"New Leash on Life" by Kathleen Y'Barbo

About this book:

  “How Is a Missing Military Working Dog Related to Two Local Fires?
   Air Force veteran Dr. Lane Bishop and Nora Hernandez’s romance has cooled. He is busy working as a researcher at the vet school, and she’s busy with her restaurant and opening an antique shop. What Lane hasn’t told her is his PTSD, which manifests mostly with nightmares, makes him believe he’s damaged goods. But that is about to change when he meets a stray pup that acts a lot like a military working dog.
    When a tornado hits Brenham, there is damage in the downtown area and a fire is ignited in Nora’s new store. A Belgian Malinois dog is seen at the fire and later Lane sees him at a wedding venue where an explosion occurs. Not long after, a second explosion rocks Brenham and sends Nora and Lane on a hunt for the person responsible. Will the pair find the guilty party before more damage is done to the city’s landmarks? And will Lane find the words to tell Nora how much he loves her before it’s too late?”


Series: The final book (#6) in the “Gone to the Dogs Mystery” series. Can be read as stand-alones, but would be most enjoyed if read in order. Reviews of Book #1 Here!, Book #2 Here!, Book #3 Here!, and Book #4 Here!, and Book #5 Here!


Spiritual Content- 2 Chronicles 12:9-10 at the beginning; Prayers & Thanking God; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; Mentions of God & Jesus; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, worship, & pastors; A few mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; A few mentions of Saint Anthony; A couple mentions of thanking & praising the Lord; A mention of being Blessed; A mention of a godsend;  A mention of a Christian university.
 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two forms of ‘dumb’, two ‘oh my gosh’s, five ‘stupid’s, seven forms of ‘idiot’; Sarcasm; Pain & Injuries; Lane has PTSD and nightmares from his time in the military & talks to a therapist via email (once, though it’s implied they have talked before and during the book; very light in terms of details or on-page mentions); Nora & Cassidy sneak into a building they’ve been told not to go into (by their boyfriends and the police, *Spoiler* but realize why they shouldn’t be there and Nora admits she went in the building to a police officer *End of Spoiler*); Many mentions of tornadoes, damages, a fire, & explosives; Many mentions of possible explosives or drug making, a crime scene, criminals, arrests, & jail/prison; Mentions of PTSD, military-related nightmares, deaths, injuries, shootings, bombs, & military men and dogs going AWOL; Mentions of injuries, pain, blood/bleeding, & stitches; Mentions of stolen items, stolen dogs, thefts, & thieves; Mentions of tattoos; A few mentions of the death of a spouse and parent & grief (for a wife and a mother); A few mentions of the death of beloved pets; A couple mentions of a possible burglary; A couple mentions of threats; A couple mentions of lies & lying; A mention of scams; A mention of a divorce; A mention of a dog fight; 
             *Note: Mentions of brand names (Crock-Pot, Blue Bell Ice Cream, Whataburger, Dr. Pepper, HEB, Yeti cooler, Kate Spade, Adidas, & Harley Davidson); Mentions of singers & songs (George Strait, Buddy Holly, Bob Wills, Marilyn Monroe, Dolly Parton, & Toby Mac); A few mentions of car brands; A few mentions of TV shows (Inspector Gadget, Murder She Wrote, The Bachelor); A few mentions of FaceTime; A mention of a designer (Vera Wang); A mention of a painter (Vincent van Gogh); A mention of a fast food chain (Dairy Queen); A mention of Girl Scouts.
 
 
Sexual Content- A fingers-to-lips touch, a fingers/hand kiss, two cheek kisses, two top-of-the-head kisses, an almost kiss, five not-detailed kisses, and two barely-above-not-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); a ‘babe’, a ‘baby’, and a ‘hunky’; Many mentions of dating, dates, girlfriends/boyfriends, exes, & break-ups; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of kisses & kissing; A mention of a guy who used to flirt with everyone’s girlfriends; A mention of a chaperone; Love, being in love, trying to fall out of love, & the emotions.
 
