Disclaimer: I was kindly provided an Advanced Reader Copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Review
There are not words to explain how freaking excited I was to read this book. It is a stand-alone book but is in the same family as R.S. Grey’s Anything You Can Do. I loved Anything You Can Do. I thought it was fantastic, and one of my favorite parts was the character, Madeleine. I think in my GoodReads review for Anything I begged for Grey to write Madeleine’s story. When I found out that The Foxe and the Hound was going to be Madeleine’s story, I began counting the days until its release.
“I didn’t plan to be this dysfunctional at 27, but dysfunctionality has a way of creeping up on you.”
Oh hello, me, I didn’t see you there. Madeleine is my spirit animal. I don’t know that I have ever related to a character in a book as much as I do Madeleine. Madeleine did everything a good girl is supposed to do: get good grades, be a leader in school clubs, go to a good college, get a job, work to be the best you can be. Unfortunately, sometimes doing all the right things doesn’t really matter and you still end up struggling to make ends meet, not succeeding in your career, and struggling to make meaningful connections.
“There are the obvious struggles–my bills are piling up, my rent is late, and my car is a clunker–but it’s the other, more personal aspects of my life that keep me up at night. The fact that I am currently (and probably forever) single is a much harder pill to swallow than my overdue rent.”
I saw so much of myself in Madeleine that I had a moment where I wondered if, somehow, R.S. Grey got a hold of my diary. Thankfully, this book is a romantic comedy, which meant that while there were struggles it had the kind of ending I want to see for myself. It gave me hope for my own disaster of a life. I’ve got to say, although Madeleine is me and I am Madeleine, she is not my favorite character in this book. Oh no, that award definitely goes to Mouse, the accidentally ironically named Bernese Mountain Dog. (If you don’t know what a Bernese Mountain Dog is, click here and just laugh.) Madeleine has just adopted Mouse at the beginning of the book and is slowly realizing that maybe the shelter wasn’t completely honest when they said he was a labrador mix.
“It’s that perfect combination of piercing green eyes and strong jaw. He’s clean-shaven, and his brown hair has been tousled by careful hands.”
The titular character is Adam Foxe. He is the new veterinarian in town, who has the ladies of Hamilton, Texas all in a tizzy. You would be in a tizzy too. Don’t lie. Adam has just moved from Chicago and is looking to start over. He’s not ready to fall in love or lay down roots in this small Texas town. All he is really looking for with Madeleine is someone to distract his mother from her constant nagging about his love life. Sometimes, life has a way of taking you down a path you never expected. Sometimes that path leads to a very steamy closet scene that makes you wish you had your own hot veterinarian.
I don’t want to reveal too many plot points because I think this book is perfect summer read. It isn’t drawn out or complicated. Adam and Madeleine face the same problems that many people in the 25-35-year-old range face: getting over past pains, finding your footing in a career, and learning how to train that puppy that you love like your child. I cannot count the number of times I laughed out loud reading this book, mostly at circumstances and situations that I’ve either been in or could easily see myself in. The relatability of these characters made the story that much more realistic and that much more enjoyable. I gained some hope that the disastrous romantic comedy that is my life may, too, have a happy ending… or at least a steamy closet scene followed by an even steamier car scene…
Synopsis:
When your life is a hot mess at twenty, it’s cute. At twenty-seven…well, not so much.
It’s just that my lofty dreams—making it as a real estate agent, paying rent on time, showering daily—have stayed just that: dreams. Oh, and love? I’ve decided love might be a little ambitious for me at the moment. Instead, I’ve settled for the two guys who will never leave me: Ben & Jerry.
That is until Dr. Adam Foxe takes up residence as the town’s new vet.
With his strong jaw, easy confidence, and form-fitting scrubs, it’s not long before every housewife in Hamilton is dragging neglected tomcats in for weekly checkups.
Like everyone else, I’m intrigued. Even after I spoil my chance at a good first impression, he still offers me a proposition I can’t refuse: play his girlfriend at a family function and he’ll hire me as his real estate agent. Welcome to love in the 21st century.
It’s too bad I underestimated Adam’s irresistible charm and the undeniable attraction that burns between us. The day he pins me to the wall and silences me with a kiss, the line between reality and ruse begins to blur. Every teasing touch brings me to my knees. Every kiss promises more.
It looks like my hot mess of a life is about to get a little hotter.
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About R.S. Grey:
R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of thirteen novels, including THE FOXE & THE HOUND. She lives in Texas with her husband and two dogs, and can be found reading, binge-watching reality TV, or practicing yoga! Visit her at rsgrey.com
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