Rescue Me by Sarra Manning: Margot has had her heart crushed by both her useless ex boyfriend and her cat, so 
she decides that she wants to give a rescue dog a second chance at a happy home. Which is exactly how the fashionable plus – size fashion designer finds herself heading to the local rescue centre, already in visioning adopting something small, cute and fluffy Margot is definitely surprised when the big floppy eared Stuffy is the one to steal her heart right from the get go. The only issue being it would seem Blossom the loveable Stuffy has stole two hearts all the in the space of one day, how will these two polar opposite strangers make ‘pawparenting’ their new fur baby work?
Having spent the past year in therapy former burnt-out investment banker Will is convinced that he has made big steps with reconnecting with his family and okay he might still be working on the whole making friends bit but that is exactly what getting a dog is supposed to help him with. He just never expected to get tangled up with the quirky Margot, but with both of them having their hearts set on Blossom the sweet Staffy they are determined to make this co-pawrenting thing work. After the first few handover days going super awkward, Will and Margot find themselves falling into a comfortable routine, maybe they could even form a new friendship, with the help of the loveable pooch these two soon find that maybe there is actually more than just friendship between them.
There is just something about having the added cuteness of a fur baby that makes a romance all the more loveable, this is exactly what Blossom did in Rescue Me. I loved reading this opposites attract romcom and getting to see Margot and Will grow as individuals but also come together to help each other heal. I have to say Manning has done an excellent job at mashing both the sweetness of a romance with some very deep topics.
Sometimes the slow burn trope can drag on a bit but I found that this worked out really well, in that it allowed us to get to know both Will and Margot but it also allowed these two to get to know each other first as friends and then grow their romantic relationship. In allowing them to grow to trust each other slowly also helped with them being able to open up and talk about their pasts.
I loved that both Margot and Will were so relatable which made them all the more loveable. I think any woman can relate to Margot and the way she felt about running out of time to start a family of her own. As for our sweet hero Will, I loved that underneath his prickly exterior was this gooey softie that loved his family. Gosh, did these two characters have some hot, hot chemistry! When they finally did come together it was some steamy goodness.
However the real star of this book has to be Blossom, as a huge animal fan this book truly won my heart over. On top of having such a sweet doggo, I loved that Manning showed the true nature of Staffy’s, many a times these gentle giants are painted as these mean ferocious dogs but in fact the are one of the most loving breeds.
I would highly recommend reading this beauty and complex romance. Rescue Me was such a cute read that had me wanting to head to the local animal shelter to give some puppy snuggles!
Book Info:
Publication: January 21st 2021 (Hodder)| August 10, 2021 (Quercus) |
Margot and Will cross paths at the local dog rescue centre where – after a series of misunderstandings and a lot of consternation – they agree to foster Blossom (a staffy with a giant head, soft, floppy ears and kohl-rimmed brown eyes) together: one week on, one week off.
Margot and Will don’t get off to the best of starts: he thinks Margot is demanding and needy and Just So Much. And she thinks Will is emotionally unavailable, slightly brittle and very mistrustful. They’re both right.
But the more they bicker, the worse Blossom behaves, and they realise they have to form some sort of truce in order to dog-parent (or “pawrent” as Margot calls it, to which Will rolls his eyes) her together. It’s almost as if Blossom has plans of her own…
