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Susan C. Daffron
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Chez Stinky (An Alpine Grove Romantic Comedy Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Susan C. Daffron (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 6,717 ratings

Kat Stevens is a slightly insecure, mostly bored technical writer who likes her cat a lot more than her boss. She hasn't laid eyes on her great aunt Abigail since she was eight, so she’s stumped when she inherits Abigail's house in the small hamlet of Alpine Grove.


Kat's uncomplicated life gets decidedly less so when she discovers the inheritance comes with some hairy conditions: four dogs and five cats that her aunt wanted her to love as her own. Of course, the house smells like a barn--with a touch of antique skunk--and, naturally, has serious roof issues. And that's before the three-legged cat gets stuck in the wall and the shower goes kablooey.

When Kat meets Joel, an unemployed techie type with no love lost for his sister, Kat looks past his obvious flaws, given his timely and desirable skill set: a talent for fixing things (and his own tools).

Despite out-of-control dogs, cat fights, dust dinosaurs, massive spiders and an old grizzled hippie passed out in the yard, Kat discovers the tranquility of the forests of Alpine Grove starting to seep into her soul.

And why she can't she stop thinking about Joel?


Note: Chez Stinky is a full-length novel (300 pages/80,000 words) that is Book #1 of the Alpine Grove Romantic Comedies. It's a feel-good novel that appeals to people who enjoy a little light romance and quirky animal stories.


About the Alpine Grove Romantic Comedies

Return to the mid-90s when the Internet was new, friend and text were nouns, trolls lived under bridges, and tweeting was something only birds did.

Escape to Alpine Grove when you're in the mood for a quirky, small town nostalgic rom-com with lots of dogs, cats, and happy endings. Although each book is a stand-alone story, characters do tend to reappear, so it's fun to read them in order:

1. Chez Stinky
2. Fuzzy Logic
3. The Art of Wag
4. Snow Furries
5. Bark to the Future
6. Howl at the Loon
7. The Good, the Bad, and the Pugly
8. The Treasure of the Hairy Cadre
9. The Luck of the Paw
10. Daydream Retriever
11. The Hound of Music
12. The Last Train to Barksville

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  1. Book 1 of 14
    An Alpine Grove Romantic Comedy
  2. Print length
    300 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    September 23, 2013
  5. File size
    441 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 14 books in this series.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book will have you laughing as you can visualize what the animals are doing. The animals are great in this book, they have their own personality, and I love that!"
~ Kelly, Reading in Black and White

"If you're a fan of chick lit or animals, two things that I personally love, then check this one out! I'd highly recommend it!"
~ Stephanie, Steph the Bookworm
"I stayed up well past my bedtime as I was truly intrigued by the characters. The charming yet descriptive use of words entangled me in their world."
~ Jayda, Two Children and a Migraine

"I love animals, so I really enjoyed this book. I also like the characters in this story. There was a little bit of drama and intrigue that made the book interesting."
~ Melina, Melina's Book Blog

"If you are an animal lover, a romantic, a techie, a tree hugger, or someone who just enjoys a book that helps you to escape the daily grind, then pick up a copy of Chez Stinky, you won't be disappointed.
~ Caren, Dakota's Den

From the Author

Chez Stinky is the first book in my series of Alpine Grove romantic comedies. All of the books in the series are full length (300+ pages) stand-alone novels. The readers who seem to enjoy my books the most are women who have a sense of humor, like animals, and prefer sex scenes that just fade to black (not 50 shades of anything). For example, you'll see in the reviews that people tend say things like, it's a good book for lovers of "light reads, chick lit, light romance and animal stories..." Because Chez Stinky was my first novel, when it came out, I got questions about why I made the choices I did and how much of it is real. Here are a few FAQs for those of you here on Amazon who might be wondering:

Why I wrote the bookThis came up as a question in a review that even included spoilers. (Really?!) But okay, let's go with it. Why does anyone write any book? In my case, my mother and I used to lament the fact that funny romances are rare. My sister and I came up with the germ of the idea for the story and Mom encouraged me to write it. My biggest regret is that my mother died before it was published.
More Alpine Grove?Many people have asked about upcoming books. I'm currently working on anothr book in the series. You can always find out the latest on my web site SusanDaffron.com.

