A cute and fun chick-lit. However, I found the synopsis to be a bit misleading. The focus of this story is on Cora and her career, not necessarily the romance. While there is romance in the book, there wasn't a huge love triangle and drama surrounding it, as implied from the synopsis. I did like what I read, but was caught a little off-guard! Life on the Leash is a quick and fun read, and if you love dogs, you'll enjoy hearing about all the antics Cora gets swept into as a dog trainer. 3.5 Stars!

Cora is a successful dog trainer, fully in the camp of gentle methods and no tugging. Her bestie is a pit-mix named Fritz, who generously shares his affections with her roommate Maggie and a number of foster dogs that have come through their tiny Washington D.C. apartment. Having spent her time in corporate America, Cora created her dream job and started her own company and has a roster of successful and happy dog-owner partnerships. There’s only a couple of tiny burrs in her world of doing for the dogs: a boxer puppy named Ollie, a toy poodle named Chanel, their owners, and watching her ex strut and floss on television as part of a reality landscaping television show. Ollie is just a puppy – and like all puppies, he’s got his own way of looking at the world, made easier with some consistent, kindly performed training: but his ‘parents’ are on two sides of the coin. One wishes that he be perfect, NOW, and the other is more willing to endure and enjoy his puppydom, all in a way to flirt with and get closer to Cora. Charlie also has a high-powered job as an attorney of a rescue organization – and is gorgeous to boot, leaving Cora more than a bit flummoxed and starstruck.

But, a visit with one of her favorite people and her Bouvier, she meets Eli, a ‘geek-chic’ computer whiz with a way with dogs, an easy demeanor, and neighbor of the barking and often neglected poodle Chanel. But Eli is a ‘comfortable’ guy – when Cora is (and history proves it) attracted to the twuntwaffle himbos, selfish, egotistical and wholly unbothered by morals, loyalty or even their own over-developed competitive natures. Charlie is an utter cad, but she can’t help but think with her libido – and when he fails her spectacularly – it really fails. But, in the middle of that relationship failing, we see Cora’s quiet but always apparent affinity for dogs, bringing her into helping with Chanel, a white toy poodle with an owner who is incapable of taking care of herself, let alone a dog. More than a bit depressed, with an apartment full of clutter in a ‘hoarder’s starter kit’ way, Eli’s first running into Cora and Chanel, and Chanel’s obvious liking of him, to his stepping into the breach to foster the desperately needy dog is wonderful and a perfect example of the ‘right’ man for Cora – if only she would see it.

It’s not all about dogs – or even training: it’s Cora’s ability to befriend canine and humans alike, all with her quiet and considered approach. Her no-nonsense roommate always ready to boost her up when she’s low, fashionista who pulls together outfits and is that sort of best friend who is ready with ice cream, hugs or a bottle of champagne. As a duo- these two play off one another as friends should, and the bolder Maggie is more than willing to push Cora into things she should do: mostly auditioning for a new dog training show. From nerves through the audition, and her back and forth between Charlie and Eli, Cora has a ton of revelations come to her, and more than a few disappointments. A nice mix of friendship and chick-lit feel to the solid train-wreck that is the romance to nowhere with Charlie, and the unexpected emergence of Eli in the running for her heart – the story was sweet, cute and clever: particularly the ‘pro shelter doggie’ message with her rescued pit, and his ‘doggie welcome wagon’ approach to meeting and welcoming new doggie friends. If you like dogs- you’ll love this. If you are a cat person- well, you may find a new tolerance for the canines you encounter. And everyone can appreciate Cora’s growth in confidence and her relationship with Eli – perhaps even more than wanting to put her in a time-out when it comes to Charlie.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-9Td/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

This was a very cute book about a dog trainer named Cora who is trying to find her way in her career and in her personal live all while her ex-boyfriend (who dumped her unceremoniously) is taking reality television by storm. Cora's love for dogs really shined through and it's obvious the author either did her research or is personally acquainted with dog training because her descriptions
felt very authentic. Another thing I liked about Cora was how much she cared for her friends and her clients. I wasn't happy with some of the decisions she made with respect to her romantic life but it wouldn't be a good book if the protagonist did all the right things from the very beginning.

I'd recommend this novel to fans of chick lit and especially to dog lovers!

*3.75 stars*

Witty, fast paced, and full of puppies, Life on the Leash is an enjoyable contemporary adult novel about dog trainer Cora Bellamy as she figures out life and what she wants to get out of it.

Cora is a pretty likable character, strong and passionate about helping dogs and training them in the most humane ways possible while writing an anonymous blog calling out a more notable and famous trainer who’s methods she strongly disagrees with. I enjoyed her light personality, but also wanted to smack her a few times when it came to her romantic entanglements.

