Spotlight and Giveaway: Top Dog!

Today we're featuring two dog themed novels that came out this past summer. Plus, we have a giveaway with FOUR chances to win one of these books. See details below.

Stepdog by Nicole Galland

Sara Renault fires Rory O’Connor from his part-time job at a Boston art museum, and in response, Rory—an Irish actor secretly nursing a crush on his beautiful boss—throws caution to the wind, leans over, and kisses her. Now Sara and Rory are madly in love.

When Rory’s visa runs out on the cusp of his big Hollywood break, Sara insists that he marry her to get a green card. In a matter of weeks they’ve gone from being friendly work colleagues to a live-in couple, and it’s all grand . . . except for Sara’s dog, Cody, who had been a gift from Sara’s sociopath ex-boyfriend. Sara’s over-attachment to her dog is the only thing she and Rory fight about.

When Rory scores both his green card and the lead role in an upcoming TV pilot, he and Sara (and Cody) prepare to move to Los Angeles. But just before their departure, Cody is kidnapped by Sara’s ex—and it is entirely Rory’s fault. Sara is furious and broken-hearted. Desperate to get back into Sara’s good graces, Rory takes off and tracks Cody and the dog-napper to North Carolina. Can Rory rescue Cody and convince Sara that they belong together—with Cody—as a family? First they’ll need to survive a madcap adventure that takes them all across the heartland of America. STEPDOG is a refreshing and hilarious romantic comedy that asks: How far would you go for the one you love?

NICOLE GALLAND is the author of five previous novels, including The Fool’s Tale and Revenge of the Rose. A native of Martha’s Vineyard, she graduated from Harvard University and studied Dramatic Literature at UC Berkeley, then divided her time between California and New York City for many years, before returning to the Vineyard to stay (except for when she’s somewhere else, like Boston). She is married to actor Billy Meleady and owns Leuco, a dog of splendid qualities. Visit Nicole at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Thanks to Beverly Bambury Publicity, we have TWO copies to share (US only).

Lawyer for the Dog 
by Lee Robinson

One of the sharpest attorneys in Charleston, S.C., Sally Baynard isn’t your typical Southern belle. She’s certainly not what her mother hoped she’d grow up to be, especially since she divorced her husband, a family court judge with an historic family as well as historic wealth. Maybe Sally was never going to be a proper society lady, but her success as a public defender and family lawyer have been enough for her. She’s represented murderers, burglars, and drug dealers and has taken on some of the thorniest divorces, closing all her cases with her special blend of wit, charm and brains.

One case she’s never successfully closed, though, is her marriage. And when Judge Joe Baynard assigns her to one of his divorce cases by appointing her as the lawyer for the couple’s dog – Sherman, a miniature schnauzer—she’s forced into close quarters with him again. As Sally investigates Sherman’s relationship with both the husband and wife, she knows she must ultimately determine who would be the better guardian for the dog—a task she soon finds is far more complicated than one would think. Juggling the needs of the dog, the angry, divorcing couple, her amorous but uncommunicative ex-husband, her aging mother, and the expectations of the court is more than Sally could have imagined. But as rascally Sherman digs his way into Sally’s heart, he also helps her make some important decisions about her own life.

LEE ROBINSON practiced law for over 20 years in Charleston, S.C., where she served as executive director of a legal services agency and later worked in private practice, concentrating on family law. She was elected the first female president of the Charleston Bar Association and received the Bar Association's award for her work in public interest law. She lives on a small ranch in the Texas hill country. Visit Lee at her website.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have TWO copies to share (US/Canada).


How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.
Each winner will receive only one of the books. (Winners in Canada will only get Lawyer for the Dog.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


US only for Stepdog
US/Canada only for Lawyer for the Dog
Giveaway ends August 25th at midnight EST.