Although each book is a stand-alone story, because Alpine Grove is a small town, many characters tend to reappear, so I think it's more fun if you read them in order. The correct reading order is:
1. Chez Stinky
2. Fuzzy Logic
3. The Art of Wag
4. Snow Furries
5. Bark to the Future
6. Howl at the Loon
7. The Good, the Bad, and the Pugly
8. The Treasure of the Hairy Cadre
9. The Luck of the Paw
10. Daydream Retriever
11. The Hound of Music
12. The Last Train to Barksville
13. Who's Afraid of Virginia's Woof?
14. Yowliday Inn

Why 1995?
Chez Stinky is set in 1995 and the rest of the series goes into 1997. A number of people have asked why I chose to set my books in the past. The short answer is because reading about people texting each other is boring. I don't like it in other books I've read, so I chose to set my novels at a time when not everyone had a smart phone. Also plot points sometimes depend on the fact that cell phones and the Internet weren't as widely available as they are now.

A technical writer?
Kat is a tech writer and yes, I was a technical writer too when I was in my 20s. And sadly, I really did have a conversation about ginkgo with my boss. It was not one of the high points of my writing career.

The inspiration for Chez Stinky (the house)
The house in the story is loosely based on a house we owned outside of a small town in Idaho back when we first moved into it. Yes, it was a fixer-upper. And yes, the stairs really were covered with blue shag carpet because the decaying plywood was really slippery.

The dogs of Chez Stinky
For 12 years, I lived with four dogs. The "gang of four" lived to ripe old ages (12 - 15 years old), and they are still missed greatly. Tessa is based on my dog Tika who was tested for "hyperkinesis" otherwise known as doggie ADHD. Over time, Tika turned out to be a wonderful dog, but the early years were rough. Tessa's leash arrangement in the story is also based on a real thing. (I thought of using a backpack to slow down Tika long, long before dog trainers recommended it on TV.)

Small town life
Anyone who has lived in a small town has probably experienced the glacial speed of the post office. That is just as true in the town where I lived in Idaho as it is in Alpine Grove. If you want to meet people, go to the PO.

Questions?
If you have other questions about the book, please ask. I love hearing from readers!

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00E40H4JC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Magic Fur Press (September 23, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 23, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 441 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 300 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 6,717 ratings

About the author

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Susan C. Daffron

Susan C. Daffron

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Susan Daffron is the author of the Jennings & O'Shea mysteries and the Alpine Grove Romantic Comedies, a series of novels that feature residents of the small town of Alpine Grove and their various quirky dogs and cats. She is also an award-winning author of many nonfiction books, including several about pets and animal rescue. She lives in a small town in New Mexico and shares her life with her husband and three really cute fuzzy dogs.

When she's not writing novels, Susan works as the president of Logical Expressions, Inc., a small book publishing company and as a marketer at a technology company. You can read more about her at her website SusanDaffron.com.

Susan was the president and founder of the National Association of Pet Rescue Professionals and also was the president of the Small Publishers Artists and Writers Network.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
6,717 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a delightful quick read with an interesting plot and enjoyable twists and turns. The characters have distinct personalities, and customers particularly enjoy the dogs and cats as pets in the story. Customers laugh out loud while reading and appreciate that it's not complicated or mysterious. While many customers enjoy the book, some find it unrealistically underwhelming. The smell aspect receives mixed reactions.

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533 customers mention "Readability"509 positive24 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and light-hearted, describing it as a good quick read.

