When I arrived at the end of the Black Dog Bay series, I was not ready to leave that perfect setting. I loved the town and its characters, plus all of the quirky breakup-themed businesses there. I started to come to terms with the fact that I wouldn’t get to visit there again because the final book came out in 2016 without any word of follow-ups. I was randomly browsing Netgalley one day and saw IN DOG WE TRUST. I was excited to see a new title by Beth Kendrick in general, but was even mooooore excited to see that we’d be returning to my beloved Black Dog Bay for the story. I knew I wouldn’t be able to wait on this one and had to read it immediately.

The premise of the book, from the synopsis, is that Jocelyn is put in charge of some purebred Labradors after their owner passes away, and is suddenly working and living in a beachfront mansion, instead of cleaning up after tourists in her business with her mom. The late dog owner’s son shows up, looking for his inheritence, and a legal battle (of sorts) ensues.

So… this wasn’t exactly what I was looking for in my unexpected return to Black Dog Bay, my literal favorite book setting of all time. First, the romance was…bizarre. Without getting too far into spoilers, Jocelyn and Liam were essentially in a legal battle throughout the book, which led to a weird version of the “hate to love” romance trope. It didn’t even feel like a romance for more than 50% of the story. He acted like a huge dick about the house and money, while sweet-talking her in a personal way. How was I supposed to swoon over this guy?!

Second, I definitely wished for more Black Dog Bay in general. It was great to see some returning characters and locations, but I just didn’t FEEL it as much as I have in the past. The setting has always felt like another character to me, with its lively “breakup tourism” concept. Many were referenced, as I said, but I don’t know – it just didn’t feel the same.

On the plus side: I ADORED Jocelyn and Bree, her best friend. They were such solid and hilarious friends-who-are-basically-sisters! I am praying for another novel about Bree; she is the best. They grew up together and had such an easy, loving relationship. They were like the best friends who DON’T annoy you with constant inside jokes, but you can tell they’re still reading each other’s minds.

So yeah, overall? The premise was interesting and unique but just not as romancey as I would have liked? This much a friendship story for me, which could have been fine, but not what I expected.

There’s nothing like a fun read to put you in a good mood. This new book by Beth Kendrick is written in perfect rom-com style.

Her characters are funny if not just a little bit crazy. Witty and decidedly likable, Jocelyn has an addictive personality that really makes the story fun especially when her and her best friend Bree hang around. Awesome bestie that I want to have!

A secondary characters are all great too. I especially enjoyed Liam and the rest of the story about his connection to the house. And we can’t forget about the dogs! The most important part of the entire theme. So funny.

The author added loads of plot twists and unexpected surprises that really made this story stand out. The town of Black Dog Bay is quintessential small-town America, the quaint uniqueness that makes us all wish we could live there too.

In Dog We Trust by Beth Kendrick is a heartwarming, feel good story that is sweetly addictive and just an overall wonderful read that will make you smile.

In Dog We Trust by Beth Kendrick is the fifth book in the contemporary romance Black Dog Bay series. Each book in the series has a different lead couple so they seem to be fine to read as standalone novels if choosing to do.With this being my first of the series I did a little lookup and ran across an earlier description of Black Dog Bay…

<b>“Welcome to Black Dog Bay, a tiny seaside town in Delaware known as “the best place in America to bounce back from your breakup.” Home to Better Off Bed-and-Breakfast, the Eat Your Heart Out bakery, and the Whinery bar, Black Dog Bay offers a haven for the suddenly single.” </b>

As one might guess from that description there’s a bit of humor in these stories and after reading this installment I definitely would like to make it back to the earlier books. In Dog We Trust didn’t take long at all to settle in and begin enjoying the story and the characters so I can imagine each read would be just as fun.

This one centers around Jocelyn Hillier who is a Black Dog Bay native who happens to be in the right place/right time to save a millionaire’s pedigree pup from being ran over. The encounter lands Jocelyn the job of doggy sitter to the spoiled pooches and when the owner passes away she finds herself the trustee of the dogs who inherited the wealth. This leads Jocelyn to a battle with the disinherited son which turns into so much more between the pair.

Jocelyn was quickly established as a strong independent lead and I liked her from the start. The story is definitely one for animal/dog lovers as they play a huge part of the story and the romance takes a while to build with plenty of other things going on in the meantime. Just a fun story from start to finish that I’d definitely recommend whether you’ve read the others in the series or not.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley

After a couple of really heavy reads, I needed something light and uplifting and In Dog We Trust was just that. I really enjoyed visiting Black Dog Bay again. It’s such a cute, quirky little town that I wish was real so I could go there. I liked that there were some brief cameos of characters from previous books, but you definitely don’t have to have read any of them to be able to read this one.

I thought the idea of this book was really fun. I’ve heard of eccentric, rich people leaving all their money to their pets, but never really understood how that worked. Jocelyn is named the guardian of three champion show dogs and that means she gets to move into their big, fancy beach house and controls all the money. Despite becoming rich overnight, Jocelyn never goes crazy with the money. She still works her previous job and only makes a couple small purchases that aren’t dog-related. I liked that she stayed so level-headed with all of that money. I also really enjoyed her relationship with the dogs. She is definitely a die-hard animal lover and while I may not entirely relate to it, I know there are lots of dog lovers out there that will really get it.

