Book Review: Sit, Stay, Love by Amy Hutton

‘Sit, Stay, Love’ by Amy Hutton was released in 2023. It is a friends-to-lovers romcom set in Australia, and follows Sera, a young woman who runs an animal rescue, who has inadvertently found herself caught with two men interested in her.

Anyone who knows me knows that dogs are my life. I love when animals are an essential part of the story, and their own character. Animals have their own personalities and when they have the influence and the plot it just makes the read so compelling. Buffy was such a big part of this story and I loved her. She was the most unproblematic and amazing character. You can tell Hutton is a dog person, mostly because of Buffy’s nickname. You don’t nickname a dog Stink unless you’re a dog person.

I enjoyed this book, I loved the idea of Sera’s whole world focused on the animals in her life, her Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross, Buffy, and the other dogs she takes care of, Fleur, the Poodle. Ernie the German Shepard, Harry the Jack Russel terrier and Francine the Maltese. I loved their shenanigans and how they progressed the plot, and bringing Sera and her two love interests together, Ethan, an actor who found a dog abandoned on his property, and Toby, a vet, who works with Sera’s animal rescue, Rose’s Rescue.

I really liked the dynamic between Toby and Sera. They had a great, easy dynamic to understand and slip into. Sera and Toby had history, and routine. They found the banter between Toby and Sarah so authentic and silly. You feel like you’re in on the joke, and can sense how close the two are. They have a routine, laughter, love, companionship and rapport.

Then there was Ethan. I liked him for a while. He seemed too good to be true, always. And although I felt bad for him, with his traumas and whatnot, I was very suspicious of him. But knowing that this book was friends-to-lovers, I figured something was going to go awry. I was surprised that the twist was so petty!

I’d argue aspects of this book were a bit territorial and immature. I didn’t like how things blew up because of indecision and back and forth, and pining. I wasn’t a fan of how Sera was willing to do a total 180 when these men jumped for her. I don’t think she was a bad character, just introverted and animal oriented, not necessarily the best girl for Ethan, but someone who fit into place with Toby.

The end was a bit cliché and silly, but God it was rewarding to see the outcome of all their baggage and chaos. Though, I would have loved some deleted scenes to hear what Toby’s voicemails said. I mean, I liked this book, regardless, I would like to see how things go in the next book.