Today is my turn to share my Feature Post and Book Review for CHAOS ON THEISLAND (DI Liam O’Reilly Mysteries Book #9) by Stewart Giles on this Books ‘n’ All Promotions Blog Tour.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb
If there’s one thing Detective Liam O’Reilly hates, it’s bombs.
The Irishman transferred to the peaceful island of Guernsey to escape that kind of thing.
So, when random explosions start taking the people on the island by surprise, O’Reilly wonders if moving to Guernsey was such a good idea.
It soon becomes clear that the bombs are a smokescreen for something else. Something more sinister is going on, and when a gang of masked men enter the equation, O’Reilly realises this has nothing to do with blowing things up.
A team of armed men, dubbed the Fab Four Robbers by the press, soon capture the hearts of the people of Guernsey, and chaos hits the island.
O’Reilly is facing the worst dilemma of his career.
Many residents of the island are championing these thugs.
This new breed of criminals disguised as John, Paul, George and Ringo are about to educate O’Reilly in the fine art of chaos.
CHAOS ON THE ISLAND (DI Liam O’Reilly Mysteries Book #9) by Stewart Giles is another engaging mystery/police procedural featuring DI Liam O’Reilly and his team on the island of Guernsey. This is the ninth book in the series and while the characters’ relationships continue to grow, each crime plot is unique and is solved by the end of the book so they can be read as standalones.
April Fool’s Day is not a good day for police, and it is an especially bad day for DI Liam O’Reilly as a bomb explodes on Guernsey island. Liam hates bombs. As everyone is busy at the site of the blast, four men in Beatles masks rob a high-end jewelry store. The island paper nicknames them “The Fab Four” as they continue to cause chaos on the island. At first there are no casualties, but that soon changes with Liam and his team no closer to uncovering who they are and understanding what their motive might be.
Liam knows there must be a motive for the Fab Four’s crimes, but it will take his and his team’s usual dogged determination and out of the box investigative skills to stop the chaos on the island.
Once again, Mr. Giles has led me on an exciting chase with DI Liam O’Reilly. I love this protagonist and series. Not only is the crime mystery captivating, but there are also many changes going on in Liam’s personal life in this book. I always look forward to catching up with Liam, his daughter, and the members of his detective squad. The Fab Four disguises were an entertaining way to bring song references and debates about who you liked best of the four into the story even though these four were killers. I was guessing and surprised right up to the end in this fast crime read that I could not put down.
I highly recommend this crime mystery addition to the DI Liam O’Reilly series!
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Author Bio
After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.
In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.
3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC Harriet Taylor: Cornwall series.
The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well.
I continued to self-publish the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing results. I therefore made the decision to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor series which was published in July 2018.
After The Backpacker I had an idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brought together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor.
The Miranda trilogy is something totally different. A psychological thriller trilogy. It is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before.
The Detective Jason Smith series continues to grow. I also have another series featuring an Irish detective who relocated to Guernsey. The first 8 books in the Detective Liam O’Reilly series are now available. There are also 3 stand alone novels.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE ACCIDENTALSPY by David Gardner on this Partners In Crime Book Tour.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Description
Harvey Hudson is an emotionally scarred, fifty-six-year-old history professor who has lost his job, his wife and his self-respect. In desperation, Harvey takes a high-tech job for which he is totally unqualified.
So he outsources it to India.
Then Harvey discovers that a Russian intelligence agency owns the outsourcing company and are using him to launch a cyberattack on the U.S. petroleum industry.
Harvey now finds himself in a world of trouble with the Russians and the FBI, and he has fallen in love with the woman from New Delhi who’s doing the job he’s outsourced—who might be a Russian agent.
Genre: Humorous Thriller with Literary Pretensions Published by: Encircle Publications, LLC Publication Date: November 2, 2022 Number of Pages: 274 ISBN: 9781645994206
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My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
THE ACCIDENTAL SPY by David Gardner is a satire of a spy thriller novel with a bumbling college professor who loses his job, marriage and life savings and yet manages to outwit Russian spies, foil their plot and win the girl. This standalone is a humorous story with moments of suspense, moments of heroism and moments of “Really?”.
Harvey Hudson is a fifty-six-year-old man who begins this story down and out with little self-esteem left after the college he taught at closes and his wife divorces him after running through his life savings. He is left with a pity job from an old high school flame as a technical writer by day and a pizza delivery man by night. When he “outsources” his day job on the sly to India, he meets Amaya. But there is more to this chance pairing then meets the eye and Harvey is about to learn more than he ever wanted to about Russian spies, FBI handlers and international espionage.
