Ally Gilmore may have had a slightly unrealistic idea of what it would be like to move to idyllic Pine Hollow to run the local animal shelter. Small-town Vermont, adorable dogs, and the chance to be closer to her grandparents sounded like the perfect recipe for the fresh start she needs -- but she's barely settled in when she learns the shelter is losing its funding and she has only four weeks to find forever homes for all the dogs. When Ally tries to dispute the town council's decision, she finds her nemesis is a lot younger, a lot more handsome, and a lot more reasonable than she expected.

Ben Hait knows he can come across as a bit of a Scrooge, but he's got too much on his plate to worry about cultivating a warm and cuddly reputation. He's barely keeping his head above water as the sole guardian of his ten-year-old niece, and he genuinely can't handle one more thing -- like the dog little Astrid keeps begging him to get. But he does feel guilty about Ally's situation and agrees to use his connections in the town to help her find homes for the shelter animals.

What starts as an uneasy alliance evolves into a friendship as Ben and Ally navigate Pine Hollow's holiday events, bringing adorable pups with "adopt me" ribbons to the Christmas parade and tree-lighting ceremonies. And soon the town matchmakers are hard at work to convince the pair that their chemistry isn't just the magic of mistletoe but the love of a lifetime.