Love at First Bark by Michelle Major – a Review

Love at First Bark by Michelle Major – a Review

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Description:
Sometimes love happens in the most re-bark-able way.

Cassie Raebourn’s love life has gone to the dogs—literally. A childhood trauma inspired her career as a veterinarian where she indulges her special fondness for dogs. Then, Aiden Riley unexpectedly walks into her clinic and steals her heart. The reckless rodeo star was at the center of the trauma all those years ago. Cassie knows Aiden feels the attraction too. Can they bury the past and find the courage to let each other in?

 

 

Review:

Love at First Bark by Michelle Major is the 12th book in her Crimson, Colorado series.   I have not read the earlier books of this series, not really knowing about it.  I have become a fan of Michelle Major having loved her Carolina Girls, Magnolia Sisters series. 

We meet Cassie Raebourn and Aiden Riley at the start, when they were young teenagers; in a heartbreaking scene where Aiden’s dog was brought to the veterinarian clinic in hope to save his dog, who was brutally beaten by Aiden’s abusive father.  Cassie worked part time to help at the clinic.  The dog died, and Aiden left Crimson, with his mother and sister, getting away from the terrible father/husband.

Twenty years later, Cassie also returns to Crimson to be near her mother, and fills in at the same veterinarian clinic where she volunteered as a youngster. Cassie has always been an animal lover, is hoping to become a partner at the clinic; with one vet she was close to and the other vet, very unlikeable.  Residents who come to the clinic love Cassie, with her sunny personality and wonderful care and compassion of the animals. Cassie is surprised to see Aiden again, after all the years, as he arrives at the clinic with his nephew, George, who is carrying an injured puppy.

Aiden came back to his home town to help out his sister and nephew, as his sister Lila recently lost her husband.  He is surprised when he sees Cassie, who is now a veterinarian, come out to look at the dog, Spud. He was happy to see her again, but because of his terrible past, Aiden comes across as difficult, telling his nephew that they will not take care of the dog. Other then his sister and nephew, Aiden has closed any feelings for anyone.  He doesn’t plan on staying long, especially remembering all those bad memories. Cassie having witnessed the horrible time years ago, understands how Aiden has shut himself down, with the exception of his sister and nephew.  

It is Cassie’s mother and Lila (Aiden’s sister) who work toward pushing Aiden to open himself up, as well as Cassie to try to get Aiden to allow for Spud to be adopted.  Cassie is wonderful vet, so caring, and a few times, she gets Aiden to help injured animals, and eventually he will adopt another dog, who lost his leg in an accident.  Though at the start, Aiden and Cassie do feel some sparks, but both are not in the best situation in their lives.  In a short time, we can see a romance forming between them, but Cassie who finds herself eventually falling for Aiden, recognizes the difficulty of getting Aiden to open his heart. Will Cassie succeed in winning Aiden over and staying in Crimson?

Cassie is also dealing with Dr. Smith, who is mean, heartless and not a caring vet, and he is determined to fire her, since everyone likes her.  His constant demeaning attitude against Cassie was terrible. Aiden will come forward a few times to defend Cassie. Lila, to her happiness, receives an offer to sell the land, as she could not handle it.

Love at First Bark was a wonderful story, revolving around family, animals and love. It was nice to see Cassie and Aiden slowly finding love along the way.  I loved all the dogs, especially Spud and Rosie, who were so great to watch. The epilogue at the end was great.   I really enjoyed the book, which is no surprise, as I enjoy Michelle Major’s books.  If you like a slow burn romance, great secondary characters and wonderful dogs, you should read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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Love at First Bark by Debbie Burns – Review,Excerpt & Giveaway

Love at First Bark by Debbie Burns – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

 

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Description:

Animal portrait painter Mia Chambers and architect Ben Thomas have volunteered at the High Grove Animal Shelter for years, and they share a complicated history. Ben has secretly loved Mia all this time, but she was married to his best friend. Now she’s newly widowed, with a young son, and Ben doesn’t know how to tell her what’s in his heart. All he can do is stay close, help her as much as she’ll let him, and watch for the right moment to bare his soul.

