Can a romance be both sweet and hot? I am saying it can, and Paws and Prejudice (NOT a Pride and Prejudice retelling, btw) definitely fits that bill. Kelsey is my prickly baby daughter and Ian is adorable. This is a wonderful book and I can't wait for the next one!

My Review: I just started this series earlier this year and fell in love with all the dogs and the setting. I also really enjoyed the play with classic novel influences. I was really looking forward to this book and following Kelsey's story, she really intrigued me as a strong, independent woman who might have a stubborn streak a mile wide but will do anything for those she loves. This book certainly didn't disappoint, I might have loved it even more than the first book! I loved how we not only got the enemies to lovers element but also that small town mentality of us versus the outsiders, and both those elements really came into play in this book. I also enjoyed the internal growth not only did Kelsey have but so did Ian with all of his emotional baggage. All in all these are characters you really want to get behind and cheer on all the way to the end. I can't wait for more books in this series!

My Rating: This is such a cute series and this book did not give me second slump vibes at all, I loved it even more than the first book. It is also a great book to read towards the tail end of summer, when things start to cool down and the tourists start to leave town and you are thinking about cool fall evenings. Anyway I enjoyed the story and give it a rating of Four Paws, I can't wait for the next book and luckily don't have long to wait!

Thanks to Berkley Pub for the arc of this title.

Paws and Prejudice by Alanna Martin is the second book in the Hearts of Alaska series and delivers everything I loved about the first book, Heart on a Leash:⁣
⁣
- fun, small town Alaskan setting⁣
- great characters⁣
- an adorable trio of huskies that you can't help but love!⁣

The book centers around Kelsey, a writer who is volunteered by her family to help the owners of a new brewery in town with publicity. As Kelsey meets one of the owners, Ian, there is a definite love/hate relationship full of all kinds of chemistry.

I really have enjoyed both books in this series. If you are a fan of romance, Alaska, or dogs - this is the book/series for you! If you haven't read the first book, I think this one could stand alone. However the first book really would provide more insight into the heroine and her family dynamics.

I loved this book! I loved the setting, I loved the characters, and I adored the dogs! I was rooting for Kelsey and Ian from the get go and was captivated by Alanna's writing. I can't wait to read more from Alanna.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Paws and Prejudice, the second book in the Hearts of Alaska series, is my first exposure to the writing of Alanna Martin. I was surprised and overjoyed with discovering this new to me author and her very easy to read, relatable, humourous and romantic story! There was just enough “heat” in this Alaskan-set story for my tastes. I did start this series with a bit of trepidation – as I was coming to it starting in book 2 – but I need not have worried. I may not have all the background of life in small town Helen, Alaska but I was provided with enough backstory so that I never felt like I was missing something (especially once I clued in about the Porter and Lipin feud, which essentially an old and ongoing feud that has torn the town apart). The story flowed effortlessly.

The story begins with Kelsey Porter being annoyed with her father for offering her writing services to help a new brewery (Ian Roth – co-owner) in town with their website and press releases in addition to an article for the local paper. I loved the three reasons she articulated internally for not wanting to do the work:

First, she wasn’t about to confess that her alleged work experience was a lie;
Second, she was already extremely busy; and
Three, and perhaps most importantly, Ian was a jerk who didn’t deserve what little free time she had. Her reasoning was that he had shown zero interest in her dogs, and that spoke of a cold, unfeeling heart in Kelsey’s mind!
From these thoughts, I quickly realized that Kelsey and Ian will most definitely be romantic participants in this story, peaking my interest as to how that would come about given Kelsey’s vehement dislike of the man. I could sense a fun-filled ride – and I was not disappointed J.

Kelsey is hiding her true profession as a writer of romance novels about a pack of husky shifters living in the Alaskan bush from the entire town, including her own family, at least until Ian inadvertently discovers her secret. So, what is a sensible gal to do? Not panic since Ian promised not to tell. But of course, you know this will weigh heavily on Kelsey’s mind from now on.

Ian also has a secret. He is deathly scared of (you guessed it) …. Dogs. This explains his brush off and avoidance when out and about in the town. When Kelsey finds out – they strike a deal whereby Kelsey will help Ian get over his phobia. Now of course, as they work together on this, feelings between the two begin to develop. It is a fun journey, which I totally enjoyed reading. The chemistry between Kelsey and Ian is palpable. I enjoyed their journey from misconceptions (re: her puppies) to friends and then some.

