In Unleashed, the first story in my Hamilton Christmas novella trilogy, heroine Emma Lafferty owns a professional pet sitting service. While I did, at one time, many (oh so very many) moons ago teach obedience training professionally, these days my pet-sitting services are exclusively reserved for my granddogs. (I’m still waiting on grandkids, but granddogs are absolutely the next best thing!)
My oldest has an adorable rescue, Lily, whose mama was a yellow Labrador retriever, and her papa was a dachshund. (I know, how did that work?) Lily has the thicker body of a lab, but the shorter legs and longer body of a dachshund, hence her nickname, Lily Long Dog. Halloween is a favorite holiday of ours and Oldest’s dogs have always been involved, sporting their own canine costumes as they help to hand out treats to the all the neighborhood kids. (You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a one-hundred-pound bull dog in a tutu and bunny ears!) Lily is now part of that grand Halloween tradition.
Naturally, when her turn came, only one costume would do! This year we’ll be celebrating the spooktacular season with Hot Dog Lily! Once we saw that get up, it was game over. Then the only trick was finding one big enough for her to wear, since most were dachshund-sized. (I’m a crafty sort, but mercifully, my days of making Halloween costumes are well in the past. If you could have seen some of them, you’d understand why my kids are as thankful for that as I am. Also, thank you, Amazon!) Lily is a trooper about the whole thing and sports her bun with Kauffman family style!
If you’re out trick or treating this year and happen to see a hot dog stroll by on four legs, think of Lily and send a smile her way. Maybe with a little ketchup on it!
A raging winter storm and a holiday spent pet-sitting reveals there’s more than one kind of animal in the house . . .
When Emma Lafferty is hired by a billionaire CEO to watch his pets over the holidays, she expects to enjoy a quiet Christmas in opulent surroundings. What she doesn’t expect is to spend the week trapped in the mansion with Trevor Hamilton, the CEO’s sexy great-nephew—and heir—whose motives are as shady as his desire is crystal clear . . .
Praise for Donna Kauffman and her novels
“Kauffman’s stories show that the bravery to reach for a connection is all we need to discover joy; she excels at expressing the struggles and joys of giving in to love.” –Publishers Weekly on Sandpiper Island
“We all know where there’s Donna Kauffman, there’s a rollicking, sexy read chock-full of charm and sparkle. Kauffman’s characters are adorably human and so very magnetic.” –USAToday.com
“Kauffman pens a touching romance . . . a quirky community and secondary characters with enough personality to make readers want to come back. A light romance with a touch of heat, a pinch of intensity and a dash of mysterious small-town magic.” –Kirkus Reviews on Pelican Point
“Sassy, witty, and sexy.” –Library Journal on Snowflake Bay
“Charming characters, emotion galore, a small town—you’re going to love Donna Kauffman!” – Lori Foster
May New Reads