Do you like books that feature animals? If so, what type of animals do you like to read about?
Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez has just ended her latest relationship. She blames Jane Austen for writing heroes that do not exist in reality but raise her expectations in real life. Charlotte decides to not date and remain single for a while. She instead adopts a new puppy. George Leneghan is Charlotte’s neighbor and co-worker. He has a crush on her, but as soon as he finds out she’s single, he learns that she has sworn off dating. They do things together as friends, but when George starts talking about moving away, will Charlotte be ready to move their relationship to be more than a friend?
My thoughts on this book:
• This was a JASNA Northwoods Book Club selection for our June meeting. Everyone at book club seemed to enjoy this novel.
• This book was good escapism reading and would make good Hallmark movie.
• There were Jane Austen quotes at the start of each chapter, although at least one is a movie quote.
• This is the fourth book in the Pine Hollow series, but it can be read as a standalone.
• This was a clean read.
• This was a very slow-moving contemporary romance novel and romance.
Overall, Pride and Puppies by Lizzie Shane is a light contemporary romance and clean read.
Book Source: Review copy from NetGalley. Thank-you!

It took me a while to pick this one up because I thought I had to track down some of the middle books in the series, but in fact, I didn't, and this was great. A book with dogs in it ALWAYS works for me but this small town love story was also antsy to be told and I really, really, fell for the characters. More small town romance, please, Lizzie Shane!!

Pride and Puppies is the fourth book in Lizzie Shane’s charming Pine Hollow series, but it works beautifully as a standalone. It follows the story of Charlotte, a self-proclaimed romantic who decides to take a break from dating by committing to the “Puppy Pact”. No men, just her new adorable rescue pup and some much-needed self-discovery. But of course, her resolution gets tested when her longtime friend George (cue the swoons) starts looking more and more like Mr. Right.

I absolutely loved this book. I didn’t even realize it was the fourth in a series when I picked it up, but I enjoyed it so much that I immediately went back and devoured the first three: To All the Dogs I've Loved Before, Once Upon a Puppy, and The Twelve Dogs of Christmas. There are still two more in the series: Four Weddings and a Puppy and Like Cats and Dogs and they are firmly on my TBR. I mean, I LOOOOVVE dogs, so obviously these sweet, dog-filled romances are everything I could want.

The vibe of Pride and Puppies is light, fun, and full of heart. I especially loved the concept of the Puppy Pact and how the book explores real emotional themes ex: feeling like you’re too much, or not enough, with so much empathy and care. The relationship between Charlotte and George felt natural and warm. Their easy banter, the way they listened to each other, held space for big feelings, and showed up in small but meaningful ways really hit me in the feels.

If you enjoy small town romances, friends-to-lovers stories, caretaking moments, adorable puppy antics, or books that give a little nod to Jane Austen, I highly recommend this one. It’s the kind of cozy, heartwarming romance that leaves you smiling long after you turn the last page.


Pride & Puppies is out now. Huge thank you to Forever for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.
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How could you not love a book that combines Jane Austen with puppies? It’s absolutely freaking awesome. Love that Ms. Shane took us on a roller coaster of so many key moments from the Jane Austen books but in a modern day Vermont. A must read!

I'm a sucker for any Pride & Prejudice reimagining and who doesn't love puppies?
Pride & Puppies was an overall easy read! It wasn't exceptional but Pride & Prejudice is such a solid storyline that it still was a good, quick, low-risk read!

DNF @ 64%.

My goodness, this has probably got to be one of the most tedious books I’ve ever happened across and I quite simply could not put myself through it anymore. I was just so incredibly, painfully bored while reading Lizzie Shane’s Pride & Puppies, which is utterly wild because I’m usually incredibly interested in the sorts of stories where the guy pines after the girl for a long period of time. I think, for me, part of my feeling utterly exhausted with the story has to do with a lack of serious connection to the characters, a serious irritation with their inability to speak to each other, and just a genuine annoyance with everyone involved.

The line “to think it all began over puppy poop” was honestly just the final straw for me—I not kidding when I say this is the point where I near slammed my phone onto the desk out of irritation. I honestly just cannot stand Charlotte at all, George is painfully dull, and there is just nothing interesting at all happening within the pages of this story. We move from one lack of communication to the next and it quite literally took 64% of the book to finally get to the moment when Charlotte stops acting like a dunce and, at this point, I am just so over it.

Usually when I hit this point with a book, I go and read through the spoiler reviews to see if there is anything coming up that might energize me enough to think that the book could get better. But the second I read that all of this subpar communication continues to take a central role in the novel—when will authors of romance learn that shitty communication does not a plot make??—and all of the conflict, I realized any chance of me continuing to read this book would most likely just result in me hitting my head against the wall.

Thanks, I hate it.

DNF - I had high expectations for this book, but after starting it, my attention was not grabbed in the way I prefer. This is not necessarily a bad book, but I'm not interested in finishing it at this time.

A new take on pride and prejudice but add puppies. yes please! A sweet, small town romance with a friends to lovers vibe. It's all for me. I love someone who loves Jane Austen. And a puppy named Bingley. So cute. Everything about this was super cute

I’m just not a huge fan of contemporary romances and sadly this one wasn’t the exception. It was kind of cliché to me and I know it’s supposed to be inspired by Pride and Prejudice however I found it to be a little too predictable and boring, Would probably be enjoyed more by hardcore romance readers.

A fun small town read with dual perspectives. Friends to lovers, co workers. It was a sweet and cute book. Closed door romance. But it was just okay. Lots of Austen references though! So those were fun :)

This was fun! The themes of self-discovery and overcoming prejudices were really well written and they pay homage to the Austen original works.

Was not able to get into the story. Just fell flat for me in terms of the characters and the overall story wasn’t for me.

Fun, if a little fluffy and forgettable. If you like movies like Austenland and Must Love Dogs, you'll love Pride & Puppies.

I loved this story! It was a great rom-com, and I really loved all of the Jane Austen references. And the dogs. A perfect combination!

Pride & Puppies by Lizzie Shane is a delightful read perfect for fans of lighthearted, emotional romances who adore small-town settings, friends-to-lovers tropes, and sweet, slow-burning relationships, as this charming novel weaves together the story of a Jane Austen enthusiast who finds love in the unlikeliest of places - with her new puppy and a patient, kind-hearted neighbor.

Thank you for the opportunity to review - this was really fun and creative! Would definitely seek out more titles from this author.

In Pride and Puppies, readers encounter a delightful small-town romance with nods to Jane Austen's timeless themes. Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez's quest for love alongside her beloved puppy, Bingley, offers moments of warmth and humor. However, while the banter between Charlotte and her neighbor George Leneghan is endearing, the plot follows a predictable path, and character development feels somewhat lacking. Despite these drawbacks, the novel provides a charming escape for fans of light-hearted romance, even if it doesn't quite reach the heights of Austen's classics.

Great book. I was able to connect with characters and the plot. I recommend this book……………………………..,,,,.

I love a pride and prejudice retelling, and if there’s puppies involved, it can’t be any better than that. I love the banter and the misunderstandings and of course the puppies. This was such a fun fabulous read.

A fun quick read! Love anything that has to do with dogs so this one was a win! This was my first time reading a book by Lizzie Shane and I will definitely be reading more!