When a dozen adorable border collies get dumped in St. Louis’ biggest park, everyone at the shelter mobilizes for a large-scale rescue. Rushing to the park to round up the frisky collies, Ben and Mia unexpectedly plunge into a new phase of their entangled lives. Who knew that opening their hearts and homes—to animals in need and to each other—would lead to so many upheavals…and new beginnings…?

Rescue Me Series:
A New Leash on Love (Book 1)
Sit, Stay, Love (Book 2)
My Forever Home (Book 3)
Love at First Bark (Book 4)

 

 

Review:

Love at First Bark by Debbie Burns is the 4th book in her Rescue Me series. We return to High Grove Animal Shelter, revisiting many people we met in the previous books.   Mia Chambers, our heroine, works at the shelter and also paints animal pictures.  Mia is recently widowed (though she was in the middle of a divorce) and has an adorable 7 year old son, Ollie.

Ben Thomas, our hero, has always been in love with Mia, but she was married to his best friend.   Ben does everything he can to help Mia and her son, as well as participate in events for the shelter; but he awaits the right moment to let Mia know about his true feelings. 

I was great to see Megan, Patrick, Tess and all the others from the shelter, as well as all the cats and dogs, especially those that we know.  Mia’s mother makes a surprise visit, and she pushes Mia to open her eyes to Ben’s love for her.  Mia also must deal with her in-laws, who are not keen on Mia becoming involved with anyone.   But Mia will stand up to them, noting that she was in the middle of finalizing a divorce. 

When someone dumps a dozen border collies in a park, everyone bands together to rescue them. I really enjoyed Ben, Mia and Ollie bringing two dogs (mother and puppy) home to foster and eventually adopt them.  Very cute.   The hunt to find and place the border collies, brings Ben and Mia closer, with both acknowledging their feelings for each other.

What follows is a wonderful sweet romance between Ben and Mia, with added the  element of Ollie.  I love this series, which spends much of the time with the shelter and the wonderful dogs and cats.  Love at First Bark is a wonderful delightful, heartwarming read, with some great characters, sweet dogs and cats, and wonderful romance.  

In Love at First Bark, Debbie Burns gives us another well written, sweet heartwarming story that kept us entertained from beginning to end. If you love animals, with a romance in the background, you need to read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

