BLOG TOUR REVIEW


Review for 'A Fresh Start At Wagging Tails Dog Home' by Sarah Hope.

Read and reviewed for Sarah Hope, NetGalley, Boldwood, Book & Tonic and Rachel's Random Resources Tours.

Publication date 20th March 2024.

This is the third book I have read by this author. It is also the third book in The Wagging Tails Dogs' Home Series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'The Wagging Tails Dog Home' (book 1 in this series) and 'Chasing Dreams At Wagging Tails Dog Home' (book 2) and would highly recommend them both!!

This novel consists of 33 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

Love, LOVE, LOVED this absolutely gorgeous page turner!! An absolute must read!!! An absolutely stunning addition to this amazing series and I'm counting the seconds until the third book is ready for me to get lost in so I really hope your busy writing it Sarah!!!!!

OMG!!! I absolutely LOVE this gorgeous page turner and I LOVE this stunning series. I must say that this series is one of my favourites!! I just cannot WAIT for the next book in this series to come out!! It is just guaranteed to be stunning!! Any books that revolve around animals is a HUGE bonus for me!!! I am a MASSIVE animal lover and with all my pets being rescues to, volunteering in rescues, working in rescues and now running my own little cat rescue (Golden Oldies Cat Rescue And Hospice which you can look up on Facebook if you are interested) I know exactly how Flora and the rest of the amazing characters feels and have the same passion running through me for the animals so I was 100000% invested in this beautiful storyline all about Wagging Tails Dog Home. I fell in love with the dogs home in the first book in this series and fell even deeper in love with this gorgeous addition to this absolutely stunning series!!! Sarah even goes one step further than just writing a stunning fictional story about a dog rescue and that is the fact that she has not only based her beautiful story on a genuine no kill shelter called Wellingborough Dog Welfare (Wellidogs) based in Grendon, Northamptonshire and even helps to promote it in her notes so I want to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU AND WELL DONE Sarah for promoting what seems to be an amazing rescue but to also for your kind notes in your acknowledgements thanking volunteers and workers at dog rescues, such an amazing thing to do!!! I absolutely adore the fact that you based many of the rescue dogs in the books on the dogs at Wellidogs such as basing Ralph on Wellidogs resident dogs. Just amazing and I absolutely love it and I really cannot compliment this book enough!!! Even if you are a reader who has no experience with rescue or animals at all Sarah's stunning and evocative writing skills will drop you straight into the middle of Wagging Tails Dogs Home as well as Trestow, Cornwall where she ensures you can hear the dogs' happy barks and absolutely fall in love with this beautiful series. This book is extremely well written with vivid and evocative descriptions setting the picture perfectly in the readers mind. The title, description and cover works perfectly with the storyline. It is one of those books that are very easy to read and perfect for any reading situations whether you are laying on a beach or curled up in front of a fire. It is an absolutely ideal read for anyone who is looking for a fantastic read that will have you hooked from beginning to end. I absolutely LOVED the realism of this storyline which made it so easy to picture everything that was going on which had been helped by Sally's fantastic evocative writing skills. I cannot wait to get hooked into more of Sally's books so I hope she is busy writing her next one!! This is definitely one of those books that will turn a frown upside down and make life seem a lot brighter. It is packed with fun, dogs, romance, heartbreak, friendship, anger, second chances laughter and everything you could ask for in a fantastic feel good book. I can promise you it will be a fun rollercoaster ride of drama, romance, dogs, festivity and absolutely everything you could want in an absolutely unforgettable and stunning page turner!!!! Sarah's evocative writing skills drew me deep into the book bringing the atmosphere and characters to life all around me. It is one of those books that I could not put down. I ended up walking around the house looking at my kindle reading away and absolutely devoured it in one sitting. Roll on the next book in this beautiful series!!! This is one of those amazing series that can go on and on for hundreds of books about all the amazing rescue dogs and I will never get bored!!!

Well done Sarah on an absolutely stunning and perfect addition to an absolutely stunning series!!!

