About A Dog by Jenn McKinlay

About A Dog (Bluff Point Romance, #1)

by Jenn McKinlay

Fall in love with a little help from man’s best friend in New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay’s contemporary romance debut.

Mackenzie “Mac” Harris fled her hometown of Bluff Point, Maine, after being left at the altar—and seeking solace in the arms of her best friend’s off-limits brother. Now, seven years later, she’s back to attend her best friend’s wedding—safe, or so she thinks, from the mistakes of her youth.

But Gavin Tolliver has never forgotten the woman who has always held his heart. And when Mac rescues a stray puppy named Tulip, only Gavin, the town’s veterinarian, can help. With a little assistance from Tulip, Gavin vows to make Mac realize that their feelings are more than just puppy love...

Reviewed by kimbacaffeinate on

3 of 5 stars

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  • First Date: Mac left Bluff Point after her fiance left her at the altar. In her grief, she slept with her best friend's younger brother. She fled Point Bluff and never looked back. She has never told anyone about that night. She now lives in the city and is in a relationship of sorts with a man who has asked that they take a break. Her best friend is getting married and as the maid of honor, she heads back home. With two weeks of activity will she be able to resist Gavin?


  • Second Date: Gavin is now the local veterinarian and all grown up.  Soft spoken, sexy and loves animals who could resist? I loved their first interaction after so many years. While Mac is pretending nothing happened Gavin is declaring his intentions. Oh boy!  Poor Mac is out of sorts between her attraction to Gavin and his declaration that he wants a repeat of their night together. Mac is damaged and as McKinlay peels back her layers we see the cracks brought on by her jilted fiance and the odd relationship she is currently in. We get to know several secondary characters and lordy but Mac's aunts are a hoot. When Mac finds an abandoned puppy she turns to Gavin for help. A suspenseful thread appears when a man claiming to be the dog owner shows up. Gavin and Mac soon find themselves tangled in the sheets and I felt their connection was genuine. Now if only Mac can accept it and find her happy.  I struggled a little in the middle of the book and wanted Mac to be less indecisive, confess to her bestie and tell her on a "sabbatical" boyfriend to beat it.


  • Third Date: A wedding, a jerk, and secrets revealed kept me flipping the pages during the last date. We see growth in Mac and witness her open up her heart and form attachments again. It was fun seeing Mac figure it all out. Threads regarding her previous fiance proved interesting and allowed Mac to make peace with it. Gavin was patient, delightful and determined. It was nice having a hero who is inherently good and loves animals. The pacing was off a little for me, and as much as I loved the setup one needs to take a break from reality to accept two weeks of pre-wedding activity. I will say that I ended my dates with a smile.



Copy provided by the publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 17 May, 2017: Finished reading
  • 17 May, 2017: Reviewed