Cora quite easily gets caught up in her infatuation with her client Charlie, even though he has a girlfriend. Charlie is horrible as he almost encourages it, flirting with Cora while his girlfriend is out of town, pushing for the two to have a secret affair. He’s clearly an asshole, and for a while Cora is too blinded by his attractiveness to care, lusting from afar, even though her friends are telling her what he’s doing is wrong. This is what annoyed me about her the most, but she’s smart, and in the end she makes good choices.

While Charlie rests at one end of the dating pool, Eli completely expunges the douchiness by being a totally sweet cinnamon roll that Cora becomes fast friends with. He is clearly the much better choice in romantic partner, but it takes Cora a little time to figure that out. Along the way, she has great scenes with her roommate and best friend Maggie, a super fun personal shopper named Darnell, and a whole slew of eccentric dog owners that she helps with training.

From what I have researched about the author, she is an experienced dog trainer herself, and that showed really well in the story, as all of Cora’s teachings seemed very practical and helpful and real.

Overall, this is a really cute enjoyable read with several fun side plots and side characters as well as a bunch of sweet dogs that I wish were real because I wanna kiss all of their faces.

*Thank you to Gallery Books and Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Fantastic. Cute and endearing. I immediately loved Cora and felt invested in her life both professionally and personally. As a dog lover, I fell completely in love with the storyline and was interested in Cora's teachings. This book just made me happy. Highly recommend.

I picked up Life on the Leash expecting a romantic comedy, and while it was funny and there was some romance in the story, it was definitely more of a women's fiction/chick lit story. Even though I didn't get what I expected going in I still very much enjoyed Life on the Leash!

I basked in watching Cora grow and mature, even as an adult we are still continually growing and learning about ourselves and learning that we need to surround ourselves with people that will lift us and build us up, instead of people that want to hide us and tear us down. Honestly, until I sat down to write this review I didn't truly understand why Cora's ex-boyfriend was even mentioned in the story, but I realize now that it's to show the reader how far she has come in her personal life.

The author of Life on the Leash, Victoria Schade, is a professional dog trainer, and it shows in her writing, you can sense her knowledge in dog training and you know that she is an expert in that field. In fact, the relationship between the dog and owner is what really set this story apart for me, and I'm sure I will think of it for years to come.

Life on the Leash had me smiling and truly talking to the Cora as I read along! I wanted to yell at her to stop and pay attention. Tell her she is making a bad decision, she didn't listen to her best friend, so I'm sure she wouldn't have listened to me even if she could hear me. This easy and fun summer read that you will find yourself invested in! I can't wait to see if Victoria will publish more novels in this genre!

Cute, light book for dog lovers! I found that some of the characters blurred together a bit but the story was entertaining if a bit fluffy. A good book to read between more serious fiction/nonfiction for a break. Nothing bad about it but it didn't stand out a lot either.

Fun story. Quirky characters, that keep you guessing what will happen next. Anxious to read more from this author. Great beach read !

I feel lukewarm about this book! I feel terrible for saying that because on here and on goodreads, the ratings were leaning more toward 4 and 5 stars.
When I first started it, I was thinking how this story sounded adorable and like it would be the perfect adorably quirky read. As the story went on though, I lost that vision.
Maybe it was because as characters were introduced, I started to become a little confused. At the end of the novel, Cora mentioned a Wade and a Rachel and for the life of me, I couldn’t remember who those two characters were or where they came from.
I will agree with most reviews that I’ve read that discuss Charlie’s character! He really was truly a jerk!
Did I hate this book? No, not at all. Did I love this book? No, not really. If someone came into the library looking for a reader’s reference, whose preferences matched this book, would I recommend it? Of course, I would!

I thought that Cora's willingness to engage in the affair was a little unbelievable but it was a fun read nonetheless.

Life on the Leash was a fun, bubbly, easy read for a summer day! I knew I would enjoy this book because it's about DOGS and positive dog training – two things I am passionate about – and I loved Cora, the MC, who is a positive dog trainer.

What I didn't like so much was Charlie – he was cringe-worthy the WHOLE time, and gross, too. I can usually get past cringe-worthy romance (if that's what we want to call this, since it's not end-game) but this took up a lot of the book and overshadowed some of the other plot lines that I was far more interested in.

Overall, it was a good read, and it was quick. I enjoyed it but wouldn't read it again.

Thank you for this early copy!

I recommend that those who enjoy fun romance novels check this out. I will be reading out more from this author in the future!

Thank you Net Galley for my ARC. 1st off- I loved the cover. That's originally what made me request the book. I also liked that this is a dog book and it isn't a sad story....it's a happy one! Thats hard to find and makes me uneasy picking up a book with a dog on it sometimes. A fun read!

