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Lucky Dog #1
You Lucky Dog
An accidental dog swap unleashes an unexpected love match in this new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Julia London. Carly Kennedy's life is in a spiral. She is drowning in work, her divorced parents are going through their midlife crises, and somehow Carly's sister convinces her to foster Baxter--a basset hound rescue with a bad case of the blues. When Carly comes home late from work one day to discover that the dog walker has accidentally switched out Baxter for another perkier, friendlier basset hound, she has reached the end of her leash. When Max Sheffington finds a depressed male basset hound in place of his cheerful Hazel, he is bewildered. But when cute, fiery Carly arrives on his doorstep, he is intrigued. He was expecting the dog walker, not a pretty woman with firm ideas about dog discipline. And Carly was not expecting a handsome, bespectacled man to be feeding her dog mac and cheese. Baxter is besotted with Hazel, and Carly realizes she may have found the key to her puppy's happiness. For his sake, she starts to spend more time with Hazel and Max, until she begins to understand the appeal of falling for your polar opposite.
340 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2020
About the author
Julia London
156 books2,853 followersJulia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than two dozen romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch, and The Perfect Homecoming.
Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon
Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 664 reviews
October 2, 2021
"You Lucky Dog" by Julia London is such a cute doggie story!
Publicist, Carly Kennedy and Neuroscience Professor, Max Sheffington are two of the unluckiest people in Austin, TX! Neither one has a work-life that's working to their expectation and now their Basset Hounds are not their Basset Hounds! Yep, their doggies have been 'switched'!
Their drug-dealing-doggie-walker has been arrested while on duty! The second offense is the wrong doggie has been delivered back to the wrong home!
Mixed-up doggies are not a pretty sight! Carly now has 'spirited' Hazel, and she wants her 'quiet' Baxter back. Max has 'listless' Baxter and he's missing his 'frisky' Hazel! After Carly and Max meet to get their doggies back, it soon becomes apparent that this is a case of opposites attract for all four of them!
Unfortunately, this story did not completely work for me. The attraction between Carly and Max was quick and they didn't dedicate the time together that's necessary to get to know one another. It was too easy for these two to find reasons to allow things to get in their way. Not a wonderful way to build a lasting relationship!
It also felt like the relationship between Carly and Max became secondary to everything else in this story. There were too many distractions and too much family drama happening.
What I did like was how the topic of Autism was brought into this story. Max always understands just what it is his brother, Jamie, needs and delivers that brotherly love consistently. It was a very endearing part of this story!
The best part of the story? Baxter and Hazel, of course! They were the cutest dogs, and I can see them now eating mac and cheese, sitting on the couch together watching doggie TV or running around the yard chasing each other. Now that's a great relationship! They make a cute cover together, too!
Book 2 in this series is due to publish 10/5/21. I'll be reading and reviewing the ARC soon and hope it's a bit more engaging!
Publicist, Carly Kennedy and Neuroscience Professor, Max Sheffington are two of the unluckiest people in Austin, TX! Neither one has a work-life that's working to their expectation and now their Basset Hounds are not their Basset Hounds! Yep, their doggies have been 'switched'!
Their drug-dealing-doggie-walker has been arrested while on duty! The second offense is the wrong doggie has been delivered back to the wrong home!
Mixed-up doggies are not a pretty sight! Carly now has 'spirited' Hazel, and she wants her 'quiet' Baxter back. Max has 'listless' Baxter and he's missing his 'frisky' Hazel! After Carly and Max meet to get their doggies back, it soon becomes apparent that this is a case of opposites attract for all four of them!
Unfortunately, this story did not completely work for me. The attraction between Carly and Max was quick and they didn't dedicate the time together that's necessary to get to know one another. It was too easy for these two to find reasons to allow things to get in their way. Not a wonderful way to build a lasting relationship!
It also felt like the relationship between Carly and Max became secondary to everything else in this story. There were too many distractions and too much family drama happening.
What I did like was how the topic of Autism was brought into this story. Max always understands just what it is his brother, Jamie, needs and delivers that brotherly love consistently. It was a very endearing part of this story!
The best part of the story? Baxter and Hazel, of course! They were the cutest dogs, and I can see them now eating mac and cheese, sitting on the couch together watching doggie TV or running around the yard chasing each other. Now that's a great relationship! They make a cute cover together, too!
Book 2 in this series is due to publish 10/5/21. I'll be reading and reviewing the ARC soon and hope it's a bit more engaging!
August 11, 2020
The blurb had me at mentioning dogs. Actually, even the cover was good enough to pick my interest.
You Lucky Dog begins with a dog walker getting into trouble with the law. Because of it, Carly's dog, Baxter, who is a calm basset hound, is swapped with Hazel, another basset hound who has tons of energy.
Hazel belongs to Max Sheffington, a neuroscience professor. Max is working on getting tenure. He is also trying to find ways to help his brother who is autistic. He thinks that dogs might play a part in helping him.
Carly is a publicist. She has only 2 clients and neither one it's making her job easier. Her dream is to work in New York and one of her clients might be her ticket there. She just has to convince him to believe in his work.
When Carly and Max meet, they share more than the love of their basset hounds. Attraction leads to something more.
I wish I had loved You Lucky Dog but I had a couple of issues with it. The main one being that I didn't feel the connection between the two main characters. They lacked depth and their insta-love was a turnoff for me. The second one was the plot with the parents, I just felt it was unnecessary and too easily resolved and accepted. I didn't feel any empathy for Carly's family. On the other hand, I felt quite a lot for Max's dad and his brother, Jaime.
Despite my problems with the main characters, I did love Baxter and Hazel. Every scene they were in, they stole my heart.
Cliffhanger: No
2.5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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May 12, 2020
Any book with dogs on the cover I am immediately drawn to so of course I was excited to read this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved so many aspects about it. Both of the characters were nice and you cared about them and what was happening in their lives.
