Stepdog - by Nicole Galland (Paperback)

About the Book

From the author of The Fool s Tale and I, Iago comes a disarmingly charming and warm-hearted romcom about a woman, her dog, and the man who has to prove that he is good enough for both of them.

Sara Renault fired Rory O Connor from his part-time job at a Boston art museum, and in response, Rory an Irish actor secretly nursing a crush on his beautiful boss threw caution to the wind, leaned over, and kissed her. Now Sara and Rory are madly in love.

When Rory s visa runs out on the cusp of his big Hollywood break, Sara insists that he marry her to get a green card. In a matter of weeks they ve gone from being friendly work colleagues to a live-in couple, and it s all grand . . . except for Sara s dog, Cody, who had been a gift from Sara s sociopath ex-boyfriend. Sara s over-attachment to her dog is the only thing she and Rory fight about.

When Rory scores both his green card and the lead role in an upcoming TV pilot, he and Sara (and Cody) prepare to move to Los Angeles. But just before their departure, Cody is kidnapped by Sara s ex and it is entirely Rory s fault. Sara is furious and broken-hearted. Desperate to get back into Sara s good graces, Rory takes off and tracks Cody and the dog-napper to North Carolina. Can Rory rescue Cody and convince Sara that they belong together with Cody as a family? First they ll need to survive a madcap adventure that takes them all across the heartland of America.

Stepdog is a refreshing and hilarious romantic comedy that asks: How far would you go for the one you love?"

Book Synopsis

From the author of The Fool's Tale and I, Iago comes a disarmingly charming and warm-hearted "romcom" about a woman, her dog, and the man who has to prove that he is good enough for both of them.

Sara Renault fired Rory O'Connor from his part-time job at a Boston art museum, and in response, Rory--an Irish actor secretly nursing a crush on his beautiful boss--threw caution to the wind, leaned over, and kissed her. Now Sara and Rory are madly in love.

When Rory's visa runs out on the cusp of his big Hollywood break, Sara insists that he marry her to get a green card. In a matter of weeks they've gone from being friendly work colleagues to a live-in couple, and it's all grand . . . except for Sara's dog, Cody, who had been a gift from Sara's sociopath ex-boyfriend. Sara's over-attachment to her dog is the only thing she and Rory fight about.

When Rory scores both his green card and the lead role in an upcoming TV pilot, he and Sara (and Cody) prepare to move to Los Angeles. But just before their departure, Cody is kidnapped by Sara's ex--and it is entirely Rory's fault. Sara is furious and broken-hearted. Desperate to get back into Sara's good graces, Rory takes off and tracks Cody and the dog-napper to North Carolina. Can Rory rescue Cody and convince Sara that they belong together--with Cody--as a family? First they'll need to survive a madcap adventure that takes them all across the heartland of America.

Stepdog is a refreshing and hilarious romantic comedy that asks: How far would you go for the one you love?

From the Back Cover

What's the difference between puppy love and dogged devotion?

When Sara Renault fired Rory O'Connor from his part-time job at a Boston art museum, and in response, Rory--Irishman, actor, musician, reformed party-boy-- impulsively leaned over and kissed her . . . she kissed him back. Now, as Rory's visa runs out on the cusp of his big Hollywood break, Sara insists that he marry her to get a green card. In a matter of weeks they've gone from being friendly work colleagues to a live-in couple, and it's all grand . . . except for Cody, Sara's beloved dog from her troubled previous relationship. Sara's overattachment to her dog is the only thing she and Rory fight about.

When Rory scores both his green card and the lead role in an upcoming TV pilot, he and Sara (and Cody) prepare to move to Los Angeles. But just before their departure, Cody is kidnapped--and it is entirely Rory's fault. Desperate to get back into Sara's good graces, Rory tracks Cody and the sociopathic dognapper to North Carolina. Can Rory rescue Cody and convince Sara that they belong together--with Cody--as a family? First they'll need to survive a madcap adventure that takes them through the heart of America.

Review Quotes

"Romantic comedies may be Galland's new specialty. Readers who have furry best friends will totally gravitate to this tale of a woman's love for her dog." -- RT Book Reviews

"Nicole Galland has written the most delightful rollicking comedy of a book....Stepdog is pure genius." -- Susan Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of The Dog Who Saved Me and One Good Dog

"Stepdog is an exciting, very funny, and uncommonly kind book. It's a 'curl up with a good book' book and, like Albert Payson Terhune's classic tales, Nicole Galland's Stepdog puts the dog exactly where she belongs: at the center of the human heart." -- Donal McCaig, author of Nop's Trials and Eminent Dogs, Dangerous Men

"A lovely, funny novel about a typical romance, complete with immigration bureaucrats, psychopathic exes, fiddle music, moonshine, articulate biker gangs, rat poison, cross-country chases, literal cliffhangers, and the most adorable dog since Benji. You know, just like your relationship." -- Peter Sagal, Host, NPR's Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!