A Ruff Royal Christmas 🎄 🐶
RATING: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Review:
This is such an amazing heartwarming Christmas romance!
Princess Ava has planned a Christmas Eve charity event, but all goes wrong when she loses the Queen’s mischievous dog. Ava teams up with Justin, who is a dog trainer, to find the dog.
The longer they spend together trying to find the runaway dog, the more tension and sparks fly.
The even bigger issue- Ava is engaged and ready to marry the duke. She needs to figure out, should she marry the duke or follow her heart?

This is the sweetest holiday romance! It is packed full of fun, Christmas cheer and love. This was the perfect read for Christmas in July! The main characters, Ave and Justin, are absolutely perfect for each other.
If you are looking for the perfect Christmas romance read for the holidays this year, this is it!

Review will also be posted on Instagram and Goodreads.

I love reading a Christmas story in July. The heat is always unbearable where I live and picturing snow gives me hope. This author never lets me down with her signature humor, romance and heartfelt royal escapades. This a cute plot with Princess Ava in the midst of the annual benefit Christmas party when Queen Kathleen arrives with an untrained, mischievous adopted dog. I’ve never related more to a character than with Princess Ava. She’s all business with no time or patience for a dog who’s destroying all her hard work. Shocker, there are people who don’t like dogs, I’m one who prefers cats. The Princess has been expected to marry Duke Henry since she was a child. Justin, a much needed dog trainer, could upset traditions and expectations. I laughed at many of the capers the new pet created and there were surprises along the way. It was a quick and easy read that brightened my day. Thanks so much to HawkTale publishing and Karen Schaler (via NetGalley) for providing an Advance Reader Copy of “A Ruff Royal Christmas”. Get yourself a copy, it’ll be published 09/30/2025. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without any compensation.

Another Christmas classic by Karen Schaler to add to her growing lists.

The main characters go through a journey of growing and they work well together and you can never go wrong with including a dog with Christmas joy.

I laughed so often while reading and I could picture this one as a movie so easily.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGallery for this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

Everything is going according to schedule. Princess Ava of Skydovia is heavily engaged in preparing Vailgate Castle for the annual royal Christmas party. She demands perfection from the placement of decorations on the perfect tree and the setting for a big announcement. Once the Queen gives permission, she will have a public proposal from the duke her father planned she would marry. This, the first Christmas since her father, Prince Frederick's untimely passing she had to have the best party ever, in his memory.
But, her mother, Queen Kathleen, has shocked her by bringing an intruder into the castle, a Dog! That dog is named perfectly; Stormy is destroying everything he gets close to. Along with the dog the Queen has brought an American into the situation. Justin is to take the Border Collie into his Puppy Bootcamp training program. He can't teach this dog quickly enough. Actually, Stormy takes off and is missing so the Princess has more problems to deal with. Her mother will never forgive her.
This is a sweet and sometimes comical romance with a beautiful Christmas setting. I totally felt the Christmas movie vibe all through reading the book. The slightly adventurous search for Stormy takes Ava and Justin from place to place in Skydovia. Ava begins to see things differently during the exhausting search.
I want to thank the author Karen Schaler, Hawk Tale Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced reader's copy of this feel-good Christmas tale. It was a good book to read during "Christmas in July" season while near an air conditioner. Fans of royal romance stories should enjoy this, especially if you love a mischievous dog.

Recipes and Festive Activities including the very special recipe; Stormy's Paw-sitively Delicious Dog Treats are added in.

A Ruff Royal Christmas was delightful!

Princess Ava has put together the most perfect Christmas Eve charity event. Not only is it a tradition, but it's to honor her father after he passed away this last year. Things are running smoothly until her mother, The Queen brings home Stormy. A Border Collie who is a bit naughty. Naughty, playful, mischievous. A handful for sure. Things would be ok, but The Queen needs to make a quick trip to Paris and asks Ava to watch Stormy, until the dog trainer can come and pick him up. She is not thrilled and even less so when Stormy makes a bit of a mess. Where is that trainer already?

Justin loves nothing more than training dogs. He has a gift when it comes to them and then finding them their forever homes. He has known The Queen for many years through charity events and when she asks him to come and train her new dog, he can't say no. When he arrives at The Palace he gets into a bit of a bickering match with The Princess. After that things quickly spiral out of control. Stormy runs off and from there Justin and Ava spend the next two days searching for The Queens precious pup.

This story was super cute. It was fast paced, full of humor, festive and so much fun!