I also enjoyed the family element in this book especially with Max's brother who is autistic. As someone who has very close experience with autism, I think the author wrote it amazingly. I also loved how Max cared for his brother so much it even shaped what he wanted to do with his career.
The romance was adorable and wasn't the main focus of the book but I was more than happy with that. I would say this book is mostly character development with a splash of romance. The romance we got adorable and I loved it.
The two basset hounds were the stars of the book and what I wouldn't do to have Hazel and Baxter in my life.
This book put a smile on my face throughout and I had a great time reading it.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved so many aspects about it. Both of the characters were nice and you cared about them and what was happening in their lives.
I also enjoyed the family element in this book especially with Max's brother who is autistic. As someone who has very close experience with autism, I think the author wrote it amazingly. I also loved how Max cared for his brother so much it even shaped what he wanted to do with his career.
The romance was adorable and wasn't the main focus of the book but I was more than happy with that. I would say this book is mostly character development with a splash of romance. The romance we got adorable and I loved it.
The two basset hounds were the stars of the book and what I wouldn't do to have Hazel and Baxter in my life.
This book put a smile on my face throughout and I had a great time reading it.
October 14, 2021
You Lucky Dog by Julia London
1st book in the Lucky Dog series. Contemporary romantic comedy.
Carla and Max each use a dog Walker in their busy lives. Until one day they come home and they have the wrong basset hound! They meet to exchange and soon their lives are tumbled together.
An adorable story with very personable dogs, owners that are attracted to each other, and messy job and family complications.
I loved Hazel and Baxter, the two dogs. They pretty much stole the limelight of every scene they were in.
I think Carla should have been looking for alternatives way sooner. I liked that Max learned from his autistic brother that book learning does not mean he has all the answers.
Entertaining and hea so a win for me.
1st book in the Lucky Dog series. Contemporary romantic comedy.
Carla and Max each use a dog Walker in their busy lives. Until one day they come home and they have the wrong basset hound! They meet to exchange and soon their lives are tumbled together.
An adorable story with very personable dogs, owners that are attracted to each other, and messy job and family complications.
I loved Hazel and Baxter, the two dogs. They pretty much stole the limelight of every scene they were in.
I think Carla should have been looking for alternatives way sooner. I liked that Max learned from his autistic brother that book learning does not mean he has all the answers.
Entertaining and hea so a win for me.
December 22, 2021
Carly Kennedy is a PR consultant struggling to get her business going following a recent layoff. She owns a Bassett hound named Baxter who’s walked three times a week by a guy named Brant. Max Sheffington is a scientist who owns a Bassett hound named Hazel who’s also walked by Brant. One day both Carly and Max return to their respective homes to find their pooches with completely different personalities and behaviors. It’s soon clear there’s been a mixup but Brant’s nowhere to be found (you’ll need to read the book for those details). After some effort, Carly tracks down Max and their first meet is anything but cute.
This story had just the kind of start I was looking for and I settled in for what I believed would be a delightful romantic comedy. There’s lots of humor but also so much more that elevates this out of the genre and that’s a good thing. Carly has lots of issues going on at the moment and losing Baxter was the least of it. Between her difficult clients, extremely dysfunctional family and money pressures, she is strung pretty tight. Despite all of that, Max finds her highly appealing and pushes through his shyness to connect with her, of course using Hazel as a lure. He’s got his own issues as he’s competing for tenure and concerned about his severely autistic adult brother being cared for by his aging father.
There’s a lot to sink your mind into but Hazel and Baxter still manage to steal the show. I loved any time or anything that includes these adorable furry babies and they provide not only comic relief but the means to help develop Carly and Max’s relationship, which evolved nicely and slowly. I opted for the audio version and the narrator captured both of them very well, somehow managing to bring out their best and worst as the occasion demanded. There are lots of unique secondary characters who were distinguished perfectly. I liked everything about this story, even when it was annoying because of Carly’s awful family and a bizarre turn that righted itself, and am looking forward to continuing the series.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Tantor Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
This story had just the kind of start I was looking for and I settled in for what I believed would be a delightful romantic comedy. There’s lots of humor but also so much more that elevates this out of the genre and that’s a good thing. Carly has lots of issues going on at the moment and losing Baxter was the least of it. Between her difficult clients, extremely dysfunctional family and money pressures, she is strung pretty tight. Despite all of that, Max finds her highly appealing and pushes through his shyness to connect with her, of course using Hazel as a lure. He’s got his own issues as he’s competing for tenure and concerned about his severely autistic adult brother being cared for by his aging father.
There’s a lot to sink your mind into but Hazel and Baxter still manage to steal the show. I loved any time or anything that includes these adorable furry babies and they provide not only comic relief but the means to help develop Carly and Max’s relationship, which evolved nicely and slowly. I opted for the audio version and the narrator captured both of them very well, somehow managing to bring out their best and worst as the occasion demanded. There are lots of unique secondary characters who were distinguished perfectly. I liked everything about this story, even when it was annoying because of Carly’s awful family and a bizarre turn that righted itself, and am looking forward to continuing the series.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Tantor Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
November 27, 2020
I am surprise. After reading mix review about this book, I found myself loving You Lucky Dog. The meet cute over a dog is so adorable. I am not dog lover, but I can not help falling in love with the story.
In my opinion this is more chick lit than romance cause both hero and heroine have to deal with their parent's issue. There is a lot of chapters dedicated on character development. We both see more depth into the hero and heroine character.
Well I think the blurp saying it all. And I do not want to reveal any spoiler on my review, so go enjoy this book. All I can say, this is a wonderful story.
5 doggy stars
In my opinion this is more chick lit than romance cause both hero and heroine have to deal with their parent's issue. There is a lot of chapters dedicated on character development. We both see more depth into the hero and heroine character.
Well I think the blurp saying it all. And I do not want to reveal any spoiler on my review, so go enjoy this book. All I can say, this is a wonderful story.
