AUTHOR: Beth Kendrick
PUBLISHER: NAL
PUBLISHING DATE: November 3, 2015
FROM GOODREADS: Brighton Smith doesn’t do outrageous. As an insurance actuary, it’s her job to assess risk and avoid bad investments. But when her fiancé calls to confess he’s married someone else on a whim (“I looked at her and I just knew!”), she snaps…
That night, at a local bar, Jake Sorensen—hot, rich, and way out of her league—buys Brighton a cocktail. At midnight, she kisses him. And by dawn, they’re exchanging vows at a drive-through chapel.
Brighton knows Jake is a bad bet, but she doesn’t care. After a lifetime of playing it safe, she’s finally having fun. Until the whirlwind romance gives way to painful reality...and Brighton finds out the truth about why a guy like Jake married a girl like her. With her heart on the line and the odds stacked against them, Brighton must decide whether to cut her losses or take a leap of faith that this love affair is one in a million.
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book as part of a blog tour for Book Sparks and I admit, I primarily chose it based on the cover and the fact that it's "A Girl's Best Friend" tour which seems perfect for my blog. This book is the 3rd in a series, and I was a tad hesitant to get into it because I have never read the first two. However, it didn't really seem to have much impact on what I read and I think they are basically companion novels anyways.
There were several things I liked about this book. I have been reading a lot of darker titles since Halloween just passed and it was nice being able to just dive into a chick lit novel and enjoy the ride without thinking too much. I absolutely love books set in small towns and Black Dog Bay has all the quirky characteristics I treasure. I enjoyed the main characters and Kendrick adds some humor in her writing which is fun and refreshing. It was nice to see some twists and turns play out in the plot which I didn't necessarily see coming and this is a great book for passing a rainy, dreary day.
Now to the main thing that bothered me and almost made this a 3 paw read. The dog and the cover. Anyone who saw my updates knows that the dog didn't arrive until page 163 and although he was vital in the ending, he really didn't have a big part. Also, he is described as a large Mastiff mix. Now I know dogs come in all shapes and sizes, and I don't expect the cover dog to look exactly like described, but come on, the dog on the cover is NOTHING like a mastiff. The book is part of the Black Dog Bay series and I figured out there is a legend about a large black dog (I think a lab) that lovers visiting the town might see appear from time to time (think apparition here), but the cover dog doesn't look like that either. Now none of this really takes away from the plot, and the author herself may have had little say in the cover, but this is a book pet peeve of mine (can't you tell).
Overall, "Put A Ring On It" was an enjoyable read and I have already checked to see if my library has the first two in the series because I really want to learn more about this quiet little town. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a romantic read with some humor interspersed. I have also read "The Lucky Dog Matchmaking Service" by the same author a few years back and would recommend that one as well.
RATING: 4 PAWS
BOOKER T'S THOUGHTS: Dog on the cover - 5 paws, Rory (dog in the book) - 5 paws. The fact that they are two entirely different dogs - 1 paw.
Okay now if the dog is on the front it should be in most of the book, that would drive me crazy and that looks like a yellow lab, not a mastiff and that would bug me too..I have that sort of pet peeve too...lol. But sounds like a cute chick lit story.
ReplyDeleteOhh great review I also love to divulge in chick lit as well when I read heavier reads. And this one looks and sounds really cute and fun I must check it out as well. And I totally agree with you about how the dog on the cover doesn't match with the dog in the book. It is also a pet peeves of mine as well. Thank you for the post.
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