-Nora Hernandez, 
-Lane Bishop
                                1^st person P.O.V. switches between them 
                                                        259 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens- 

My personal Rating- 

I’m so sad that this series is over! It’s been my most anticipated book releases for the last couple of years and they all have received at least a four-star rating from me. I’ve loved all the characters, the Texas charm, and, of course, the dogs! It’s been a really good series and I’m sad it’s over now. 

When I had first seen this book online, I couldn’t remember seeing about this main couple in any of the prior books, but Goodreads had an old description, so that was throwing me! Nora is actually Cassidy’s chef friend we met in a prior book, so we see all mentions (if not have actual conversations with) all of the characters from the other books in the series. This book was a bit different from the rest, though, because we get Lane’s point of view. I’m glad we did because just from Nora’s perspective, I could see why she was frustrated with him, but because of his point of view, I understood more of where he was coming from. All in all, a good read with a mystery that kept me guessing with all the possible suspects! 

 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Barbour) for this honest review.

"Every Dog Has His Day" by Janice Thompson

About this book:

  “A Large Reward Is Offered for a Missing Dog
    Kick back with your faithful companion and relax with a small-town mystery in book 5 of the Gone to the Dogs series.
    Lone Star groomer, Triniti Nelson, adopts a feisty rescued dachshund, and the two are inseparable. . .until Texans quarterback, Corey Wallis, announces a large reward for his missing female dachshund. Suddenly all of Houston are on the lookout for the MIA pooch that bares a strong resemblance to Triniti’s new pup. Triniti contacts Corey, but soon Ginger goes missing and Triniti is convinced Corey and his agent took her for a publicity stunt. Then there is a reporter who could be trying to manufacture a great story or a cameraman seeking the big reward. Can there be a happy ending for Ginger?”


Series: Book #5 in the “Gone to the Dogs Mystery” series. Can be read as stand-alones, but would be most enjoyed if read in order. Reviews of Book #1 Here!, Book #2 Here!, Book #3 Here!, and Book #4 Here!

Spiritual Content- Prayers; Talks about God; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God & His timing; Mentions of prayers, praying, & prayer chains (including praying for animals); Mentions of churches, church going, pastors/reverends, services, sermons, & worship; Mentions of a ministry, ministry events, & outreaches; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed; A few mentions of those & events in the Bible; A couple mentions of godsends; A couple mentions of angels; A mention of a miracle; A mention of a testimony; A mention of Isabel not having strong ties to her Catholic upbringing; A mention of someone lighting a candle when praying at church; A mention of someone looking like they have a “saintly glow”; A mention of a convent; 
             *Note: A couple mentions of a cat being “demon-possessed”. 
 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: an ‘idiot’, a ‘gosh’, an ‘oh my gosh’, two ‘duh’s, two forms of ‘stupid’, and four forms of ‘oh my stars’; A mention of someone working “their tail off”; A little bit of sarcasm & eye rolling; Mentions of the deaths of loved ones and beloved pets & grieving (for a mom, a grandmother, for a wife, for pets; including one from breast cancer); Mentions of injuries; Mentions of stealing, a stolen dog, a thief, & a dog being kidnapped; Mentions of warrants, arrests, jail, offering to put a hit on someone, & probation; Mentions of drinking, drugs, & someone getting sober (Isabel’s ex-boyfriend); Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; A few mentions of a fire & it possibly being burned down by the owner on purpose; A few mentions of the possibility of a dog being hit by a car; A few mentions of dogs being injured; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a possibly abusive dog thief; A mention of a hoarding case (of dogs); A mention of an online scam; A mention of a man going to bars and causing scuffles; A mention of gossip; A mention of vomiting; 
             *Note: Mentions of Isabel’s ex-boyfriend being the narcissistic abusive type & threatening her when they were dating (she has forgiven him for all of that but will not date him again); Mentions of a man leaving his wife and children (leaving them to fend for themselves and doesn’t pay child support, called a “deadbeat dad” by a few others); Mentions of someone lying about being a veteran; Mentions of sports teams; Mentions of brand names (Dr Pepper & Blue Bell Ice Cream); Mentions of stores and fast food chains (Walmart, Goodwill, Burger King, Taco Bell, & McDonald’s); Mentions of car brands; A few mentions of plays in school (Brigadoon & Macbeth); A couple mentions of Girl Scouts; A couple mentions of FaceTime; A mention of a band & a song (Bee Gees & ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’); A mention of a young woman’s father not being in her life. 
 