Although this is the third book in the series I would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the first book. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

The characters were all an eclectic mix and each one of them were realistic and strong. I was completely invested in them all. It also makes them more realistic, believable and made me feel even more for them than I normally would. I was landed to return to the Wagging Tail dog home and meet some of my favourite characters again from the first book and I was not disappointed. I fell in love with all the new characters as well as back in love with all the previous ones. In this book we get to know the dog trainer Sally more and find out about her background and family. Sally is in the previous book so I have previously met her but it was nice to get to know her more in this one. We find out how she lost the love of her life Andy after being together and travelling for many years. Andy wanted to continue travelling but Sally had to stay to run the family business. Sally didn't want to hold Andy back from living his dreams so ended the relationship with him. However, 7 years later with her working in the dogs home she runs into him in the cafe and discovers he is now running his father's business with work locally. I wont say anymore about the storyline but just to give you a bit of an idea of the storyline and characters. My heart went out to Sally with everything that she gave up for her family and then because of what happens in the book and I was rooting for her to find happiness and love with Andy again. I also really liked Andy who was a really sweet nice guy and I am hoping we continue to see him throughout this beautiful series!! I absolutely LOVE Ginny in regards to her love for the dogs at the rescue. I was so pleased to meet her again!!! She is such a kind hearted person and a MASSIVE animal lover and she is definitely the type of person I would love to have in my life!!! The passion she has for the dogs sparks out of the pages and you really can feel the emotions running through your fingertips!!! I am so pleased that her and Darryl's relationship is still going as strong as ever (you can see how it began in book one!). Flora is just one in a million and the world needs more people like her. Flora owns and runs the rescue and would give her last penny to the dogs. That is a true rescue and a true hero!!! I cannot wait to meet her again and again in this series. I could go on and on about the amazing characters as there were so many I love meeting time and time again but I will easily write an essay so will just keep it short. The other characters were also just as amazing and intriguing and I loved getting to know each of them and looking forward to getting to know them more as well as (hopefully) seeing some relationships grow between certain characters!!! I really cannot wait to meet Alex, Susan, Malcolm, Tim and Percy as well as all the dogs including Luke, Dougal, Ralph, Nala, Cindy and Bonnie plus the many more characters and dogs soon!!!!!! It was amazing seeing Puddles , Dory, Marlin, Nemo, Peonie get their happy ending although it would be nice for them to come to visit the rescue again. What I loved especially in this particular story is that we get to see so many of the previous residents that have been rehomed again such as Alfie and Oscar, Tyler, Archie and Scooby Doo to name a few!!! From greyhounds to cockapoos, jackapoodles to spaniels and cavapoochon to vizla's there is a dog breed for everyone is this stunning book and series!! Each of the characters and dogs are memorable and unique in their own ways and they are a group of people that I wont be forgetting any time soon!

Pick up this book and get lost in this absolutely STUNNING page turner! Regardless of whether you have read the first book or not you won't regret reading this absolute beauty!!!!

Congratulations Sarah on yet another absolutely GORGEOUS read that I just could not put down!!! I absolutely loved the first and second books in this series and thought there was no chance you could make the third book as good or better but you absolutely blew it out of the water!!! Absolutely LOVED IT!!! I cannot wait to read more of your previous and future books. This is one of those book series' that could literally go on and on with 1000's of books and I would never tire of them! I would absolutely love to see this book turned into a movie!!! This is the EXACT reason you are on my favourite author list and here's to your next success 🥂

Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the first chapter of Sarah's 'The Seaside Ice-Cream Parlour', which promises to be just as stunning as this book and is one I'm definitely looking forward to reading myself!!!

Overall another unputdownable, gorgeous, STUNNING page turning book filled with dog, tears, drama, romance, fun, laughter, friendship and so much more by the amazing Sarah!!