5 doggy stars
September 9, 2020
An absolute treat!Heartwarming and hilarious. Fab characters and furry friends. Julia London has written a sweet romcom that will have you giggling, smiling, and wagging your tail. Carly is trying to stay relevant as a publicist burning the candle at both ends, so it is quite disturbing when she returns home and discovers the dog in her house is not hers. Max is a brain scientist, a Professor of neurological science at the University of Texas on the tenure track. He is equally perplexed to find that his lively Hazel has been replaced with a much more solemn dog, we later learned to find out is named Baxter. When Carly shows up at Max’s door with Hazel in tow there is an immediate connection... between Hazel and Baxter that is. OK well there might be a little bit of an attraction between Carly and Max but they are not willing to admit to that yet. On the outside they appear to be quite different Carly is quirky and free spirited while Max is A little more buttoned up and serious. However they cannot deny that Hazel and Baxter love spending time together and this offers them an excuse to also spend time together. What follows is a charming story filled with family, romance, growth, some surprises, and of course dogs.
This story was beyond adorable! I did really like Carly and Max, but Hazel and Baxter stole the show! Carly was a great strong and spunky character who I would love to have as a friend. The things she had to do for her job especially wearing those crazy high fashion outfits created by her fashion designer client had me cracking up. Max was great and I found the research he was doing involving dogs and autism really interesting. Max’s brother was autistic so he had a personal connection to this research, this also led to many heartwarming moments between Max and his brother. Carly’s family on the other hand was quite over the top. The interactions between Carly and her family generally left me chuckling. This is an absolute can’t miss for anyone who loves dogs, romance, and humor.
This book in emojis 🐶 🦴 🍕 👗 📸 🐕
*** Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
This story was beyond adorable! I did really like Carly and Max, but Hazel and Baxter stole the show! Carly was a great strong and spunky character who I would love to have as a friend. The things she had to do for her job especially wearing those crazy high fashion outfits created by her fashion designer client had me cracking up. Max was great and I found the research he was doing involving dogs and autism really interesting. Max’s brother was autistic so he had a personal connection to this research, this also led to many heartwarming moments between Max and his brother. Carly’s family on the other hand was quite over the top. The interactions between Carly and her family generally left me chuckling. This is an absolute can’t miss for anyone who loves dogs, romance, and humor.
This book in emojis 🐶 🦴 🍕 👗 📸 🐕
*** Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
December 20, 2021
Carly is a PR person having a work crisis. Max is a university researcher working with dogs. When they come home to find their Bassett hounds have been swapped, (fun loving Hazel for sad Baxter), they have to figure out where the other droopy eared pup has gone to. Here’s all the things about this book that worked for me: Quirky writing voice? Check! Set in hipster Austin? Check! Add in a pair of adorable Bassett hounds with enough personality to carry the book? I’m sold. Heck, I randomly picked this up based on the cover with two cute Bassetts and their leash forming a sweet little heart. Adorably written pets in books get me every time. I loved the dog cuteness! So funny! This also had a well-written storyline featuring one of the character’s brothers, who has autism. Four paws for Bassett cuteness.
March 30, 2021
Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC!
Looking for your perfect summer escape read? Take one look at that cover and synopsis, and tell me you’re not intrigued! I read this book a month or two ago because I was in a major slump and needed something funny and light-hearted, and this was the perfect cure! I loved the storyline, the romance, the craziness (trust me – there’s an INSANE plot twist!), and the overall vibe of the story.
The characters are all over the top hilarious and dramatic, and I LIVE for it. Crazy mom telling you all about her boyfriend of the day, sister who cannot handle her kids, really random dog mix-up…..it’s the funniest story and I laughed out loud multiple times when reading.
There were plenty of heartwarming moments that I think you would enjoy! Were the characters slightly cheesy? Yes, but honestly, it was just too funny and darn cute! Usually I’m not a fan, but these characters were written with just the right amount of cheesiness to keep me, an overly serious person, happy!
Looking for your perfect summer escape read? Take one look at that cover and synopsis, and tell me you’re not intrigued! I read this book a month or two ago because I was in a major slump and needed something funny and light-hearted, and this was the perfect cure! I loved the storyline, the romance, the craziness (trust me – there’s an INSANE plot twist!), and the overall vibe of the story.
The characters are all over the top hilarious and dramatic, and I LIVE for it. Crazy mom telling you all about her boyfriend of the day, sister who cannot handle her kids, really random dog mix-up…..it’s the funniest story and I laughed out loud multiple times when reading.
There were plenty of heartwarming moments that I think you would enjoy! Were the characters slightly cheesy? Yes, but honestly, it was just too funny and darn cute! Usually I’m not a fan, but these characters were written with just the right amount of cheesiness to keep me, an overly serious person, happy!
August 26, 2020
This is a sweet romance with some laugh-out loud funny moments. Carly is a publicist for a fashion designer, and she has to wear his outfits as a part of her promotion--outfits that get her into some truly hilarious trouble when she has to do, well, anything.
The theme of dogs carries throughout the story, and it is a definite strength of the novel. Max and Carly are brought together because of their nearly identical dogs, who are seemingly smitten with one another. Max's research at the university deals with the neuroscience of the brain and he uses dogs in his research. His younger brother has autism, and he loves dogs.
This book also has strong family themes, as both Carly and Max have complicated personal lives. Max's love for his younger brother makes him a sweet and caring character, despite the fact that he may come across as aloof and overly "scientist-y" to others.
While the tone of the novel itself is sweet, it has a bit of a gloomy feel to it. It's hard to explain. Maybe it's because of their personal lives, but I felt quite sad while reading it, even during the funny bits. Both Max and Carly are under a lot of pressure--Carly with losing her job, her parent's divorce, the ever-increasing rent of her home, and Max with going up for tenure against the department's star researcher. The one highlight in their lives seems to be each other, and of course, their relationship isn't easy. There's a major twist about halfway through the book that really puts a wrench in what they have found together, and while it seemed like it was intended to be funny, it did fall flat to me a little.
