A Canine Christmas
Author: Jennifer Sienes
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance, Christmas Fiction, and Southern Fiction
Release date: November 18, 2024
What do you get when you mix a mail carrier, a monstrously large canine and his surly owner, and a mysterious death?
Amelia Hutchinson can’t seem to find her place in the world. Or maybe she’s just watched too many Christmas Hallmark movies. But come on, how come Aurora Teagarden and Hallie Dean get more exciting careers and all Amelia gets to be is a mail carrier? Not to mention, she’s living in her sister and brother-in-law’s guest house and the only man she could find was one who didn’t appreciate the purity ring her daddy gave her.
Rayce Jasper just wants to sell his late granddad’s farm and throw away the painful past that comes with it as soon as possible. But the memories of the man who betrayed him, a ditzy mail lady, and a strange request put a kink in his agenda.
As Rayce’s and Amelia’s worlds collide, neither of them can deny that God must be weaving His own Christmas story for the two of them. Click here to get your copy!
MrsK's Review:
Meet Amelia, a mail lady who had one of those moments in which what should have been a mundane event turned into a momentous "trajectory" change in her life. It all began when she was delivering her last package at an old farmhouse in Shelbyville. The delivery to a Mr. Rayce Jasper would prove to be one of the most heart stopping moments of her life.
Rayce is a copywriter who is notified that he is now the last of his bloodline. His granddad's estate is now his to clean up and get on the market. The last thing he expected on that October day was an attack on a mail lady by his "sweet" Cane Corso. That's all he needed was a possible lawsuit.
As an inspired mystery sleuth, Amelia couldn't let the encounter pass. While at the local library, she discovered a 2004 suspicious headline about a death at the Jasper Farm. Who was Bruce Benton? Why after all this time had Rayce moved into the old farmhouse? Why was he at the library while she was investigating his family?
With a plan in place, Amelia begins her "further" investigation by making a deal with Rayce. She would help him clean out his grandad's farmhouse if he would help train a puppy for her niece. Will Amelia solve the mystery of the farmhouse death... or does she embrace the pivotal reality... that some moments in life are really God's unexpected grace?
This short novella, was an unexpected reader delight. The characters are well crafted with an endearing capacity to entice an afternoon curled up with a holiday retreat. The conversations are humorous and engaging. The story line, well, is there anything more enjoyable than an old farmhouse with a library filled with first editions or a mysterious romance? This is a keeper, if you have family, friends, or a book club this is the book to pass around for your holiday read!
MrsK
Meet the Author:
Jennifer Sienes holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance and writing–and puts it altogether in inspirational contemporary fiction. Her daughter’s TBI and brother’s suicide inspired
two of her three novels. Although fiction writing is her real love, she’s had several non-fiction pieces published in anthologies–two in Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has two grown children and one
very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised; she recently took a step of faith with her real-life
hero and relocated to Tennessee.
More from Jennifer
I’m often asked where inspiration comes for my books. Does it start with a character or a setting or maybe something from my own life? The answer is, “Yes.” Each of those have sparked story ideas.
More from Jennifer
I’m often asked where inspiration comes for my books. Does it start with a character or a setting or maybe something from my own life? The answer is, “Yes.” Each of those have sparked story ideas.
A Canine Christmas is my fourteenth book, but it’s the first (and possibly last) novel/novella
motivated by a dog.
You would think it would be my own canine that inspired one of my books—but that’s not the case here. I have a short story in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Life Lessons from the Dog titled
You would think it would be my own canine that inspired one of my books—but that’s not the case here. I have a short story in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Life Lessons from the Dog titled
“Soul Sniffer” based on my late Bichon Friese, Einstein. He was also in Providence—and his name
was Dashiell. I have another short story in Inspire Joy titled “Canine Redemption” about Cheyenne,
a rescue dog we had for a short time. But an entire book? Never.
It started with my granddaughters’ Cano Corso, Porter. The biggest (and I mean that in every sense
It started with my granddaughters’ Cano Corso, Porter. The biggest (and I mean that in every sense
of the word) baby I’ve ever encountered. He’s massive and yet hides behind eight-year-old Kennedy
at the slightest loud noise. His size alone is enough to intimidate the average person, but he doesn’t
have a mean bone in his body. However, he wasn’t the only inspiration for this Christmas novella.
The setting was influenced by my affinity for old family farms and historic cemeteries (of which
The setting was influenced by my affinity for old family farms and historic cemeteries (of which
there are over 33,000 in the state of Tennessee.) Add a ditzy mail lady who has an intense fear of
dogs, and a disgruntled man trying to put his past to rest, and A Canine Christmas was born.
This is romance through and through, and it was a pure joy to write. I hope you’ll come to love
This is romance through and through, and it was a pure joy to write. I hope you’ll come to love
Amelia and Rayce as much as I did—and of course, Porter, the canine matchmaker.
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 21
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 22
Stories By Gina, November 23 (Author Interview)
Blogging With Carol, November 24
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 25
She Lives To Read, November 26
An Author’s Take, November 27
Guild Master, November 28 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, November 29
A Reader’s Brain, November 30 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 30
MrsK Books to Go, November 30
Texas Book-aholic, December 1
For Him and My Family, December 2
Holly’s Book Corner, December 3
Back Porch Reads, December 4 (Author Interview)
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon
gift card and a copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway!
Click the link below to enter.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit.
My comments are an independent and honest review.
The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.
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