Cora is a successful dog trainer and her love of dogs is a priority in her life, but could Mr. Right be in her near future?

Cora spends all her time training dogs for clients that really have no clue about dog ownership (yes, we do have to train them to potty outside). She is a hero to the dogs she helps and she has the special touch it takes to understand the pups. The one thing that is missing from her life is that special man (he needs to be a dog lover of course). One of her new clients is quite the hunk, but he has a gorgeous girlfriend. He is taken, but she wishes he would act like it (yep, I know the type) and stop all the shenanigans.

Dog lovers will love the mishaps, the adventures and the gentle training methods Cora uses to help her clients with their pups. She doesn't mind getting sloppy kisses or muddy paw prints on her clothes. How could I not love her?

A sparkling story that was full of laughs, four-legged friends and a few compromising situations. This was the perfect light and fluffy read I needed.

Thanks to Gallery Books for my ARC. Review will post to Amazon/BN on publication date Sept. 18,2018

I'm always nervous reading stories about dogs, but I was really happy with this one. Life on the Leash is an extremely cute story about a dog trainer named Cora and all her adventures. This book is full of unique characters and adorable doggies. Cora drove me crazy at times but only because I loved her. She has a heart of gold and goes above and beyond for the doggies she trains. I loved the supporting characters in this story too. Life on the Leash is a charming story that everyone can fall in love with

Oh my gosh this was such a fun and adorable book!! First off... LOVE the title of this book and the cover!

Life on the Leash is a perfect mix of humor, love, friendship, and even a lil mix of romance :) You can help but love on your main character Cora. Cora has her own dog training business in Washington D.C and has such a huge heart helping her fellow dog companions. Cora finds an amazing opportunity to audition for a tv show that is right up her alley... training for dogs.

While Cora has the reality show on her mind, she meets a new client Charlie Gill that is practically the man of her dreams. But, only one tiny issue... he comes with his other half Maddison. On the upside, Cora meets a new friend Eli, who may turn out to be more then just her friend. Can Cora get it together and untangle her web of leashes between these two men and compete for this reality show?!

This book was so refreshing to me... I can't tell you how nice it is to see something different then the typical dark thrillers.

Victoria Schade is new author for me but one I am definitely going to put on my radar moving forward as should you! :)

If you love dogs like I do, a little bit of romance, and quirky yet sassy characters then this is the perfect women's fiction novel for you.

4.25 stars rounded up on this one! This is one not to miss and to pre-order! :)

Huge thank you to Gallery and Netgalley for an advanced arc in exchange for my honest review.

Published to GR: 6/29/18
Publication date: 9/18/18

3.5/5 stars

The main reason as to why I picked this book up:
"Cora Bellamy is a woman who thrives on organization. She’s successfully run her own dog training business for years, perfectly content with her beloved rescue pitbull as the main man in her life."

Sure, the cover caught my eye too, but once I saw the words rescued pitbull I was sold. As an owner of a pitlab mix dog I am sick and tired of people judging the poor breed for what we, as humans, did to them (and sadly still continue to do).

Will a cub tiger try to eat you or will it cuddle you? Baby animals do not learn their instincts until they are are taught them - by their mother or by a human. As shocking as it sounds a pitbull dog doesn't want to fight another dog for your entertainment . But it will do it if its trained to do so. So before you call a pitbull (or a doberman, or a boxer or whatever breed you have prejudice with) a monster, think about the true monsters behind the dog who enjoy watching innocent animals fight to death so they can make money on it.

I got a bit off topic over there, but some things you just can't keep inside. I enjoyed every single bit of this book that had to do with dogs - dogs of all shapes and sizes. Cora is a dog whisperer and the bond she was able to share with each dog made me pet my dog twice as much as I normally do (and I already pet her a lot!)

​The only reason this book wasn't a complete winner for me was because I didn't really care for the tv-show plot. There was just too much tv-show talk in it - I read books because I don't care about tv-shows, so obviously I don't really want to read about them. But it did propel the plot forward and all of the things that happened were nicely wrapped up in the end.

Cora was a great main character - she was shy, but strong. She had her baggage but she always came through when important things were on the line. And her devotion to her profession was truly remarkable. We need people like Cora in real life! The love interest, or should I say the lust interest of Cora's infuriated me, but in the end I was able to see where Cora was coming from and forgave her.

​The side characters were well developed and added nice dimension to the story. I really enjoyed Maggie, although her falling out with Darnell and then falling back in was a bit too easy to be believable.

Despite the happy ending the book wasn't the lightest of reads for me. As a loving dog owner it was incredibly hard to read about abuse and injustice many dogs had to go through. And from the hands of their owners! It broke my heart and I definitely teared up more than once while reading.