 
Sexual Content- A nose kiss, a not-detailed kiss, and two border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Dancing, & Tingles (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple men are called “hunky” a few times; Mentions of boyfriends/girlfriends, dates, dating, exes, & break-ups; Mentions of crushes, blushes, & flirting; A handful of mentions of seeing married and engaged couples kiss and embrace; A few mentions of an engaged couple being very blushy and embarrassed when the topic of their future kids come up; A few mentions of a woman stealing another’s man; A couple mentions of sexual harassment and being hit on in the workplace; A couple mentions of kissing; A couple mentions of women swooning over a handsome man; A mention of a teenager getting a girl pregnant and them getting married after the baby was born; A mention of a man cheating on his wife; Some love, falling in love, & the emotions;
             *Note: A mention of a granddaughter sharing a hotel room with her elderly newlywed grandparents and it being awkward; A teasing mention of Isabel’s parents saying that she’s an only child because “they kept at it until they achieved perfection”.
 
-Isabel “Izzy” Fuentes
                                  1^st person P.O.V. of Isabel 
                                                        251 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating- 

Let’s make something clear: I don’t like football. Not even a little bit.
But you know what I love? 
Janice Thompson’s books. 

There’s just something about them—especially this series—that just makes my heart sing with joy. I was giggling out loud many times. The Texas charm and Texas pride makes my Texan roots beam. I love this friend group soooo much. I just want to wiggle my way in, they’re so much fun and truly care for the rest of the group. 

I’ve said it before, you know I’m enjoying a mystery or suspense book when I’m not trying to figure out who did it—I’m too busy enjoying the story and characters and will figure it out when they figure it out. That was completely how I was with this book because I was just happy to see this friend group again and see the couple from the first book’s wedding (!!). I nearly cried happy tears with everyone at the wedding because it was just so sweet to see it and feel like I was apart of it.  

The romance and the faith content was light, but it worked well for the plot and just the natural-everyday-normal that this series has been highlighting so well. I honestly adore it a lot (if that wasn’t obvious). 

Oh, what more to say? While I’m super excited for the next book in the series, I’m also super sad that it will be the last book in the series, because if it wasn’t clear enough, I love these characters and friend group so much. This book almost feels like the final book for these characters, though, as the next book is about characters we haven’t met before. Maybe that’s a reason I cried at the end of this book, because it felt like a bittersweet goodbye. Readers who have loved a series like this will know this feeling, I’m sure! 
 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Barbour) for this honest review.

 

"The Bark of Zorro" by Kathleen Y'Barbo

About this book:

  “Who Is Spray Painting the Dogs in Brenham, Texas?
    Cozy up with your favorite pooch and unwind with a small-town mystery in book 4 of the Gone to the Dogs series.
    Strange happenings are afoot in Brenham, Texas, as dogs start showing up at the Lone Star Veterinary Clinic with a Z spray painted on them. The cops blame pranksters, while pet owners are blaming each other. Receptionist Cassidy Carter uses her social media expertise to try to get the culprit caught on camera, but Texas game warden, Justin Cameron, thinks online media attention is the last thing this case needs. When Cassidy’s post goes viral, more dogs are found painted and the clinic gets marked with a big Z too. How could her good intentions have backfired so badly?”


