TLDR; this book is a delightful and charming rom-com with Sex in the City vibes.

It's been some time since I've read a book that features an animal as a plot device. I'm not a fan of Sex in the City, but I could tell that this book gave off similar vibes. Fans of the grump-sunshine trope will enjoy this book. In a rare turn of events (at least to me), we meet the male lead first. Theo Garrison is the son of a Hollywood actress and a member of New York's upper crust. Orphaned at a young age after his parents died vis à vis a car crash while fleeing persistent paparazzi. This loss and trauma lead Theo to become a very private person and earned the moniker, the Hermit of Fifth Avenue. He hates the paparazzi with a vengeance and will go out of his way to keep his private life private. Following the death of his beloved, if not eccentric, grandmother, Theo inherits his family's publishing house and his grandmother's spoiled Dachshund, named Camilla. Camilla goes through dog sitters like water. After the last one quits, the agency that Theo hired, "fired" the pair as clients. While still grieving the loss of his last family member, Theo has to deal with a spoiled dog that exhibits destructive behaviors.

Our female lead, Isla Thompson, is a social media consultant. She's confident, empathetic, and observant, which makes her good at her job as a social media consultant. Unfortunately, her story starts off with her career (and that of her client) going up in smoke after her client vomits all over her Met Gala-esque dress on Instagram live. Yikes! After she is blacklisted from every marketing firm in the city, Isla is desperate for a job to help pay for her sister's ballet classes and keep a roof over their heads. I love Isla! She's responsible and rolls with the punches, but at the same time, she's relatable. Her family history is so sad. Spoiler: her mom had Isla at a very young age and is most definitely not parent material. Isla was barely an adult when her mother abandoned her and Dani to run off with a man. Being abandoned like that definitely left scars on both sisters but in different ways. I liked how the trauma was portrayed in each sister. For Isla, she was already accustomed to the realization that her mother never wanted her and accepted the fact that their mother wasn't coming back. For Dani, the fear of abandonment and being forgotten is rooted deep, and even after years of therapy, Dani still has panic attacks and crying jags whenever she cannot get ahold of Isla.

About the main couple, Isla and Theo meet at a park when Camilla manages to slip out of her leash. Isla, who happened to work as a dog sitter in high school. Theo, in desperate need of a dog sitter, hires Isla on the spot. Their relationship is not insta-love, but close. The time period between their initial interaction to them becoming intimate was in the span of a couple of months. Over the first few weeks, they slowly get to know one another. Isla, in particular, gets under Theo's skin real fast. I think it's safe to say that he fell first. Their "complicated" relationship implodes when Theo finds out about the Instagram account that she made for Camilla. Theo, who has been betrayed in the past by an ex-girlfriend, immediately falls back on his tried and true methods of not dealing with his emotions and cuts off contact. This is the only thing I did not like about this book. Eighty to eighty-nine percent of the book was about how their relationship formed and how it changed Theo. He developed some self-awareness of how much he liked being with someone again. I thought he overreacted to the Instagram account but at the same time, I understand where he's coming from. Post-break-up, Theo does develop some more self-awareness of how lonely it was to be by himself all the time. He even connected with Camilla and their shared grief. There is a redemption arc for Theo with assistance from Dani. The ending was equal parts satisfying and expected. 4.5 stars

The Dachshund Wears Prada is an absolutely delightful read. It's witty and fun. So much so that I laughed out loud several times, causing a few odd looks from the family (you'd think they'd be used to me reacting to what I read). The story isn't all fun and games, there's a fair bit of emotion packed into this one too. Isla and Theo seem like complete opposites, but they really are good together, and they are good for each other. Of course, Camilla is all attitude, and Stefanie London does an excellent job of timing the humor to temper the emotion, so things don't get too heavy. The book is well written, the pacing is spot-on, and the storyline is engaging and entertaining. This is my first time reading a book by Stefanie London, but now that I've gotten a taste, I will certainly be back for more.

The Dachshund Wears Prada by Stefanie London, book one in her Paws in the City series, is a heartwarming, moving tale that takes you on a journey into the life of social media specialist Isla Thompson after an unfortunate turn of events has her career destroyed, and she finds herself unexpectedly taking a job as dog sitter for a spoiled dachshund with a bad disposition, Camilla, whose owner is the standoffish, sexy Theo Garrison who just might need a little help of his own. Despite having a full plate, caring for and raising her 14 year-old sister Dani, Isla always looks to the bright side of life. Theo was a loner and grumpy, but occasionally little glimpses of who he was, peeked out. Beneath he was a lonely person who had been betrayed on too many occasions; while at the same time, he and Camilla were both grieving deeply. With her sunny personality and compassionate personality, Isla managed to win Camilla’s doggie heart, but she might have won the heart of Camilla’s grumpy owner, too. The dog antics, romance, instagram craziness, and sisterly bonds all added additional layers to this amazing story.

