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Guys & Dogs #3
Hello, Doggy!
Puppy Love
Keenan James has made a career out of teaching women what men really want. He hosts a weekly roundtable, where he offers advice to the love-lorn, and now he's even been tapped to write a book - though he's never been able to commit to just one girl. Unfortunately, he's recently been saddled with his mom's irrepressible pooch, a golden doodle named Barbra Streisand, and his publisher has saddled him with a co-writer - a shy psychologist named Tory Hoffstra, who's determined to keep him on a short leash.
Suspecting that Keenan's nothing but a hound, Tory joins the round-table under an alias. She's shocked that he's more than just a smooth-talking seducer...and that he's even more gorgeous than she had heard. As for Keenan, before long he finds himself warming up to Barbra the dog and feeling the heat with Tory...and learning that not even his own advice could have prepared him for finally falling in love.
371 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Elaine Fox
47 books85 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 22, 2012
2+/2.5 stars.
I think I've broken my recent contemporary streak.
This book wasn't necessarily bad; it just didn't sparkle/shine. I didn't connect with the heroine, who was distinctly unlikable for at least the first half of the book. She had a self-actualizing moment when she realized she was an unlikable know-it-all, but even then it actually felt a little uncomfortable to watch her strip herself down and try to remake/rediscover herself. Look at the title, the cover, and the blurb - this book should not make you feel uncomfortable!
On top of that, a good portion of her remaking herself seemed to be at the Saks Fifth Avenue makeup counter and clothing departments. Call me a raging feminist, but part of me just hates that she only "gained confidence" and "saw herself in a new light" when she put on some makeup and pretty clothing. *smacks forehead* I mean, what are we? 1950s housewives?? The more I think about it, the more I hate that part.
The hero was typical hero material of the "famous hunk with a heart of gold" standard. Secondary characters were okay, but (a) her ex-boyfriend was a pompous tool, and (b) I couldn't BELIEVE what her sister did towards the end.
Anyway, it was finish-able, but didn't hold my interest much more than that.
I think I've broken my recent contemporary streak.
This book wasn't necessarily bad; it just didn't sparkle/shine. I didn't connect with the heroine, who was distinctly unlikable for at least the first half of the book. She had a self-actualizing moment when she realized she was an unlikable know-it-all, but even then it actually felt a little uncomfortable to watch her strip herself down and try to remake/rediscover herself. Look at the title, the cover, and the blurb - this book should not make you feel uncomfortable!
On top of that, a good portion of her remaking herself seemed to be at the Saks Fifth Avenue makeup counter and clothing departments. Call me a raging feminist, but part of me just hates that she only "gained confidence" and "saw herself in a new light" when she put on some makeup and pretty clothing. *smacks forehead* I mean, what are we? 1950s housewives?? The more I think about it, the more I hate that part.
The hero was typical hero material of the "famous hunk with a heart of gold" standard. Secondary characters were okay, but (a) her ex-boyfriend was a pompous tool, and (b) I couldn't BELIEVE what her sister did towards the end.
Anyway, it was finish-able, but didn't hold my interest much more than that.
December 25, 2014
Keenan is a celebrity, a charismatic TV talk show host and a writer of an extremely popular sex series. He also leads a weekly lunch for women, helping different women at a crossroad in their love life with his ‘male’ input. He wants to help all the women in the world to understand men better. He thinks women complicate matters. He wants to write a book about it.
Tory is a failing psychologist. She is not good with interpersonal communications, dismal with clients, but her educational credentials are excellent. She wants to write a book too. Unfortunately, their publisher only wants one book, Keenan’s, and he suggests Tory co-writes it with him.
Tory is aghast. She considers Keenan a charlatan, a TV-star/conman who rides his fame but doesn’t know anything about psychology. His advices to women are phony, of course. She decides to join his weekly lunches under a false name to prove her point. Maybe then, the publisher would publish her book instead of his.
The premise of this story is extremely silly, but like many of this author’s novels, the book raises interesting and serious questions, and not all the answers are obvious from the beginning. I read it and contemplated my own relationships and those of my friends and family. What makes a relationship work and what doesn’t? How are men and women different? Which mistakes could be avoided and which are almost inevitable?
