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Love to the Rescue #2
For Keeps
A summer fling... or something more?
Merry Atwater would do just about anything to save her dog rescue—even if it means working with the most stubborn man on the planet. It's hard to avoid the sparks that fly with TJ Jameson, the ruggedly sexy cowboy in charge of the children's camp where she's just taken an animal therapy job. But commitment is not Merry's style, and TJ clearly wants more than just a roll in the hay.
TJ Jameson isn't looking for anything complicated—just a peaceful life on his family's ranch with a wife and kids. "No-strings" Merry Atwater doesn't fit that bill, no matter how irresistible she is. But when he sees how Merry gets through to his autistic nephew and the other kids at Camp Blue Sky, TJ's a goner. If he doesn't give in to the now, he might just lose his shot at forever . . .
Merry Atwater would do just about anything to save her dog rescue—even if it means working with the most stubborn man on the planet. It's hard to avoid the sparks that fly with TJ Jameson, the ruggedly sexy cowboy in charge of the children's camp where she's just taken an animal therapy job. But commitment is not Merry's style, and TJ clearly wants more than just a roll in the hay.
TJ Jameson isn't looking for anything complicated—just a peaceful life on his family's ranch with a wife and kids. "No-strings" Merry Atwater doesn't fit that bill, no matter how irresistible she is. But when he sees how Merry gets through to his autistic nephew and the other kids at Camp Blue Sky, TJ's a goner. If he doesn't give in to the now, he might just lose his shot at forever . . .
324 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 27, 2015
28 people are currently reading
1054 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Lacey
37 books2,347 followersRachel Lacey is an award-winning contemporary romance author and semi-reformed travel junkie. She's been climbed by a monkey on a mountain in Japan, gone scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, and camped out overnight in New York City for a chance to be an extra in a movie. These days, the majority of her adventures take place on the pages of the books she writes. She lives in the mountains of Vermont with her family and a variety of rescue pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
November 1, 2015
2 Stars! A difficult book to connect with!
There was very little character development and the story took forever to progress. TJ was an unlikable character with no redeeming qualities what-so-ever. Being a veterinarian, you would think he would have a better understanding about animal behavior and not be so judgmental. I understood his need to be cautious, but it never stopped! It got to the point where he was just ridiculous with his negative and unfounded comments. He was so hurtful towards Merry on quite a few occasions, even had to find fault with what she wore, and I just didn't see how she could be attracted to him. TJ was one of the worst male protagonists I've ever read about, he was no hero, but a big fat zero!
Merry should have run screaming from TJ, he wasn't worth the donation! She obviously didn't mind being verbally tormented, because the foolish girl kept going back for more.
The plot had so much potential, but it fell flat on so many levels. It could have been a sweet, interesting story, but the repetitiveness, the stagnant plot line, lack of couple chemistry, and a male lead that I could not for the life of me warm up to, made this a dull, tiresome read.
The author had a nice idea, but unfortunately I just couldn't find very much to like about this book, and I don't think I'll continue with the series. I did however enjoy the dogs, I was more concerned with their outcome and well being than with the humans! I guess that says it all.
January 28, 2015
As soon as I read the synopsis for this book and saw that it was about dogs and that the H/h would most likely drive each other crazy, I was all like, sign me up! I'm a total dog person and I love the whole love/hate/fighting type of relationship, so there was no question that this would be a slam dunk with me. For Keeps, for the most part, was such a great, sweet, fun book that had me laughing and smiling and loving it the whole way through!
Well, ladies, if you love cowboys, I have no doubts that T.J. Jameson will steal your heart. He is such an amazing guy and he's so sweet, he's really just adorable. He's definitely someone you can count on, he's a gentleman...mostly, but by his own admission, he can be bad too. T.J. also has a stubborn jerkish side to him as well, but I liked it because then he and Merry would get into arguments that only fueled the heat between them and just made things hotter!
Merry was just wonderful! She's strong, stubborn, determined, and she'll do whatever she can to help all of her dogs. She's had a hard past and so she kind of has hang-ups which make her resist a real relationship with T.J. at first, but I understood and it didn't annoy me. In fact, I really loved her character, especially how far she went for her dogs, and whenever she challenged T.J. because hello -- HOT! Plus any woman who names two of her foster dogs Chip and Salsa is someone I want to be around!
The dogs, of course, were the best out of everybody! They were charming, sweet, fun, and silly. They will melt your heart and have you laughing and smiling at all their crazy antics.
Although For Keeps is a mostly light-hearted read, it does have its share of heartbreaking moments too. They made my heart hurt for the characters and what they had to go through, but the sadness led to some beautiful moments that made every bit of pain worth it the end. This was just an awesome beautiful story, I loved it, and I'm so excited for the next book in the series!
For Keeps is a standalone told from dual points of view and it does have a HEA for both humans and animals. ~ Paige, 4 stars
Well, ladies, if you love cowboys, I have no doubts that T.J. Jameson will steal your heart. He is such an amazing guy and he's so sweet, he's really just adorable. He's definitely someone you can count on, he's a gentleman...mostly, but by his own admission, he can be bad too. T.J. also has a stubborn jerkish side to him as well, but I liked it because then he and Merry would get into arguments that only fueled the heat between them and just made things hotter!
Merry was just wonderful! She's strong, stubborn, determined, and she'll do whatever she can to help all of her dogs. She's had a hard past and so she kind of has hang-ups which make her resist a real relationship with T.J. at first, but I understood and it didn't annoy me. In fact, I really loved her character, especially how far she went for her dogs, and whenever she challenged T.J. because hello -- HOT! Plus any woman who names two of her foster dogs Chip and Salsa is someone I want to be around!
The dogs, of course, were the best out of everybody! They were charming, sweet, fun, and silly. They will melt your heart and have you laughing and smiling at all their crazy antics.
Although For Keeps is a mostly light-hearted read, it does have its share of heartbreaking moments too. They made my heart hurt for the characters and what they had to go through, but the sadness led to some beautiful moments that made every bit of pain worth it the end. This was just an awesome beautiful story, I loved it, and I'm so excited for the next book in the series!
For Keeps is a standalone told from dual points of view and it does have a HEA for both humans and animals. ~ Paige, 4 stars
January 12, 2020
4.5star
Merry Atwater is a pediatric nurse and the director of Triangle Boxer Rescue. For the last 6 years, she put her heart and her money on it but they're now financially in bad shape. She have her boxer, Ralph, two other foster puppies and her neighbor found a Lab and Merry doesn't have in her to say no to an other furry soul to save, even if she doesn't know how she'll manage that.
