Love at First Bark

June 10, 2019
Burns charms with the complex fourth Rescue Me contemporary (after A New Leash on Love), which is much more than a cute critter story. Pet portrait painter Mia Chambers was in the midst of divorcing her unfaithful husband, Brad, when he dropped dead of an aneurysm, leaving her with her seven-year-old son, Ollie, and a pile of debt. St. Louis architect Ben Thomas has been in love with Mia for years, but she was married to his best friend. Ben and Mia begin to tentatively move toward romance, but then Mia meets 20-year-old Stacey, who confesses to having an affair with Brad that led to a baby. Stacey, daunted by parenthood, begs Mia for help with six-month-old Brody. When Mia discovers that Ben knew about Stacey and Brody, their relationship hits a speed bump. But in confronting this harsh reality, Mia learns what she’s made of, and Ben proves he’s always there for her. The animal shelter where Mia and Ben volunteer is delightfully appealing, and Mia and Ben’s complicated love will win readers over. Mia’s colorful, philosophical mother and endearing son add depth and richness to the well-paced narrative, as do a whole pack of lovable animals. This creative story will draw new fans to Burns’s satisfying series. Agent: Jessica Watterson, Sandra Dijkstra Literary.

June 1, 2019
Puppies, dogs, a young child, and a baby round out a Christmas romance between friends. Widowed single mom Mia Chambers has no idea that Ben Thomas has been in love with her for eight years. Architect and mountain climber Ben fell hard for Mia at her college graduation, but a twist of fate meant he lost her to his best friend. Despite his heartache, he has been a steadfast support to her and her son during her troubled marriage (due to her late husband's mental illness and infidelity) and its aftermath. But the two may finally start to overcome the past with some help from the strays at the animal shelter where Mia volunteers. Burns (My Forever Home, 2018, etc.) adds to her Rescue Me series with this sweet but plodding tale of lost love regained. Long passages are devoted to descriptions of the animals, adoption processes, and dog antics, which may please some readers but leave others impatient for the romance plot's progression. It seems poised for drama when Mia discovers that Ben withheld some knowledge related to one of her husband's affairs, but the tension is defused quickly. The appearance of Mia's mother, Lynn, and ex-in-laws further dilutes the focus on Ben and Mia, though their sense of being abandoned by their mothers establishes an empathetic connection between them. But a passing reference to Ben's mom's Lebanese nationality and Lynn's stated spiritual connection to Africa and life in rural Kenya feel like an awkward attempt to gesture to diversity in a largely homogeneous landscape. For readers who enjoy a nontaxing story of second chances.

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August 1, 2019

Recently widowed by an estranged husband she was planning to divorce, Mia Chambers finds herself in a situation that is complicated, both for her and her kid. It becomes overwhelming when she learns her husband may have fathered another child. Things are equally complicated for Ben Thomas, Mia's late husband's best friend and their son's godfather. Ben has secretly been in love with Mia for years and, before everything completely unraveled, the two shared a moment, indicating his feelings might not be entirely one-sided. After a pack of border collies are left to roam in a park, Mia and Ben help to round up and foster the dogs. It might be crazy to add three new dogs to the already messy circumstances, but it also might help straighten things out. VERDICT With complications on top of complications, the sweet fourth outing in the "Rescue Me" series (after A New Leash on Love) unfortunately occasionally gets lost among the tangles. Still, series fans might want to give it a try.--Kellie Tilton, Univ. of Cincinnati Blue Ash

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2019
The fourth book in Burns' Rescue Me series, set among the staff, volunteers, and dogs of the High Grove Animal Shelter in St. Louis, tells the story of animal-portrait painter Mia Chambers and architect Ben Thomas, both volunteers there. Ben, who is godfather to Mia's son, Ollie, has loved Mia forever, but has been unable to do anything about it, since she was married. Mia, however, is newly widowed, and they are drawn closer through the rescue of a dozen border collie puppies, and the dismaying news that Mia's dead husband fathered another child with another woman. Thanks to a timely intervention by her mother, Mia gets the push she needs to admit her feelings for Ben and acknowledge his for her. There are cameo appearances by characters from Burns' earlier books, so this will appeal to readers already familiar with the series, as well as those who like animal-related romances. A good story on the sweet side.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)