with Peanut Butter were my favorites.
The townspeople are a litany of characters from bossy Tiffany to the quarreling sisters and gossipy guys at the diner. Goldie is a duck out of water, but she finds her new pond in the Midwest.
Oh, if you want to find out what the Bushy Beaver is, you must read the book!!!

Wonderful story!

When Goldie makes an offer to buy a vet clinic in Blue Dog Valley, Wisconsin, she's a bit drunk, a lot emotional and not sure what she's gotten herself into! Especially when she arrives at the airport, adopts a cat that was abandoned on the luggage carousel, and instead of the kindly old vet she is expecting to pick her up, she finds a grouchy but gorgeous Cohen. After the two hour drive from the airport to Blue Dog Valley, she finds out even more than Dr. Saltzman, current owner of the clinic, "forgot" to tell Goldie, like the fact that there's a huge dog, labeled as the worst sheepdog ever named Kevin who sometimes lives in her house.

As Goldie gets to know the town and its residents, she manages to get to know them and finally starts to feel accepted once she is selected to run the town's Christmas carnival, in hopes of reviving the town's economy. She also gets to know Cohen a lot better!

This book is a great combination of small town, Christmas magic, cute animals (alpacas, anyone?), friendship and relationships. I really enjoyed it and I think you will, too!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

🏘Terrific tale of big city girl learning to love a small town 🤗

I really loved this one. It's one of the best small-town romances I've read this year. The romance between newcomer veterinarian Goldie and laconic local farmer Cohen is slow burn. In contrast, Dr. Goldie's love affair with the quirky characters in Blue Dog Valley blossoms quickly and is heartwarming, humorous and a bit wonderful. I've never read anything by this author before, but now I will be looking for her work. Her pacing is great and there's never a dull minute from beginning to happy end.

Plenty of odd but endearing human characters and some whimsical incidents with a variety of animals ranging from llamas to cats, dogs, guinea pigs and fainting goats: such fun! The upcoming Christmas holiday drives the plot but it's the character interactions that make this a winner😊.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyage and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

This is a sweet fun read that you don't want to miss. I loved the setting, the characters and animals. It's a heartwarming story that will keep you turning the pages.
I received a complimentary copy from Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

veterinarian, Wisconsin, small-town, small-business, rural, verbal-humor, animals, local-gossip, friendship, romantic, goats-in-tutus, Christmas-carnival, family, family-dynamics*****

DVM Goldie McKenzie has had the last of her partner of the last ten years, and Alex her best friend since college is going away to a distant country, so Goldie decided to listen to the advice of her 70-year-old social media friend who advised her to come to Wisconsin for three months before buying his practice.
So, she goes from a southern California megacity to a small rural town in Wisconsin a two-hour drive from Milwaukee where she ends up with an abandoned Sphinx cat (hairless) and meets a grumbler with all the verbal skills of a Gary Cooper character. Like small towns anywhere, she has a lot of hurdles because of her status an outsider. It takes work (and a couple of (veterinary emergencies), but she makes friends and people gain confidence in her.
Like too many small towns (or even neighborhoods), major road diversions have cut the town off from visitor traffic and income. At a town meeting she brings up the idea of hosting a Christmas Carnival. Let the confusion begin anew! Loved it! A real feel-good read!
Can't be unbiased. I live in Wisconsin!
I requested and received an uncorrected e-proof from Avon and Harper Voyager, via NetGalley. Thank you!

Blue Dog Valley, Wisconsin - Present Day

The 3,411 residents of Blue Dog Valley have been used to Dr. Saltzman at Valley Veterinary for years. So when he informs the community that he's retiring, and is potentially selling the practice to a woman veterinarian from Los Angeles, the town folk get a bit upset. How will a person from the big city fit in? But Dr. Saltzman thinks he has found the right person. They've been friends on social media for a few years, and he thinks he's picked the right person for the job.

Dr. Marigold McKenzie, Goldie to her friends and clients, has flown into Milwaukee, praying that she's made the right decision. Leaving the veterinary practice where she's worked with her fiance, Brandon, for ten years isn't easy, but leaving his cheating, narcissistic ways makes it slightly better. And now, here she is, freezing to death in a strange place, after rescuing a cat left at the baggage conveyor belt, and greeted by a sullen man sent by Dr. Saltzman to pick her up who obviously isn't pleased about her arrival.

The two hour drive to Blue Dog Valley hardly leaves Goldie feeling welcomed to her new home. That is, if she accepts the offer to stay. She has until the new year to decide if she wants the practice. That only gives her a few months to get to know the town, and its people. And the one driving her, Cohen Gable, sure isn't giving her good vibes. He clearly considers her an outsider. At the cabin behind the veterinary clinic where she'll live, Goldie finds a letter from the doctor explaining the clinic and its staff of one, Tiffany.

Tiffany, it turns out, is not happy with the turn of events either. But she needs the job, and her experience is invaluable to Goldie. They tiptoe around each other, and Goldie soon discovers that Tiffany, while a bit grumpy, is determined not to let the business fail. The town is in rough shape after, as Cohen told her, the state built a bypass around the community, practically isolating it from the world. Tiffany, and others that Goldie meets soon after, tell her about how they used to have a very popular Christmas carnival each year, but that so many people left the area, they stopped putting it on. Maybe, thinks Goldie, they can get together and try it again!

CHRISTMAS IN BLUE DOG VALLEY is a sweet tale about new chances, new friends, and a new life far from the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles. Goldie is entranced by the locals who slowly begin to warm up to her. She also gets to meet the local animals, Large Marge, the horse, Alice, the cape-wearing alpaca, Kevin, the "worst sheepdog" around (who knows a good person when he meets Goldie!), and also Airport, the Sphinx cat that Goldie rescued at baggage claim. But can she get Cohen to warm up to her? He always seems angry, and she wonders why?

