Member Reviews

Beauty and the Wiener (A Rescue Dog Romance Book 2) by Casey Griffin is a fun read. I enjoyed the first book in the series but this one was even better. The main characters had depth and layers that were revealed as the story progressed. I even could begin to understand why Addison had such a strong Disney misguided view of love. Felix was a strong character from the beginning that was easy to like.
Within the show dog world, there is a sweet romance building between Felix and Addison. Of course, this is through their working together to solve a mystery that lends itself to some witty conversations. A very entertaining read that you don’t have to just be a dog lover to enjoy.

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This was such a fun and adorable story. There was a very interesting mystery, and I loved the characters, human and animal. I really liked Felix. He made a great first impression with me, waving his trash can around. It was one of my favorite moments. Beauty and the Wiener had a little bit of everything, and I definitely recommend it if you are looking for something with fun, mystery, and romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book.

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I have not read any other works by this author, and in fact have not really read this genre in several years. These are romantic comedy mystery books. Several years ago, I went through a phase of reading this genre and had enjoyed them.. they tend to be light, fun books with a mystery to be solved. This book had all of that. I thought it was well written, with a fairly good mystery involved and a fun romance, light on the sex, but that was ok. It wouldn't have felt right for there to be long, involved sex scenes. The book revolves around a dog show similar to the one held yearly in New York. This one was held in San Francisco. Addison is a dog stylist trying to get her business to take off. Felix is a bartender and I enjoyed the back and forth of this relationship. It didn't happen easily and that kept my interest. As I said, this was a fun, enjoyable, one sitting read for me. Thanks as always to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.

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Addison is a dog groomer, who wants to become a name in dog fashion design. She also hopes to find her prince charming to live happily ever after. At an event for show dog owners Addison meets a possible prince charming-Philip Montgomery III, who is handsome and for him money is no problem. Addison also happens to have a rather interesting conversation with the bartender Felix, who is charming and intriguing. While Addison is enjoying a free moment some show dogs go missing and that means a lot of trouble for her. Not long after the first dogs went missing even more dogs disappear. This time it's not only Addison, but also Felix, who is dragged into the whole mess they had no part in. Addison and Felix decide to find out the truth before it's too late for the sake of their careers. The more they spend time together, the more they actually get to know each other. Addison has two great men in her life, who is going to be the prince charming in Addison's life?

It's the second book in the series, but first that I read, I don't know when exactly, but I am going to read the first book as well, because I absolutely loved this book, it had all the great elements-romance, mystery, great dialogue and great cast of characters. I very much enjoyed the banter between Addison and Felix, they were just great together. I loved the fact that the book featured dachshunds, as a also have a dachshund myself. I am eagerly waiting for the third book. All in all it was a terrific book!

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With the vetting system I have for the books I read for a review, it rarely happens that I completely miss the target, but Beauty and the Wiener happen to be a miss for me. No, I didn't hate it. I read it, all 400 pages of it. It is well written, but the story just wasn't for me.
I love dogs as much as the next person, but the dog show and dog fashion clothing isn't something that I find a great interest in, and they play a center role in the story, more than I expected. There are lots of details in the story from the competitive world of dog shows, as well as about the accessories for the dogs, and about their grooming that I wasn't interested in.
The mystery about the stolen dogs was cute, a little predictable, but it was interesting to see how Addison would nail the dognapper.
Addison turned out to be a character that I had a hard time relating to or even like. She lived in an odd movie-induced delusional alternative reality with her obsession to find 'Mr. Perfect'. She was a bit of a snob when it came to Felix, the bartender, and together they acted in a surprisingly immature way time to time and again.
Felix was sometimes considerate and kind, and other times cocky and flirty. I didn't get the connection between Addison and him, they mostly fought and bickered, never took the time to really get to know each other. But then again, Addison is dating someone else throughout the book, there's even an awkward makeout scene right in front of Felix...
Yes, I know, and believe me, I am not trying to be mean or overly critical, just honestly telling you why I didn't connect with the story. I am actually in awe how I could have bombed so badly with the selection, and I take the blame for this because I do understand, and agree, that the book is well-written, if a little repetitive, there's humor in it, just not my kind, the cozy mystery was dainty, and I am sure there are readers who will love the dog show scenes and Addison's movie references, but unfortunately they missed a mark in me.
~ Two Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