Cowboy T.J. Jameson had a bad experience with dogs and it left him wary about them. But he doesn't hesitate to put himself in front of one to protect someone. His good deed doesn't stop there. He's a large animal vet who decided to start a summer camp on his farm to help his nephew, who have high-functioning autism, and reacted well to dogs before. T.J. plan to use his horses for equine therapy and want to add dogs, despite not being a fan of them. So he needs a dog trainer for the summer. That's how he gets the name of the pretty woman he just met for a few minutes at his friend's vet clinic the day before. It doesn't seem like the business plan will work at first because they both have different opinion about canines, but Merry's empty rescue bank account and their common desire to make kids happy will finally win. But it's not the only desire that will take place this summer.
Cowboys and dogs, it's a winner combination for me! Doesn't mean it will work every time but it sure did with this book. It's a sweet romance but with some heartbreaking subjects. A touching story with characters you can't help but adore. I like that cowboy have never been Merry's things but that T.J. was the exception. Because she can recognize a good man, no matter what he wear or not.
Merry Atwater is a pediatric nurse and the director of Triangle Boxer Rescue. For the last 6 years, she put her heart and her money on it but they're now financially in bad shape. She have her boxer, Ralph, two other foster puppies and her neighbor found a Lab and Merry doesn't have in her to say no to an other furry soul to save, even if she doesn't know how she'll manage that.
Cowboy T.J. Jameson had a bad experience with dogs and it left him wary about them. But he doesn't hesitate to put himself in front of one to protect someone. His good deed doesn't stop there. He's a large animal vet who decided to start a summer camp on his farm to help his nephew, who have high-functioning autism, and reacted well to dogs before. T.J. plan to use his horses for equine therapy and want to add dogs, despite not being a fan of them. So he needs a dog trainer for the summer. That's how he gets the name of the pretty woman he just met for a few minutes at his friend's vet clinic the day before. It doesn't seem like the business plan will work at first because they both have different opinion about canines, but Merry's empty rescue bank account and their common desire to make kids happy will finally win. But it's not the only desire that will take place this summer.
Cowboys and dogs, it's a winner combination for me! Doesn't mean it will work every time but it sure did with this book. It's a sweet romance but with some heartbreaking subjects. A touching story with characters you can't help but adore. I like that cowboy have never been Merry's things but that T.J. was the exception. Because she can recognize a good man, no matter what he wear or not.
December 17, 2014
TJ is a flirty, flirty, boy, "oh, I'm definitely human." And his fingers were definitely still on her skin, as every one of her nerve cells could easily attest." Merry that girl is a firecracker and she gets wild ideas, "he'd kept her up pretty late screwing her brains out, and she'd loved every minute. She'd give him a few more minutes to sleep and recharge, then she'd see how he felt about morning sex." TJ is a hands on type of man, "couldn't help but notice when I boosted you up on Twilight." He cupped her a**, pressing her closer. "You know my feelings about pink lace." I really loved this book and TJ.
April 22, 2017
I am loving Rahcel Lacey's series. Sweet romantic moments and then BOOM. Hot! I do love that with both the hero and heroine, the romance happens organically, and makes it feel that they are really going to last. For me, I want romance to feel like it will continue on until after I've closed the book. I also love that there are a slew of secondary characters who I know have lives other than in FOR KEEPS, and I see this community the two have built around them.
Can't wait for EVER AFTER! Congratulations, Rachel!
Can't wait for EVER AFTER! Congratulations, Rachel!
April 30, 2015
3.25/5
This book was alright for me, but I felt there was a lack of chemistry between T.J. and Merry, which bothered me a bit. I would have already given it up if there hadn't been lovely kids and dogs in the story. Good thing I read until the end; it was worth every tear i shed when T.J. and Merry finally found Noah and Amber in the woods. Afterward, there was a lot of drama...
This book was alright for me, but I felt there was a lack of chemistry between T.J. and Merry, which bothered me a bit. I would have already given it up if there hadn't been lovely kids and dogs in the story. Good thing I read until the end; it was worth every tear i shed when T.J. and Merry finally found Noah and Amber in the woods. Afterward, there was a lot of drama...
July 25, 2016
3.5* rounded down (*see below)
I liked this more than the first book Unleashed. Merry is the founder of TBR (Triangle Boxer Rescue) and because she got used to a large monthly donation, didn't learn how to fund raise. So now, she's in a tight pinch. She meets T.J. by chance at the vet. She gets the opportunity to work with children at a day camp in exchange for a sizable donation to her rescue. Of course, the person in charge of the camp is that hot guy she briefly meet at the vet office.
Merry has baggage and the clues lead the reader to easily guess what her tragedy was. She had kept it quiet, not telling her best friend, or anybody. T.J. was a large animal vet who had a BAD experience with a group of dogs that lead to a weariness and discomfort around them. This was a nice romance about two people sharing their tragedies, growing from that, healing, and of course falling in love. I liked the dynamic of the disabled children and teaching obedience to rescue dogs. It felt genuine to me; like the author did her research/or has experience in dog training.
My only complaint and why this wasn't a 4 star:
I liked this more than the first book Unleashed. Merry is the founder of TBR (Triangle Boxer Rescue) and because she got used to a large monthly donation, didn't learn how to fund raise. So now, she's in a tight pinch. She meets T.J. by chance at the vet. She gets the opportunity to work with children at a day camp in exchange for a sizable donation to her rescue. Of course, the person in charge of the camp is that hot guy she briefly meet at the vet office.
Merry has baggage and the clues lead the reader to easily guess what her tragedy was. She had kept it quiet, not telling her best friend, or anybody. T.J. was a large animal vet who had a BAD experience with a group of dogs that lead to a weariness and discomfort around them. This was a nice romance about two people sharing their tragedies, growing from that, healing, and of course falling in love. I liked the dynamic of the disabled children and teaching obedience to rescue dogs. It felt genuine to me; like the author did her research/or has experience in dog training.
My only complaint and why this wasn't a 4 star:
November 27, 2016
I could not put this book down. The second book in A Love to the Rescue Novel. I just love books like this. Dogs and rescue. Nothing better.
Merry Atwater runs a boxer rescue. For awhile a donation is made anonymous, but then stops. Now she needs to raise money for her rescue and keep things going. She has a chance to raise some money when a Tracey Jameson needs a therapy dog for his camp. He runs for children with disabilities. The thing which surprises her the most is when she meets Tracey, and finds out its a man not a women who emailed her. He goes by T.J. .
T.J isn't sure about about Merry at first. He doesn't want any shelter dogs at his camp. He has his reasons. But soon finds out they are not so bad. They children are having fun. That was his main goal.
His other was for his nephew with autism to come out of his shell.
It might take time.
Take a journey and it will amaze and brighten your day. At times crying will be involved.
