Can a lovable dog bring two opposites together?Following an uproarious debacle with a client’s fussy pomsky dog, New York City lawyer Laila Arquette is forced to lay low in the picturesque town of Rutter’s Point on the coast of Maine. Pressed into helping handsome and compassionate veterinarian Josh Rowin with the town’s summer festival dog adoption fair, Laila hides both her fear of dogs and her … fear of dogs and her growing attraction to Josh.
When Josh discovers Laila’s secret, he and Butch, a big, scruffy mix-breed of a dog, are determined to cure her fear. Her feelings for Josh intensify while she forms a special bond with Butch.
But her newfound joy comes at a price – a choice between Josh and the career opportunity of a lifetime.
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Loved it!
Kiss Me in the Summer by Barbara Dunlop is Laila Arquette and Joshua Rowin’s story.
This is a sweet and heartwarming read with lots of funny moments. I loved Laila and Josh characters. Josh’s aunt was one of my favorite supporting characters. She was a mess. A perfect read for a lazy afternoon.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
‘Kiss Me in the Summer’ gave me exactly what I needed right now – a funny, charming, laugh-out-loud romance with a small-town, country feel, and characters who came alive on the page.
Laila is deathly afraid of dogs, and she may have a good reason but try explaining that to a dog-loving client that she’s just… well, let’s say highly insulted and infuriated. Taking a vacation seemed the best move right now as in an ‘out of sight maybe I won’t get fired’ type of vacation. Things continue to throw a wrench into her life as her car breaks down on the outskirts of a small town. Yet maybe that wrench is a blessing in disguise – in so many different ways. She’s a long, long way from New York City now, and just maybe she’s liking this slower pace of life… not to mention the attraction building between Laila and Josh, a local veterinarian and his big, goofy, lovable dog, Butch. Joss, definitely yes – Butch, well, he might grow on her, as this overgrown pup seems to be an expert at matchmaking the two humans he wants in his life. Yet there is always a price to be paid, and Laila must make a choice between the man she’s come to love and the career she’s worked so hard for.
Give me a romance with a dog (or cat) as an almost main character, and you have me involved from the first page. ‘Kiss Me in the Summer’ shows how an intense fear can be overcome with kindness, patience, and caring. As much as she tried to hide that fear it didn’t take much for Josh to figure it out. Watching Laila and Josh overcome her fear, get beyond the past, and fall in love was a delightful journey. And Butch really is a huge teddy bear of a matchmaking dog. Add to that mix some interesting secondary characters, a sweet small-town atmosphere and I’m in love.
I have never met a Barbara Dunlop novel that I haven’t enjoyed and that record stands with ‘Kiss Me in the Summer’. As always the writing is smooth, the characters and the situations believable, and just enough outside tensions to make the outcome not always guaranteed. I had a blast with this romance, and if you’re in the need of a bit of enjoyable reading escape then you should be checking this one out as soon as possible.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from Tule Publishing. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Kiss Me in the Summer by Barbara Dunlop
Can a lovable dog bring two opposites together?
Following an uproarious debacle with a client’s fussy pomsky dog, New York City lawyer Laila Arquette is forced to lay low in the picturesque town of Rutter’s Point on the coast of Maine. Pressed into helping handsome and compassionate veterinarian Josh Rowin with the town’s summer festival dog adoption fair, Laila hides both her fear of dogs and her growing attraction to Josh.
When Josh discovers Laila’s secret, he and Butch, a big, scruffy mix-breed of a dog, are determined to cure her fear. Her feelings for Josh intensify while she forms a special bond with Butch.
But her newfound joy comes at a price – a choice between Josh and the career opportunity of a lifetime.
This is Laila Arquette and Josh Rowin’s story.
presentation was only ten minutes away, and I was nervous. Okay, not nervous—apprehensive. Maybe a little bit apprehensive because this was so obviously a test. There was simply no other reason for the partners to have given me this particular assignment.
My fellow second-year law associate Cecily Green stopped in my office doorway and gave me an upbeat smile. “You’ve got this, Laila.”
Cecily was also my roommate, so she knew how many hours I’d spent preparing.
Pressed into helping handsome and compassionate veterinarian Josh Rowin with the town’s summer festival dog adoption fair, Laila hides both her fear of dogs and her growing attraction to Josh.
When Josh discovers Laila’s secret, he and Butch, a big, scruffy mix-breed of a dog, are determined to cure her fear. Her feelings for Josh intensify while she forms a special bond with Butch.
I highly recommend reading.
Kiss Me in the Summer by Barbara Dunlop is a wonderful well written 5 star book.
