Author: Ivy Pembroke
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: January 2019
Genre: General Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible
Description: It’s a winter of joy on Christmas Street . . .
Jack is one lucky dog, adopted by the families of every house on Christmas Street. Or is it the other way around? For Sam, a widower recently returned to London, Jack is Christmas Street’s unofficial welcoming committee. For Sam’s young son, Teddy, the small, scruffy mutt is a much-needed friend.
But Christmas Street isn’t what it used to be. Just ask Bill, the street’s oldest, grumpiest resident. He remembers when everyone knew and looked out for each other. Now, people live side by side, scarcely interacting.
As Sam and Teddy settle in, Jack’s four-legged charm brings the neighbors of Christmas Street closer together. And with the season’s first snow comes a sense of new beginnings. But it will take a small act of kindness to transform Christmas Street into a wonderland of lasting memories . . .
My Thoughts: This was such a heartwarming story and I loved meeting Jack and getting to know all the residents of Christmas Street. The story primarily centers on recently widowed Sam and his young son, Teddy, who move back to London from America. After losing his wife, Sam wants Teddy to grow up around family. Sam notices several things about his new neighborhood. The residents don’t seem to know or interact with one another and Jack, a suspected stray dog, appears to belong to the whole street. Every home provides him with food, snacks and a place to rest his head.
As Sam and Teddy begin to acclimate to their new surroundings, Sam makes several efforts to get to know his neighbors by hosting a barbecue or introducing them to the American Thanksgiving holiday traditional festivities. Sam also has a crush on Teddy’s teacher, Ms. Quinn.
In addition to getting to know Sam and Teddy, the author does a wonderful job of introducing the rest of the people living on this quaint street and giving the reader a good opportunity to get to know them. This is the first book in a series and it would be better to read this series in order.
My Final Verdict: I loved this book and it was an excellent choice to begin my holiday season of reading. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy stories that focus on relationships and the four-legged fur friends who bring people together.
Thank you to the publisher, Kensington Books, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.
