The Dog Sitter - Zara Stoneley

 

One dog. Two strangers. An unfurgettable romance.

Wanted: someone nice, normal and trustworthy to housesit a beautiful cottage in the Lake District while the owner is away on a business trip. Must like dogs.

Wanting to escape from crap bosses and useless boyfriends, Becky jumps at the chance of being a dog sitter and the perfect escape – rest, relaxation and a very cute pooch called Bella.

But looking after Bella comes with a catch, namely gorgeous, brooding, Chris Hemsworth-worthy Ash James, who claims Bella is his dog and will stop at nothing to get her back!

Becky’s not about to hand over lovely Bella to any Tom, Dick or Ash.  She’s determined to watch every move Ash James makes…even if it gets her very hot under the collar.

Purchase Link - https://smarturl.it/dogsitter

My Review:

In need of some inspiration and a break from her hum drum and mundane situation she finds herself in, Becky decides to take on a dog/house sitting gig in the Lake District. She hopes the beautiful scenery, a cute dog and a break will help reinspire her creativity. She also thinks it will help get over her nasty ex.

She arrives, after a somewhat comedic journey, to find gorgeous Bella. Georgie (who had employed Becky to dog sit) has built quite an Instagram following from Bella and is desperate to stop her ex, Ash from dognapping him. Becky has got more than she bargained for with this house-sitting job – can she ensure Georgie’s precious Bella is safe? She’s under strict orders not to engage with Ash at all, he is the enemy she must avoid; ignore but be prepared at all times!

Ash, easy on the eye swoon worthy Ash, soon shows Becky the lengths he will go to get HIS dog back. The more they meet, the more Becky starts to see his true colours, but does she need to watch out for sneaky moves on his part.

This book is so much fun, a cheerful little pick me up. I enjoyed getting to know Becky and I adored Bella. She is by far the standout little character for me. I could picture her zooming around the place, creating havoc for all. I liked Becky a lot, she seemed like she had been through it and could do with some luck, her ex sounds just awful and had stifled her creativity. I was happy seeing her rediscover her passions and push herself a little. There are some very sweet and quite moving moments. The relationship Becky has with “enemy” Ash is entertaining, he really does wind her up and keep her on her toes.

A really funny read that will keep you entertained with a smile on your face!

Author Bio:

Zara Stoneley is the USA Today bestselling author of The Wedding Date.

Born in a small village in the UK, she wanted to be a female James Herriot, a spy, or an author when she grew up. After many (many) years, and many different jobs, her dream of writing a bestseller came true.

She writes about friendship, dreams, love, and happy ever afters, and hopes that her tales make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and occasionally say 'ahhh'.

Zara now lives in a Cheshire village with her family, a lively cockapoo called Harry, and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat called Saffron.

Zara’s bestselling novels include ‘The First Date’, 'Bridesmaids', 'No One Cancels Christmas', 'The Wedding Date', 'The Holiday Swap', 'Summer with the Country Village Vet', 'Blackberry Picking at Jasmine Cottage' and the popular Tippermere series - 'Stable Mates', 'Country Affairs' and 'Country Rivals'.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.zarastoneley.com
Twitter: @ZaraStoneley
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ZaraStoneley

Instagram: zarastoneley (and Harry has his own! Harrys_pawprints)

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/zara-stoneley?follow=true

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B007WK307G

Q&A with Helen Edwards

 Welcome to The Comfy Chair Blog... Helen Edwards 

Originally from North Wales, Helen currently lives in Shropshire with her husband and their dog. Helen worked for many years in the public sector and has an administrative background. She writes both fiction* and non-fiction. As well as being an indie author, Helen is a self-publishing assistant, offering editorial, self-publishing, and writing services. To find out more, please go to: www.helen-edwards.co.uk

*The novelettes are written under the name Helen Libby

1.      What was your favourite childhood book/author? 

That would have to be Enid Blyton for The Magic Faraway Tree collection, as well as Malory Towers and The Twins at St. Clare’s.

 

2.      What inspired you to start writing and how long has it taken you to get to this point?

Ever since I was a young child, I have enjoyed writing stories. As an adult I’ve written on and off for years. I first self-published in 2015. That was a novelette; more novelettes followed as writing shorter length fiction became my niche.

 

When I became a puppy parent in 2016, and after being overwhelmed with anxiety during those early weeks with my new furry friend, I decided to write a book about my experiences with him in a bid to help other new puppy parents. The book was published in 2018.

 

The book proved helpful to other people judging by all the comments and reviews I received. I loved writing about Archie and so I wrote a sequel, which was released in 2019. In both books I included some comments from my dog, Archie. People told me they loved hearing from him, which sparked the idea for a fictional diary.

 

The Secret Diary of Archie the Zuchon is based on all the places we’ve taken Archie. Whenever we go anywhere, I try to pick out something of note, something humorous. I love writing as Archie!

 

3.      Describe your writing space - neat and ordered or creative chaos?

Creative chaos. Every now and then I’ll have a blitz and my desk is neat, but it doesn’t take long to get messy again, mostly because of all the writing pads and notes I have scattered around.

 

4.      What is the easiest and hardest part of the writing process? 

The easiest part for me is writing the first draft, when I can just go with the flow. It doesn’t matter if it’s a load of rubbish, because it can be re-written/edited. The hardest part for me is editing because it requires more concentration.