292 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £9.99 in paperback via Amazon, at time of review which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I enjoyed it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews

#AFreshStartAtWaggingTailsDogsHome #TheWaggingTailsDogsHomeSeries @SarahHope #BoldwoodBooks #BoldwoodBloggers #theboldbookclub #BookAndTonic #RachelsRandomResources #rararesources #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour #Goodreads #NetGalley #Amazon #AmazonKindle #Bookstagram #Bookblogger #NetGalley #KindleUnlimited

@AFreshStartAtWaggingTailsDogsHome @TheWaggingTailsDogsHomeSeries @SarahHope @BoldwoodBooks @BoldwoodBloggers @theboldbookclub @BookAndTonic @Netgalley @RachelsRandomResources @rararesources @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 @Goodreads @Amazon @AmazonKindle @Bookstagram @BookBlogger @KindleUnlimited

https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?ref=bookmarks

https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__tn__=%2As-R

https://www.instagram.com/bookwormwhitlock86/

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/34299953-kirsty-bookworm86

https://mobile.twitter.com/kcmw86

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFZ2XZBSFHIHXBXGZLBQ666XVK4A?ie=UTF8&ref_=ya_mb_l_prf

what a fun escape from a miserable march!
i really enjoyed this book and felt engaged with the story straight away and felt like the characters were old friends

The third story in this entertaining series focuses on Sally and Andy and their second-chance romance. The dogs' home is busy as always, but there are sinister goings-on when a developer wants to buy their land at any price. Whilst the themes are not new, and it's not difficult to guess what will happen, the characters are relatable, and the dogs are delightful. This immersive read has a lovely mix of laughter and poignancy and ends upliftingly.
It's a book to escape with.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I’ve read and reviewed the previous two books in this amazing series so I just knew I’d love this one just as much. (I was right!)

This time it’s all about Sally who’s the resident Dog Trainer at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home.

I was so happy to be reunited with all the characters in this series, they’re all so lovely and wholesome, they make you feel like you’re getting a warm hug when you read about them. (don’t forget the dogs!)

Sally has a had such a hard/sad life before she came to the dogs home , now she’s finally happy but when a figure from her past shows up and with struggles at the place she works and loves so much can she have it all?.

This was the perfect third instalment for this fantastic series, it continues a few long running storylines from the previous books which I was keen to find out the conclusion too. ( sorry no spoilers here)

I’d happily read another ten books in this series.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

I believe this book is part of a series, and I haven't read any of the previous books, but I enjoyed this one. The book seemed to radiate warmth and charm, and I found myself warming to all the characters - both the humans and canines. I liked the protagonist, Sally, and appreciated her bonds of friendship with some of the other characters. It also seemed that the dogs helped the other characters bond and brought them closer in some ways, so I really liked that.

This book made me smile, and I think readers of feel-good romance will enjoy it, especially if they're dog lovers.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, the publisher, and the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Lovvved this beautiful romantic story, made me enjoy the chemistry between Sally and Andy, made me smile at how Sally and her kennel friends helped care for the dogs at Wagging Tails, etc. Highly recommend to all romance lovers and dog lovers.

Anything with ‘wagging tails’ in the title has to be a good book, right? As soon as I saw the title, I knew I wanted to be included on the blog tour for A Fresh Start at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home. This is the third book in the series and I haven’t read any of the others. This can be read as a standalone, and I wouldn’t hesitate to go back and read the others.

I loved most of the characters in the book. They’re warm and friendly, and I felt a part of their lives from the very beginning. I wanted cuddles from all the dogs that were staying in the dogs’ home and I loved the Nemo puppies the best!

To be honest, the human characters were just a sideline to the dogs who were one hundred per cent the stars of this book. I think you'll like this one if you love dogs, great characters and a warm and easy read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review A Fresh Start at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home by Sarah Hope.

I had no idea when I signed up that this was the third in a series by Hope. I've since downloaded books 1 & 2 and plan to read them soon whilst this one's still fresh in my mind.

I have two dogs of my own, so love anything dog - unless it's cruelty - One part of me would love to work in a dogs home, but the other would be broken everytime someone brought a dog in, being able to see the hurt in their eyes, their trust in humans being broken.

The characters throughout are lovely, The dogs were all absolutely adorable and I applaud everyone at WTDH for taking care of them.