Harvey is an anti-hero you come to care for over the course of this life-changing adventure. The plot is unique and while it only occasionally feels fast paced with action and suspense, this is more Harvey’s story of transition and triumph over his past even with all the crazy espionage antics. I was sucked into Harvey’s story and pleasantly surprised at the unique twists, his wry wit and my hope for his ultimate triumph all along the way.
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Excerpt
Accidental Spy: “Some poor jerk dragged into a world of trouble.”
Harvey Hudson
Chapter 1: Bunny Ears
Summer, 2019
Harvey Hudson released the steering wheel and swatted at the blue balloon (“Congrats! You Did It!”) that was banging against the back of his head.
What was the ‘It’ for? Someone earned a law degree? Pulled off a bank heist? Successfully underwent potty training? All three?
One day before turning fifty-six, and here he was, delivering balloons. How had he let this happen to him?
He chewed on the last of the Skittles he’d swiped from a bulky candy basket attached to a red balloon shaped like a birthday cake. Too many sweets for some spoiled kid. He was doing the pudgy brat a favor. The Snickers bar was tempting. Maybe later.
Harvey reached across the front seat, grabbed a handful of candy bars from the Skittle-less basket ($149), and dropped them into its modest neighbor ($39). He often shifted candy from larger baskets to lesser ones. He thought of himself as the Robin Hood of balloon-delivery individuals.
He’d had just $87 in the bank a few weeks ago when he’d shambled past a help-wanted sign in the front window of the Rapid Rabbit Balloon Service. He paused and reread the sign. “Part-time Delivery Person Needed. Become a Rapid Rabbit!” Yeah, what the hell. He hurried inside before he came to his senses. He would have taken any gig—balloon-delivery specialist, male stripper, or get-away driver for a grizzled bank robber.
With his part-time job delivering balloons and his full-time work as a beginning technical writer, Harvey could just stay afloat. His ex-wife had cleaned him out.
He double-parked on a smart street of brick-front homes on Boston’s Beacon Hill. Hesitating, he clamped the hated bunny ears over his head and attached the spongy red nose. Sighing, he grabbed the $149 basket and, head down, ambled up the walkway and rang the bell. The balloon bobbed overhead, taunting him.
The woman who opened the door was a slim and pretty brunette in her fifties. She had a narrow face and large, dark eyes.
She was his boss at his day job.
Also his high school sweetheart.
Harvey wanted to disappear into the ground.
Margo took a step back. “Oh.”
Harvey pulled off the bulbous red nose and stuffed it into his shirt pocket. “Uh…this is where you live?”
Margo shook her head. “I’m here with my daughter for a birthday party.”
Harvey shifted from one foot to the other. “I’m…um…delivering balloons just for tonight to help out a buddy who had two wisdom teeth pulled this morning, a professor who lost his job the same time I did.”
Margo blinked twice.
“A sociologist,” Harvey added.
Margo gripped the edge of the door.
“Named Fred,” Harvey said.
Margo nodded.
“The guy took the job in desperation because he’s broke, recently divorced, and down on his luck,” Harvey said and realized he was describing himself.
He handed the basket to Margo.
Did she believe him? Probably not. Did the company have a rule against moonlighting? He’d soon find out.
Margo poked around inside the basket. “There’s too much candy in here.”
“At least there aren’t any Skittles.”
Margo selected a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. “I’ve moved tomorrow’s team meeting up to 10:00 A.M. Did you get my email?”
Harvey nodded.
Was that her way of telling him that moonlighters don’t get fired? He hoped so. He was pathetically unqualified as a technical writer, and his job was in jeopardy.
Harvey hated meetings. Sometimes he thought the software engineers asked him questions he couldn’t answer just to see him squirm. Many were kids in their twenties, making double his salary.
And he hated lying to Margo. At least he could be honest about one small thing. “Actually, this is my night gig. I’ve had it for a few weeks.”
Margo unwrapped the Reese’s, nipped off a corner, chewed and said, “Is that why I caught you asleep at your desk yesterday?”
No, it’s because the job is so goddamn boring. He shook his head. “I wasn’t sleeping. I have the habit of relaxing and closing my eyes whenever I’m searching for the perfect way to convey a particularly difficult concept to our worthy customers.”
