Cover artist Becky needed a break – a break from her former boyfriend/boss, her flat around the corner from his, and from her own thoughts. Putting her name forward on a house/pet sitting site, she’s quickly contacted by Georgie and arrangements are made for her to watch the house and her IG Influenster pup, Bella – a cockapoo mix that looks totally adorbs in the IG feed that Becky quickly checked out. Of course, the story doesn’t start with everything moving smoothly – in fact, some of the funniest moments involving narrow country roads, animals, farm equipment and failures and a near-to-breakdown Becky as she’s ‘lost in the back of beyond’ are our introduction to it all.

Bella is just what one would expect: a cockapoo with boundless energy and a penchant for zoomies and food, Becky is subjected to a long list of “do and do not” from Georgie – the most important being her paranoia about “anyone touching or taking Bella”. Soon the confusion comes clear as Ash, obviously one of the dog’s favorites and also claiming that Bella is his, appears, and Becky is quickly drawn into the drama that is behind the perfect life depicted on Georgie’s instagram. She and Ash were in a relationship that ended – and her focus on the Insta moments and perfection are all she has.

This was cute – as Becky gets to know and understand more about Georgie and Ash’s relationship – and see the true goodness that is within Ash, she also is finding her own groove – what she loved about drawing and painting, finding a new commission on her own for a book that has potential to go worldwide, while not quite cutting all ties with her former publisher, just in case her freelance doesn’t take off. Learning about herself, her own wishes and the realization that her past relationship ended for a good reason – and she’s better off without it, just adds to the drama that Georgie creates, and discovering that Georgie isn’t always ‘perfect’ nor is her life gives Becky the opportunity to make changes and open herself up to new opportunities both personal and professional that will serve her well. A bit repetitive at moments, and far more dramatics from Georgie that Becky should have seen as manipulation did frustrate – but the over-the-top moments captured for Bella’s IG account: including a doggie birthday party were priceless and the grounding and acceptance from the dog gave Becky plenty of moments to get out of her own head and just move forward. And sometimes being un-stuck is the best place to be.

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-aRK /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

Book Summary:

One Dog. Two Strangers!
This book follows our main character Becky who agrees to house (and dog) sit. She was told not to talk to the ex cause he’s “crazy”. But the more that Becky gets to know the ex the more that she falls for him even though she has an ex she’s trying to get away from herself.
Bella is the dog that brings them together. It seems like every time Becky wants some peace and quiet, there’s Ash (the ex). Ash was the one who got Bella and who wanted Bella to be a normal dog even when Georgina (the one that Becky is house-sitting for) is all about keeping an image for the dog.
If it wasn’t for Bella, Becky probably wouldn’t be putting herself first what seems to be the first time in a while. If it wasn’t for Bella being at the house, Becky probably wouldn’t have met Ash and possibly fallen in love with him.

Thoughts:

It took a while for me to get into this book. Once I started reading more of this book the more I fell in love with the characters. I loved the characters and found myself in certain situations because it seemed just how I would react.
I never thought a book could make me want a dog more in my life than this one. I honestly think Bella was my favorite character in this whole book. I fell in love with Bella and Ash along with their relationship. This was an overall book full of love and mushy moments. I also found myself laughing at some moments in this book because they were either relatable or just straight-up funny.

The Dog Sitter by Zara Stoneley
Publication Date: February 11, 2021
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Description from NetGalley...
“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.”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @harpercollinsuk @onemorechaperhc for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
Fun! This was literally just a fun and cute read. It was just what I needed for a quick and relaxing read. This was my first book from the author and I liked her writing style. You can’t go wrong with a dog, the beautiful outdoor, a crazy ex, art, and a hunky guy. It was funny, witty and I just enjoyed that British sense of humour.

The Dog Sitter
By Zara Stoneley
Pub date 11 February 2021
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This book was a brilliant read I loved how she wanted a dog and ended up looking after a puppy in someone else house. It’s such a fun read you enjoy I love how she trying to get to know the puppy and train the puppy and she starts to love the puppy to they have great chemistry between them. And I loved the romance side of things just what I needed to read at the moment x This is a perfect read for this time of year I enjoyed. Thank you for the e book.

Rejoice! A brand spanking new novel from Zara Stoneley! In the words of Savage Garden, “I knew I loved you before I met you” or in this case read you. Gorgeous and talented illustrator Becky is dumped by her plonker of a boyfriend Teddy. To get said plonker out of her system and to find herself again, Becky decides to house sit for Instagram trend setter Georgina in Cumbria. And we are taken on a hilarious journey set against a beautiful, breathtaking and scenic back drop. The characters are great and the chemistry is spot on. This has everything you come to expect from this authors novels, wit, sarcasm, warmth and innuendo in spades. And the star of this particular book show is Bella, the cockapoo. Oh my word she is an absolutely gorgeous delight! I always feel warm, cozy and constantly smile when I read this authors books, in my opinion the perfect antidote to lockdown, a rainy day-an any day or night read. You will feel so much lighter after reading a Zara Stoneley novel.

