What a delightful book this was! Bubbles grabs the reader with her sweetness and the main characters of Sophie and Harrison pull you along in this great summer read! It was of interest to me the author providing information on the use of service dogs for diabetics. This was written with humor, sweetness and love! I will definitely be reading the next in this series!


I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review!

Harrison said he wanted to get the greyhound puppy. Than Sophie came up to him and said the greyhound puppy wasa stability dog. Harrison asked what a stability dog was and she said some clients need dogs that can provide physical support. As Rock grows he will be great at leading someone with vision issues or providing a safe landing for someone prone to seizures. Harrison had spent over half his life battling wildfires . Sophie adds she thinks she has the perfect dog for him. He saw the dog and he said “ you have to be kidding me.” He thought this couldn’t be right , he was a man who spent literal weeks in the wilderness fighting fatigue and flames. He walked for days with an ax over his shoulder and a team of men at his back. He needed a trusted companion , a sturdy beats he could count on to keep him alive. He said this was a joke right? Someone put her up to it? Sophie said no joke and introduced him to Bubbles his new diabetic service dog. Bubbles was a pomeranian. Sophie said little dogs need more care and that would slow him down a little, have to take more breaks. Plus pomeranians had exceptional noses. Harrison Parks was exactly what Sophie imagined when she heard about his case. The man was a wildland firefighter, a hero. Every year flames swept across the Pacific Northwest and he’d head out with his hose and his determination until every last spark was gone. Then he smiled and she knew smiles could change a man's appearance but like this, it was devastation! All those lines and creases , the well worn care that was etched deeply into his skin - they disappeared only to be replaced by an expression so startlingly warm and inviting that Sophie had no choice but to fall in. than her sister Lila came in and tried to talk to harrison and he left. Oscar worked for the Deer Park Department Of Natural Resources. He had sent Harrison to them at Puppy Promise. Oscar had saved Sophie’s life by giving her some of his bone marrow, undergone extreme pain and hospitalization so she could have another chance at life. It had been eleven years since the bone marrow transplant and Sophie’s leukemia had went into remission.That no one in her life would let her forget. Oscar said he would make harrison work with her after what happened last week, he was lucky to be alive. He’d slipped into a diabetic coma after his continuous glucose monitor had malfunctioned during a routine wildfire training exercise. Had he been out on a call somewhere remote or inaccessible by road both common during the height of wildfire season - they might not have been able to get him to a hospital in time. Oscar said he will do it or won’t see any action on the ground. If he won’t harrison will have to be behind a desk. Oscar said it won’t be easy he had never seen someone so wrapped up in barbwire. Harrison found he did like Sophia. Part of the training was day and then some nights and at his house. His house wasn’t a place he willingly bring Sophie to. He could barely stand being there himself. But he wouldn’t leave his father all alone there. But she said Bubbles needed to learn the environment where she’ll be spending most of her time. Each dog was personally selected and trained for the individual . Harrison signed himself out of the hospital and Oscar was waiting for him and said he would put Harrison behind a desk if- he didn’t take care of himself, get a service dog, and get said service dog at the place he had already selected. Bubbles is to come home with him that night. Bubbles slept in bed with Harrison. Being nice isn't something Harrison excelled at. Harrison was attracted to Sophia and even kissed her. Sophie said she liked the kiss and she liked him. Harrison he liked her too and he didn’t say that about many people. But she brought out something good in him . Something he hadn’t felt in a very long time. After Sophie told him about her debt to Oscar things fell together. But just once, it would have been nice to see what happened if someone stayed. Just once, it would have been nice to know he was worth sticking around for.
I loved this book. It was a beautiful romantic read. I loved Sophie and Harrison together and how they interacted. I loved how close Sophie and her sisters were. I loved how Oscar cared a lot about Sophie but also Harrison. Bubbles was definitely a large part of this book . I felt Like I was there with everyone. I loved Bubbles and my heart broke for all Harrison as well as Sophie had been through. Also knowing as well as Sophie and Harrison being a little broken so was Bubbles. I loved the plot and pace . I loved how everyone came together to look for Bubbles. I loved that Harrison’s mother came back and his father gave her a chance again as did her son eventually. I loved Harrison was finally at peace with his parents. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend it.

