Book Review: Christmas at Angel Lake by Edie Ramer

Blurb: A kitten saved her...
Broke, pregnant and deserted by her boyfriend, Maddie Barrymore swerves to avoid a kitten while driving in a Wisconsin blizzard-and her life takes another turn. Like Puss in Boots, she stays in an empty house. She has the baby, the kitten, gets a job and a degree...yet every day she's ready to flee if the real owner shows up.

Five years later, he does...

Dumped by the woman he loves, film producer Logan MacLeesh's heart is as dark as one of his movies. He plans to hole up in his grandmother's old mansion and throw himself into his work...until he discovers the sexy squatter and her four-year-old son. Before he can call the sheriff, Maddie's tale of how she ended up there entertains him. They make a deal that as long as she tells him a story every night, she and her son can stay. Even the cat, though Logan's always been a dog person.

A dog in need of saving...

Far away in another state, a homeless dog lifts his head, sniffs...and smells him. The human who's meant for him. As he heads through the snow toward the scent, his journey seems impossible, even though it's Christmas, a time when miracles happen.

My Review: As a general rule, my enjoyment of contemporary romance is limited to Christmas stories. The exception to that rule is Edie Ramer's Rescued Hearts novels, because each one features rescue pets in a central role.

This is the story of Maddie, alone and pregnant in a Wisconsin blizzard, who swerves off the road to avoid hitting a kitten in front of an abandoned house. She ends up staying in the house with her son and the cat for five years, giving shelter to those in need when she can, knowing that one day she'll have to leave. Film producer Logan, dumped by his arm candy girlfriend, returns to his grandmother's old house only to find a little family squatting there. He's amused by Maddie's story and allows her to stay as long as she tells him a story a night, with the hope that she will become his muse. Their relationship becomes more than either of them ever could have imagined.

The secondary story features Dog, a homeless pup on the trail of his human. Other people come into his life for awhile, but as soon as he's able he's ready to hit the road again, following the scent of the one that's meant just for him. The scenes involving Dog were among my favorites.

This is a delightful holiday romance infused with your favorite childhood fairy tales, PLUS 25 cents from every book sold will go to the Washington County Humane Society in Wisconsin, making this even more of a feel-good read!

* I received a copy of this book from the author with the request for a review.