This was another cute contemporary romance by Julia London. I love how she is incorporating all the dog elements into these stories.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

When a crowded rideshare before the holidays results in mixed up phones, an unexpected connection is made between two people that love dogs. Harper heads home for the holidays, almost missing her bus due to rain and an overcrowded rideshare. She isn’t looking forward to the holidays as she and her parents aren’t close and there isn’t much celebrating happening. When she realizes the phone she has isn’t hers, she first panics, as her boss tends to text and email her whenever the mood strikes, and she’s up for a promotion. The cute dog on the lock screen, the text exchange with the phone’s owner (on hers), plus the fact that his family blows up his phone, regularly, have Harper looking forward to the exchange of phones and meeting the man on the other end. Jonah took a leave of absence to help his family with their business and is heading out of town for a much-needed break from the everyday stress of keeping the business afloat. He's not leaving family behind, though, he’s visiting his cousins and helping prep for his aunt and uncle’s move to join them. Losing his phone wasn’t in the plan but getting to know Harper before they meet makes up for it. When they meet, it seems perfect.
This was a fun story with likeable main characters, a bunch of rescue dogs, and fun secondary characters. I love Jonah and Harper, but the dogs stole my heart.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#ItStartedWithADog #JuliaLondon #LuckyDog #BerkleyBooks

Cute dogs, lots of coffee and switched phones all leading to instant attraction, the book It Started with a Dog is a great read. This book makes you smile and laugh, pulling you so completely into the story that you feel like you are walking along the characters. Unable to put it down you follow the challenges, decisions and budding relationship of Jonah and Harper as they try to get the lives they are meant to live, dogs in tow.
Fantastic book! Highly entertaining and wonderfully written. Can't wait to read Julia's next book.

I adored the meet-cute! It's a perfect believably modern way to meet a love interest. And, of course, I forever will love a supporting cast including dogs. Would I want to deal with Truck in person? Absolutely not. However, I did love that he was the catalyst for some fun adventures between this couple.
Losing my phone sounds a little devastating for this tech world we live in. But I guess if it happened to be swapped with a guy who's face I didn't need to use his phone, I'd feel a whole lot better. Jonah and Harper spend Christmas away from Austin with the other's phone in hand. Upon returning, they've exchanged friendly and flirty texts that only catapult their chemistry in person. Naturally, trouble is on the horizon between Jonah's family's business and Harper's job.
I read the first in the Lucky Dog series several months ago and also appreciated the dogs as characters. Knowing this, I had to have this book in my life too.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

It Started with a Dog is the second book in Julia London’s charming Lucky Dog series. It follows Harper Thompson, a young woman trying to work her way up the corporate ladder at her job. She is currently vying for a promotion and her boss has given her the major task of opening a flagship coffee shop for their Déjà Brew brand, including promoting it and making all the arrangements for the shop’s grand opening. While she has no time at all for romance, an accidental swapping of cell phones during a Lyft ride from hell leads her to meet Jonah Rogers, a scientist at NASA who is on sabbatical to help his family with their struggling business while his dad recovers from cancer. As they make arrangements to meet up and swap phones back once Jonah is back in town, Harper and Jonah really hit it off and engage in a series of flirty texts all week. Harper is already obsessed with Truck, the enormous dog Jonah has as his phone’s wallpaper, and can’t wait to meet Truck and his owner.

Once Hannah and Jonah finally meet in person, the sparks really fly as it becomes clear they have major chemistry and a shared love of dogs. They start dating, including a date where they go to a shelter and walk dogs. It’s all sweet and they’re so happy getting to know one another, until a major obstacle appears before them – the Déjà Brew shop that Harper is helping to launch is directly across the street from Jonah’s family business, a mom and pop coffee shop called The Lucky Star. Can their fledging new relationship survive the strain of being rivals?

