Like Cats & Dogs by Alexis Stanton

I adore Hallmark movies, so I've been having a lot of fun with the books based on Hallmark movies because it's the best of both worlds! You know how they always say that the book was better than the movie? I think whichever comes first is better. I did like the movie better than the book, but the book was still a lot of fun! I liked watching both characters grow. I liked getting more insight into the characters and their personalities than I got in the movie, so that's one point in the book's favor! There was also some new content that made me feel like I wasn't basically reading a screenplay. So why was the movie better? Well... I loved seeing the animals on screen and I really liked the actors. But this was so well written (although, it does feel a bit YA to me) and fun and light-hearted that I'll happily re-read it if I have a hankering for the movie and either can't watch it or want to read instead!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase your copy here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07KXYTDPJ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1680384952&sr=8-1


"Like Cats & Dogs" is a heartwarming novel based on the Hallmark Channel original movie by Alexis Stanton. The story is a perfect depiction a romantic comedy that promises to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside, just like I love!

The story follows Lara and Spencer, who are neighbors that are forced to share custody of their pets, a cat and a dog, after a mix-up at the vet. Despite their initial dislike for each other, they gradually find themselves drawn to one another as they navigate their new situation.

The author does a fantastic job of creating tension and conflict between the two main characters while simultaneously showing the undeniable chemistry between them. The story is full of witty banter, playful teasing, and heart-melting moments that will make readers swoon.

One of the best things about this book is the strong focus on the pets. The author cleverly uses the animals to bring Lara and Spencer together and create a bond that is both heartwarming and adorable. It's refreshing to see a story where the pets are just as important as the human characters.

The pacing of the story is also well-done, with the author keeping the plot moving at a steady pace without rushing anything. The characters are well-developed, and their individual personalities shine through in every interaction they have.

Overall, "Like Cats & Dogs" is a delightful read that is sure to put a smile on anyone's face. It's a perfect book for fans of romantic comedies, pet lovers, and anyone looking for a feel-good story. Highly recommended! After reading the book, I feel likeI need to go back and watch the movie! Thankfully, Hallmark has an app and you can find out exactly when it is on again!

Like Cats and Dogs is an hilarious sweet romance about two single people who are thrown together in a rental home by a "booking error." Laura, who still lives with her accountant parents, plans to take long hot showers and use lots of towels, play her music loud, and generally just unwind and try to figure out her life. Spencer is a graduate student in psychology planning on using his two week rental to write his dissertation so he can move on with the rest of his well planned out life. Laura has a dog, Spencer has a cat. This Hallmark Publishing book by Alexis Stanton is at time laugh-out-loud funny and a great read. I really enjoyed it!

This book was so good! It kept my attention, which can drift when the characters don't click for me. I really enjoyed the characters and the story.

Like Cats and Dogs

Laura Haley and Spencer Hodkins couldn’t more different like Cats and Dogs. Or can they? They both rent this Home in South Haven thinking they will have this time to them selfs but are thrown together for the next 2 weeks. I like Laura because she is care free, easy going and very optimistic. She had a good attitude in any situation. Even if her doesn’t go as plan she is will to try to make the best of it. She has a dog named Frank. Spencer drove me nuts he was so stiff at first. He has to have things his way. He even made them a list of rules to follow. I would have been out of there in a heart beat. His girlfriend is just as bad. She keeps calling about his Dissertation and she can’t bother to tell the poor guy she loves him. He has a cat named Motzart. But as time goes on it is fun to see Laura and Spencer change. I love how Laura learns to change her photography and grow as an artist. I don’t think Spencer would have been able to finish is paper with out having meet Laura. They needed each other more that they know. Also there is a fun little thing about the rental that you find in the end!!! It is a fun clean read.

{ I received a copy from Hallmark through Netgalley. This my honest opinion.}

Like Cats And Dogs by Alexis Stanton is a delightful contemporary romance, just perfect for any time of year.
They say opposites attract, but do they? Do 'cat people' and 'dog people' ever really come together? The novel explores these questions.
I am definitely a 'cat person' but I adore books where animals have a starring role and this is no exception. I loved Mozart the cat and Frank the dog both of whom had their own unique personalities.
Some people are neat and tidy. Others breeze through life without a care in the world. Both types exist in the novel and it is delightful to witness their interactions.
We all have dreams. We should be true to ourselves and follow our dreams and not the desires of our parents. Parents bring pressure. We sometimes feel we cannot live up to their expectations. Alternatively we may feel we are a disappointment.
Like Cats And Dogs was totally charming. I read it with a smile on my face as I bounced along with the narrative.
I received this book for free from Net Galley. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Like Cats and Dogs by Alexis Stanton. A great Hallmark love story. Spencer arrived at the cottage to work on his dissertation paper and Laura arrived for a two week vacation at the same cottage. Spencer and Laura argue but their pets eventually become friends. If you love Hallmark and love stories you will love this story.