What a cute book! It's all cute, from cover to Becky, to Ash, to Bella the cockapoo! CUTE! Overload of cute!

As we follow Becky in her decision to remove herself for the toxic situation she was in. Becky explores what life is now and getting herself back on her feet while being involved in a domestic fight of the hostess for whom she is house and dog-sitting. Learning to trust herself again and her instinct, while protecting the of from the dog-napping ex of the hostess! Even in that first chapter, you get that pinch of humour, and you know this is how this book will go. The brilliantly beautiful setting of Cambria's Lake District so well depicted in scenes that I want to go, right now! And the Ex? Well, Ash is dreamy and so perfectly imperfect.

And all the while I enjoyed this story, I didn't enjoy confusion in character behaviour. The author made sure to tie it all quite well in the end, but up to that point, you read it and wonder, what in the world is happening and why is he/she putting up with it?!

Still, if you want a fast, cute, romantic and perfectly imperfect read, this is the book for you!

As you can tell by the cover and my latest bookstagram post, The Dog Sitter is a romcom novel with an adorable four legged character. It’s exactly what a romcom should be: cute, often humorous, with love ever present on the brain.

What sets The Dog Sitter apart from the many books of the genre is Bella. The canine character not only brought me into the story, but completely stole the show. I was in love from the first bark. Bella’s “perfect” instagram life versus who quirky real personality was such a wonderful metaphor for basically all of us.

As Becky would say, I need to be more dog.

My only issue with the book, the reason I really liked it but wasn’t over the moon about it, was the beginning 25%. I was definitely connected to the characters and wanted a happily ever after for Becky, but the first meeting of our romantic couple didn’t make me root for them.

Eventually, I let go of this and got on board, so the rest of the book was a breeze to read and enjoy. It wasn’t exactly ground breaking fiction, but not everything is intended to be soul searching, life changing reading.

The Dog Sitter was highly entertaining and exactly what I needed this Valentine’s Day. Now, please excuse me while I roll around on the floor with my doggo.

Holy cow manure! One of the funniest intros to a book I've ever read. No big surprise since I'm a fan of Zara Stoneley's rom-coms.

Remote...check. Cute dog...check. Sexy hot dog owner...check, check. Becky is a book cover designer, illustrator, and black sheep of her family of barristers. She's the odd one out. A daydreamer. The creative one. After being dumped by her ex, Teddy the plonker (my new favorite British slang words by the way), she needs to get away for some peace and quiet. So she decides to get away and house sit and dog sit for a social influencer in the beautiful Lake District in Cumbria in northwest England. Little did she know she would fall for the adorable and mischievous, Bella the cockapoo, and Bella's sexy and mysterious owner, Ash James.

Ash is a great guy. His willingness to give his selfish ex time to move on while keeping his beloved dog away from him is "bloody noble" as Becky would say. I laughed at his cheeky bootcamp session with Becky, and I teared up for the reason he loved his dog so much.

The plotline is unique with a couple torn apart by life changes and a dog being held hostage to a love that is no more. Enter poor unsuspecting Becky who is thrown in the middle of the War of the Roses when she's trying to take it easy and find herself again.

Becky and Ash are a great match. They are both adventurous, kind, forgiving, and adore sweet Bella. Watching them slowly fall in love while Becky "finds a me I'm happy with", and Ash opens up to Becky about his troubled past is a charming and memorable journey. But it's is Bella who stole the show with her naughty and rambunctious play, her sloppy wet French kisses, and her love of Ash and Becky. A veritable therapy dog without the credentials. And, of course, there is Bella's hilariously insane and unforgettable birthday party with her fake dog friends. Definitely a YouTube moment!

I recommend this delightful and memorable feel-good rom-com filled with loveable characters, both human and animal, and the extraordinary scenery of the lakes and fell mountains of Cumbria.

Thank you to Ms. Stoneley for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

This book was really a sweet and funny romance that I enjoyed quite a bit. There was a lot in it that I really even needed to take to heart for myself. Like there is one point when Becky says something like how we should “be more dog”. And that is so true. My dogs are just so loving and even though I know that they probably should be mad at me for certain things, they don’t get that way. Well to be fair, I have dachshunds, and I think they do get back at me more than maybe other breeds of dogs might. But for the most part they are just so loving and they are usually a very good judge of character. And think how much less stressful our lives could be if we all would just “be more dog.”

