I knew I would love this series once I got a chance to reading it, and I was right. The main character, Jill Gardner is a real take charge kind of person and she is not going to let anyone push her around. Her life has been pretty laid back and get by since she gave up family law practice and moved to South Cove, but the death of her friend Emily changes all that. First, Jill is sure that her friend did not die of natural causes, and second. Emily has left her a small fortune with only two requirements. Live in her house for a year and get a dog. That should be simple enough with a developer trying to buy her out, the mayor trying to push her out and someone threatening her directly, a year might be a long time.