There are also many other wonderful characters in the town of Helen! I especially liked Nate – Kelsey’s brother who moved away from Helen to pursue his dreams as he had sage advice for Kelsey (and he is featured in book 3 of this series as it happens). Of course, I loved Romeo, Juliet and Puck – Kelsey’s huskies.

Alanna Martin’s writing style was the perfect mix between fun, with a side of frivolity and some unexpectedly delightful literary references; from Shakespeare to Austen (as can be seen by the title) as well as the names of Kelsey’s.

If you enjoy romance with a side of comedy with twists and turns to a HEA, puppies and an interesting location, then Paws to Prejudice is a great read. I look forward to the next book in the series, Love and Let Bark. I would like to see where this feud is headed.

Thank you so much to Berkley and Netgalley for letting me read an eARC of Paws and Prejudice! This book came out on June 29, so you can 100% go out and grab it now! Also, this is the second book in the Hearts of Alaska series, but even if you don't read book 1 (I definitely didn't), I don't think you miss out on anything (I'm 100% going to read book 1 ASAP and then book 3 when it comes out)!
Paws and Prejudice 4/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads:
It's up to a trio of adorable rescue huskies to make two lonely hearts in a coastal Alaskan town realize that true love is worth too much to turn tail and run.
Glaciers have nothing on Kelsey Porter when she decides to freeze someone out. After getting burned once, she's not about to let it happen again. And right now all that icy contempt is focused on one annoyingly attractive and entitled interloper: Ian Roth. Not only is he looking to take advantage of her quaint, coastal community, tainting the small-town charm of Helen, Alaska, but he has committed the one crime she can never forgive—he doesn't like her dogs.
Unlike what Kelsey believes, Ian loves Helen's charms as much as she does. That's partly why he's determined to open a brewery there, and he's not about to let anything or anyone stop his dream from coming true. But he didn't count on the beautiful, prickly woman getting under his skin. Or having to be within hand-biting proximity of her three huge huskies.
When Kelsey's family conscripts her into helping Ian get his brewery off the ground, she finds herself caught between a rock and a hard . . . muscular . . . man who has a fear of dogs. But the longer they work together, the more she can feel herself begin to thaw. Now she'll have to choose: let sleeping dogs lie to protect her heart, or mush head-on toward love.
Man y'all, there are so many great contemporary romances set in Alaska these days! Makes me think that if I want to, you know, not be single anymore, maybe I need to move to Alaska (I definitely would not do well in that kind of cold/with that kind of wildlife, but a girl can dream). Anyway, moving on, I really liked Paws and Prejudice! I loved Kelsey's huskies (such cute dogs in general) and I love how big of a part they played in the book. I also really liked Ian and Micah- their camaraderie was great and I love the fact that they're running this whole brewery on their own in this little town. I thought the town feud was an interesting concept and it brought a lot of great tension and drama and I can see it playing out really well in book 3 and I'm sure it also was really intense in book 1, so I'm glad it was a big part of the book! Pacing wise, I thought that the plot moved along at a pretty good pace- nothing was too fast or too slow, except maybe Ian's exposure therapy- I feel like that would take a little longer than a few meetings for him to get to the point where he was by the end of the book. I really liked the chemistry between Kelsey and Ian and I love how things for book 3 were already foreshadowed (and I know I keep mentioning that book, but I know I'm going to love it)! Overall, Paws and Prejudice was a super fun read and I definitely think y'all should check it out!

Obviously, I picked Paws and Prejudice because of the dogs and I enjoyed it! I think any story that has animals as a major part of the story is going to be something I enjoy a great deal.

Poor Ian! I know lots of people who have a phobia of dogs due to an event in their life. Of course, dog people want everyone to love dogs, but it can be really difficult for a phobia to be addressed. I worried that Kelsey would push too hard, but it didn't play out that way. I loved Kelsey and Ian together because they were a great match.

Now, I have to say that the feud is lame. I would LOVE this book if that wasn't even part of the plot. I didn't care for it much in the 1st book, and seeing as it continues into this one, I like it even less. It seems very immature to me and sophomoric. If this subplot didn't exist, I would have adored this story. As it was, Paws and Prejudice had a great romance with a meh storyline.

