ARC Review: Once Upon a Puppy by Lizzie Shane

“Opposites attract and fake dating plus a rambunctious dog, what more could you want?”

~ Under the Covers

Opposites attract and fake dating plus a rambunctious dog, what more could you want?

Deenie is always upbeat and on the go. She runs princess parties for little kids and helps out at the local animal shelter. Connor is nothing like her. He’s all about plans and organization and meeting his life goals. Connor has a crazy Irish wolfhound Max who is hellbent on destroying his house, and nothing Connor does seems to get Max to behave, forcing him to finally accept that he needs help. Deenie seems to be the only one who can tame the dog, so she and Connor strike up a deal for her to help train Max. Working together with Max leads to an unlikely friendship of sorts. Then Deenie needs a plus-one to act as a buffer during upcoming family events and she knows that Connor needs a plus-one to impress the partners at his law firm, so she proposes that they help each other out. But spending so much time together has them starting to blur their carefully negotiated lines. Maybe they aren’t so different after all?

Right from the start, Connor and Deenie are both a bit hard to like. Connor is super straight-laced and uptight; Deenie is a free spirit seemingly with no plans at all. Max is the saving grace from the beginning because he provides so much comedic relief and you can’t help but fall in love with him immediately. However, as the story goes on, you really come to understand Connor and Deenie, their histories, and how their pasts have defined who they are now. Understanding their motivations and the reasons behind their behavior makes them much more likeable. Seeing them interact with their families and friends, and open up to each other, lets us see what makes them tick and how they grow as individuals throughout the story and it’s easy to really start rooting for them.

Connor and Deenie also have a core group of friends that are super important to them and make the story so much better. This is a classic small town romance series, so speculating about the other couples (except the one that’s already together, presumably from the first book in the series, which I haven’t read) adds another layer of fun. I definitely want to learn more about Levi and Elinor!

If you love small town romances, opposites attract, or fake dating stories, I would definitely recommend checking this one out. The addition of Max and the other dogs just makes the book even better. I’ve never read anything by Lizzie Shane before, but I will be adding some to my TBR!

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