“And snoring?”
Margo was smiling now. That same cute smile from high school. He remembered it from the time they’d sneaked a first kiss in the back row of calculus class. The girl he’d loved and lost.
She set the basket down and pulled a twenty from the side pocket of her slacks. “Um…would you…uh…accept a tip?”
“No.”
She shoved the bill into his shirt pocket. “Yes, you will.”
Harvey shifted his weight to his left foot. A liar doesn’t deserve a $20 tip. At most, a few dimes and nickels, couch-cushion change.
Margo finished the peanut butter cup in silence.
He didn’t quite know what to say now.
Yes, he did know. He should tell her the truth.
He’d outsourced his job to India.
Was that illegal? Probably not. But highly unethical. Would she protect him after he’d confessed? Unlikely, which meant he would lose his job. But living a lie was exhausting and just plain wrong. She’d hired him and trusted him. She deserved better. He cleared his throat, once, twice, a third time. “Margo, there’s something I have to tell you. It seems I—“
“Is that the balloon guy?” a young woman called from inside the house.
“That’s my daughter,” Margo said and picked up the basket. A blue balloon bobbed on a string attached to the handle. “I’ll be right back.”
Harvey stood at the open door, trying to think of some way to soften his upcoming confession. Or maybe just blurt it out and get it over with?
“Happy birthday, Dad!”
The daughter’s voice again from inside.
“Candy and a kid’s balloon again this year! Are you trying to tell me something?”
The daughter laughed.
Harvey recognized the man’s voice.
Tucker Aldrich was the CEO of the company where Harvey worked. He was also Margo’s ex-husband and a first-class dickhead.
So, it meant the balloon and candy basket were for Tucker and not some child. Harvey was sorry he’d passed on the Snickers bar.
The hell with telling the truth.
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Author Bio
David Gardner grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, served in Army Special Forces and earned a Ph.D. in French from the University of Wisconsin. He has taught college and worked as a reporter and in the computer industry.
He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Nancy, also a writer. He hikes, bikes, messes with astrophotography and plays the keyboard with no discernible talent whatsoever.
Set in the City of Light and starring Julia Child’s (fictional) best friend, confidant, and fellow American, this Magnifique new historical mystery series from the acclaimed author of Murder at Mallowan Hall combines a fresh perspective on the iconic chef’s years in post-WWII Paris with a delicious mystery and a unique culinary twist. Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Marie Benedict, and of course, Julia Child alike!
As Paris rediscovers its joie de vivre, Tabitha Knight, who recently arrived from Detroit for an extended stay with her French grandfather, is on her own journey of discovery. Paris isn’t just the City of Light; it’s the city of history, romance, stunning architecture . . . and food. Thanks to her neighbour and friend Julia Child, another ex-pat who’s fallen head over heels for Paris, Tabitha is learning how to cook for her Grandpère and Oncle Rafe.
Between tutoring Americans in French, visiting the market, and eagerly sampling the results of Julia’s studies at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, Tabitha’s sojourn is proving thoroughly delightful. That is, until the cold December day they return to Julia’s building and learn that a body has been found in the cellar. Tabitha recognizes the victim as a woman she’d met only the night before, at a party given by Julia’s sister, Dort. The murder weapon found nearby is recognizable too—a knife from Julia’s kitchen.
Tabitha is eager to help the investigation but is shocked when Inspector Merveille reveals that a note, in Tabitha’s handwriting, was found in the dead woman’s pocket. Is this murder a case of international intrigue, or something far more personal? From the shadows of the Tour Eiffel at midnight to the tiny third-floor Child kitchen to the grungy streets of Montmartre, Tabitha navigates through the city hoping to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison . . . or worse.
MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH MURDER (An American in Paris Book #1) by Colleen Cambridge is the entertaining first book in this new historical mystery series set in Paris post WWII featuring a young American transplant in Paris who is the best friend of Julia Child. After reading and loving Ms. Cambridge’s historical mystery series set at Mallowan Hall with Agatha Christie as the best friend of the protagonist, I was excited to try this new protagonist and series.
Tabitha Knight grew up in Detroit, but her Grandmere was French and Tabitha grew up bilingual. With the passing of her Grandmere, she travels to post WWII Paris to stay with her Grandpere and Oncle Rafe. She is tutoring French to Americans in Paris after the war and has become friends with Julia Child. When returning from the market, Tabitha and Julia learn of a murdered girl in the cellar of Julia’s apartment building. Tabitha recognizes the victim from a party the night before and the murder weapon discovered by Inspector Merveille is one of Julia’s expensive chef knives from her kitchen.
