A NIGHT OWL REVIEWS BOOK REVIEW | Reviewed by: Diana Coyle
Thirty year old Tom O’Brien has worked hard at being a successful attorney at the hottest law firm in San Francisco. He has finally worked his way up to being offered partnership at Jackson, Jones and Gentry and nothing is going to get in his way of getting this promotion. Or so he thinks. He is assigned to execute the will of the late Walter Stoddard and if all goes well, he not only will have a substantial bonus for his firm and himself, but also gain the partnership in the firm that he has wanted for quite some time now. All he has to do is make certain that Brutus, Walter’s mutt, will survive the next twenty-one days and then Tom will be awarded his bonus while Brutus will receive his inheritance. Part of that plan is that Madeleine Cartwright, Walter’s twenty-six year old tenant, will obtain full guardianship of Brutus. In doing so, she will have full control on the dog’s portion of the inheritance along with her percentage Walter has left her for graciously accepting to take care of Brutus.
When Tom first meets gorgeous Maddy, a professional chef and magazine food editor of Annie, he’s disgusted by the thought that she was Walter’s girlfriend and ultimately only after his money. Tom begins to find out that Maddy never knew Walter had any money to his name. All she was aware of was that she would gain guardianship of Brutus to ensure he was taken care of the way Walter would have done himself. But nothing that Maddy does or says to Tom seems to convince this handsomely sexy lawyer that Walter was more like her adopted grandfather than her boyfriend.
Now knowing that there is a twenty-one day waiting period before the funds are released to Brutus, Maddy and Tom think that they will go about their business and all will be fine. I mean how hard is it to take care of a pooch that now has become a multi-millionaire? But when Jerome, Walter’s distant nephew, shows up and begins doing devious acts against Maddy and Brutus, there laid back plan becomes a living nightmare for all of them.
What kind of acts does Jerome start doing against Maddy and Brutus? Why is he even doing these things to them? Does Tom ever start believing that Maddy wasn’t Walter’s girlfriend? Is the attraction between Tom and Maddy mutual and if so, do they decide to act upon it? Does Brutus get to see his fortune at the end of the twenty-one days or does something happen to him?
I have to tell you that I absolutely loved this story! From the detailed storyline, to the wonderful setting and even to the well thought out characters, this book was fabulous on so many levels. I laughed when I found that Brutus was now a multi-millionaire mutt in search of a new alpha male to control his untrained ways. Being an obedience school dropout, Brutus needed some direction in his life now that his alpha male, Walter, has passed on. Something about Tom seemed to fit exactly what Brutus was looking for in a master. Maddy undoubtedly loved and cared for Brutus, but he needed to have some dominant male to control him. Tom just wanted to fulfill his end of the bargain by making certain that Maddy and Brutus were looked after for the twenty-one day waiting period. He didn’t want a relationship nor had he planned on deviating from his five year plan he had written out and followed every day. Maddy seemed to be the wrench in his plans that he didn’t need right now in this stage of his life. I loved the book and I’m definitely adding it to my library. I would highly recommend this to other readers and I’m sure you’ll fall in love with it as much as I did. Don’t pass this one up!
Aug 16, 2009 | 9780425227848
5 = Rare - Top Pick | 4.5 = I Loved It - Top Pick | 4 = Good Solid Read
3.5 = Enjoyable | 3 Stars = OK - Needs a few changes | 2 Stars = It just didn't click / DNF
Book Blurb for Love Is a Four-Legged Word
For readers who loved Pug Hill—a charming romantic comedy debut novel about matchmaking and a millionaire mutt.
Romance is for the dogs...
Tom O'Brien is close to making partner at the hottest law firm in San Francisco, provided his newest client doesn't foul things up. Brutus Stoddard is rich and spoiled, craves attention, and drools. The fact that he's a dog doesn't help matters.
Brutus has inherited a multimillion-dollar estate from his late owner, as well as a pretty guardian named Madeline Cartwright, professional chef and the eccentric old man's surrogate granddaughter. Tom finds her—and her culinary creations— irresistible.
If Tom is to get that promotion, he has to maintain the terms of the will. That means keeping both Brutus and Maddy happy. He's trying his hardest to keep the arrangement professional, but with two clients this adorable, Tom's suddenly craving a different kind of partnership altogether.
|