Like Cats and Dogs: Based on the Hallmark Channel Original Movie
By Alexis Stanton
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4½/5 stars

Laura isn’t exactly unhappy with her life, but she isn’t dancing on cloud nine either. With two weeks away from “real” life in an idyllic location with nothing but her camera and little dog, Frank, Laura is hoping to find some clarity, some direction. She’s tired of simply drifting through life and is ready to make some hard choices related to her future. Unfortunately, the rental agency has made an incredible error, and Laura and Frank’s idyllic location is marred by the presence of the single-most uptight human in the history of ever.

Spencer has two weeks to write his dissertation. With his rigidly planned and scheduled life, two weeks is exactly the amount of time he needs, and then he’ll move on to the next step of his life’s plan. With nothing but his laptop, his perfectly written and arranged notecards, and his cat, Mozart, Spencer is ready to check off the next item on his life’s to-do list. Unfortunately, his peace and solitude have been brutally interrupted by the loudest, messiest human God has ever created. And, she has a dog!

Though they have both reached out to the rental agency to correct the egregious error in scheduling, it quickly becomes clear, there isn’t going to be a satisfactory resolution to their shared dilemma. With nothing to do but learn to live with one another, Laura and Spencer, Frank and Mozart embark on the most exciting, frustrating, and surprising two weeks of their collective lives. To be sure, there are some huge obstacles to overcome, not the least of which is the intense attraction Laura and Spencer feel towards one another despite being vastly different people.

Over the course of two weeks, both the longest and shortest of their lives, both Laura and Spencer are forced to face some hard truths about their respective lives. Laura is done drifting, she is done being spontaneous and somewhat reckless 24/7, and she’s ready for a new challenge. Spencer learns the value of not planning, of indulging in a bit of bad from time to time, and of taking the time to really enjoy the moment. For both Spencer and Laura, trying something new, moving beyond their comfort zone is somewhat terrifying, but with the support of one another they find they can soar when they learn to look at things, at life, from the other’s perspective.

The Bottom Line: Seriously, y’all, I requested this book without knowing a thing about it simply because it’s another based on a Hallmark Channel movie book. I so love these books! They are light, fun, entertaining, guaranteed HEAs that just make me smile. Laura and Frank are immediately likeable while Spencer and Mozart, as they were designed to do, were a bit tougher to like. As the story unfolds and Laura and Spencer learn more about one another, through good and bad experiences, I found myself totally crushing on these two and rooting for their HEA. In all, this is an easy breezy read with just enough drama and heat to be totally appropriate for the Hallmark Channel and any reader age 13 and above.

A feel-good romance, light hearted, romantic. A quick read. I haven't seen the Hallmark movie this is based on, but want to watch that now.

Wonderful Sweet Chsrming story. I could imagine myself reading this on a sunny afternoon at the beach. I will recommend this book to my friends

An adorable opposites attract love story! Such a fun beach read.

When a contract mix up for their vacation rental means they have to share the place for two weeks, Laura and Spencer, along with Laura's dog, Frank, and Spencer's cat, Mozart, decide to make the best of it. What follows is a darling romp with some very cute and sweet dialogue. I loved it!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for giving me this book to read in exchange for an honest review. No compensation was given, offered, or taken to alter the opinion.

Like Cats and Dogs is yet another funny, sweet, and charming story in the Hallmark book line. I just love these Hallmark adaptations and this one definitely did not disappoint! It's a light-hearted read and I completed it in less than one day. It's the perfect read for spring or summer time. I love the opposites attract theme in this book and how both Laura and Spencer changed for the better after meeting each other. I loved the characters in this book, including their pets. I highly recommend this book and all of the other books in the Hallmark line!

This is such an adorably cute little story. I'm not fond of most romance novels, but I love sappy little romance movies, so I decided to give this book (based on what I assumed was my kind of flick) a chance, and I was not disappointed. At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like Spencer. He seemed way too persnickity to put up with. But he grew on me, and by the end I was really rooting for things to work out. This is definitely a book I'd recommend if you, like me, prefer your romance novels to be sweet and a bit fluffy.