Like many women in the book, I fancied Keenan a lot. And I happen to agree with his point of view about men, women, and relationship. Sometimes, he makes mistakes, but they only prove he is human and lives down below, among us, despite his ‘starry’ status.
I didn’t like Tory. She seems too dense, too stubborn and inflexible for a woman with psychological education. She is full of insecurities and uncertainties and camouflages them with false bravado and bluster. She criticizes Keenan loudly and publicly, and it takes her the entire book to admit even to herself that she might’ve been wrong about Keenan and many other issues. That it doesn’t take a psychology degree to have insights.
All the while, the story is rolling, the readers are enjoying themselves and laugh occasionally, and Keenan performs as only a star could.
A charming light romance, this book is bound to appeal to anyone for a bit of fluffy fun.
Tory is a failing psychologist. She is not good with interpersonal communications, dismal with clients, but her educational credentials are excellent. She wants to write a book too. Unfortunately, their publisher only wants one book, Keenan’s, and he suggests Tory co-writes it with him.
Tory is aghast. She considers Keenan a charlatan, a TV-star/conman who rides his fame but doesn’t know anything about psychology. His advices to women are phony, of course. She decides to join his weekly lunches under a false name to prove her point. Maybe then, the publisher would publish her book instead of his.
The premise of this story is extremely silly, but like many of this author’s novels, the book raises interesting and serious questions, and not all the answers are obvious from the beginning. I read it and contemplated my own relationships and those of my friends and family. What makes a relationship work and what doesn’t? How are men and women different? Which mistakes could be avoided and which are almost inevitable?
Like many women in the book, I fancied Keenan a lot. And I happen to agree with his point of view about men, women, and relationship. Sometimes, he makes mistakes, but they only prove he is human and lives down below, among us, despite his ‘starry’ status.
I didn’t like Tory. She seems too dense, too stubborn and inflexible for a woman with psychological education. She is full of insecurities and uncertainties and camouflages them with false bravado and bluster. She criticizes Keenan loudly and publicly, and it takes her the entire book to admit even to herself that she might’ve been wrong about Keenan and many other issues. That it doesn’t take a psychology degree to have insights.
All the while, the story is rolling, the readers are enjoying themselves and laugh occasionally, and Keenan performs as only a star could.
A charming light romance, this book is bound to appeal to anyone for a bit of fluffy fun.
Want to Read
January 13, 2021
Upbeat, sexy and fun novel
5 stars
Keenan James has made his name telling women what men really want. He wrote a tv show, filmed a tv special, hosts weekly lunch meetings with love-lorn women and he's even decided to write a self help book. They don't need to know that he himself has never been able to commit to just one girl.
Just as his life seems to be on track he gets lumbered with his mother's crazy dog who just happens to go by the name Barbra Streisand. Also his publisher tells him that he must write his book with a co-author, shy yet opinionated psychologist Tory Hoffstra.
Tory is sure that Keenan is just using his weekly meetings to pick up women so she joins the group under an alias to prove it. But as the pair get to know each other they begin to realise that maybe Barbra Streisand isn't so crazy after all and their wise advice can't really help them as they start to fall in love.
Elaine Fox has written another winner with this book and it really is a delight from beginning to end.
The characters are fresh, vibrant and people you can really identify with and their interactions with each other are so well-written that you easily believe them. I loved Tory despite all her flaws and of course Keenan was a suitably wonderful hero. Their chemistry was excellent and the sex scenes nicely sexy.
The actual story was very funny and at times had me laughing out loud. And the whole story was so fresh and upbeat that you couldn't help but smile as you read. It was also nice to see Brady and Lily (from Elaine Fox's previous novel - Beware of Doug) make a brief appearance. Despite that, this books stands alone and is not part of a series.
Fast paced, fun and sexy - if you're looking for a contemporary romantic novel to pass away a few hours then you really can't go wrong with this book. Highly recommended and very worthy of 5 stars.