It was a book which will grab at your heart, and not !et go.
Merry Atwater runs a boxer rescue. For awhile a donation is made anonymous, but then stops. Now she needs to raise money for her rescue and keep things going. She has a chance to raise some money when a Tracey Jameson needs a therapy dog for his camp. He runs for children with disabilities. The thing which surprises her the most is when she meets Tracey, and finds out its a man not a women who emailed her. He goes by T.J. .
T.J isn't sure about about Merry at first. He doesn't want any shelter dogs at his camp. He has his reasons. But soon finds out they are not so bad. They children are having fun. That was his main goal.
His other was for his nephew with autism to come out of his shell.
It might take time.
Take a journey and it will amaze and brighten your day. At times crying will be involved.
It was a book which will grab at your heart, and not !et go.
January 6, 2015
My first time reading this author and I really enjoyed the story. For readers who like Kristan Higgins, Jill Shalvis, and Susan Mallery I will recommend this series as well. Can't wait to read about Olivia and hope that I still get to see some of the domesticated cowboy TJ too!
January 31, 2015
I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
This is the first book I've read by the author. I absolutely LOVED it! Country, cowboy, horses & dogs... my kind of story.
This is the first book I've read by the author. I absolutely LOVED it! Country, cowboy, horses & dogs... my kind of story.
October 31, 2015
Pretty good book... Nice characters even though it does have the obligatory stupid and stubborn woman in it *sigh*
June 16, 2015
Read my full review HERE at Into the Hall of Books.
For Keeps is the second book in the Love to the Rescue Series by Rachel Lacey. I read this one on the heels of Unleashed, which is the first book in the series. (Here's my review.) I have to admit that while I'm not the type of person that normally goes crazy over pets, I'm head-over-heels over this series and I love the way dogs and other animals play into these stories.
Merry Atwater is a full-time nurse who also founded the Triangle Boxer Rescue right after finishing nursing school a few years ago. She loves dogs - rescuing them, fostering them, helping them find adoptive families. This makes her so happy! It's hard work, but good work, but lately the Rescue has taken a huge financial hit. A very supportive anonymous donor has recently stopped sending their generous donations, and this has been a big blow to the Rescue's accounts. As a result, Merry has been using her own personal accounts to pay for everything, and running an organization like this is extremely expensive - she has to stop. Merry is stressed! This Rescue means life and death for these dogs! Also, how could she have let herself depend so heavily on an anonymous donation like that? She should have been more forward-thinking! Merry needs a plan and now.
Suddenly a solution falls into Merry's lap, albeit a temporary one: local veterinarian T.J. Jameson runs a summer camp for special needs children with horses. Equine therapy, so cool! This year, he wants to add specially-trained dogs to the camp and he's reached out to Merry. In exchange for a nice donation to her Rescue, he has asked Merry to donate her time and a few dogs to the camp. This is a large commitment but it can help Merry pay some of the Rescue's expenses for at least a little while...except when she meets T.J., his ideas for what he wants are not the same things that Merry is willing to provide -- and neither seem to want to compromise.
Well, neither are initially willing to compromise. It doesn't take very long for THAT to change...
For Keeps by Rachel Lacey is SUCH a cute story! Merry and T.J. have a chemistry that is so present and obvious, and one of the things I loved about these two was that they acknowledged it right away instead of refusing to admit it, dancing around it like some couples do sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a slow burn, but I like when people admit there is an attraction too. HOWEVER, even though the attraction is obvious, Merry and T.J. take a while to agree on exactly what they want in terms of a romantic relationship. Is a future even possible for them?
1. T.J. Jameson is a veterinarian, and Merry thinks that's charming. She loves his farm/ranch but when she finds out that he rescues horse - like she does with dogs - it elevates her feelings for him by WELL, A WHOLE LOT. Because, see, here this means that what they have in common, a love for animals, is deeper than Merry realized. Maybe Merry judged T.J. a little bit prematurely when she made assumptions about his cowboy-ness, his big truck, his extreme hesitance to foster one of her dogs...
2. T.J. is also uncle to an autistic boy, Noah. He's a FANTASTIC uncle. Noah is the primary reason T.J. hosts his summer camp. Merry loves watching his interaction with Noah, and T.J. loves watching Merry interact with his nephew. Heck, T.J. may even be a little bit jealous of how well Noah responds to Merry BUT he tries to remember that she is a pediatric nurse so she does have some experience in working with kids. If only this camp could be successful at helping Noah to interact more, become more verbal, and be more social! Merry's dogs seem to be just about the only thing Noah responds to...
3. Merry has a THING from her past that comes up while the two are developing their relationship - I've seen and read before where this THING sends a man running away fast, fast, fast. BUT! Here, it doesn't even make T.J. flinch and I kind of loved that about him. Merry does too.
4. Merry's nursing job, her work with the Rescue, and her work with the summer camp are all connected - this shows the type of person Merry is even though she is determined that she doesn't want to get married and have a family (while T.J. does - here's our romantic tension!). T.J. watches her, and puts bits and pieces of her life together over the course of the month-long camp, and he falls for her as he sees who she really is through all of these pieces of her life.
5. Both Merry and T.J. have fears and vulnerabilities. Both of their fears and vulnerabilities come out in the story, and both are dealt with. I love how both can depend on the other one to help with these challenges, and there is no judgment given. This is really special.
You know how many romance have that 'falling-out thing' that happens about about three-quarters into the story, the thing that causes the big issue that must be resolved before the happy ending? Well, there is a little bit of that, but it didn't feel like such a big thing because Merry and T.J. were so good for each other from the beginning. There is some dramatic tension, but it is quickly resolved, and the happy ending does come. There is plenty of depth to this story, and this was a nice change for me.
Two books into the Love to the Rescue Series, and I'm all in! I love the way the series is set up, I love the characters, I love the North Carolina setting. I hope Merry's friend Olivia, who plays a nice role in the summer camp as an assistant to Merry, will have her own book because she seems to have some shenanigans of her own going on and I'd love to find out more about her! I recommend this series to fans of small town romances with happy endings, fans of companion stories, and fans of stories that feature animals because the dogs play a nice, big role in the romances in these books.
For Keeps is the second book in the Love to the Rescue Series by Rachel Lacey. I read this one on the heels of Unleashed, which is the first book in the series. (Here's my review.) I have to admit that while I'm not the type of person that normally goes crazy over pets, I'm head-over-heels over this series and I love the way dogs and other animals play into these stories.
