Three homeless puppies, two lonely hearts, and a massive snowstorm.

Candace “Candi” Goodman, an unemployed teacher, is always sharing a smile and helping those around her. This Christmas, she has volunteered to drive three puppies to a shelter in Maine. However, when a road closure sends her on a detour, she gets lost in a snowstorm.

Michael Bishop, a township road supervisor, has spent the past two years mourning the loss of his young family. As he’s plowing snow late one evening, he notices something amiss. When he goes to investigate, he finds a woman and three puppies in a dire situation. The more time they spend together, the more he finds himself falling for her mistletoe kisses. But will it be enough for him to take a chance on love again?

Titles in the Kringle Falls, Vermont series include:  Puppy Wishes & Candy Kisses ~ Puppy Love & Snowflake Kisses ~ Puppy Hugs & Mistletoe Kisses ~ Puppy Smooches & Peppermint Kisses ~

This is a clean, sweet romance with either closed doors/fade to black, or only kissing.

Title:  Puppy Wishes & Candy Kisses
Series:  Kringle Falls, Vermont #1
Author:  Jennifer Faye
Published:  November 25, 2024
Publisher:  Lazy Dazy Press
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Puppy Wishes & Candy Kisses is the first title in the Kringle Falls, Vermont series, bringing us a delightful Christmas Romance featuring Candi, Michael, and three adorable puppies looking for their forever home. Talk about a Grumpy/Sunshine couple!  

Although, to be fair, Michael’s grumpiness is completely understandable, even if it’s more of a man in deep mourning, a man who is in survival mode after the deaths of his wife and son a few years ago. 

 Candi is a school teacher who, due to circumstances beyond her control, has lost her position and is now substitute teaching and working at a local animal shelter.  The shelter is closing, and these remaining puppies need to get to a shelter in Maine that has room for them, hopefully finding them their forever homes.  Candi has volunteered to transport the puppies, even this close to Christmas, as she’s on her own anyway.  

One volunteer road trip, three adorable, rambunctious puppies, a winter storm that diverts her to backroads covered in snow, and a man who investigates tire tracks that shouldn’t be on this remote, unused road… and you have the makings of not only a Christmas miracle for the pups, but a chance for two deserving people to find their forever home as well, with each other.

I loved Puppy Wishes & Candy Kisses by Jennifer Faye so much.  I had read Candi and Michael’s story a year ago when I was in the hospital for a very long stay over the holidays. And treated myself to a re-read yesterday, and this romance still makes me smile, so it’s going on that annual Christmas re-read list of mine.

Watching Michael’s walls begin to crumble amidst some puppy shenanigans and with the help of the love Candi isn’t afraid to show him was such an emotional journey. This couple deserved every bit of their happily ever after, and experiencing the, at times, rocky road to get there made this a believable, relatable romance.  If you love a well-written, emotional, funny Christmas Romance with characters you can’t help but root for, then you’d love Puppy Wishes & Candy Kisses.

I own a Kindle edition of this title.

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)