Christmas with Hamish on November 1, 2021 Genres: Christmas / Romance / Fiction / Contemporary
Pages: 180
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley
My Review
I have never heard of or read anything by Sophie Penhaligon but I am so glad I decided to read this book. I loved every single page and a week after finishing it I am still thinking about it. I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review. All the words that you will be reading are my own thoughts and opinions about the story.
A Christmas story based in Canada with a dog seriously there is no way I could turn that down not to mention the cover is super cute. This story is about a woman named Verity and if I am being honest she simply does not fit in with her family, the black sheep perhaps. Verity travels home to Vancouver to attend her sister’s wedding before she goes on a ski trip that she had planned with her friends for the Christmas holiday. Things happen at the wedding which ultimately ruins her planned ski trip with her buddies. Instead, she is suckered into staying in Vancouver to take care of her sister’s dog Hamish McDuff. This in itself is a bit overwhelming for poor Verity simply because she knows nothing about dogs or how to take care of them let alone the fact that she has never even met Hamish.
Something you must know about Verity is that her family does not treat her well and sadly they never have. This is the reason why she left her beloved city of Vancouver and moved to Toronto in the first place where she isn’t very happy. There is a perk to this little arrangement of having to stay in her younger sister’s place though and that is the neighbor she will have while her sister and new husband are away on their honeymoon. Nikau Taylor is an artist who also happens to have a dog named Chunk. Verity is quite taken by him and his little adopted pooch Chunk. He teaches her how to take care of Hamish and they become fast friends and maybe even a bit more. Nikau learns that Verity has never really had a good Christmas and that she treats it just like another day which saddens him. He decides that it is time for Verity to finally enjoy the season and he makes it his mission to make that happen.
When the Christmas season is over and the younger sister returns will Verity be ready to go back to Toronto? Will she be ready to go back to living in her basement apartment and continuing work as an editor? Oh, and let us not forget what will happen with Hamish. Does Verity become attached to him and his fantastic personality?
I think that anyone who decides to pick up Christmas with Hamish will be pleasantly surprised at the story. It is not only a Christmas romance which by the way would make an excellent Hallmark movie but it also touches on many different emotions. I found this book to be funny, romantic, entertaining, and emotional all in one. This book definitely did not disappoint in fact I will be picking up more books by this author in the future.
There are trigger warnings that need to be mentioned and they revolve around abuse, addiction, and loss so beware.