The suspects are all from the English-speaking theater troupe Julia’s sister, Dort works for that were at the late-night party, Tabitha is determined to clear her friend’s names even with the Inspector telling her to stay out of the investigation. With some aide from her Grandpere and Oncle, Tabitha hopes to find the real killer before any of her friends are jailed or even worse.
This is an exciting amateur sleuth mystery set in an interesting time and location. Tabitha is a resourceful and brave protagonist, who also gets herself into a few dangerous situations due to her excessive curiosity. The friendship with Julia Child is a perfect setup for fun dialogue as Julia tries to teach Tabitha how to cook and shop at the local market so she can prepare dinners for her Grandpere and Oncle. I look forward to discovering more about these gentlemen, because there is definitely more than what has been yet revealed about their lives prior to Tabitha coming to live with them. The plot has plenty of red herrings and twists that kept me reading through all of Tabitha’s adventures and discoveries, but it does start out a bit slow. All plot threads come together and are satisfactorily revealed at the conclusion. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series and learning more about all these characters.
I recommend this historical mystery with memorable characters and 1950’s Paris.
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About the Author
Colleen Cambridge is the pen name for an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. From a young age, Colleen has loved reading mysteries and now she couldn’t be happier that she is able to write them.
Under several pseudonyms, she has written more than 36 books in a variety of genres and is always plotting her next murder—er, book.
A TRACE OF POISON (A Phyllida Bright Mystery Book #2) by Colleen Cambridge is the second entertaining cozy mystery featuring Phyllida Bright, housekeeper and best friend to Agatha Christie at Mallowan Hall. While Agatha may write clever mysteries, Phyllida solves real life murders.
For the benefit of a local orphanage, the Village of Listleigh is sponsoring Murder Fete. Agatha invites the Detection Club which consists of other famous mystery authors to give lectures, sign and sell their books, meet with their fans, and judge an amateur mystery writing contest over a weekend. The Fete is giving a grand prize of not just a local, but an international writing contract.
The first evening’s cocktail party is going well until Father Tooley, the parish priest set to tabulate the scores for the contest, falls dead. Phyllida immediately begins to collect clues, but every person at the party is an expert in murder and how to get away with it.
I enjoyed this second book even more than the first. I felt a stronger connection to the characters in this mystery as they are becoming more fully fleshed and I have become more invested. I really liked the back and forth between Phyllida and Bradford. Bradford still has a mysterious past, but you get the impression there is much more to him than has yet been revealed and I am looking forward to discovering it in future books. The plot was well paced, had many red herrings, surprises, and a climactic twist that led to Phyllida being able to give an old-fashioned denouement.
I love Phyllida and cannot wait for more cozy mysteries with the cast of characters at Mallowan Hall.
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Author Bio
Colleen Cambridge is the pen name of an award-winning USA Today and New York Times bestselling author.
Under several pseudonyms, she has written more than 36 books in a variety of genres and is always plotting her next murder—er, book.
HIGH IMPACT (High Mountain Trackers Book #4) by Freya Barker is another exciting romantic suspense in the High Mountain Tracker series. This is Lucy and Bo’s story that faithful readers of the series have been waiting for. This book can be read as a standalone, but the characters are all evolving in their relationships throughout the series.
Bo Rivera has been a member of the High Mountain Trackers since his discharge from the service. Unlike the other members of the team, Bo lives in town so that he can keep an eye on his elderly and feisty mother. Bo is a flirt with all the ladies, but he is really interested in Lucy, the prickly assistant to his boss’s wife at the animal rescue down the road. But he feels she is too young, so he keeps his distance. When he discovers her age and realizes she just looks young, he is ready to change their status.
Lucy Lenoir finds more comfort and trust with animals than humans. She has never let anyone know about her true background even her best friend and boss. She is independent and sometimes wishes for the type of relationships she sees happening around her, but she is also afraid to jeopardize anyone else’s safety. After Lucy rescued some abused goats, strange incidents have been happening at the rescue and she begins to feel she is being watched and set up for the murder of the goats’ abusive owner. Bo believes in her innocence and is determined to protect her even as she fights his attention.
