Paws and Prejudice by Alanna Martin is a delightful fit for readers who adore heartwarming, small-town romances with a dash of humor, a strong-willed heroine, and a swoon-worthy hero, all set against the breathtaking backdrop of coastal Alaska, where love and redemption await.

3.5 stars This was a cute, fun small-town Alaska story that turned out to be spicer than I expected.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for my chance to review.

I love Alaskan set romances so I had high hopes for Paws and Prejudice. Unfortunately it did not hold my attention and I didn't feel drawn to the plot. I may try the next book in the series and see if it works better. DNF

Paws and Prejudice picks up where Heart on a Leash ended. It follows Josh’s cousin Kelsey, and new brewery owner, Ian. As much as loved the romance, I also thoroughly enjoyed the huskies. I loved watching Romeo, Kelsey’s shy pup slowly opening up and trusting. I love when dogs are characters in books and have personalities and character progression.

This story about two people that are very different but that come together in a spark and flash is one that was interesting and enjoyable from beginning to end even during tearful moments. I was looking forward to this story at the end of book one for sure when we saw hints that the story between Ian and Kelsey would be much more complicated than just a simple meet and insta-love. Set in small town Alaska, where a long-standing family feud has the split down the middle between the families, this series just keeps getting more and more interesting. Kelsey is the only girl on the Porter side of the family this generation and seems to be the family hope for keeping the feud and the family legacy going, but she has a very different plan for her future. Keeping secrets from her family is second nature to Kelsey, but when she is conscripted by her father to assist the new brewery owner with publicity for the opening of his business she begins to doubt why she really is hiding. Ian moved to this small town in Alaska, as far from his family as possible in the continental US, in order to make a fresh start and prove himself, but things are not shaping up like planned. The brewery is having issue after issue that threatens their success and when Kelsey comes into his life he just assumes she’ll be another problem, but soon they are spending time together and becoming friends. As she helps him to get over his fear of dogs and he helps her accept that she has no reason to hide, their feelings for one another son become much more than just friends and confidants. But the hard-earned trust of a woman like Kelsey is easily lost, and when Ian begins to doubt himself it might be too much for either of them. I enjoyed getting to know more about Kelsey and learn that despite her VERY hard shell she is really just a sweet and fluffy marshmallow inside. Her love of her dogs and family doesn’t stop there and when she finally gives her trust her love is not something to sneeze at for sure. For those she loves she will give all of herself to make sure that they have everything they need and want, even at her own expense. I want to be Kelsey when I grow up. Ian definitely has a lot of issue, not even accounting his fear of dogs (so sad), but the biggest one was his lack of confidence in himself and his abilities. I liked him overall, especially the fact that he could bake, seemed so devoted to his friends and family, and so wanted to find his place in his new community. But despite him never realizing it, what he really needed all along was Kelsey to even him out and give him the confidence to just be himself and he would succeed. The passion between these two sparked from the beginning, though for a while it was just intense antagonism, but as their friendship blossomed that heat definitely turned a lot more friendly and interesting. I am looking forward to the next story (last one?) in the series for sure where the Porter and Lipin feud will definitely come to a fiery crescendo in Love and Let Bark. Just to say the huskies that are so prevalent in this little town, and especially the Porter family, are definitely and important part of this story too and great character to get to know too. Another sweet and loving Alaskan adventure from a fun author to enjoy in the heat of summer.

Did I think this was a Pride and Prejudice retelling? Yes.

Do I suddenly hate adorable dogs because it was not? No.

I started this book and just did not understand the connections between all the people. There was no hook for me to keep reading. DNF

Paws and Prejudice was such a cute read! I read the first book in this series and was so glad to return back to this community and its characters! I love the Alaskan setting of this series. And I loved the romance between Kelsey and Ian. And I loved all the brewery elements. Can't wait for the next book is this series!

In Alanna Martin's PAWS AND PREJUDICE (HEARTS OF ALASKA, #2), an undercover romance author and the town's new brewery owner butt heads over small town prejudices and dog-related misunderstandings.

Martin raises the stakes by setting this sweet and humorous enemies-to-lovers romance amid divisive family rivalries.

Thank to NetGalley for an eARC. Paws and Prejudice is an retelling of Jane Austen's classic. If you like an enemies to lovers trope this story is for you. This is the second book in the Hearts of Alaska Series. I haven't read the first book but this one was good. Kelsey and Ian's chemistry was so thick you could cut it with a knife. If you don't like to read about steamy love scenes then I wouldn't recommend this book. I give this a 3 out of 5 stars. I am giving this review voluntarily.

I loved this so much. Kelsey is so complex and develops into one of my favorite characters. I love Ian and the Jewish rep. I would have liked to have had more of a chance to get to know Micah.

Cute series. The cover is what caught my attention, the book was just okay for me. 10/10 on the cover art.

This enemies-to-lovers story had me hooked since the first door slam. I loved getting to know Kelsey more after meeting her in Heart on a Leash, and Ian was a great addition to the extended Helen, Alaska family. Together, these two were explosive!