Ms. London wrote a humorous, emotional, heartwarming romance that should not be missed. She provided a tale rich with magnetic attraction, sizzling chemistry, clever banter, laugh out loud scenes, and charming characters giving Isla and Theo a chance at love and forever family along with Dani and Camilla. I highly recommend The Dachshund Wears Prada to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

I had a lot of fun in reading this entertaining and compelling story. It's humorous, the characters are fleshed out, and the plot kept me turning pages.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Cute, funny, sassy, this is a feel-good rom com. Isla has lost her job (that she has invested so much into) and needs to get employment quick. While with her sister in Central Park a grumpy, attitude-laden dachshund decides to have a cute meet with Isla and her sister. Her surrogate Daddy Theo comes along for the ride. Now Theo has been having a heck of a time finding a dog sitter for Camilla (said Dachshund), cause she tends to nip and piddle a lot, and of course with her sassy attitude. He hires Isla on the spot and she takes the job.

I loved watching the growth between the humans but also the dog and human interactions. Camilla becomes the star of her own Instagram page, and Theo does not know how to handle this. This is a lovely story that showcases a lot of character growth (both human and dog) The love story between Theo and Isla is very well done. But let's be honest Camilla stole the show.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the ARC.

A joyous and wonderful story. Theo is a complicated character. He is wealthy and reclusive. Isla is fighting hard to survive and support her younger sister. The story is funny with a great little dog character who almost steals the show. Stefanie Landon showcases her dry wit with characters who talk to themselves and animals with funny outcomes. Isla steals into Theo’s life and heart and heals all the cracks and broken pieces. It is a redemption based in love for both of them.

THE DACHSHUND WEARS PRADA – Stefanie London
Paws in the City, Book 1
HQN
ISBN: 978-1-335-63983-7
May 3, 202
Contemporary Romance

New York City – Present Day

Isla Thompson was once the internet’s hottest social influencer, but a mistake involving an up-and-coming actress torpedoed her career. She is now a persona non grata and is having a hard time finding a job. As the sole support of herself and her teenage sister, it’s imperative that she have income coming in. A chance meeting in the park with a dachshund—and his surly master—has Isla offered a job as the canine’s personal attendant. She figures it will be an easy task, though the dog, Camilla, is foul-tempered and has a strict schedule. But the job soon grows on her and Isla starts an anonymous Instagram account for the dog called The Dachshund Wore Prada. The problem is that she hasn’t told her employer.

Billionaire Theo Garrison prefers to keep his private life private after losing his parents in a car crash while they were escaping the press. His beloved grandmother raised him and has left him her most prized possession—Camilla. Since his business keeps him busy and he has a love-hate relationship with Camilla, Theo has hired dog sitters. Unfortunately, they don’t last long due to the dog’s attitude. After the last one unexpectedly quits, he is out taking the dog for a walk when he runs into Isla. She intrigues him, and he offers her the job of taking care of Camilla. Things are going smoothly, and he is beginning to like Isla, but as a man who has trust issues, can he trust her to not be a gold digger? How will he react if he learns that she is taking pictures of Camilla and posting them online? Above all, Theo wants privacy.

A dachshund is at the center of the story in THE DACHSHUND WEARS PRADA as she brings Isla and Theo together. The rich will pamper their dogs to the excess, from salon appointments to meetings with a psychic. It’s the reason why Camilla needs a personal attendant and Isla feels she is perfect for the job. Of course, she soon discovers a few things that help pave the way for Camilla to stop snarling at her. Isla’s employer is a bit harder to thaw as Theo doesn’t trust many people. His grandmother was his idol and now she’s gone. This is why he agrees to keep Camilla. As for Isla, her priority is her sister, Dani, who was abandoned by their mother. Dani has ballet lessons and Isla will do whatever it takes to make sure she keeps training.

In THE DACHSHUND WEARS PRADA, it takes a while for the relationship between Isla and Theo to thaw beyond that of employer/employee, but soon he is finding excuses to spend time with her. From the first moment they kiss, their relationship takes off like a rocket. Yet, readers know that Theo likely won’t be happy that Isla has made Camilla an unintentional internet sensation with the Instagram page. It soon has thousands of followers and requests for interviews. The moment Theo finds out, will there be an explosion?