Merry Atwater is a full-time nurse who also founded the Triangle Boxer Rescue right after finishing nursing school a few years ago. She loves dogs - rescuing them, fostering them, helping them find adoptive families. This makes her so happy! It's hard work, but good work, but lately the Rescue has taken a huge financial hit. A very supportive anonymous donor has recently stopped sending their generous donations, and this has been a big blow to the Rescue's accounts. As a result, Merry has been using her own personal accounts to pay for everything, and running an organization like this is extremely expensive - she has to stop. Merry is stressed! This Rescue means life and death for these dogs! Also, how could she have let herself depend so heavily on an anonymous donation like that? She should have been more forward-thinking! Merry needs a plan and now.
Suddenly a solution falls into Merry's lap, albeit a temporary one: local veterinarian T.J. Jameson runs a summer camp for special needs children with horses. Equine therapy, so cool! This year, he wants to add specially-trained dogs to the camp and he's reached out to Merry. In exchange for a nice donation to her Rescue, he has asked Merry to donate her time and a few dogs to the camp. This is a large commitment but it can help Merry pay some of the Rescue's expenses for at least a little while...except when she meets T.J., his ideas for what he wants are not the same things that Merry is willing to provide -- and neither seem to want to compromise.
Well, neither are initially willing to compromise. It doesn't take very long for THAT to change...
*****************************************************
For Keeps by Rachel Lacey is SUCH a cute story! Merry and T.J. have a chemistry that is so present and obvious, and one of the things I loved about these two was that they acknowledged it right away instead of refusing to admit it, dancing around it like some couples do sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a slow burn, but I like when people admit there is an attraction too. HOWEVER, even though the attraction is obvious, Merry and T.J. take a while to agree on exactly what they want in terms of a romantic relationship. Is a future even possible for them?
Here are some THINGS about For Keeps that I love:
1. T.J. Jameson is a veterinarian, and Merry thinks that's charming. She loves his farm/ranch but when she finds out that he rescues horse - like she does with dogs - it elevates her feelings for him by WELL, A WHOLE LOT. Because, see, here this means that what they have in common, a love for animals, is deeper than Merry realized. Maybe Merry judged T.J. a little bit prematurely when she made assumptions about his cowboy-ness, his big truck, his extreme hesitance to foster one of her dogs...
2. T.J. is also uncle to an autistic boy, Noah. He's a FANTASTIC uncle. Noah is the primary reason T.J. hosts his summer camp. Merry loves watching his interaction with Noah, and T.J. loves watching Merry interact with his nephew. Heck, T.J. may even be a little bit jealous of how well Noah responds to Merry BUT he tries to remember that she is a pediatric nurse so she does have some experience in working with kids. If only this camp could be successful at helping Noah to interact more, become more verbal, and be more social! Merry's dogs seem to be just about the only thing Noah responds to...
3. Merry has a THING from her past that comes up while the two are developing their relationship - I've seen and read before where this THING sends a man running away fast, fast, fast. BUT! Here, it doesn't even make T.J. flinch and I kind of loved that about him. Merry does too.
4. Merry's nursing job, her work with the Rescue, and her work with the summer camp are all connected - this shows the type of person Merry is even though she is determined that she doesn't want to get married and have a family (while T.J. does - here's our romantic tension!). T.J. watches her, and puts bits and pieces of her life together over the course of the month-long camp, and he falls for her as he sees who she really is through all of these pieces of her life.
5. Both Merry and T.J. have fears and vulnerabilities. Both of their fears and vulnerabilities come out in the story, and both are dealt with. I love how both can depend on the other one to help with these challenges, and there is no judgment given. This is really special.
You know how many romance have that 'falling-out thing' that happens about about three-quarters into the story, the thing that causes the big issue that must be resolved before the happy ending? Well, there is a little bit of that, but it didn't feel like such a big thing because Merry and T.J. were so good for each other from the beginning. There is some dramatic tension, but it is quickly resolved, and the happy ending does come. There is plenty of depth to this story, and this was a nice change for me.
Two books into the Love to the Rescue Series, and I'm all in! I love the way the series is set up, I love the characters, I love the North Carolina setting. I hope Merry's friend Olivia, who plays a nice role in the summer camp as an assistant to Merry, will have her own book because she seems to have some shenanigans of her own going on and I'd love to find out more about her! I recommend this series to fans of small town romances with happy endings, fans of companion stories, and fans of stories that feature animals because the dogs play a nice, big role in the romances in these books.
September 14, 2021
Merry Atwater runs a dog rescue operation in addition to being a pediatrics nurse. Her rescue company is always short on funds so she has accepted a dog therapy job at a children's summer camp. The owner of the ranch and horses is T J Jameson. As luck would have it, T J is a ruggedly sexy cowboy and Merry is more than interested. A good little romance story.
April 5, 2023
Rachel Lacey is an amazing author. This book was funny and showed the tender sides of Merry and TJ. They clashed as soon as they met but were able to come together by using dogs and horses to help special needs kids overcome their differences. Merry and TJ fell in love for real by the end of the book.
I cannot wait to read more of her books.
I cannot wait to read more of her books.
June 20, 2018
This series is so good! While all the female characters are connected by a rescue each also has a complex backstory. Here the founder falls for a cowboy. I love character driven stories and this is top notch.
June 11, 2025
This would have been a 5 star read for me if the characters were slightly more developed. I did think there were strong backstories for each character. But the communication issues between them kept me from being ready for the end.
November 23, 2017
3.5 Stars
January 29, 2018
LOVED IT❤️❤️
Great story with so many issues and very well written. Love animal rescue stories and look forward to Olivia’s story.
Great story with so many issues and very well written. Love animal rescue stories and look forward to Olivia’s story.
January 13, 2020
Excellent story and very heartwarming.
I enjoyed the chemistry between these two!
I enjoyed the chemistry between these two!
April 7, 2025
Wonderful story!
Beautiful book, beautifully written. Not your usual love story, but it could be the story of life and love. I would recommend it to everyone .
Beautiful book, beautifully written. Not your usual love story, but it could be the story of life and love. I would recommend it to everyone .
December 10, 2025
Romance.
October 31, 2016
Fun series! Dog rescue & romance... what more do you need?
August 4, 2019
I cannot resist a grumpy hero and this one was a cowboy too! Loved TJ! All of the men in this series are awesome. Can't get enough!
March 9, 2015
For Keeps by Rachel Lacey is the second book in the Love To The Rescue series and it is a really good read. This book has it all: romance, family loyalty, second chances, animal rescue and forgiveness all blended together into a great read.
Merry Atwater runs an animal rescue shelter for boxers, She will do whatever it takes to find these dogs their forever homes. She is also a nurse who works in pediatrics, and has seen some very heartbreaking things. And Merry has a heartbreaking event in her own past, the loss of a child. That is probably why she is such a good nurse and animal advocate. She could not save her own child so she is making up for that by saving others.