October 23, 2009
I always love when an author involves dogs in their story, so I was drawn to the book based on the title. Is that a silly reason to read a book? Maybe!
I give Hello, Doggy! 2 stars because the plot sounded good, but the execution just didn't do it for me. Every few chapters I found myself tempted to put the book down and go on to something else, but I stuck with it hoping it would become more interesting because I knew the plot had potential. FINALLY, a little over half way through the book drew me in.
I give Hello, Doggy! 2 stars because the plot sounded good, but the execution just didn't do it for me. Every few chapters I found myself tempted to put the book down and go on to something else, but I stuck with it hoping it would become more interesting because I knew the plot had potential. FINALLY, a little over half way through the book drew me in.
May 15, 2024
This book had almost nothing to do with the series and barely did much at all with the dog so the title made no sense. Instead of the next book in the series be about Georgia or Penelope, the author chose to leave the group altogether and focus on Brady's brother in NYC - who we barely heard about in the previous book. The bigger problem with the story is that Tory is unlikable; she is scared of dogs but we never learn why and then poof miraculously she has one outing with Keenan's dog & she's cured & loves the dog......ugh, no. Tory is a stuck up academic who's socially awkward with self esteem issues; not a fun character to focus a book around. Keenan is ok but not enough to base a book around as he gets treated poorly & makes excuses for his brother & Tory. A big miss for the series to jump outside the 4 women I thought the series was to be focused on.
September 16, 2018
A story with a dog and romantic a winner!
April 1, 2026
Cute read, but I admittedly wanted more Barbra Streisand
April 21, 2014
Honestly, I didn't care for the character of Dr. Tory Hoffstra, she was so arrogant and cold that I couldn't warm up to her at all. She is an academia that wants to put a mark in the world, but cannot practice what she has learned as a psychiatrist. She is not during well at the practice that she is at and is fired. She is trying to become a published author, but the publishing company that she wants to work with says that she is not famous enough to be a lone author. She needs to work with a celebrity, Keenan James.
She is appalled by the idea and goes undercover to see if his work with an informal round table lunch is actually a front for him to get dates with women having relationship problems. I liked Tory much better when she started to soften up and went undercover has a broken hearted, confused women looking for help with her relationship. I think the dog, Barbara Streisand also helped with the storyline. Barbara was forced into Keenan life because his mother had to be placed in a nursing home. This was kind of a jerky storyline and by the time it evened itself out, the story ended.
She is appalled by the idea and goes undercover to see if his work with an informal round table lunch is actually a front for him to get dates with women having relationship problems. I liked Tory much better when she started to soften up and went undercover has a broken hearted, confused women looking for help with her relationship. I think the dog, Barbara Streisand also helped with the storyline. Barbara was forced into Keenan life because his mother had to be placed in a nursing home. This was kind of a jerky storyline and by the time it evened itself out, the story ended.
August 6, 2010
Elaine Fox (love the name) you've done it again! Fabulous read.
Loved the Vulnerabilities of the hero and heroine in this one. I didn't always like Tori but I kept reading, and that is the most important part is it not?
This book was not set in the same town as the others in the series, but that was OK. Brady's (book 2) brother is the star of this one, and he's a celebrity. I hate celebrity books but I didn't mind this one at all, I suppose because Keenan was only slightly famous.
I liked, but others might not, that the ending wasn't completely ... complete and tidy. Tori still has things to work out about herself that weren't addressed, and Keenan had insecurities that weren't necissarily taken car of. I like these kind of endings because they seem so much more realistic (even though I am reading romantic fantasy).
I don't have too much time to write a full review because I want to start the next book in this series - it is shaping up to be a great series.
Loved the Vulnerabilities of the hero and heroine in this one. I didn't always like Tori but I kept reading, and that is the most important part is it not?
This book was not set in the same town as the others in the series, but that was OK. Brady's (book 2) brother is the star of this one, and he's a celebrity. I hate celebrity books but I didn't mind this one at all, I suppose because Keenan was only slightly famous.