I recommend this book to lovers of romance novels that have a strong dog-lovers theme.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the arc to review*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
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My 2020 Reading Challenge
The theme of dogs carries throughout the story, and it is a definite strength of the novel. Max and Carly are brought together because of their nearly identical dogs, who are seemingly smitten with one another. Max's research at the university deals with the neuroscience of the brain and he uses dogs in his research. His younger brother has autism, and he loves dogs.
This book also has strong family themes, as both Carly and Max have complicated personal lives. Max's love for his younger brother makes him a sweet and caring character, despite the fact that he may come across as aloof and overly "scientist-y" to others.
While the tone of the novel itself is sweet, it has a bit of a gloomy feel to it. It's hard to explain. Maybe it's because of their personal lives, but I felt quite sad while reading it, even during the funny bits. Both Max and Carly are under a lot of pressure--Carly with losing her job, her parent's divorce, the ever-increasing rent of her home, and Max with going up for tenure against the department's star researcher. The one highlight in their lives seems to be each other, and of course, their relationship isn't easy. There's a major twist about halfway through the book that really puts a wrench in what they have found together, and while it seemed like it was intended to be funny, it did fall flat to me a little.
I recommend this book to lovers of romance novels that have a strong dog-lovers theme.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the arc to review*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
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My 2020 Reading Challenge
August 21, 2020
I have read other titles by Julia, so between her name and that cover, there was no way I was missing this.
Carly and Max are just okay as MCs. They’re both hard working and devoted to their dogs. Unfortunately, that’s the best thing I can say about them. There’s no connection or chemistry and I didn’t care about their relationship. Carly’s family is straight up insane, while Max’s family seems more loving.
Plot wise, I don’t even know. There are a lot of moving pieces and plot lines (and random details) that didn’t seem necessary. And then to throw in the situation at the 90% mark? Sure, I didn’t see it coming, but it was somewhat infuriating and in turn made the ending and epilogue feel rushed.
Overall, Hazel and Baxter are what kept me reading. Because dogs. I could have easily set this book down, never continued and been fine with not knowing the outcome.
**Huge thanks to Berkley Romance for providing the arc free of charge**
Carly and Max are just okay as MCs. They’re both hard working and devoted to their dogs. Unfortunately, that’s the best thing I can say about them. There’s no connection or chemistry and I didn’t care about their relationship. Carly’s family is straight up insane, while Max’s family seems more loving.
Plot wise, I don’t even know. There are a lot of moving pieces and plot lines (and random details) that didn’t seem necessary. And then to throw in the situation at the 90% mark? Sure, I didn’t see it coming, but it was somewhat infuriating and in turn made the ending and epilogue feel rushed.
Overall, Hazel and Baxter are what kept me reading. Because dogs. I could have easily set this book down, never continued and been fine with not knowing the outcome.
**Huge thanks to Berkley Romance for providing the arc free of charge**
August 27, 2020
A dog mix-up brought them together, but it seemed like the universe was determined to keep them apart.
I thought the set up for this book was fantastic! I won't tell you the whole tale, because it was quite funny, but the result was that Max and Carly, two people who probably would never have met, were brought together via this dog mishap. There was that initial clash with Carly and Max having very different personalities and dog-parenting styles, but eventually, the four formed a sort of little family. Eventually all the together time gave way to more (as we expected), but family hijinks and career aspirations posed a threat to this budding relationship.
Quick thoughts:
• This IS a rom-com. Many have heard me complain about some books being slapped with that label and ending up a bit on the heavy side, but I would definitely call this a rom-com. The combination of zany antics, quirky characters, and humor kept it buoyant and I laughed quite a bit.
• Romance approved! These two formed a delightful union. The attraction and depth of affection felt authentic to me. Seriously, I was in tears at one point, worried about the fate of their relationship.
• The dogs. I could not get enough of the dogs. London did a wonderful job writing them into the story. They brought a lot of warmth and glee to the scenes they inhabited.
Overall: A fun rom-com made even better with two adorable dogs.
I thought the set up for this book was fantastic! I won't tell you the whole tale, because it was quite funny, but the result was that Max and Carly, two people who probably would never have met, were brought together via this dog mishap. There was that initial clash with Carly and Max having very different personalities and dog-parenting styles, but eventually, the four formed a sort of little family. Eventually all the together time gave way to more (as we expected), but family hijinks and career aspirations posed a threat to this budding relationship.
Quick thoughts:
• This IS a rom-com. Many have heard me complain about some books being slapped with that label and ending up a bit on the heavy side, but I would definitely call this a rom-com. The combination of zany antics, quirky characters, and humor kept it buoyant and I laughed quite a bit.
• Romance approved! These two formed a delightful union. The attraction and depth of affection felt authentic to me. Seriously, I was in tears at one point, worried about the fate of their relationship.
• The dogs. I could not get enough of the dogs. London did a wonderful job writing them into the story. They brought a lot of warmth and glee to the scenes they inhabited.
Overall: A fun rom-com made even better with two adorable dogs.
August 26, 2020
I THOUGHT THIS WAS SUCH A CUTE PREMISE. Meet cute – Basset Hound switcharoo style and I am hooked – Hazel and Baxter were just so adorable. Can we also just appreciate the beautiful cover of this book which I was immediately drawn to.
I enjoyed reading about the characters Carly Kennedy and Max Sheffington – they were such a delight to read about and they were such cute sometimes over the top and slightly over dramatic - totally get it! That actually made it so much more fun to read for me - so cute and so delightful.
I found the writing to be so charming and adorable. Also, including an autistic character in the book also brought the heart melting moments for me about Max – I thought the writing captured this in such a beautiful and sensitive way that I really admired in this novel.
