Training the K-9 Companion: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance

Wyoming Legacies #3

by Jill Kemerer

Man’s best friend…

Could be the key to a second chance.

When rancher Cade Moulten decides to get a therapy dog for his ailing grandmother, he doesn’t expect a fluffy Pomeranian—or a pretty veterinarian trainer. But Cade will do anything to prove he’s a changed man, even train the small K-9 alongside Mackenzie Howard. Soon the weekly sessions with Mackenzie have Cade wishing for more. But will he risk revealing his shameful past for a chance at acceptance?

From Love Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

K-9 Companions

Book 1: Their Unbreakable Bond by Deb Kastner
Book 2: Finding Her Way Back by Lisa Carter
Book 3: The Veteran's Vow by Jill Lynn
Book 4: Her Easter Prayer by Lee Tobin McClain
Book 5: Earning Her Trust by Brenda Minton
Book 6: Guarding His Secret by Jill Kemerer
Book 7: An Unlikely Alliance by Toni Shiloh
Book 9: A Reason to Stay by Deb Kastner
Book 10: The Veteran's Holiday Home by Lee Tobin McClain
Book 11: An Alaskan Christmas Promise by Belle Calhoune
Book 12: A Steadfast Companion by Myra Johnson
Book 14: A Friend to Trust by Lee Tobin McClain
Book 15: Her Alaskan Companion by Heidi McCahan
Book 16: A Companion for Christmas by Lee Tobin McClain
Book 17: Her Christmas Healing by Mindy Obenhaus
Book 18: Finding Their Way Back by Jenna Mindel
Book 19: Their Inseparable Bond by Jill Weatherholt
Book 20: Bonding with the Babies by Deb Kastner
Book 21: Her Son's Faithful Companion by Jill Weatherholt
Book 22: Training the K-9 Companion by Jill Kemerer
Book 23: A Companion for His Son by Lee Tobin McClain

Genres: Christian Fiction, Contemporary

208 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published June 25, 2024

About the author

Jill Kemerer is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of heartwarming, emotional, small-town romance novels often featuring cowboys. She is a multi-published author of Christian romance novels with Harlequin Love Inspired. Nearly a million of her books have sold worldwide.

A former electrical engineer, Jill now writes full-time. Her essentials include coffee, caramels, a stack of books, and long walks outdoors. She rarely passes up a bookstore and spends too much time at the library. She resides in Ohio with her husband. They have two adult children. For more information, visit her website, jillkemerer.com.

Reviews

[Linda Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute, inspirational story. I loved the special dog, Tulip❣️

[Sheila]

I really enjoyed Cade's story, a good book, in a great series.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought new from Wally world.
New size ~6x4” IS an easier fit for the hands.
No sex ! Quite refreshing & desperately needed imo.
Good characters, solid plot, unexpected problems.
If all her books are this good .. I will be a happy reader :)
Setting: small town (Jewel River) in rural WY
Hero: entrepreneur Cade Moulten
Heroine: Dr. Mackenzie Howard (veterinarian) she is
new in town (thanks to recruitment by hero)
Her father ends up joining her as he trains dogs full-time. He is renovating a space to work and has a German Shepherd pup Charlie.
Good secondary characters. 4.5 stars. Keeper.
c2024 Ripple Effect Press, LLC Love Inspired
Brother of hero = Ty (rancher)
Trudy is grandmother (in nursing home) to the bros.
(Harlequin books added their review 3 days ago.
#22 in K-9 Companions collection )

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, low angst romance with an adorable therapy dog. Both MCs had their own traumas to heal from, but nothing too terrible.

Mackenzie had a strained relationship with her mom, and had to get over her trauma of a horse and her foal dying under her care (relevant coz as the only town vet, she'd be caring for the horses at the stables Cade will be starting up). But the mom apologized and legit seemed like she didn't realize how much she'd been hurting Mackenzie. And all Mackenzie had to do to feel comfortable rebuilding a relationship with her mom was set a few ground rules. As for her trauma with the horse, she had a nice scene where she saved a cow in major distress, and that helped her realize she was okay dealing with large animals.

As for Cade, he had to get over his guilt about something he did while working on Wall Street in order to let Mackenzie into his life. He built it up as something truly terrible and evil, but it turns out all he did was go along with his bank employer's shady practices of adding hidden fees to their clients' transactions. So, not great, but in the grand scheme of everything banks and large corporations do in this world, honestly fairly benign. I was expecting Cade to at least have cheated someone from something, or undercut a colleague in pursuit of a great opportunity or something. In short: far from evil, and his redemption arc mostly consisted of Mackenzie and his mother telling him he wasn't evil.

I'll be honest: Cade's revelation was a bit of a let-down for me, just because he'd built it up so much beforehand. But otherwise, it's not bad.