There was a lot going on in this story, and even though it was clear that Ash really was the one that the dog Bella loved and probably who she belonged to, it was easy to see why Becky had to give Georgina the benefit of the doubt seeing as how she was the one who had hired her in the first place. Honestly I really liked Ash too. He was a great guy it seemed like, and really was fun.

It wasn’t just the romance in this one though, there was some great family bits and even just the message of doing what you like and not letting someone else decide for you, or even letting go of those things that are keeping you back even if you’re afraid you’ll never have anything like them again. If it’s over, it’s over, and you’ll never move on until you let go.

It wasn’t that long of a book really, because the story flowed, but because the dialogue is done with just apostrophes instead of quotation marks, I often had to reread parts to realize whether it was someone actually talking to someone else, or just Becky in her own head.

This is my third book by this author and I look forward to reading more in the future!

I deliberated for a while whether this was a 3-star or a 4-star read for me. I was swinging like a pendulum because on the one hand, I was really chuckling over the opening chapters and found Ash’s final acts of romance very sweet and endearing. However, I do feel like the story “went off the boil” and it lost momentum, despite Bella’s canine energy. Romance won instead of the narrative, reminding me of how much I laughed at the start of the book.

One thing is for sure, Stoneley opens this book with fun and energy. Becky’s drive through the country roads are filled with peril and it does not help that she is running late to meet with the owner of a beautiful Lake District cottage who also needs her dog looking after whilst she is away. City-girl Becky appears out of her depth and this is continued further with her first encounter with Georgina’s house and the lovable doggie, Bella. It turns out that Bella is a prized possession: helping Georgina be on top of her Insta-game and garner followers and freebies. Yet, as Becky gets to know this energetic animal, she cannot help but fall in love this with cute and excitable dog.

This is what really captured my imagination. When Becky starts to explore her surroundings on her walks with Bella, I could vividly picture the Lake District scenery. I especially loved the reference to the famous Grasmere Gingerbread – my mouth was watering from memories of tasting this delicious treat! I felt as relaxed as Becky and this is reflected in the narrative as Becky realises that the life she has put on hold in London is not who she truly is. Becky desires to be more like herself which is ironic considering the false reality that Bella’s owner, Georgina, is portraying on social media.

On the flip side, I did think that the narrative really slowed once Stoneley had established the plot direction. I felt bemused by the “dog-napping” element of the story and could not connect with the Ash-Bella-Georgina triangle. It felt too far-fetched and I was bored by the repeated scenes of Becky fearing that Ash had taken off with the dog. In my opinion, it felt like the same thing was being described, just in a slightly different setting each time. This left me feeling bored and desiring the comedy that had opened the book.

Bella is definitely a memorable dog! I really enjoyed reading the birthday party scene and thought this was really imaginative and entertaining. I grew to despise Georgina and my opinions were justified when she finally makes an appearance in the novel. This all happens as more of Georgina and Ash’s past comes to light, leaving Becky in more of a difficult situation. It is clear that she loves Bella, it is clear that she has feelings for Ash, and it is even clearer that she adores being in the Lake District. How can she keep all of these desires, whilst also holding down her job as an artist/illustrator?

I wished that the narrative contained the flair and enthusiasm that Bella brings to each chapter. Although I am definitely a cat-lover, it was difficult not to smile at Bella’s antics. She becomes the glue that holds many relationships together, genuine or otherwise, and I think it is her personality that brings the story together. I only wish that the cover had reflected that Bella is a black dog?!

This is a good romantic read, but definitely not my favourite. Some of Ash’s romantic gestures are really sweet, but I did find the dog conflict a little annoying. Setting it in the Lake District was certainly picturesque for Becky and readers alike and I think this helped to add to the romantic isolation that the protagonist finds herself in.


With thanks to Harper Collins, One More Chapter, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am afraid that I only read enough of The Dog Sitter to be sure that it wasn't the book for me. I found it hard to sympathise with any of the characters, none of whose names I can actually remember. I am sure that there is a readership for it but I found it just too unfocused and unrealistic.

I knew I was going to love The Dog Sitter, as anything written by Zara Stoneley is guaranteed to be a fantastic read. After going through a break-up, Becky decides she needs some time out, to recover and re-evaluate her life. Seeing an opportunity for a dog-sitter for the over-enthusiastic Georgie (and the adorable Bella), it isn’t long before Becky is heading to the beautiful Lake District for some much needed rest, relaxation, and dog-walking!

