Love Is a Four-Legged Word

by Melinda Metz

From beloved author Melinda Metz comes the irresistible story of one unruly dog looking for a home—and two unsuspecting humans who can’t help falling for him . . . or each other.

GIRL MEETS DOG
Riley Bernard is living her best life. After landing a job at a resort in Sedona, Arizona, her goal of working in all fifty states is well underway. Everything is going according to plan—until she sees a scrappy-looking dog limping along 179 South. The poor pooch obviously needs help. Unfortunately, adopting a stray is not part of Riley’s plan. She needs a plan B . . .

GIRL HIDES DOG
Determined to find the dog a home, Riley coaxes him into her car and heads to work at the High Sky Resort. She figures she can stash him in one of the empty guest cabins. But when she sneaks the pooch inside, she’s surprised to find it’s occupied—by a very attractive, nearly naked man, Daniel Acker, who is instantly charmed by the scruffy canine. And Riley, too . . .

GIRL UNLEASHES TROUBLE
With Daniel’s help, Riley tries to find the dog a good home—at the risk of losing her job. Her micro-managing boss has a zero tolerance for trouble. And somehow, Riley seems to attract other animals that need rescuing too, including an injured armadillo. But her biggest problem? The closer she gets to finding that trouble-making dog a home, the more she can’t bear to part with the furry guy. Or a certain human named Daniel. . . .

256 pages, Paperback

Published October 28, 2025

About the author

Melinda Metz grew up in San Jose, California. People sometimes ask if she knows the way there. She kinda does, but she has an off-kilter sense of direction, so to be confident of arriving, it's better to consult some kind of navigational device.

Her mother tried to teach her to read in kindergarten, but Melinda had no interest. She also had no interest in learning to write her name. (FYI, when Melinda was in kindergarten it was all about finger-painting, play time, and naps.) Eventually, she mastered both and even majored in English at San Jose State University.

After college, Melinda moved to Manhattan to seek her fortune, which involved learning to identify fruits and vegetables while working at a grocery store,
making $2.73 working backstage for an off-off Broadway play (her part of the box-office profits), and editing books.

Melinda and the lovely and talented Laura J. Burns pretty much became unofficial writing partners when they were editors at the same company. They teamed up to brainstorm story ideas, and at some point their brains fused in some key places. Later they worked on the Roswell High book series, Laura developing and editing the series, Melinda writing.

That series led to Melinda and Laura, now an official writing team, writing two TV pilots, moving to L.A. to work on the Roswell TV show, and briefly living in Toronto while on the writing staff of 1-800-Missing. They both continue to write books, together and separately.

Laura and Melinda's new book, Sanctuary Bay, a YA thriller, is coming out in January 2016. It's set at an ultra-exclusive private school on an island. Once a student is accepted to the school, they must stay until graduation. No visits home, no contact with the outside world at all. Find out why in January!

The first four books in Melinda's new middle-grade mystery series,S.M.A.R.T.S., are out now. The books involve a group of kids in a makerspace club and they all have lots of science info. For all the cool geeks out there!

Melinda lives in Concord, NC with her dog, Scully (yes, she loves the woo-woo so much she named her dog after a kickass X-Files character). She has never regretted learning to read and write her name.

Reviews

[Sharon Grow · Rating 4 out of 5]

After spending most of her life in foster homes, Riley Bernard, designed “TUP”, The Ultimate Plan for her life. She will save her money, taking jobs along the way as she travels. She is now in Sedona, Arizona and working at the High Sky Resort. She loves her job, working with the visitors and ensuring that they enjoy their stay. The resort is owned by Ben Osborne who is a pleasure to work for, but the general manager is one to be feared. There are no relationships allowed among the staff and no animals allowed. Returning to the resort one day, Riley comes across a puppy who has been abandoned in the desert. She can’t leave him there and smuggles him into what she believed was an empty suite. Daniel Acker is staying at the resort and is a friend of the owner. Offered the use of a suite, he finds a woman and puppy at his door. He had taken his older brother, Sam, to rehab and was planning to stay in the area. He offers to help with the puppy who they named J.D. He helps care for J.D. while Riley works and as she tries to find J.D. a permanent home. They soon find out that permanent homes will not work for J.D. as he ends up back with them each time. As they spend more time together, an attraction flares between them. A career opportunity arises for her, but what about TUP? Thoughts of the plan kept her going over the often-lonely years, but is there a chance that she is finally with who and where she belongs? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a while since I saw a book by Melinda Metz, so I was thrilled to find this new book. Love Is a Four-Legged Word is just as great as any other book I have read by this author. The change of scenery is wonderful with this story taking place in a warmer location, Sedona, Arizona. Finding a dog by the side of the road is not Riley Bernard’s goal of not only visiting all fifty states but working in them too. I like this gusty, sensitive to those in need young woman. New friend Daniel Acker turns into more, after quite the unexpected first meeting. There are problems to be solved, animals to be loved and romance to be explored. Like all Melinda Metz’s books, Love Is a Four-Legged Word is a animal and human love story. Yes, life is work and so are puppies but worth it, especially if you have a person and four-legged animal by your side which Daniel, Riley and JD learn and so should we.