If a book has puppies/dogs it will always grab my attention!  Having had two of my own these four-legged creatures will always hold a place in my heart.  What is even better about the dogs in this book/series is that they are service dogs.

This book is more about boy meets girl via a dog, it is about breaking down walls, learning to trust, learning to love, and realizing that maybe life is better with someone than without anyone.  Harrison is one gruff guy and Sophie is trying to break free of the coddling her family gives her, or at least what she perceives.

The star of the book is Bubbles, a Pomeranian puppy, that Sophie believes can become a diabetic service dog.  Now if you know anything about Pomeranians, they are tiny.  So imagine a 6' plus firefighter that has Bubbles as his service dog to help let him know when his blood sugar is low.  Yeah, it doesn't go over well...until Bubbles manages to wrap Harrison around her paw.

The story is fast paced and there are many lessons to be learned for various characters.  My only negative is that there are more f* bombs than necessary IMHO.

We give it 4 paws up.

This was a fun read, a bit fluffy at times but I needed a light read at this time.
Both of the main characters had baggage, the guy's history had him a little dark and hers appreciating life. Together they sizzled.
He needed a service dog and she provided the service. Way more than a professional relationship, these two were meant for each other.
Entertaining story, I loved it.

Lucy Gilmore is a new author for me to read books written by her. I must say that Puppy Love sounded liked the traditional romance but it had several change-ups in it that made it original and fresh.

The story is well told being interesting but also easy to follow. I found the contrast between Sophie and Harrison to be wonderful. Often opposites do attract. While one is an introvert and the other an extrovert, many of their values were the same so they made a perfect fit. The dialogue was the most unique of any I have read lately. I can’t say that it was snarky or sarcastic but it was definitely different. Sophie had always been handled with kid gloves by her family so she liked that she for Harrison to stand up to her as if she was an equal, which she was. So there may be a lesson there for us all to not judge without looking deeper; fragile or grumpy, people deserve to be seen as more. As for the romance it is certainly sweet but also steamy. Then there is Bubbles, what a sweet cute and intelligent puppy.

I will also say that it had one major surprise dealing with the male main character’s family. I never quite understood why a member of his family acted the way that they did. This part may have been explored more, but in real life people often act in unexplainable ways with us never understanding. Overall it was a great book making me want to read the next by the author. Since Sophie has two sisters, I am expecting one of them to have their story next.

Puppy Love was a fun, sexy romance and was just what I was needing to break up all the mystery/horror I have been reading!

Sophie is the youngest of three sisters and when she was younger she had leukemia and was smothered with love and attention. Now she is good health because of a donor and doesn't need the protective smothering but it seems she is the only one who thinks that. She works with her sisters at Puppy Promise, a training facility for service dogs, and they have taken on a case because Oscar had asked them too. Oscar was Sophie's donor so she owes him to do this but she was told that the guy is not going to be easy.

Harrison is a wildfire firefighter and is tough as they come and closed off emotionally. His only problem is that he has type 1 diabetes and has an insulin pump. Usually that keeps him regulated and okay but when he went into a diabetic coma while training firefighters his boss gave him an ultimatum, either he goes behind a desk or gets a service dog. Harrison hates his boss for making him do this but he ops for the dog. 

Harrison is looking for a manly dog but Sophie sticks him with a little ball of fur named Bubbles. He refuses at first but he really has no choice and Sophie is sure that the pomeranian is the perfect fit for Harrison. She will be working with Harrison and Bubbles and can see that he is going to be a hard case to crack. 