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My Thoughts

Addison is just about to break into the big time with her dog grooming and fashion business when she lands a major charity event for a rescue she volunteers for. She is grooming and dressing the contestants for the biggest dog show in San Francisco. Everything is going well until the dogs start disappearing at not one event, but two! Armed only with her wits and the help from the bartender, Felix, at both events, she can only hope to rescue the show dogs and save her reputation.

With her business on the line, she needs to solve this dognapping before she loses everything and causes even more hardship for her father who helped her start it. The attraction between Felix and Addison seems silly at first but then as the two spend more time together, they mesh. There are lots of fancy parties, designer dogs and snooty people to wind your way through until you find out who did it. Of course, Princess the dachshund is prominent as Addison's sidekick. Overall, this is a really cute read that combines romance and cozy mysteries to nice degree. Fans of Janet Evanovich will adore this series.

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Addison has her life planned out, finding a guy who is perfect for her, find a way to get her doggie fashion designs out there and finding a way to save her fathers store. Just when things start to look up, she ends up being the center of attention when the prized doggie models to show off her designs so missing. It just seems that every time shes around prized dogs keep going missing. Now shes on a mission to save her reputation and find those missing dogs. Little did she expect to start falling for the wrong type of guy in the process.

I loved this book. Honestly I wasn't sure what to expect when I first picked up this book. It was the title it sounds like a beauty and the best retelling but it really wasn't. I guess in some ways it kinda did but if that is why you are looking towards this book then I wouldn't suggest you pick it up for that reason. Instead if you are interested in a interesting batch of characters, a mystery, romance and above all else dogs you'll love this book. Being a dog lover myself I found myself appreciated this book a bit more. I loved the characters and seeing that spark between her and Felix even if she was trying to fight it. He after all wasn't what she was looking for in a man. Then there is that connection and heat between the two. Whew. It was really good. I loved that there was loads of mystery, drama and mishaps to keep things interesting. I enjoyed making guesses on who it would've been and was thrown when I found out it was it in the ending. Overall a great book I really enjoyed it.

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This was a sweet love story that involved dogs! I am a dog rescuer, so the stories that include rescues in them always find a special place in my heart. In this book Addison and her dog Princess are embarking on a new business adventure when Addison is implicated in a dognapping crime. Felix is the bartender at the event and eventually decides to help Addie find the real dognappers. This book made me laugh at some parts and I absolutely swooned at the dog parts. Princess ends up being the true hero of the story and I love it!

This book was a little slow in the beginning for me and it took me a while to get into it, but then I couldn't wait to see Addison and Felix solve the mystery! Also Felix ends up being a single dad and there is nothing hotter than that. I do wish the author would have told us what happened to the mother of Felix's daughter and that relationship. Overall a good read and I enjoyed it.

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Synopsis:

Addison Turner has scripted a perfect future for herself, complete with a fairytale ending. She will become the name in doggie fashion design and live happily ever after with the husband of her dreams—and her dachshund, Princess, by her side. Just when her plan is on track and she’s gaining recognition at the local dog show, Addison is hit with some Oscar-worthy drama. A group of prize-winning show dogs are stolen from under her nose, and she’s stuck asking for help from Felix Vaughn, an infuriatingly hot bartender who is the exact opposite of Prince Charming.

