I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

Really enjoyed this, I mean what’s not to love dogs and romance, this is a really great romcom and I can’t wait for more from Lizzie

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Any book to do with dogs is going to be a hit for me, and this was definitely up my alleyway. I also love a fake dating trope so this was for sure a good book for me.

I loved the clash between Deenie and Conor, and watching them grow closer was a joy to experience. The dog training classes were also lovely to read and highly entertaining, particularly down to Max's cheekiness.

To be honest with you, I wasn't waiting much about this book. Not sure why? Maybe the title? I took my time to pick it up and start reading it... and what was my surprise to realize that it was actually a really good book!!!! I really had a wonderful time reading it!!!! It's fun and entertaining and not childish at all (it was one of my fear). I really recommend this book! It was my first time reading a book by Lizzie Shane and it will definitely not be the last time!!!

Sorry I didn't get to read it before the time ran out. I didnt know you couldnt renew once archived. I was looking forward to reading it aswell

Deenie is a dog trainer and princess party planner who loves to travel but has only stopped travelling as her aunt is ill . Connor is a lawyer who plans everything to the last detail and is hoping to be made a partner in the law firm. They say opposites attract so when Connor pays Deenie to train his dog Max things certainly get interesting
Fab book, loved it

A charming character driven book that dives into the lives of free and feisty Deenie and 'tall, dark and snobby' Connor as they realise that opposites attract. Dog training and fake dating begins to blur the line between their fake feelings. The entire book is enchanting from the characters and their friendships to the charming town of Pine Hollow.

I'd been eager to return to Pine Hollow from the moment I finished reading The Twelve Dogs of Christmas, so couldn't wait to start reading as soon as this arrived in the post.

And I wasn't disappointed, this was just as good if not better than the first book. Lizzie Shane certainly knows how to write dogs that you will fall in love with and it was great getting to know Maximus better.

He is a gentle giant but has clearly never been trained, which is something Connor is intending to do but just keeps finding reasons not to attend the training sessions. Although the first one in a while he does go to, he bumps into Deenie, his polar opposite.

They appear to rub each other up the wrong way, he's a lawyer and wants to be partner at his firm, whereas Deenie organises Princess parties and appears to be a dog whisperer too. She also has great wanderlust and rarely stays in one place as long as she is going to be spending in Pine Hollow.

I loved how the two of them banter and rub each other up the wrong way, especially when Connor hires her to become Maximus's personal dog trainer! And what a first training session it is, its hilarious!!

I also loved seeing familiar faces from all over Pine Hollow and more of Ben and Ally's story from the previous book. Also seeing Deenie's family dynamics made me just want to punch them and stick up for her.

I found the story really went up a gear as it verged into one of the tropes I really enjoy and yet from not having read the blurb properly, due to just knowing I wanted to read this, took me by surprise and I'm glad it did as I was enjoying the book even more from that point.

I've had a lovely couple of afternoons in the garden reading this book, From a great community setting, to gorgeous dogs and fabulous chemistry this book has it all. And I even loved how the title fits in once I gave it a thought, and realised it was quite clever!

I really hope this isn't the last we have seen of Pine Hollow I can't help but think there is at least one more resident's story that should be focused on and I hope that may be coming next!

Thank you to Emily Patience at Headline for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,.

Fabulous romance read that is bound to fill your heart with joy (& make you want a dog!) This is the second installment in the Pine Hollow Series, but you don't need to have read the first to enjoy this book. It didn't impact my enjoyment that I hadn't read it, although I will definitely be going back to read the first now!
Deenie is full or colour, glitter and wanderlust which clashes with Connor who's scheduled roadmap for his life is off track. Enter Maximus, the unruly Irish wolfhound who Connor needs Deenie's help to train - or accept the constant destruction! Soon they agree to play a fake couple and the sparks fly!

After adoring The Twelve Dogs of Christmas I couldn’t wait to head back to Pine Hollow for book 2 in the series and it’s definitely my new favourite.

What made this book for me was Connor and Deenie who were complete opposites but it worked so well. Their relationship felt very authentic, with no grand gestures or love at first sight. We get to enjoy these two people who are so right for each other (even though they don’t think so) and see how their relationship blossoms. The ‘banter’ between them was brilliant and again felt so real, just how friends would act together by winding each other up.

It wouldn’t be a trip to Pine Hollow without some adorable dogs featured, however this story was less centered round the dogs but it was all thanks to Max’s unruly behaviour that brought them together essentially.

