Jaci Burton's "Housebroke" is an engaging and heartfelt romance that delves into the challenges and joys of starting over and building a home. The story centers around a couple who unexpectedly find themselves as homeowners of a fixer-upper, navigating not only the renovations but also their evolving relationship.

Burton’s writing seamlessly blends romance with elements of a cozy home-life narrative, giving readers a satisfying mixture of sweet and humorous moments alongside the complexities of managing a household. The characters are relatable and their interactions are filled with warmth and genuine affection, making "Housebroke" a delightful read for those who enjoy romances that involve personal growth, community, and the sense of belonging that comes with making a place truly your own.

Jaci Burton's Housebroke is a delightful romantic comedy that unfolds the unlikely cohabitation of penniless Hazel Bristow and wealthy investor Linc Kennedy. Stranded with her foster dogs in a friend's sold house, Hazel faces an unexpected housing crisis.
Linc, the unsuspecting new owner, extends a quirky proposition: she stays and becomes his personal chef during renovations. The novel cleverly navigates their evolving connection, blending humor and heart as they confront past scars and build trust. Hazel's passion for rescuing dogs adds a charming layer to the narrative, creating a dynamic and endearing backdrop.
Burton skillfully crafts a steamy and heartwarming tale, capturing the essence of love, trust, and the unexpected twists that life—and romance—can bring. Housebroke is a charming, feel-good read that seamlessly weaves humor, romance, and a love for four-legged companions.
Thank you to the publisher Berkley Publishing, and Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have this book a fair few tries but I just couldn't get into it. I'm not even sure why, exactly, it wasn't for me but I just couldn't enjoy itm DNF at 30%

This was a cute romance featuring a lot of adorable dogs. Quite enjoyable to read and short enough to read in one sitting

3.5/5 stars! This book has dogs, therefore it is going to automatically be more enjoyable than other books in the same genre. I did like the chemistry between Linc and Hazel. I think my biggest gripe is that he's almost too nice. There's no angst to set me up for the HEA. It's just some miscommunication and glitter and butterflies, which was a bit of a letdown. That being said, it was a cute, quick read.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

I was okay with this book. I wanted to love it but, I ended it up only liking it.
I just fell little too much for me
3. 5 stars

I feel like I would enjoy this more if it was in first person point of view? It felt kind of weird but I guess that’s a me thing. The plot itself is honestly very promising. The dogs!! I love them.

1.5⭐️ The plot was great, I loved that the dogs had a main role in the story - but every conversation the characters had was like they’ve never spoken to any other human before in their lives. So sad to have not liked this book! 🫠

Thank you to NetGalley and the Author for this ARC read for an honest review.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I've got mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the concept and liked the characters, but I felt there was too much (at times repetitive) description.

As soon as I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it and it did not disappoint. I had such a great time reading it!

I loved the main characters, their relationship and chemistry and don’t get me started on all the cute dogs🥺 I want them all!

Hazel and Linc were such lovely characters. Hazel’s determination and independence were admirable and I love how hardworking she was, how hard she fought for what she wanted and how she always found a way to achieve her goals (even if it took her a bit longer than she would have liked). And Linc- omg what a cinnamon roll hero. He was so nice and sweet, the way he cared for Hazel and wanted to make all her dreams come true was adorable and heartwarming. In short, I’m obsessed with him lol. I think they were a great match and I loved their relationship and their chemistry.

I do wish we’d got to see a bit more of their future at the end, even if only an epilogue a few years in the future to see where they were and what Hazel had achieved. I have no doubts she would be able to make all her dreams come true but I would have loved to know more about it!

Overall, this is a great book and perfect for those looking for a light, fun read with the sweetest hero, a determined, strong heroine and the most adorable pups.

★ 4/5 stars ★

A big thank you to Headline Eternal and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely cozy romance story, perfect for reading curled up with a mug of cocoa. I enjoyed the interaction with the foster dogs and Hazel is a truly good character., who deserves her HEA.

An irresistible slice of escapism and a joy to read. Compelling, absorbing and highly entertaining. Fast-moving and fun! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.75🌟
A very predictable read from the start but in a way it was nice to know there was going to be a happy ending and that something cute would happen.

I really like how as well as the human characters, the author developed each of the dogs and their personality's so they felt like an enjoyable and important part of the book as well.

From the start it appears the main characters are the opposites of each other, one with their life together and one... not so much at all. However, they both have things that have impacted them, similarities and things to work through that they help each other unlock.

Thanks to Netgalley and Headline for an eARC of this book.

While I finished the book, I did find it a bit of a struggle to complete. I thought the premise of this book looked really cute and lighthearted, which is what led me to it initially. Some aspects certainly lived up to this premise, such as the dynamics with the rescue dogs, unfortunately, the rest of the book fell flat to me.

My major issue with the book was the dynamic between Hazel and Linc. I really didn't understand the basis for their connection outside of a physical attraction, and the chemistry just wasn't there for me. It also didn't help that there was little to no conflict between the two of them besides miscommunication, which is one of my pet-peeves in romcoms. The pacing was also a bit all over the place, and ultimately, this story dragged with the conflict only taking place 95% into the book and being resolved 97% into the book.

