A great addition to an incredible series! Wonderful characters in an incredible setting. This book will keep you guessing until the end.

New Leash on Life
by Kathleen Y'Barbo
Pub DateOct 01 2023
Barbour Publishing |Barbour Fiction
Christian| Mystery & Thrillers| Romance


I am reviewing a copy of New Lease on Life through Barbour fiction and Netgalley:



Get cozy with your trusty hound and get ready for a small-town mystery in Gone to the Dogs 6.

The romance between Dr. Lane Bishop and Nora Hernandez has cooled. She is opening an antique shop and running a restaurant while he is a researcher at the vet school. Lane hasn't told her that he suffers from PTSD, which manifests mostly through nightmares. This is about to change when he meets a stray pup who acts like a military working dog. 


During a tornado that hits Brenham, there is damage in the downtown area, as well as a fire in Nora's new store. A Belgian Malinois dog is seen at the fire, and Lane later sees him at a wedding venue where an explosion occurs. In the days that follow, Nora and Lane are sent on a hunt for the person responsible for a second explosion in Brenham. Are the pair going to find the culprit before more damage is done to the city's landmarks? Will Lane be able to tell Nora how much he loves her before it's too late?

 
Books in the Series

Gone to the Dogs series:
Book 1 - *Off the Chain* by Janice Thompson
Book 2 - *Dog Days of Summer* by Kathleen Y'Barbo
Book 3 - *Barking Up the Wrong Tree* by Janice Thompson
Book 4 - *The Bark of Zorro* by Kathleen Y’Barbo
Book 5 - *Every Dog Has His Day* by Janice Thompson
Book 6 - *New Leash on Life* by Kathleen Y’Barbo


I give New Leash on Life five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I have read one or two of the other books in this series and really did not make the connection of the characters to the other books right away. It is easily read as a stand-alone book. It probably would enhance the reading experience if I had read them all prior to reading this one but it is definitely not necessary. The cover description gives a nice description of the book so I won't repeat information on characters or the story. I will simply state the characters are easy to relate to, likable, and the story has a a little romance and mystery tucked in nicely with family and a small community. An easy quick read, cozy mystery and refreshing not to be filled with four letter word offensive language or actions. Great read for the summertime or to take to the poolside or beach to read. I was provided an advanced reader copy and was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. Read and enjoy!

"New Leash on Life" by Kathleen Y'Barbo is a delightful cozy mystery that combines romance and mystery in a small-town setting. The story revolves around Air Force veteran Dr. Lane Bishop and Nora Hernandez, whose relationship faces challenges amidst mysteries involving a stray pup resembling a military working dog and a series of suspicious incidents in their town. Y'Barbo's writing is engaging, with well-rounded characters and a plot that keeps you guessing. The blend of romance, mystery, and heartwarming moments makes this book a cozy and enjoyable read for fans of light-hearted mysteries with a touch of canine charm.

This is the second book I’ve read in this series and I enjoyed it, especially the romance mixed in with the mystery. This was a to-the-point mystery that wrapped up without a ton of clues but that was okay – the clues weren’t needed to make the story interesting. It was fast-paced with a new development in almost every chapter but not so fast-paced that it was unrealistic or ridiculous.
I loved the main characters, even though I have not read a cozy mystery where there was a POV from two people before. I don’t know if I really liked the switching back and forth at first but I really loved both characters so it started not to bother me as much.
The supporting cast in this book was also a book to the story.
The plot line of the military dog drew the elements of the mystery together and I was pleased with how that part of the story resolved. The ending was somewhat predictable but I didn’t mind that because it ended how I hoped it would.
Though I felt there were a couple of plot points that didn’t quite come together for me, I still enjoyed the book and would read more in the series. This book came at a good time in my life when I needed a clean and wholesome book to read.

A page turner and delicious mystery. A great addition to the series
Many thanks to Barbour Publishing and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion. .

