Christmas in Blue Dog Valley: A Novel

Description

For anyone who ever loved All Creatures Great and Small, Annie England Noblin's newest novel-about a big city vet transplanted to a small Wisconsin town-is pure delight as we meet aging alpacas, stump-tailed cats, goats in tutus, a vagabond border collie named Kevin, and the people who think they own them. And through it all, Goldie McKenzie, DVM, navigating the small town of Blue Dog, Wisconsin. Welcome to Blue Dog Valley. Home of the Fighting Elk. Population 3,411. When Goldie McKenzie, DVM, vet to the L.A. pet stars, arrives from Los Angeles to Blue Dog Valley she realizes three things. Never agree to upend your life when you're hungover Pot-belly pigs are not true farm animals She's going to need a warmer coat At first Goldie is nothing more than a fish out of water, with few clients and few friends. But after a less than pleasant encounter with a man whose dog is suffering from a possibly fatal case of bloat, she's finally earning the trust and goodwill from her fellow Blue Dog Valley citizens. Her clientele grows to include the many farm animals in the town, including a horse named Large Marge, a cape-wearing therapy alpaca, and a yardful of sweater-wearing goats. Add in Kevin, the "worst sheepdog in Blue Dog Valley," and a Sphinx cat named Airport, and Goldie is having the best time a vet can have. . . aside from the annoying attractive town grump, Cohen, who seems intent on making sure she always feels like an outsider. With her newfound goodwill, Goldie comes up with an idea to reinvigorate the once flourishing Blue Dog Valley: a Christmas carnival. A petting zoo, pictures with Santa, a baking contest, what more could they want After only some brief resistance from Cohen and his father, they begin the great plan to reinvigorate Blue Dog Valley. Will Christmas be enough to salvage this dying town-and be enough to bring Goldie closer to a certain grumpy man

Annie England Noblin lives with her son, husband, and four rescued bulldogs in the Missouri Ozarks. She graduated with an M.A. in Creative Writing from Missouri State University and currently teaches English for Arkansas State University. Her poetry has been featured in such publications as the Red Booth Review and the Moon City Review, and she co-edited and co-authored the coffee-table book Gillioz: Theatre Beautiful.

"Noblin brings her trademark charm and humor to the novel. Goldie's romance with Cohen is sweet and natural, but her relationship with the town itself is at the forefront. The small town has an affinity for Christmas, making this a perfect holiday read." - Booklist "The only thing better than a holiday love story is a holiday love story with dogs! That's exactly what Annie England Noblin understands with Christmas in Blue Dog Valley, the story of Goldie, an A-list veterinarian who impulsively upends her life to start over in the small farming town of Blue Dog Valley." - Popsugar "This adorable romance features a big-city vet transplanted to a small town called Blue Dog. Dr. Goldie McKenzie is a fish out of water, but she starts to gain the confidence of Blue Dog residents when she helps cure a sick pup. Cute pups pepper this heartwarming novel, in which Goldie might experience the holiday-and happily-ever-after-of her dreams..." - Retrievist "A fun, enjoyable Christmas rom-com, set in small town Wisconsin...Thrown in a hairless cat name Airport and an English sheepdog named Kevin and a cute white Alpaca named Alice, and quirky characters, you will fall in love with this book." - Red Carpet Crash "Christmas in Blue Dog Valley is a lively, enjoyable story that stands out among the many Christmas books published each year. Its humor and charm will appeal to many readers." - Novels Alive "Feelgood fiction at its finest. Annie England Noblin has crafted an utterly entertaining tale of unexpected chances and small-town secrets, and it's as sweet and comforting as a hand-knit sweater and a warm puppy in your lap." - Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author, on St. Francis Society for Wayward Pets "I was immediately enchanted! Lively and heartfelt, the characters-both human and four legged-in Annie England Noblin's St Francis Society for Wayward Pets come alive. I adored it." - Lori Foster, New York Times bestselling author "Noblin's masterful touch hits the sweet spot of humor and tragedy in this heart-felt book about the truest meaning of family, friends, abandoned dogs, and love, amidst a weave of plot-twisting heroics." - Jacqueline Sheehan, New York Times bestselling author, on St. Francis Society for Wayward Pets "Annie England Noblin is an incredibly gifted storyteller. St. Francis Society for Wayward Pets is heartfelt, charming, and funny." - Meg Donohue, author of You, Me, and the Sea "Noblin's books are known for their connection to pets, and the animals are present here... Despite some heavy subject matter...the story is funny and light. Readers will bond with Maeve and her sweet disposition." - Booklist on St. Francis Society for Wayward Pets