Guest Review: Wellies and Westies (Primrose Terrace part 1) by Cressida McLaughlin

Catherine ‘Cat’ Palmer realises, too late, that bringing an adorable puppy into work at the local nursery was a bad idea, especially after the ensuing chaos gets her the sack.

Determined to turn a negative into a positive, Cat decides this is the perfect opportunity to get her dog-walking business off the ground with the help of her flatmates, Polly and Joe. After all, Primrose Terrace where she lives, is full of home-alone hounds…

Wellies and Westies is the first part of a serialized novel told in four parts – all set in Primrose Terrace

Review: This novella is the first of four, making up the 'Primrose Terrace' series. It tells the story of Catherine (Cat) Palmer, who has moved into one of the houses in Primrose Terrace, where she lives with a friend and the friend's brother. Forced to find a new occupation after losing her job, she embarks on a new career as a dog walker.

The story is full of lovely dogs and lively descriptions of the town where Primrose Terrace is set. As well as Cat, there are many other interesting characters who live in the terrace, and, of course, there is also some romantic interest. Cat herself seems rather naive to start with. The way in which she comes to lose her job in the first place is really a bit silly, if amusing to the outsider. However, she is brave to start up a totally new career. Fortunately for her, the immediate area is full of dog owners requiring a dog walking service, so it gets off the ground quickly.

I usually like short stories, but this one seemed too short for me.  It covered a lot of ground in its few pages, so nothing was covered in depth and the story moved very quickly. Of course, it is part one of four, so I'm sure that the story will develop more as the other parts are released. I would like to learn more about how Cat's business expands and her love life progresses. Perhaps reading all of the story at once when the other parts are available would be the best approach.