I liked the romance, though it was not nearly as central to the plot as I expected it to be. Jocelyn and Liam’s relationship grew pretty organically without any big, sweeping romantic moments, but employed smaller sweet and subtle ones. There was a lot more focus between Jocelyn’s relationship with her best friend, Bree, and with her mother, Rachel. I loved seeing these three strong women interact and get stuff done.

There were a few things I didn’t like, though. There are some legal things that happen towards the end of the book that I didn’t love how they turned out, but I also would’ve like a little more clarity on the whole thing. I also expected dog shows to be much more prevalent. We only see one show and none of the diva-like high maintenance upkeep that is described in the synopsis.

Overall, I really enjoyed In Dog We Trust. It was light and fun and I never wanted to put it down. I’ve been looking forward to reading more from Beth Kendrick and she didn’t disappoint. I think Chick Lit fans and dog-lovers would really enjoy this one, as well.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 3.5 Stars

This was a very cute, fluffy read. I would recommend for anyone who likes dogs, and women making decisions and standing up for themselves because once Jocelyn Hillier is appointed as guardian of the dog's she must stand up for herself against her employer's estranged son and everyone else who thinks they should be entitled to all the perks that go along with being the dog's guardians. I enjoyed the friendship between Jocelyn and Bree, and the relationship between Jocelyn and her mother, Rachel. I wish the romance had a little bit more tension before the characters ended up together. I loved that the dog's personalities shone through and any dog lover will love this book.

Jocelyn has grown up wary of those who live on the rich side of town. Liam is the son of one of the richest owners. Can they find a middle ground when Jocelyn finds herself the guardian of Liam's father's dogs and house? There is plenty of heat between them, but is there anything that will last? The story is fun, but the characters are not as well developed as I would have liked, and the story jumped around a little at times.

Such a cute story , dog lover or not. The storyline was unexpected at times, which made for a great read. I look forward to more from this author.

I found this to be one of the more enjoyable dog centered romances that have begun to trend lately. I enjoyed Jocelyn and Liam as they moved from sort of enemies to romance, including their backstories. Bree, Rachel and Nora were also pretty well fleshed out characters that added to the story and made the setting feel more alive. That being said, some characters fell flat and seemed a bit useless in the context of the story. Chris was a stereotype that could have just been left out. His part in the story just came off as a unnecessary. I also question why Liam would act the way he does on a few occasions when his character is supposed to be falling in love.

I would recommend this book for romance readers who love that small town feel and plenty of interaction with dogs.

I was enjoying this book until we got close to the end. The last few chapters were harsh and spoiled a fun read. I don't need my get away reads to bring me down, my real life does that all on its own.

I truly enjoyed this book—it was very light, with interesting characters, great dialogue and a believable romance. The book is set in the same fictional seaside town where the author has set several other books, but it works perfectly as a stand-alone. In fact, I have not read any of those other books, and that did not interfere with my enjoyment of the story at all. The book begins with the main character, Jocelyn, saving a dog from being hit by a car. Before she knows it, Jocelyn is romantically involved with the driver of the car that almost hit the dog, and also is roped into becoming a paid dog-walker for the dog’s curmudgeon owner, Mr. Allardyce. Things get even more interesting when Mr. Allardyce dies and leaves his estate in trust for his dogs, with Jocelyn as the trustee and guardian. It sounds like a made for TV movie when I describe it, but it was undeniably fun.

In Dog We Trust – Beth Kendrick
I was fortunate to receive this novel from Netgalley.com as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.
Jocelyn Hillier is a year-round resident of Black Dog Bay, Delaware, and is out for a jog on Shoreline Rd (where the rich summer people come to stay) when she chances upon dogs in the road, in danger of being struck by a speeding car. Without thinking twice, she rushes the dogs to safety, and immediately receives a job offer to care for and exercise some prized black labs. Despite her polite protests, Mr. Allardyce won’t take no for an answer, and Jocelyn finds herself the caretaker of three purebred Labradors, one who’s due to deliver pups any day.
Liam Sheridan is Mr. Allardyce’s son but is estranged from his father. As he forces a meet at a restaurant, his father unexpectedly collapses and dies, and upon the reading of the will, he is stunned to learn that Mr. Allardyce has left the bulk of his estate to his dogs – with Jocelyn as caretaker and trustee. Determined to gain his fair share of the inheritance, he files a lawsuit challenging the will.
And so begins a sweet, funny novel about love, trust, forgiveness, family and, of course, dogs! With familiar places to Black Dog Bay readers like The Whinery, The Naked Finger and the Eat Your Heart Out Bakery, this book will have you laughing all through it’s pages! Another fabulous read by Beth Kendrick!!

Jocelyn is a townie in a millionaires beach paradise. She and her mother have a laundry business supplying linens to renters. As she’s jogging one day she saves two dogs from being hit by a speeding car which forever changes her life. She starts to date the wealthy man who was driving and she becomes a daily companion to the dogs she saved. The three dogs are cosseted labs, and their owner loves them more than people. He notices Jocelyn’s care and devotion to his dogs and when he dies she is left with an unusual bequest.

I really enjoyed this book, and was glad to see the author has written more set in the same area so will have some more enjoyable reads coming up.