The best parts were when they were training Tulip to be a therapy dog for a local seniors' residence.

[Rosemarie Grainer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great inspirational K-9 Companions story set in the West!

Cade has sold some buildings to veterinarian Mackenzie and her dog trainer father. His small ranching community badly needs a vet. He and his mother get Tulip from Mackenzie and finish training her to be a service or companion dog to visit her grandma in a nursing home. There is so much going on in this story that it draws you in immediately.

The pace is engrossing and the tone is hopeful with a character centered storyline that has no steam. The characters are vivid and engaging. I am hoping to see a follow-up story for Cade's brother Ty. The Christian ideals are the focus that drives the story forward. I really liked this story a lot. You do not have to read the other stories in this series to get this one. They are from different series and just have to do with trained service or companion K-9 dogs. If you like Christian romances with dogs and stories set in the West with ranchers and cowboys then this is for you. Enjoy!

[Kris Buege · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy reading the Love Inspired books. It is refreshing to read a book about romance that is so wholesome that I can share it with my teenage daughter! The main characters share their weaknesses and learn to grow despite the challenges they have faced. This book focused on forgiveness - a skill we all need to practice. A supporting character has dementia - I learned a lot! I appreciate how the characters showed love and care for their mother/grandmother. They enjoyed the time they had together and didn't let dementia stop them from being together. The author did a great job of sharing Tulip and her training to become a therapy dog. I was able to learn a bit about the process of becoming a therapy dog. I look forward to reading more K-9 Companion books! I received an advanced copy of this book. I was not required to write a review.

[Vicky Sluiter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each of the books in the K-9 series is a stand alone, so don’t be intimidated by the number. And even if you’re not a dog lover you’ll enjoy these.

I enjoyed Training the K-9 Companion. Besides dogs we had horses, which I enjoy having included in a story. Author Jill Kemerer writes a heartwarming story with wonderful characters you’ll come to love. Kemerer tackles dementia in the elderly in such a respectful way. Cade has such a love for his grandmother that I was rooting for them. Mackenzie wanted the best for both dog and grandmother.

If you enjoy animals in your stories, characters you’d like to know, and a clean romance then I can recommend Training the K-9 Companion.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

[Winnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can always count on an entertaining and charming story when I pick up a book by Jill Kemerer, and Training the K-9 Companion is no exception. Kemerer’s clean and wholesome stories are filled with engaging, realistic, relatable characters. Set in the small town of Jewel River, Wyoming, this story stars rancher Cade Moulten and veterinarian Mackenzie Howard, with Tulip the Pomeranian in the starring role. I loved how kind and caring Cade is to his mother and grandmother and how tender he was toward Tulip. I enjoyed learning more about training companion dogs while reading this delightful, uplifting tale of forgiveness, hope, and overcoming past mistakes.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

[Dawn Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Training the K-9 Companion by Jill Kemerer is book 3 in the Wyoming Legacies series. It is a sweet romance between ranch owner and businessman Cade and veterinarian Mackenzie. Cade and his mother Christy adopted and are training Tulip to be a therapy dog with Mackenzie and her dad's help so she can visit Cade's grandmother in the nursing home. Both Cade and Mackenzie have issues they are dealing with too.
Characters from book 1, The Cowboy's Christmas Compromise, and book 2, United by the Twins, have small roles in this book. Training the K-9 Companion can be read as a standalone. All three are good and worth the read.
I received an advance e-book from the author but I was not obligated to leave a positive review. My 4 star opinion of this book is my own.

[Elaine Applebury · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet read! Jill Kemerer writes a heartwarming story that brings a Wyoming cowboy, Cade Moulten, who is living a lie. He feels he doesn’t deserve respect and love because of his behavior in his past, a past he has been hiding from everyone. Cade works to bring a new veterinarian,Mackenzie Howard, to Jewel River. Mackenzie helps Cade and his mother train a service dog so they can take it to his grandmother, suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia, in the nursing home. Ms Kemerer shows how victims of Alzheimer’s lives change day to day and how it effects their families. She also illustrates some of the training a dog must go thru, and pass, in order to become a service dog.
Good book! Hopefully Cade’s brother, Ty, will get his own story too!

[Trudy Cordle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cade thinks what he did in his past means he can't be trusted, though what he did in the past isn't nearly as bad as he thinks it was. When Mackenzie moves to town to open her own veterinarian practice, she's sure she's much too busy for love. As they work together, along with Cade's mom, to train Tulip, a Pomeranian, to be a therapy dog, they fall for each other. Each must comes to terms with their pasts, and figure out how God would have them handle those, and then they can move forward to the future. Will they be able to come together? Love how things work out, and that Cade, especially, realizes he was limiting God.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jill Kemerer’s Wyoming stories about ranchers and cowboys are always romantic and fun reads. I just loved her second entry into the Love Inspired K-9 Companions series of books. The sweet canine companion, Tulip, drew my attention from the picture on the front cover. She’s so cute and fluffy, ready to be loved on.