A lovely fun story to read, relax and enjoy. Look forward to reading further books. Thank you for sharing with members.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Like Cats and Dogs has a very Odd Couple vibe. Laura is the Oscar to Spencer's Felix; she is messy and he's neat, she's a dog person and he's a cat person, she likes loud pop music and pizza and he likes Vivaldi on vinyl and is doing a raw diet. I love the opposites-attract aspect of this book, and I'm tagging it at enemies to lovers even though they're not really ENEMIES, but sort of, but not...?

I love the Laura and Spencer are both on a bit of a personal growth journey, and there's a lot of give and take and learning, both about each other and learning to love oneself. I love that they end up lifting each other up (but it's based on a Hallmark Channel Original Movie, so is that surprising?) It's a little tropey/cliché. They both rent the same vacation house and NONE of the hotels nearby accept pets/have an opening? Really? OK, fine, willing suspension of disbelief engaged... That being said, I really loved the personal growth both Laura and Spencer went through as they realized things about themselves and their pasts that were keeping them trapped, and then they both work to break free of the things that are binding them.

The bad: The last quarter or so of the book gets kind of messy, with him being mad at her and then suddenly fine at the exact second she's suddenly mad at him, and vice versa, which is lame and I didn't appreciate it. It also lost a star for me because they're sharing this house for two weeks and suddenly they're super in love? OK... Except SPENCER YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND. I don't care if your relationship is luke warm, I just don't appreciate a hero that lies to his girlfriend and then falls in love with another girl while he's in a relationship. Uncool. Also the epilogue events happened stupidly suddenly, which was a turn off for me.

Added back half a star for this bit of inclusiveness: "People of all genders had been matched together." Love the non-binary inclusive language there. I think there was also mention of a man and his boyfriend/husband buying some art that was super casually thrown in there, which again, I appreciated. It was enough to round my star rating up to 4 stars instead of down to 3 for the 3.5 star rating on this book. Honestly, if the epilogue hadn't been included, it would have been a solid 4 star read for me.

That being said, it was a fun read and engaging and well-written. This is definitely a fun summer romance for a beach read or a quick read while on vacation. Like Cats and Dogs is fun and light-hearted with main characters I found myself rooting for.

Publisher's Description:
Laura is drifting through life.

Spencer has the next decade perfectly planned.

Laura loves her dog Frank.

Spencer pampers his cat Mozart.

Both humans have nothing in common, but when there's a mix-up with a vacation rental house, they're suddenly stuck together.

At first, they fight like cats and dogs. Yet they can't deny that opposites definitely attract. Can they find a way to share a roof without driving each other crazy...or falling in love?

This funny, feel-good romance contains a free Hallmark original recipe for S'mores Waffles.

My Thoughts:
I am a huge fan of fan Hallmark movies. Other than sports and dramas it is the only TV I find watchable.
When I recently discovered these books based on some of these movies I made it a point to request a couple of them.
These sweetly written books are nice clean reads that are suitable for a younger audience. Teens and tweens can enjoy these love stories without paternal objection.
This book was an enjoyable romantic comedy.
I loved the story and although predictable it was not so easily put aside.
I gave this book 4.25 of 5.0 stars for storyline and characterization and no sensual rating. The only thing remotely close to intimacy are the developing feelings between our couple and a few kisses.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher to read and review. This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Trite and kind of boring. The situation is implausible and frankly ridiculous. I should have known since it's based on a hallmark movie, but it sounded cute. Neither character is particularly likable and it was hard to believe they could fall in love, let alone have any kind of functioning relationship. Both characters are poorly written- basically GIANT stereotypes and the plot-line is plodding and dull.

Slightly predictable but told in a way that the reader wants to read it to the end. A tad weak with the shower
plot.
Overall, a quick read with a fairy tale ending.

A sweet story of two people who rent the same house and find out more about themselves than they could ever have imagined. Laura and Spencer find themselves in a peculiar predicament. How do they handle their so called misfortune? These characters are well rounded and each have their own issues they must work through. I found this story to be a heartwarming tale of making new friendships, believing in oneself, and finding one's own soul mate. I would recommend this book to everyone!

Like Cats and Dogs is a light hearted romance and is well written. I loved the opposites attract plot and the pets. I enjoyed the writing and will be looking for more books by this author. I highly recommend this book.