What Becky isn’t expecting is Georgie to be so protective of her gorgeous little dog, Bella. Georgie is very insistent that Becky doesn’t let her ex, Ash anywhere near the dog. So, when Becky comes across the gorgeous Ash in the garden, she struggles with the fact that he is the enemy! The chemistry between Becky and Ash is fairly intense, and very obvious. I loved seeing how things progressed with them both throughout the story.

The Dog Sitter is a fun and light-hearted read, packed full of love, laughs, giggles, beautiful scenic country views. And not forgetting the ever-so-cute, Bella the dog. I 100% recommend reading this, or any of the other fab stories written by Zara Stoneley.

Romantic comedy queen Zara Stoneley is back with a hilarious, uplifting and delightfully feel-good tale you will absolutely love: The Dog Sitter.

Becky thought that she had struck gold when she met her boyfriend, Teddy. Successful and good-looking Teddy was going to give illustrator Becky’s career the shot in the arm it desperately needed. So what if her family didn’t like him or if his comments about her work frequently upset her, Becky was head over heels in love with Teddy – until she finally realized what a nasty piece of work he truly was when he broke up with her and sacked her! Her family might be over the moon that she is finally well shot of Teddy, but Becky is now single, unemployed and with only a bleak and lonely future to look forward to. Becky is off men and vows to never put her heart on the line ever again. She can get as much affection and support from a dog and does not need a man in her life. When on a whim she decides to make some extra cash by house-sitting, she is delighted when she manages to secure a job in the Lake District where she not only will be spending a couple of weeks in a most beautiful part of the world, but she will also have the company of a gorgeous dog called Bella, who has got quite a following online. However, little does Becky realize that this house-sitting assignment is not going to be as serene and relaxing as she initially thought….

After a nightmare journey to the Lake District where she got lost so many times, Becky finally arrives. Only nobody told her that brooding Hemsworth lookalike Ash was going to be part of the assignment! However, Becky shouldn’t get too excited just yet because Ash is absolutely livid that she has come to look after Bella because the pooch is his dog and he wants her back. Becky is not about to just hand over Bella – even if her owner happens to be the sexiest man she has ever clapped eyes on! Becky vows to stay strong and watch his every move – which doesn’t prove too be too arduous as Ash has the kind of good looks that would make a Hollywood hunk green with envy.

As Becky and Ash find themselves spending more and more time together, sparks quickly begin to fly, but will attraction end up leading to something deeper? Or is Becky barking up the wrong tree?

Zara Stoneley’s The Dog Sitter had me roaring with laughter from the very first page. A book that simply cannot fail to lift your mood, The Dog Sitter is a superb romantic comedy from one of the genre’s finest writers. I absolutely adored Becky who was such a charming and adorable heroine and as always in a Zara Stoneley, Ash is an absolutely gorgeous hero that will certainly send your temperature soaring through the roof – even in the middle of February!

A fantastic romantic comedy that ticks every single box, Zara Stoneley’s The Dog Sitter is simply phenomenal!

This book was just what I needed in these trying times – there’s nothing that will make you laugh like somebody else’s poo nightmare! A wonderful, combination of humour with a sprinkling of romance, surely guaranteed to brighten anyone’s day.

Having been ceremoniously dumped and sacked by her Ex, consummate townie, Becky agrees to a last minute house/dog sitting gig; the last thing she expected to encounter was countryside biohazard waste on her journey to the job. On arrival at the job, she is ominously warned to steer clear of her customer’s ex, the delectable Ash. She is warned that his intentions towards the dog-sittee, Bella, are entirely bad intentioned.

Becky ends up signing up for Ash’s fitness boot camp, but the question is, can she resist his flirtatious behaviour, and us it genuine, or is he angling towards trying to steel Bella? You will have to read for yourself to find out!

Set in the beautiful Lake District, you join Becky in her stint as house sitter and dog sitter and wouldn't it be wonderful to be actually there? There are some lively moments concerning Bella, the Cockerpoo, and you soon realise that Ash, the house owner's ex, is determined to get 'his dog back',. Becky settles into the idyllic surroundings and slowly, her confidence in her creative abilities begins to come back.

This is a fun, entertaining read which kept me hooked- a real relaxing read. The house sitter turns out to be an Instagram influencer and there are some ludicrous limits she goes to for the perfect picture which raise a smile. Becky can see through the gloss which is put on to the pictures and I enjoyed her reactions to some of the 'treats' which had been lined up for the cockerpoo. Romance and humour, all tied up with some gorgeous characters and a fantastic setting. What's not to like?