Series: Book #4 in the “Gone to the Dogs Mystery” series. Can be read as stand-alones, but would be most enjoyed if read in order. Reviews of Book #1 Here!, Book #2 Here!, and Book #3 Here!


Spiritual Content- A Scripture is quoted & read; Prayers & Thanking God; Mentions of God & having a faith; Mentions of prayers, praying, & thanking God; Mentions of churches, church going, & a pastor; A mention of a blessing; 
             *Note: A couple mentions of aliens.
 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’, a ‘care one flip [for something]’, a form of ‘darn’, a ‘oh my gosh’, two ‘dumb’s, two ‘ticked off’s, four ‘idiot’s, and seven ‘stupid’s; Some sarcasm & eye rolling; Being threatened; Mentions of crimes, criminals, crime scenes, breaking the law, & arrests; Mentions of jails/prisons & jailtime; Mentions of a man almost getting hit by a car; Mentions of a funeral home & bodies; Mentions of graffiti/vandalism; Mentions of pranks; Mentions of an accident involved a dog & a dog going missing (all dogs are okay); A couple mentions of a drowning; A couple mentions of the possibility of a crook or murderer (Cassidy’s imagination); A couple mentions of being threatened; A couple mentions of hunting; A mention of someone possibly being killed by a taser; A mention of someone not appearing to be a serial killer; A mention of a possible hostage situation; A mention of lies; A mention of bullies (& them rhyming “Cass” with other insulting words); A mention of someone winning the lottery; 
             *Note: Mentions of TV shows, movies, actors, & fictional characters (Downtown Abbey, Scooby-Doo, Zorro, & Douglas Fairbanks); Mentions of social media sites & technology (Instagram, TikTok, Zoom, FaceTime, & AirTags); Mentions of singers & songs (Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, & Miranda Lambert); A few mentions of Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts; A couple mentions of two women arguing and one blaming the Democrats for dogs getting painted and the other blaming the Republicans (they conceded it could have been the Independents and then say it could be anymore painting the dogs);A couple mentions of fast food places (McDonald’s & Chick-fil-A); A couple mentions of newspapers.
 
 
Sexual Content- Two cheek kisses, a not-detailed kiss, five barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and a border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Embraces, Hand holding, & Nearness (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of dates, dating, boyfriends/girlfriends, break-ups, & exes; Mentions of crushes; Mentions of a cute/handsome/gorgeous/hunky guy; A mention of a wink; Love, falling in love, & the emotions.
 
-Cassidy Carter 
                                1^st person P.O.V. of Cassidy 
                                                        258 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens- 

My personal Rating- 

Here’s a new trope for everyone: “He’s no nonsense, She’s full-of-nonsense (in the best way)”, or I guess we could call it the Grumpy/Sunshine trope, but I feel like my new trope fits better. That said, I wasn’t sure how this couple would work out with his over-the-top protectiveness, but I really appreciate that they had to have an actual conversation about that. It was nice to see quick communication. 

This really was a fun book, though! This whole series has been so much fun and I loved finally getting to know the sunshine of the Lone Star Vet Clinic, Cassidy, better. While the mystery elements weren’t my top favorite of the series, it still kept me engaged and wondering who had done it. My only one nitpick would be that I do wish there was more faith content as this book was on the lighter side in that regard, but overall it was a really enjoyable and clean read!

 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Barbour) for this honest review.

"Barking up the Wrong Tree" by Janice Thompson

About this book:

  “A Champion Dog Is Off His Game
    Grab a puppy to snuggle and relax into a delightful small-town mystery in book 3 of the Gone to the Dogs series.
   Inquisitive, detail-oriented, Veterinarian Kristin Keller prides herself on winning over any dog. But has this self-proclaimed dog whisperer finally met her match in a Sheltie named Remington who has just won the Texas state agility course competition? The champion pooch is acting out of sorts—almost as if he is not the same dog. Has he, by chance, been switched out with another dog just before the next big competition? Kristin and the other Lone Star employees will do anything to help the Atkinson family figure out this mystery surrounding their beloved Remington.”