The rescue that she owns is in financial trouble. She does not have enough money to pay the bills from month to month. She has to find a way to raise more money for the shelter and she will do whatever it takes to keep the rescue afloat. So when she receives an offer to do dog therapy for a summer camp held at a nearby ranch, she accepts the job, even though she does not get along with the ranch owner.
TJ Jameson is conducting a camp for disabled children at his ranch. His main reason for doing this is his autistic nephew, Noah. He is hoping that a month of horse therapy and dog therapy will help his nephew become more confident and verbal. He only wants purebred dogs to be involved because he has a fear of mutts. He was attacked by stray dogs when he was younger and he does not trust dogs that no one knows the history of. After much arguing and disagreeing, TJ and Merry come to an agreement about her working at the camp with her foster dogs. Somehow she even talks TJ into fostering a dog for the month. After TJ sees how well his nephew has bonded with Amber, he has to agree to foster the dog.
TJ and Merry do not really get along at all. TJ thinks that Merry is too girly-girly and will not be able to pull her own weight at the camp. Merry things that there must be something wrong with TJ because he is not a dog-lover. Also TJ is looking for someone that he can settle down with and raise a family with. Merry does not plan to ever settle down and get married, she just wants to enjoy the moment. But as they get to know each other better, these opinions begin to change and they see each other in a different light. And neither can deny the sexual chemistry that surrounds them. But it will not be an easy road to build anything permanent between them, and in fact it may be impossible.
The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional. They seem very realistic and have many human traits that we can all identify with. The pediatric patients that Merry takes care of and Noah and the children at the camp are portrayed as very real and are very easy to fall in love with. And the dogs and horse just added another level of adorableness to this book.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented and is able to bring the setting and characters to life with just her written words and descriptions. The romance between Merry and TJ became hot and steamy but the best part of the book, in my opinion, is the interaction between all the characters and the the animals. It is a heartwarming story that at times had me laughing and at other times had tears in my eyes. I think that is not an easy thing to do but Rachel Lacey did that masterfully.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a romance book that has so much more. I do not think that a young adult should read this book because of the steaminess. This is the second book that I have read by this author and I thought they were both fantastic (the first book I read was the first book in the series, Unleashed). So do yourself a favor and pick up both books in the series and enjoy.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Merry Atwater runs an animal rescue shelter for boxers, She will do whatever it takes to find these dogs their forever homes. She is also a nurse who works in pediatrics, and has seen some very heartbreaking things. And Merry has a heartbreaking event in her own past, the loss of a child. That is probably why she is such a good nurse and animal advocate. She could not save her own child so she is making up for that by saving others.
The rescue that she owns is in financial trouble. She does not have enough money to pay the bills from month to month. She has to find a way to raise more money for the shelter and she will do whatever it takes to keep the rescue afloat. So when she receives an offer to do dog therapy for a summer camp held at a nearby ranch, she accepts the job, even though she does not get along with the ranch owner.
TJ Jameson is conducting a camp for disabled children at his ranch. His main reason for doing this is his autistic nephew, Noah. He is hoping that a month of horse therapy and dog therapy will help his nephew become more confident and verbal. He only wants purebred dogs to be involved because he has a fear of mutts. He was attacked by stray dogs when he was younger and he does not trust dogs that no one knows the history of. After much arguing and disagreeing, TJ and Merry come to an agreement about her working at the camp with her foster dogs. Somehow she even talks TJ into fostering a dog for the month. After TJ sees how well his nephew has bonded with Amber, he has to agree to foster the dog.
TJ and Merry do not really get along at all. TJ thinks that Merry is too girly-girly and will not be able to pull her own weight at the camp. Merry things that there must be something wrong with TJ because he is not a dog-lover. Also TJ is looking for someone that he can settle down with and raise a family with. Merry does not plan to ever settle down and get married, she just wants to enjoy the moment. But as they get to know each other better, these opinions begin to change and they see each other in a different light. And neither can deny the sexual chemistry that surrounds them. But it will not be an easy road to build anything permanent between them, and in fact it may be impossible.
The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional. They seem very realistic and have many human traits that we can all identify with. The pediatric patients that Merry takes care of and Noah and the children at the camp are portrayed as very real and are very easy to fall in love with. And the dogs and horse just added another level of adorableness to this book.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented and is able to bring the setting and characters to life with just her written words and descriptions. The romance between Merry and TJ became hot and steamy but the best part of the book, in my opinion, is the interaction between all the characters and the the animals. It is a heartwarming story that at times had me laughing and at other times had tears in my eyes. I think that is not an easy thing to do but Rachel Lacey did that masterfully.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a romance book that has so much more. I do not think that a young adult should read this book because of the steaminess. This is the second book that I have read by this author and I thought they were both fantastic (the first book I read was the first book in the series, Unleashed). So do yourself a favor and pick up both books in the series and enjoy.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the opportunity to read and review this book.
January 20, 2015
I love books that contain children and animals and this book was really promising since it contained both. I have not heard about +Rachel Lacey but I'm glad I found her. This was a great book.
Merry Atwater (weird name) is in trouble. She's bankrupt, well her dog rescue is bankrupt and she, nearly so. In need of a miracle, but what she got instead is another dog to take care of.
TJ Jameson needs a dog handler for his Children's Camp. TJ hates dogs but knows that having a dog at the camp would be a way to get through to his artistic nephew. He needs a tame, well trained dog for this job and Merry is just the person he needs, except for one thing, she wants him to foster one of her dogs.
Merry knew this job was a God send and did not want to screw it up. It's just that when she saw the ranch and all the big open spaces, she knew that TJ's ranch would be a perfect place for her dogs to stay until she can find a fixed home for them.
The way that TJ turned up his nose at her dogs, Merry could not hold in her disgust with him, and refuses the job. Only having to come back, with her tail between her legs, desperate. To further complicate things, the spark between Merry and TJ is burning hot, except they both want different things, or do they?
Read this exciting story of a woman who loves dogs and the man who loathes them.
+Rachel Lacey was a fun discovery of a read. The puppy on the cover made me pause on this book and seeing +Jill Shalvis recommend this book, I just knew that I had to check this book out. When I read the description on this book, I immediately requested this book and was ecstatic when I got accepted.
It was a late night when I started reading this book and I stayed up and read the entire thing in a few hours. Judgement is still out, I won't know until I read another book by Miss Rachel Lacey before I can say she is an author to look out for. What I can say, is that I am eager to read more of her work.
The plot of this book was perfect, I love children and TJ is a sweetheart for coming up with the idea of a Children's Camp for children with special needs. He mainly did it for his nephew but he got great joy out of helping the other children as well. I liked TJ even though he does not like dogs, I'll leave it up to you to find out why.