"...Pick up the series for an entertaining, light-hearted read!" Read more

"This was an easy read, not complicated, full of animals. Nice and light love story. Sweet ending...." Read more

"...She runs into a lot for twists that enter into her life. This book was very good, and a lot of humor...." Read more

"...I loved all the animals and it was nice to read a book where a new animal owner actually takes the time to learn about dogs and training them...." Read more

444 customers mention "Story quality"395 positive49 negative

Customers enjoy this light-hearted romance, describing it as a delightfully fun love story.

"...Now, on to the plot. This is a sweet story about new beginnings and major changes, with a surprise ending...." Read more

"...Nice and light love story. Sweet ending. The super model didn’t fit in very well but the rest of it was believable." Read more

"...I just loved the story...." Read more

"...Cute characters, nice comforting story, and the setting and pets were the cherry on top of the chocolate sundae. It was a joy to read...." Read more

179 customers mention "Character development"165 positive14 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting the distinct personalities that shine through and the quirky nature of the animal characters.

"I love the dogs and cats. Their distinct personalities shine through and I utterly adore Linus, a sweet Newfoundland dog. Now, on to the plot...." Read more

"...Cute characters, nice comforting story, and the setting and pets were the cherry on top of the chocolate sundae. It was a joy to read...." Read more

"...No Great ending at all Loved the characters and the animals Sounds like home to me" Read more

"...This cast of characters are strange but funny. Although Alpine Grove is a series the books can be read independent of each other." Read more

159 customers mention "Animal content"156 positive3 negative

Customers love the animals in the book, particularly the dogs and cats, and appreciate how they add to the fun of the story.

"I love the dogs and cats. Their distinct personalities shine through and I utterly adore Linus, a sweet Newfoundland dog. Now, on to the plot...." Read more

"This was an easy read, not complicated, full of animals. Nice and light love story. Sweet ending...." Read more

"...Plus it looked like it heavily featured animals, and being a sucker for cats and dogs I couldn't help but check it out...." Read more

"...It's got a little bit of mystery, which kept me interested. I loved all the animals and it was nice to read a book where a new animal owner actually..." Read more

153 customers mention "Humor"149 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it lighthearted and full of wit, with several customers mentioning they laughed out loud multiple times while reading.

"...The plot of forest-land is beautiful. The townspeople are quirky, with some secrets...." Read more

"If you like romances that are light-hearted and amusing, you will enjoy this- especially if the antics of dogs amuse you!..." Read more

"...LOL funny book." Read more

"...There are also many funny moments. I have a lemon of a house too and so I was sympathetic to Kat's issues as she tried to get repairs done...." Read more

29 customers mention "Ease of reading"23 positive6 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and appreciate that it isn't complicated or mysterious.

"This was an easy read, not complicated, full of animals. Nice and light love story. Sweet ending...." Read more

"Very cute, easy, quick read. There were funny parts, a little more serious parts and then the romance...." Read more

"...to read books that are light and airy, easy to read, not a lot of hard thinking involved. This book was the perfect companion for a couple days." Read more

"...When she arrives at the cottage it is a run down cabin that needs a lot of work, but the scenery and animals are worth the trouble...." Read more

24 customers mention "Smell"16 positive8 negative

Customers have mixed feelings about the book's smell aspect, with some enjoying it and finding it fun to read, while others find it unpleasant.

"...Chez Stinky is just plain fun to read." Read more

"...When Kat arrives at the log cabin, she is hit with a terrible stench thanks to a varmint dying in the wall which leads her to nickname the house “..." Read more

"...It was easy for me to actually smell the dust, feel the cat and dog hair, and imagine the sticky spider webs entangled in my hair!..." Read more

"I really enjoyed reading Chez Stinky very much...." Read more

35 customers mention "Value for money"8 positive27 negative

Customers find the book lacks value for money, describing it as frivolous, underwhelming, and not worth their time.

