Review of Alison Pace's City Dog

In our guest review by Chick Lit author and blogger Lisa Steinke, the writer takes a look for SheKnows exclusively at City Dog.

Move Over Sex in the City: We're Falling for a Dog in the City

This is what happened the day I noticed City Dog by Alison Pace on the shelf at the book store. It was the cover that first caught my eye -- a picture of a fluffy white dog that, after reading the book, I can now tell you is a West Highland Terrier.

But that day in the book store, it was just a fluffy, white dog sitting on top of the name Alison Pace.

I hadn't read any of her books before, so I flipped to the back and looked for her photo. (You know, face with a name?) I could only locate more pictures of the dog -- and I was grabbed yet again.

Who was this author who didn't put her own picture on the book?

Then, I read the first page and I was hooked. I loved Alison Pace's voice. And after flipping through the pages of City Dog, I was excited to discover the narrative shifts between Amy, her West Highland Terrier (Carlie), and Robert Maguire, a fictional character from the series of children's books Amy writes about Carlie. (And also who Amy compares all her real-life suitors to.)

And now, after finishing City Dog and friending Alison Pace on Facebook (and discovering she has quite a lovely face), I can tell you that this novel is so much more than the story of a woman and her fluffy, white dog.

It's a story of a woman whose marriage didn't work out, whose life in New York isn't working out and whose initial decision to let her dog participate in a television show based on her books isn't quite working out. As Amy tries to find her way to love and success, you'll root for Amy and also for Carlie.

And you'll find yourself falling in love with both of them.

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