Falling in Puppy Love

McKnight (What Happens in the Castle) and Fischer (Third Wheel) team up for an unfulfilling contemporary romance that pairs a big city journalist with a small-town dog rescuer. After Aiden Hughes is fired from his job as an investigative reporter in New York City, he heads to his aunt’s home in Birdsong, Pa., to lick his wounds. He takes a part-time gig for the local newspaper and is assigned an interview with Emily McLane, whose love of animals evolved into a fledgling nonprofit called Pawsitively Rescue. Though Emily is immediately taken with him, Aiden, who doesn’t care for dogs and hopes to return to his high-octane life as soon as possible, is hesitant to reciprocate. What follows is a by-the-numbers romance that sees the pair grow closer while Aiden uses his skills as a writer and photographer to help Emily grow her business. Aiden’s struggle between his career aspirations and his growing feelings for Emily makes for a lackluster conflict, and the eventual resolution is too simple to be satisfying. Though the story’s easygoing, the romance lacks heat, and the sweet happily ever after isn’t enough to save it. Readers will be disappointed. (Sept.)