"...or events; there is some humor, but it's mostly of the very mild goofball sort: what is the point?..." Read more

"...The scene with Louise and the big reveal towards the end.... It was dull and Kat' reaction lacked, making it almost unbelievable." Read more

"...I really liked it but it could have been a bit more developed and a bit longer...." Read more

"It was kind of a cute book. It was free, so, didn't loose any money. At times, it feels rushed. A woman inherits her great aunt's home & pets...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Gail Harkins
    5.0 out of 5 stars Furry Love, of the Wholesome Animal Variety
    Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I love the dogs and cats. Their distinct personalities shine through and I utterly adore Linus, a sweet Newfoundland dog. Now, on to the plot. This is a sweet story about new beginnings and major changes, with a surprise ending. Having moved, myself, from a townhome to a plot of land with only a well, I can empathize with the challenges of getting her new home repaired and functioning. The plot of forest-land is beautiful. The townspeople are quirky, with some secrets. Her friend is a hoot (if a bit exaggerated, in my opinion), and her aspirations are set to make a great stand-alone sequel. Pick up the series for an entertaining, light-hearted read!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • T. Pawlak
    4.0 out of 5 stars light read, good for calm evenings
    Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This was an easy read, not complicated, full of animals. Nice and light love story. Sweet ending. The super model didn’t fit in very well but the rest of it was believable.
    Helpful
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  • Kenya Starflight
    3.0 out of 5 stars Predictable but light and entertaining romantic comedy
    Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I normally don't read romances, but this one looked to be funny and cute. Plus it looked like it heavily featured animals, and being a sucker for cats and dogs I couldn't help but check it out. And honestly... it's a fairly predictable, run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, with some cringeworthy dialogue and flat characters. But despite those flaws... it's hard to hate on it too much, as it's honestly a cute story and a nice bit of fluff to read between more serious books.

    Kat is a technical writer who feels stuck in both her job and her love life... so when she learns her great-aunt has died and she's inherited her house and land in the small town of Alpine Grove, she's stumped but grateful for a change. Unfortunately, her aunt's will comes with a catch -- to inherit the house, she must also take care of her aunt's slew of dogs and cats, each with their own quirks and neuroses. As Kat struggles to take care of the animals, keep the house from falling down around her, and finds herself falling for Joel, an unemployed tech guy who also has a knack for home repairs, she realizes she may enjoy life in Alpine Grove after all.

    "Chez Stinky" is fairly predictable, and doesn't offer much in the way of conflict -- problems brought up in one chapter will generally be resolved in the next chapter without much struggle. The characters are pretty flat, and the romance feels quite sudden -- Kat and Joel go from meeting to falling into bed with each other within a couple weeks. And some of the dialogue is trying to be cute and charming but comes across as forced and stilted.

    All these complaints probably make it sound like I hated this book... but the story, despite being predictable, was still cute and entertaining. The characters aren't terribly developed, but their interactions are still fun, and the animal shenanigans provide plenty of humor and entertainment as well. The writing isn't masterful but is capable enough for a book of this type, and fans of rom-coms will be delighted by a story that may not be terribly original but is still fun to read.

