What do you think?
Rate this book
Hearts of Gold #2
Diamond in the Ruff: A Novel
Can a pup with a nose for trouble collar two lovers who need a miracle?
Lydia Keane figured she’d be heading for heaven after finding her best friend, Amy, the perfect husband. But instead the reluctant angel’s still stuck here on earth, trapped in the chubby body of a corgi named Piggy — and blackmailed into another matchmaking mission!
This time the job means manufacturing a little mischief before any marital vows are exchanged — an assignment that lets her hound every human within sniffing distance....
Wedding consultant Joey DeMato knows firsthand how hard it is to find true love. So when it comes to romance, Joey is all business — until Alicia, an old friend from college, becomes Joey’s latest client.
Alicia is rushing into a marriage with a hero cop who saved her life. But as Joey tries to stay on the sidelines, the gorgeous groom gets under her skin — with more than a little help from a conniving canine!
Piggy’s scheme includes nixing the planned nuptials in favor of Joey and the handsome lawman — but Piggy’s not the only one who wants the bride out of the way. Now, with just days until the wedding, can one devilish dog put the bite on a mysterious stalker and still find time to play canine Cupid?
Lydia Keane figured she’d be heading for heaven after finding her best friend, Amy, the perfect husband. But instead the reluctant angel’s still stuck here on earth, trapped in the chubby body of a corgi named Piggy — and blackmailed into another matchmaking mission!
This time the job means manufacturing a little mischief before any marital vows are exchanged — an assignment that lets her hound every human within sniffing distance....
Wedding consultant Joey DeMato knows firsthand how hard it is to find true love. So when it comes to romance, Joey is all business — until Alicia, an old friend from college, becomes Joey’s latest client.
Alicia is rushing into a marriage with a hero cop who saved her life. But as Joey tries to stay on the sidelines, the gorgeous groom gets under her skin — with more than a little help from a conniving canine!
Piggy’s scheme includes nixing the planned nuptials in favor of Joey and the handsome lawman — but Piggy’s not the only one who wants the bride out of the way. Now, with just days until the wedding, can one devilish dog put the bite on a mysterious stalker and still find time to play canine Cupid?
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
2 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 21, 2018
Yeah...the dog was cute. 🤷🏼♀️
This is supposed to be a love story, but...umm. Ok.
We have a perfectly nice couple who are engaged. Her old friend from school is a wedding planner. Fast forward, wedding planner and groom fall in love. So, there’s the cheating. And there is so much that made my feminist heart cringe.
So, yeah. The dog was cute.
This is supposed to be a love story, but...umm. Ok.
We have a perfectly nice couple who are engaged. Her old friend from school is a wedding planner. Fast forward, wedding planner and groom fall in love. So, there’s the cheating. And there is so much that made my feminist heart cringe.
So, yeah. The dog was cute.
January 10, 2017
After having some time to think it over I still come out conflicted on my feelings for the book. On the one hand the Emily Carmichael is a very engaging and witty writer. I was drawn into the story in a snap. She has a wonderful flair for building a scene (such as the first skiing scene). I swear that was a replication of my first time on skis!
On the other hand there was not one character that I liked. Practically everyone was mean to one another; either thinking snarky thoughts about one another or going about behind peoples backs. There was not one person that I could say I respected. Also the whole "love" situation was such a mess. We are supposed to be rooting for Joey and Ben to get together but a pretty substantial way into the book we have Ben . There is too much time spent trying to put Ben and Alicia together that for the longest time I figured that they were just going to have an open marriage.
And don't even get me started on the vapid Piggy/Lydia...let me just say she got her just desserts.
I could go on about the things that I don't like, but I feel that is unfair to Carmichael's superb writing style. So in summation, I found this to be an engaging read, but would I read it again... No.
----------------
Original Review: Boy I'm not really sure how to feel about this....I'm going to process for a little bit then come back and review it fully.
On the other hand there was not one character that I liked. Practically everyone was mean to one another; either thinking snarky thoughts about one another or going about behind peoples backs. There was not one person that I could say I respected. Also the whole "love" situation was such a mess. We are supposed to be rooting for Joey and Ben to get together but a pretty substantial way into the book we have Ben . There is too much time spent trying to put Ben and Alicia together that for the longest time I figured that they were just going to have an open marriage.
And don't even get me started on the vapid Piggy/Lydia...let me just say she got her just desserts.
I could go on about the things that I don't like, but I feel that is unfair to Carmichael's superb writing style. So in summation, I found this to be an engaging read, but would I read it again... No.
----------------
Original Review: Boy I'm not really sure how to feel about this....I'm going to process for a little bit then come back and review it fully.
September 18, 2019
not as strong as the first in the series. Everything seemed a bit off - the pacing, the characterization, the romance, the mystery. The speed of the relationships detracted and kept pulling me out of the story. Lydia was still fun though.
June 19, 2019
The book was ok, but Lydia is so OTT that I think I'm over her completely. At least I could make this work for two different challenges, so not a total loss...
September 19, 2020
Darling book—love the Corgi POV! I can't find the first book in the series on my Kindle.
