REVIEW: Pride & Puppies by Lizzie Shane

Pride & Puppies by Lizzie Shane: Charlotte Rodriguez is done with men. She’s sick of feeling like she’s never going to find her Mr. Darcy, so she along with her friends make a puppy pact. Instead of focusing on men, they’re going to take 6 months off from men, focus on themselves, and get puppies who love unconditionally. When she finds her perfect puppy, she finds herself in a pinch when she forgets the poop bag the first day. Thankfully her neighbor/coworker George is there to rescue her. Since she doesn’t have much experience with training a dog, she asks George for his help with her new puppy.

George has harbored a crush on Charlotte since the day he met her. She helped him become acclimated to the town after his cross-country move, but then his hopes were dashed when he found out she was in a relationship. When he finds out she’s single, he thinks he finally has his opportunity, but then she tells him about the pact and makes it her life mission to find his perfect match. As she tries to find his perfect match, George finds even more reasons why she fits the bill.

As Charlotte tries to learn more about George, she spends an increasing amount of time with him. As his feelings grow deeper, Charlotte continues to avoid any chance of romance with him instead focusing on their friendship. With a push from her friends, she opens her eyes to the way she feels about George, but everything is in limbo when George questions whether it’s time for him to move home to his family or not.

Charlotte was a very dynamic character throughout the story. It was great to see her really stick to her goal of being single, but it was even better to see her learn how to be herself. She really questioned everything in relationships and didn’t know how to be a partner, but her friendship with George really laid the foundation for her growth. I loved seeing how she learned from talking things through with her friends as well. It enhanced her growth.

George took his first step at growth when he moved away from his family, but he has to learn to truly be his own person instead of focusing so much on what his family wants. He has such a strong relationship with his family, but he hasn’t quite learned how to be without them. He wants to support them but needs to choose what is best for him. Thankfully, he finds his own tribe which makes the decisions even harder.

Overall, I LOVED THIS BOOK. Everything was picturesque. The main characters, the side characters, the plot. It was beautiful. I can’t wait to see what else the author comes up with, because I loved everything. The little tie ins to literature were a perfect bow on the top of the present.

Book Info:

Publication: November 22, 2022 | Forever | Pine Hollow #4

Struggling to find her modern-day Mr. Darcy, a Jane Austen fan gets more than she bargained for when she swears off men and adopts an adorable puppy.

Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez is single—again—and she blames Jane Austen. She made brooding, aloof men sound oh sodreamy. But after years of failing to find her own Mr. Darcy, Charlotte decides it’s time to swear off dating. She’s going to lavish all her love and affection on someone who actually deserves it: her new puppy, Bingley.

And there’s no one better to give her pet advice than her neighbor and coworker George Leneghan. He’s quiet and patient and, best of all, way too sweet to ever be her type. But as their friendly banter turns flirty, the unimaginable happens—Charlotte starts catching feelings.

Just as Charlotte is trying to untangle what it is she truly wants, George announces he’s contemplating a cross-country move. Suddenly, Charlotte wonders if she’s kept her soulmate in the friend zone so long that she’s entirely missed her chance at a happily ever after. Dear Reader, could it be possible she’s had it wrong all this time?