If you love sweet romances (PG-rating), look no further than Rachelle Ayala’s Have a Hart series. The Harts are a family of San Francisco firefighters. Their family motto is: Heart comes first.Cait Hart has been married to Brian Wonder for twelve years, but does she really know him? The redheaded firefighter is dependable, loyal, and kind to others, but he’s never let her probe his feelings.… feelings.
Brian’s life is blown open when his former high school teacher and wife of a senator dies in a car crash. When a pair of blue chow dogs show up at his mountain cabin, he is forced to tell Cait his secret–the real owner of the dogs is a boy he believes is his son.
Cait and Brian are tested on the true meaning of love when the boy goes missing and authorities suspect Brian of wrongdoing. Can two lost chow dogs save this fragile and vulnerable family?
Blue Chow Christmas is Book #4 of the Have A Hart Romance Series. It can be read standalone, although characters from the previous books appear here in supporting roles.
Book 1: Melisa & Rob, Christmas Lovebirds
Book 2: Jenna & Larry, Valentine Hound Dog
Book 3: Connor & Nadine, Spring Fling Kitty
Book 4: Cait & Brian, Blue Chow Christmas
Book 5: Jenna & Larry, Valentine Wedding Hound
Book 6: Grady & Linx, Summer Love Puppy
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I think this is my favorite of the ‘Have A Hart’ series. even withstanding Grady. I have a son with Asperger’s among other issues. I see parts of him in Brian, especially the isolation and computer, tho also different. I think Cait & Brian are finally getting a good start from their non-relationship. I hope it continues.
I am discovering what has bothered me about the Harts. They are not very nice to each other, they call it teasing but under it all there is a lot of bullying, either jealousy or plain dislike (can’t decide which). Yes, they love the family but it is there just the same.
I guess it is onto the weddings. I do like this new family we have just been introduced to.
I recieved a free Audible copy of this story in exchange for a honest review.
This fourth story in the Hart Family series is neither your typical romance nor second chance romance.
It’s a story about two individuals, Cait Hart and Brian Wonder , who have been together for twelve years in a marriage of convenience. A secret they have kept from Cait’s family.
Brian, a firefighter in Cait’s brother’s station, seems standoffish, and a loner when in fact he might have Asperger’s Syndrome. His feelings are not expressed and he sees life in a very literal sense.
While both Cait and Brian are at a crossroads in their lives, an unexpected revelation is made by Brian and a discovery is made by Cait. Add to this the fact that Brian was a victim of a child molester, and later accused of a crime he didn’t commit, and that the missing child is a boy who might be his son, well, you are sure to have a very intricate story fill with lots of twists and turns.
In the end, will Brian be found innocent of the crime? Will Brian and Cait find out that love has always been present in their lives?
This story is a good addition to the series.
Lastly, the narrator does a good job with the voices .
This book is part of the Hart Family series, but is definitely a standalone. This is the first book in this series that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Cait Hart and Brian Wonder have been married for 12 years, but are more like roommates than lovers. Sure, they have sex at an appointed time, but mostly live separate lives. It seems that Brian might have Asperger’s Syndrome, a type of Autism. He loves Cait in his own way, but doesn’t know how to show it.
Enter two blue chow dogs, Sierra and Melia. While Cait is at her family’s mountain cabin, the two bedraggled dogs appear on the property, hungry and tired. Cait soon learns that the dogs belong to Senator Thornton’s son, Glen, who has autism. The story progresses from there and soon many secrets are revealed that involve Brian, Cait, Cait’s mother, Glen’s mother and the Senator.
The story is sweet yet poignant as Brian tries to figure out how to show love and Cait tries to accept that Glen might be Brian’s son. There is also some suspense when Cait discovers a photo album with an incriminating photo and when she and Glen are kidnapped.
The fact that Brian’s former teacher, Alana Thornton, was actually a child molester and seemed to target young men with mental issues is a very different aspect to a romance novel. The author handled this situation well and the characters reacted in a believable way. The only part of the book that I found a little unbelievable is that Cait had been married to Brian for 12 years and never seemed to suspect his Asperger’s.
The narrator, Jennifer Groberg, was perfect for this book. Her reading added a lot to the enjoyment of the book. If you enjoy sweet romances with HEA endings, give this book a chance. It is a well-written story with great characters and the addition of the dogs is always a plus in my estimation.
This book was amazing. This is Brian and Cait’s story. In all the books leafing up to this one you see Brian basically hiding in the background. You wonder why that is? This book tells you everything that you were curious about! This is definitely worth the read.
My heart broke for two lonely little boys trying to exist in a world not always kind. Blue Chow Christmas is a tearful look into the love of a father for a child he has never met. A woman’s hope for a love that never was and a young man’s struggle to understand the world around him. My anger bristled for the people who preyed on the vulnerable. It’s hard to understand the actions of anyone who will abuse a child. So many broken people, so many destroyed lives. Ms. Ayala proves just how in touch with emotions she can be. She tackles the ugly that is hard to see with a beauty that is both inspirational and heartbreaking. Jennifer Groberg has that tear in her voice that digs way down deep. Love is never simple, but despite the pain we’re all better for it.