This was such a cute and cosy festive read. It's the perfect book to curl up with over the festive season. The story was easy to follow and I kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💜 Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

One of the things I loved the most about this book was how it managed to give me that magical Christmas vibe in the middle of August—such a beautiful experience.

I received a free copy of A Ruff Royal Christmas by Karen Schaler from the publisher and NetGalley—thank you for letting me enjoy such a delightful story.

While reading, I felt as if I were sipping hot chocolate, surrounded by snow, with a sweet dog by my side (I have a precious one myself 💕) and a cozy little cabin tucked away in the mountains. The story is simple, completely clean, sweet, and heartwarming. I recommend it if you love Hallmark Christmas movies and if your heart is ready to be filled with holiday spirit.

Princess Ava's perfectly planned Christmas Eve charity event erupts into chaos when she loses Stormy, the Queen's mischievous new border collie. With Christmas approaching fast, Ava has no choice but to team up with Justin, a laid-back American dog trainer who's used to wrangling strays, not royal runaways!

Sparks fly as Justin's rule-breaking free spirit clashes with Ava's determination to follow royal protocol. But when their search for Stormy takes them through glittering Christmas markets, festive holiday activities, and snowy winter wonderlands, an undeniable chemistry builds between them.
Loved this book

I LOVE KAREN SCHALER!!!

I’ve read all of her Christmas books and she NAILS the Christmassy elements every time. Every setting is festive and fun with some unique Christmas traditions.

This book was absolutely overflowing with Christmas cheer! 🎄It was different from the typical “falling in love with a royal at Christmas” romance so common on Hallmark in that the Princess Ava is quite reclusive and guards her heart while the Queen (her mother) was the impulsive and fun loving royal.

I loved Stormy the mischievous dog and Justin the dog trainer. Dogs just add something so fun to a book in general but especially a Christmas book!

The characters were great as well. I liked seeing Ava grow and change as she got to know Stormy and Justin. I liked seeing her relationship with her mother change as well.

This romance is completely clean (nothing beyond kissing) and it was so sweet and cute.

I loved this book so much and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves Christmas books! I can’t wait to see what she will write next!


<i>Thank you to Karen Schaler, Hawktale Publishing, and NetGalley for the e-ARC!! ♥️

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

Wow what a great book! I really enjoyed the premise of this book. The characters are great. I even enjoyed the secondary characters. The writing style was great and this really was an easy read. It had meek hooked from page one. I don't always have a hard time putting books down but this one had me..lol. I highly recommend this book if you are in a reading slump. This was a first for me by this author but will not be my last. I loved this romcom!!!

This book was exactly what you should read if you love Hallmark movies! I absolutely loved A Christmas Prince by Karen Schaler and I knew I had to read this!!

Love this story about Ava, the princess and Justin the dog trainer.Her mother, the queen goes to a lot of trouble to teach Ava about real love and not an arranged marriage. Follow Ava and Justin's journey and how Ava and her mother ended up with a better relationship. THIS BOOK IS A VERY GOOD READ. If you have enjoyed this author's books before you will love this one.

A RUFF ROYAL CHRISTMAS was a Christmas romance featuring an energetic rescue border collie (Stormy), a princess (Ava), and a dog trainer (Justin). When Stormy disappears shortly after the Queen leaves for a short trip, princess Ava and trainer Justin have to band together to find him before the queen returns home.

This novel is set in the fictional country of Skydovia in Eastern Europe. Unfortunately, Princess Ava comes across as extremely uptight and unlikable throughout most of the book, and the romance was unbelievable. The plot did recover somewhat, but I think I would have liked this book more had Ava’s character been softened from the start. Her mother, on the other hand, was delightful. Overall, A RUFF ROYAL CHRISTMAS wasn’t as charming as I hoped.

🌟 I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 🌟

A solid Christmas classic. It had all the funny, cozy vibes I was hoping for—twinkling lights, festive cheer, and a romance to root for. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Fun and festive, plus a dog!
If you love Christmas markets, festive holiday offerings and a naughty canine with a royal romance this is the book for you! You will fall in love with this sweet Christmas story full of Karen’s Christmas magic!

Princess Ava is planning the perfect Christmas Eve charity event. This is not only a tradition but a way to honor her father who passed away the previous year. Everything is going according to Ava’s meticulous plan until the Queen brings home a new border collie who is very mischievous. Things quickly get out of hand when Ava loses Stormy and chaos erupts. Ava has no choice but to team up with Justin, a laid-back American dog trainer the Queen hired to train her new dog. Things quickly spiral out of control as Ava and Justin give chase to find Stormy before the Queen returns from Paris…

This is such a festive heartfelt Christmas romance! It is full of humor, heart and you’ll find yourself rooting for Ava and Justin! A wonderful addition to Karen’s Christmas books. I could absolutely see this as a Christmas movie. Delightful!