I found this to be a perfect summer escape read many would enjoy, for being funny, and also for being such a light hearted read that involved really adorable hounds and so much more.
If you are a dog lover, you cannot miss this!
I enjoyed reading about the characters Carly Kennedy and Max Sheffington – they were such a delight to read about and they were such cute sometimes over the top and slightly over dramatic - totally get it! That actually made it so much more fun to read for me - so cute and so delightful.
I found the writing to be so charming and adorable. Also, including an autistic character in the book also brought the heart melting moments for me about Max – I thought the writing captured this in such a beautiful and sensitive way that I really admired in this novel.
I found this to be a perfect summer escape read many would enjoy, for being funny, and also for being such a light hearted read that involved really adorable hounds and so much more.
If you are a dog lover, you cannot miss this!
November 3, 2022
📚 Hello Book Friends! YOU LUCKY DOG by Julia London is a cute love story with lots of work and family drama. Carly and Max’s relationship is well developed and believable. The family drama, on the other hand, was over the top and infuriating. Carly’s work drama was frustrating but entertaining at the same time. Max’s relationship with his autistic brother felt true to life and I appreciated this honesty. The ending was sweet and well done. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
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Shelved as 'not-released-tbr'
April 8, 2020
October 26, 2020
ABSOLUTELY ADORED THIS TREAT!!! Who knew I would love fictional dogs so much? And when this whacky dog walker swaps the dogs, our polar opposites hero and heroine meet and cannot stop thinking of each other. They have their differences at first and it's super adorable at how they lean on each other for support. LOVED IT!
August 16, 2021
Super cute couple! There were a couple of side characters in this book that needed their butts kicked, but overall the story was sweet and fun.
April 23, 2022
I randomly bought this book and didn’t have high expectations but it was actually so cute guys I loved it <3
September 2, 2020
You Lucky Dog is exactly the right anecdote to brighten your day and make you smile. This rom com begins when two unlikely opposites get united when their dogs are returned to their wrong owners. Publicist Carly Kennedy can’t seem to get anything going right with her job and her personal life, and she has the wrong dog. To retrieve her basset hound Baxter, she meets neuroscientist Max Sheffington, and she finds herself oddly attracted to him. For Max, Carly was an unexpected breath of fresh air in his academia life and makes playdates for their dogs in order to see her again. But like everything else in life, it hurts when you meet the right person at the wrong time.
Julia London has become such a diverse writer and one of my favorite authors. She’s written historical, western and contemporary romance stories each with likeable and diverse characters and entertaining storylines. You Lucky Dog is no exception and I found myself devouring this story because it was lighthearted fun, highlighted with tender moments. You will fall in love with Carly struggling to make it all work, the dogs Hazel and Baxter who bring these two together, and Max for never letting go.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Julia London has become such a diverse writer and one of my favorite authors. She’s written historical, western and contemporary romance stories each with likeable and diverse characters and entertaining storylines. You Lucky Dog is no exception and I found myself devouring this story because it was lighthearted fun, highlighted with tender moments. You will fall in love with Carly struggling to make it all work, the dogs Hazel and Baxter who bring these two together, and Max for never letting go.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
March 9, 2021Stopped reading at 14%.
Breaking news: Sex and the City stopped airing in early 2004. Most younger millennials were about 8-10 at the time. WE DID NOT WATCH THE SHOW. We do not get with our girlfriends and discuss whether we're "a Carrie" or "a Miranda." (I don't even know what being "a Carrie" entails tbh.)
You know what we DO do? Put shitty memes in the group chat, figure out how to pay our student loan debt, and adopt a cat from a shelter.
Read the room and use appropriate pop culture references.
📌 . Blog | Review Database | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
Breaking news: Sex and the City stopped airing in early 2004. Most younger millennials were about 8-10 at the time. WE DID NOT WATCH THE SHOW. We do not get with our girlfriends and discuss whether we're "a Carrie" or "a Miranda." (I don't even know what being "a Carrie" entails tbh.)
You know what we DO do? Put shitty memes in the group chat, figure out how to pay our student loan debt, and adopt a cat from a shelter.
Read the room and use appropriate pop culture references.
📌 . Blog | Review Database | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
August 14, 2020
THIS REVIEW & MORE → Paws and Paperbacks
ARC provided by Berkley through NetGalley.
2.5 stars ✨
I never thought a book about dogs would disappoint me so greatly. At first glance, You Lucky Dog seems like everything I could ask for in a book: an accidental dog switch leading to a romantic match between their owners? Sign me up. However, between the lukewarm romance and the writing, I was pretty indifferent towards the story.
I am never a fan of long passages of text and exposition, and unfortunately You Lucky Dog was full of them. I can’t tell you how many chapters were dedicated to painstakingly describing every minute of Carly’s day in detail. I don’t care and it lends absolutely nothing to the story. I also wasn’t a fan of Max’s internal dialogue. Max is a neuroscientist, yes, but I found it super pretentious and annoying whenever he would think something like, “the norepinephrine levels were increasing throughout my body at the thought” instead of simply, “the thought was exciting me.”
The book does shine a light on autism awareness which was really appreciated. The author did a great job showing some of the challenges of living with someone/having a family member with autism. Max’s brother, Jamie, plays an important role in this book and it felt honest and realistic.
As a dog lover, I was really looking forward to You Lucky Dog. Who could resist that cover or the synopsis? But when it came down to it, I did not enjoy the writing style and the story itself was mediocre.
ARC provided by Berkley through NetGalley.
2.5 stars ✨
I never thought a book about dogs would disappoint me so greatly. At first glance, You Lucky Dog seems like everything I could ask for in a book: an accidental dog switch leading to a romantic match between their owners? Sign me up. However, between the lukewarm romance and the writing, I was pretty indifferent towards the story.
