Alexis Stanton

Like Cats and Dogs: Based on the Hallmark Channel Original Movie
By Alexis Stanton
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4½/5 stars

Laura isn’t exactly unhappy with her life, but she isn’t dancing on cloud nine either. With two weeks away from “real” life in an idyllic location with nothing but her camera and little dog, Frank, Laura is hoping to find some clarity, some direction. She’s tired of simply drifting through life and is ready to make some hard choices related to her future. show more Unfortunately, the rental agency has made an incredible error, and Laura and Frank’s idyllic location is marred by the presence of the single-most uptight human in the history of ever.

Spencer has two weeks to write his dissertation. With his rigidly planned and scheduled life, two weeks is exactly the amount of time he needs, and then he’ll move on to the next step of his life’s plan. With nothing but his laptop, his perfectly written and arranged notecards, and his cat, Mozart, Spencer is ready to check off the next item on his life’s to-do list. Unfortunately, his peace and solitude have been brutally interrupted by the loudest, messiest human God has ever created. And, she has a dog!

Though they have both reached out to the rental agency to correct the egregious error in scheduling, it quickly becomes clear, there isn’t going to be a satisfactory resolution to their shared dilemma. With nothing to do but learn to live with one another, Laura and Spencer, Frank and Mozart embark on the most exciting, frustrating, and surprising two weeks of their collective lives. To be sure, there are some huge obstacles to overcome, not the least of which is the intense attraction Laura and Spencer feel towards one another despite being vastly different people.

Over the course of two weeks, both the longest and shortest of their lives, both Laura and Spencer are forced to face some hard truths about their respective lives. Laura is done drifting, she is done being spontaneous and somewhat reckless 24/7, and she’s ready for a new challenge. Spencer learns the value of not planning, of indulging in a bit of bad from time to time, and of taking the time to really enjoy the moment. For both Spencer and Laura, trying something new, moving beyond their comfort zone is somewhat terrifying, but with the support of one another they find they can soar when they learn to look at things, at life, from the other’s perspective.

The Bottom Line: Seriously, y’all, I requested this book without knowing a thing about it simply because it’s another based on a Hallmark Channel movie book. I so love these books! They are light, fun, entertaining, guaranteed HEAs that just make me smile. Laura and Frank are immediately likeable while Spencer and Mozart, as they were designed to do, were a bit tougher to like. As the story unfolds and Laura and Spencer learn more about one another, through good and bad experiences, I found myself totally crushing on these two and rooting for their HEA. In all, this is an easy breezy read with just enough drama and heat to be totally appropriate for the Hallmark Channel and any reader age 13 and above. show less

I love me some time time travel romance - it's one of my favorite themes.

What I loved about A Timeless Christmas:

- I love how the main character just accepts that he traveled in time, as does Sophie. A lot of time travel books spend a lot of time showing the character as freaking out about time traveling or not believing it, and it can be tiring and take up a lot of space in the book. This was a refreshing change!

- Also refreshing was how the time travel worked in this book - usually I've show more encountered a female going back in time. this time, it was a man going forward in time -- way cool.

- I love the bravery when it came to love. I'll say no more, so I don't spoil anything!

- Mild Christmas Carol/Chales Dickens vibes


What could have been different:

I wasn’t surprised by anything in the book. It was low on conflict/drama, which makes for a cozy book or movie, but admittedly is lacking in the excitement department. Then again, I’m usually looking for coziness in these kinds of books, so that’s not a a deal breaker.

I'm looking forward to seeing the Hallmark movie version of this book - I hope they keep the rooftop scene, because I think that will be so beautiful.


Thank you to Netgalley, for the chance to review this audiobook. show less

A Timeless Christmas is a unique Hallmark time travel story that journeys from the past to present day. Charles Whitley is an inventor from the early 1900s. While working on a broken clock Charles somehow portals himself to the future!

Megan Turner just happens to work as a tour guide at the historic Whitley estate. The workers of the home tour dress in old attire and reenact Whitley’s Christmas past. Just when they’re in need of a new “Charles Whitley” character, Poof – the real show more Charles Whitley appears.

I have only read a few time travel stories, so I don’t know the ins and outs of the genre, but I didn’t come across any faux pas with the tricky time displacement. There were situations that made me roll my eyes a bit, but in jest rather than in displeasure.

To be honest, there were times throughout the story that my interest waned, but it always pulled me back in. I hoped to have better connections to the characters, but I cared about what happened to them and was provided a satisfying ending.

If you enjoy time travel and Christmastime stories, this is a fun and fast read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. show less

This is a time slip Christmas romance from Hallmark Publishing, so of course it read like a Hallmark movie, which I loved. The characters are all very likable-especially the female lead, Megan, who has an obsession with history (just like me!). Even outside of the time travel aspect of the story, this one may require some suspension of disbelief because of how quickly Charles Whitley acclimated to present day, with all of its changes and technology. It's a short, sweet, and cozy read, show more perfect for enjoying during the Christmas season. (Sidenote: I saw that it has just been made into an actual Hallmark movie and is currently airing in the holiday movie rotations on TV, so I'm 100% watching it for the feel-good factor.)

Audiobook Notes: It was a lot of fun to listen to this story in audiobook format. Kate Rudd narrated the book, and she did a great job with both female and male voices. It was just a lot of fun to listen to such a sweet story while I was doing work around the house.

Title: A Timeless Christmas by Alexis Stanton
Narrator: Kate Rudd
Length: 6 hours, 52 minutes, Unabridged
Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC

I would like to thank Dreamscape Media, LLC and Hallmark Publishing for providing a free audiobook copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! show less