I was completely sold by the huskies on the cover and the idea that this is a sort of P+P retelling.

I liked Kelsey and Ian well enough. They’re both good people with family issues and I did enjoy them trying to figure out how to be nice as well as navigate a relationship. There are a good amount of characters in this one and I definitely felt like I was missing a piece of the story by not reading book 1.

Plot wise, it was okay. I liked the random build up of Kelsey and Ian. They jumped into bed fairly quickly, so they did have time to grow into something a bit more tangible. The main drawback for me was all of the feud business. It got old really quickly and was the main focus of the conflict. (Also something that felt like I should have already known about.)

Overall, I was interested in reading their HEA, but I was missing the spark in this story.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

✦Review & Excerpt: PAWS AND PREJUDICE by Alanna Martin https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-bOD
Publication Date: June 29, 2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4 Stars

I enjoyed this romance more than I thought I would. Kelsey rubbed me the wrong way at first. Her behavior and attitude for the first quarter of the story made no sense to me and I could not understand his attraction to her. I honestly thought Ian was too good for her. I’m glad I read on. Each of them carried baggage from their pasts that clouded their perception of others, but hers was more caustic. It was lovely to watch them chip through their barriers and see the other person, then ultimately bring out the best in each other.

I did not understand nor like the town feud issue. It prevented me from picturing myself there or caring about the townspeople. Thankfully, Ian’s brother and Kelsey’s inner-circle provided a sense of camaraderie to show that the two of them were worthy of friendship and love. The witty banter was enjoyable and well written.

This is a fun and sexy romance that made me smile.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

Kindle https://amzn.to/3x5SKH6

This book has beautiful artwork. It is a soothing read, and all the character are supportive of each other. This is a story about friendship and kindness and finding love. The storyline is awesome and the characters are realistic.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Q: do you have a dog? Tell me about him/her/them! This is Dobby 😍.

Alanna Martin’s Paws & Prejudice is a romance set smack in small town Alaska, where the biggest threat isn’t quite the local wildlife but instead a long-running, take-all-prisoners feud between two families.

Everyone’s expected to take sides, even new residents of Helen, like Ian Roth, hopeful brewery owner & transplant from Florida.

He’s a more laid-back type except he does get annoyed by self-described “ice queen” Kelsey Porter, who’s mastered the snarky behavior that keeps people from looking too closely.

She also doesn’t like outsiders. But when they’re made to work together, they both realize the other isn’t quite as they seem, & maybe Helen, Alaska is big enough for both of them.

There’s quite a lot going on here & on balance I found it entertaining with some enjoyable steam. The ice queen-“puppy” personality hero is a fun take, even if the heroine made me raise my eyebrows on a couple of occasions.

At the beginning of the book I had reservations about her & the feud she’s been part of for so long & it’s cool seeing her realize for herself that the feud is damaging & not necessary, that she can step out of it & achieve positive change using the power the feud has given her.

The fact that the heroine is a romance novel writer in secret—& the hero has a dog phobia & the heroine has three beloved huskies—gives them both more opportunity to grow emotionally.

I wanted more build up for their feelings before things between them really accelerate, though they do start establishing more of that intimacy—& the book has more thorough relationship development—after they sleep together the first time.

Paws & Prejudice has some sweet moments, some hot moments, & it’s 3.5 ⭐️ for me.

Out today!

Freezing out the newcomer seems the only solution to thwarting her dad’s plans for her life and the newbie brewer makes it easy when he snubs her dogs. I took one look at the title and cover and just had to read this adorable Alaskan romance. Total cuteness!



Paws and Prejudice is actually the second book in the Hearts of Alaska series though I had no trouble jumping in with Kelsey and Ian’s story. The first book, Heart on a Leash featured Kelsey’s cousin Josh and a certain family feud enemy for his love interest. They were present, but the storyline didn’t carry over.



Kelsey bursts onto the pages as one upset gal and she has no trouble blaming her troubles on the new guy in town. She’s a grumpy heroine, for sure. I wasn’t sure I was going to like her the way she jumped down Ian’s throat and blamed him for her anger at her dad and her hurt with her long ago ex. She even had fantasies of sabotaging his brewery. But, yes, Ian was generous and kept battering at her self-made walls so that she couldn’t help slowly trusting him.