I am never a fan of long passages of text and exposition, and unfortunately You Lucky Dog was full of them. I can’t tell you how many chapters were dedicated to painstakingly describing every minute of Carly’s day in detail. I don’t care and it lends absolutely nothing to the story. I also wasn’t a fan of Max’s internal dialogue. Max is a neuroscientist, yes, but I found it super pretentious and annoying whenever he would think something like, “the norepinephrine levels were increasing throughout my body at the thought” instead of simply, “the thought was exciting me.”
The book does shine a light on autism awareness which was really appreciated. The author did a great job showing some of the challenges of living with someone/having a family member with autism. Max’s brother, Jamie, plays an important role in this book and it felt honest and realistic.
As a dog lover, I was really looking forward to You Lucky Dog. Who could resist that cover or the synopsis? But when it came down to it, I did not enjoy the writing style and the story itself was mediocre.
August 22, 2020
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book actually started off on a less than stable note and I was not sure if it would work for me. The prose has a strong romantic comedy tone that is rambly and chaotic in a stream of consciousness way. Carly was especially stuck way too deep inside her head; there was too much internal dialogue that came across as rambly for Carly and sciencey for Max. But I'm glad I stuck with the book because the writing improved as I continued reading. A couple of chapters in, the prose becomes less rambly and the focus is narrowed to dialogues and plot development. I can understand why some readers might not be patient with the writing style and if that's the only thing bugging you, my recommendation is to stick with it.
One early reviewer wrote that the romance is insta-love and I beg to differ. This is actually a friends to lovers romance, with a fairly low level of angst. There are sparks of attraction when they first meet, but there is no insta-love. Max and Carly don't exactly get off on the right foot because of the dog mix-up, but they become friends and start meeting up for cute dog dates. Their dynamic is adorable; they're both such cute weirdos lol. Carly and Max snuck up on me and I'm enamored of them. I also really like how the author spent time fleshing out Max's job as a neuroscientist and Carly's job as a publicist. I was very invested in their career paths and I think the author did a great job writing their careers in way that is interesting and brings a lot of depth to their character arcs. Max's part of the story can be a little too sciencey, but it was easy enough for me to actually understand the kind of research he's working on. Carly's part of the story can be frustrating because she does not have the best clients, but you can't help but root for her success. And as for reviewers calling Carly a doormat...again, I beg to differ. I don't see Carly as a doormat; I see her as a person who is desperate to not lose her clients—her only source of income.
My least favourite part about this book is the family drama. I love Max's family, but I had a really hard time liking Carly's family. These two families converged in a really dramatic and predictable way and I was not a fan of the so-called family conflict. It was annoying and not really necessary, to be honest. But everything else was great: the dogs, Max, Carly, their romance, and their individual careers. I'm so glad I stuck with this book because I ended up loving it!
"What, she was going to meet a great guy through a dog mix-up and suddenly find happiness? Only in the movies, girlfriend."I requested this book because hello, a meet cute through a dog mix-up? Sign me up! The hero and heroine share a dog walker and one day, their dogs, both basset hounds, are switched. Carly ends up with Max's hyper dog and Max ends up with Carly's sad dog.
This book actually started off on a less than stable note and I was not sure if it would work for me. The prose has a strong romantic comedy tone that is rambly and chaotic in a stream of consciousness way. Carly was especially stuck way too deep inside her head; there was too much internal dialogue that came across as rambly for Carly and sciencey for Max. But I'm glad I stuck with the book because the writing improved as I continued reading. A couple of chapters in, the prose becomes less rambly and the focus is narrowed to dialogues and plot development. I can understand why some readers might not be patient with the writing style and if that's the only thing bugging you, my recommendation is to stick with it.
One early reviewer wrote that the romance is insta-love and I beg to differ. This is actually a friends to lovers romance, with a fairly low level of angst. There are sparks of attraction when they first meet, but there is no insta-love. Max and Carly don't exactly get off on the right foot because of the dog mix-up, but they become friends and start meeting up for cute dog dates. Their dynamic is adorable; they're both such cute weirdos lol. Carly and Max snuck up on me and I'm enamored of them. I also really like how the author spent time fleshing out Max's job as a neuroscientist and Carly's job as a publicist. I was very invested in their career paths and I think the author did a great job writing their careers in way that is interesting and brings a lot of depth to their character arcs. Max's part of the story can be a little too sciencey, but it was easy enough for me to actually understand the kind of research he's working on. Carly's part of the story can be frustrating because she does not have the best clients, but you can't help but root for her success. And as for reviewers calling Carly a doormat...again, I beg to differ. I don't see Carly as a doormat; I see her as a person who is desperate to not lose her clients—her only source of income.
My least favourite part about this book is the family drama. I love Max's family, but I had a really hard time liking Carly's family. These two families converged in a really dramatic and predictable way and I was not a fan of the so-called family conflict. It was annoying and not really necessary, to be honest. But everything else was great: the dogs, Max, Carly, their romance, and their individual careers. I'm so glad I stuck with this book because I ended up loving it!
April 10, 2022
3.5 rounded up.
This was a fun, dual perspective, closed door romance between Carly, a PR specialist and Max, a tenure track Neuroscientist. The two meet when their dog walker swaps their basset hounds by mistake. Using their dogs as an excuse to meet up, they go on a series of hang outs before finally giving in to their mutual attraction.
Unbeknownst to Max and Carly their parents are also dating, leading to some awkward family dynamics. I really enjoyed these characters and their dysfunctional families. Max's brother is on the autism spectrum and it was nice to see more of that representation in fiction. My only critique was that I would have liked more of an open door romance as opposed to fade to black but the MCs definitely have steamy chemistry. Great on audio narrated by Courtney Patterson.
This was a fun, dual perspective, closed door romance between Carly, a PR specialist and Max, a tenure track Neuroscientist. The two meet when their dog walker swaps their basset hounds by mistake. Using their dogs as an excuse to meet up, they go on a series of hang outs before finally giving in to their mutual attraction.
