cover image It Started with a Dog

It Started with a Dog

Julia London. Berkley, $16 trade paper (352p) ISBN 978-0-593-10040-0

The competition between an ambitious business manager and an aerospace engineer gets just as heated as their relationship in London’s adorable second Lucky Dog romance (after You Lucky Dog). Harper Thompson meets Jonah Rogers via text message after the pair accidentally swap cell phones, and coordinating a time to switch back leads to flirtatious text exchanges. But when Harper’s boss erects one more hurdle before she can get the promotion she’s worked so hard for, her goals and Jonah’s are thrown into direct opposition. Harper needs to ensure that her boss’s new Austin café is a success—but doing so means threatening to put Jonah’s parents’ coffeehouse out of business. Jonah admires Harper’s spirit and spunk, but there’s no way he’s letting her win. Sparkling chemistry, fancy frappés, and a host of quirky characters keep the rivalry light and lively while Harper and Johah both face up to some unpleasant truths about themselves. The couple’s palpable attraction and adorable pets accentuate the charm of this lovable riff on You’ve Got Mail. Agent: Jenny Bent, the Bent Agency. (Sept.)