Series: Book #3 in the “Gone to the Dogs” series. Can be read as stand-alones, but would be most enjoyed if read in order. Reviews of Book #1 Here! And Book #2 Here! 


Spiritual Content- Proverbs 12:10 at the beginning; A couple Scriptures are quoted & thought on; Prayers & Thanking God; Talks about God & His will; 'H's are capital when referring to God & Jesus; Mentions of God & Jesus; Mentions of prayers, praying, Thanking God, & blessings over food; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of testimonies & people sharing their testimony; Mentions of churches, church going, services, & pastors/reverends; Mentions of Catholics, Baptists, & Presbyterians; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed; A few mentions of ministries; A couple mentions of someone being so cheap that they wouldn’t pay to see Jesus on a bicycle; A mention of a song that focuses on the love God offers His children; A mention of confessing to a reverend; A mention of a godsend; A mention of a miracle; A mention of a reverend wanting to build an arbor like they had in the Old Testament days; A mention of a cross necklace; A mention of Kristin’s (Baptist) grandmother telling her husband that they don’t speak to Presbyterians; 
             *Note: A couple mentions of a reverend teasing that a certain cat might need an exorcism on occasion, but he knows a thing or two about spiritual warfare, “which comes in handy when the demons begin to dance”; A mention of a guy being Adonis material; A mention of Pandora’s box. 
 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘gosh’, a ‘stinking’, two ‘for pity’s sake’s, two ‘for the love of Pete’/’for Pete’s sake’s, and five ‘stupid’s; A few mentions of curses (said, not written); Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Being pushed into oncoming traffic (barely-above-not-detailed); *Spoiler* A woman says her daughter is wheelchair-bound and on oxygen, but that turns out to be a lie to gain sympathy *End of Spoiler*; All about many mentions of a swapped/missing/stolen dog & who could have done it; Many mentions of sick dogs, a breeder that doesn’t care good take of her dogs, hoarding cases/puppy mills, people abandoning and abusing dogs, dog illnesses (including parvo), & deaths of dogs (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of stealing, thieves, crimes, criminals, & being arrested; Mentions of an aggressive dog & it trying to bite others (because it’s not feeling well); Mentions of alcohol, drinking, addictions, & former addicts; Mentions of manure & animal waste; A few mentions of grief after the death of a loved one; A few mentions of someone smuggling whiskey; A few mentions of being pushed into oncoming traffic; A few mentions of smoking & cigarettes; A few mentions of social media trolls; A couple mentions of a car accident & deaths; A couple mentions of the possibility of getting shot; A couple mentions of a fire (Book #2); A couple mentions of gambling; A couple mentions of lies & liars; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of the Great Depression; A mention of dogs fighting for food; A mention of cheating; A mention of an old TV show not having any bad language; A mention of farting; A mention of the phrase about a terrible smell being enough to knock a buzzard off a death wagon; 
             *Note: Mentions of TV shows, characters, & actresses (I Love Lucy, Golden Girls, & Hoarders); Mentions of a magazine (Southern Living); A few mentions of Woodstock; A couple mentions of car brands; A couple mentions of stores (Home Depot & Walmart); A mention of social media (YouTube); A mention of Boy Scouts.
 