As for Ian, he comes to Alaska both to try an adventure in starting up a business far from home to prove himself and, it is obvious, that he is hiding something about his family situation. Ian had some awkward moments when he let his dog fear and not wanting to lay out his past, but he was a great guy and took the quirky town feud and smalltown living that was very different for him, in stride.



After some initial cross and jostle from Kelsey and Ian, they were an adorable pair together fighting attraction while yearning for a chance.



All in all, it was a little over the top with the Porter-Lipin feud, but the romance and the adorable dogs let alone the smalltown Alaska setting was an easy read, slightly spicy Contemporary Romance that makes me want to come back to the series. Romance lovers who happen adore some puppy matchmakers should definitely give this a go.

Was I hooked by that book? Yes. Another adorable set of huskies that brought Ian out of his shell and gave Kelsey the confidence to take what she wanted.

The Hearts of Alaska series continues with Kelsey's story. We met Kelsey in book one, Heart on a Leash, as Josh's ornery cousin.

Kelsey was volunteered by her father to help Ian's brewery with writing promotional and online materials. But, let's be honest here, that was a non-starter to begin with. Ian didn't create the best first impression and Kelsey doesn't make it easy for anyone to get close to her.

Kelsey is a hard nut to crack. She presents a prickly confident image on the outside, but she is filled with insecurities on the inside. She is fairly quick to pigeonhole people. She had formed an opinion of Ian long before she actually met him. And her opposition to development in Helen didn't quite gel for me. Ah, man, I love Ian. Asking for take out instead of going out with his friend so he can continue reading. It's awesome. But on the darker side, Ian had his own ghosts to vanquish and in his quest to be different from his father, he completely missed the point. In the end, Ian and Kelsey were much more the same than they thought. And they were very sweet together.

The feud was a lot more real and serious in this book. It was more than just pulling silly pranks on each other. I have much hope for the younger generation to stamp out this nonsense.

So far it's a great series and I'd love to read more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars

Paws and Prejudice is the adorable follow-up to Heart on a Leash and I loved it even more. Ian and Kelsey were standout characters in the first book and I love a hate-to-love trope. Kelsey cannot stand everything that Ian represents - he is an interloper wanting to take advantage of the small-town charm of Helen, Alaska and build a huge brewery there. He also does not like dogs. When she is forced to write a story on Ian’s brewery, the two banter and maybe realize they don’t hate each other as much as they thought.

I love small-town romances and this series is one of my favorites. You can read each as a stand-alone, but I enjoyed seeing characters from the previous book and hearing more about the famous Porter/Lipin feud. Kelsey is a fun, prickly lead character and her and Ian have excellent chemistry. The romance unfolded at a good pace and I enjoyed the scenes with Ian and the dogs. If you are in the mood for a warm, funny, and entertaining small-town romance, definitely check this book out when it releases on 6/29/21!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

PAWS AND PREJUDICE is a wonderful continuation of the HEARTS OF ALASKA series, though it can be read all by itself. It picks up where we left off in book one and immerses the reader in Helen, Alaska, with the feud, the quirky characters, and the dogs. I’m so glad to see the series will continue with LOVE AND LET BARK.

The characters really drew me in. This is Ian and Kelsey’s story, and while Kelsey is a little difficult to get to know, once she lets her guard down, she’s warmer and fuzzier than she’d like! Her three Huskies play an important role in the story, especially with helping Ian get over his fear of dogs. I liked how Ian and Kelsey got to know each other a little at a time. While neither wants a relationship, their chemistry and companionship are unavoidable. Their relationships with their families adds another layer to the story, as does their family feud and what that means for a new business in town.

There are wonderful descriptions of the town and the ruggedness of Alaska. The heartwarming relationships make this a fantastic read. I love the happy ending and sense of closure from the story.

I’ve enjoyed the first two books written by Ms. Martin and look forward to reading more of her writing, and not just in this series.

I rated the book 4.5 stars but rounded to 5 stars here and on other sites.

I fell in love with Josh and Taylor in Book 1, and now I fell in love with Kelsey and Ian in Book 2. What a wonderful series, set in Helen, Alaska. It makes me want to visit this town and to snuggle the huskies and experience life that is so vividly drawn in this series. Alanna Martin does such an incredible job bringing not only the characters, but the town to life, so that you can easily imagine yourself walking down the street and living there. I also appreciate that she doesn't fall on cliches to insert conflict in the story. I am in awe of her storytelling abilities, the way she weaves in imaginative plots and makes us feel that these two were meant to end up together. I'm already looking forward to Book 3!

