REVIEW: Once Upon a Goth Dog Solstice by RL Merrill (Once Upon a Holiday Story)

ONCE UPON A GOTH DOG SOLSTICE

Once Upon a Holiday Story

by RL Merrill

Release Date: December 10, 2024

Review

A wonderful heartfelt story with two really great men.

It may seem like an unusual pairing, a Veteran and Cyber Security specialist and a dog accessory designer. But man, they work so well together.

It was a joy to watch them get to know one another and find their person. Not to mention a little family with Luther’s foster daughter and his sister.

So cute.

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Synopsis

From the author of the award-winning novel You Can Do Magic: Carnival of Mysteries and Publishers Weekly's BookLife quarterfinalist Earthquake Ethan comes a heartwarming holiday tale of found family and sacrifice. Two wildly opposite veterans connect over a shared love of art, rescue dogs, and a very special foster child.

Settling in the Bay Area after his stint in the Air Force, Doug Cross’s new titles include business owner and member of a goth-punk band. And, apparently, professional do-gooder. When his housemate needs funds for her dog rescue, he willingly whips up goth-inspired dogwear to sell at a local craft fair. He gets a rather cool reception after offering a helping hand to their booth neighbor, however…which is a shame, because the bearded artist is the first man to turn Doug’s head in a while.

Marine vet and single foster dad Luther Sorenson is struggling to keep his family afloat—and himself on his feet, literally. He’s selling his paintings at the fair when his body betrays him, and he’s forced to ask for help from the goth guy next door. Doug made a humiliating experience seem easy and innocuous, and despite their differing opinions on the military…Luther can’t stop thinking about the charming man. His killer makeup skills and the way he rocks a kilt aren’t helping.

The men embark on a tentative relationship, but as the seasons change, so do their circumstances. Navigating a new relationship is hard enough. Add in an adorable foster daughter, a new job, a business emergency, and a grumpy dog…and the two vets/artists will have to get creative if they want to carve out time for love.

Once Upon A Goth Dog Solstice is a part of the multi-author series Once Upon a Holiday Story. Each book can be read as a standalone and in any order. What links these books together is The Hook’s Book Nook Traveling Library, a library on wheels owned by two old ladies in love.

About RL Merrill

Whether she’s writing contemporary romance featuring quirky and relatable characters or diving deep into the paranormal and supernatural to give readers a shiver, R.L. Merrill loves creating compelling stories that will stay with readers long after. Winner of the Kathryn Hayes “When Sparks Fly” Best Contemporary award for Hurricane Reese, and a Foreword INDIES finalist for Summer of Hush, Ro spends every spare moment improving her writing craft and striving to find that perfect balance between real-life and happily ever after. She writes diverse and inclusive romance, contributes paranormal hilarity to Robyn Peterman’s Magic and Mayhem Universe, and pens horror-inspired music reviews for HorrorAddicts.net. You can find her connecting with readers on social media, advocating for America’s youth, raising two brilliant kids, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area!

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