A Ruff Royal Christmas is a quick, charming read perfect for the holidays. When the queen adopts a spirited dog, she brings in a famous trainer to help—but she also secretly hopes he’ll be a good match for her daughter, who’s facing an arranged engagement.

The story follows the princess and the dog trainer as they search for the runaway pup, and along the way, walls start to come down and feelings start to grow. There’s humor, heart, and just the right touch of royal drama. A fun and sometimes emotional journey to a sweet HEA.

Thank you NetGalley and HawkTale Publishing for sending me the ARC of another cute Christmas story by "Christmas Karen" Schaler. If you are looking for a "deep" story, this isn't for you. But it you want a feel-good Christmas story, then you will enjoy this one. Since a lot of the action takes place involving a dog, Stormy, this story is different from the usual royal romance...thankfully! This royal family cares deeply about animal shelters. Plus, this princess is an engineer and comes up with quirky inventions that are so much fun! Her platform will be to push science and math to youngsters, encouraging them to follow their dreams. This is a new, modern twist.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

What a beautiful and heartwarming Christmas book. It has everything, a strong willed and beautiful princess, a dashing and funny man, a fun loving queen, a slimy duke and an oval rescue dog. There is mayhem and shenanigans galore. It’s a very festive book with a glorious ending. I highly recommend reading this book! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

A hilarious feel good festive romp. I love the cheeky stormy who is just a typical dog who brings everyone together. The banter had me eagerly anticipating what would happen next. A great time was had while reading this book.

A Ruff Royal Christmas is a cozy, feel-good holiday romance that gave me all the feels. I loved how mischievous Stormy brought all of the humans together during this special season.

I always look forward to Karen Schaler Books. A standalone, I'd call this feel good fiction - This one was especially helpful as I'd come down with the dreaded flu so this book was my escapism! It would make a fab Netflix movie.

The plot is interesting as our main character starts with a very narrow view of the world. The longer the book goes on, the more Princess Ava realises that life has more layers that perhaps she initially thought. I like that our hero also had to make some choices about the direction of his life. Will be looking to buy the book for my library when available.

I receive complimentary books from various sources, including NetGalley, authors, and others. I am not required to write a positive review, and I have not received any compensation for my thoughts.

This is the first Karen Schaler book I've read, and it certainly won't be the last. "A Ruff Royal Christmas" was exactly the light, entertaining, cozy holiday romance novel I was looking for. Schaler's writing is engaging and her characters are so well developed. I was a fan of the Netflix film "A Christmas Prince" before, and hadn't realized she's the author behind it. This latest novel gives similar vibes. Fans of royalty and Christmas fiction will enjoy it.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ava and Justin's journey and watching their romance develop. Add in a free-spirited Queen mother who wants to see her daughter happy without settling and you have the perfect recipe for a "Hallmark" style romance to unfold. I just wish there could've been a little more dog training in the novel,

Nevertheless, I give this book 5 stars. Can't wait to check out the rest of the author's backlist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hawktale Publishing for the ARC copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Ruff Royal Christmas by Karen Schaler is a beautifully done Christmas love story filled with all the majic of the season. The love develops between the animal trainer and the princess. The love for the dog develops during the hunt to find the dog into a lot of magic. I loved the story.

Karen Schaler has provided another magical yet believable offering for our Christmastime enjoyment. 'A Ruff Royal Christmas' exposes the reader to the European kingdom of Queen Kathleen and her daughter Princess Ava. Ava is overwhelmingly busy in creating the annual Christmas Eve Charity Ball to honor her late father's meticulous devotion to the event. Her mother the Queen introduces a dog into the mix right before Christmas and life begins to alter greatly for Ava from that point on. This is an engaging story of love, childhood expectations, humor and forgiveness. It is wonderful and I highly recommend it to all.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A Ruff Royal Christmas is a cute, uplifting story involving a princess, the queen mother, and an American dog trainer, Justin, hired to enroll the newest member of the royal family into his Puppy Bootcamp. Princess Ava wants nothing to do with the new dog, Stormy, a rescue dog. Her mother, the queen, loves Stormy and leaves him in Ava’s care when she heads to Paris for a few days. The antics really take hold when Stormy disappears just before Christmas. Justin and Ava are frantically looking for the dog who is spotted in various locations around town. The sub story in the book is the importance of animal rescue organizations. I love how this book brings attention to the plight of rescue dogs and animal shelters, a very worthwhile cause.