I found the book easy to read and thoroughly enjoyed it.

A Fresh Start At Wagging Tails Dogs' Home by Sarah Hope

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

There’s no place like home… Although dog trainer Sally is relatively new to Wagging Tails, the team she works with have quickly become her family and the dogs her friends.

But when Andy, the one that got away, turns up for a brief respite from the city, she is at a crossroads. As tempting as a life with him is, she loves her home of West Par, and anyway, she has responsibilities here.

Number one on that list is ensuring the dogs' home stays in business. A developer has been sniffing around wanting to buy the land, and the team is worried.

Sally will do anything to save her home and her friends’ livelihoods but the lure of reuniting with her lost love is strong. Is there a way for her to have both?

My Opinion

I am going to start by saying that this is such a lovely series. I really enjoy returning to the Wagging Tails Dogs' Home - whilst this is the third book in the series I feel that this could work well as a standalone. As an animal lover, this was such an adorable read and a very welcome escape.

This was such a beautiful book with some stunning writing that will appeal to animal lovers and romance fans. A light-hearted, enjoyable read.

Rating 4/5

I have read and enjoyed all the books in this heartwarming series! In this one we follow Sally as she continues to work at the dog home and train dogs. With her ex in town and developers sniffing around Wagging Tails it is a drama filled story! For me what I love the most about this book is the dog's. I feel my heart fill up with love when each dog finds a forever home. I am a big dog lover so I cry when the dogs are sad or mistreated and I also cry when they find there happy ever after. I read so many books and I find that the ones about humans never get the waterworks like the dog ones. I also do love the humans that work at Wagging Tails as they are my kind of people. I love how much they are all so passionate about helping the dogs and they support each other. Each and every dog has a special place in there hearts. The author has done a brilliant job of detailing what dog rescue is like. If you don't like dogs as much as myself you will still enjoy reading the book as it has romance and drama. A brilliant bunch of friends and community. I will be holding my breath until the next book so I hope you are writing Sarah! (Lol).

Sarah Hope has become one of my favourite authors of romance, she has a special talent to draw me in to a story, ensuring that I don’t want to put the book down, making me laugh, cry, lifting me up, destroying me a little, and then putting me back together better than before.

How lovely it must be to know your words create new worlds and bring happiness and a lovely escape to people, even if for a little while. I’m always appreciative of all the wonderful authors that bring some extra joy into my , its definitely needed.

A Fresh Start at Wagging Tails Dogs' Home is third book in the wagging tails dogs home series, although part of a series, I think you could read this as a standalone, But I will say, I don’t know why you’d want to deprive yourself of two extra wonderful books when you can have the whole series and enjoy it so much more.

I’m a massive animal person, I won’t say dog person because I don’t limit it to just dogs, I love all animals. Dogs, cats, birds, rodents, insects, you name it I will love it. So I’m so delighted when this focuses on the canine cast as much as the human cast of characters as they are just as important to me. Although to be fair, I place a lot of animals higher than a lot of humans. I love how slow burn the romance in the story is, my favourite is always slow burn, nothing better than tension to a satisfying conclusion.

Overall, this is a beautiful story full of doggos, drama, friendship, community and of course some romance. Highly recommended to any fans of romance, dogs, animals in general and wonderful writing.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A Fresh Start at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home is the third book in a series written by Sarah Hope. T

The story showcases Sally, a passionate dog trainer who is getting accustomed to her new role at the dogs’ home. When her ex, Andy, reappears in her life, it sparks uncertainty about the future. Meanwhile, the team faces challenges with Lyle, a disliked property developer intent on purchasing their land. Will they find a resolution to these conflicts?

The characters are relatable, especially Cindy, the lovely greyhound, with whom I connected as I, too, feel uneasy when alone. The vivid descriptions of the village of West Par evoke a desire to visit immediately.

Recommended read

This wasn’t a terrible read but it also wasn’t a good read. Kind of in the middle but less than so-so. Sally is just too clueless and focused on everything dog related without noticing normal things around her. The plot “twist” was too obvious from the start, making the book feel like a chore instead of a relaxing read.