Thank you Netgalley and Hawk Tale Publishing for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Ruff Royal Christmas is a heartwarming tale of how the lives of a royal family and a commoner intertwine all because of a mischievous dog. Author Karen Schaler brings out the personality of each character as you become immersed in each scene.
Her enchanting style makes this a book you can’t put down. This must-read brings a refreshing spin on the holiday romance and will be a favorite for the season!

This is a sweet slice of romantic, festive escapism with the Christmassy loveliness turned up to 11. 🎄⛄💗 The plot involves Stormy, a royal dog in the kingdom of Skydovia, princess Ava who has a degree in mechanical engineering and a sense of duty to marry a man she doesn't love, and the American dog trainer who may win her heart. A very easy, enjoyable read.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

A Ruff Royal Christmas is a cute, uplifting story involving a princess, the queen mother, and an American dog trainer, Justin, hired to enroll the newest member of the royal family into his Puppy Bootcamp. Princess Ava wants nothing to do with the new dog, Stormy, a rescue dog. Her mother, the queen, loves Stormy and leaves him in Ava’s care when she heads to Paris for a few days. The antics really take hold when Stormy disappears just before Christmas. Justin and Ava are frantically looking for the dog who is spotted in various locations around town. The sub story in the book is the importance of animal rescue organizations. I love how this book brings attention to the plight of rescue dogs and animal shelters, a very worthwhile cause.

A Ruff Royal Christmas is a light, fast paced holiday story of deciding between duty and love. Princess Ava is torn between doing what is expected of her and following her heart. Maybe an adorable and mischievous four legged fur friend will help her see things more clearly! Lots of fun moments and tons of holiday cheer.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Karen Schaler has provided another magical yet believable offering for our Christmastime enjoyment. 'A Ruff Royal Christmas' exposes the reader to the European kingdom of Queen Kathleen and her daughter Princess Ava. Ava is overwhelmingly busy in creating the annual Christmas Eve Charity Ball to honor her late father's meticulous devotion to the event. Her mother the Queen introduces a dog into the mix right before Christmas and life begins to alter greatly for Ava from that point on. This is an engaging story of love, childhood expectations, humor and forgiveness. It is wonderful and I highly recommend it to all.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I’m not normally drawn to plots with royals but this one was very enjoyable. I loved that the princess was a qualified and practicing engineer. I also really enjoyed the character of Justin and his love for rehoming animals with the perfect family. Following them through their journey to find themselves and each other was heartwarming. A lovely read, thanks netgalley.

A Ruff Royal Christmas by Karen Schaler is a beautifully done Christmas love story filled with all the majic of the season. The love develops between the animal trainer and the princess. The love for the dog develops during the hunt to find the dog into a lot of magic. I loved the story.

This is the first Karen Schaler book I've read, and it certainly won't be the last. "A Ruff Royal Christmas" was exactly the light, entertaining, cozy holiday romance novel I was looking for. Schaler's writing is engaging and her characters are so well developed. I was a fan of the Netflix film "A Christmas Prince" before, and hadn't realized she's the author behind it. This latest novel gives similar vibes. Fans of royalty and Christmas fiction will enjoy it.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ava and Justin's journey and watching their romance develop. Add in a free-spirited Queen mother who wants to see her daughter happy without settling and you have the perfect recipe for a "Hallmark" style romance to unfold. I just wish there could've been a little more dog training in the novel,

Nevertheless, I give this book 5 stars. Can't wait to check out the rest of the author's backlist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hawktale Publishing for the ARC copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I always look forward to Karen Schaler Books. A standalone, I'd call this feel good fiction - This one was especially helpful as I'd come down with the dreaded flu so this book was my escapism! It would make a fab Netflix movie.

The plot is interesting as our main character starts with a very narrow view of the world. The longer the book goes on, the more Princess Ava realises that life has more layers that perhaps she initially thought. I like that our hero also had to make some choices about the direction of his life. Will be looking to buy the book for my library when available.

I receive complimentary books from various sources, including NetGalley, authors, and others. I am not required to write a positive review, and I have not received any compensation for my thoughts.

A Ruff Royal Christmas is a charming and heartwarming holiday romance that perfectly blends festive cheer with adorable canine companions. Karen Schaler’s writing is light, fun, and filled with sweet moments that make the story feel cozy and uplifting. I loved how the holiday spirit and the lovable pets added extra warmth to the romance, making it an ideal read for the season. It’s a delightful, feel-good book that left me smiling and in the Christmas mood.