When more dogs go missing—and Felix becomes a suspect—the two team up to clear their names. Although Felix and Addison fight like cats and dogs, there’s an undeniable spark between them. And as the trail to the missing dogs heats up, so does their red-hot chemistry. Can Addison be persuaded to throw away her script to find an ending that just might be better than she ever expected? (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. I liked Addison but I felt like she really was not realistic in her pursuit of Mr. Right. I felt like she had some unrealistic goals that she was determined to reach. I liked Felix more than Addison. He seemed down to earth and a normal person. I really liked the bickering and banter between Felix and Addison. It made for some very humorous reading. Of course all of the animals added a lot to the story and was my favorite part of the book.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. I thought that the mystery was carried on well throughout the book and with so many suspects to consider, it was not easy to solve. I did like that the mystery revolved around the dog shows, I thought this was a unique perspective. There was enough suspense to keep my turning the pages well into the night.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written suspenseful romantic comedy. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

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Addison is trying to make a name for her own so she offers her services to the upcoming dog show. The know all who wants to be all is going to be there so she knows this could be good for her business and her dog line. When things go a miss she now knows she need to prove herself and a business is worth of the dogs, but can she do it in time?Felix is just trying to make a living and make ends meet. He is looking out for "number one" and will stop at nothing to do it. When he is thrown into a hot mess with the dogs and he will stop at nothing to prove he is innocent, but will it all be to late?
I really enjoyed this book what a fun read. This book is full of fun characters and has a ton of innuendoes for sure. I really wish the book would have been from both points of view from Felix and from Addison, however that being said having if from only on person point of view you are not missing much. I loved the storyline and how easy it was to follow and keep up and I also enjoyed the banter back and forth with the two main characters. I loved how there was element of suspense added to the book but it really did not come off as a suspense book. This book does has adult content and may not be for everyone. This book is worth the read and if you love sassy dogs and some crazy owners grab this book you won't regret it.

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Another cute installment featuring a pup that looks like mine ( therefor super adorable, since I am obviously not biased towards dachshunds, obviously!) Great romance, great pup, fun story settings and characters. Great for a nice escapist read!

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This is the first Casey Griffin novel I have read, and even though I have not read the first Rescue Dog Romance book, this did not detract from my enjoyment.

Beauty and The Wiener sweet, cute contemporary romance with bit of suspense thrown in for good measure.

Addison and Felix really are SOL when they get dragged into a dognapping scandal, and while they are doggedly on the trail of the culprits, they are kinda sorta building a relationship.

Addison's - hmm snobbery I guess you would call it - about the perfect guy did make her come across as shallow a lot of the time. Money does not buy class people! Felix though, I adored him and his gruff ways.

I did kind of guess who the bad guys were, and it felt a little Scooby-dooish at the end, but I enjoyed the story.

It sort of reminded me of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, with a series of unfortunate events getting in their way - and dogs in amazing clothes!

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Overall not a bad story, and my cousin who loves doxies would definitely like this one. Addison and Felix are fun together, and of course there are plenty of misguided occurrences that throw everything into chaos. Lots of twists and turns, and the mystery was nice addition. At times though I felt that Addison was so clingy and needy, and I didn't see why. A little over the top on the "drama" at times too, which made me skim a bit at times. I still enjoyed it enough to read it through, and many parts were fun, just felt at times a little excessive. Would still recommend though, especially if you love doxies and dog shows and dressing the dogs in elaborate outfits.

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So from the title, you might expect a correlation between this story and the fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast. And you wouldn’t be far off, for while appearing more unplanned than carefully thought out, there are easy to spot ties between the two. Not unlike the first book, the heroine Addison, is more than slightly dog-obsessed, with a dachshund, Princess, and a job that allows her to work around and with dogs every day. Addison is a bit more immature in her thought processes and behavior than one would expect: she dreams of a Disney-like Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet and they lived happily ever after, with, of course a herd of dogs. A groomer (or stylist as she prefers to be called), Addison spends her free moments designing dog apparel, just hoping for her designs to make it big.

Two men at the show where she is going to debut and showcase her line, Phillip and Felix, both catch Addison’s eye. Phillip is the epitome of what she believes she needs: rich, cultured, handsome and uber polite, he FITS her obsession for the man of her dreams, perfectly. Felix, the bartender and rather smart-mouthed and grounded man does not, however, fit, no matter how intriguing he may be. But, when some of Addison’s models for the doggie fashion showcase go missing, both she and Felix are suspects.

