Search This Blog

2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

2024 Challenge Sign-Up Post

January Reviews Link-Up

February Reviews Link-Up

March Reviews Link-Up

April Reviews Link-Up

May Reviews Link-Up

June Reviews Link-Up

July Reviews Link-Up

August Reviews Link-Up

September Reviews Link-Up

October Reviews Link-Up

November Reviews Link-Up

December Reviews Link-Up

My Progress:


9 / 30 books. 30% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (3)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (1)
- North Carolina (1)
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia (1)
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*

International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (5)
- France (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Scotland (1)
- The Netherlands (1)

My Progress:


12 / 51 states. 24% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


10 / 50 words. 20% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


15 / 50 books. 30% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


32 / 50 books. 64% done!

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


27 / 52 books. 52% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


21 / 40 books. 53% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


13 / 40 books. 33% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


5 / 25 books. 20% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress


17 / 26.2 miles. 65% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


15 / 100 books. 15% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


34 / 104 books. 33% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


31 / 52 books. 60% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

My Progress


32 / 165 books. 19% done!
Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Rags-to-Riches Romance Far-fetched, But Fun

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Note:  I realized only after finishing In Dog We Trust that it is the fifth book in a series.  While the installments do not appear to need to be read in order, characters from earlier books do make cameo appearances in the newer ones.  In order to remain completely free from all possible spoilers, you may want to read the series in order. 

Jocelyn Hillier's mother always told her never to get personally involved with the summer people who flock to Black Dog Bay, Delaware, every summer.  Doing their laundry in order to pay your bills is one thing; canoodling with a tourist is quite another.  In the 27 years she's been alive and living in the resort town, Jocelyn has always obeyed her mother's rule.  Then, a chance meeting puts her in the middle of a squabble between two of them.  Before she knows it, Jocelyn is working as a dog walker for one Richie Rich and dating another.  

When Jocelyn's cantankerous boss dies unexpectedly, leaving his vast wealth to his three prize Labs, and naming Jocelyn as their legal guardian, she's stunned.  As the dogs' primary caregiver, she's suddenly living in the lap of luxury with access to millions of dollars.  Of course, some people—including her boss's estranged son, Liam Sheridan—are angered by Mr. Allardyce's ridiculous dying wishes and will do whatever it takes to get the money to which they believe they are entitled.  While persistent Liam starts out as a thorn in Jocelyn's side, it's not long before she's feeling a deep, unsettling attraction to the enemy.  Even as he schemes to take away every penny his father bequeathed to his pups and their spirited guardian, who isn't about to take Liam's duplicity lying down ...

I didn't realize until after I'd finished In Dog We Trust by Beth Kendrick that it is the fifth installment in a series.  The setting of the romantic comedy seemed familiar, which makes sense since apparently I read—and really enjoyed—the second book in the series, New Uses for Old Boyfriends, back in 2015.  Although In Dog We Trust is lighthearted and funny, I didn't end up liking it as much as I did its predecessor.  The situation in which Jocelyn finds herself just seems far-fetched, her antics silly and immature.  Because our heroine has no real story goal, the novel's plot seems episodic and meandering, with no real focus.  I get that it's a rom-com that's supposed to be light and diverting, but still, I would have appreciated a little substance from In Dog We Trust.  In the end, I enjoyed this cute romance enough to finish it, but I can't say I loved it.  It turned into just an okay read for me.

(Readalikes:  Other books in the Black Dog Bay series by Beth Kendrick.  Also reminds me of On the Same Page by N.D. Galland and a bit of other small town romances by Robyn Carr and RaeAnne Thayne)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:


for language (no F-bombs) and sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of In Dog We Trust from the generous folks at Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!
Blog Widget by LinkWithin


Reading

<i>Reading</i>
End of Story by A.J. Finn

Listening

<i>Listening</i>
My Contrary Mary by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows



Followin' with Bloglovin'

Follow

Followin' with Feedly

follow us in feedly



Grab my Button!


Blog Design by:


Blog Archive



2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
Susan has read 0 books toward her goal of 200 books.
hide

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction