A Bridge for Christmas
by William Schwenn
Brighton Publishing, LLC

 

book review by Kat Kennedy

 

"'Look, Ron, my men and I’ve been getting scattered reports from folks lately about strange things happening – mostly late-night stuff, and now we seem to be having a rash of dogs disappearing.'"

Dave Peters lives a simple life in the hills of Northern Carolina with his family of two dogs. A widower who had all but given up on life after the death of his young wife, the entrance of two strays, Brandy and Tabor, had pulled him out of the depths of depression and given him a life. Then a neighbor’s unexpected phone call plunges him onto a path that changes everything.

When Dave is pulled into the world of dog rescue, he finds himself getting more involved than expected; yet he feels drawn to the two hounds roaming the woods behind his neighbor’s house and becomes more involved in their rescue as unforeseen circumstances leave him little choice. Now, with time running out for the hounds, he must beat a winter storm to get them to the checkpoint on time, where a woman he’s never met has agreed to let him participate in the rescue.

This inspiring book is based on the work of an underground group of dog rescuers who transport at-risk dogs to safety. The novel graphically illustrates the practice of using bait dogs in dog fighting rings. Though disturbing and hard to read, the section depicting this practice is necessary to fully depict the true evil of the heinous practice. Schwenn has brought the bravery and selflessness of rescuers to the consciousness of the reader by highlighting the dangers faced by those willing to put themselves on the line to save these animals. In addition to writing a powerful story, the author further supports the cause of protecting defenseless animals by donating all proceeds of the book to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

 

 

 

 

______________________________________

Midwest Book Review

 

 

 Critique: An immediately engaging and deftly written novel by an author with a genuinely entertaining and distinctive narrative storytelling style, "William Schwenn's "A Bridge For Christmas" is unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Bridge For Christmas" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).

 

_______________________________________