I adored both Harper and Jonah. Harper is so fierce and determined to land that promotion. I really loved her attitude and her spunk. I loved Jonah too, especially because of the sacrifices he’s willing to make to try to help his family, including passing up an opportunity of a lifetime at his job. My heart broke for both Harper and Jonah when they realized they were rivals and that Harper could actually be the one to cause The Lucky Star to go under and devastate Jonah’s family. I was so invested in them and just really wanted them to find a solution that worked for everyone. The wondering what would happen added a nice layer of suspense to keep me turning the pages. If you like a little drama to balance out your romance, this element of the story should do the trick for you.

I’m enjoying Julia London’s Lucky Dog series so much. I’m a sucker for a book that features dogs anyway, and with this series, I think I have a new favorite romantic trope – dogs serving as the catalyst to bring couples together.

This one had potential- i mean there is a cute dog on the cover. But it just did not do it for me. I have a thing for heroes named Jonah but just did not like him at all. Thank you for the the copy.

What could have been better?
Sometimes the main character could be judgey to a point where it bugged me, but most of the time she was cool. Also the relationship happened super fast.

What I enjoyed?

Okay friends! This book was the fluff I needed after a crazy work week.

They had a super MEET CUTE scenario.

The main man Jonah was as sweet as can be and just so nice and ugh, I love him. More family men like Jonah please.

Jonah and Harper’s relationship and their “competition” and banter with each other was A+.

Umm this book featured a zillion cute pups (all rescues) and I couldn’t get enough.

Jonah’s family was also A plus and they’re so cute and big and wild and embarrassing and endearing.

I just think this book was super cute and fluffy and sweet. I think sometimes, we just need books that make our heart warm and make us smile, books that don’t expect a lot from us but do a lot to lighten our spirits…and this book did just that (:

3.5/5 rounded to 4

Y'all, I did not want this book to end. It had EVERYTHING!

✔Meet Cute
✔Flirty texting
✔Not one but 2 coffee shops I would hang out in
✔All the dogs!

This book is adorable. There are so many characters that I want to see in a next book, I can't can't choose. Have coffee in hand while reading this. Maybe pie too.

This book is out now, so go grab it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The beginning of the story had me hooked. An uncomfortable Lyft ride leads to a phone swap. The messaging between the main characters was adorable and compelling. Through the messages you learned about an overbearing family and an eccentric boss. But after the meet cute, there was a lot of plot points that just didn’t keep me interested such as, family drama, medical issues, parental indifference, the eccentric boss, the quirky best friend who is perfect (not sure why that was a problem).

This was a light romantic comedy with lots of additional plot elements that didn’t inject any value or emotion. In fact, it had me skimming over pages. The dog personalities kept me reading more so than the human personalities.

Very cute story! An unreal Lyft share ride ends in swapped phones, cute dog pictures and getting to know you texts leads to a meet up and more. Harper finds herself on share ride that barely gets her to her bus on time, ends up on her Christmas holiday with a stranger's phone, who wouldn't fall for a dog dressed in holiday finery, his owner was someone she wanted meet. Jonah was spending his holidays helping his cousin move, phone in the hands of a stranger with humorous text banter to get to know one another. Meeting up they have instant chemistry, dating, having fun with dogs...everything is moving well until Jonah finds out Harper is responsible for the new coffeehouse opening across the street from his family's coffee shop. Can two coffee places survive? Will Jonah be able to leave his floundering family business to go back to his career can he leave his feelings for Harper? Ups and downs are parts of life, can they sort out theirs? Oh and there's dogs galore!

Lucky Dog Book Two.

Harper Thompson and Jonah Rogers meet in a crazy rideshare where they accidentally switch phones. Since there is no way for them to switch them back until after the holidays, they decide to allow one another to use the phones temporarily. After returning to Austin, Harper and Jonah finally meet in a bar. They fall into an easy relationship with banter and romance. However, after they establish their relationship, they find out they are both extremely committed to the success of rival businesses!

If you're looking for a funny, easy story about love, family, coffee and dogs, this is the book for you!

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun romance set in Austin Texas around the holidays between two rival coffee house managers who are also competing in a King Mutt competition with two adorable rescue dogs.