Small-Town Romance ✔

Enemies to Lovers ✔

Pride and Prejudice Re-Telling ✔✔

Paws and Prejudice is a fun and entertaining romantic comedy that is sure to capture the heart of any romance lover!

Paws and Prejudice follows the story of Kelsey and Ian. When it comes to men, Kelsey is guarded and isn’t about to let just any guy get close. That is until Ian blows into town and turns her world upside down. At first glance, Kelsey finds Ian to be annoyingly attractive until he commits one fatal crime, his dislike of dogs. That’s not the only problem Kelsey runs into. Soon Kelsey will find herself stuck in an unimaginable situation. Does she continue to protect her heart or does she take a chance on love? There’s only one way to find out…

Overall, I thought this was a really cute read. I really dug the small-town vibes and loved all of the Pride and Prejudice elements. I was captivated by Kelsey and Ian instantly and really enjoyed their banter. They started off like enemies and the more time they spent together, the more their chemistry grew. However, the road to happily ever after wasn’t an easy one. When you throw small-town gossip and feuding families into the mix, you’ve got yourself one recipe for disaster….

Paws and Prejudice was a quick, yet satisfying read. It checked off all my boxes and I couldn’t help falling head over heels for Kelsey and Ian. I can’t wait to check out more of the Hearts of Alaska Series.

Kelsey Porter is undeniably attracted to someone new in the small town of Helen, Alaska, and that is Ian Roth. However, there is a deal breaker right from the moment they meet - he does not like her dogs and he makes that apparently clear. Kelsey will not even deal with a man who doesn't see how special her adorable huskies are and how they are very important in her life.

Ian has his reasons for wanting to keep his distance from Kelsey's dogs, but that is certainly not easy since he wants her from the moment he sets eyes on her. Ian may be new in town, but he is there for the long haul as he and his business partner are in the process of opening a brewery.

Kelsey is nonplussed when she finds herself working with Ian as he is getting his brewery running. Oh how attractive he is. Can she help Ian to accept her dogs, all while seeing where their attraction goes?

What's not to love in this second book in a delightful series? I loved the first book, Heart on a Leash, as well as the third book in this series, set for release in November, Love and Let Bark. Although I am unrepently a cat person, I have never been able to resist a book with dogs on the cover. This book, Paws and Prejudice, was a wonderful read.

One thing I'd love to mention about this book is Kelsey's "secret" job. As an avid reader I love when a character has a career that matches one of my interests. This part of Kelsey's life as it was written into the story made this book all that more enjoyable.

Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This is a second book in a series but I think it stands well enough on its own, so don't let the fact that it's part of
a series let that stop you from picking it up.
This was a heartwarming enemies to lovers small town romance. This is a P&P inspired retelling. I think the elements of P&P were here and were done well. I loved both characters and think they played well off each other. They had great banter and sweet moments. Kelsey and Ian's romance developed at a good pace and their happily ever after was certainly earned.
The huskies were adorable and I loved the part they played in the story. They weren't just there to be cute, they served a purpose. Mostly to scare Ian lol.
If you're looking for a sweet, fluffy romance with a little bit of drama look no further! Definitely can be read in one sitting.

An enemies-to-lovers trope in a small-town romance, two of my favorites in romance. Add in the huskies because - well, huskies! - and this was a must-read. It doesn't hurt that I read the first book in the series and enjoyed it as well. That said, you can read this one as a standalone, but in small-town romance series, there's a pretty good chance you're gonna run into some characters from earlier books, and the characters in this series are a hoot. As for this couple, Kelsey and Ian have good chemistry, but there are a few things to work through. First and foremost is Ian's dislike for her huskies. Gasp! That's a pretty big dealbreaker for a dog owner. Granted, he has a reason, but Kelsey has more than that to cause her to be so crabby about things. She has a secret that she doesn't want the townspeople of Helen to know, and the job her father has volunteered her for may bring out the truth whether she likes it or not. So, like the first in the series, Paws and Prejudice is an entertaining RomCom with engaging characters and a fast-paced storyline. I'm really liking the town of Helen and its quirky inhabitants, and I'll be looking forward to whatever's next.