Publication Date: August 13, 2024
Best in Show meets You’ve Got Mail in this rivals-to-lovers romcom following a woman ready to do whatever it takes to save her grandpa’s shop–even if that means training a wild pup for a dog show, side-by-side with her greatest rival.
Aspiring fashion designer Cora Lewis should have known better. Entering her grandpa’s extremely adorable–and totally unruly–pups in a dog show? What was she thinking? Oh, right. Her grandpa is injured, his beloved pet shop is losing the fight against the upscale dog boutique across the street, and his business and home are on the line. She needs that prize money to save the day–and if the only way to win is to train with her strongest adversary, then she’ll suck it up and ask for help.
Rival store owner Leo Salinger is everything Cora is not: successful, wealthy, and overly ambitious. She would never guess that he is also the kind and witty pen pal she’s met on a local message board. But somewhere between teaching pups to heel, fetch, and stay, Cora and Leo are finding a little competition can ignite a serious attraction. Can they stop this sexy spark . . . before all her dreams go to the dogs?
Author Anna E. Collins’s Worst in Show is a rom-com with many laughs throughout. There are several stories, and dogs add an interesting twist.
Leo and Cora are the leads, and the story has a great deal of depth. There are bad vibes the minute their paths cross in the park, and things seem to go downhill from there. Cora’s grandfather’s pet store is right across the street from the dog emporium he’s opening, and there’s no way they can compete—or can they?
We get to know the characters a little at a time, and each has layers. What you see is not what you get!
There are family and friends, businesses to run, secrets, anger, tears, dog antics, injuries, social activities, bets, disappointments, romance, and lots of loving and love. There is dog training, and Cora is trying to keep her grandfather’s business afloat while he’s recovering from a fall.
Cora and Leo take a few steps forward and many back as they try to work together on several fronts but also give in to their attraction. There are twists and turns to the story but it has a good flow when they are communicating. There is closure and a happily ever after on several fronts but I wish the ending had gone on a little longer unless we’ll see these characters again since her friend Micki surely needs her own story (hint, hint).
Worst in Show is a fun read with many layers and laugh-out-loud moments. Sit back and cuddle with your own pet as you read as the story unfolds.
ANNA E. COLLINS is an award-winning Seattle-area author of contemporary romantic comedies and women’s fiction. Her work has earned praise from Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal, as well as coverage in USA Today, Woman’s World, and Popsugar, among other outlets. Once upon a time, Anna was a high school teacher in Sweden, but after moving to the US with her American husband and two children, she realized she had stories to tell. When not writing, reading, or raising teens, Anna can be found exploring other creative pursuits such as drawing and singing, as well as snuggling with her mini goldendoodle, Archie, who is a Very Good Boy.