THE DACHSHUND WEARS PRADA is a cute and funny romantic tale that will fit the bill for readers who love to read stories with snappy dialogue and funny scenes. You will be soon rooting for Isla and Theo to declare their love and have a happily-ever-after. Be sure to not miss THE DACHSHUND WEARS PRADA.

Patti Fischer

Loved this one and I am so excited that it’s the first book in a new series! I loved it from the start all the way to the finish and I can’t wait to read the next one. This would be great as an audiobook as well- I’m certain that the dialogue would be even better with a strong narrator. I will listen to it when it is released, this will easily be one to reread.

The Dachshund Wears Prada by @stefanielondon is an absolutely adorable romance!

Social media consultant to the stars Isla had a video of an upcoming Hollywood star go viral for the wrong reason and was fired. When she was walking in Central Park she had a run-in with Theo and his dog Camilla and accepted a job as a dog sitter for him. What she didn't know was it was the guy known as Manhattan's hermit and had recently gotten Camilla after his grandmother's death. What will happen when this social media influencer and the billionaire hermit spend some time together?

This was a fun grump/sunshine romance with a pup with personality - how many dig sitters did she scare off! It had some funny scenes and some sweet scenes between Isla and her sister Dani.

If you're looking for an adorable and sweet romance I highly recommend this! Plus this is book 1 in the Paws in the City series and I'm looking forward to reading about Isla's BFF Scout in book 2!

Wait, this is a start to a SERIES? I am so happy right now. I loved this delightful story. It hit all the right notes. A little angst, a little joy, a little wondering, a lot of laughing. It's a delightful story, and I can't wait to read more in the series!

I can’t recall the last time I read a Stefanie London book, but the cover and the concept of this one completely won me over. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end and often found myself smiling as I read it.

It was an utterly pleasant read that swept me off my feet. Although the dog plays an important role in this story, for me, it was Theo, the hero. He’s a bit rough around the edges, but I thought there were a lot of charming qualities to his character as well.

I was also a big fan of the whole girly theme. I feel there’s definitely room for more books like this, so I’m hoping that London will create a series out of this book or write more with this style. After reading this one, I have no doubt that I’ll be checking out more of her books.

I loved this charming, sweet, and fun story!

Isla has just lost her job in a very embarrassing and public way. This leads to her working for Theo taking care of the dog he inherited from his late grandmother. The two of them come from different worlds and have pretty different personalities and outlooks. However, there's the spark of something between them from early on and it doesn't take long to grow into very real and deep feelings.

Though there's no shortage of humor and rom-com moments the story is also very emotional. Isla and Theo have experienced heartbreak related to their families that really shaped who they have become now. It also informed how they approached their growing relationship.

Stefanie is one of my favorite authors. Her writing is engaging and entertaining, and Theo and Isla are realistic and relatable characters. I also loved Isla's sister Dani and her best friend Scout.

Even though I just finished this book, I am already looking forward to the next one in the series!

Stefanie London has written another fantastic book. No surprise there. This time she takes us to New York City and we get to know Isla and Theo, along with the inimitable Camilla, the aforementioned dachshund. Isla has lost her job in social media after a particularly nasty incident and is worried about supporting herself and her younger sister, Dani. Along comes Theo and Camilla, and suddenly Isla finds herself working as a caregiver for a dog. Not quite what she had planned, but she and Camilla hit it off and she begins to draw out Camilla and her reluctant owner, too. Isla and Theo have a slow burn romance, neither one of them wanting to upset the arrangement they have, but both recognizing there is something special between them. I adored both characters and really felt so much for Theo and all he’d been through as a kid. There are plenty of romantic moments, of course, but also lots of fun ones, too. Camilla is a star and I fell in love with the sweet, scared princess. There was quite a bit of heat and lots of heart in this book and I found myself reading late into the night to finish it. I highly recommend getting to know little Camilla and her humans, Isla and Theo.

I liked Camilla very much. She stole the scenes she was in. Dogsitting for a disgruntled billionarie was a unique twist on the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale.