Merry had a mystery with her for the majority of the book. Something was heavy on her shoulder's. Bits and pieces was given as to what her burden is, but I did not get the whole truth until almost to the end.
The downside of TJ was that he judged people, and animals, by the way they look. He judged Merry when he first saw her and even when he was getting to know her better, he still stuck with his first assumption of her. He has the type of character that thinks that their way is the only way. It made him almost lose his nephew and the woman he was growing to love, but he learned, too late, but he still learned.
HAPPY READING!
Merry Atwater (weird name) is in trouble. She's bankrupt, well her dog rescue is bankrupt and she, nearly so. In need of a miracle, but what she got instead is another dog to take care of.
TJ Jameson needs a dog handler for his Children's Camp. TJ hates dogs but knows that having a dog at the camp would be a way to get through to his artistic nephew. He needs a tame, well trained dog for this job and Merry is just the person he needs, except for one thing, she wants him to foster one of her dogs.
Merry knew this job was a God send and did not want to screw it up. It's just that when she saw the ranch and all the big open spaces, she knew that TJ's ranch would be a perfect place for her dogs to stay until she can find a fixed home for them.
The way that TJ turned up his nose at her dogs, Merry could not hold in her disgust with him, and refuses the job. Only having to come back, with her tail between her legs, desperate. To further complicate things, the spark between Merry and TJ is burning hot, except they both want different things, or do they?
Read this exciting story of a woman who loves dogs and the man who loathes them.
+Rachel Lacey was a fun discovery of a read. The puppy on the cover made me pause on this book and seeing +Jill Shalvis recommend this book, I just knew that I had to check this book out. When I read the description on this book, I immediately requested this book and was ecstatic when I got accepted.
It was a late night when I started reading this book and I stayed up and read the entire thing in a few hours. Judgement is still out, I won't know until I read another book by Miss Rachel Lacey before I can say she is an author to look out for. What I can say, is that I am eager to read more of her work.
The plot of this book was perfect, I love children and TJ is a sweetheart for coming up with the idea of a Children's Camp for children with special needs. He mainly did it for his nephew but he got great joy out of helping the other children as well. I liked TJ even though he does not like dogs, I'll leave it up to you to find out why.
Merry had a mystery with her for the majority of the book. Something was heavy on her shoulder's. Bits and pieces was given as to what her burden is, but I did not get the whole truth until almost to the end.
The downside of TJ was that he judged people, and animals, by the way they look. He judged Merry when he first saw her and even when he was getting to know her better, he still stuck with his first assumption of her. He has the type of character that thinks that their way is the only way. It made him almost lose his nephew and the woman he was growing to love, but he learned, too late, but he still learned.
HAPPY READING!
April 22, 2015
Thoughts: I love books that contain children and animals and this book was really promising since it contained both. I have not heard about Rachel Lacey but I'm glad I found her. This was a great book.
Merry Atwater (weird name) is in trouble. She's bankrupt, well her dog rescue is bankrupt and she, nearly so. In need of a miracle, but what she got instead is another dog to take care of.
TJ Jameson needs a dog handler for his Children's Camp. TJ hates dogs but knows that having a dog at the camp would be a way to get through to his artistic nephew. He needs a tame, well trained dog for this job and Merry is just the person he needs, except for one thing, she wants him to foster one of her dogs.
Merry knew this job was a God send and did not want to screw it up. It's just that when she saw the ranch and all the big open spaces, she knew that TJ's ranch would be a perfect place for her dogs to stay until she can find a fixed home for them.
The way that TJ turned up his nose at her dogs, Merry could not hold in her disgust with him, and refuses the job. Only having to come back, with her tail between her legs, desperate. To further complicate things, the spark between Merry and TJ is burning hot, except they both want different things, or do they?
Read this exciting story of a woman who loves dogs and the man who loathes them.
Rachel Lacey was a fun discovery of a read. The puppy on the cover made me pause on this book and seeing +Jill Shalvis recommend this book, I just knew that I had to check this book out. When I read the description on this book, I immediately requested this book and was ecstatic when I got accepted.
It was a late night when I started reading this book and I stayed up and read the entire thing in a few hours. Judgement is still out, I won't know until I read another book by Miss Rachel Lacey before I can say she is an author to look out for. What I can say, is that I am eager to read more of her work.
The plot of this book was perfect, I love children and TJ is a sweetheart for coming up with the idea of a Children's Camp for children with special needs. He mainly did it for his nephew but he got great joy out of helping the other children as well. I liked TJ even though he does not like dogs, I'll leave it up to you to find out why.
Merry had a mystery with her for the majority of the book. Something was heavy on her shoulder's. Bits and pieces was given as to what her burden is, but I did not get the whole truth until almost to the end.
The downside of TJ was that he judged people, and animals, by the way they look. He judged Merry when he first saw her and even when he was getting to know her better, he still stuck with his first assumption of her. He has the type of character that thinks that their way is the only way. It made him almost lose his nephew and the woman he was growing to love, but he learned, too late, but he still learned.
Thoughts: She's new to the game and I already love her.
Grade: A
Review by: Nathifa
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
Merry Atwater (weird name) is in trouble. She's bankrupt, well her dog rescue is bankrupt and she, nearly so. In need of a miracle, but what she got instead is another dog to take care of.
TJ Jameson needs a dog handler for his Children's Camp. TJ hates dogs but knows that having a dog at the camp would be a way to get through to his artistic nephew. He needs a tame, well trained dog for this job and Merry is just the person he needs, except for one thing, she wants him to foster one of her dogs.
Merry knew this job was a God send and did not want to screw it up. It's just that when she saw the ranch and all the big open spaces, she knew that TJ's ranch would be a perfect place for her dogs to stay until she can find a fixed home for them.
The way that TJ turned up his nose at her dogs, Merry could not hold in her disgust with him, and refuses the job. Only having to come back, with her tail between her legs, desperate. To further complicate things, the spark between Merry and TJ is burning hot, except they both want different things, or do they?
Read this exciting story of a woman who loves dogs and the man who loathes them.
Rachel Lacey was a fun discovery of a read. The puppy on the cover made me pause on this book and seeing +Jill Shalvis recommend this book, I just knew that I had to check this book out. When I read the description on this book, I immediately requested this book and was ecstatic when I got accepted.
It was a late night when I started reading this book and I stayed up and read the entire thing in a few hours. Judgement is still out, I won't know until I read another book by Miss Rachel Lacey before I can say she is an author to look out for. What I can say, is that I am eager to read more of her work.
