Love Is A Four-Legged Word-Kandy Shepherd

Love Is A Four-Legged Word
Kandy Shepherd
Berkley, Jul 2009, $14.00
ISBN: 9780425227848

When octogenarian multimillionaire Walter Stoddard died, he left his estate to his beloved soul mate, his dog Brutus. Walter’s lawyer Tom O'Brien is now Brutus’ attorney. Tom is concerned about Brutus’ designated guardian Madeleine Cartwright as he assumes the woman must be a gold-digger who in her twenties took advantage of an old man.

He first meets her with an oven mitt cooking brownies. She becomes suspicious of him when he refuses to sample one. She is either a great actress or clueless that the old guy living above her in Pacific Heights was wealthy; in fact she thought of him as an impoverished grandfather. He further explains the twenty-one day rule. Cynical at first, he begins to believe she is innocent and naïve even as he falls in love with her. She reciprocates, but nether expected a distant relative to arrive claiming the estate starting with Brutus.

This amusing contemporary romance affirms WC Field’s point to never co0sart with animals as in many ways the ugly Brutus steals the show though he needs neutering as she seems to begat a pup a page. The story line is lighthearted fun with first impressions nuked over the three weeks of new rules that Bill Maher would salute and fans will enjoy.

Harriet Klausner