Mistakes are hard to make right.
How do you start over when the biggest mistake of your life has more than one million views?
Isla's biggest nightmare has come to pass. Enter the picture, Theo who is by all means a hermit.
Forget diamonds—the internet is forever. Social media consultant Isla Thompson learned that lesson the hard way when she went viral for all the wrong reasons. A month later, Isla is still having nightmares about the moment she ruined a young starlet’s career and made herself the most unemployable influencer in Manhattan. But she doesn’t have the luxury of hiding until she’s no longer Instagram poison. Not when her fourteen-year-old sister, Dani, needs Isla to keep a roof over their heads. So, she takes the first job she can get: caring for Camilla, a glossy-maned, foul-tempered hellhound.
After a week of ferrying Camilla from playdates to pet psychics, Isla starts to suspect that the dachshund’s bark is worse than her bite—just like her owner, Theo Garrison. Isla has spent her career working to make people likable and here’s Theo—happy to hide behind his reputation as a brutish recluse. But Theo isn’t a brute—he’s sweet and funny, and Isla should not see him as anything but the man who signs her paychecks. Because loving Theo would mean retreating to his world of secluded luxury, and Isla needs to show Dani that no matter the risk, dreams are always worth chasing.
Stefanie London has written a very witty and poignant book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Such a fun read!

Who does not love a feisty yet adorable dachshund?! Camilla was an absolute star in this book and loved how much she played into the bigger story between Theo and Isla. This was a sweet and heartwarming read that I had no issues reading in one sitting. It made me laugh and a few times cry and that is what made it all the better. I loved the backstories of both characters, the chemistry between them, and all of the quirky social media posts. The love Isla has for her sister and her determination to make things work is so sweet and amazing and I give Isla's character 5 stars!

Oh this is a fun, witty, moving and absolutely gorgeous story, Stefanie London has bought us the first in her new series and it is a must read, filled with all of the feels of a fabulous romance this one will keep you turning the pages as we get to know Camilla the Dachshund and Theo and Isla.

Social media consultant Isla Thompson is good at what she does, that is until a mistake that will take her career away. Now Isla has no job she is an outcast in the world she loves and she has a young sister to care for one that she loves so much after all they have been through, a chance meeting in Central Park brings her in contact with Theo Garrison the hermit of New York and his dog Camilla, will life change for Isla and how will it change?

Theo does not mix with people they call him a hermit for a reason, he runs the family publishing business and there are few people that know him well, the recent loss of his grandmother has been hard and even harder still he now has the care of her dog Camilla and finding dog sitters proves hard with this beautiful but mean tempered dog. Walking her in Central Park a chance meeting with a beautiful woman who Camilla appears to like will change his life in such a good way.

Isla takes on the role of dog sitter not the career she really wanted but needs must, she gets to know Camilla while taking her for playdates psychic’s and appointments but she also gets to know Theo the recluse, she sees more in her boss than most people would and their friendship grows. Isla also discovers that pets make good social media characters and Isla is soon torn between going for her dreams or hurting Theo.

I loved this story so very much, it is beautifully written, filled with emotion and so much fun I laughed so much throughout this one and I was cheering Theo and Isla on. The ending had me in happy tears and sighing to see Theo open up and for two people who deserved so much to find such love and happiness. This is one that I would highly recommend don’t miss out and I can’t wait for the next one.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review

This book felt like my favorite latte, snuggly and comfortable with all the ingredients to make my favorite type of story. A strong female lead who grows into her own and bravely takes on whatever she is handed, a shut-in male lead who grows out of his shell, and a lovely supporting cast who are people we can care about. My only complaint is that it was overly predictable. Sometimes that's great, but other times I'd like just a hint of spice in that latte.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC.

One thing I know to be true, dachshund lovers are a tight knit bunch. Therefore, when I saw this title, I had to read it.

This is a lovable, quick read. I could absolutely see this turning into a Hallmark movie - it has all the necessary components. I really just fell in love with the characters. I would personally hate being a nanny to a DOG, but maybe it's because I'm just not much of a dog person? (I just wanted to read about the doxie!)

Perfect for when you want a light fun read! Isla's been fired and she's desperate for a job to support herself and her sister Dani. But dog walking? Camilla the dachshund is mourning the loss of Theo's grandmother, who was her animal companion and she's been a demon dog to everyone Theo hires to take care of her. Until Isla. Isla is mystified at first at the world in which Camilla circulates (dog owners will recognize some of the high end options to spoil a doggie friend) but she finds herself once again on the Internet and more popular than ever. What about Theo? Well, he's not going to admit that he, like Camilla finds Isla a good egg, not for a while. Fans of the genre know that these two will, with the help of Camilla and Dani, find a way to each other. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. This appears to be the first in a series and I'm looking forward to the next one.