The romance is slow to build but I actually preferred this, sometimes less is more and I really liked how it explored the backgrounds of each character with the issues both of them were experiencing, from Deenie’s family not accepting her for who she is and Connor who has to have his whole life planned with no spontaneity allowed.

Finally as always it is filled with a host of supporting characters that are all equally lovely, but a special mention goes to Mr Burke who only has a small role but helps Deenie massively and had me feeling very emotional at one point.

Overall this is another fantastic and authentic romance from Lizzie Shane and I can’t wait to see what Pine Hollow has in store for us next time.

I loved the 12 dogs o Christmas so was very excited to read this new novel. Would of preferred if it could of been downloaded to kindle however for ease of reading. However I have absolutely loved every book I’ve read by this author and this is no exception. I loved it and didn’t want it to end!

To say I was excited to be back in Pine Hollow is a massive understatement! The Twelve Dogs of Christmas was one of my favourite books of 2020 and I’ve been eagerly awaiting this sequel ever since, especially knowing it featured Deenie, our resident glitter-covered Princess-party planner.

I fell in love both with both Deenie and Connor from their initial introduction in the first book and I was very curious how Lizzie Shane was going to grow a romance between the two of them. Their characters are so wildly different – Connor is a very by-the-books, has to have everything organised kind of guy whereas Deenie is a free-spirit who hates to be tied down to anything. But a lovable wolfhound and some fake dating draw the two of them together and their chemistry is clear right from the start.

Connor was the perfect hero for me, he was such a grump with a truly soft and squishy heart. His interactions with his mum were heart-warming and I loved how desperate he was to do right by his new rescue dog, Max.

Deenie as well proved to be a very likeable heroine. Even during her more insecure moments she was so true to herself, never wanting to settle. I do think her issues in the last 10% of the book felt a bit rushed, but they were also a culmination of her feelings throughout and I was very satisfied in how everything came together in the end.

Grief was an important topic in the first book, and it also plays a big part in this one. Deenie’s devotion towards her Great-Aunt, and the issues and heartbreak she goes through were truly wrenching. I think a lot of people will sympathise with her.

I loved how both our main characters had their own issues to overcome. Deenie has a bad history involving her family who don’t approve of her lifestyle, and Connor has been burnt badly by a past relationship. Their struggles to overcome these issues are helped, not just by each other, but also by the side characters. The family we began to know in the first book play a big part in this one and it was so nice to see how the previous couple were getting along.

All in all this was an adorable opposites attract romance, filled with sweetness and light moments but also with a serious core at heart. If you’re looking for a slow-burn romance where the couple become friends first and lovers later, with a loving cast of side characters and lots of adorable doggy mascots, then look no further than the Pine Hollow series. I cannot wait to go back in the next novel!

Connor adopted a dog as part of his plan. But Max the dog has a mind of his own, and Connor ends up getting Deenie to help train him. They had never got on, but she seems to be the only person that can control Max.
They end up in an agreement to be each other's plus one for some upcoming events, but what starts off as a fake relationship becomes too real. Will they give each other a chance?

Looking forward to the next book in this series.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved Deenie, she’s full of life and glitter, her way of flying off to far away places, confuse Connor.

The outcome of when opposites pretend at a fake relationship, even with a undisciplined puppy, we all know.

I loved Lizzie’s descriptions.

Once Upon a Puppy by Lizzie Shane a five-star read that will make you swoon. This is number two in the Pine Hollow series, but you don’t need to have read the first story to follow this one, I hadn’t and didn’t feel like I missed anything. I will be going back to read it as I am sure it’s a great story. Deenie and Connor will just enrapture you, there is a great story wrapped into this and also some super sweet pooches. I really love how the author managed to get the message across about adopting dogs and also training your dog, without preaching it. I can’t wait to get back to Pine Hollow and all of the people who reside there.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. As a dog owner I really enjoyed this lovely feel good book, great characters and a great story. Liked it.

I LOVED this book!! If you like chit lit with a bit of substance, you'll love this. Quite a few of the scenes are chick flick tropes, which to be honest I loved, but the emotions were very real. I'll be honest, this is the first book I've read in a long time that actually had me welling up. The story has highs and lows, and humans showing their strengths and weaknesses. This is the best romcom I've read in a long time, and I've now set up an alert for next time this author writes something