Kirkus Review of Dogs Aren't Men

A fast-paced, energetic romance with a little sass.

Dr. Rebecca Miller, a 30-year-old veterinarian, immerses herself in caring for her animal patients and spending time with her dog, Captain. So what if her mother, Barbara, has made it her mission to find her daughter a husband? Meanwhile,Derrick Peterson, an ER doctor, has never been able to truly connect with a woman since he generally finds them superficial and untrustworthy. Nonetheless, Rebecca’s and Derrick’s worlds collide when Barbara gives Derrick’s stepmother Rebecca’s number. Derrick passes the number off to his friend, Mitch, who calls Rebecca and asks her out on a double date. After an embarrassing run-in at the local park, Derrick and Rebecca formally meet on the double date;they’re drawn to each other, though they keep their feelings to themselves. Derrick and Rebecca continue to bond over animals, basketball and their careers, and they finally become close after a frightening situation involving her employee’s sister and domestic violence. But the question remains: Will Derrick and Rebecca eventually fall in love?Though engaging and energetic, Tiner’s writing can get a bit repetitive. For instance, when describing Rebecca, she
writes, “She had an athletic build that attested to her active lifestyle. She kept her medium length brown hair pulled back from her face more from necessity than preference.” Varying the sentence structures would have made some of the descriptions less cumbersome. Additionally, the narrative jumps around frequently, which, although expected as the narrative switches between Rebecca’s and Derrick’s perspectives, is unnecessary at times. For a few paragraphs, the point of view even changes to Rebecca’s veterinary assistant, Jimmy. Nevertheless, while scattered at times, the novel successfully keeps readers engaged, and an enthusiastic audience shouldn’t be too difficult to find.

A light, easy romantic comedy that will appeal to animal lovers and young professionals.

Kirkus