Read this if you enjoy:

- friendly rivalries

- family businesses

- cute canine sidekicks

-Hallmark holiday love stories with a little bit of steam

This works as a standalone but also had cameos from You lucky dog. I enjoyed listening to this on audio narrated by Courtney Patterson. Much thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!

Harper and Jonah’s story is a humorous tale of a mix-up with unexpected consequences in It Started with a Dog by Julia London, book two in her Lucky Dog series. It’s the battle of the brews. Harper is trying hard to launch a brand new and hip coffeehouse called Deja Brew with its success tied to a great promotion, while across the street is a family owned coffee shop, Lucky Star that Jonah Rogers is trying very hard to keep the doors open. Harper is intense and focused and driven to the exclusion of almost everything else. Her parents were never really there for her, so she learned to be task oriented at a young age; becoming the way she approaches life now. Jonah is a wonderful and thoughtful man who took a leave of absence from work to help take care of his parents’ coffee shop while his dad recuperates from leukemia and the treatments associated with it.

After sharing a ride, Harper and Jonah accidentally switch phones and they don’t discover the mistake until they are at their destinations-half a country away. They start texting on each other’s phones and Harper becomes fascinated by Jonah, and his dog, Truck. Jonah, in turn, feels a connection with Harper, one he can’t explain. They share a strong chemistry and a magnetic attraction, making them perfect for each other. When Jonah learns that Harper is in charge of opening the fancy coffeehouse, across the street, one that could put his family shop out of business permanently, will those sparks of attraction survive? Adding in the pups and having the local businesses foster dogs from the local rescue shelter was pure genius.

Ms. London wrote a wonderful, emotional, humorous story that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sizzling chemistry, humorous banter, lots of laughs, and charming secondary characters, besides the dogs, giving Harper and Jonah a chance at love and a future together. I highly recommend Started with a Dog to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

When Harper and Jonah end up with each others phone, their lives change all because of his dog. Who knew a screensaver could lead to such a sweet romance? I loved these characters. Harper is an independent woman who is focused on her career. Jonah, meanwhile, is ready to sacrifice his dream job to help his family. They are so different, but their sexy flirting leads to a special relationship. Their sparkling dialogue was so special that It made me laugh. These two completed each other. I couldn't believe that they were competitors. Who knew coffee shops were so cutthroat. I wasn't sure if they could overcome all the obstacles in their path, but I was rooting for them. Julia London has a deft touch with her dialogue as well as her characters. This was a feel good story that covered the emotional gambit. I was charmed by the dogs and the King Mutt competition. It Started With a Dog lifted my spirits and left me smiling.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. It Started With A Dog by Julia London is the second book in her charming Lucky Dog Series. It can be read as a stand-alone. I loved this book! It has all my favourite things meet cute, excellent banter, coffee, pie, dogs, off-the-charts chemistry, a soupcon of angst, quirky supporting characters and a heroine and hero whose HEA you will excitedly cheer for. If I had to describe the plot, I would say role reversal You’ve Got Mail but written by someone who understands that a happy ending doesn’t just mean getting the guy/girl. Harper Thompson is a goal setter and list maker. Right now, the goal she has set is to earn a big promotion at work, and that means a successful launch of companies flagship coffeehouse Deja Brew. She meets aerospace engineer Jonah Rogers after their phones accidentally get switched, and a fun epistolary relationship turns steamy when they meet in person to exchange their phones. All is going well until they realize that Harper’s plans for Deja Brew will put Lucky Star, the small coffee shop owned by Jonah’s family, out of business. Add in some amazing rescue dogs, a villainous nemesis, interfering friends and family members, and you will have a recipe for a fun and engaging book that was simply a delight to read. Steam Level: Medium. Publishing Date: October 5, 2021.
#ItStartedWithADog #JuliaLondon #BerkleyPublishing #BerkleyRomance #ContemporaryRomance #ContemporaryRomanceSeries #RomanceReader #ContemporaryRomanceReader #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #NetGalley

Julia London’s latest could convert even the most fervent cat lover into a dog lover. I don’t think I quite grasped how mutts could be such an important part of a story line, or how much I would end up actually liking it!