Mia stepped out from Ollie’s room to find the main cabin empty. A single lamp was on, and the dwindling fire still glowed in the fireplace. Neither Ben nor Turbo around, and Mia wondered if Ben was done for the night too. A rush of disappointment swept over her at the thought of not getting to say good night to him.
Swallowing it down, she headed to the door with the dogs. The snow boots were all lined up beside the door on two long, thick rugs that were wet from the clumps of ice and snow that had been clinging to the boots when they’d come inside. The cold, wet patches stung Mia’s bare feet as she slipped into hers. She grabbed her coat from the closet and snaked it up one arm, transferred the puppy, then snaked it up the other.
When Mia moved to open the door and realized it was unlocked, she looked closer at the row of boots. Ben’s were missing. Her heart skittered in her chest. She opened the door with bated breath, but he was nowhere in sight.
Feeling the rush of cold air, Sam gave a determined shake of his head. His muscles tensed against her as if he was getting ready to leap. Sadie trotted backward several feet from the door as if to say “No thanks.”
Holding it open wider, Mia encouraged her. “Come on, girl. It’ll be a quick one, promise.”
Sadie whined but reluctantly followed Mia outside to the porch. Blue-white moonlight poured over the yard, bright enough to create shadows from the trees on the snow, and thousands of stars dotted the sky. The puppy squirmed in her arms as she stepped out deeper into the yard, crunching snow under her boots, until she set him down and zipped her coat.
Ben and Turbo were nowhere to be seen. She headed out into the yard, unable to entice Sadie off the snow-cleared porch. Sam trotted along, creating his own path, diving underneath windswept mounds, burying himself completely, then popping up and shaking himself off.
Mia was laughing at his antics when Sadie tore off the porch at something she’d spotted, barking and racing away into the darkness at the side of the cabin. Mia tensed, waiting, squinting to make out something in the darkness while trying to will Sadie back. “Ben?”
“Thank God,” she said when he called out into the night that it was him. She felt a rush of hesitation as he neared. “I thought the dogs might need to get outside another time before I put them in their crates.”
“Ollie’s asleep already?”
“As soon as his head hit the pillow.”
“Fresh air will do that to you.” Ben fell into step beside her as they headed toward the house.
Mia’s throat grew tight, and there was no denying why. They needed to talk. For hours into the night. There was so much to discuss. The only problem was Mia didn’t want to waste another minute of it not kissing him.
She swallowed hard. “Thanks for everything. For coming and all. For being so good to him.”
“I love him.”
She did her best to snip through the strings of connection drawing her to him. She was at a loss for words again, and Ben wasn’t helping them come any easier. She sat a squirmy and excited Sam back onto the ground. They were both quiet as they watched Sam leap and jump in a patch of untampered snow.
“Are you ready to go in? It’s freezing.”
“Mia, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the baby.”
They’d each spoken at exactly the same time. Mia bit her lip. “I can see why you didn’t, I guess. Would you have? Eventually.”
“Yeah, definitely. I was trying to find the right time.”
She nodded, conscious of her beating heart and the deep breaths she was taking. “I forgive you. Today’s a day for forgiveness, it seems.”
He shifted Turbo’s leash from one hand to the other. “About the other night…do you remember what you meant by ‘Et tu, Brute’? You texted that.”
Sam trotted off from them and up to the porch, snuggling against his mom, ready to go inside and get warm. Turbo looked off into the woods, not seeming to notice the cold.
Somehow, Mia knew if she told the truth, nothing was going to be the same. A tiny, nearly incoherent fear-filled voice inside her was screaming that she needed to stop this. But even if she couldn’t put it into words, she knew what she was doing. Suddenly her throat loosened, and the words spilled out. “The night Ollie was born, after the accident, you were there. You held my hand because Brad couldn’t. And not just that night. So many other times too. Sometimes I swear you’re the only person in the world who really sees me. When I figured out it was you Stacey was talking about in the letter, it wasn’t just that you knew and didn’t tell me, learning that made me doubt… I don’t know…everything.”
She could see the pain her words caused, and that more than anything was why she let herself step in and press her lips against his. He was four or five inches taller, but on the tips of her toes, she could just reach his lips. And just like before, she liked it. She liked everything about it.
She closed her bare, cold hands over the sides of his face and opened her mouth fully to his. He had strong lips, and she could feel the stubble from one day’s growth of beard against her skin.
He smelled like the Minnesota woods, cedar and pine, and he tasted like the s’mores they’d had in front of the fire. She could taste the sugar and chocolate on his lips and tongue. Her head began to swim, and she wondered if it was a flashback to drunkenly kissing him, or if she wasn’t breathing. Light-headed or not, she couldn’t pull away. She needed his kiss like she needed air, and he was going to have to be the one to stop it.
Only he didn’t. His hands slipped into her hair, and he lowered his face to hers so that she didn’t have to stand on her tiptoes. His tongue met hers, and he pulled closer as if he needed her the same way she needed him.
If he never pulled away, if he’d stand out here kissing her till they froze, Mia wouldn’t complain. Kissing Ben felt more than just good. It felt right. Like she’d been traveling a long time and had finally landed exactly where she should have been all along. It was as if she could feel broken pieces of herself mending together, halves becoming whole.
And somehow, even though she couldn’t explain it, she knew he felt the same way.

***
Excerpted from Love at First Bark by Debbie Burns. © 2019 by Debbie Burns. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

 


Debbie Burns’ writing commendations include a Booklist Top 10 Romance Debut of 2017, a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly, and a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews, as well as first-place awards for short stories, flash fiction, and longer selections. She lives in St. Louis with her family, two phenomenal rescue dogs, and a somewhat tetchy Maine coon cat who everyone loves anyway. Visit her online at her website: www.authordebbieburns.com/

 

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