    "Chez Stinky" is a pretty bog-standard romantic comedy... but that doesn't mean it's still not enjoyable to read. And sometimes one just needs a bit of brain candy in between heavier reads. If you're a fan of Hallmark movies or fluffy romances in general, "Chez Stinky" is right up your alley.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Doris
    5.0 out of 5 stars Stinky House
    Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Kat inherits her great Aunts house. She is a tech writer in a big city. She takes a vacation to go see her inheritance. When Kat get there she runs into all the pet that comes with the house. She runs into a lot for twists that enter into her life. This book was very good, and a lot of humor. Can not wait to read what happens in ALpine Grove next.
    Helpful
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  • Leanna McAlister
    4.0 out of 5 stars Cute & Animal Packed!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    If you love animal shenanigans and books set in the 90s, you might enjoy this book. It's got a little bit of mystery, which kept me interested. I loved all the animals and it was nice to read a book where a new animal owner actually takes the time to learn about dogs and training them. So many books, someone gets a dog and it just magically is calm and behaved without any work from the owner.
    The book did end quickly and without much of a conclusion but overall I enjoyed this book.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • AzUWish
    5.0 out of 5 stars It only took 1chapter & I was hooked
    Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Picked this one up on a whim. In just one chapter I was hooked. First i' m an old tree hugging flower child fan of Cat Stevens (Yusef).I also love a good pun. When Kat is asked if she is being chased by a moonshadow, yep. I loved it. As a salaried worker with constant on call, the crack about Kat doesn't get overtime made me laugh till I teared up. And as a crazy old cat & dog lady I felt for Kat deceased aunt wanting the best for her furkids. But been there still do it picking the horking cat up and saying barf on the tile, that was the clincher. I just loved the story.
    The rest of this book could be crappy & I would still recommend it to any dog, cat lover that has a job that could be better.
    I also do proofreading so i loved the grabbed a handful of red pens part.
    Five stars to this one.🐱
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Sheila
    5.0 out of 5 stars This was a cute story with sweet animals and interesting characters--a real "feel good read."
    Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed this book very much. It was like taking a mini vacation from everyday worries about bills, appointments, and various commitments. The country, the trees, animals, and interesting characters all added to the book's charm. It makes me miss growing up in the country and moving to the city. So much of it felt vaguely familiar, like sitting in a comfy recliner with an interesting book, and escaping from the city life for a few hours. Cute characters, nice comforting story, and the setting and pets were the cherry on top of the chocolate sundae. It was a joy to read. Thanks Susan C. Daffron for sharing your book with the world! I'm so glad that I chose to read your comfy, cosy, story. Content and happy describe my mood right now!
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Western Fan Gal
    5.0 out of 5 stars Charming trip to small town America
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 8, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Charming and funny - at present a freebie so a perfect introduction to a series of (presently) 5 books - this introduces us to Alpine Grove and some of the characters that feature throughout the following volumes. I particularly liked the author's sly humour regarding Kat Stevens - Moonshadow etc - her friend Maria is a hoot, and it's fun getting to know the locals. As for the animals - well Kat by name ends up inheriting several cats and some characterful dogs from her great aunt, as long as she stays in Alpine Grove to look after them - the rest, you might say, follows - to say anymore would spoil the story, so I won't - read it for yourself. You'll find yourself in a cheerful place - personally any place that has the word "CHEZ" as part of it's name will forever make me giggle and remind me of the "stinky" element!
    Report
  • Hollenfeld
    3.0 out of 5 stars Seichte Unterhaltung
    Reviewed in Germany on July 27, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Wer keinen Wert legt auf einen kniffeligen Plot, detailreiche Umgebungsschilderungen, anspruchsvolle Dialoge oder erotische Szenen, wer einfach ein seichtes Liebesromänchen mit Gute-Laune-Geschichte und etlichen Vierbeinern sucht, wird hier fündig.

    Abgesehen von einigen Simpelstcharakteren, die mit ihrer naiven Dämlichkeit mein viertes Sternchen verhindern, ist das hier etwas Nettes für Leseratten auf der Suche nach einer entspannenden Wohlfühlgeschichte. Leichte Kost für mal eben zwischendrin, Urlaub oder Krankenbett.
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  • Wilbert
    3.0 out of 5 stars Predictable
    Reviewed in France on April 15, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Very predictable plot. Main characters could be worked out better. The same goes for the dogs. You don't really get to know them. Nice read, but not the kind of book that lingers in your head.
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  • sumit sabal
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in India on July 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    nice book
    Report
  • Robbie Gaye-Murphy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Chez Stinky by Susan C. Daffron
    Reviewed in Australia on August 9, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    What a great entertaining tale this is! I wanted t become Kat and meet all the lovable dogs and cats left to her by her great aunt, not to mention a cozy cottage in the forest where she'd spent her childhood holidays. I truly wished I was able to swap places with her life. Except for all the cleaning to make Chez Stinky no longer smelly. Oh I enjoyed this so much. And I've found out there is another story about the same town! I'm off to get it now. I bought his book after seeing it many times and I'm glad I did. Don't miss out on this really entertaining read.
    Report

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