Pugs and Kisses by Farrah Rochon @farrahrochon @farrahrochon.bsky.social @marissachanelhampton @marissachampton @hachetteaudio @hachetteaudio.bsky.social @netgalley #DoggoneDelightful #PugsAndKisses

the setup…
Veterinarian Evie Williams gets the surprise of her life when she returns home early and finds her fiancé in her bed…with another woman. She kicks him out and also quits working at his practice, now jobless and broken hearted. Evie turns to the Sanctuary for solace, a nonprofit animal rescue center operated by her college mentor. While she gets the puppy love she needed, she also got a snootful of an old love that got away. Bryson Mitchell, a nationally renowned veterinarian surgeon, has returned to town, standing right in front of her and she’s not ready for that. She exits rather quickly with new pug-beagle mix Waffles in tow but only later must work with Bryson to save their beloved Sanctuary.

the heart of the story…
I rarely choose a book because of its cover but must admit that this one did it, along with the title and description. Happily the story lived up to their promises and I had a really good time. Evie comes from a prominent and affluent family who had different plans for her. Bryson comes from very different circumstances that he lets come between them. Meanwhile, he and his papillon Bella bond with Evie and Waffles as they work to save the Sanctuary.

the narration…
Marissa Hampton delivered a fun and lively performance that met the spirit of this story. She managed a host of distinctive voices, including secondary friends and family along with Evie and Bryson.

the bottom line…
I didn’t realize this was the second in the series and thankfully it didn’t matter much, though I can tell when secondary characters have a backstory I’m missing. No matter because I had a lot of fun with the canine aspects and a very substantive romance. Bryson had to dig out of a hole to win Evie’s trust and he made that journey interesting. I’ll be reading the first book and highly anticipating the third.

Book Info

• Release Date: July 15, 2025
• Series: Doggone Delightful #2
• Narrator: Marissa Hampton
• Audio Length: 7 hours, 56 minutes
• Publisher: Hachette Audio

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(Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)