We get two stories for the price of one. Who wouldn't love two romances with quirky animals!

In The Odd Couple by Lori Foster we some familiar faces that I loved revisiting. The dogs on the cover fit the two in this book. I have a special spot in my heart for Saint Bernard dogs so I was super excited to read this story. This is a neighbors to lovers romance. Ford finds himself in an unexpected spot when his neighbor Skye asks for a favor. Let the sparks fly! Then you add in an adopted odd couple Maybelline and Tank. Did those two dogs ever steal my heart, but especially Maybelline. Her bond with Ford warmed my heart. It's something truly special to witness. A favor turned into so much than Ford and Skye could ever imagined.

Then we have Force of Nature by Maisey Yates packed full of animals. This is a brother's best friend romance. Remy's backstory broke my heart especially when Hank enters the picture because it brings up those old feelings in Remy. Remy and Hank are two broken souls, but with the kelp of the Clay family they can feel love as it is meant to be. Lydia has always had a crush on Remy. Her love of helping animals is going to put into motion something she always wanted. I loved that Lydia loves animals so much. She reminds me of my brother. He is such an advocate for animals just as Lydia. Plenty of heart and feels in this one.

Two lovely romances in one book. In The Odd Couple by Foster we meet Ford and Sky who are pretending to be a couple. As the charade continues the two start to actually have feelings for one another. Will they come together in the end and be a real couple or will doubts win out in the end. In Forces of Nature by Yates we meet Lydia and Remington. Lydia loves animals and when a sad case comes to the shelter she knows the perfect person to help. She talks him into taking Hank and agrees to help him with the transition into dog ownership. Sparks begin to fly between the two, will they let nature take its course or fight the attraction they both feel.

I absolutely loved this story. When amazing characters meet adorable animals, it makes for a page turner.

4 star

The Odd Couple by Lori Foster
This is Skye and Ford’s story. These two are neighbors. She needs help fending off an ex that does not understand the relationship is over for good. But what starts out as pretend becomes something so much more. A few dates and some hanging out leads to getting some pets together. Is this pretend or are they building a forever?

Force of Nature by Maisey Yates
This is Lydia and Remington’s story. Hank needs a home, and Lydia knows that Remington would be the best fit for him. Her brother’s best friend is grumpy, and Hank just might be something that makes him a little happy. The more they spend time together training the dog the closer they get. Do they have something building between them or are they truly only training a dog?

I recommend this book.

These two talented storytellers are ones I’ve followed since their early romances, but it's been a while since I’ve picked up their work. It was a joy to dive into this one and get two stories about not only dogs, but rescue dogs. They truly are the best choice for giving a pup a home, because their loyalty, devotion and love are unmatched.

Here we have two very different romances, but both equally wonderful. In the first, two neighbors become more over an adopted pair of grossly mismatched but fiercely bonded rescue dogs. In the second, two people who have own each other most of their lives find love when she coerces him into fostering a neglected dog. Charming, witty, and bursting with heart, this is just the read you need to make your romantic heart blissfully happy.

Two really good stories.
In The Odd Couple, Skye and Ford are so cute together. Neither are looking to get involved, but it happens anyway with the help of two of the most unlikely characters. Maybelline and Tank are so cute. Ford has been wanting to adopt Maybelline for a long time, but he works some long hours and doesn't think it is fair to her and Maybelline has a little buddy that she has bonded with, and he would have to take both. When Skye decides she wants a dog, she come up with the idea that she will take Tank and then they could see each other all the time. It seemed an easy solution, but there is lots of chaos involved and lots of cleaning later. Can they find a happy medium for the dogs and for themselves?
Force of Nature: Lydia has been in love with Remy as long as she can remember. The problem is that he doesn't think he would be a good partner because of his upbringing. When Lydia brings him a dog named Hank, he starts to rethink his stance. He can give her material things, but can he give her the love she deserves. Lydia is willing to take the chance, but is Remy?

I've enjoyed both of these authors in the past. I haven't been reading them lately, so I decided to pick them up again. I'm so glad that I did. Both stories are very good, and I liked them. I did find that I was able to get into Fosters much easier but that is most likely because I've been reading her for such a long time that even with my break of her, I was able to jump right back into her. Yates, I enjoy but I read her a lot less.

