I really enjoyed this refreshingly sweet heartwarming story. The main characters Olivia and Gabe are so lovable and such good people. Olivia is a teacher who also volunteers to pick up rescues for animal shelters. Gabe is a Vet, who has a practice but also works at the shelters. So clearly they both love animals and want to help them, which is a great foundation bond for a relationship. They meet while rescuing a dog from some seriously scary flooding and wow what an intense scene that was!! The descriptive writing from Ms Burns made me feel like I was there and at was freaking out the whole time. The whole story is just so sweet and really put my emotional side to the test a few times. I really loved Morgan’s POV (you’ll see who Morgan is) and also I love Gabe’s older Golden Retriever Samson. What a good boy! Love this series!

Head Over Paws is the first book I remember reading written by Debbie Burns. The cover caught my eye first but the wonderful smooth storytelling kept me reading. The plot is solid with strong character development, including the dogs.

This story of romance that happens in the middle of animal rescues and animal shelter need is a warming fuzzy story that will brighten anyone’s day. I enjoyed this warm story, thankful for the many volunteers who help out in difficult times such as flooding and even car problems. Gabe Wentworth and Olivia Graham are two extremely likable characters. Small town heroes that you hope find love together.

This is not the first book in the series so I look forward to seeing if the other books have the same setting and small town romance vibe. Honestly, this would make a great Hallmark movie.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a great book and series from Debbie Burns! This is the fifth book in the series but can be read on its own. I really loved the main characters, Olivia and Gabe. The writing was really great, fast to read and I didn't want to put the book down. Recommended!

This is a sweet, heartfelt romance with relatable characters with big hearts and two adorable dogs. From the beginning both Olivia and Gabe were open & honest with each other about their feelings and while the romance was fast, it felt real. This book does not disappoint and if you haven't read the prior books in the series you need to.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. You can get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0821N5W6L/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1



This book is the fifth book in the Rescue Me Series. I was not aware that it was a series book and have not read the previous four books, as a full disclosure.

We begin this book with Olivia Graham who had just signed up to be a volunteer rescue transporter. This entailed a five-hour drive in a transport chain to get some misplaced dogs into shelters. Her first assignment had her headed to the Missouri Bootheel where she had grown up and most of her family still lived. Olivia soon has car troubles, putting her transport chain plans on the back burner. Every light on her dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree, except not quite as welcome. The smells of the car were much less pleasant as a Christmas tree. What was she going to do? These animals need her!

We then meet Gabe Wentworth, a Veterinarian in the middle of removing a cast that he had placed on this dog after performing surgery six weeks ago. His phone is ringing off the hook in his back pocket, distracting the heck out of him. Normally, his phone would be out of reach while he is with a patient. The dog had been dropped off at his office after it had been accidentally hit by a car. Gabe finally answers the phone once he is finished with his patient. It is his study partner, Yun from Ver school. Yen had invited Gabe to join a Facebook group that lists emergency cases needing veterinary services. There is a flood in the south near the Bootheel and a warehouse full of animals are in need of help. Yen happens to sweeten the deal/guilt Gabe into going by mentioning that one of the dogs is a Golden Retriever, just like Samson, Gabe’s dog. Yen called Gabe to tell him that one of the rescue drivers was stranded near the rescue site and they need the crates that she has in her car to rescue the animals. Call it Kissmet, fate, whatever you decide, but who is it that he is sent to rescue, but none other than our Olivia! Gabe is not keen on having another person in his car. He isn’t much for chitchat or any human company. Him and Samson are buds and he likes to keep company with him alone. He is on fire when he finds out it is a FEMALE! He was not into Damsels in distress. Not his game, especially to rescue a stunning redhead. It was pouring rain, the mechanic closed prior to his arrival, but was hanging around until Olivia’s ride arrived. The mechanic was pretty seedy and was eying Olivia like she was a meal after him being hungry for quite a long time. Gabe couldn’t morally leave Olivia to the likes of the mechanic and had Yun’s voice in the back of his head telling him not to be a jerk. Gabe insists that she text a photo of his license plate to her friend in good conscience, as she was getting into a stranger’s vehicle. They quickly set off in the pouring rain on the journey to rescue the dogs. This ends up being a task much more difficult than they both would have thought. We are then lead on a journey of the two forming a friendship or is it more? Olivia and her guilt of abandonment, Gabe and his need for adrenaline. This book did not disappoint and I am so excited to read the rest of the books in the series, to include the previous ones that I missed out on! Romance, shelter dogs, rescue and more. Fun and no sun!

