Books like The Bark Before Christmas by Laurien Berenson

A devoted dog reflects on life, love, and racing while watching his owner, a race car driver, navigate family trials and professional ambition.

Buddy, the beloved Labrador from *A Dog’s Purpose*, returns to guide a troubled teenage girl, Clarity June Mahoney, on a heartwarming journey of growth and companionship.

In Bliss, Texas, a dressmaker’s holiday show turns deadly when a mysterious murder disrupts the Winter Wonderland festival, forcing her to solve the crime with help from friends and a spirited ghost.

A heartfelt tale of a Kansas farm boy named Todd, whose advocacy for a shelter dog named Christmas leads his family and town to embrace compassion, reuniting people and animals with a simple yet powerful holiday program.

Emma Collins is assigned to write about fruitcake for her local newspaper. She ends up flying to the state for the contest and meets a pilot named Oliver who agrees to take her on as long as she writes about the contest. Emma starts falling in love with Oliver and his dog, Oscar, but her past experiences with fruitcake may complicate her feelings.

During a Fourth of July celebration in Lake Eden, Minnesota, baker Hannah Swensen’s Cookie Jar is rocked by a mystery: Rhonda Scharf’s body is found among antiques, and a lemon meringue pie’s secret contents hint at a darker plot.

"While nursing a broken heart, Josh Michaels is outraged when a neighbor abandons his very pregnant dog, Lucy, at Josh's Colorado home. But Josh can't resist Lucy's soulful brown eyes, and though he's never had a dog before, he's determined to do the best he can for Lucy--and her soon-to-arrive, bound-to-be-adorable puppies. Soon in over his head, Josh calls the local animal shelter for help, and meets Kerri, a beautiful woman with a quick wit and a fierce love for animals. As Kerri teaches Josh how to care for Lucy's tiny puppies and gets them ready to be adopted through the shelter's "Dogs of Christmas" program, Josh surprises himself by falling for her. But he's fallen even harder for his new furry family, which has brought incredible joy into Josh's life. He barely has time to sit down, between chasing after adventurous Sophie and brave Oliver, but when he does, his lap is quickly filled by the affectionate Lola. And Rufus and Cody's strong bond makes Josh wonder about his own relationships with his family. With Christmas and the adoption date looming, Josh finds himself wondering if he can separate himself from his beloved puppies. At odds with Kerri, Josh isn't willing to lose her, but doesn't know how to set things right. Can a surprise litter of Christmas puppies really change one man's life? The Dogs of Christmas is a charming and heartwarming holiday tale that explores the power of love, trust, and a basket full of puppies"--

April Claus, a devoted wife of Santa, must recover the missing inventor Blinky Brightlow and clear his girlfriend Juniper while unraveling a murder mystery that threatens the peace of Santaland amid a chaotic snow sculpture contest and rogue reindeer.

A Christmas mystery in a bakery kitchen, as Hannah swears to keep her friend's Christmas promise and solve a killer who left behind a puzzling clue about restoring antique furniture.

In the snowy town of Icicle Falls, policewoman Tilda Morrison balances a new house, a budding romance, and neighborhood Christmas prep on Candy Cane Lane. With neighbors Maddy and Ivy, she must stop candy‑cane sabotage before holiday chaos erupts.

Christmas Eve mystery in Santaland

When a group of injured expedition survivors arrives in Santaland, Mrs. Claus must keep the town’s mysterious identity hidden while a suspicious death sparks a murder mystery.

During Christmas, Hannah Swensen, baker and amateur sleuth, delivers her famous plum pudding to a wedding, then investigates the murder of her eccentric neighbor Larry Jaeger in the village green.

In the quiet Mississippi town of Serenity, Brandy Borne and her eccentric aunt Vivian run a holiday antiques booth, only to uncover a Christmas murder involving a prized Tarzan book.