This is a sweet slice of romantic, festive escapism with the Christmassy loveliness turned up to 11. 🎄⛄💗 The plot involves Stormy, a royal dog in the kingdom of Skydovia, princess Ava who has a degree in mechanical engineering and a sense of duty to marry a man she doesn't love, and the American dog trainer who may win her heart. A very easy, enjoyable read.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

A Ruff Royal Christmas is a heartwarming tale of how the lives of a royal family and a commoner intertwine all because of a mischievous dog. Author Karen Schaler brings out the personality of each character as you become immersed in each scene.
Her enchanting style makes this a book you can’t put down. This must-read brings a refreshing spin on the holiday romance and will be a favorite for the season!

Love this story about Ava, the princess and Justin the dog trainer.Her mother, the queen goes to a lot of trouble to teach Ava about real love and not an arranged marriage. Follow Ava and Justin's journey and how Ava and her mother ended up with a better relationship. THIS BOOK IS A VERY GOOD READ. If you have enjoyed this author's books before you will love this one.

Fun and festive, plus a dog!
If you love Christmas markets, festive holiday offerings and a naughty canine with a royal romance this is the book for you! You will fall in love with this sweet Christmas story full of Karen’s Christmas magic!

Princess Ava is planning the perfect Christmas Eve charity event. This is not only a tradition but a way to honor her father who passed away the previous year. Everything is going according to Ava’s meticulous plan until the Queen brings home a new border collie who is very mischievous. Things quickly get out of hand when Ava loses Stormy and chaos erupts. Ava has no choice but to team up with Justin, a laid-back American dog trainer the Queen hired to train her new dog. Things quickly spiral out of control as Ava and Justin give chase to find Stormy before the Queen returns from Paris…

This is such a festive heartfelt Christmas romance! It is full of humor, heart and you’ll find yourself rooting for Ava and Justin! A wonderful addition to Karen’s Christmas books. I could absolutely see this as a Christmas movie. Delightful!

Thank you Netgalley and Hawk Tale Publishing for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

A solid Christmas classic. It had all the funny, cozy vibes I was hoping for—twinkling lights, festive cheer, and a romance to root for. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I LOVE KAREN SCHALER!!!

I’ve read all of her Christmas books and she NAILS the Christmassy elements every time. Every setting is festive and fun with some unique Christmas traditions.

This book was absolutely overflowing with Christmas cheer! 🎄It was different from the typical “falling in love with a royal at Christmas” romance so common on Hallmark in that the Princess Ava is quite reclusive and guards her heart while the Queen (her mother) was the impulsive and fun loving royal.

I loved Stormy the mischievous dog and Justin the dog trainer. Dogs just add something so fun to a book in general but especially a Christmas book!

The characters were great as well. I liked seeing Ava grow and change as she got to know Stormy and Justin. I liked seeing her relationship with her mother change as well.

This romance is completely clean (nothing beyond kissing) and it was so sweet and cute.

I loved this book so much and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves Christmas books! I can’t wait to see what she will write next!


<i>Thank you to Karen Schaler, Hawktale Publishing, and NetGalley for the e-ARC!! ♥️

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

Wow what a great book! I really enjoyed the premise of this book. The characters are great. I even enjoyed the secondary characters. The writing style was great and this really was an easy read. It had meek hooked from page one. I don't always have a hard time putting books down but this one had me..lol. I highly recommend this book if you are in a reading slump. This was a first for me by this author but will not be my last. I loved this romcom!!!

One of the things I loved the most about this book was how it managed to give me that magical Christmas vibe in the middle of August—such a beautiful experience.

I received a free copy of A Ruff Royal Christmas by Karen Schaler from the publisher and NetGalley—thank you for letting me enjoy such a delightful story.

While reading, I felt as if I were sipping hot chocolate, surrounded by snow, with a sweet dog by my side (I have a precious one myself 💕) and a cozy little cabin tucked away in the mountains. The story is simple, completely clean, sweet, and heartwarming. I recommend it if you love Hallmark Christmas movies and if your heart is ready to be filled with holiday spirit.

Princess Ava's perfectly planned Christmas Eve charity event erupts into chaos when she loses Stormy, the Queen's mischievous new border collie. With Christmas approaching fast, Ava has no choice but to team up with Justin, a laid-back American dog trainer who's used to wrangling strays, not royal runaways!

Sparks fly as Justin's rule-breaking free spirit clashes with Ava's determination to follow royal protocol. But when their search for Stormy takes them through glittering Christmas markets, festive holiday activities, and snowy winter wonderlands, an undeniable chemistry builds between them.
Loved this book