When I started the, The Odd Couple right away I felt like it wasn't the first book, so I ran to look into it, and I was right. So, if you follow me, you know I hate reading out of order, so I had to read the two books prior. I enjoyed them so I knew I'd be enjoying this one too. Which I did. I liked how this one didn't fall into the same track as the others. Yes, it seemed like she had a problem man in her life, but she wasn't in any danger. I enjoyed both Ford and Skye. I also liked her sister and I'm glad they are getting closer. Plus, the pups are so much fun.

Force of Nature is a good story I love how much both Lydia and Remington. You can't help liking people who are good to animals. The story is fast moving but I felt a bit off in the beginning. I was almost like the story started before the first page. I don't like that 'dropped into the story' feeling. Because of that I felt the story lack a bit.

As a whole this both stories are very enjoyable and worth the read.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to everyone.

Two books in one.
First one is The Odd Couple by Lori Foster: Ford and Skye are neighbors, she needs his help. He agrees, he never would think it ends up the way it did. Love the humor and everything else. Storyline is awesome.

Second one is: Force of Nature by Maisey Yates: Lydia and Remington knows each other for a long time, he is her brother's best friend. Her family helped him when he needed it most. Now she needs his help and he can't say no. Enjoyed this storyline very much.

Lori Foster is an old fave, but this is my first Maisey Yates story! It was a fun compilation!

The Odd Couple by Lori Foster continues with her yearly benefit books, featuring the same friend group. These stories always involve animal rescue of some kind, and all her advance and royalties go to her local no-kill shelter, which is wonderful. This is the story of Ford and Skye, who are next-door neighbors. Skye needs a temporary fake boyfriend to fend off an unwanted suitor, and Ford agrees to help her out. But once they spend time together, they realize how good, and how REAL, they could be. I enjoyed their banter, and Skye's twin was great as a side character, as were the pups. This was a closed door story, which is out of the norm for these, in my experience. I also enjoyed seeing the friends from prior books!

Force of Nature by Maisey Yates has a heroine with a lifelong love for her older brother's best friend (my favorite trope!) and a clueless hero, who finally figures out that his friend's baby sis has grown up, with the help of some rescue animals, of course! Lydia has never met an animal she didn't want to help, and Remy is no different. He had a lot of childhood trauma from his deadbeat parents, and Lydia's family took him in as a teenager. He really has to come to terms with all of that, and realize that he has more family in his life than he thought. Also, he has to come to the conclusion that he could be a good fit for Lydia after all. This one actually made me cry, so bonus points for that!!

Overall this was a sweet and fun compilation, and I enjoyed myself! I would definitely be interested in reading more of Maisey Yates in the future!

Enjoyed Skye and Ford. Neighbors who talked as needed u til Skye asked for help with a ex boyfriend who would not leave her alone. Ford agreed to be her fake boyfriend and set her ex Clyde in his place. Skye also thought a dog may help. Ford knew of the pet rescue and liked Mabelline but didn't feel he had enough time. Skye agreed to take Tank, and Maybelline went with Ford. These two gave their pet owners a bit of chaos until they found the perfect solution.. being together so the pets could be together.

Remy and Lydia's story is so touching.
Remy grew up with parents who were drunks and didn't have any time for their son. Remy eventually went to live with his best friend Matthew Clay's family.
Lydia always has had a crush on Remy since the day he came into their lives. He is successful and runs the ranch his father let's get run down. He then takes in his father's dog Hank, as Lydia encouraged that.
Lydia let Remy know she is 27 and never had a boyfriend and wants to be home a woman. Remy shows Lydia he cares, and together, these two fall into a relationship, yet Remy is scared. When Lydia says I love you, he panics, and she walks away.
When Remy leans on Nancy Clay for advice, he knows what he has to do.