A Fresh Start at Wagging Tails Dogs' Home is the third book in the series. Though it is part of a series it can easily be read as a standalone without missing anything important.
I love the fact that the book is focused on dog rescue and hope it inspires some to help dogs in some way: adoption, volunteering or even monetarily.
The book is a real ray of sunshine, guaranteed to make even the darkest skies bright. After you're done reading your heart will be filled with gladness.
The characters are well thought out and well developed, friendly sorts who want the best for the dogs and have a lot of empathy. The plot moves along at a medium pace, not getting offtrack. There is a light romance going, a second chance at love possibly. The focus is not on the romance though which was nice to see. The story is lighthearted but with some serious parts as well. Puddles stole my heart; I'm rooting for you little one. A sure win, once you start this book you'll be hooked.

Pub Date 20 Mar 2024
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Yet another wonderful book by Sarah Hope. With loveable characters and beautiful narratives making it a heart warming spring read.

I ma not a dog person myself but I did find this book a bit of fun with a heart-warming and romantic theme which made me smile. I enjoyed learning about Sally and her job at the Wagging Tails Dogs' Home, she is warm and friendly and the kind of person you could see yourself being friends with.

This is a cute, cosy and warm read and one you can just sit down and enjoy and come out the other end with a smile on your face. Easy to read, a great follow on from the previous books in the series and an overall fun read. I'd give it 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

3.5⭐
Genre ~ women's fiction
Series ~ Wagging Tails Dogs' Home #3
Others in the series The Wagging Tails Dogs' Home, Chasing Dreams at Wagging Tails Dogs' Home
Setting ~ UK
Publication date ~ March 20, 2024
Page Count ~ 292 (33 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 7 hours 43 minutes
Narrator ~ Sophie Dora Hall
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ small town, slow burn, second chance, no steamage

Sally is the dog trainer at Wagging Tails Dogs' Home. While in town one day she sees her ex-boyfriend, Andy, who she has never stopped thinking about.

There's a developer that's trying to build right behind the rescue and no one in this small town is thrilled about this. What I enjoy most about this series is everyone's dedication to the dogs and the camaraderie within the rescue. They really go above and beyond to make these sweet pups feel comfortable while they wait for their furever home.

The romance isn't prominent and very slow burn. We've got some added family drama to add a little extra layer to Sally. Overall, while where the plot is taking us is quite obvious it was still an enjoyable cozy read.

Series notes:
I would actually say not totally necessary to read the first two books. Book 1's main character has quite a bit of page time, but book 2's does not.

Loved the novel, predictable storyline, but warming read. The characters were intriguing and you felt that they were your friends. Light holiday read.

A Fresh Start at Wagging Tails," we are introduced to Sally, a dedicated dog trainer who has found a sense of belonging at Wagging Tails. When her former flame, Andy, unexpectedly reappears, Sally finds herself torn between her loyalty to her newfound family and her longing for a life with him. As the threat of a property developer looms over Wagging Tails, Sally's determination to save her home and the livelihoods of her colleagues intensifies. Faced with this adversity, she must navigate her own emotions while rallying the team to protect their beloved sanctuary. Hope's characters are relatable and endearing, their struggles and triumphs evoking both laughter and empathy. The plot is well-paced, with unexpected twists and turns that keep the reader engaged. Set amidst the idyllic countryside of West Par, the story captures the beauty of human and animal companionship. Moreover, the novel explores the complexities of navigating relationships and making difficult choices. It reminds us that home is not just a place but a community of people and animals who support and love us. Through Sally's journey, readers will be inspired to cherish the bonds that truly matter. "A Fresh Start at Wagging Tails" is a delightful and heartwarming read that will resonate with animal lovers and anyone who has ever searched for a place to belong.

I enjoyed this feel good story. I liked the characters both canine and human. I also liked that it was quite a quick, easy, short-ish read but because of that I would really have liked more. More of the dogs' stories and training, more interactions between the characters and more of the romance. Apparently it is part of a series though so there is more to read.....