 

5.      Which other authors do you admire?

I take my hat off to authors like Trisha Ashley, Juliet Ashton, Lucy Dillon, Ali McNamara, and Sue Moorcroft to name but a few. I could never write like that in a million years.

 

6.      Do you hide any secret ‘messages’ in your book that only a few people will understand? 

Not a message as such, but in my collection of novelettes, which I released last year, I linked the stories (albeit very loosely), by repeating certain lines. A robin appeared in every story.

 

7.      What do you hope your readers take away from your book, The Secret Diary of Archie the Zuchon?

I hope they will feel uplifted. I hope Archie’s stories raise a smile or two. I think the stories will resonate with dog owners, but you don’t have to have a dog to enjoy this book. It’s a gentle read, one which is suitable for people who love dogs.

 

Lastly, Jenn (The Comfy Chair) likes to enjoy a good read snuggled up with a cup of tea and piece of cake... what cake or sweet treat would you suggest to accompany your book? 

 

A chocolate brownie. I love them. During the first lockdown I started baking them myself, which is no doubt fatal for my waistline!

The Secret Diary of Archie the Zuchon

Welcome to the secret diary of Archie the Zuchon.

What are Zuchons?

Zuchons are very special dogs, as you’ll find out.

Read about Archie’s ad-ven-tures and get a dog’s perspective on the world.

A must-read for all dog lovers.

Available HERE

Social media links:

Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @helibedw

Archie has his own Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ArchietheZuchon

Book extract:

Guess what? Mum took me to the village shop today. It’s a shop and a Post Office, actually. I’ve been in there lots of times, and the nice lady at the counter always gives me a treat.

Mum posted her parcel and I ate my treat, but on the way out I disgraced myself.

We passed a sack of potatoes, you see, and there was a lovely smell by it. I had to stop and in-ves-ti-gate. It was a message from a fellow dog (I can’t tell you what it said – we dogs are allowed some secrets), and well, it would have been rude of me not to leave a reply. I cocked my leg before Mum could stop me.

She was mortified. She went up to the lady and told her what I’d done, apologising far too many times in my opinion, and offered to clean up after me.

And do you know what? The lady just laughed and told Mum another dog had done the same thing. You see? That’s the only reason I did it, because you know, I’m a good boy.

She had it cleaned up in a jiffy and wouldn’t hear of Mum helping. Thankfully, I hadn’t wet the sack of potatoes, just the floor nearby. Phew!

Mum joked that I’d be banned from the shop, and the lady said they’d put up a “wanted” poster. Well, really!

I haven’t been banned and Mum’s taken me in there since then, but she held me in her arms the whole time. She’s not convinced I won’t do it again.

I’ll try not to, Mum, but if someone leaves a message, you have to leave an RSVP, don’t you? Ha ha.

 

The First Date - Zara Stoneley

Right place.
Right time.
Wrong guy …

After breaking up with her childhood sweetheart, clueless dater Rosie has found herself in a boyfriend-drought. So when she finally swipes right on a guy who seems interested, she can’t wait to meet up IRL.

Until she’s left standing alone. In a bar. Ghosted.

Enter Noah. Confident, funny … and a serial first dater. Offering to give Rosie a crash course in seduction, this could be just what she needs. Until her matchmaker turns out to be the best date she’s ever had – and Rosie wonders if she wants the fake dates to be the real ones after all …

A hilarious, heart warming romantic comedy about what happens when the wrong guy turns up at the right time, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Debbie Johnson.

My Review:

A delightful, fun filled book with humour that will have you laughing out loud and giggling at the blunders, miscommunications and tension between our two main characters.

I really enjoyed the blossoming friendship between Rosie and Noah, they had a great chemistry and banter. In my opinion Noah is the easier character to like, he has charm in buckets whereas Rosie is a tad selfish. Rosie grew on me the more I read, I think the more she opened up and the more she acted like a grown up rather than a poor little girl with Daddy issues, the more I liked her. There is a lot of emphasis about the issues her Dad’s ‘extra curricular activity’ and how it has changed her view of men/dating. I think it goes on a bit, I mean she’s not the first nor last it would have been a problem for. Thank goodness for Noah who is not afraid to say what he thinks about her Dad.

Rosie’s Mum was another cool character and taught her daughter some much needed lessons thankfully. I love a crazy character and she is that indeed! It took Mums actions for Rosie to move forward and see she could attempt relationships, or live a little dangerously.

It’s pretty obvious where the story will go but I have no problem at all with that, I was rooting for the romance between them to grow into something more.

It’s well written and amusing, a fantastic read if you are looking for something to put a smile on your face. Highly recommended!

About the Author:

Zara Stoneley is the USA Today bestselling author of The Wedding Date. 

Born in a small village in the UK, she wanted to be a female James Herriot, a spy, or an author when she grew up. After many (many) years, and many different jobs, her dream of writing a bestseller came true.

She writes about friendship, dreams, love, and happy ever afters, and hopes that her tales make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and occasionally say 'ahhh'.

Zara now lives in a Cheshire village with her family, a lively cockapoo called Harry, and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat called Saffron.

Zara’s bestselling novels include 'The Wedding Date', 'The Holiday Swap', 'Summer with the Country Village Vet', 'Blackberry Picking at Jasmine Cottage' and the popular Tippermere series - 'Stable Mates', 'Country Affairs' and 'Country Rivals'.