Lucy slowly begins to allow Bo into her life and when she tells him about her past, he feels even more protective. But Lucy’s past is closer than anyone knows, and it may destroy her future.
I have been looking forward to this pair coming together after the brief glimpses of their attraction in previous books. Even though I knew Lucy’s past was bad, it was much worse than I expected and broke my heart. Bo had secrets of his own which could have broken up this pair even before they started, but Lucy understood about not being believed. Lucy and Bo’s romance proceeded at a believable pace with honest discussion of triggers during sex scenes. It is great to catch up with the crossover characters from the previous books, also. The suspense plot continues to ramp up the tension at an ever-increasing rate until the climactic confrontation and rescue. This story has everything I was hoping for and more.
I highly recommend this romantic suspense and the entire High Mountain Trackers series!
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Author Bio
USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; she creates characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills in their lives.
Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for PETS OF PARK AVENUE (Paws in the City Book #2) by Stefanie London on this HTP Books Fall 2022 Women’s Fiction Blog Tour.
Below you will find an author Q&A, a book summary, my book review, an excerpt from the book and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Author Q&A
How do you come up with your themes?
I’m not sure that I consciously determine themes for my stories, but more that they tend to emerge as I’m writing the first draft. I’m an intuitive writer, which means the only way for me to really get to know the characters and the plot is to put my fingers on the keyboard and let the story flow. This means I don’t always know exactly how a story is going to turn out until it’s done, and I usually have an “aha!” moment about 75% through where I finally understand the core elements of the book. Then the rounds of revisions are often dedicated to make those themes and elements shine as much as possible.
What is the attraction to writing/reading about women’s friendships?
I’m blessed to have many amazing women in my own life, and I think female relationships of all kinds are super important. It saddened me for a long time to see women get pitted against one another in television and movies, and I’ve always wanted to write the kind of books that lift women up rather than tear them down. It’s not to say every woman I write is sunshine and roses, though! But I strongly believe in showing female relationships as honest, complex, and supportive. One of the best things about writing the Paws in the City series is all the different female friendships and sister relationships… after writing the adorable animal side characters, of course!
Which comes first: characters or plot?
It depends on the project. Sometimes I have an idea for a story concept that pops into my head and then I think about the characters who might end up in that situation. This was the case for The Dachshund Wears Prada, where I had the idea for a woman who ends up being an assistant to a very pampered pooch, and then Theo and Isla came to me later.
But sometimes the characters come first, especially for later books in a series where I’ve “met” the characters in an earlier book but don’t always know what their story is yet. Those characters tend to become very real in my head and then I need to think about a story that would suit their personality and the kind of development arc I would like them to have.
Have you ever been writing a novel and realized the theme is very much like something you’ve experienced?
I write from the heart, so on some level I think all my books have a theming element that is close to some emotion or experience I’ve had myself. When it comes to writing fiction, I try to make those elements bigger and more interesting than real life, but at the core I have experienced a lot of the same doubts, fears and insecurities as all my characters.
For example, I’ve written about characters who’ve struggled for acceptance (whether internal or external), characters who’ve felt lonely or who’ve moved away from their families, who’ve been afraid to bet on themselves or to take risks. I’ve written about grief, about being a plus size woman, about the pressures of having a creative career, about learning to find your voice in the world… these are all things close to my heart and my own experience.
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Book Summary
The perfect romcom for dog lovers! Pets of Park Avenue is the story of a self-confessed hot mess who learns that life is more fun when things don’t go according to plan.
What do you do when The One is also the one who broke your heart?
Self-proclaimed hot mess Scout Myers is determined to prove she’s finally got her act together. Raised by grandparents who saw her as her wayward mother’s wayward daughter, Scout’s used to being written off. So when the opportunity for a promotion arises at Paws in the City, the talent agency where she works, Scout is desperate to rise to the occasion. With shared custody of her little sister also on the line, Scout can’t afford a single mistake…like suddenly needing a canine stand-in for an important photoshoot. Luckily (or not) she knows the owner of the perfect pup replacement: the estranged husband she walked out on years ago.
On the surface, it appears Lane Halliday’s life has been blissfully drama free without Scout, but she suspects her handsome-as-ever not-quite-ex-husband doth protest too much. Working together even feels like old times—except for all that lingering, unresolved tension. But Scout’s not sure she’s ready to confront the reasons she left Lane, and when their plans to finalize the divorce become very real, Scout starts to wonder whether second chances might be worth a little hot mess.