Sophie is drawn to him rather quickly and can see that when he smiles that rough and tough act is really just an act and she needs to bring down his walls. She also likes that he doesn't treat her like a fragile doll as everyone else who knows her does. Actually Harrison is terrified of the little spitfire as he has never met anyone like her. 

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Sophie is quite different and her tactics with Harrison are unusual (and probably never happens in a real service dog training business), and makes for some fun  banter. Harrison is sexy and a bit damaged emotionally, but very protective of others. I like her sisters and look forward to reading about them in the other books in the series. I also like some of Harrison's firefighter friends as well as his boss Oscar. Really it's a very well rounded group of characters.

The banter in this story is what made it really funny but I also must say that sometimes I wasn't a fan of it at the same time. Sometimes the sexual teasing banter just felt like overkill to me, but other than that I really enjoyed it. 

I would recommend it to any one who enjoys romance novels.

A delightful first book in the Forever Home series! Who can say no to a firefighter who wants a manly service dog? Sophie, that's who! The chemistry between the characters is will leave a permanent smile on your face and laughter in your heart. I enjoyed the interactions with the animals as well. This story was filled with humor, romance and just a good ole time!

Puppy Love is a nicely done sweet, cute, fun romance that had me smiling all the way through the book. Sophie and Harrison are great characters and then of course there are all the puppies! I enjoyed this new author's writing style very much and will be looking for more from her in the future. I definitely recommend this one.

This is one of the most hilarious books I’ve read….so much laughter and warmth, in depth personality and characterization and so much of heart and soul!!!!

I don't remember reading Lucy Gilmore before, and "Puppy Love" was pure reading pleasure of a wonderful romance.

Follow the link for an excerpt shared by Sourcebooks Casablanca....

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This was a sweet romance, light on the angst. A real opposites attract story with her lightness and joy tempered against his dark and gloomy. A perfect first read by this author.

Where I had issues with the story was with the secondary story of Harrison's parents. When that kind of betrayal happens, I want an apology at the very least, and grovelling isn't reserved for men only. The whole thing was wrapped up too tidily for my liking, with understanding and forgiveness handed out like party favours at a child's birthday. There's a way to show her personal growth that would have been more satisfying than what occurred on the page.

However, the writing itself is well done. Characters and dialogue are belieablve, though I was not pleased with Sophie's mom butting in like that. But I'm a sucker for books with dogs (or cats!), so that balances out the problematic story parts.

An overall enjoyable read after some very emotionally heavy stories. I look forward to reading more by this author in future.

Cuteness Alert! A sweet, adorable puppy brings together two people who need all the help and support the little fur baby can give to find their way past their troubles to happiness. A new to me author and a new series introduces several elements around a romance series that I was eager to grab up.
Review

Puppy Love introduces three sisters who have a puppy training business and provide service puppies in training. Sophie is the youngest and she feels that she has a lot to prove as a leukemia survivor who missed out on a ton because of health issues and now wants to prove that she’s no fragile, china doll. The way to do it is get big, tough guy Harrison to accept little Pomeranian puppy Bubbles as his service dog partner and give Sophie and Bubbles a chance.

Harrison’s boss makes it a matter of coming back to work on active duty as a wilderness fire fighter that he accept a service dog that will help alert him when his diabetes goes into the danger zone. He was already reluctant to pair with a dog, but why couldn’t he have the Great Dane? He is a man convinced that he is better off alone and he scares people with his ‘resting brick face’ and off-putting manner, but Bubbles and Sophie are determined to work on more than his diabetes and he might not be as impervious as he thinks.

Puppy Love is as adorable as all get out. It brings to light what life for people living with severe health issues or recovering from one have to deal with. I liked that sister dynamics and family are core elements, too. It’s an easy-going, gently paced story that makes you smile and occasionally laugh. If you’re like me and have to be in the mood for sugary feeling stories to appreciate them, keep in mind that this one has that flavoring.