This was such a fun book. I loved how it flipped between characters and gave us the different points of view of the two main characters. The cozy mystery component kept me guessing and the romance was a nice off shoot. Looking forward to more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advance readers copy. Opinions are solely my own.

I absolutely love this series! This story did not disappoint. The mystery with the dog was great and the romance was set at a good pace.

've liked all the books in this Gone to the Dogs series. I found them to be heartwarming, entertaining and fun. This installment is no different. I was particularly impressed by the section of the story where a missing military working dog was brought into the storyline. I liked how there was a conundrum to solve. I liked how the author talked about PTSD and how Air Force veteran Dr. Lane Bishop received unexpected healing from the military working dog. Their bond grew. It turned Lane’s life around.

Nora Hernandez, who is occupied with running her restaurant and getting ready to launch an antiques store, is the second important character. When a tornado strikes Brenham, things start to get a little crazy for her and the community. The downtown area is severely damaged. When a second explosion rocks Brenham, things get suspenseful. This event brings Lane and Nora closer. They had been dating for some time now. Due to Lane’s PTSD issues, which he has never been willing to discuss with Nora; their relationship has been strained. Since Lane started taking care of this military dog, he feels more at ease. Is there any connection between that and the military's training of dogs?

The author’s love of animals’ shines through the entire series. It left an impression on me. This story has a delightful ending. This makes for fun escape and one that would work well for your next book club pick.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

This was a great story I couldn't stop reading, nor could I guess the whole answer to the mystery. I also enjoyed the revisit with some of the characters from the past books of the series. I first enjoyed Kathleen Y'Barbo as an author of historical romance, but given the choice, I may like her mysteries even better. Wonderful book!

The narrative of New Leash on Life is engaging. It centers on the almost nonexistent romance between researcher Dr. Lane Bishop and restaurant owner Nora Hernandez.

Pal, a Belgian Malinois dog, shows up while Nora is attempting to decide how to handle Lane's unwillingness to commit. Pal seems to be homeless, yet his physical appearance and grasp of commands seem to disprove that theory.

Pal, Nora's kitten and Lane's dad pretty much steal the show.

In certain moments, especially the ones where Lane is involved, I value the attention to detail. There are heart-pounding, serious scenes mixed along with a few comedic ones.

A number of variables both aid in the cozy mystery's setup and in its resolution.

I regret that this is the final installment of the Gone to the Dogs series, because I really liked the story.


I received a review copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

Well, this was not quite a good fit for me. I was into chapter 3 before I figured out that the chapters were shifting by person/character. Not much about the dog until towards the last 1/3 of the book. This book, to me, is more romance than mystery. I prefer books that are a continuous story instead of jumping chapters between characters.

This is an ARC review and these are my honest thoughts and opinions. This was a cozy mystery read, one that I was definitely looking forward to reading! I have horrible anxiety so I can not do typical murder/slasher books they must be cozy murder/mystery for me. I loved the sweet dog Pal and the two main characters (MMC) Lane and (MFC) Nora.I will happily recommend this book to others! I want to say thank you to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for my ARC to read and review. As always ,please check the TW!


Read this if you like:
- Christian Mystery
- PTSD representation
- cozy mystery

I enjoy books that have dogs in them and Kathleen Y’Barbo did not disappoint me. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline was heartwarming and fun.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All words are my own.

This series, with its various pets, has been very enjoyable and the dog in this book may be my favorite pet yet! Pal is a military working dog in need of a home and much of the plot of New Leash on Life deals with finding Pal a new master and witnessing the on-again, off-again romance between Nora and Lane. There's also a tornado, some unexplained fires, and illegal activity brewing in Brenham. What else can possibly happen in this small Texas town that we've come to love?

This is the sixth book in the Gone to the Dogs series, and the books just keep getting better. Cozy mystery fans will appreciate this well-written story with its likable characters, clean romance, and just enough intrigue to keep them guessing. I recommend New Leash on Life to all who enjoy contemporary Christian fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

The next book in the Gone to the Dogs series and I’m happy to report that it’s just as exciting as the others! This book is focused on a friend of the line Star Vet Clinic, Nora. She owns the local Simply Eat restaurant where her bestie Cassidy lives in the upstairs apartment.