PETS OF PARK AVENUE (Paws in the City Book #2) by Stefanie London is a heartwarming second chance romance/women’s fiction. This second book in the Paws in the City series starts where The DachshundWears Prada left off with the focus this time on Scout and her self-proclaimed hot mess life. The second chance romance in this book can be read as a standalone, but all the connections between characters and pets is more enjoyable if you read book #1 first.
Scout Myers is making the most of her chance to help her best friend, Isla, make Paws in the City a success. She and her baby sister were taken in by her grandparents, but her grandparents saw her as wayward as her mother had been and kicked her out to protect her sister. It has been a five-year separation with only monthly visitation, but she is determined to prove she is mature enough to have her sister move in with her now that her grandparents are moving to California.
At a pet photo shot Scout oversees one of Paws in the City’s stars, but when the dogs go wild, Scout is left in need of a temporary replacement for another engagement. She knows just where she can find an identical Bichon Frise. It happens to live with her not quite ex-husband, Lane Halliday.
Can the truth and forgiveness be the keys to a possible second chance with the person you could never forget?
I loved this second Paws in the City romance as much as the first. I at first found Scout to be the hot mess she believed herself to be, but the more you learn about her background and treatment from her mother and grandparents, it is amazing that she is as caring and loving as she is. The mistakes made when they first married were believable for the young couple and it was wonderful to see them come back together with a more mature and open understanding. Ms. London’s writing is funny, heartfelt, and emotional in all the right places. All the pets in the series are adorable and I love them, too.
I highly recommend this second chance romance, both Paws in the City books to date and I am looking forward to the next book in the series!
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Excerpt
Scout Myers could think of several good reasons to be on all fours with her ass in the air, but pandering to the world’s most disagreeable cat was not one of them. Isaac Mewton—and yes, that was his real name—was a Scottish fold with the sweetest face you’d ever see. Unfortunately, despite the adorable camera-ready mug, the cat had the same disposition as those grumpy old Muppets who liked to sit on a balcony and heckle people for sport.
And Scout loved animals. One of the best things about her job at Paws in the City, New York’s premiere pet social media and talent agency, was getting to be around furry critters all day long.
Isaac Mewton, however, was officially on her shit list.
“I can see something shiny back there.” His owner pointed. “We can’t carry on without his favorite toy. He won’t sit still.”
Scout gritted her teeth and wedged her hand between the wall and a white IKEA bookcase. Cringing, she prayed none of New York’s finest creepy crawlies were hiding back there and wriggled her fingers.
“Come on,” she muttered. “Where are you?”
Eventually her fingertips brushed something hard and plastic. That had to be it. How the cat had managed to bat his toy so hard it lodged itself into such a small space was incomprehensible. Almost as incomprehensible as this client’s expectations. Seriously, how were they supposed to turn her precious kitty into a star if it wouldn’t even sit still for a headshot?
“Got it!” Her hand—and the toy—popped mercifully free.
“Great, now can we get on with it?” The client looked at Scout like this was all her fault. “I have an appointment to get to.”
Paws in the City wasn’t only Scout’s workplace; it was the brainchild of her best friend and the lifeline Scout had needed when her life couldn’t sink any lower. She came into work every day striving to do the best job possible, both for herself and her boss.
That meant pasting on a can-do smile, even when she wanted to launch a cat toy at someone’s head.
“Why don’t you get him to play with it?” Scout said, handing over the hard plastic ring, which was clear and suspended with glitter. “He might be more receptive if it comes from you.”
The woman crouched in front of the cat and attempted to engage him with the toy. But he immediately batted it across the room, where it slammed into the wall and bounced onto the floor.
The photographer, who had shown a level of patience that should make her a shoo-in for sainthood, raised an eyebrow. This was going nowhere. Isaac Mewton sat on a velvet pouf with an artfully arranged bookshelf behind him that Scout and the photographer had prepared for his portrait, staring down everyone in the room like an angry king.
It was time to try something new. Scout retrieved a feather toy from their stash in the office. She needed to get these photos done now. Isla was due back in less than five minutes and they hadn’t gotten a single decent shot of the cat.
Let’s be real, what client would want to work with such a demanding, fussy model anyway?
Still, Scout didn’t want it to look like she didn’t have things under control.
“He doesn’t like those.” The cat’s owner shook her head and pointed at the feather toy. “It won’t work.”
