A marked step up from book one, and one that means I will explore more of the series to come.
Also. A cosy mystery made me cry.. eek

A wedding story of cold feet, problems and all inbetween. Read type before.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series quite a lot and was looking forward to reading this one. I was completely disappointed; I felt the story was rushed, Andrew became an almost completely different character AND the murderer was so obvious, I had figured it out by like the 4th or 5th chapter. The story was tepid and unengaging and I was truly disappointed.
I have to read the third one because I have the 4th one from NetGalley, but I am afraid I will admit that I am not looking forward to it. I am praying it is way better than this one was

Till Death Do Us Bark is the second book in the Happy Tails Dog Walking Mysteries series written by author Stella St. Claire. Thanks to NetGalley and Relay Publishing for the advance copy.

I tried Till Death do us Bark for two reasons - I love animals and the first novel showed promise.  I have mixed feelings about Till Death do us Bark.  Olivia (Stella St Claire’s lead)  is frustrating.  She is a stubborn commitment-phobe with an inability to listen to others, but Stella St Claire manages to make her antics somewhat entertaining.  While I would cringe at meeting someone like Olivia in real life, I was willing to give the fictional Olivia a chance.

After using a murder investigation to delay a proposal in the first novel, Olivia is finally moving forward with her wedding plans (and using that to avoid other commitments) - at least until she discovers the dead body of her wedding planner.  Now everyone thinks she is cursed and refuses to work with her.  Intent on proving otherwise and determined to steamroll her wedding forward, Olivia decides to investigate.  

Her family and friends are remarkably supportive of her investigative efforts, in part because they realize there is no stopping her once she has a plan in mind.  I definitely empathize with her family and her boyfriend- handling a person like Olivia is a full time job in the best of circumstances.  When you throw in her schemes for uncovering a murderer ….Her love for animals is a redeeming feature (and pretty much the main reason I picked this novel up).  

Till Death do Us Bark is a decent mystery, though Olivia’s actions are more cringeworthy than humorous.  I think my biggest issue with the novel is that Olivia is very difficult to like. She is incredibly irritating and has little empathy.  With a bit of softening and additional self awareness Olivia could be a decent lead.  As it is, I was left with a bad feeling at the end and that never bodes well for a cozy.

3 / 5

I received a copy of Till Death do us Bark from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

Not very believable. The characters and the plot feel forced, and not as humorous as I think the author intends. Just ok.

Such a cute cozy mystery. Full of humorous banter and a plot that could actually happen in today's world, this story is sure to please cozy mystery lovers.

I enjoyed being able to follow along with Olivia and attempt to solve the murder.

Another super read this is the second book in the series and i really liked it a great read well written but i did find some of the side characters to be really annoying just did not like some of them overall a super read looking forward to the next one.

I really enjoy this series. Nice character development and easy to read writing style. I stayed up way too late reading this one!

Another great read. This is the second book in the Happy Tails Dog Walking series- I read the first one but a reader wouldn't be lost if they started the series with this book.

This was a fun story of wedding plans, murder, & dog walking- very entertaining.

I am excited for the next book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Olivia was uncertain about wanting the full package (marriage) with Andrew so of course, she tried a few times to evade his proposal but soon succumb. Now it was Andrew’s turn to be uncertain of her. He was uneasy about the rushed pace at which she was attacking the wedding preparation, was he rushing her, and did she still love him these were the mind boggling questions running through his mind.
The murder of their wedding planner put a damper on all wedding plans, to move forward the mystery must be solved before any final decision concerning their relationship. This was an intriguing and interesting mild cozy mystery with great characters and an engaging storyline, I quite enjoyed it, can't wait to see what was their decision on their relationship.

This book mentions things that happened in book one (this book being book two in the series) but you don't have to have read it to enjoy this story. There is murder, drama, breaking and entering, and some romance. This was a page turner for me. I had read it in one sitting. It made me want to read more of this series!

Dog-walker Olivia has just come off solving a murder case and is about to get sucked right back into another one. She found her wedding planner murdered so she sets out to clear one person then another that the sheriff has taken into custody. Can she and Andrew survive another investigation like this and can she avoid getting killed herself? Can she shake the "Bridal Curse" that she's been informed by Lady Celeste that she has hanging over her?

Disclaimer: I got this copy from NetGalley's Read Now and volunteered to do a review. It was my idea though to buy a copy of the first book which I just reviewed yesterday.

This story didn't disappoint as far as being a good mystery. There was a little less danger in it for Olivia but there was still most of the usual humor from the first book and awkward stories to make up when she was wanting to go investigate. I can always picture Olivia and Co.'s escapades as a funny mystery on TV. The story of the brownstone purchase continues. I like Olivia a lot but I can definitely see why Janelle gets a little upset with her for procrastinating. I mean I'm not even that bad, lol.

I didn't guess the killer until it was revealed and like the first book, I enjoyed the little snippets in some of the chapters of a mystery that Olivia enjoys listening to. She had sworn off the mysteries after the murder in book 1, saying that real life was way more exciting but she eventually found consolation in listening again. The book leaves a question so I'm anxious for the next one to come out.

Till Death Do Us Bark is a fun cozy with really wonderful characters. I love books that are just a bit different and Stella St. Claire makes her main character, Olivia is wonderfully unique. In the first book of the series we saw where her fear of change and commitment come from but the way she deals with that fear in this book is unusual and a bit humorous but still heart touching. I love how much her fiancé Andrew understands her but I wish that they would communicate more; of course that need to communicate is pretty common in the real world so it is not a weakness in the book. Weddings are among my favorite topic so it was fun to get to spend time with a main character dealing with wedding woes. Naturally her wedding woes aren't quite like everyone else's. Not only does she lose her wedding planner, she discovers that this woman that she trusted and counted on wasn't all that she seemed. Olivia is even more upset and disappointed to see how the town reacts to an old curse that could affect her wedding. This twist provides Olivia a reason to look in to the murder of her wedding planner beyond just curiosity. I appreciate that she has a reason beyond nosiness! Finally good friendships are a must for a great cozy mystery and Olivia has one and a half; she is working to restore that connection with her sister so Janelle only gets half a credit in the friend column. The realities of shifting relationships are another facet of life that Ms. St. Claire so effectively approaches in this book.
I requested and was delight to receive an ARC of the book Till Death Do Us Bark via NetGalley. I always review books that I love and I loved this one. I would have loved it even without the dogs. I will be following the series and look forward to the next book which should be out soon.

Charming and intriguing insight into the world of wedding planning in a small town where personal rivalry runs deep. There were so many suspects it was a delight to work out which one held the most secrets.

This is a charming and delightful series. The dog walker finds wedding planning is even more challenging than walking several dogs at once. Small town problems and support of family and friends, I am eager to read book three as Andrew has unknown issues that must be revealed.