There's this man...

Simon Doyle. He’s another quirky male character unique to NR’s style and now another favorite of mine. I’ll add him to the list.

He’s recently relocated to the Pacific NW. He works with wood. Actually, he’s an artist with wood. He has a fabulous house on an island with the beach on one side and woods on the other. He’s just extricated himself from a sticky, high profile relationship with a drama queen and just wants to be left alone. But NR drags him into her story and Fiona’s life, and his mother further complicates his life when she gives him a smart, precocious Labrador puppy for companionship. He doesn’t want a puppy. But mothers tend to do what they think is best.

Simon wants to be left alone in his messy artist’s workshop, Def Leppard screaming and sawdust flying, but Jaws wants to claim his attention by eating everything in sight. In desperation he goes to Fiona for help. He’d rather turn the dog training over to her, but her method is a package deal—train the dog and the human.

I’ve finished reading the book—the first time through. The story line makes you want to check the locks and keep the lights on, but I want to read it again already. The dialogue between Simon and Fiona, even though he’s a man of few words, was cutting edge. Pun intended.

This is a book that may be listed under Romance, but it’s for anyone who likes murder and mystery. Plus I learned a lot about Search and Rescue dogs. It’s definitely worth reading.