Thanks goes to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of Head Over Paws by Debbie Burns for the purpose of reading and reviewing prior to publication. A contemporary Romance for animal lovers! My opinions are my own and no one has influenced them.

Head Over Paws is an enthralling novel with engaging characters and an animal lovers plot. As with other books in Rescue Me series, Mr. Burns’ writing style pulled me in from the first page and kept me enmeshed until the last page.

Olivia Graham’s character is easy to love right away. Not only is she a teacher, she’s a dog lover and goes to lengths to rescue animals in destress. She’s coming out of breaking off an engagement with her childhood sweetheart when she meets the hero and an immediate attraction develops to the point, she kisses him within hours of meeting.

Gabe Wentworth is an intriguing hero with a good deal of baggage from a broken engagement. His ex-fiancée broke it off when he lost his firefighter and EMT career and decided to become a veterinarian. When he meets Olivia, in an attempt to save a dog stranded, he’s drawn to her for several ways, not only physical attraction. Since he’d sworn off women, it shocks him. I enjoyed his internal conflict between the attraction and his baggage.

The romance between Olivia and Gabe is lovely and grows steadily once they reconnect. There was a problem with her missing cell phone that kept them apart after their first meeting. While there are some internal conflicts, the biggest issue is external. I may be in the minority, but I love it when there isn’t doubt over whether they should be with each other. I was routing for them to find their happy ending because they’re such a great fit for each other.

If you’re an animal lover, enjoy endearing characters and an emotionally charged plot, then you will love Head Over Paws as much as I. I’ve enjoyed this series, and not only recommend this novel, I urge you to read the other four books. Happy reading!

“Head Over Paws” is the fifth book in Debbie Burns Rescue Me series. Olivia Graham lives in St. Louis and teaches 8th grade math. She loves dogs but is unable to have a dog where she currently lives. The next best thing is to volunteer to be a rescue transporter, rescuing dogs in need to bring back to the local no-kill shelter. Her first opportunity takes her to the bootheel of Missouri where the river has overflowed its banks and animals are in need of saving. Unfortunately, her car breaks down on the way. She is picked up by a veterinarian, Gabe Wentworth, heading to the same area to see where he can be of assistance. Before heading back to St. Louis when their work is done, they hear of a dog in desperate need of being rescued as his pen is about to be swept away in the flooding river. Who should attempt the rescue but Gabe and Olivia! This book is a heartwarming story of people who love animals and are willing to risk everything to save them. The story also tells of the importance no-kill shelters offer to animals with no where else to go. And the saying, “who rescued who” really rings true! A must read for all who enjoy romance and animals, a fabulous combination!

This is a wonderful sweet romance that any animal lover will be ecstatic about Gabe is the hardened man who had his heart broken and is determined that no woman will ever make him feel a gain As a veterinarian he gives all his love to the animals especially his retired search and rescue dog Samson. Olivia is a school teacher who gives her time to animal rescue and the largest storm in years means there are plenty of animals to rescue but as she is heading to the area she needs to work in her car breaks down and it will be up to Gabe to rescue her Soon they are working side by side to rescue the animals and who can forget Morgan the rescue dog. The attraction between them is strong but will Gabe be willing to risk his heart again.

I love dogs in my stories, so...this is my catnip (pun fully intended). Sweet, escapist, small-town romance.

I am loving this series from Debbie Burns! Head Over Paws is the fifth book in the series and can be read as a stand alone.

I loved Olivia and Gabe so much! This book felt like a whirlwind and slow burn romance all at once and I loved the combination. I can’t wait to read more from Debbie!

Another wonderful installment to this series. Dog lovers everywhere will love the interactions between the dogs and their humans. The main characters meet by chance, while volunteering for an animal rescue. They share a terrifying adventure within hours of meeting, and are rarely apart afterwards. It is a heartwarming HEA story, with just the right amount of light drama. Highly recommend.

The writing style flows nicely, and the editing was perfect- I’m a stickler for misspellings and grammatical errors!

This is a sweet small town romance that holds your attention. It is well written and I feel in love with Sampson and Morgan. If you like animals in your story's, you will enjoy reading this book. . Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Romance and dogs- a great combination! Olivia is a teacher but she's working as a substitute and doesn't have a permanent slot. She's determined to help others though and decides to assist in the rescue of animals displaced by a flood. Gabe is a vet (who's also an EMT). He's got a great dog, Samson, who worked with him on search and rescue. Gabe and Olivia meet cute when her car breaks down. They pull together to assist other dogs, including Morgan (love Morgan). One spark grows into a love story and these two make a nice pair. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Relatable, likable characters, a positive spirit, and, well, dogs, make this a good read.

