When Margot goes to adopt a puppy the last thing she ever expects is to end up sharing the dog with a stranger and then have that relationship develop into something more.

This book was interesting, the plot was unique and the characters were interesting as well. I loved reading about Will's character arc and seeing him grow and accept himself. The side characters were also interesting. Blossom was definitely a character as well and her role in the whole story was cute and I liked to see everything there.

My issue was that things seemed to move a bit slow? Like the first half (or so) of the book didn't really have that much going on and the second half had a bunch of things.

Overall it was an okay read but I just wasn't feeling it too much, probably because it took so long to get into.

TW: Cancer, death of a parent, alcoholism, abuse

Margot, Will, and Blossom all have had pain in their pasts but now, together, they are navigating new lives. I can't imagine an animal rescue that would permit two people to co-adopt a dog with the dog living with one of them one week and the other the next but that's the set up here. Blossom is a Staffordshire terrier who pulls at both of their heartstrings (and will pull at yours as well). Margot has been loved and lost in the past. Will has a history of abuse in his family, These three will find that together they are stronger than they thought. And then there's love...Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This book was great for me, mostly because of Blossom the amazing rescue Staffie. Oh, the humans were okay…. but that dog stole the show. I think it was hard for me to connect with Margot and Will at first for the simple fact that there were moments when I found each of them completely unlikeable… but I liked who they became because of the love they had for their shared dog. The whole enemies-to-lovers is actually a lot of fun for me- I love watching the fireworks, and getting to see the personal growth of the characters. Having a sentient being seemingly determined to get the two together was interesting. I liked that Margot got stronger, but she never completely closed her heart to the outside world. Will’s character development was fantastic to watch too and by the end he became a character I really liked.

Told in dual narrative (Margot and Will), this book was easy to follow and had a good flow to it. That said, it isn’t one I would call a fast read- I found myself putting it down a lot. It’s not bad, per se, just not a book I can see reading in one sitting. There’s a lot of pain here, definitely some trauma. There’s also a lot of joy and some humor too- like all good books this is going to stir up some emotions. The interactions with Blossom, and with Will’s family, were definitely my favorite parts of the book, but the slow burn romance between Will and Margot was good and pretty believable given their personalities. For me, this was a three star book. I liked it, but it’s not one that I feel the need to buy multiple copies of. Still, It’s worth the read.

⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
On the adult content scale, I’d say there’s a lot to unpack. It’s geared towards adults so there’s swearing, drinking, sexual content (not too explicit, but there’s quite a bit of it) and talk of physical and mental abuse. I would definitely say this one is for the 18+ crowd.


I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Quercus books in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!

I absolutely loved this book. I deeply connected to it since I have a rescue dog myself. I love that this book spread the message “Adopt don’t shop.” I think this is a message that many people are afraid to say because they are afraid of controversy. I love that Sarra Manning hit this head on. More importantly, I loved the book. Blossom was just the sweetest dog and I loved reading about her. I am glad that her happily ever after helped two other people find their own happily ever after. Co-Pawrents is such a great idea and I love that this book touched base on it. I also really liked the characters in this book. They all showed readers that it is never too late to find what you deserve in life, whether it means coming out of a divorce, losing a parent, or being abandoned at a shelter. I really enjoyed this book and I think other dog lovers really will too.

I wanted to love this one, but the hero and heroine both drove me nuts and I couldn't get drawn into the story enough to enjoy it.

This was a typical RomCom with a predictable meetque between the two main characters. I think the premise was clever, he being voluntold to watch her dog until she can adopt him officially. And of course that’s when he decides he wants the dog as well.

But the characters fell flat to me. I did not care for Margot as she sounded shallow and bitter throughout most the book. And while Nick had more emotional depth to him, their chemistry felt forced on the writing.

However I applied the skills of Sara Manning as she writes about loss, pain, and death that the characters experienced and found healing in the dog Blossom and themselves. Understanding real human emotion is something that was done well with Margot and Will, I just think it was explored in isolation rather than in their love story.

