A New Leash on Life

October 24, 2005
Carmichael's latest pet-themed romance takes an affectionate look at the unglamorous, itinerant life of the dog-show circuit. Jane Connor is a successful trainer and handler until an Arizona wildfire strikes her property, on which she had let her insurance lapse. Left without home or income, she's forced to accept a producer's offer to feature in a documentary film about canine agility competitions. Demi-celebrity jars self-effacing Jane, as does the prospect of sharing an RV for months with her bubbly blonde producer. Her handsome trainer/handler competitor, widower Cole Forest, unsettles her still further, especially after Cole and his ornery daughter, Teri, have a vehicle breakdown and begin to travel in the same RV as Jane. Many of the plot twists feel artificial, as does the almost pathological level of self-deprecation that keeps Jane blind to Cole's attraction. Though this book is less strong than Carmichael's earlier efforts (Gone to the Dogs
, etc.), her lively prose, sensitivity to Teri's inner battles and insight into all things canine still make this an appealing tale.