The Two of Us
by Lori Foster and Maisey Yates
Publisher: Kensington
Release Date: March 25, 2025
Reviewed by PJ
The Odd Couple * LORI FOSTER
Ford Caruso agrees to an unusual favor—playing the part of new boyfriend for his adamantly single, irresistibly sexy neighbor Skye Fairchild, whose clueless ex refuses to accept his fate. But as Skye starts dropping by to use Ford’s pool, and even plan dates, the charade begins to feel satisfyingly real, complete with choosing rescue dogs together—a giant mutt and a fierce little chihuahua who adore each other. From one odd couple to another, some things are destined . . .
Force of Nature * MAISEY YATES
Rescuing animals is in Lydia Clay’s blood, so when a mournful old cattle dog named Hank shows up at the shelter, she knows exactly where to take him: to cattle rancher Remington Lane, her brother’s hot, and usually grumpy, best friend. Hank belonged to Remy’s estranged father, which is one strike against him, but when Lydia offers to help the man ease into dog ownership, he can’t say no. And as he and Lydia work together, it looks like an old dog can actually teach this brooding cattleman some heart-warming new tricks . . .
PJ's Thoughts:
Put a dog on the cover of a book and it's the first one I pick up. Put two rescue dogs on the cover and I'm moving it to the top of my tbr. Pair it with two long-time favorite authors and I'm all in. In The Two of Us, Lori Foster and Maisey Yates bring readers two heartwarming contemporary romance stories of couples finding their way to one another, aided by the unconditional love of dogs.
"The Odd Couple" by Foster features one of my favorite tropes: fake dating between a relationship-averse man and a woman who has been given good reason not to trust men. I really enjoyed these two and the issues they both needed to work through. There's a terrific friend group (Foster does those so well), some complicated family dynamics, a big ole mutt who looks scary but has a marshmallow heart (and stole mine), and a happy ending for both two and four-legged characters. Plus, I hope, the potential for a future story between Skye's twin sister and Ford's best friend.
When I'm looking for emotional depth, complicated family relationships, and hard-won happy endings, Maisey Yates is an author to whom I frequently turn. In "Force of Nature," Yates brings all of those facets to the page along with another favorite trope: best friend's little sister. Add in the fact that Remy's abusive family had him living with Lydia's family through high school and you have a now-grown man who has two reasons to keep his hands off the woman who is capturing more of his heart each day. Lydia and Remy absolutely stole my heart. I love how he embraces her individuality and loves her for it, not in spite of it. I love how she refuses to give up on him, how insistent she is on showing him - by bringing Hank into his life - the road to healing. These characters - and their journey - are so well developed. I was completely invested in them and their road to a happy ending. Also, the scene between Remy and Lydia's mother near the end of the book had me sobbing...in a good way.
If you're looking for heartwarming stories of love, healing, friendship, family, and the unconditional love of a rescue dog in your life, grab a copy of The Two of Us. It has my enthusiastic recommendation.
