REVIEW: The Love Shack by Lori Foster

The Love Shack by Lori Foster: Berkley Carr has moved back to Cemetery, Indiana to open an animal rescue facility which she has named The Love Shack Animal Haven. She has a huge scandal from her past that she hopes stays in the past.

When Berkley is out on a walk with her dog Hero things go sideways. The dog thinks a man peering down a fake well needs to be saved. It turns out the person “rescued” is none other than Lawson Salder who she knows from eight years ago. He tells her that the well ,which not quite finished, is the brain child of Betty Cemetery who runs many things in town. She is the descendant of the founder of the small town. Even at eighty-seven, Betty is always coming up with new ideas to make life better for the tourists and the residents. The change collected from the wishing well will go to help with Berkley’s shelter. Betty was a huge factor in helping Berkley to get the shelter going.

Berkley lives by the shelter to keep an eye on the animals. She finds out Lawson is her neighbor. He has his own business on the Main Street. He is happy to help Berkley at the shelter and lend a caring ear, too.Both of them have had troubled pasts.

There is a second love story that develops between Lark who is a hair stylist and Oliver who is opening a fitness spa. Oliver has to rely on Betty and the town council to okay a few things before he can open his business.

The romance between the couples is sweet. I loved how they all were welcomed or welcomed back with small town kindness and hospitality. There is some suspense mixed into the storyline that makes it even better. I just loved Betty. She truly cared about people in town. She mentored Berkley in many ways and was her advocate. It was sweet when she adopted a geriatric dog.

Author Lori Foster was crafted some of my favorite elements into this lovely novel. There is the small town setting that is a favorite of mine. On top of that, any tale with dogs and cats is extra special for me. I worked with a local Humane Society for a couple years and I received much more than I could offer. It made me so incredibly happy to see animals go to their forever home with just the right people.

Book Info:

Publication: June 25, 2024 | Canary Street Press |

When Berkley Carr opened The Love Shack Animal Haven, she thought she’d finally put her past behind her. But sometimes she feels the sting of the scandal from her youth, especially when she keeps crossing paths with her handsome neighbor. So, she keeps her head down and pours all her love into caring for animals.