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Monday, April 30, 2012

Book Review: The Lucky Dog Matchmaking Service

By Cindy Roesel

Just like the doggies in the window on the cover of THE LUCKY DOG MATCHMAKING SERVICE, you won’t be able to resist Beth Kendrick’s new novel of the same name. I’ve been writing reviews long enough for CLC that you should know by now I’m a dog fanatic, but if you don’t, well, I am. This book had me excited with the title, thrilled by the cover and once I started reading it, well, let’s just say, you have to go buy a copy immediately!

Lara Madigan rescues dogs finding loving homes for them. She’s essentially a matchmaker, fixing up four-legged canines with their two-legged soul mates. At the beginning of the novel, Lara’s engaged to Evan Walker who, surprisingly, isn’t thrilled to share his, excuse me, their, house with all the dogs. Despite the written contract Evan has signed with Lara promising to be a “dog person,” he is more of a people person. They are in love, but Evan regularly gets angry at all the dog toys, shedding and slobbering.

Lara soon moves out and in with her mother at mom’s ultra-fancy exclusive posh gated community where she soon becomes the Dog Doyenne to the “Real Housewives of Mayfair Estates” catering to their every canine need. Soon Lara’s training neighborhood dogs, getting a “flabrador” on a diet, and showing a Bernese mountain dog on the conformation circuit. The dogs even seem to take on personalities of their own. The reader soon recognizes Eskie, Mullet, Ivory, Cleo and Murphy. But before you think it’s all work and no play for Lara. That she’s destined to be the matchmaker and roam single, pairing up others, a rescue comes into her life that may bring her to her perfect match. This is THE LUCKY DOG MATCHMAKING SERVICE.

Beth Kendrick’s storytelling skills are delightfully tight. I love how she creates a cast of characters of super rich, neurotic, funny, likeable ladies, but at the same time places high value on the friendships amongst the women. Her wonderful coterie of characters is deliciously fleshed out. Beth, I do have to single you out for having a character who watched THE BOURNE IDENTITY at least 18 times. I think we are tied. Matt Damon is dreamy!

THE LUCKY DOG MATCHMAKING SERVICE and all Beth Kendrick’s novels are available on Amazon. You can find her Facebook and Twitter. We're also doing an interview with Beth this week, along with a giveaway (US only), so stay tuned!

More by Beth Kendrick:

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