From the start, while Addison isn’t dislikable, she does appear to be rather clueless and a bit blind to the realities of the world. She is so focused on her “dream life” and using that to push through the tough times that her tenuous connection to the here and now is often too much for her. Felix is so very much an in the now sort of guy with few to no illusions about people and love. From the start, the opposites attract connection between these two is strong. Felix is certainly the more grounded and realistic of the two, and he sees something in Addison that he likes, and it doesn’t require her to be anything but who she is.

The mystery here is a bit basic, and while the culprit is easy to spot, the many twists and turns that lead to the discovery serve best to show us the interactions between Felix and Addison, and allow readers to see their connection and romance develop. There’s nothing particularly new or groundbreaking here in terms of story or mystery: the plot is fairly straightforward without great surprises. Some may find interest in the insets from the dog-show world, a place populated with people unlike any other (unless it’s horse show people) with their quirks, foibles and often eccentric behavior. A story that is perfect light reading, particularly for those who enjoy a little four-legged character in their stories, or for those who enjoyed the first title.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for that review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

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Addison is a pet groomer and pet clothes designer. She has worked hard the last two years growing her business. She has accepted startup money from her best friend’s fiancé and doesn’t want to let anyone down. She’s set to have a fashion show at a fancy dog show gathering. She has also decided she needs a man with good breeding and money to be her other half.

Felix is the bartender at the event. He sees all and takes it all in. He’s worked with this crowd before and offers to fill Addison in on everyone. Addison immediately decides he’s not good enough for her and walks away.

Before the fashion show begins, several of the dogs turn up missing, leaving Addison as the prime suspect. The police aren’t making this the priority case she feels it needs to be so she starts investigating on her own. When Addison attends another swanky dog party and more dogs turn up missing, Felix is drug into the mix.

I really didn’t like Addison and her attitude. She was so superficial. Felix started out as a jerk, but evolved into a better guy.

I felt like parts of the story dragged. I know the wealthy dress their dogs in clothes, but this part of the story did not appeal to me and I skimmed the descriptions of the clothes and accessories and what clothes would look good on what dogs. Some of Addison’s antics while investigating the crime also felt contrived.

This is the second book in the series and it fell short for me. We do see a couple glimpses of characters from the previous book but this can be read as a standalone.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley.

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Addison is trying to take her pet grooming and clothing design business to the next level, but her efforts are thwarted when the pets she's grooming go missing in the middle of a gala event. She teams up with Felix, a hunky bartender, to clear both their names when even more dogs go missing. They immediately clash as they try to investigate, but soon sparks are flying in a different manner. A fun romance read with a light hearted mystery.

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Beauty and the Wiener by Casey Griffin
A Rescue Dog Romance #2

Feeling so-so about the first book in the series and asked to read the second I agreed to give it a chance. I again came away feeling that people who enjoy the books of Janet Evanovich and love dogs will probably enjoy this book. But, it was again a so-so read for me. Why? Well, I felt the plot was predictable and simplistic, the interaction between Felix and Addison at times silly & immature, Addison’s dream of the perfect man and how she would meet him was something a teenager would embrace more than someone her age, Felix was condescending and not my cup of tea, the dog show mystery was something I have read before and not really different, the idea of designing dog outfits and a fashion show for them was a bit overdone…hmmm…this was not a book that drew me in or really even grew on me. Anyway…not my cup of tea BUT I do believe there are going to be many who will really love this book and this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. This is my honest review.

2-3 Stars

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A little over the top madcap at times, but overall a fun romance with a little mystery thrown in. Very enjoyable.

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This is a fun, light-hearted read that is filled with some adorable pups, a bit of mystery, and a cozy little romance. Addison "Addy" Turner is a pet groomer but has much bigger dreams to be a dog stylist. Trying to promote her new business at the annual dog show Addy soon finds herself in the middle of a dognapping that could permanently derail her dream. The only person she can ask for help is Felix. These two bicker like an old married couple but they need each other when Felix becomes the prime suspect for the dognappings going on.

Don't miss the hilarity of this book. I definitely recommend it.

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