It was cute. I didn’t love it, but it was cute. This sweet small town romance features two people who meet and connect over their love of animals. It’s a little charming, a little suspenseful, and a little boring. I never fully connected to either of the characters - they have an insta-love romance that I felt lacked chemistry - and the writing style was too much “tell” and not enough “show.” It’s not a bad way to spend a few hours if you’re looking for a sweet, only slightly steamy romance, but it’s not one I’ll revisit.

The story follows Gabe, a veterinarian who closed off his heart after a rough breakup. He loves animals and they've been his life for the past several years, so when he meets Olivia in some unexpected circumstances, he's surprised by the instant connection between them. After sharing a memorable day together, the two grow closer and start a relationship as they work over their individual hangups.

It's a light, easy read with minimal angst and a lot of sweetness. Both characters are likable so it was easy to root for them to get together; I just wish I felt more chemistry. It felt like every time they were starting to build up to something they were interrupted, so it was jarring to go back and forth. It's not all that sexy to talk about the logistics of sleeping together when there's a dog constantly in the way, and though I get that it's a realistic issue, it also didn't do anything to make me feel the connection. There's also the insta-love - these two move at lightning speed, and I just didn't understand it. Perhaps if the writing style had been different, it would've worked better, but that wasn't the case. All in all, it's a decent read that has the bones of a good book; the execution was just lacking. I received an ARC via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review of this sweet romance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book.
Like the previous novels by Debbie Burns, this story involves a rescue, a dog, and two main characters that fall in love. This story is slightly different however, as we get glimpses of what it's like from the dog's POV.
Gabe is a vet and Olivia is a teacher and when they meet there is an instant attraction. With a few hiccups in communication, they navigate how to make it work between them.
An easy read with 'all the feels' that come from centring around an animal shelter.
3.5 stars

When Olivia Graham decides to volunteer as a driver for an animal rescue operation, she didn’t realize that she would be the one that needed rescuing. Her car breaks down on the way to her assignment and she is rescued by Dr. Gabe Wentworth, a veterinarian. Gabe is not thrilled about giving a ride to a stranded volunteer, but once he meets Olivia, he changes his mind. A pleasant romance about a man who changed his occupation and was dumped by his fiancée and a woman who realized that she was not ready to marry and cancelled the wedding. Can these two, along with their furry friends, find a second chance at forever love? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

It’s been a while since I’ve visited the xxx shelter book world, and I was so excited to finally get Gabe's story. I love all of these characters, including the four-legged variety, and I couldn’t wait to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones.

Aside from the book lagging at times due to overly verbose text, I really enjoyed this storyline. And boy, oh boy, the drama surrounding the abandoned pup, Morgan, coming into Gabe and Olivia’s lives had me biting my nails and on the edge of my seat!

This book is sweet and charming, with a side of steam. The characters are memorable and just a little quirky, and you'll feel like you’ve made a new set of friends. And if you enjoy animals in your romance, you'll adore this wonderful, heartwarming story.

Olivia Graham is driving down Great River road on a wet spring muddy day. Hopeing there will be no flooding.Olivia has accepted an temporary teaching job .She will be staying in her aunt's clapboard house . she has signed up to be a volunteer animal rescue transporter. Her sister Ava has a condo in St louis.olivia misses her grandpa's farm and all the animals.Olivia left her fiance and Ava is going through a failed marriage. Olivia meets a sweet vet named Gabe. I liked the slow burn chemistry between Gabe and Olivia. A quick read. I liked all the characters. Samson was a sweet old dog. Along with some other sweet animals.♥️

This is a cute dog gone book. Love the romance and Samson!! He made the book!! I believe it could have been better if there wasn't so much back and forth.

I adored this book. It was a wonderful addition to the series, though could be read as a stand alone. The main characters are both recovering from broken hearts and not looking for anyone. They are actually actively not looking for love as they are still dealing with broken scarred hearts and or focused on their respective careers and animal rescue. Olivia is a school teacher who loves her work and is desperately looking for a permanent full time position while she is filling in for a teacher who is out sick. She is the kind teacher that everyone wants for their any child they know. Gabe was an fire fighter/EMT who one day after a particularly tough day decided he was done and followed his passion and went to veterinary school. It is through their love of animals and a old clunker of a car that they meet while going to help out a rescue group with care and helping to transport some pups.
They are both so sweet, funny, a little gun shy, but filled with passion for their work, animals and ultimately for each other. A definite read for anyone looking for a little light, laughter and sweetness in their life.