Thank you NetGalley and Avon A for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Cameron Goode has been trying to keep her life together – studying through two veterinary school and working two part-time jobs to make ends meet. She’s never talked to her neighbors, but when she gets the call that a clinic has an overweight, medically fragile dog that needs a foster, Cameron knows she needs to act. Only she doesn’t have a car or the money to pay for a Uber that far away, so he does the only thing she can think of – asks her neighbor to take her. Will Cameron be able to balance school and work with taking care of the dog or will this decision bring her life crashing down?
Playwright and novelist Jacqueline Firkins’s latest book The Goode Girls of Maple Lane follows the social media rise of a rescue dog and its foster community. With a heavy dose of puppy love (figuratively and metaphorically) and a look at how community support can make the difference in your life. Firkins work as a costume designer shows in her writing with beautifully descriptive scenes. This is a fun, light-hearted read with relatable characters you won’t be able to get enough of.
I give The Goode Girls of Maple Lane 5 out of 5 stars. While sections of this novel verge on a Hallmark-movie plot, the relatable, realness of the interactions between Cameron and the other characters drew me in. I did not want to put this book down! I appreciated the look at what it takes to really help a rescue dog who isn’t healthy. I loved the way Firkins displayed the financial struggles of the characters and the unique way they approach helping each other. I do wish the novel had a disclaimer about the TikTok paid partnerships – not every account or partnership can deliver the type of income Cameron received.
I would recommend this novel to small-town romance and animal lovers alike. I would also recommend this to readers who love books by Ali Hazelwood or Robyn Carr, you’ll love this book. With references to sexual relationships, this book would be best directed to audiences over 16.
I chose this book when I saw it on Netgalley because of the cover – the beautiful autumn image with the leave, the couple, and the dog. Fall is my favorite season and this cover immediately made me think of it. The publisher’s blurb about rescue dogs and finding love made me know I had to read this book and I was not disappointed!
The Goode Girls of Maple Lane will release on September 16th, just in time for your Fall reading pleasure. You can preorder your copy in our Bookshop.org page.
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: Dear, Edward, Ann Napolitano
- Current audio book: The 1619 Project, Nikole Hannah-Jones
- Book I’m most looking forward to: Marrying the Ketchups, Jennifer Close
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