Book Review

Life on the Leash by Victoria Schade

Life on the Leash is not a great romance, and it’s not great as romantic comedy either. However, this book about a dog trainer does a great job when it comes to dogs.

This book is about Cora, a dog trainer. She’s very successful, with an upper-class clientele. When an engaged couple with a new puppy hires Cora, she gets a crush on the guy (Charlie). However, at around the same time a mutual friend introduces her to Eli, who is geeky and helpful and also actually single. Whatever will she do?

This book has a LOT of problems. Women, including Cora and Cora’s roommate, Maggie, are constantly putting down other women in ways both subtle and overt (making judgments based on appearance, for instance). Maggie’s best friend is a gay man who fills a stereotypical role as “work wife” and who never experiences lasting consequences for his mean-spirited “jokes.” Everyone is thin and beautiful and able-bodied and almost everyone is White. TW for some descriptions of mistreated dogs (they end up fine), depression, and hoarding.

Structurally, the plot wanders in a lot of directions. There’s a subplot about Cora’s ex who is in a reality show competition “America’s Hottest Landscaper.” This is a hilarious subplot, but why is it there? Cora has a client who is clearly suffering from severe mental illness (depression and hoarding). The fate of the client’s dog is resolved, but not the fate of the client. What happened?

Mild plot spoilers ahoy!

For that matter, what happened to the puppy that belonged to Charlie and Charlie’s fiancée? Once Charlie leaves the story, the puppy leaves with him and now I have to worry about the puppy forever (because the fiancée dislikes the puppy).

Threads wander in and out with no apparent purpose or resolution.

In terms of romance, Charlie is such an obvious sleaze ball that we never wonder if Cora will end up with him, especially since she makes it clear that she is not interested in being “the other woman.” Eli is delightful, but has to call Cora out for the fact that she treats him like crap. I actually like Cora, but her relationship with Eli is so dependent on asking him for favors that I didn’t want him to end up with Cora either. Frankly, I want him all to myself. He’s a skinny nerd who salsa dances and sings to his dog. The only thing I have against Cora is that she doesn’t propose marriage to him on sight.

The one part of this book that works unequivocally well is the stuff about dogs and dog training. Any time a dog appears on page, Cora is her best self – tactful but firm, compassionate, capable, and realistic. The dogs’ misbehaviors are appropriately credited to bad training/ownership, inadequate care, or unrealistic expectations. All dogs are “good dogs” but alas, the same can’t be said for people.

There’s a plot line about Cora auditioning for a dog-training show that provides a fascinating look at the audition process. Cora hopes to get on the show because she wants to promote training using positive reinforcement as opposed to the more punitive methods that a rival dog trainer recommends. This plot line, like the other plot moments with dogs, feels authentic where other plot lines feel forced.

So much of this book seems to be there just because it’s expected to be – as though someone figured that a light novel about a woman needs romance and also a makeover scene. The truth is, this is really a book about Cora and dogs. Everything and everyone else, even my beloved Eli, are superfluous. More of the dogs and the dog TV show, and less of everything else, would have improved this book tremendously.

This book is available from:
  • Available at Amazon
  • Order this book from apple books

  • Order this book from Barnes & Noble
  • Order this book from Kobo
  • Order this book from Google Play

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!

Life on the Leash by Victoria Schade

View Book Info Page

Add Your Comment →

  1. LauraL says:

    Carrie S. – Thanks for your review. I have this book on my wish list and was waiting to see reviews before I bought it. Sounds like it is really weak on the “chick lit” aspects. Her name looked familiar, so I checked the author’s bio to see where she comes from and she actually is a dog trainer! That certainly explains why the dog training details in the book are on point! I realized I’ve seen Victoria Schade’s articles in several magazines and blogs. BTW, one of her long-time clients loved the story, per her Amazon review 🙂

    P.S. Eli sounds like a wonderful chick lit hero!

  2. DonnaMarie says:

    Might be worth checking out from the library. I can always use tips on how to deal with my brother’s adorable terror.

  3. LauraL says:

    @ DonnaMarie – is that terror or terrier? LOL

  4. DonnaMarie says:

    @Laurel, yes.

Add Your Comment

Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

*


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

↑ Back to Top