I was also finding it difficult to like Hazel. She's clearly been through a difficult time with a traumatic ex-husband that cheated on her (and stole all of her money?) Yet I don't see her dealing with any of this outside of saying she'll only get with Linc when she's ready.... which she is a few chapters later despite no catalyst for this? It also really aggravated me that she clearly had these great cooking skills and ability to put together a kick-ass menu, yet no ambition to use this in order to fund her real dream of fostering dogs. It seemed nonsensical to me that she would accept Linc's big gesture at the end yet refuse his help to further her cooking skills to actually get an independent stream of income away from Linc, especially given the ex-husband trauma. It could've also been great to explore Hazel either reaching out to the friends she felt she lost due to her ex-husband or gaining more connections with her new independence but it seemed her sole focus was Linc and the dogs.

I also didn't feel that the secondary characters (apart from the dogs) were fleshed out much. Hazel said she considered Ginger one of her closest friends and outside of maybe a few pages towards the first part of the book, she's vanished and was not seen again. Similarly, we get to know very little about the remaining side characters and they don't really add anything to the story. There was some great relationships and dynamics that we could've delved into such as Hazel and Nat's relationship, especially given what happens to Nat's own marriage but this is sort of glossed over by one conversation, a cry and a hug.

Overall, there were some really interesting threads and themes throughout this story that I wish were explored further but unfortunately, this book wasn't the one for me.

I really enjoyed this book and seeing the relationship develop. Reading this made my cold winter evening much better, it left me feeling cozy, fuzzy and smiling!

"Housebroke" is a romance written by Jaci Burton.

Light, funny and cozy novel, characterized by a fast pace and short chapters. I found it cute, but nothing more. The development seemed rushed to me, the protagonists a bit superficial, and this prevented the spark from igniting. Also, the book is written in the third person, and I am unfortunately not a fan of romance written in the third person. I often struggle to feel involved, to bond with the characters, and in fact I was a bit lukewarm. Overall, however, it kept me quite entertained, giving me a few hours of pleasant relaxation.

The story follows Hazel Bristow, a woman suddenly penniless and homeless after her ex-husband takes all their money and flees. Desperate and broken, with a group of foster dogs to care for, she finds help from a friend who allows her to stay in her home currently on the market until it sells. It is the perfect arrangement, until Hazel finds Linc Kennedy in the house and discovers that her friend forgot to tell her that she has already sold it! Linc has an investment company, renovates houses for fun, and is definitely rich. Initially shocked to find Hazel in the house he just bought, after some negotiations he decides to let her stay while he renovates the place, in exchange for her paid services as a cook. During the renovations, thanks to the forced proximity and the adorable foster dogs, the two begin to get to know each other.

Hazel and Linc, the two protagonists with their third person povs, convinced me, though not fully. Hazel is a divorced woman, left with nothing after her ex-husband ran off with all the money. Discouraged and sad, she tries to trudge through her new life, juggling a mother and sister busy inspecting and criticizing her every life choice. She is a kind and selfless person who always puts the needs of others first. She loves to cook and loves animals so much that she takes care of foster dogs for the local shelter, raising them until eventual adoption. Linc, on the other hand, is the owner of an investment company, who as a hobby and second job enjoys renovating homes. Sweet, caring and funny, he has learned not to mention the fact that he is rich, after this confession led to several relationships with women who were only after his money. As I said, they are two cute characters, but they did not convey much to me. They seemed rather superficial to me and I don't know, I would have liked more details about Hazel's ex-husband or Linc's past relationships, just to give a few examples. In my opinion, their relationship develops too quickly, going from an instalust to something more in a short time, without adequate knowledge, made worse by the several time jumps in the book. In the end they are still sweet and cute, with some really adorable scenes, only that they left me quite indifferent. On the other hand, I loved the dogs! Seriously I absolutely loved them and melted over their interactions!

All in all, it's a cute, light, and fun romance that, although it didn't fully involve me, it entertained me a lot!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved Housebroke! I devoured it all in one weekend! I was in the mood for a nice light read and Jaci Burton definitely delivered! I am definitely adding her as to my favorite authors list, I was in the mood for a good romantic comedy that involved housemates/romance and I loved the way the writing style was and how everything fell into place and developed. I will be sharing much more as I apologize I have been having some unexpected health issues but I just wanted to get out there how excited I am from readers to get their hands on this title.

This one was great! So relatable, fun, and well written. I enjoyed every page and was so curious to see how this unexpected house guest situation was going to work out! I was not disappointed. I can’t wait to share more on this snd I know readers are going to love this one as well! This is a fun escapist read and also perfect for a book club as well! Light, funny, uplifting Housebroken is a home run!

This was such a sweet read and I couldn’t stop smiling throughout. The whole book felt like a warm hug. I adored both of the main characters. Hazel was such an amazing lead character, and you just couldn’t help rooting for her. And Linc, the way he cared for Hazel from the very start was just so endearing. The dogs were such a cute addition and made the best side characters!