** Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Dual Review ~ Leashed & Groomed for Murder ~ Zoe Dawson**

Hi everyone! I have the pleasure of being a stop on the blog tour for Zoe Dawson's Groomed for Murder today. Groomed for Murder is the second book in the Going to the Dogs series. I'm reviewing both Groomed for Murder as well as Leashed, which is the first in the series. Check back on April 2, when I'll be interviewing Zoe Dawson! There is also a giveaway for a $25 Amazon Gift Card as well as a doggie mug. :) This blog tour is being presented by FanGirl Hostess.

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Title: Leashed
Series: Going to the Dogs #1
Author: Zoe Dawson

Synopsis from GoodReads:
First book in the Going to the Dog series and is a short novella at 26,000 words.

Jack has some ‘splainin’ to do!

That's right! Callie Lassiter's normally well-behaved Great Dane Jack has run off and done the wild thing with the neighbor's dog. It must be puppy love! It's doubly embarrassing since she's a professional dog trainer. Of course, the neighbor would have to be hot, hot nightclub owner bad boy Owen McKay, just the kind of man Callie is determined to avoid.

Owen’s comfortable with his playboy status and the hype in the media. But the ground moves beneath his feet when he gets an eyeful of the girl next door. The Dog Whisperer never looked this good! How can he convince this wholesome honey that his player days are behind him? Maybe Jill, his Great Dane can help him with this dilemma now that she’s pregnant and Callie’s dog is to blame.

Is this bad boy a bad bet?

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Leashed was such a sweet read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is the first in the Going to the Dogs series so in addition to its storyline, it also introduces characters for the next books in the series. It is a short read but Ms. Dawson did an excellent job is fitting in a great story along with setting up the series.

The series revolves around a group of girlfriends who met at a dog park. All their lives involve dogs in some way. Leashed is Callie's story. Callie was raised in a family of dog breeders (Great Dane). She now owns Sit Happens, a dog obedience school. Callie has had some bad luck with bad boys so the only good guys in her life are her dad, her brother, and her Great Dane, Jack. Of course, there's this gorgeous guy living across the hall from her whom she knows is the epitome of a bad boy womanizer. However, once Jack meets said guy's dog, Jill, things get interesting.

Owen McKay owns an exclusive club in New York, suffered a difficult childhood (which serves as the reason behind his commitment phobia), and has recently endured the loss of his beloved Great Aunt Tilly. Tilly took him in and gave him a home as well as love. Owen inherited Jill from his great aunt, who didn't want him to be lonely.

Neither Callie nor Owen want to be involved with the other. But they have this physical chemistry that they can't deny. Their dogs do as well! :) But what made this story so adorable was that Callie and Owen fight their attraction and develop a friendship first. They bond over their dogs. And the dogs...well, that was another element that I loved. It was so much fun!

Leashed is well written and also entails a bit of a mystery. The only negative for me was it's length. I would have liked to have seen more of the relationship development between Callie and Owen. But as I said, Ms. Dawson does a great job of creating a tight storyline despite the length. I'm looking forward to seeing the continuation of this series.

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Title: Groomed for Murder
Series: Going to the Dogs #2
Author: Zoe Dawson

Synopsis from GoodReads:
Can a dog have a bad hair day?

Brooke Palmer owns Pawlish, an exclusive doggie spa and grooming business in upper Manhattan, but when a client’s champion poodle gets a bad poodle cut and has to undergo therapy to recover, the client sues. The lawyer they send is drop dead gorgeous, but Brooke won't be wooed by a corporate shark in a sharp suit.

Corporate lawyer Drew Hudson has better things to do then take on this ridiculous lawsuit, but since he works for the client’s husband, he has no choice. After meeting the beautiful, sweet-tempered owner, he can’t keep his mind on the silly case. But when the client turns up dog gone dead, Brooke may be a conflict of interest when she’s charged with the murder. All Drew wants to do is prove that this sexy entrepreneur is not dangerous, except to his heart.

Can she take a chance on him?

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We met Brooke in Leashed, of course. And Groomed for Murder is a fantastic sequel. I liked getting to know Brooke better as well as seeing Callie's wedding plans proceed. And I'm really excited for Poe and Harper to have their stories as well...but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Brooke Palmer has had a challenging childhood. Her parents were more the absentee type and after completing college (earning a degree they chose), she rebels and choses her own career path. Her parents respond by cutting her off. Her only consolation is her English Bulldog, Roscoe. She now owns a posh dog salon called Pawlish. As you might imagine, the clientele can be difficult sometimes. But Brooke can always handle those customers. However, one day a particular customer goes too far and Brooke won't give in to her demands. So the customer swears to ruin Brooke's business.

Enter Drew Hudson. Drew has endured tragedy in his life but has worked hard and long to earn his place in his law firm in order to provide for his little sister. He is wrangled into his boss' wife's lawsuit over her dog's bad haircut. And that's where he meets Brooke. 

Both Brooke and Drew know it's a bad idea to become involved when there's the lawsuit to contend with. But neither one can ignore the feelings that develop between them - even though their interactions begin under nefarious circumstances. And then, the client who was suing Brooke is found dead, and Brooke is accused of murdering her!

Groomed for Murder is a deeper story - one where we get a bit more detail on Brooke and Drew and we get to see their relationship develop a bit more. There's more drama with the threat of prison for Brooke. And it's also very poignant...because Roscoe, oh he stole Drew's heart and mine! (I can hear him snoring now.) I really liked this book, not only for Brooke and Drew's story, but also getting a closer look at the other girlfriends in the group. Groomed for Murder deals with the transience of life, how people change and rearrange, but those deep rooted connections with great friends...those bonds last! And the dogs...*sigh* Yeah, they're some of our best friends too. :)

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About the Author
Zoe Dawson is the alter ego of multi-published, bestselling author Karen Anders. Karen started her career because her grandmother gave her a book to read. That book made her fall in love with romance and started her on the trek to getting published. She achieved that goal in 1996 with the publication of Jennifer’s Outlaw for Silhouette. Even with eighteen books under her belt, she can’t wait for that next idea, that next exquisite sentence and, of course, the next hero and heroine who fall in love. So, maybe Zoe has more than two sides. Stick around and find out and read a few books while you’re at it.

Zoe is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card as well as a doggie mug (winner's choice). To enter, obey the rafflecopter! :)



a Rafflecopter giveaway


To see the list of all the blogs stops on this tour, click here.