“Well, we’ve tried all the toys you brought with you, so maybe a Hail Mary is exactly what we need,” Scout replied tightly, her smile turning brittle. Lord give her strength to deal with this woman! The cat was a pain, sure, but animals were animals. They couldn’t be blamed for their behavior. Their human counterparts on the other hand…
Click!
Isaac Mewton had gone still, his eyes on the new toy, and the photographer seized the moment to start snapping. Scout moved the feather in gentle sweeping motions, and the cat’s eyes followed with intense focus. He raised one paw and batted at it, ignoring the steady click, click, click of the camera.
So much for him not liking it.
Scout shoved the snarky inner comment to one side and focused on getting the cat to engage so they could wrap up the meeting as quickly as possible. Next to her, the owner huffed in annoyance as though she couldn’t believe her darling Isaac had proven her wrong.
When they were done and the woman and her cat had left the Paws in the City office, Scout’s shoulders sagged in relief. She was a people—and an animal—person at heart, but she had a pet peeve, no pun intended, about entitlement. Call it a leftover from her childhood. Her mother’s legacy was little more than a collection of emotional scars and personal quirks, but she had taught Scout one very important lesson.
Nobody owed her anything. Whatever she wanted in life, she would have to earn it.
“Are all your clients like that?” the photographer asked as she packed up her equipment. “The woman seemed to think her cat was royalty.”
Scout shook her head. “Most clients are lovely and happy to have our assistance. But there’s always the rare few who think they’re superstar material, without being willing to put in the work.”
“How long have you been open now? Only a few months, right?”
“Six months.” Scout couldn’t help her beaming smile. It might not be her business, but she was damn proud to be part of it. “And we’ve already signed over twenty clients.”
“Including Miss Pain in the Rear and her angry feline overlord?”
“We’ve had several requests for cats lately, and he was by far the cutest we’ve seen.” Scout sighed. “Let’s hope he’s in a better mood when it comes time to front up for a paying job.”
Paws in the City represented clients with four (and six) legs. They provided social media coaching to the humans running the accounts, worked on brand strategy and generally acted as a go-between in brokering sponsorship deals and other types of opportunities. They also booked animal talent for commercial shoots, both of the print and television variety. Every day was different. Scout managed the operational parts of the
job, like booking appointments, supervising headshots, fielding media enquiries and consulting with the freelancers, such as photographers and grooming specialists. Plus any other random bits and bobs, like making sure they hadn’t run out of dog treats or pods for their coffee machine.
Isla always said their mission was to make the internet a happier, furrier place, and Scout loved that sentiment.
A few minutes after Scout bid the photographer farewell, the front door swung open. Though cute, their office wasn’t much bigger than a postage stamp, so Scout’s desk was situated in the waiting area and therefore doubled as their reception desk.
Isla breezed in, a wool coat slung over one arm and her long dark hair bouncing around her shoulders in soft curls. She was dressed in a pale blue blouse, fitted black pants and a killer pair of silver stilettos—a much fancier outfit than what she usually wore in the office. Black, though it was one of Scout’s favorite colors, was not the best when working with their furry clients.
But Isla had been at an important networking event today, so there was no need to worry about dog fur.
“Those shoes,” Scout gasped. “Wow!”
“They’re gorgeous, but they’ve been killing me all day.” She dropped onto one of the pink velvet seats lining the far wall and kicked off the shoes, groaning in relief.
“That’s a rookie move,” Scout replied. “Now your feet are going to puff up and you won’t be able to get them back on.”
“I don’t care if I have to meet Theo barefoot tonight, there’s no way I was keeping them on a second longer than necessary.”
“Hmm, barefoot to a white-tablecloth restaurant. Classy.”
Isla grinned. “Theo loves me as I am, blisters and all.”
It was true. Scout wasn’t sure she’d ever seen a man so in love.
Not even on your own wedding day?
Scout shoved the unpleasant reminder to one side. The last thing she needed right now was for her mood to take a dive, thinking about inconvenient things like the fact that she was still married.
Or that she hadn’t seen her husband in five years.
***
Author Bio
Stefanie London is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books have been called “genuinely entertaining and memorable” by Booklist, and her writing praised as “elegant, descriptive and delectable” by RT Magazine.
Originally from Australia, she now lives in Toronto with her very own hero and is doing her best to travel the world. She frequently indulges her passions for lipstick, good coffee, books and anything zombie related.
