The Nine Lives of Christmas

Sheila Roberts. St. Martin’s, $14.99 trade paper (208p) ISBN 978-0-312-59449-7

Roberts, renowned for her stocking-stuffer tales (The Snow Globe), doesn’t disappoint with this charming story of Ambrose, a matchmaking cat. After firefighter Zach Stone saves Ambrose from a vicious dog, the cat tries to repay him by moving (uninvited) into his house and fixing his lonely bachelor life. While Zach is buying cat food, he meets Merilee White, a winsome pet store clerk with a fondness for stray cats and big strong men who take them in. Her competition is Zach’s no-strings-attached lover, Blair, a haughty cat-hater who insists Zach evict the cat before Christmas. Roberts manages to make this one-dimensional story pop with witty characterizations, slapstick mishaps, and plenty of holiday cheer. (Nov.)

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