I think that this will make a great summer read for both dog lovers and those who don't know much about dogs and how they operate. If I had to classify this I'd say chick-lit + dogs. The book is actually rich on good dog advice (thanks to the author's dog training background) so I think I also learned something from it.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket books for an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own, honest and come from the heart. Life on the leash will be published in September of 2018.

There was really no way for me not to like this book. Dogs and romance. What more can you ask for from a book? Unless this book was somehow triggering or had an awful plot twist, I was going to like it. And spoiler Alert: I do! Cora is a fun and relatable main character to follow and Victoria Schade wrote a brilliantly fluffy (pun not intended), sweet, and enjoyable book. It was just what I needed after reading some rather depressing stories earlier this year. Let's get to the review!

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Cora Bellamy is a woman who thrives on organization. She’s successfully run her own dog training business for years, perfectly content with her beloved rescue pitbull as the main man in her life. She’s given everything to her business, and her lack of social life (or slobber-free clothes) has been completely worth it.

But all that changes when she meets Charlie Gill, the hottest client she’s ever had. The only problem? Charlie’s taken. Luckily, Cora has a new friend—the sweet, lovably geeky Eli Crawford. More loyal than a retriever, he’s always there to help Cora with her problems, including her love life. That’s why she’s shocked to realize that even as things start heating up with Charlie, there might just be a more-than-friends spark between her and Eli, too.

As Cora’s life gets more tangled up than a dogwalker’s leashes—and as she prepares to audition for a dog-training TV show that may irrevocably change her entire life—she has to figure things out before it all goes straight to the dogs.

Cora Bellamy is a dog trainer for the rich. She loves dogs and loves working with their owners to help them have a healthier, happier relationship. She lives with her best friend, Maggie, and the love of her life, Fritz, a pit bull she rescued. Her main goal in life is to help as many dogs as possible. Well...that and to destroy Boris Ershovich. He is a fellow dog trainer but his methods are less than ethical and Cora hates how many people listen to his "advice" on how to train their dog. He is pretty much abusive.

Through one of Cora's clients, she finds out that a show is being pitched called Everyday Dogs that is looking to be counterprogramming to Boris's show. While Cora is hesitant to put herself out there to be the host of the show,  her clients and her best friend Maggie push her to audition for the role. She is perfect for it. She's nice, knowledgeable, and has a way with dogs that at times seems like borderline ESP.

But while Cora works on preparing for her audition, she still has clients and dogs to help. One of which is Oliver, the dog of Madison and Charlie. While Madison sees 101 things wrong with Oliver, Cora just sees a dog that is a little rough around the edges and that could use a few lessons. Cora also sees Charlie and he's hot af. While she is against dating a man who is in another relationship, Charlie is hard to resist once Madison goes away on a trip. Cora ends up having to be alone with Charlie for Oliver's lessons each week. And Charlie does not seem averse to Cora either. He flirts, texts her during the week, and eventually asks her to a gala he is going to for work (He's an animal rights lawyer). I don't want to give any spoilers, but let's just say Charlie is not as great as he seems

Cora also meets another man through her dog training business. She meets Eli when she's visiting her client, Fran. Eli works for Fran and also happens to live in the same building as another of Cora's clients. He is kind of the total opposite of Charlie. Eli is cute, nerdy, and always there when Cora needs a helping hand. But that doesn't mean he's not just as attractive.

Ok. I know what you're thinking. "Ugh, a love triangle?!" No. Not really. There is no competition. Cora is dealing with one dude at a time. Since she is the one we are following through the story and she is unaware of one of the men's possible feelings for her, it doesn't give off that love-triangle vibe. And...unpopular opinion: I love a love triangle, so you wouldn't hear any complaining from me even if that's what was happening in this story. But don't worry love-triangle haters, I think you're safe here.

But Cora's life doesn't just revolve around dogs and men. She lives with her best friend, Maggie. Maggie is a fun, free-spirited high-end apparel saleswoman (Think Saks, Bloomingdales, Barney's, etc.). She is the perfect contrast to Cora who is a little more careful with life. Maggie is a joy to read about and I love how much she supports Cora even when she thinks she's not making the best choices.

Life on the Leash is such an enjoyable read and just what I needed right now. Who doesn't like reading about dogs with a little romance on the side?! No one! I am giving Life on the Leash 4 out of 5 stars. If you are looking for a good beach read or just something different from your usual dark magic, history of pneumonia, or monster stories (you know who you are! I'm right there with you), I highly recommend checking this out. 

Life on the Leash by Victoria Schade comes out September 18, 2018.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Very fun read. A bit of a “Must Love Dogs” vibe due to the subject matter but I loved that book when I read it years ago so that’s a compliment. Perfect light Summer read.