Have some fun and get in the holiday spirit with CHRISTMAS IN BLUE DOG VALLEY.

Christmas in Blue Dog Valley by Annie England Noblin
Avon
September 20, 2022


DMV Marigold McKenzie AKA Goldie leaves Los Angeles after spending ten years sharing a home and practice with her fiancé, Brandon Burrows, the man she once thought she would marry, but they have started living separate lives.

"They had an unspoken agreement, she and Brandon. He cheated on her as often as he liked, and Goldie pretended not to notice. She didn't like the fighting and the making up and the broken promises to never do it again. It was easier to act like everything was fine. It was easier to ignore it, to go on with life as it was, and Goldie didn't know what happened that changed it all, what broke inside of her."

Turns out the vet tech, Romy, hired by Brandon, becomes his mistress, and neither tries to hide the affair. A mishap happens in the office between Goldie and Romy, and Goldie finds out how things really stand between her and Brandon when he says, "'It's my clinic,' Brandon replied. . . . 'You just work there.'

"Goldie felt as if she's been punched in the gut. For nearly the past decade, she'd been part of every single decision made at the clinic. She'd been there during the hard days and late nights. She'd sat with clients after their pet died, and they needed comfort. She'd not taken a salary for a year after they'd been sued by a client angry about the untimely death of their cat, because most of the money was tied up in lawyers. She'd celebrated with Brandon when they'd won the suit, largely in part due to her father's connections.'

"But as far as Brandon was concerned, she just worked there. Goldie guessed she'd known all along."

There is a saying that goes, "This is the straw that broke the camel's back," and Goldie knows a change is greatly needed.

Goldie learns about an animal hospital for sale in Blue Dog Valley, Wisconsin, so she contacts the owner, 70-year-old Dr. Gene Saltzman about taking over his practice. As a native Californian, she realizes this is a huge step to take, but she wants something totally different. They have a gentlemen's agreement where Goldie will take over on a trial basis until the beginning of the new year and if things don't work out, so be it.

Goldie arrives at the Milwaukee airport, dressed in California attire in November. Unaccustomed to the frigid weather, she shivers while waiting for Dr. Saltzman. Baggage is dispatched, and Goldie remains until nothing is left on the conveyor belt—that is except, a cat in a carrier. Seems someone abandoned the kitty, and she considers maybe she has been, too. Goldie, an animal lover, decides to take it with her it. As she lingers, she talks to the feline. Someone clears his throat, embarrassing her. He introduces himself as Cohen Gable, stating he's been sent to pick her up. On the two-hour drive from the airport, they start off on the wrong foot, and Goldie cannot wait to be rid of this cantankerous man who is around her age.

He teases her about being a "rich, hot California babe" now coming to the wilderness and bets she won't last a week. He laughs at the high heels and lightweight clothes she is wearing.

They arrive in town and Cohen drops her, her luggage, and the abandoned cat at the clinic stating there's a small cabin behind the hospital that is to be her new home. Dr. Saltzman left her a letter offering information about her quarters and the business saying it opens at 8:00 a.m. and she will meet Tiffany, his right-hand gal.

She is awakened the next morning by the cat hissing on her pillow and spying a huge dog in the living room. What the heck? A woman three times the size of the canine flings open the door and yells at the pooch she calls Kevin.

With a scowl on her face, the woman informs Goldie she is late. Uh-oh, Goldie thinks, this must be Tiffany, and by the look on her face, she thinks it will be difficult fitting in here. Tiffany is the intruder and states Kevin is a roamer around the town, and because the lock doesn't work, he often comes inside to sleep.

Tiffany is a hard nut to break, and it appears she wants nothing to do with the newcomer. She acts as if the animal hospital is hers and tells Goldie what to do. Not wanting to make any more enemies, she placates the older woman by offering to pick up some coffee. At Ruby's Diner, the scent of cinnamon buns makes her salivate, and she orders them to go along with the beverages. Ruby automatically strikes up a friendly conversation, pleasing Goldie that someone in the tiny village is welcoming. She considers heading back to CA, but she promised Dr. Saltzman, and she always follows through.

Time passes, and Goldie gets caught up in small-town living. She is called to a farm to help a horse with an abscessed hoof. Cohen shows up later, none too happy to see her. He is a farrier and plans to help, though her expertise is greater than his. She heals the horse, who belongs to the mayor, and he spreads the word around town about how good she is.

The small village makes always makes a huge deal out of Christmas and decorates long before Thanksgiving. Goldie arrives home after work and finds several of the town's folk decorating her house. She finally feels accepted. Tiffany insists she go to the local meeting pertaining to their annual Christmas parade, an event that once had a huge attendance. Due to the state putting in a new highway extension diverting access to Big Dog Valley, fewer people come and the town is dying. Goldie offers suggestions as to how to draw in visitors by including a carnival. Little does she know this whole affair will get dumped in her lap, but by being involved, she finds the residents embrace her, and she begins loving her new home, despite the fact that she is always freezing.

Her only obstacle is Cohen, who is against everything she suggests. She wonders if they will ever become friends. Through the grapevine, Goldie learns of Cohen's painful past, so she tries not to let his attitude toward her affect her.

Will Goldie stay in the now-friendly town and take over the animal clinic for good or will she run back to Los Angeles with her tail tucked between her legs? Will she and Cohen ever come to terms with each other?

This novel offers humor, excitement, and fun, and can be enjoyed any time of year.