Beauty and the Wiener

January 2, 2017
Griffin’s fun sequel to Must Love Wieners is a screwball contemporary romance with detective filling that fans of cozy mystery might also enjoy. Quirky secondary characters and their dogs contribute to the intimate small-town atmosphere of the San Francisco dog show world. A case of dognapping threatens to destroy the business of canine stylist Addison Turner, catapulting her into amateur investigation and bantering, flirtatious encounters with insightful bartender Felix Vaughn. When Felix also becomes a suspect, the case grows more urgent for both. Addison must juggle attraction to Felix with her considerable fears of financial failure and romantic commitment as they work together to solve the mystery. Past tragedy leaves Addison unwilling to trust in Felix’s honest, frequently stated admiration for her; she sees rivals at every turn and struggles to communicate honestly. A high-stakes final confrontation resolves into a heartwarming conclusion. Agent: Pooja Menon, Kimberley Cameron & Associates.

February 1, 2017
A stylist and a bartender have to work together to discover who keeps kidnapping show dogs and letting them take the blame for it in this second novel by Griffin (Must Love Wieners, 2016).Dog stylist Addison Turner wants to be the Coco Chanel of the four-legged world and has done the Shih Tzu shiatsus to prove it. With her new grooming and fashion business rising, she has everything going for her--but she's still looking for Mr. Perfect. Then dogs start to go missing in her care, and she just wants to find them before she gets sued or arrested. When bartender Felix Vaughn gets accused of being her partner in crime, the two must work together to find the culprits, since the police are too busy looking for a serial killer (who is never mentioned again). The two have trouble keeping their hands off each other, but Addison has plans when it comes to love, and a lowly bartender isn't part of those plans. Both main characters take a while to warm to as they learn more about each other and themselves, and their romance, while cute, seems only to be there as a lesson not to make assumptions about other people. In the end, regardless of the lackluster story, Griffin still compels readers with a snappy writing style that doesn't completely telescope the mystery from the first page. A good follow-up that has less fun than the first in the series but just as much heart.

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