This was a Very good romantic comedy for anyone who loves dogs and chick flicks! Very cute storyline

This was a really cute read. It didn't feel particularly different from everything else on the market right now, but that, in a way, was comforting. It'll be a really nice summer read.

I really wanted to love this book because I’m such a dog lover and have rescued our German Shepard from a local shelter. I had a hard time really getting into the book though. It was a slow read and not much happens throughout the story but I did like the development of the main characters. Margot grew on me over time but at first I had a hard time connecting to her character.

I am absolutely a cat person, but dogs are the best characters in some contemporary romances. Pongo and Perdita literally tying their owners together in 101 Dalmatians? ICONIC. More bookish examples: the service dogs in The Match by Sarah Adams and Logan’s loyal companion in The Lucky One.

Anyway, the point is that I requested this #netgalley ARC of Rescue Me for the dog. This book is about bubbly, dramatic Margot and serious, anxiety-filled Will, who—after a lot of arguing—come to share custody of their new dog Blossom. If you love dogs, read this one just for Blossom and the delight of seeing her go from traumatized rescue dog to the most spoiled member of the family. For me, the romance fell to the wayside as the story progressed. It happens a bit too slowly (even for a slow burn lover), and because I found myself relating to Will a lot, I found Margot’s narration to be annoying (even after he fell in love with her). I think I would have liked this one a lot more if I felt that I could empathize with Margot, who felt overly quirky and very selfish. On the other hand, although I really enjoyed the relatable depiction of anxiety and the simultaneous pleasure and pressure of doing right for one’s family, others might feel that Will’s narration is dry and overly serious. Overall, a letdown, but one with hilarious, relatable dog-owner moments.

Pros:
-Blossom the adorable, spoiled rescue dog
-Will’s hilarious and loyal family
-Some relatable, realistic anxiety rep
-Enemies to friends to lovers
-A few sexy scenes for those of you who can’t go without them (you know who you are)

Cons:
-Slow pacing
-Annoying female protagonist
-The chemistry between the characters comes in late

Overall I enjoyed this book. Any book that centers around a big, loving dog captures my heart instantly. I did enjoy Will and Margots love story. The development and understanding of Will and Margot based on their pasts really helped with understanding their characteristics and who they are in the present. There was a slower burn to this book. I felt like I just wanted them to fall in love but sometimes it is worth the slow burn. I really enjoyed Wills family integration in the story line. Overall I appreciated the read and how they fell in love.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an okay read, not the greatest but not the worst. The storyline is pretty bland to be honest, nothing really too exciting or captivating happens throughout the book. I thought that the pacing of the story was really slow as well. There just didn’t seem to be a lot of plot development up until the end.

The main characters, Margot and Will did have great character development and personal growth. Their independent journeys were well developed and written. The romance and relationship between Margot and Will is super slow unfortunately, again nothing happens between them until like 70% into the book.

One thing I did really love about this book was Blossom, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. She was just super adorable and definitely the star of the book. The epilogue was really cute and nicely wrapped up the story.

Overall, an all right book with a cute dog and good characters.

Thank you to Quercus and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Margot and Will meet at the local dog rescue. Margot has intentions of adopting a sweet pittie named Blossom. Will was just planning on doing some quick volunteering to get his therapist off his back. Instead, he winds up agreeing to foster Blossom while Margot goes out of town for business. While she’s gone, he bonds with Blossom and eventually he and Margot work out a deal: they will share custody of the pup. One problem is they don’t get along very well… how will they make it work? Only Blossom knows!

Mmm, I don’t know how I feel about this one. I’m a sucker for a story with a dog. So on one hand, I did enjoy the romance and the HEA. On the other hand, I still hate Will’s guts. What kind of guy agrees to foster a dog for someone who has already said that she is definitely interested in adopting this dog and then changes his mind and says nope, she’s mine and not yours? A MONSTER that’s what.