 
Sexual Content- Two cheek kisses, a hair kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and a border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Recalling a kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); 
Touches, Embraces, & Hand holding (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes & Winks; A ‘babe’; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of boyfriends/girlfriends, dates, dating, & exes (including a girl’s abusive ex-boyfriend); A few mentions of a father teasing that he and his wife figured out what was causing them to have so many children; A few mentions of seeing couples kissing (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of a child being conceived on a trip; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a husband slapping his wife on the backside (teasing); A mention of flirting; A mention of a guy’s “Casanova thing”; Some love, falling/being in love, & the emotions;
             *Note: Many mentions of breeding dogs (including ones that were bred a lot and their physique being saggy), stud dogs and horses, and a dog that is sterile despite being “fully intact”; Mentions of neutering dogs; A few mentions of a man not wanting to say that a woman looks like a natural in the kitchen because she’s liable to sue him; A couple mentions of miscarriages; A mention of a old TV show not having any “questionable material”; A mention of a dog’s hormones; A mention of expressing a dog’s anal glands.
 
-Kristin Keller
                                1^st person P.O.V. of Kristin 
                                                        256 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens- 

My personal Rating- 

This was so cute, the ending!! My heart! 

One thing that really stands out to me about this series is the importance of the friendships between the staff at the vet clinic. Yes, they’re co-workers, but they all have such a heart for animals and helping them, which brings the group closer together. I love the camaraderie of it all. It was really so heartwarming to read about a group that cares so much about their clients and helping animals, I just love that element. 
Another element that was so fun and continued in this third book was the sweet romance—this time between Kristin and Tyler! It was so precious! I was absolutely tickled pink about it and how sweet (& clean!) it was! 

When I really am enjoying a mystery or suspense book, my brain turns off trying to figure out who did the crime and just goes along with the characters for the ride; that’s definitely how this book was for me. It was intriguing but yet at the same time heartbreaking, because I couldn’t imagine what I would do if my dog was missing or stolen! But I knew with a book written by this author that everything would turn out just, well, peachy! ;)

Ah, I’m doing happy sighs over here now and super-duper excited to read the fourth book!

 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Barbour) for this honest review.

"Dog Days of Summer" by Kathleen Y'Barbo

About this book:

  “Mishaps Abound as Second Chance Ranch Struggles to Get Its Start
   Grab a lap dog to cuddle and relax into a fun small-town mystery as a new dog rescue project turns into a three-ring circus of calamities in book 2 of the Gone to the Dogs series.
   Trina Potter, Nashville country music star, buys a ranch near her hometown in Brenham, Texas, to help her niece open a rescue facility for dogs. Her presence in town stirs up some old high school rivalries—and romance. Finding property to buy is a challenge, convincing her mother to move there with her is daunting, and navigating a string of strange accidents is perplexing. Sometimes Trina feels like she’s purchased her own three ring circus instead of a beautiful piece of land. But her first priority will be figuring out who wants Second Chance Ranch shut down before they even have the grand opening.”


Series: Book #2 in the “Gone to the Dogs” series. Can be read as stand-alones, but would be most enjoyed if read in order. Review of Book #1 Here! 

Spiritual Content- A few talks about God & His Word; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God & Jesus; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of a pastor, sermons, & how Grandma Peach doesn’t think she’s cut out to be a pastor’s wife; A few mentions of thanking God; A mention of a Christmas Eve service; A mention of Heaven; 
             *Note: A cat is called “Hector the devil cat”; A mention of someone looking like they saw a ghost. 
 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’, an ‘oh my gosh’, a ‘stupid’, a ‘shut up’, a ‘wimp’, two forms of ‘dumb’, and eight ‘idiot’s; Sarcasm & Eye rolling; All about many mentions of bombs/explosions, who could have done it. & threats (the bomb was on a dog rescue center’s property, but no person or dog was hurt); Mentions of gunshots, being shot at, & being threatened (including threatening someone else’s dogs); Mentions of trespassing & stealing; Mentions of jail, arrests, & crime scenes; Mentions of fires; Mentions of a tree falling on someone (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a dog being hurt and caught in a bear trap (he will be okay, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of the possibility of dogs being hurt or shot; Mentions of grieving family members (including Trina with her sister and Mari with her mom); Mentions of a divorce; A few mentions of a car accident with injured dogs (they will all be okay, barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of hunting; A couple mentions of a stolen car (Book #1); A couple mentions of blackmail; A couple mentions of vandalism; A couple mentions of rumors & lying; A mention of a prisoner; A mention of not being a betting man; A mention of a winery; A mention of tattoos; 
             *Note: Mentions of singers & songs (Miranda Lambert, Elvis, Tennessee Williams, Patsy Cline, & Willie Nelson); A few mentions of TV shows (Hawaii 5-0, Golden Girls, Dr. Who, & The Daytripper); A few mentions of websites & apps (Etsy, Uber, PayPal, & Venmo); A couple mentions of brands and items (iPad & SkinnyPop); A couple mentions of car brands. 
 