I liked, but others might not, that the ending wasn't completely ... complete and tidy. Tori still has things to work out about herself that weren't addressed, and Keenan had insecurities that weren't necissarily taken car of. I like these kind of endings because they seem so much more realistic (even though I am reading romantic fantasy).
I don't have too much time to write a full review because I want to start the next book in this series - it is shaping up to be a great series.
February 12, 2015
Dogs really aren't that interesting. Creating a series based on men and dogs gets boring. VERY SOON.
DUMB. DUMB. DUMB. SO DUMB IT HURTS.
JUST SHUT UP. YOU'RE STUPID.
NO MORE PLEASE! YOU DUMB B****
***SNORE**** BORING *****
snore - way better books out there - don't waste your time
DUMB. DUMB. DUMB. SO DUMB IT HURTS.
JUST SHUT UP. YOU'RE STUPID.
NO MORE PLEASE! YOU DUMB B****
***SNORE**** BORING *****
snore - way better books out there - don't waste your time
January 6, 2013
This book was great. I loved the characters and the 'waiting to see what happens next' feeling I got while reading. I liked the phobia, the family dynamics, the situations and how everything was dealt with. I'm completely with Tory on some things. (A coward am I) The ending was sweet, a little humorous and perfect. I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for the first book. (Brady/Lily) That one's going to be good if this book is any indication. I liked how well everything was written and the back and forth between Keenan and Tory. There were a few good steamy scenes too. This is a good book for lighter mood reading, a pick-me-up, rainy-day or for a cuddle-up read. I would put it on my shelf. I think this is the first book I've read by Fox and I am impressed and tuned and ready for more. Enjoy!
March 3, 2010
I wasn't sure I was going to like this book since it has one of those much-used romance plot lines, the "big deception." In fact, I stopped the book after about 10 pages because I didn't want to read another book where one main character starts the relationship incognito. But I picked the book back up yesterday and I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed the interaction of the two main characters, and I like how Ms. Fox handled the deception. Keenan and Tory are complex characters and likable people. Also, I enjoyed the back-and-forth discussion about relationships and how men and women think. I found myself wishing I could sit in and talk about these issues more. It was fascinating. I've now read all the Guys&Dogs books and will seek out Elaine Fox's backlist.
August 8, 2012
I really didn't like the heroine. At one point I got so annoyed at her I wanted the hero to dump her because he deserved so much better. The plot was cute, and I loved the dog, which is what inspired me to read this one, but overall I found the story lacking a lot. I'm surprised I finished it.
August 9, 2016
Predictable, but kinda cute (maybe because of the dogs).
Took me ages to finish this mainly because Tory induced one too many eyerolls. Keenan's alright, but Tory's character was a bit all over the shop; I think I liked the two sisters in Saks, Sasha and Katya, more than I liked Tory.
Took me ages to finish this mainly because Tory induced one too many eyerolls. Keenan's alright, but Tory's character was a bit all over the shop; I think I liked the two sisters in Saks, Sasha and Katya, more than I liked Tory.
November 13, 2012
Saw this in the shelf at the $ store, and it sounded cute. Ended up being a fast paced, light hearted, and sweet romance. Glad I picked it up! My only complaint... the dog in the book was big, but the dog pictured on the cover is a little dog. lol
May 14, 2015
Great read about a man, his dog and a dog-phobic woman.
Writer has great style that flows and keeps you interested a d entertained. Good plot about opposites attracting, sisters, women and their men problems, and how to "seal the deal." I'll read more of her books.
Writer has great style that flows and keeps you interested a d entertained. Good plot about opposites attracting, sisters, women and their men problems, and how to "seal the deal." I'll read more of her books.
September 20, 2015
So I thought that some light reading with dogs would be fun, so I chose this series of books. Unfortunately, the heroine was not likable, and her life was a mess that didn't really get resolved over the course of the book.
March 7, 2010
Leider konnte ich mich mit der Heldin, Tory, nicht sonderlich anfreunden. Ansonsten war das Buch unterhaltsam und die Idee gefiel mir gut.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews