The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson--A Review

Nothing is quite as sweet as a story about or including a pet, specifically a cat or a dog.   Today's Christmas review is The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson.

SYNOPSIS:

Betty Kowalski isn't looking forward to the holidays. She just can't seem to find Christmas in her heart. There's church, of course. But who can she bake for these days? And who would care whether or not she pulled out the Christmas decorations? Her new neighbor just adds to the problem. He's doing home improvements that don't appear to be improving much of anything. These days when Betty looks out the window, she sees a beat-up truck, a pile of junk, lots of blue tarps, and--horror of horrors--an old pink toilet. But when a mangy dog appears at her doorstep, the stage is set for Betty to learn a very important lesson about what Christmas is all about. This contemporary Christmas story is a timely yet gentle reminder that God can work miracles through something as seemingly insignificant as a little brown dog.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE:

This was a truly heart warming Christmas story, told from first person point of view of Betty Kowalski.  Betty was alone at Christmas.   Her grown children were far away and involved with plans of their own leaving poor Betty quite alone for the holidays.   No one was around to decorate for, to bake for, or to share the holidays with.

Not in the holiday spirit, she was further distressed by the neighbor behind her doing his remodeling and junking the yard with the innards of the remodeled home.   His dirty little dog kept using her yard for his personal business as well.   She didn't know many of her neighbors those days and she was ready to move on.

Well, Carlson's characters were believable.   And they were far from what they seemed at first glance.  
The moral of the story, don't always believe what you think you have seen and never presume to think you know someone's story.   In the end, Betty would spend the best Christmas ever with a grand daughter and her nasty neighbor who turned out to be a decent man after all.

Short and sweet, this is the kind of Christmas read every busy Christmas preparer needs on their list of to be read during the holidays!

I RATED THIS A 4 WINK READ!

Disclaimer:  I read for my pleasure.   I may receive ARC copies for review purposes, but I am not compensated for my reviews .  I like to read and I like to share my reviews.   I post my thoughts without prejudice or bias.  The words are mine and I write reviews based on my humble opinion.  I will admit, I seldom meet a book I don't like.