 
Sexual Content- An almost kiss, a not-detailed kiss, and five barely-above-not-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Snuggling, & Hand holding (barely-above-not-detailed); A bit of Noticing; Mentions of kisses, kissing, & couples snuggling; A few mentions of couples going to see the stars at night and ending up on a blanket together (hinted to more happening); A few mentions of boyfriends/girlfriends, dating, & break-ups; A few mentions of high school girls only caring about boys; A couple mentions of a (married) male hairstylist having “extra services” for his clients that ended up getting him in trouble with his wife; A couple mentions of hunky and cute guys; A mention of flirting; A mention of a crush; Some love, falling in love, & the emotions;
             *Note: A few mentions of fathers telling their high school aged daughters that makeup and short skirts will attract the wrong kind of man; A mention of college-aged Trina thinking that her size 2 jeans weren’t loose enough, but now gives thanks that she could still fit in her size 10s; A mention of a woman’s clingy dress; A mention of a man’s short shorts.
 
-Trina Potter
                                1^st person P.O.V. of Trina 
                                               256 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens- 

My personal Rating- 

And this series continues to be enjoyable!

Ahh, but really, though, this was so much fun! I found so many parts to make the book for me: I giggled and smirked so much at the banter between Trina and Wyatt; the mystery aspect was very interesting and I wasn’t sure how it would all work out; seeing Mari and Parker again!; and yay for all the Texas parts! Am I biased? Completely, but that’s to be expected. 

I’m so happy that I enjoyed the second book in the series as well! Now I’m even more excited to read the next two books in this series, because the track record is very good so far. ;) 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Barbour) for this honest review.

"Off the Chain" by Janice Thompson

About this book:

  “The Town of Brenham, Texas, Has Gone to the Dogs!

   Marigold Evans’ first attempt at rescuing an abandoned pooch lands her in a drainage pipe in Brenham Texas. . .and almost in jail, until Parker Jenson comes to her rescue. Then a bad day only gets worse as the Lone Star Vet Clinic, where they both work, is vandalized and the list of suspects starts to climb. With the help of her fellow employees, Marigold sets out to simultaneously solve the crime, rehab the rescued dog, and help more dogs in crisis. But why would anyone continue to work against all their good efforts?”

Series: Book #1 in the “Gone to the Dogs” series.

Spiritual Content- Proverbs 12:10 at the beginning; A couple Scriptures are mentioned; Prayers; Many talks about God, praying, having faith, & dreams; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Many mentions of God, callings, & dreams; Mentions of prayers, praying, a prayer chain, & blessings over food; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of churches, church going, church events, & a pastor/reverend; Mentions of callings; Mentions of ministries & one that witnesses to and helps the homeless; Mentions of miracles; Mentions of denominations & someone being raised Presbyterian but becoming a Baptist as an adult (his mother being “nearly wrecked” by it (though, they’ve now ironed out their theological differences)); A few mentions of working with like-minded people who are believers; A few mentions of if someone was charismatic they would say a certain man has a demon & a friend being full-gospel and finding demons under every bush (which Mari responds that there are plenty of them to be found); A few mentions of a man possibly skimming off of a church’s tithes; A couple mentions of Mari’s grandmother saying a man’s so mean that her prayers couldn’t reach him, which Mari isn’t sure that’s theologically sound; A couple mentions of a mission trip; A mention of a Godsend; A mention of a hymn; A mention of fasting; A mention of a blessing; A mention of calling for a priest; A mention of a the phrase that a man is “so cheap he wouldn’t give a nickel to see Jesus ridin’ a bicycle”;

