Janice A. Thompson

“Dogs were like that. They kidnapped pieces of our heart and kept them forever.”

Every Dog Has its Day by Janice Thompson may not be true-to-life, but it is a lot of fun and has all the elements that make me love it. Like its predecessors, Every Dog Has Its Day is clean, faith-based, set in a vet- combination rescue setting, and is hilarious. Plus, the book and series focus heavily on dogs and the people who love them. I’m in cozy heaven!

Isabel(Izzy) Fuentes narrates this book in first show more person POV. She is the clinic’s groomer, who fosters a lost dachshund. Trouble begins when the new pro quarterback in town , Corey Wallace, shows up to claim the dog, who isn’t microchipped and doesn’t like the man.

As the clinic-rescue gains notoriety for not releasing the pup to its alleged owner, can Isabel and Corey reach a compromise without harming the clinic’s reputation or clientele? As Corey and Isabel get to know each other, an attraction develops, but will their different social statuses stand in the way? Or an unforeseen crime?

I loved being back in Brenham, Texas with the Lone Star Clinic crew. One of the neat things about this series is that, while it focuses on one couple’s story, other couples from previous books are highlighted and their stories move forward nicely.

And Grandma Peach and Hector, her terror of a cat, are a hilarious big part of this novel, too. So much fun!

One of the neat elements of this book is the relationship between generations, related or not. I could feel the love oozing out from Carmela, every time she cooked and turned on the football game.

If you love hilarious animal-based cozies, don’t miss this book!

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“I knew this side of him, the happy, healthy side. But I also knew the other side. . .and it scared me to death.”

“When you loved someone, you did everything you could to bless them.”

“It’s easy to be believable when you’re telling the truth.”

“Grief was a fickle friend. It left its mark. But it also bonded you with others who were walking through it as well.”

“That’s what you heard with your ears,” I said. “But it’s what you hear with your heart that matters.” show less

If you are looking for a fun and faith filled cozy mystery look no further. The author is very gifted in creating stories that are relatable with characters that you fall in love with. This is part of a series but I think you could still read it and jump right in without feeling lost. Although reading the entire series gives you a better feel of the characters and how they each play a role in the overall series.

This is written with a southern feeling and boy does it give you some belly show more laughs. From iced tea to country living you will be transported to a small town in Texas. They love Blue Bell cream, family get together and Aunt Bessie’s cooking. Don’t miss the laugh out loud southern sayings that show the author’s personality.

When the threat of wildfire, chaos breaks out. Scrambling to save their land, salvage an upcoming wedding and rescuing the old red truck, the story takes on energy. I loved how the family works together while sharing precious memories during this unexpected interruption to their lives. I was thinking about the fires that have destroyed cities lately and how devastating it was.

RaeLyn is a few days away from her wedding but sees it slipping away as the smoke can be seen getting closer. She has dreamed of this special day for so long. Will it be ruined by a fire that was mysteriously set? She tries to stay calm but as you know brides want everything to be perfect on their special day. I love how she thinks of her family and makes sure everyone is safe from the impending disaster.

Now my favorite character is Aunt Bessie Mae. Her spunk is contagious and I feel like she holds the family together. Her cooking is so special that I want to be invited to eat with her. I can imagine the country fried steak, mashed potatoes with homemade gravy, black-eyed peas, made from scratch cornbread and of course her mouth watering apple pie with crust that melts in your mouth. Who’s ready to get an invitation from Aunt Bessie Mae?

There is a little mystery with the fire that I really enjoyed. Was it set out of greed or by accident? Will the wedding still take place? Can this family save their land or will it be destroyed? Get ready for lots of laughs and enjoyable characters in this small town cozy mystery.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. show less

“He said there’s no point in looking in the rearview mirror. You need to keep your focus on the road.”

Seeing Janice Thompson’s name on this cozy mystery about an old red truck, I couldn’t resist picking it up. Tracking Tilly does not disappoint. There is plenty of humor, a bit of romance, and some mystery with twists. Anytime you have a young, single woman and her 82-yr-old feisty aunt playing sleuth, you know there’s fun ahead!

It may be a cozy, but I was happy to see growth and show more change in a couple of characters, specifically RaeLyn and her mother. RaeLyn is holding grudges against, well, actually quite a few people. She has to learn the meaning of “water under the bridge.” RaeLyn does begin to understand different people’s possible points-of-view as the novel proceeds, which is good. RaeLyn’s mother has a few things to learn, too. (Like prayer requests should stay in the group!), although her gossip makes for a very entertaining story! Also, reserve your judgment on someone until you get to know them.

Bessie Mae is an instrument of reminder that God is in control, and He will work things out. “Sometimes life’s just not fair.” My aunt sighed. “But God is the one who will have the final say. That brings me some degree of peace when injustices happen.”

Boy, did I love it when RaeLyn comes to the conclusion that maybe her life isn’t all what people were doing to her, but how she was responding with jealousy. “There was still a teensy-tiny part of me that wondered why the Stephanies of this world always seemed to get the best—the high school prom king, the star quarterback, the cozy life in Iowa. She was Papaw. I was Wyatt Jackson.”

Definitely, if you like clean, Christian cozies with a great big dollop of laughter, pick up this book!

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. show less

From the moment I read the first page, I could feel the author’s personality shine. She has a gift for writing funny stories that are nothing short of pure and clean entertainment with a clever wit and characters that I want to be best friends with. I love the setting of the story since I am very familiar with it. I was thrilled about the storyline and how the author incorporated a passion she has for rescuing dogs into a book that I couldn’t put down.

Mari is everything you would want show more in a friend. She is kind, sweet, caring, faith filled and has a special compassion for animals. It does not go unnoticed by her friend Cassidy that Mari has this gift of cheering up others . Being friends has helped both of them come to rely on each other. Who better to take on a rescue than your best friend? After their first rescue I couldn’t stop laughing. It’s not everyday you crawl into a drain pipe and find an officer waiting on you as you exit with a sad and stinky looking dog. The more Mari tried to explain what was going on the more the officer was convinced she was homeless. The circumstances did seem a bit questionable but it only gets better as the clinic she works at has just been broken into. The author gives us a very honest look at how a veterinary clinic operates as all types of animals are seen. There are the aggressive animals that no one is thrilled to see and then there is this sweet little rescue named Beau Jangles that melted my heart.

The suspects start adding up as the break in at the clinic starts to reach a danger for some. Is it the cranky man next door who is a CPA? He is not nice and is not shy about letting people know that he is not a fan of animals. Could it be the ex boyfriend of someone who works at the clinic? My interest was piqued as more strange things started happening.

My review would not be complete without mentioning Grandma Peach. Mari has a special relationship with her grandmother and I loved when they would get together and share about their lives. Grandma Peach has this knack for saying what needs to be said and she is always encouraging Mari with her dream of opening a rescue shelter. Mari is still grieving the death of her mother and being around Grandma Peach helps her in moments of remembering the good memories of her sweet mom.

The author gives readers a look at characters who have big hearts for animals. It was easy for me to picture myself visiting the clinic and become part of Mari’s rescue group. There are some funny moments in the story and a taste of Texas that made me want to grab a Dr. Pepper and a big bowl of Blue Bell Ice cream. What I really enjoyed about the story was the group of characters that came to depend on each other and reach out to a few that needed friendship. The theme of trusting God flows throughout the story. I am thrilled to know that there is a new book coming in this series because I feel like I have found a new family to follow and grow spiritually with.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. show less