RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
IT HAPPENED AT THE PARK by Ryan Jo Summers is a contemporary romance that gives all your emotions a workout. The workaholic heroine inherits her deceased sister’s dogs. The hero prefers his dog and laidback lifestyle over women at this point in his life for a good reason. Adorable dogs, grief, secrets and a witty love story all come together in this realistic romance.
Cassidy Grant is always the consummate professional. A workaholic city planner who is structured, career-oriented and polished. When Cassidy’s sister dies, Cassidy inherits her two dogs, Tessa and Remi. Her world is thrown into turmoil, not just by the doggie invasion, but also the realization that her loving younger sister is gone and she feels guilty for not spending more time with her.
Ethan Sheppard and his best friend, Jake run in to Cassidy at the dog park. Cassidy realizes this easy-going, handsome guy knows how to handle dogs and makes an offer to Ethan for help learning about her new charges. Ethan is intrigued that this woman is the first to interest him since his ex and agrees to help.
Their feelings grow, but their careers may stop this romance before it begins. Cassidy is told by her boss in the city planners office that she has to uncover the secret identity of the newspaper cartoonist, The Salty Kid, who keeps lampooning the mayor and could jeopardize his reelection. The Salty Kid is closer than Cassidy can imagine and has to make a choice between the girl or his career.
The H/h are very realistic. Both have to go through some very tough soul searching. I had a little trouble with how Cassidy could lose her career over not finding out who The Salty Kid was and her devotion to a mayor who seemed very dictatorial, but the author made it work out in the end. The dogs were all great secondary characters that I loved. This is a sweet and smart contemporary romance with no sex scenes.
Reviewed for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