THE TWO OF US – Lori Foster & Maisey Yates
Kensington
ISBN: 978-1496754158
March 25, 2025
Contemporary Romance Anthology

The Odd Couple – Lori Foster

Ford Caruso is hanging out with his friends alongside his pool when neighbor Skye Fairchild comes over and asks for a favor. She needs one of the men to come over to her house to pretend to be her boyfriend because a persistent ex-boyfriend is on his way, and she needs to prove that she has moved on. Ford has always been intrigued by his sexy, beautiful neighbor, so he offers to be her pretend boyfriend. Unfortunately, the ex isn’t buying the ruse, so Ford offers to be her boyfriend for however long it takes to convince him. Or maybe it’s a chance for Ford to get to know Skye better.

What starts out as a pretend relationship soon turns into the real thing in The Odd Couple. Skye and Ford even end up getting rescued pets and help each other out taking care of their dogs. They are soon doing more than hanging around each other. Is love about to hit them? Ford is the essence of manliness while Skye feels inferior to her even prettier twin. He has to convince her that she is just as beautiful and show how much he cares for her.

Lori Foster hits all the right notes in The Odd Couple, especially if you love watching a couple fall in love with each other.

Force of Nature – Maisey Yates

Lydia Clay loves to rescue animals and even has her own menagerie at her home, including a domesticated raccoon. When Hank the dog shows up at the shelter, she knows where to take him. The dog belonged to Remington Lane’s abusive father. He now has his own ranch and could easily take in Hank, though he pushes back when Lydia shows up with the dog. But she uses their old friendship and her animal skills to convince him. Lydia has had a crush on Remington since she was a teenager. Now he's looking at her like a man looks at an attractive woman. Will she get her chance with him?

Force of Nature is a sexy and cute tale about old friends turning into lovers. Remington is best friends with Lydia’s older brother. While he feels trepidation about kissing and bedding her because of the friendship, she makes it clear that he is the one she trusts. They go back and forth about the animals and take their friendship to the next level. Once they hit the sheets, will it lead to love and a potential future together? Lydia is determined to make Remington focus on her and make him an animal lover like her.

Both Lydia and Remington are strong-willed but only one will win the battle. Find out who wins by reading the sizzling hot Force of Nature.

If you like a romance mixed with some love for animals, then THE TWO OF US is the perfect read for you.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

The Odd Couple by Lori Foster

Ford and Skye are complete opposites who try to ignore their attraction but can’t resist fate. As neighbors, they initially avoid friendship, but when Ford’s ex stirs his protective instincts, they make a pact that slowly deepens into something real. Skye, often overshadowed by her outgoing twin sister, finds confidence in Ford, who sees her true worth. Alongside their quirky rescue dogs, Maybelline and Tank, their love story unfolds with heartwarming charm. Though a short read, it delivers well-developed characters, chemistry, and an engaging romance that keeps readers hooked.

Forces of Nature by Maisey Yates

Remy, who had a tough childhood, was taken in by his best friend’s family, including Lydia, his friend’s younger sister. Lydia, a devoted animal rescuer, has secretly loved Remy for years. When she arrives at his door with his father’s neglected dog, their relationship takes a new turn. Remy struggles with feelings of unworthiness, while Lydia gathers the courage to express her true feelings. This fast-paced, uplifting romance features strong character growth and a touching love story, making it a highly recommended quick read.

The Two of Us is a duet of romances novellas that include some sweet rescue dogs who need love and are totally capable of giving love. The heroes in both stories needed love too. Written by two well-known and loved romance writers, Lori Foster and Maisey Yates, the heroes survived early lives of adversity and hardship to become successful and men of integrity.

The Odd Couple by Lori Foster has the reader meeting the humans, hearing the problems before going to the rescue facility to adopt. The cute story has a sweet large mixed most likely abused dog and a small chihuahua, hence the odd couple. They are so adorable but not without their struggles as their human counterparts also have.

Force of Nature by Maisy Yates introduces the dog almost at the same time as the characters. This story of finding a safe place, thriving, and being a blessing to others hits you right in the heart.

All romance fans and animal fans will enjoy these novellas. If like me you have a rescue pet, you will now hold a special place in your heart along your own for Maybelline, Tank, and Hank.

When I saw the availability of an advanced reader copy of The Two of Us, by two of my favorite authors, I jumped at the chance to read and review it. But I was hoping for two lengthier and more fleshed-out reads by these two excellent authors, but I found both Lori Foster's "The Odd Couple" and Maisey Yates' Force of Nature," somewhat underwhelming, which is why I can only give it 3 stars.