In short: Fun and games in the Lakes!
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book

Anybody who knows me well, knows that I love dogs. I have two very lovely but very loopy Labradors. So when I read the synopsis for ‘The Dog Sitter’, I knew that I had to read the book as soon as I could. Plus there was an added bonus of there being a ‘Chris Hemsworth’ like person. ‘Chris Hemsworth’ and dogs = a very happy me. Anyway I grabbed a copy of the book and settled down for one hell of a read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Dog Sitter’ but more about that in a bit.
It didn’t take me long at all to warm to the main character of Becky. She has the rug pulled out from under her feet in more ways than one. To try to escape the disaster that was her life, she needs a period of time to hibernate from the world, lick her wounds and figure out what she wants to do next. This is what leads her to taking up the new role of ‘dog sitter’. She ends up in Cumbria looking after a cockerpoo whilst trying to resist a ‘Chris Hemsworth’ like person. I really liked Becky and I ended up feeling as though she had become a friend of hers. She is kind, funny, compassionate, sensitive, hard working and occasionally ditzy. She means well and tries hard but her efforts don’t always go to plan.
As soon as I saw the word ‘dog’ in the title of the book, I was there. To say that reading ‘The Dog Sitter’ became addictive seems a huge understatement. I started reading and before I knew it I had read over a quarter of the book in one go. I had been so wrapped up in the story that I didn’t notice just how quickly the pages were turning and the time was passing. In a way, this book was the tonic I needed as it cheered me up and made me chuckle on more than one occasion. The antics of the dog had me nodding my head in agreement as they are the sort of things that my two Labradors would get up to. I soon reached the end of the story and I had to say farewell to Becky, the Chris Hemsworth lookalike and of course the adorable Bella.
‘The Dog Sitter’ is well written. I love the way in which Zara writes her books as they read more like a chat between friends than reading an actual book. That’s how I feel anyway and I hope it makes sense. Zara has the knack of making the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves. Zara drew me into the story from the start. Zara creates characters who are impossible to dislike and writes about them so realistically that they seem just as real as you and I. I found ‘The Dog Sitter’ to be an amusing read, which held my attention throughout and left me with a smile.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Dog Sitter’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Zara’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

The first few chapters of this book are an absolute hoot! Becky struggling to come to terms with break-up and job loss; Ashley dealing with a heartbreak and Georgina having troubles adjusting to her 'single' status.

There isn't much to talk about the plot to story development. The spotlight is on character development - how two strangers end up falling for each other (what starts as hostility ends in love).

Overall, this was a light and fun read.

This book just fell flat. I didn't really love any of the characters (other than the dog) and the whole plot seemed to be, well, weird. I mean the fact that the dog sitter was, in essence, flung into the middle of a custody battle over a dog was weird enough but then she tried to solve their problem by providing access to one of the parties - and not the one that was paying her to house/dog sit. Just felt not right.

The main character was off - and not someone I would entrust my house and my pet to. The hero, also, not really the greatest - constantly trying to lure the dog away, especially from who was essentially the hired help? I mean that's just really a crappy thing to do to someone you don't even know. And the villain. Don't even get me started on how annoying, obnoxious, and disrespectful she was. Seriously.

This book just hit all the wrong buttons for me.

I've read some books by Stoneley before so I had an idea as to what to expect and this was everything I had hoped for and more. It was a read that was needed. It was sweet and probably one of the best books I have read so far this year.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Dog Sitter by Zara Stoneley is a Women’s Fiction/Romance Novel. I seriously considered putting it down and not finishing it after reading the first chapter because it was trying too hard to be funny. Manure does not generally fly in your driver's side window, and if it does, you are not going to be able to keep driving. I decided to give the book a second chance because I’ve read and enjoyed books by Zara Stoneley before, and it turned out to be a lovely story about rebuilding your life when it comes crashing down and finding someone who loves you as you are. Book cover designer Becky Havers has had an anno horriblis so far, she’s been dumped, fired, and her ex, who was also her boss, has left her with little self-confidence regarding her art. Needing an escape to find a way to regroup, she takes on a housesitting gig in the lake district for Georgina and Instagram Influencer that comes with an adorable cockapoo named Bella. (Who is black and not golden like the dog on the cover) Handsome Veteran Ash James is also rebuilding his life after leaving the Marines and having his relationship end. One thing he is not prepared to give up is his dog Bella, and an instant attraction to Becky has him trying to figure out how to get his dog back and win the girl.
I enjoyed this book very much once I got past the non-sensical heavy-handed first chapter and recommend reading it. Steam Level: Medium. Publishing Date: February 11, 2021. #TheDogSitter #ZaraStoneley #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter #WomensFiction #ContemporaryRomance #RomCom #bookstagram #bookstagrammer