Kemerer does a wonderful job writing the main characters, Mackenzie and Cade, and their connection made first by training little Tulip. Their story of past mistakes keeping them from moving forward is a great picture of people in need of allowing the forgiveness of God to wash over them.

I was given a copy of this book by the author. All opinions stated are my own.

[Linda Stringer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cade could not believe this ball of peach fluff, a Pomeranian, was the therapy dog he was expected to help his mother train for his beloved grandmother. But Mackenzie insisted Tulip was the one to train, so he agreed to work alongside his mother to train her.

There are many side issues in this story to resolve: Mackenzie's relationship with her estranged mother. Cade's secret past as a semi-dishonest financial guru. Will they come together to not only train Tulip but overcome their past issues to forge a new life together?

[Melissa Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tender story of love, hope, faith, and family. A delightful puppy named Tulip brings joy to everyone as she is training to be a K-9 Companion. The interactions of the characters are sweet and inspirational. Relationships can have be stressful sometimes. In this sweet story, there is an opportunities to mend brokenness and begin again. A great story. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.

[Bettie Boswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy Jill Kemerer's inspirational romances. This one had some wonderful humor in addition to the romance and of course the dog made the story even sweeter. The new vet will face many challenges when she moves into town with her fully equipped veterinarian mobile trailer. She just may be the answer to many people's prayers, including one handsome investor in horse barns, but will her history threaten everything they both hope for. I highly recommend this sweet book.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Training the K-9 Companion is a Christian, inspirational romance that has wonderful characters I want to know, a sweetheart dog named Tulip who is training to be a canine companion and reminders that God loves us and wants a great life for us. I am always drawn into Ms. Kemerer’s books, cannot put them down and do not want them to end. I love Cade’s care of his grandmother and Ms. Kemerer’s handling of grandma’s dementia.

[Pianosue · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute romance book.
Rancher Cade Moulten wants a therapy dog to take to the nursing home where his Nana lives. He and his mom ask for one from the new veterinarian and help to train her. Cade is drawn to the new vet. Veterinarian Mackenzie Howard has moved to town to start her new practice. Her dad is moving here also to start a dog training business. Will she be able to get her vet service up and going? Will she be able to move past her baggage and move into a relationship?

[Deanna Mosier · Rating 5 out of 5]

sweet romance and cuddly Pomeranian!

What’s not to like with a cuddly Pomeranian training to be an emotional support dog and a new veterinarian in town to help train her? This was a sweet romance and the dog played a big part in the book and in the building romance! Enjoyed it!

[Loraine Nunley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice romance bite of a story. The romance was sweet, the conflict was understandable (although I did think Cade was more dramatic than he should have been of his past), and there was a cute little dog who always knew when her therapy services were needed. I also enjoyed the overt matchmaking attempts as well as the fun acknowledgment of those attempts by Cade and Mackenzie.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

A good story that includes 2 fractured families & those trying to adjust or heal from it. It also includes dementia.
He is striving to do better & trying to live right, as his family taught him. He was trying to live ethically. Then he meets the new vet, whom he had persuaded to move to their town.

[Abby Breuklander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love and love this story! What a beautiful reminder that we don't ever have to feel less than for God to love us and have a magnificent plan for our lives. It doesn't matter what we've done in the past, He loves us anyway and nothing can change that!

[Brenda Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

so great to visit Jewel river again

I’m in love with this town and its residents the characters in this story is great and the story line is outstanding. I will be reading these stories again

[Jeanette Levellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, innocent and funny

This was a sweet romance between two people who are hiding their messy past from each other (and their good qualities from themselves).
The darling dog and funny mom added entertaining touches. I highly recommend this story!

[Harlequin Books]

Inspirational Romance, Contemporary Romance, Animal Fiction, Wholesome Romance
Miniseries
K-9 Companions (Book #22)

[Harlequin Books]

Inspirational Romance, Contemporary Romance, Animal Fiction, Wholesome Romance
Miniseries
K-9 Companions (Book #22)

[Elaine. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the whole story. I guess all dogs are great companions

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fun book! The cute canine on the cover lured me in!

[Julie (Let's Read Good Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute romance that involves a cowboy, a vet, a Pomeranian, a bloated cow, hurt relationships, and a strong faith.

[Lori Jorgensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Training man’s best friend could lead to a second chance. The problem is the k-9 in question is not what anyone had in mind.