Book ~ "House Trained" (2015) Jackie Bouchard

From Goodreads ~ Alex Halstad, a childless-by-choice interior designer and dog mom, is a true perfectionist. But her orderly life turns chaotic when the teenage daughter her husband, Barry, never knew he had shows up on their doorstep ... with a baby girl of her own in tow. 

While Alex’s dog enthusiastically welcomes the new arrivals, Alex struggles with the loss of her steady routine. She desperately needs peace and quiet to get her business back on track before Barry finds out she’s spent most of their savings. 

Meanwhile, the arrival of the girls stirs up old insecurities, and Alex can’t help but worry that Barry’s ex will make an entrance too. 

With her tidy life a distant memory, will Alex be able to learn from her dog the true meaning of love and acceptance?

Alex and Barry are in their forties and neither of them wanted children ... they have a dog named Marie, which they love.  Barry is a librarian and Alex has recently started her own interior design business.  Her business isn't going well, though, and she has started to dip into their savings to keep the business going.  She hasn't told Barry because she hopes business will pick up, she'll replace the money and Barry will never know.

One day Wren, the 18 year-old daughter Barry never knew he had, shows up with her 15-month-old daughter, Ruthie (Wren's just discovered that Barry exists too).  They need a place to stay for the summer and are wondering if they can stay with Alex and Barry.   Alex begrudgingly agrees, which adds another level of stress to her life.

This is the second book I've read by this author and I liked it.  I liked the writing style and found it well-paced.  It is written in first person perspective in Alex's voice.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

Like Alex, I am child-free by choice and I too prefer dogs and cats.  I've never had to change a diaper and I'm okay with that.  I can't imagine what it would be like to have shaken up by a surprise love child and grandchild!

Alex and Barry had been together for about 15 years and it was too bad that she didn't feel comfortable enough to tell him that she had been using their savings for her business.  Plus, even all these years, she still felt like she was the runner-up to Jade, Wren's mother and apparently the love of Barry's life.  Alex is the oldest of the two and always felt that her sister was her parents' favourite, especially since she has three kids.  She let these insecurities eat away at her and went on about them a bit much.  She doesn't really seem to have any friends or support system.

Book ~ "Rescue Me, Maybe" (2015) Jackie Bouchard

From Goodreads ~ If you lost both your husband and your dog to cancer within weeks of each other but you were sadder about the dog, would you tell anyone? Maybe your closest friends. 

Unfortunately, Jane Bailey’s closest friends are on the other side of the country. That’s where Jane plans to go now that she’s free to leave Philadelphia, the too cold, beachless, street taco-deficient city her husband dragged her to six years ago. 

But with no job prospects in her hometown of San Diego, Jane is roped into helping out temporarily at her uncle’s southwestern small-town B&B. En route to her new role as innkeeper and breakfast chef, she finds a stray at a rest stop. With her heart in pieces from the loss of her dog, she’s determined not to let this mutt worm its way into her affections. She’s also determined to have next-to-no interaction with the B&B’s irritating guests and the even more annoying handyman who lives next door. 

Can Jane keep her sanity - and her secret that she’s not really a grieving widow - while trying to achieve her dream of getting back to the place she thinks is home? 

Jane's husband, Ryan, had recently died of cancer.  Her dog, Barnum, passed away two weeks later of cancer.   Jane is in mourning ... for her dog.  She had fallen out of love with Ryan but before she could leave him and move back to San Diego, he got sick and she stayed to take care of him.  Once Ryan was gone, she still had to play the part of the grieving widow in front of her mother and his parents.

She hates Ryan's hometown of Philadephia so makes plans to move back home to San Diego.  Her uncle and aunt own a B&B in Arizona so she agrees to help them out for three months while her aunt recovers from surgery.  On the drive to Arizona, she comes across a stray dog at a rest stop.  Rather than leave her there, she takes the dog and drops her off at a shelter when she gets to the B&B.  Working in the kitchen of the B&B is perfect for Jane because she hates people but loves cooking and baking.  She's counting the days, though, 'til she can head to San Diego.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it.  I liked the writing style and found it well-paced.  Jane is a self-professed curmudgeon and story is written in first person from her point of view.  I thought the narrative was snarky at times and funny.  It sounds like it would be a depressing book but I found it humorous.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

Though Jane doesn't sound like a likable character, I liked her.  I found her funny and sarcastic.  She's tall and slim and doesn't care how she dresses ... her mom is always trying to get her to dress better.    She has names for the people who stay at the B&B that aren't usually flattering.  As much as she isn't a fan of people, she has a huge heart for dogs.

I look forward to reading more by this author.