Hiding behind those cute huskies on the cover is a sexy small-town romance that you don't want to miss!

Oh and one question - Where's my Micah book?!

A romance set in Alaska with reduce huskies? It’s like this was made for me. Very cute, engaging book with just a small Dark Moment at the end. The town feud seemed a little silly to me, but not too distracting.

Kelsey is what many people would describe as - a tough cookie. She has a very hard shell and prefers her dogs to just about any other humans. She's been burned badly in the relationship department and a lifetime of dealing with the town's feud that surrounds her family.

Ian has moved to Helen, Alaska, with his best friend to open a brewery. His brewing skilled are real - and the brewery is definitely poised for success - except for the feuding families in town creating obstacles that are seeming more insurmountable every minute.

I really liked a lot about this book - I loved Ian and Kelsey finding each other and learning to trust each other. I also adored how Ian's religion was incorporated into the book - and how Kelsey truly made an effort to understand and respect them.

I didn't love the final drama between Ian and Kelsey. I'm just never a fan of a big wrong that requires a big grovel. I also felt like some of the themes in the book weren't as fully developed as they could have been. For example, Ian's dad was clearly a huge a$$hole and deeply effected him. The effects of this definitely resonate throughout the book - but the background we got on it felt like a throwaway - like we needed to give Ian a deeper reason for his behavior but it lacked depth. Same goes with Kelsey's ex.

I'd also say that despite the name of the book - this isn't a true pride and prejudice retelling - more loosely based on the theme.

I definitely would love to see more from this series - because the characters are very authentic and I really want to see if they can break down the feud within the town.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

This second installment in the Hearts of Alaska series by Alanna Martin is even better than the first – and that’s saying something, because I really enjoyed the first book, Heart on a Leash.
In Paws and Prejudice, we get the story of Kelsey and Ian – and while it is not a Jane Austen retelling, it does dig even more into the age-old feud between the Lipin and Porter families and the prejudices that are carried by those invested in that feud.
Ian is a brewmaster who has moved to Helen, Alaska, to start a brewery of his own and establish a life away from memories of a difficult childhood. Kelsey is a Porter, the daughter of the Porter scion and, up until now, a willing participant in the family feud that has split Helen down the middle for decades. Although she and Ian get off on the wrong foot – or paw – at first, their romance causes Kelsey to rethink her commitment to the feud and reassess her role in the family.
I really loved the dynamic between Ian and Kelsey. Ian has a phobia about dogs, and Kelsey is dog momma to three huskies with different personalities. At first, Kelsey and Ian seem to have nothing in common aside from an inconvenient physical attraction, but as Kelsey tries to help Ian overcome his phobia of dogs by slowly introducing him to her huskies, Martin does an excellent job of peeling back the character’s defenses and opening them up to us, the readers, and to each other.
Part of Martin’s appeal to me as a romance reader is her respect for the genre and for the reader’s intelligence. She’s even made Kelsey a romance author – one who keeps it a secret from her family! I appreciate how the characters are thoughtful about consent even while the love scenes are fun and super hot. I also appreciate that Martin doesn’t rely on giant misunderstandings or far-fetched plot twists. Her characters are grown-ups with hang ups, who ultimately come to understand themselves and each other a little bit better. This series is small town romance but with a fresh outlook and perfect for contemporary romance fans who are looking for low angst and excellent writing.

I am not sure if I liked this or the first book in this series better. Both were fun fluffy contemporary romances with doggies and a funny Capulet vs Montague style small town rivalry/feud. Ultimately, this is not the first series I'd recommend in this genre, but I still liked the characters and the setting and the doggies. :) The brewery aspect was fun too & I enjoyed the glimpse of Josh and Taylor from the first book. The third sounds like it could be the best of the three!

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this book, I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down! it was a great story with amazing characters

Okay, you cannot get mad at me. I really do try when I start a new book. If I don't like one of the characters, then it is downhill from there. I truly did not like Kelsey from the first book of the series. And I don't even like her now even if it's her book. She is still judgy and critical about people. She does not understand common mistakes or misunderstandings. It's either her perspective or no one's perspective at all. Ian ,on the other hand, I really like as a character. He is such a sweetheart. He really tries his best which is amazing. He is out of his element when he opens a bar in a new state and town. It does not help when he gets an unwilling protest especially from Kelsey. The childish game that Kelsey is playing is so ridiculous .Grow up, Ma'am. If you don't want to do what your family is trying to do, then don't do it. Life is short. Do what makes you happy.

Very, very loosely inspired by "Pride and Prejudice" (and doesn't try to be), closer to the "Hatfields and McCoys" playing with the impact of family fueds (without bloodshed).

A fun read; a romance without the requisite (ad RIDICULOUS) misunderstanding and awful fight taht every rokmance novels feels compelled to include. ... real issues dealt with by adults. So satisfying.