The plot of this book was perfect, I love children and TJ is a sweetheart for coming up with the idea of a Children's Camp for children with special needs. He mainly did it for his nephew but he got great joy out of helping the other children as well. I liked TJ even though he does not like dogs, I'll leave it up to you to find out why.
Merry had a mystery with her for the majority of the book. Something was heavy on her shoulder's. Bits and pieces was given as to what her burden is, but I did not get the whole truth until almost to the end.
The downside of TJ was that he judged people, and animals, by the way they look. He judged Merry when he first saw her and even when he was getting to know her better, he still stuck with his first assumption of her. He has the type of character that thinks that their way is the only way. It made him almost lose his nephew and the woman he was growing to love, but he learned, too late, but he still learned.
Thoughts: She's new to the game and I already love her.
Grade: A
Review by: Nathifa
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
July 31, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I enjoyed everything about it. It's a sweet story with great characters. And who wouldn't want a guy like TJ? He's a quiet, handsome COWBOY who has started a camp for kids with disabilities. Yes, he wants to do his part in helping these kids, but mostly he just wants to connect with his autistic nephew. Can you say swoon worthy?
And I want to be BFFs with Merry...everyone can use a friend like her. She has a heart of gold and despite her dog rescue being on the brink of bankruptcy and working as a full time pediatric nurse, she refuses to give up. She gets the chance to work at TJ's summer camp and she takes it. Sure she needs the money and it's a great opportunity, but I can't really blame her. I mean look at what she gets to work with!
Merry & TJ are definitely attracted to each other. They share a kiss, but TJ makes it very clear that he is looking for a wife, not a one night stand, which is what Merry wants. So they basically spend the first half of the book circling each other before they FINALLY give in to their desires. Thanks god. And the payoff is HOT.
Despite the fact that they want different things, Merry and TJ continue seeing each other. They fall into a comfortable relationship, both at the camp and personally. Merry forms a wonderful bond with TJ's nephew, which unfortunately causes some trouble between her and TJ. She is also holding on to a secret that is causing her to hold back on her true feelings. When things come to light both Merry and TJ will have to learn to move on and accept the feelings they have for each other.
This is the second book in the series and I have not read the first one, but I will be going back to read it. Merry's best friend Cara is the heroine in that and we get a little bit of Cara in this book. I instantly liked her so I can't wait to go back and read her story.
This book made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I enjoyed everything about it. It's a sweet story with great characters. And who wouldn't want a guy like TJ? He's a quiet, handsome COWBOY who has started a camp for kids with disabilities. Yes, he wants to do his part in helping these kids, but mostly he just wants to connect with his autistic nephew. Can you say swoon worthy?
And I want to be BFFs with Merry...everyone can use a friend like her. She has a heart of gold and despite her dog rescue being on the brink of bankruptcy and working as a full time pediatric nurse, she refuses to give up. She gets the chance to work at TJ's summer camp and she takes it. Sure she needs the money and it's a great opportunity, but I can't really blame her. I mean look at what she gets to work with!
"She’d never been a big fan of cowboys, but this guy was seriously sexy. His dark hair was mostly hidden by the hat, which shadowed his face, hiding the exact shade of the brown eyes currently locked on hers. He wore a crisp, blue T-shirt tucked into his jeans, filled to perfection by strong, muscled man.
He looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine for western wear. Good gracious, he was gorgeous. And clearly not Tracy Jameson."
"Merry sucked in a breath. So Tracy Jameson was a guy. And not just any guy, but a strappingly handsome cowboy oozing testosterone from every pore. Summer camp had just gotten much hotter, in a completely new way."
Merry & TJ are definitely attracted to each other. They share a kiss, but TJ makes it very clear that he is looking for a wife, not a one night stand, which is what Merry wants. So they basically spend the first half of the book circling each other before they FINALLY give in to their desires. Thanks god. And the payoff is HOT.
Despite the fact that they want different things, Merry and TJ continue seeing each other. They fall into a comfortable relationship, both at the camp and personally. Merry forms a wonderful bond with TJ's nephew, which unfortunately causes some trouble between her and TJ. She is also holding on to a secret that is causing her to hold back on her true feelings. When things come to light both Merry and TJ will have to learn to move on and accept the feelings they have for each other.
This is the second book in the series and I have not read the first one, but I will be going back to read it. Merry's best friend Cara is the heroine in that and we get a little bit of Cara in this book. I instantly liked her so I can't wait to go back and read her story.
May 11, 2015
As soon as I read the synopsis for this book and saw that it was about dogs and that the H/h would most likely drive each other crazy, I was all like, sign me up! I'm a total dog person and I love the whole love/hate/fighting type of relationship, so there was no question that this would be a slam dunk with me. For Keeps, for the most part, was such a great, sweet, fun book that had me laughing and smiling and loving it the whole way through!
Well, ladies, if you love cowboys, I have no doubts that T.J. Jameson will steal your heart. He is such an amazing guy and he's so sweet, he's really just adorable. He's definitely someone you can count on, he's a gentleman...mostly, but by his own admission, he can be bad too. T.J. also has a stubborn jerkish side to him as well, but I liked it because then he and Merry would get into arguments that only fueled the heat between them and just made things hotter!
Merry was just wonderful! She's strong, stubborn, determined, and she'll do whatever she can to help all of her dogs. She's had a hard past and so she kind of has hang-ups which make her resist a real relationship with T.J. at first, but I understood and it didn't annoy me. In fact, I really loved her character, especially how far she went for her dogs, and whenever she challenged T.J. because hello -- HOT! Plus any woman who names two of her foster dogs Chip and Salsa is someone I want to be around!
The dogs, of course, were the best out of everybody! They were charming, sweet, fun, and silly. They will melt your heart and have you laughing and smiling at all their crazy antics.
Although For Keeps is a mostly light-hearted read, it does have its share of heartbreaking moments too. They made my heart hurt for the characters and what they had to go through, but the sadness led to some beautiful moments that made every bit of pain worth it the end. This was just an awesome beautiful story, I loved it, and I'm so excited for the next book in the series!
For Keeps is a standalone told from dual points of view and it does have a HEA for both humans and animals.
******** Reviewed on behalf of Give Me Books Blog ********
Well, ladies, if you love cowboys, I have no doubts that T.J. Jameson will steal your heart. He is such an amazing guy and he's so sweet, he's really just adorable. He's definitely someone you can count on, he's a gentleman...mostly, but by his own admission, he can be bad too. T.J. also has a stubborn jerkish side to him as well, but I liked it because then he and Merry would get into arguments that only fueled the heat between them and just made things hotter!
