REVIEW: Dog Sitters: A Man, a Woman, and a Schnoodle by Rozsa Gaston
B Reviews / Book ReviewsArtist / Contemporary / dog / enemies to lovers / NYC3 Comments
When their friends take a cruise to Bermuda, strangers Hint Daniels and Jack Whitby are charged with looking after their dog. Then everything starts to go wrong . . .
In the leafy New York suburb of Bronxville, Hint is supposed to hand Percy off to Jack on day five of the ten days their friends are away. But at the handoff, the dog ends up running away. Neither is willing to tell their friends the bad news that Percy is missing. Instead, they spend five frantic days desperately searching for the Schnoodle, with wildly different ideas on how to go about it. Between Jack’s heavy-handed approach and Hint’s otherworldly style, their personalities clash. Before long they’re bickering furiously, even as romantic sparks fly.
Will Percy show up before his owners do? And what surprising discovery will Hint and Jack make while looking for him?
When their friends take a cruise to Bermuda, strangers Hint Daniels and Jack Whitby are charged with looking after their dog. Then everything starts to go wrong . . .
In the leafy New York suburb of Bronxville, Hint is supposed to hand Percy off to Jack on day five of the ten days their friends are away. But at the handoff, the dog ends up running away. Neither is willing to tell their friends the bad news that Percy is missing. Instead, they spend five frantic days desperately searching for the Schnoodle, with wildly different ideas on how to go about it. Between Jack’s heavy-handed approach and Hint’s otherworldly style, their personalities clash. Before long they’re bickering furiously, even as romantic sparks fly.
Will Percy show up before his owners do? And what surprising discovery will Hint and Jack make while looking for him?
Dear Ms. Gaston,
Usually I’m all about kitties but I just couldn’t resist this title. Who hasn’t promised a friend they’d do something and then it all goes horribly wrong? I had to see how Jack and Hint would react to losing their friends’ dog and what they’d do to get Percy back.
Having just needed to ask a friend to watch over my cat herd while I was out of town, I know the relief Hint and Jack’s friends felt when they handed their beloved little dog over to trusted people while they headed off on their cruise. When I got back, everything was fine but what Tom and Nicole don’t know is probably better left unsaid.
Hint has done her part before she needs to leave town to meet up with a potential professional contact. It’s when she tries to hand Percy off to Jack, who neither she nor Percy have ever met, that things go sideways. Percy just can’t resist going after squirrels and when Jack is juggling the leash at the same time, disaster strikes. Hint’s attempts at calmly catching the little dog annoy Jack who feels Hint is just sitting there and not trying. His blustering bellows and demands that Percy “come here!” annoy Hint who knows the dog won’t respond to being yelled at. Neither holds back at telling the other what they think.
What to do now? Hint can’t leave with Percy still missing – well, not and look her friends in the eye after they return. Mentally waving goodbye to her chance of having her artwork viewed by one of the top publishers in the business, she and Jack begin to cover all the “lost pet” bases and then deal with the cranks (and worse) out for a reward, Jack’s ex-girlfriend, and Hint’s overbearing super who can’t take a hint when she tries to get rid of him.
Five days of searching begins to show Jack and Hint more about each other. But still no Percy and their time is almost gone. Out of the mouths of babes comes a smart suggestion and Jack’s young niece might have the perfect advice. Will it work to find Percy?
I had to laugh at this “enemies to lovers” set-up. Initially Hint thinks Jack is an overbearing ass while he thinks she’s a flake. But they’re good friends of Tom and Nicole and determined that they’re going to find this little, lost dog. Putting aside their first impressions, they work together instead of stomping off in a huff. Once they do spend time together, they start to discover that the other isn’t so bad, and then later, that they’re each quite taken with the other.
There are some hurdles to overcome though. Hint and Jack have both had bad experiences with past lovers. Hint has to reassure herself that Jack’s ex really is ex but then she actually does the woman a good turn which made up for checking her out, IMO. Jack is more open and asks rather than sulking into a Big Mis. Props all around. Poor Percy is finally found but I do wonder if his adventures will ever be disclosed to his adoring parents. Probably better if they aren’t. B
~Jayne
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What’s the heat level Jayne?
@Kaetrin: Very mild.
This does sound like a fun read. Thanks for the review, Jayne.