Barbara’s Books with Tule:
An Unlikely Match
The Match Series
An Impractical Match
The Match Series
An Extraordinary Match
The Match Series
An Astonishing Match
The Match Series
An Unpredictable Match
The Match Series
Kiss Me in the Summer
His Jingle Bell Princess
The Bull Rider’s Redemption
American Extreme Bull Riders Tour
Montana Merricks
The Rancher’s Secret Son
Montana Merricks
Jingle Bells and Wedding Vows
I received this arc from Tule Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This was a cute story about a New York attorney, Laila who is deathly afraid of dogs. As a child she had been bit and it left her acting erratically to avoid all dogs. As the book opens, she is ready to make a presentation for her important case to get a wealthy client to sign on with her firm. The client is known for her devotion to her little dog, who has come along to the meeting. Laila is told to take care of the dog and she ends up dropping him after he bites her ear. A video of this chain of events is posted online and it goes viral with many posting threats against Laila. Laila’s friend and coworker suggests she gets permission to take vacation and get out of town after the firm loses the client.
Laila decides to drive and get away from the city. Her car breaks down while she is in the middle of nowhere Maine. An older woman Named Madeline stops and offers to help and drives Laila to her home in the town of Rutter’s Point. It turns out she’s also a lawyer. Madeline’s nephew Josh is there and contacts the service guy to tow her car in to be fixed. Madeline invites her to stay until her car is ready and asks her to trade legal work for room and board. Josh is a veterinarian and Laila is drawn to him but worries about her fear of dogs.
Madeline is semi retired and her niece who is a lawyer in her practice is 8 months pregnant. They ask her to stay and help at the practice and also help with the upcoming town festival featuring a bunch of shelter dogs for adoption. Laila is worried about Josh finding out about her fear and she considers not agreeing to stay.
I found the book made me laugh out loud is spots and other times I felt it wasn’t totally realistic. I liked the characters and the storyline was entertaining. I would recommend this book for a light reading.
This is a sweet romance that draws you in and keeps you engaged I must admit i found it a little slow to start with but once I was engaged with Laila and Josh I couldn’t put it down This is just the kind of book you want when you are looking for sheer escapism perfect for the time we live in
Leila needs to escape after a debacle at her legal office so she heads away and then her car breals down Leading to her been in the small town of Rutter’s Point she soon starts working for Madelaine a lawyer in the town She is also working with Josh Madelaine nephew and local vet with his program to adopt dogs out Can she hide her fear of dogs and her growing attraction to Josh and can a big city lawyer make her home in a small town You wuill have to read to see
One case of fearing dogs leads to romance in Kiss Me in the Summer by Barbara Dunlop. A wonderful story of how life can work out when it seems to be one accident after another. Sometimes it works out to be the best thing that ever happened. New York City lawyer Laila Arquette leaves the city after an unfortunate event only to break down in small town Rutter’s Point, Maine. From there the story takes off with the big city girl and small town boy friendship turning into love.
I could completely understand Laila and liked Josh. However, it is the dogs in this story that I loved, especially Butch. Josh’s Aunt Madeline is also a favorite character. Fear of dogs is nothing to make fun of but not all dogs are created equal. Butch is one of the big special ones. This story treats that fear with grace and sensitivity. Barbara Dunlop has written a hit with this one.
An ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Great build up at first with Laila at her New York office dealing with a difficult client and her pesky dog,that sets her up to take some time away from her high pressure job.She ends up in Rutters Point ,Maine working for Madeline which just might be a gift in disguise when she meets Madeline’s nephew Josh and his cuddly dog Butch.I love this book cover and storyline,I honestly wanted more of this cute couple.
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.
To be truthful this one started slow for me, I could not believe it when I found myself really getting into it, and maybe part of that was I was enchanted by the dogs that were up for adoption and big Butch almost seemed to be match making with Laila and Josh. And oh my gosh, will the big city girl and the small town guy even have a chance at a HEA?
Loved the small town feel, and the interesting characters and of course the dogs, and dang
if I don’t have to go back and read what kind of orange in the cocoa makes it so great.
4.5
Cute and fun
What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Standalone
HEA
I look forward to reading more from this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from Tule Publishing.
Laila is afraid of dogs. This causes a blow up at work and sends her on a vacation to Maine. Little does she know that all will change for her in the small town of Rutters Point where she meets Josh, a handsome veterinarian and his lovable dog side kick. Sweet novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Attorney Laila Arquette finds herself in an unfortunate situation during an important meeting at the office and afterwards decides to take some time off until it all blows over. She finds herself just outside of Rutter’s Point, Maine, when her car breaks down. Laila befriends another attorney, Madeline, after she stops to help Laila on the side of the road. Laila ends up working for Madeline at her law office in exchange for a room at her house. But it was Madeline’s nephew, Josh, who Laila starts spending most of her time with. Josh changes Laila’s life in so many ways that when it comes time for Laila to head back to New York City, she has second thoughts. The small town of Rutter’s Point and its citizens, especially one dog loving veterinarian name Josh, just might be what Laila has been unknowingly looking all this time.
This book took me through a lot of emotions as Laila’s story played out. Funny, sad, frustration, happiness and more, the author outlined them all so well that I had a really good feel of what Laila was going through. I really liked Madeline too, she was a hoot. She made me laugh with her crazy antics. Josh had such a sweet and sensitive side, who wouldn’t fall for him? If you’re looking for a fun romance, I would recommend this book. Especially if you love dogs.