Unbeknownst to Max and Carly their parents are also dating, leading to some awkward family dynamics. I really enjoyed these characters and their dysfunctional families. Max's brother is on the autism spectrum and it was nice to see more of that representation in fiction. My only critique was that I would have liked more of an open door romance as opposed to fade to black but the MCs definitely have steamy chemistry. Great on audio narrated by Courtney Patterson.
March 12, 2022
I just love a book with dogs and this book had 2!! One very sociable and active basset hound, and another depressed and lovesick one. Add that to an overly ambitious career girl with a horribly dysfunctional family and a shy and dedicated neuroscientist and we have a wonderful book.
We also get the man's POV in addition to the woman's which is always a high point for me. Add to that we have a man who never gets a note wrong. I don't mean that he is arrogant or perfect, I mean that he - unlike many men in romance novels - always seems to do the right thing when it comes to the girl.
Can't wait to read book #2.
We also get the man's POV in addition to the woman's which is always a high point for me. Add to that we have a man who never gets a note wrong. I don't mean that he is arrogant or perfect, I mean that he - unlike many men in romance novels - always seems to do the right thing when it comes to the girl.
Can't wait to read book #2.
September 22, 2021
Adorable opposites attract romance co-starring a pair of BFF basset hounds. A fun reading escape. Looking forward to my next trip to this version of Austin.
March 14, 2022
2.75 stars - It just wasn’t written for me but it had it’s moments.
Definitely for you if you enjoy:
- Opposites attract
- Quirky family drama
- Slow pacing
cw: r slur/abelism
Carly’s life is hectic with work and her family and to top it off, she’s come home to an imposter dog. It looks like hers but her sweet Baxter would never chew up a pillow, let alone be on the couch or be a girl pup. Her life seems to keep throwing her all sorts of bad luck but she’s determined to work towards her goal of moving to New York and find her damn dog.
Max finds a depressed male puppy instead of his happy Hazel and is so confused but when Carly shows up in some fancy costume demanding her dog back, she’s also shocked that some handsome man has been feeding Baxter food that wasn’t mentioned in her dog manual. When it’s clear that Baxter is so much happier being around Hazel, Carly must do what’s right for him. It also doesn’t hurt that Hazel’s owner is nice to look at.
Despite all the weird family things and difficult work moments they have going on, Max and Carly find solace in one another’s presences and differences and what it could all be like falling for one another.
📚
I wanted to like this one a lot but I just didn’t. Carly really wasn’t my favorite character but Max was sweet. Carly just seemed so “girlboss” to me. I wanted to like her but reading her POV made me bored and roll my eyes a bit.
The pacing was So. Slow. It didn’t get good to me until 80% of the way in and that’s just…. it’s honestly just incredible that I finished. I didn’t care for Carly’s work with whiny clients or her awful sister or her parents. Max’s family dynamics were more interesting to me but wowee, how did the author stretch all of their drama out for so long. I really just didn’t care for any of the subplots in this book except maybe Jaime’s (Max’s brother’s) and what the dogs were up to.
I found myself putting this book down so many times and pausing to read because it moved so slow. Wish we got more of their flirting and dating than their whole backstory and families.
Definitely for you if you enjoy:
- Opposites attract
- Quirky family drama
- Slow pacing
cw: r slur/abelism
Carly’s life is hectic with work and her family and to top it off, she’s come home to an imposter dog. It looks like hers but her sweet Baxter would never chew up a pillow, let alone be on the couch or be a girl pup. Her life seems to keep throwing her all sorts of bad luck but she’s determined to work towards her goal of moving to New York and find her damn dog.
Max finds a depressed male puppy instead of his happy Hazel and is so confused but when Carly shows up in some fancy costume demanding her dog back, she’s also shocked that some handsome man has been feeding Baxter food that wasn’t mentioned in her dog manual. When it’s clear that Baxter is so much happier being around Hazel, Carly must do what’s right for him. It also doesn’t hurt that Hazel’s owner is nice to look at.
Despite all the weird family things and difficult work moments they have going on, Max and Carly find solace in one another’s presences and differences and what it could all be like falling for one another.
📚
I wanted to like this one a lot but I just didn’t. Carly really wasn’t my favorite character but Max was sweet. Carly just seemed so “girlboss” to me. I wanted to like her but reading her POV made me bored and roll my eyes a bit.
The pacing was So. Slow. It didn’t get good to me until 80% of the way in and that’s just…. it’s honestly just incredible that I finished. I didn’t care for Carly’s work with whiny clients or her awful sister or her parents. Max’s family dynamics were more interesting to me but wowee, how did the author stretch all of their drama out for so long. I really just didn’t care for any of the subplots in this book except maybe Jaime’s (Max’s brother’s) and what the dogs were up to.
I found myself putting this book down so many times and pausing to read because it moved so slow. Wish we got more of their flirting and dating than their whole backstory and families.
Read
January 12, 2022My real question is: how is this going to be a series? Don't answer that. Yes I know it's obvious.
If you like reading romantic comedies, you might like this. This one leaned very hard on the premise in the first half of a female lead so debilitated by stress in her life that she literally couldn't think straight, was wildly oblivious to everything around her, terminally (but always unintentionally) rude, and regardless of the motivational podcast she listens to endlessly (which makes so many references to putting on your Big Girl Panties, fellow readers I know it's a joke but I have so many feelings on this) genuinely terrible at her job and building boundaries. Love mysteriously makes her better at everything, including calming the f*** down. So, you know, cue Beatles music. The male lead on the other hand just... relies on being a hot neuroscience professor up for tenure. LIKE ONE DOES.
I think it's pretty clear that the basset hounds carry the plot along and just take their humans for a ride.
If you don't like reading romantic comedies, or this is your first one, just back away slowly. I don't think you're ready for this. I certainly wasn't.