             *Note: A few mentions of a cat being called the “spawn of Satan”, a “demonic cat”, & a “demon cat”; A couple mentions of a man being called evil; A mention of someone scowling at Mari like she’s “some sort of demonic entity”; A mention of a (church) event being at an ungodly hour.

 

 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘stinking’, a ‘suck it up’, two ‘dumb’s, three ‘idiot’s, and four forms of ‘stupid’; Some sarcasm & eye rolling; A couple mentions of curses (said, not written); A couple mentions of someone making an obscene gesture; A mention of someone being “enough to make a preacher want to cuss”; Helping a friend who’s ex-boyfriend is stalking her & witnessing his reckless driving (barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of vandalism (the word ‘murderer’ is painted on a wall), vandals, thieves, burglaries/robberies, stealing, & stolen items; Many mentions of an ex-boyfriend threatening, stalking, gaslighting her, showing signs of violence, following her around with a gun, the woman being scared of him, & filing a protective order; Many mentions of jail & arrests; Mentions of threats; Mentions of injuries; Mentions of blood, vomit, throwing up, & poop; Mentions of alcohol, someone being addicted, going to AA, & becoming sober; Mentions of drugs, a cartel, dealers, runners, & drug houses; Mentions of injured dogs, the passing of beloved pets, & grieving (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of owners abandoning their pets when they move; A few mentions of a man threatening to hurt a dog if it comes onto his property; A few mentions of rumors; A few mentions of divorce; A few mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of a hateful man; A mention that someone could be an axe murderer; A mention of partying in college;

             *Note: Mentions of brands (Dollar General, Dollar Store, Jiffy Lube, Lady Clairol, Mary Kay, Easy-Bake ovens, Gucci, Dr. Pepper, Blue Bell ice cream, & Sonic); Mentions of car brands; Mentions of a singer & songs (Kenny Chesney); A mention of a soap opera (The Young and the Restless); A mention of the Mutt & Jeff duo.

 

 

Sexual Content- An few embraces & hand holding; A tiny bit of teasing/flirting & winks; Some noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); a ‘hussy’ (Grandma Peach calls another woman that because she’s always flirting); Mentions of boyfriends, girlfriends, exes, dates, & dating; Mentions of flirts, flirting, & swooning; Mentions of thinking about a man often & crushes; Mentions of handsome & cute guys; A few mentions of songs about cheating; A few mentions of having the hots for someone; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of hunky firefighters; A mention of a woman ‘honky-tonkin’; At the beginning of the story, Marigold has a bit of a crush on a guy who happens to be her boss (but it’s really more of respect and admiration); A bit of love, falling in love, & the emotions;

             *Note: A couple mentions of female co-workers staying at a male coworker’s place when they need a place to stay (not sexual at all, he’s just a nice guy with a heart for helping people).

 

-Marigold Evans

                                1^st person P.O.V. of Marigold

                                                        256 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

{ Add a full star for dog lovers and/or those who are interested in working at/as a vet. }

This was everything I hoped and more.

Easily my most anticipated book of the year, this book was just so much fun.

I thought it would be more of a mystery, but it wasn’t so focused on who broke into the vet clinic, it was more on day-to-day life and craziness and Marigold’s heart for rescuing dogs. Which I really liked. Bonus that it was in first-person POV, which reminded me of Erynn Mangum’s books with the wit and humor.

This was such an entertaining read and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!  

 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Barbour) for this honest review.