Both stories prominently feature a love of animals, both also feature two gorgeous men who simply aren't seeking long-term loving relationships with women, and two women deeply in love with these seemingly unattainable and oblivious men, one of whom is a 27-year-old virgin.

I think both stories would have benefitted from more depth, more drama, more character development, and greater length. If you're looking for quick, somewhat sexy and relatively uneventful reads, prominently featuring animals/pets, you may find the two stories contained in this book more enjoyable than did this reader. It simply left me wanting more.

As I stated at the outset, I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book. The opinions stated are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing as well as the authors for this ARC.
#NetGalley #KensingtonPublishing #LoriFoster #Fiction #Dogs #Rescue

Title: The Two of Us
Author: Lori Foster
Format: eBook
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Publication Date: March 25, 2025
Themes: Family, romance, friendship,relationships, pet ownership, pet rescue, human/animal bond
Trigger Warnings: Animal rescue, profanity, homosexuality, relationship trouble, difficult childhoods, animal mistreatment


What a sweet little novella! This is a very light and pleasant read. It contains two stories. The first is “The Odd Couple” by Lori Foster. Ford Caruso agrees to pretend to be the boyfriend of his sexy neighbor, Skye in order to get rid of a troublesome ex of hers. Of course, they fall in love for real and rescue two dogs together. Just as sweet as it sounds. The next story is called “Force of Nature” by Maisey Yates. I liked this one best. Lydia Clay has been in love with her brother’s best friend, Remy, for most of her life. He thinks of her as a little sister. Lydia lives to rescue pets so when a dogs shows up at her shelter, she immediately thinks of Remy. She helps Remy adjust to dog ownership and the rest should be obvious.

Both very enjoyable and feel-good stories. The Odd Couple is an enjoyable fake romance leading to a real romance story. The characters are likable but, for me, it’s the dogs that lead me here. I love how they rescue dogs together!! The dogs are quite the odd couple too so I see what the author did there. Force of Nature was a friends to lovers while rescuing a dog. I had an easier time relating to Lydia and Remi than Ford and Skye in the preceding story. The Clay family was fun to get to know and I loved Hank, the dog.

All in all, both stories were sweet and well-written. Both had relatable situations and well-established characters. Both had charming dogs that made the stories extra special. I’d recommend this book to anyone.

The Odd Couple by Lori Foster
Ford and Skye's story was so cute! I loved the rescue animals and Ford's friends. I hope Knox gets his own story.

Force of Nature by Maisey Yates
I enjoyed Remy and Lydia's sweet love story.

This is a story about Skye and Ford. Skye and Ford live next door to each other and one afternoon when Ford is hanging around the pool with his friends when Skye comes over and asks for a favor. Ford agrees to act as Skye’s fake boyfriend to help get rid of her annoying ex. In the meantime, Skye and Ford end up dating for real and even adopt two dogs together who are friends and need to stay together.

This was an okay story – although I think I would have liked some more backstory about Ford and his friends. Overall a sweet short love story.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. This is my true and honest opinion.

This was a cute book. I enjoyed both stories. I think if you enjoy animals and romance you will like this book. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

The Two of Us is two novellas with common themes.

The Odd Couple by LORI FOSTER
This is a fake relationship trope.
What are neighbors for than to help get rid of an unwanted guy who can't take a hint.
Ford Caruso begrudingly accepts helping his sexy neighbor Skye Fairchild deal with pricing she's moved on. What they find is that they have more to compromise than the expected. And that opening yourself up isn't as scary as you think. Plus bonus cuddles with the pooches.

Force of Nature by MAISEY YATES
Lydia Clays has never met an animal she didn't want to help. It's just in her makeup. So when an old dog named Hank needs a home, her first thought is Remington Lane. He of course didn't see this coming, but with the connection to his no good father he feels the need to correct the neglect. For such a hot, smart guy who became a part of her family he has a really low opinion of himself. Lydia is determined to open his eyes to not only her as a woman, but his capacity for love and commitment.