cover image A Wedding Tail: Rescue Dog Romance, Book 3

A Wedding Tail: Rescue Dog Romance, Book 3

Casey Griffin. St. Martin’s, $7.99 mass market (400p) ISBN 978-1-25008-469-9

Griffin’s third Rescue Dog romance (after Beauty and the Wiener) returns to contemporary San Francisco for a romantic mystery with an unexpected harder edge, perhaps mixing too much realism into a lighthearted series. Event planner Zoe Plum’s goal of buying her own home and thus proving herself to her mother is endangered by fallout from a farcical wedding that she was unable to salvage. She’s further undermined by sabotage at a prominent expo and hamstrung by her mother’s sudden illness. Soon it becomes evident that Zoe is the target of a possibly murderous enemy, and her mother’s increasing needs add still more stress to Zoe’s life. Levi Dolson, who’s so laid back he barely counts as a character, supports Zoe through every vicissitude. Zoe’s tender romance with Levi is sometimes obscured beneath the overly intense mystery, and readers expecting canine fun will be disappointed that Zoe’s volunteering at a rescue organization gets little mention, but Griffin wraps up the story well. Fans of the series will enjoy appearances from previous protagonists. [em]Agent: Pooja Menon, Kimberley Cameron & Associates. (Aug.) [/em]