Harrison and Sophie are wonderful together. I love it when a couple bring out the best in one another and clearly have each other’s backs even when they don’t consider themselves a couple. This pair were givers, but it wasn’t obvious to very many when it came to Harrison because his gruff, solitary nature meant people would have to work at it to see the diamond in the rough. Sophie loves her family and friends, but they don’t see her as she is now and how she needs to be accepted. Harrison is not part of her past so he has no trouble accepting that she can do what she sets out to do even if he’s not on board with being her project in the beginning.

I’m actually a tad biased against Poms since I lived nest door to a pair for five years or so and they both yapped and snarled and went for people’s ankles any chance they could. But, I’ll trust that Bubbles shows that there are other personalities to be had among that dog breed.

All in all, it was a good series starter. Sweet with a hint of spice. If you love dogs as main characters in a romance and want an uncomplicated, easy, gently-paced contemporary romance, then this one is a good bet.

My thanks to Sourcebook Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Puppy Love is a fun read! I would call this a Sour Patch Kid of a romance novel. What do I mean by that? Know how Sour Patch Kids are really sour and then surprise you with their sweetness? Well - Puppy Love is really sweet - and then surprises you by showing up with the steam!

Harrison is a grumpy, tough wildfire firefighter who needs a diabetic service dog to continue doing his job. While he’s hoping for a large, tough looking dog - he gets paired with a small, fluffy Pomeranian puppy named Bubbles. Harrison quickly grows to love this puppy...and may be developing feelings for her trainer Sophia as well.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

Super cute, sweet romance that was a great start to a new series and debut author.

I loved Harrison and Sophie from the start. Talk about opposites attract! Sophie and along with her sisters train service dogs and while gruff wildfire firefighter is tasked with getting a service dog for his severe diabetes or risk losing the job that he loves.

From the very beginning, these two has through the roof chemistry. And every page forward it just got better and better.

I love how this novel brought to life the struggles of those who need to use a service dog but also how tough it is to match up and train a dog for each and every person. The hours, work and commitment on both of their parts.

Definitely recommend and can't wait for the rest of the series.

Oooh - this is a darn great book. It kind of knocked me for six as I’m ashamed to say that I’ve not heard of “Lucy Gilmore” before getting this book. Now I’m wondering how someone who writes such funny, romantic and absorbing story has managed to sneak pass me till now. (I know its her first book but you can’t tell) It’s funny, charming and so full of heart.....I am so EXCITED there will be more books in this series!! Will definitely be picking more books up by this amazing author. Happy reading everyone!!!

This is a sweet and adorable romance. I enjoyed this story very much, and of course, doggies! Nice writing style by this new author. I will definitely look out for more from her. Love Sophie and Harrison and the whole premise of their story.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Harrison Parks wakes up from a diabetic coma to the news his boss has decreed he must take on a service dog before returning to his wildlife firefighter job. No problem! Harrison has seen other service dogs, Golden Retrievers, German Shepards and the like. He arrives at Puppy Promise, the service dog training facility his boss has sent him to and meets Sophie Vasquez, one of the sisters who own the training facility. Zing! Both guy and gal find themselves attracted to each other. What Harrison isn't attracted to is the dog Sophie insists is the best match for him, a Pomeranian named Bubbles. Bubbles! She has got to be kidding. He has no choice though. He goes home with Bubbles and thus starts his new life.

Puppy Love by Lucy Gilmore is the first book in this author's Forever Home series. Three sisters have established a service puppy training school. The first book is a good start to the series. The author introduces and gives some background for all three sisters although emphasis is on the youngest sister, Sophie in this book. The storyline flows smoothly and introduces the conflict and the the resolution well. I really enjoyed the interaction between Sophie and Harrison as their relationship developed. These two characters helped each other overcome issues from their past. Bubbles, the Pomeranian is just so super cute and definitely added lots of fun to the story. This is a romance which makes your heart feel good.