[Resting Book Face · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by this author, but I can tell that Metz has a talent for weaving animals into romance in ways that feel genuine and heartwarming. The plot leans on familiar rom-com tropes: the meet-cute, resistance to commitment, and the lovable animal as a catalyst. If you’re seeking darker twists or complex emotional arcs, this may feel too gentle. It's designed to be a breezy, uplifting read, although it does deal with some deeper childhood traumas related to foster care and addiction, which gives this story a bit more depth than typical feel-good romances. This felt a little slow at times to me, but I was invested in the characters and their story. Overall, this is an enjoyable read that is clean and not overly angsty, providing a nice break from the chaos of the world around us.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

[Karen Axnick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested this book because it was set in Sedona, AZ - one of my all-time favorite places. From the description, I thought this was going to be a light and breezy romance novel featuring an adorable dog. To my surprise, this story covered serious emotional-laden issues resulting from early childhood traumas – death, foster care, addiction – all impacting the principal characters’ ability to form healthy relationships. It was a sweet healing journey fostered by a puppy providing unconditional love.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Are you looking for an adorable romance story where the characters overcome past trauma while bonding over cute animals? Then this will be your book! FMC Riley has a plan that keeps her in one location for six months, but when she encounters a hurt, dehydrated, abandoned puppy, she has to change course. Add in a meet-cute, a golden retriever MMC, found family, and a bunny, and you have a great setup for a quick, sweet romance.

Advanced copy provided by Kensington Publishing. All opinions are my own.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Dogs are wonderful healers and teachers because of their huge capacity for unconditional love.” ❤️ AMEN‼️

If you love dogs (and I mean, who doesn’t love dogs??), then you will enjoy this precious story.

I do wish there a was a bit more focus on the dog and less on the rehab plights of Daniel’s brother and the trauma that Riley was running from. Those were pretty heavy storylines to mix with puppy love. Considering the cover I found it a bit misleading. I would have enjoyed this a lot more if there was more focus on the dog and the two mc’s.

Thank you to @btc_books, @kensingtonbooks, and @tlcbooktours for the gifted copy.

[Barbara Tobey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet romance. Actually, there are a few of them within this story. The dog antics add charm and heart. Flawed characters that do eventually show personal growth. Life is a challenge. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Give me a book with a dog and some romance and I am happy
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest opinion

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, sweet, charming and kept me reading. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

[Cassandra Hungerford · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was just fine, hard to get through.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book as a palate cleanser between a romantasy binge, and I was pleasantly surprised! I’ll be honest, the cover did not have me being too hopeful about the contents of the book. But, I thought that this book was excellent! This is my first book by Melinda Metz and I'm definitely going to read more of their work. There were multiple arcs within the story. There was a good exploration of trauma, dealing with the trauma, and addressing it/getting some closure. You saw characters working towards healing that inner trauma in realistic ways and also acknowledging that it was not completely dealt with and wrapped up in a nice bow. I also appreciated the neurodivergent representation. The third act break up wasn't annoying and didn't resolve in 2 to 3 pages. This one was done really nice and felt more real. The story flowed well and there were so many flushed out characters that I was rooting for the side characters as much as the main couple.

Received an ARC through NetGalley (thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing) in exchange for an honest review. Review is all my own opinions.

[Hsiau Wei · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful, feel-good romantic comedy that perfectly blends humor, heart, and a whole lot of animal mischief. Riley Bernard has her life carefully mapped out—working at a resort in Sedona is just another stop on her mission to work in all fifty states. But when she rescues a limping stray dog, her tidy plans unravel in the most unexpected (and adorable) way. Hiding the dog at work seems like a good idea—until Riley discovers the cabin already occupied by the irresistibly charming Daniel Acker. Soon, Riley and Daniel find themselves thrown together by the dog’s antics and their growing connection. But with a strict boss and a parade of other animals needing rescue, chaos (and chemistry) ensue. Metz’s writing sparkles with warmth and wit, creating a story that’s as much about following your heart as it is about finding love in unexpected places. With its sweet romance, lovable animals, and message of compassion, this book is a perfect comfort read for animal lovers and hopeless romantics alike.