Alas, if you can get past that and into the story, as I did, you do kind of grow to like him, even if deep down you resent him a little bit.

Like I said though, the romance is very good and we do love a little enemies to lovers action. And Margot is a great character! I definitely found myself relating to her and just generally enjoying her. I guess I understand why Will thought she was a bit much at times, but honestly I would probably be the same. My dog is my baby lol.

I guess in the end, I came for the dog, stayed for the dog, mostly enjoyed the romance along the way.

3.5/5 stars

“Rescue Me” by Sarra Manning
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: 7/21

Thank you Netgalley for giving me an ARC of this adorable book! Dogs+romance=perfect combo. I wasn’t sure if I would get drawn in, but about 1/4 of the way in I got invested in the characters.
Margot is 36 and single. She wants a family, so bad. The problem is she hasn’t found Mr. Right. She decides to look into rescuing a dog. Preferably a cute fluffy pup. When she gets to the dog rescue she sees a scared Staffy and knows instantly she is the one. The problem is Blossom needs a home now and Margot has to leave for a week long work trip.
Will has been back from New York for over six months and with the advice of his therapist he should volunteer and give back. He decides to look into volunteering at the local rescue. Will walks in at the perfect time. Instead of volunteering he gets roped into fostering Blossom while Margot is away on work.
During the week Margot is away Will falls in love with Blossom. He can’t imagine giving her up. After a tense conversation they decide to adopt Blossom together. They will be the perfect Pawrents. Margot and Will find themselves disagreeing on how Blossom should be disciplined. They take her to a training class and the instructor puts it bluntly they need to get on the same page and spend time as a threesom. Will and Margot find they enjoy spending time together even if they can’t agree on everything.

I was drawn to this fantastic book for the plot. Due to a mistake in paperwork, Margot and Will agree to share foster custody of sweet dog Blossom every other week. This was deeper than what I anticipated, in a good way. You really get to the why's of their desire for wanting Blossom. It's a slower-paced novel that may not have the ending you are truly hoping for, but I really enjoyed this one!

This was an amazing romance, and I found myself very much engaged from the start of the book to the very end. I loved the chemistry between the characters and how they matched so well. It was a wonderfully written book.

3.5 stars

Margot and Will meet at a local animal shelter after a paperwork mishap has them both agreeing to foster Blossom, the cutest little Staffordshire to exist (seriously, I love this fictional dog). Both of them desperately wanting to foster her, devise a plan to share custody of every other week. Sounds manageable, right? No. Margot and Will do not get on, and their constant clashing reeks havoc on poor Blossom.

As the story progresses, we see how deeply hurt and flawed our these two are, and how badly they both need Blossom in their lives. Despite their dislike for one another, Will and Margot are two peas in a pod, and for Blossom's benefit decide to make an effort to be civil to one another.

I'm a huge enemies to lovers fan, and I thought this was a pretty cute story that actually dove into some pretty deep issues. Plus I loved the bully breed representation going on. Overall it was a really cute book, but my only issue was with the pacing of Rescue Me--it's a bit too slow for my liking.

This was a fantastic read. The characters and dialogue were realistic. And who doesn't love a good dog? This book took me on an emotional journey that I didn't want to end. Sarra Manning created a fantastic plot with believable and flawed characters I wanted to have dinner with. I would definitely read more by the author.

I liked the premise of this book, and I think the author did an excellent job fleshing out the characters. I think the reason this book didn't resonate as much with me is that this book just wasn't what I was expecting. I assumed it was going to be a light, quick read. The author focuses more on character development so it has a much more literary aspect than I was not expecting. I appreciate their craft!

I loved the premise but I found the book itself not as good as I had hoped. I thought the characters were pretty dull and the book itself really slow. If the pace was quicker with more humor in the scenarios, I would have enjoyed it much more.