The Dogs of Christmas

June 24, 2013
Unlike Cameron’s most recent doggie tales (A Dog’s Journey), this slender Christmas story isn’t written from a canine’s perspective. Instead, the sentimental narrative focuses on Josh Michaels, a freelance software programmer who lives alone in the Colorado mountains. Socially awkward and easily tongue-tied, he’s bamboozled by an acquaintance into caring for Lucy, a very pregnant dog. None of Lucy’s litter survives, but someone leaves a box of newborn pups in his truck and Lucy begins to mother the five as if they were her own. Kerri, an attractive young woman from the local shelter, helps Josh foster the pups so they may be adopted, in the process bringing Josh, scarred from his ex-girlfriend’s infidelity, out of his shell. His inability to communicate, however, nearly derails the budding romance. The canines inhabiting the story are adorable, and Kerri, unlike Josh, has real personality. While Josh is full of love and good intentions, until the story reaches its climax he reads like a gangly adolescent in a grown man’s body, clueless and unable to stand up for himself. Agent: Scott Miller, Trident Media Group.

April 15, 2013
Cameron's latest demonstrates how the unconditional love received from dogs can make all the difference in human lives. Josh Michaels, who lives in the Colorado mountains, is tricked by a dishonest neighbor into taking on the short-term care of a dog named Lucy. Josh never owned a dog, so everything about this new responsibility is initially daunting. For Josh, loss has been a fact of life ever since his mother and sister left when he was 17. His father remarried and moved to England, too far for much visitation. His live-in girlfriend left him for another man, so as this enchanting novel opens, he lives alone and pays the mortgage on what was once the family home by doing website design, until a project supervisor who doesn't like him takes him off the team, leaving him to look for work during an economic downturn. He is lonely and vulnerable, so it doesn't take long for the affectionate Lucy to win him over. His heart is broken when Lucy gives birth to a litter of stillborn pups. Then someone dumps a box with five newborn puppies in his truck, and Lucy nurses them. Along the way, our hero meets Kerri, who's affiliated with a local animal shelter, and turns to her for advice on handling his new responsibilities. Kerri and Josh have their romantic ups and downs, mostly since Josh can never quite figure out what to say or how to say it. Cute descriptions of the dogs' behaviors will make readers want to find a pup to cuddle. A book about dog lovers by an author who understands the canine soul.

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 15, 2013

Unlike his previous canine best sellers, A Dog's Purpose and A Dog's Journey, Cameron's latest novel tells the story from human Josh Michael's point of view. Josh lives a newly solitary life in the mountains of Evergreen, CO, since his girlfriend Amanda left him for another guy. When a neighbor dumps his very pregnant dog, Lucy, off at Josh's and disappears, Josh is more than a little upset. Consulting the local animal shelter for help, he meets animal lover Kerri, who helps him with Lucy and the new puppies and may just help him get over Amanda, too. VERDICT Some readers may wonder if a guy can really be as clueless as Josh, but dog lovers will appreciate the heartwarming story.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.