From what can gather, Puppy Love is the debut novel for Lucy Gilmore, and the first book in a series. I’m glad I accepted an offer from the publisher to read and review in advance of publication. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Puppy Love is a fast-paced romance with lots of laugh-out-loud moments. The characters are engaging, and the plot is unique. The bantering between the hero and heroine is natural and delightful. Ms. Gilmore certainly tells an amusing, yet heartfelt story, and her writing is emotionally-charged.

Sophie Vasquez’s character is a sweetheart, and I fell in love with her immediately. As a cancer survivor, she’s been sheltered and protected most of her life. At times, she feels a bit smothered, but her love for her family keeps her from voicing her desire to live free from the shelter that encircles her. She’s determined to break free and sees her chance to do so when she has the opportunity to work with Harrison Parks and the puppy she’s identified as the one to most likely fit his needs, she grabs it with gusto. I adored her feisty attitude and her persistence. What an awesome character!

Harrison Parks is not your run-of-the-mill hero. He’s rugged instead of handsome, he’s a bit of a grouchy bear, and while he presents a tough-as-nails persona, he’s actually insecure. He doesn’t believe anyone will ever want him. After all, his mother deserted him and his father, when he ends up in a diabetic coma as a very young boy. He feels a great deal of pain and abandonment, which he hides from everyone. I loved seeing him fall hard for not only Sophie, but the ball of fluff, Bubbles, an adorable Pomeranian.

I enjoyed the premise of dog trainers who unite service animals with their right partners. Sophie’s sisters are lively, and I look forward to reading their love stories. Ms. Gilmore shows a great deal of talent with character development, for not only her main characters, but for the secondary ones as well. From Harrison’s grumpy father to Sophie’s meddling mama, they are all engaging.

The romance between Sophie and Harrison is more sexual than I initially expected. The passion ignites quickly and burns hot. It’s playful and fun. While I’m not a fan of the f-bomb, Ms. Gilmore manages to use it to enhance the feisty Sophie’s adventurous side.

If you’re looking for a romance that will put a smile on your face and have you chuckling as you read, while still managing to touch on plenty of deep emotion, then you will love Puppy Love. I can’t wait to read the next book in this delightful and funny series. Happy reading!

I really enjoyed this book. A gruff big guy needs a service dog to know when he is in danger of his diabetic numbers being off. The dog the trainer picks for him is a little rescue pomeranian. She's very sweet but timid. He balks but is talked into it. The things they go through are hilarious. I loved the interaction between Bubbles (the dog and Sophie (the trainer). Harrison is so bitter about life in general that it colors his whole life. He little by little opens up as Sophie drags him forward. A very sweet story

3 stars
A cute Hallmark movie type of book. A little slow going at times. I love dogs, so this was a cute read for me.

Title: Puppy Love

Series: Service Puppies #1

Author: Lucky Gilmore

Pages:384

May 28th 2019

Genre; Romance



A brand new series from debut author Lucy Gilmore, featuring service puppies who might just be matchmakers in the making...



Sophie Vasquez runs Puppy Promise, a service puppy training organization. Sophie's always been treated as the frail baby of the family—a thing she hates but doesn't know how to change. Until, that is, she meets her newest client.



Harrison Parks is a wildfire firefighter who isn't allowed back in the field unless he finds a service dog. Reluctantly, he agrees, never expecting to be assigned a skittish Pomeranian and the equally skittish woman who's supposed to wrangle them both into order. As it turns out, they all have something to prove…and more than enough room in their hearts for a little puppy love


My thoughts

Rating: 5

Would I recommend it? yes in fact I told my friend Frishawn , she had to read it

Will i read more of this series? yes

Will i read anything else by this author? yes

What a cute and funny romance , I loved everyhing about the characters and even the puppy , loved how one cute little puppy could rap one man around her little paws in less then a day, it had me laughing though out the story .Can't wait to get my hands on the second book when I can, with that said I want to thank Netgalley for letting me read and review it , exchange for my honest opinion.