Merry was just wonderful! She's strong, stubborn, determined, and she'll do whatever she can to help all of her dogs. She's had a hard past and so she kind of has hang-ups which make her resist a real relationship with T.J. at first, but I understood and it didn't annoy me. In fact, I really loved her character, especially how far she went for her dogs, and whenever she challenged T.J. because hello -- HOT! Plus any woman who names two of her foster dogs Chip and Salsa is someone I want to be around!
The dogs, of course, were the best out of everybody! They were charming, sweet, fun, and silly. They will melt your heart and have you laughing and smiling at all their crazy antics.
Although For Keeps is a mostly light-hearted read, it does have its share of heartbreaking moments too. They made my heart hurt for the characters and what they had to go through, but the sadness led to some beautiful moments that made every bit of pain worth it the end. This was just an awesome beautiful story, I loved it, and I'm so excited for the next book in the series!
For Keeps is a standalone told from dual points of view and it does have a HEA for both humans and animals.
******** Reviewed on behalf of Give Me Books Blog ********
February 20, 2015
For Keeps was my first read by Rachel Lacey and I was very impressed! It was really good! The storyline was interesting and pulled me in right away. The writing flowed smoothly and the pacing was perfect. I loved the slow buildup to the romance. It made their love very believable and therefore highly enjoyable for me. The chemistry between Merry and TJ was fantastic! You could feel the steam rising off of the pages whenever they were together.
The main characters were interesting and likable, especially Merry. It’s not often I like the heroine more than the hero in romance, but in this case I totally did! Merry was caring, loving and selfless. She was fantastic with both kids and animals. She had a huge heart and was always helping out others. I loved how much Merry loved those dogs of hers. Being an animal lover myself, she totally won me over for that alone :).
TJ was a good guy overall, but at times he pissed me off. At first he came off a bit judgmental and condescending and I absolutely did not care for his attitude towards shelter dogs. I understood it came from a traumatic experience in his past, but being an animal lover myself I just wanted to shake some sense into him. However, even he was won over eventually by the sweet, unconditional love of Merry’s shelter dogs.
I loved reading about TJ’s horses and Merry’s dogs. The animals played just as important a role in this story as did the secondary human characters. Also, reading about the summer camp at TJ's ranch and the kids that attended was heartwarming. If you like books that prominently feature sweet animals and adorable kids, then you will really enjoy this one.
Ms. Lacey has a new fan in me. I will definitely be adding the first book in this series, Unleashed, to my TBR pile.
*ARC provided by publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
Originally posted on www.thebrunettebookworm.com
The main characters were interesting and likable, especially Merry. It’s not often I like the heroine more than the hero in romance, but in this case I totally did! Merry was caring, loving and selfless. She was fantastic with both kids and animals. She had a huge heart and was always helping out others. I loved how much Merry loved those dogs of hers. Being an animal lover myself, she totally won me over for that alone :).
TJ was a good guy overall, but at times he pissed me off. At first he came off a bit judgmental and condescending and I absolutely did not care for his attitude towards shelter dogs. I understood it came from a traumatic experience in his past, but being an animal lover myself I just wanted to shake some sense into him. However, even he was won over eventually by the sweet, unconditional love of Merry’s shelter dogs.
I loved reading about TJ’s horses and Merry’s dogs. The animals played just as important a role in this story as did the secondary human characters. Also, reading about the summer camp at TJ's ranch and the kids that attended was heartwarming. If you like books that prominently feature sweet animals and adorable kids, then you will really enjoy this one.
Ms. Lacey has a new fan in me. I will definitely be adding the first book in this series, Unleashed, to my TBR pile.
*ARC provided by publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
Originally posted on www.thebrunettebookworm.com
January 26, 2015
Rachel Lacey’s second book, “For Keeps” in her Love To Rescue Series keeps you captivated, charmed and amused.
Merry Joy Atwater is one firecracker of a woman who would do anything for the love of animals. Working as a full time nurse, and trying to keep her Triangular Boxer Rescue afloat is no easy task, especially when that bank balance is nada. But Merry is tenacious and is ready to take on the job of a dog trainer at Camp Blue Sky, for the summer, even though the sexy cowboy vet T.J. Jameson is running it.
All T.J Jameson wants is for his autistic nephew and other kids with special needs to get some animal therapy. What he doesn’t anticipate is a spitfire of a woman named Merry to come bouncing into his life with her dogs and making an impact on his life. All he wanted was his nephew to be happy and he ends with fostering a dog that he never even wanted in the first place, considering his frightening experience with dogs.
Merry is not into long-term relationships, and T.J is looking for a nice and quiet woman to be his wife. T.J wants an organized life and Merry is just merry and rambunctious. Working on the camp, T.J realizes that Merry is more than what she seems to be. Behind all her hard work and love for children and animals is a lifelong of pain and loss that she burdens her heart. And Merry falls in love with the gentle and loving TJ, as she works with him everyday.
“For Keeps” doesn’t disappoint at all, as it takes Merry and T.J on a roller coaster ride of unpredictable love and pain. Rachel Lacey does another fine job of characterizing Merry and TJ, with layers to their relationship. A simple love story with enough love, laughter, tears and happiness to make it an enchanting read. And it’s wonderful to visit with Cara, and Olivia sure made her mark.
“For Keeps” is definitely for keeps!!!!
Received an ARC from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley for an honest review.
Merry Joy Atwater is one firecracker of a woman who would do anything for the love of animals. Working as a full time nurse, and trying to keep her Triangular Boxer Rescue afloat is no easy task, especially when that bank balance is nada. But Merry is tenacious and is ready to take on the job of a dog trainer at Camp Blue Sky, for the summer, even though the sexy cowboy vet T.J. Jameson is running it.
All T.J Jameson wants is for his autistic nephew and other kids with special needs to get some animal therapy. What he doesn’t anticipate is a spitfire of a woman named Merry to come bouncing into his life with her dogs and making an impact on his life. All he wanted was his nephew to be happy and he ends with fostering a dog that he never even wanted in the first place, considering his frightening experience with dogs.
Merry is not into long-term relationships, and T.J is looking for a nice and quiet woman to be his wife. T.J wants an organized life and Merry is just merry and rambunctious. Working on the camp, T.J realizes that Merry is more than what she seems to be. Behind all her hard work and love for children and animals is a lifelong of pain and loss that she burdens her heart. And Merry falls in love with the gentle and loving TJ, as she works with him everyday.
“For Keeps” doesn’t disappoint at all, as it takes Merry and T.J on a roller coaster ride of unpredictable love and pain. Rachel Lacey does another fine job of characterizing Merry and TJ, with layers to their relationship. A simple love story with enough love, laughter, tears and happiness to make it an enchanting read. And it’s wonderful to visit with Cara, and Olivia sure made her mark.
“For Keeps” is definitely for keeps!!!!
Received an ARC from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley for an honest review.
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