The Dog Sitter by Zara Stoneley

ABOUT THE BOOK

One dog. Two strangers. An unfurgettable romance.

Wanted: someone nice, normal and trustworthy to housesit a beautiful cottage in the Lake District while the owner is away on a business trip. Must like dogs.

Wanting to escape from crap bosses and useless boyfriends, Becky jumps at the chance of being a dog sitter and the perfect escape – rest, relaxation and a very cute pooch called Bella.

But looking after Bella comes with a catch, namely gorgeous, brooding, Chris Hemsworth-worthy Ash James, who claims Bella is his dog and will stop at nothing to get her back!

Becky’s not about to hand over lovely Bella to any Tom, Dick or Ash. She’s determined to watch every move Ash James makes…even if it gets her very hot under the collar.

MY REVIEW

Holy cow manure! One of the funniest intros to a book I’ve ever read. No big surprise since I’m a fan of Zara Stoneley’s rom-coms.

Bloody hell, talk about ‘all man’, you can forget your Netflix action-man binges, I’ve got the real deal. On my doorstep! Holding my dog! Well, Georgina’s doorstep and dog, but let’s not be picky

Remote…check. Cute dog…check. Sexy hot dog owner…check, check. Becky is a book cover designer, illustrator, and black sheep of her family of barristers. She’s the odd one out. A daydreamer. The creative one. After being dumped by her ex, Teddy the plonker (my new favorite British slang words by the way), she needs to get away for some peace and quiet. So she decides to get away and house sit and dog sit for a social influencer in the beautiful Lake District in Cumbria in northwest England. Little did she know she would fall for the adorable and mischievous, Bella the cockapoo, and Bella’s sexy and mysterious owner, Ash James.

Ash is a great guy. His willingness to give his selfish ex time to move on while keeping his beloved dog away from him is “bloody noble” as Becky would say. I laughed at his bootcamp session with Becky, and I teared up for the reason he loved his dog so much.

The plotline is unique with a couple torn apart by life changes and a dog being held hostage to a love that is no more. Enter poor unsuspecting Becky who is thrown in the middle of the War of the Roses when she’s trying to take it easy and find herself again.

Becky and Ash are a great match. They are both adventurous, kind, forgiving, and adore sweet Bella. Watching them slowly fall in love while Becky “finds a me I’m happy with”, and Ash opens up to Becky about his troubled past is a charming and memorable journey. But it’s is Bella who stole the show with her naughty and rambunctious play, her sloppy wet French kisses, and her love of Ash and Becky. A veritable therapy dog without the credentials. And, of course, there is Bella’s hilariously insane and unforgettable birthday party with her fake dog friends. Definitely a YouTube moment!

I recommend this delightful and memorable feel-good rom-com filled with loveable characters, both human and animal, and the extraordinary scenery of the lakes and fell mountains of Cumbria.

For another delightful read, please see my review of Ms. Stoneley’s The First Date.

Thank you to Ms. Stoneley for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zara Stoneley is the USA Today bestselling author of The Wedding Date.

Born in a small village in the UK, she wanted to be a female James Herriot, a spy, or an author when she grew up. After many (many) years, and many different jobs, her dream of writing a bestseller came true.

She writes about friendship, dreams, love, and happy ever afters, and hopes that her tales make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and occasionally say ‘ahhh’.

Zara now lives in a Cheshire village with her family, a lively cockapoo called Harry, and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat called Saffron.

Zara’s bestselling novels include ‘The First Date’, ‘Bridesmaids’, ‘No One Cancels Christmas’, ‘The Wedding Date’, ‘The Holiday Swap’, ‘Summer with the Country Village Vet’, ‘Blackberry Picking at Jasmine Cottage’ and the popular Tippermere series – ‘Stable Mates’, ‘Country Affairs’ and ‘Country Rivals’.