As with the rest of the series there’s a report of a stray dog, except this one seems to travel quite a fast distance and it seems unlikely it’s traveling on its own on foot. This dog though, it to know that Nora’s boyfriend, Lane, doesn’t do well with fireworks as the stray is protecting Lane during the fireworks at their friends’ wedding.

It’s when there’s a tornado across the street from Nora’s new building purchase, which also catches on fire, that throws a new twist to everything else. That and suddenly there’s a lot of grocery delivery issues with Nora’s grocery delivery.

There’s so much happening in this book! I’d love to hang out with some friends at Simply Eat! I give this book 5 out of 5 tiaras! This is a community and group of friends I’d be so happy to hang out with!

Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Books for access to this title! Another exciting book in this series!

I was happy to have the opportunity to be able to continue to read another cozy mystery from the Gone to the Dog Series. So far I've had the pleasure of reading three books in this series. This book focuses on Nora and Lane's relationship, and unfortunately, it has cooled off some in the love factor. Lane dearly loves Nora, and vice versa, but Lane is clueless on how close he is from losing Nora and time is ticking in more ways than one. There is some mysteries going on in this town from a lost dog, lost cat and a mystery person squatting in Nora's newly purchased building. Yes, we can learn so much from our furry friends. I would totally recommend this series overall over a nice cup of coffee. I received this book for free from Celebrate Lit Tour and the opinions I express are honest and my own.

New Leash on Life is a fun and heartwarming story as well as part of a wonderful series that you are not going to want to miss. I’ve had the pleasure of reading all the books in the series. And they’re all equally amazing! I’m an animal lover. And because of that I really have enjoyed this series. Each one features at least one exemplary animal.

In this book, our featured animal is a dog. And not just any dog but a military working dog who has retired. He’s a Belgian Malinois. I didn’t know much about this breed until last year around this time when we adopted one. He’s an ex-working dog too. Though he was a service dog. He was a PTSD service dog for a former military man. Our guy is a Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd mix. We’re well-versed in German Shepherds here. But adding in this mix has been unique.

I can attest that they’re extremely motivated. He’s high energy. He’s got an extreme drive and needs to be doing something. Our guy is named Rudy and we’re immensely enjoying him.

The dog in the book is Pal. And I see a lot of similarities between him and our dog Rudy. It makes sense once I learned that the author has had experience with friends adopting an ex-working dog. They know! Please know that almost everything dog-related in the book is true! They’re super smart, energetic, motivated, and oh-so-loving.

AND THERE’S MORE!
The book doesn’t solely focus on the dog. There are two main human characters as well. However, the dog totally stole the show for me.

While the book is a cosy mystery, it definitely has its own share of mystery and suspense that will make you want to keep reading and not miss a word!

I highly recommend this book. In fact, I highly recommend the entire series. They’re clean and fun with enough mystery and suspense to keep you going but not enough to make you hide away. Oh, and there’s some fun romance as well.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

I loved reading this story about two people who work long hours and want to get married but have secrets that they are not talking about. I really liked Nora and Lane and Pal. I enjoyed learning some about MWD dogs. I liked the romance and the bits of suspense. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Are Nora and Lane headed for the end or happily ever after?

Nora and Lane's relationship is stuck, with no clear direction forward but they are both too invested to let go, meanwhile random explosions are causing damage in town. I loved revisiting familiar faces, while getting to know Nora and Lane better as they confront the future of their relationship.

An engaging story, with likable characters, good interaction and a good mystery. I could see why Nora and Lane were where they were at, and their struggles moving forward. It was good to see things from both their perspectives.

Overall, a great addition to the series with cameos from all the previous couples. While part of a series, you could also read it as a stand alone. A highly enjoyable read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.