Piggy, the corpulent Corgi that starred in Carmichael's two previous romantic capers (Diamond in the Ruff
; Finding Mr. Right
), is back, and she'll have readers wagging their tails in delight before this playful romance is over. In her previous life, Piggy was Lydia Keane, a leggy blonde whose less-than-perfect life warranted reincarnation as a squat little dog. Suffering through a diet imposed by her new owner, do-gooder Nell Jordan, Piggy searches relentlessly for crumbs and shares the task of narrating, the juxtaposition of her human thoughts and doggy desires providing endless entertainment. But when Piggy inherits a fortune from an old man she visited as a therapy dog, she must forgo chew toys and focus on protecting her starry-eyed owner from hunky P.I. Dan Travis, who happens to be the grandson of Piggy's benefactor. At the request of his aggrieved mother, Dan finds himself investigating Nell and, unexpectedly, falling for her. But Nell has a secret that threatens to tear the couple apart. A villain intent on kidnapping Piggy adds some suspense, but it is Carmichael's scenic descriptions of the northern Arizona setting, insider's peek into the world of therapy pets and loveable characters, both human and otherwise, that make this lighthearted romp worth savoring. (Jan.)
