Description

"Don't miss this charming Christmas tale of thawing hearts, escaping dogs, and finding home. I couldn't help digging into this book with both paws." --Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Must Love Flowers

The ultimate holiday gift from New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs: a delightful novel about a Christmas transport of rescue puppies that’s guaranteed to warm readers’ hearts.

Brenda Malloy wants nothing to do with Christmas ever again. Last year, Brenda and her husband rushed their beloved dog Tim to the emergency vet on Christmas eve. The good news: Tim survived after the vet cleared the obstruction--a pair of women’s lace undies. The bad news: the undies were not Brenda’s.

A year after the breakup, Brenda has put her life back together. She’s trained for a marathon, is writing a children’s novel, and she’s found purpose and healing as a volunteer with a dog rescue organization in Houston, Texas. The rescue partners with a program in Avalon, New York--a small, snowy town deep in the Catskills. Now Brenda is arranging the transport of rescued dogs from Houston to Avalon—just in time for a merry Christmas with their forever families. Brenda’s friends worry about her driving a van two thousand miles with twelve dogs in crates, but she shrugs off their concern. How hard can it be? She knows the way, and she’s just looking to escape the Christmas overload for a while.

But a blinding snowstorm, an escaped mutt, and a life-saving encounter with Adam Bellamy—a single dad and paramedic—means Brenda has to stay in Avalon longer than she planned. As she drops off each precious pup at their new homes, some of the comfort and joy of the season begins to creep up on Brenda despite her determination to avoid the holidays. Perhaps you can bring Christmas into your heart after all...if you have the right furry friends to guide the way.

About the Author

Susan Wiggs is the author of more than fifty novels, including the beloved Lakeshore Chronicles series and the recent New York Times bestsellers The Lost and Found Bookshop, The Oysterville Sewing Circle, and Family Tree. Her award-winning books have been translated into two dozen languages. She lives with her husband on an island in Washington State’s Puget Sound.

Praise For…

"Don't miss this charming Christmas tale of thawing hearts, escaping dogs, and finding home. I couldn't help digging into this book with both paws." — Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Must Love Flowers

"Dogs, romance, and Christmas combine in this heartwarming story—the ultimate feelgood festive tale." — Sarah Morgan, bestselling author of Snowed in for Christmas

“A festive joy to read from one of the best.” — Fresh Fiction

“Wiggs writes with compassion and insight... This is another winner.”  — Booklist on Sugar and Salt

“Compassionate and poignant... Hot-button issues from real-life events inspired Wiggs to write this complex, thought-provoking novel that depicts how the power of friendship and love can overcome heart-wrenching challenges.” — Shelf Awareness on Sugar and Salt

“Sugar and Salt is a touching and important read.” — Bookreporter.com

“Susan Wiggs and the words ‘favorite writer’ go together, and with Sugar and Salt she is at the top of her powers. She understands the tender dramas of everyday life, of friendship and family, of wanting something that might be just beyond reach—and then again might not. I loved her character Margot Salter, and my heart soared and broke and soared again to learn the secrets of her past and how they threaten her hard-won present. Susan writes so deliciously about food, love, and hope...she will make you believe in life’s sweetness.” — Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Box

“A feel-good family saga… A charming tale about the silver linings of unwanted detours.”  — People on The Lost and Found Bookshop