Commitment to family, competition, mutts, and choice of coffee and pie are recurring themes in this story. The struggles of the characters really resonated with me - how to balance family needs, job responsibilities, and life in general. It’s also a story of hope and a reminder that competition can be healthy and friendly. Oh, and the dogs sometimes growl and still make you love them.

I'm not a fan of sappy, modern romances that come across like a book I've already read. This is not one of those! It Started With a Dog is refreshing and quirky at times in ways that made me smile and left me with the warm fuzzies in my heart.

I didn’t think this would be my cup of tea (or coffee) but I found it sweet and endearing. So – did it start with a dog or a Lyft with a 5-star driver? It’s a toss up.

I received an advanced reader copy from the author. Opinions are my own.

Harper and Jonah accidentally switch phones and end up texting themselves into a relationship. Meeting in person, they find they have so much in common and their romance takes off. Unfortunately, Harper is in charge of opening a new coffeehouse in the neighborhood where Jonah's family owned coffee shop is located. The out dated coffee shop is losing money and when the new coffeehouse opens that will mean the end of it. In this lovers to enemies to lovers story all's well that ends well but you're in for a bumpy ride and lots of humor before that happens. Great dogs abound too! Recommended.

After a strange Lyft ride to the airport and an accidental phone swap - Jonah and Harper start exchanging texts until they can return the phones back to each other after the holidays. Jonah and Harper hit it off immediately and can't believe their luck.

Unfortunately, due to a (reasonable) misunderstanding, they don't know each others true professions and don't realize they are in direct competition with each other as Harper oversees opening the new flagship Deja Brew coffee house right across the street from Jonah's struggling family owned coffee shop.



via GIPHY

The summary makes it sound like they have an all out war but they are pleasantly mature about the whole thing. Sure they have their moments of competition and anger but I thought they handled it quite well and actually supported each other.
The bigger obstacle to their relationship was Jonah being so (too, one might say) committed to helping his family even if it means giving up on his own dreams. While Harper has had to go it alone for so long that she doesn't see any need to rely or depend on others and it makes her a bit aloof & career driven at times.

There's a heaping dose of wacky with Harper's new age type boss, LOTS of dogs - Jonah's dog Truck, Harper walks shelter dogs and fosters a cantankerous bulldog named Bob and the local King Mutt contest.

Jonah's family is a hoot as he tries to drag them into the modern era of coffee shops and they just don't get it. lol

My minor nitpicks - I didn't love Harper's relationship with her best friend. There was a weird vibe to it. The bff (I can't remember her name - Olivia maybe?) kept trying to push Harper into things that she just didn't like and Harper was judgy and and didn't really listen to the bff either. It was ok but not my favorite part. Not a huge part of the story though.

I'm horrible reading dog books. I've worked with animals for years and it drives me crazy when they blame dogs for bad behavior like biting or pulling and say there's nothing the can do. But that's most definitely a me thing. Dogs being silly move the plot along so...lol

😍It Started with a Dog was a super cute, lower angst romance with big You've Got Mail vibes, adorable dogs, dueling coffee shops and couple deserving of their HEA. 🐕🐕

Another great Julia London book … I love all these dogs. And this cute couple who are fighting to make things work despite the MANY obstacles that keep getting thrown in their way! And I have to say … Amal was a favorite character, and he was only on a few pages!

Grab a piece of pie, and enjoy this one!

The most important thing is that no dogs died in this book, which I was deff. concerned about. I know it's a romance and they typically have HEAs. but I was concerned. It feels like a non-spoiler, so that's why I don't feel bad about writing that down.

I read this book on vacation in Austin, where it is set. I think that the author does a great job at describing the setting and creating interesting characters. I liked the meet cute a lot, although the idea of a stranger going through my photos, emails and texts gave me heart palpitations. The reason that I gave this a low rating is that there is so. much. shoved into this book. The family drama, the medical issues, the parent difficulties, the chaotic boss, the quirky beset friend, etc. There was so much in it, and yet I was able to guess every plot point. Since there was so much going on, some of the moments that I would have expected to pack a punch, didn't.

I am appreciative of the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.