If you like reading romantic comedies, you might like this. This one leaned very hard on the premise in the first half of a female lead so debilitated by stress in her life that she literally couldn't think straight, was wildly oblivious to everything around her, terminally (but always unintentionally) rude, and regardless of the motivational podcast she listens to endlessly (which makes so many references to putting on your Big Girl Panties, fellow readers I know it's a joke but I have so many feelings on this) genuinely terrible at her job and building boundaries. Love mysteriously makes her better at everything, including calming the f*** down. So, you know, cue Beatles music. The male lead on the other hand just... relies on being a hot neuroscience professor up for tenure. LIKE ONE DOES.
I think it's pretty clear that the basset hounds carry the plot along and just take their humans for a ride.
If you don't like reading romantic comedies, or this is your first one, just back away slowly. I don't think you're ready for this. I certainly wasn't.
September 25, 2020
This was fun and quirky and sweet and absolutely bonkers in so many ways!! Loved Carly, although she’s clearly lost and trying to figure out what to do with herself. Max is nerdy and adorable and way to lenient with his dog. Overall, they are wonderful, although their families are way too much (other than Jamie, who is the best).
September 7, 2020
Reviewed for
Wit and Sin
A dog mix-up and a love-struck basset hound are the perfect start to a fun romantic comedy. The love story between depressed basset hound Baxter and the cheerful basset hound Hazel charmed the heck out of me and kept You Lucky Dog sprightly when the main storyline threatened to drag it down. The romance between the humans took far longer to work its charm on me.
Carly Kennedy’s life is one disaster after another. She’s struggling with starting her own PR business and her impossible clients aren’t helping any. Then there’s her family, with her overwhelmed sister who comes with a chaotic household and her recently divorced parents who are into finding their bliss and selling timeshares. And that’s all before the rent hike and the accidental dog swap courtesy of her (now fired) dog walker. Finding the cheerful, throw pillow-eating Hazel in place of Baxter is the last straw. She’s able to track down her dog at Max Sheffington’s house and sparks fly instantly…between the humans, that is. Max is a neuroscientist and trying to make his case for tenure at the university is the most important thing at the moment. He hopes the additional funding for his research will lead to help for people like his brother, who is severely autistic. The last thing he needs right now is a complication in the form of whirlwind Carly, but Max can’t help but find himself charmed. When it’s clear they need to keep seeing each other – for the dogs’ sakes, of course – the pull between them becomes stronger. But Carly has plans that don’t include staying in Texas, so things would be doomed between them from the start…right?
I liked Max from the start. He’s cute, nerdy, and has a good heart – all of those make him an irresistible hero to me. Carly is overwhelmed and a bit too much for me at the start. I could feel her stress and author Julia London made it understandable why she was so short with Max. However, there was so much chaos and so much bogging Carly down that it took until the halfway point for me to start seeing the character beneath the stress. At that point You Lucky Dog improved, becoming a more interesting romance. It never blew me away, but it was solid and I was rooting for Max and Carly to get their happily ever after by the end.
A host of supporting characters both add and detract from the story. I loved Max’s father and brother and welcomed any scenes with his family. As for the boatload of high maintenance family and clients Carly came with… I think there were too many over the top voices that dragged the story down. It was like being in a room with everyone shouting when these characters appeared and it was just too much. Sure, it made Carly more sympathetic when everyone was unlikeable. But it also made me put down the book a number of times for a break. So while You Lucky Dog ended up being just an OK read for me, I will say that readers with more patience for over the top characters might enjoy this book a lot more than I did.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A dog mix-up and a love-struck basset hound are the perfect start to a fun romantic comedy. The love story between depressed basset hound Baxter and the cheerful basset hound Hazel charmed the heck out of me and kept You Lucky Dog sprightly when the main storyline threatened to drag it down. The romance between the humans took far longer to work its charm on me.
Carly Kennedy’s life is one disaster after another. She’s struggling with starting her own PR business and her impossible clients aren’t helping any. Then there’s her family, with her overwhelmed sister who comes with a chaotic household and her recently divorced parents who are into finding their bliss and selling timeshares. And that’s all before the rent hike and the accidental dog swap courtesy of her (now fired) dog walker. Finding the cheerful, throw pillow-eating Hazel in place of Baxter is the last straw. She’s able to track down her dog at Max Sheffington’s house and sparks fly instantly…between the humans, that is. Max is a neuroscientist and trying to make his case for tenure at the university is the most important thing at the moment. He hopes the additional funding for his research will lead to help for people like his brother, who is severely autistic. The last thing he needs right now is a complication in the form of whirlwind Carly, but Max can’t help but find himself charmed. When it’s clear they need to keep seeing each other – for the dogs’ sakes, of course – the pull between them becomes stronger. But Carly has plans that don’t include staying in Texas, so things would be doomed between them from the start…right?
I liked Max from the start. He’s cute, nerdy, and has a good heart – all of those make him an irresistible hero to me. Carly is overwhelmed and a bit too much for me at the start. I could feel her stress and author Julia London made it understandable why she was so short with Max. However, there was so much chaos and so much bogging Carly down that it took until the halfway point for me to start seeing the character beneath the stress. At that point You Lucky Dog improved, becoming a more interesting romance. It never blew me away, but it was solid and I was rooting for Max and Carly to get their happily ever after by the end.
A host of supporting characters both add and detract from the story. I loved Max’s father and brother and welcomed any scenes with his family. As for the boatload of high maintenance family and clients Carly came with… I think there were too many over the top voices that dragged the story down. It was like being in a room with everyone shouting when these characters appeared and it was just too much. Sure, it made Carly more sympathetic when everyone was unlikeable. But it also made me put down the book a number of times for a break. So while You Lucky Dog ended up being just an OK read for me, I will say that readers with more patience for over the top characters might enjoy this book a lot more than I did.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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