Read
March 3, 2025donated
July 2, 2012
This was a tongue in cheek story, written partly from a human standpoint, and partly from that of a dog. Our dog friend is a Welsh Corgi, inhabited by a spirit sent to Earth by the administrator at the gates of Heaven to atone for her sins as a human. She feels slighted and put upon, but still is a help and able to find out the truth and get the humans not only together but together with the right mates. She works with Joey, a human whose career is that of wedding consultant, and another Corgi, this time a real dog, who serves as the brawn when action is needed that the inhabited dog cannot do alone.
Both dogs have a central part in the story, and although I figured out who the guilty party was and why, it was not obvious from the beginning, nor was the action he planned to take. Someone is stalking the bride, with the bridal party high in the Colorado mountains, and the dogs get to save the day, with an assist from the very handsome groom.
Although not my normal reading material, this was interesting enough that I may have to go find more stories on Lydia Keane / Piggy (the inhabited corgi) and her human compatriots. It's cute without being cloying, and deals with more relationship issues than mystery, but with a combination that made it difficult to put down until the ending.
Recommended for dog lovers who want a light story with a darker background.
Both dogs have a central part in the story, and although I figured out who the guilty party was and why, it was not obvious from the beginning, nor was the action he planned to take. Someone is stalking the bride, with the bridal party high in the Colorado mountains, and the dogs get to save the day, with an assist from the very handsome groom.
Although not my normal reading material, this was interesting enough that I may have to go find more stories on Lydia Keane / Piggy (the inhabited corgi) and her human compatriots. It's cute without being cloying, and deals with more relationship issues than mystery, but with a combination that made it difficult to put down until the ending.
Recommended for dog lovers who want a light story with a darker background.
September 12, 2012
I usually do not like stories with fantasy and angels. I usually do not like when animals think.
When starting this book with a prologue written at the first person with the dog speaking, a dog moreover who was the reincarnation of a dead woman, I got frightened that this book would not do it at all.
However it came out really fine : the dog's / dead woman reincarnation thoughts were rather funny and provided a different and interesting perspective on the events; the characters were overall very likable, even if I felt like wanting to punch the heiress regularly and ask her groom to get back his mind (or try thinking more with his "lower brain").
Even though the story flirts with adultery, as the engaged couple both get more strongly attracted to other personsust days before their wedding, it should not bother even the strictest of readers.
Some might argue that the romance is too demure for a contemporary.
In any way, it was a very cute, nice romantic read that could also be approved reading for a teenager.
3.5 stars
When starting this book with a prologue written at the first person with the dog speaking, a dog moreover who was the reincarnation of a dead woman, I got frightened that this book would not do it at all.
However it came out really fine : the dog's / dead woman reincarnation thoughts were rather funny and provided a different and interesting perspective on the events; the characters were overall very likable, even if I felt like wanting to punch the heiress regularly and ask her groom to get back his mind (or try thinking more with his "lower brain").
Even though the story flirts with adultery, as the engaged couple both get more strongly attracted to other personsust days before their wedding, it should not bother even the strictest of readers.
Some might argue that the romance is too demure for a contemporary.
In any way, it was a very cute, nice romantic read that could also be approved reading for a teenager.
3.5 stars
July 2, 2010
Fun follow-up to Lydia's new life as an angel in a dog's body. This time Piggy is staying with a wedding planner who is planning a week long extravaganza at a skiing lodge for an old friend but is somewhat interested in the groom. The bride seems to be spending more time with the owner of the lodge (old boyfriend) and the groom's daughter seems to know Piggy's secret. Then the bride is getting threatening poems and Piggy has to figure out how to save the day with no thumbs.
October 5, 2014
This book was a fun romantic romp. The perspective of the dog, who was once a human, was creative and humorous. Joey the wedding planner is attracted to her friend's fiancé. He feels the chemistry too. This was a pickle I didn't know how the author would emerge from, but she did it with great skill.
May 28, 2015
I'm a total Corgi person, and I live near Denver, CO... so this book was practically written for me. That said, I really enjoyed the story - it's hard to keep all the characters likable when breaking up the engaged couple so the groom can hook up with the wedding consultant is the plan... very nicely done.
Also - I just loved the character of Tess...
Also - I just loved the character of Tess...
August 25, 2011
This was the 2nd in the corgi series and it starred Piggy the corgi to help two people find the right other person as well as advert danger. It just seems that these books are a bit long and could be told in shorter page length.
January 20, 2009
A great relaxing read for the corgi lover!! Emily Carmichael truly knows the corgi personality and portays it well!! The humans are pretty funny supporting characters in this book.
August 20, 2009
I really enjoyed this story! Piggy the Corgi, formerly Lydia Keane, steals the show. This character is a real hoot. I hope this author writes more books featuring Piggy and her attitude.
April 10, 2010
Funny sequel to Finding Mr. Right!
Read
April 14, 2011fantastic
January 18, 2013
This was a cute book, pretty predictable but still a fun, quick read!
May 28, 2016
Was just OK. The dogs in the book were the best part.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews