The Love Dog    by Elsa Watson Order:  USA  Can Tor, 2013 (2013) Paperback, e-Book     Reviewed by Martina Bexte Samantha Novak is happy to malign The Love Dog reality show whenever the opportunity arises. She maintains that the show is fake and totally ridiculous, despite its huge ratings. But when she's fired from her job as a paralegal, she jumps at the chance to write a scathing three part expose revealing the show for what it really is - 100% staged. There's absolutely no way that Apollo, the sweet natured golden retriever who's the star of the show, can mend humans' fractured relationships. Once she manages to get herself hired as Apollo's handler, it doesn't take long for Sam to fall head over heels in love with the gentle dog. She quickly realises that Apollo's miraculous abilities are not at all fake. Unfortunately, it's too late to pull her article and once the headlines are out, The Love Dog suffers various setbacks. Mason Hall, the show's producer, realises that there's a spy among them. He'd rather not consider that it might be new hire Samantha. She's great with Apollo, and even suggests a couple of tweaks to the script, which relaxes Mason's initial suspicions. Then there's the added bonus of the pair's undeniable attraction, one the gun shy Mason wants to pursue - that is until Sam's true identity and motivation comes to light. Will Apollo be able to save their relationship in the same way he's saved countless others? Okay, so some of the plot twists to this delightfully fresh story might seem a bit fortuitous, but who cares. The characters shine and Apollo is a delight, especially when the story flips into his point of view as he desperately tries to understand human's very unpack like behaviour. Despite their quirks, conundrums and emotional upheavels, Apollo is determined to steer Samantha and Mason on the path to true love. Anyone who loves animals in any way shape or form will adore the tender and funny story that is The Love Dog! Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews