What do you think?
Rate this book
Puppy Love Romance #1
Rescued Heart
Welcome to Junebug Farms, a successful, well-known animal shelter in upstate New York, where every day brings something new—love, stress, heartbreak, warmth—and not just from the animals.
Lisa Drakemore is in charge of intake and adoption at Junebug. She excels at her job, in large part because of her ability to keep her emotions in check. Her past has given her many years of practice and she’s become a pro. But once she meets dog-walking volunteer Ashley Stiles, a distractingly attractive, perpetually late, emotions-on-her-sleeve young woman who smells like cupcakes, all bets are off for Lisa.
The first of the Puppy Love Romances by award-winning author Georgia Beers.
Lisa Drakemore is in charge of intake and adoption at Junebug. She excels at her job, in large part because of her ability to keep her emotions in check. Her past has given her many years of practice and she’s become a pro. But once she meets dog-walking volunteer Ashley Stiles, a distractingly attractive, perpetually late, emotions-on-her-sleeve young woman who smells like cupcakes, all bets are off for Lisa.
The first of the Puppy Love Romances by award-winning author Georgia Beers.
289 pages, Paperback
First published January 28, 2016
53 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Georgia Beers
61 books1,504 followersLambda and Golden Crown Literary Award-winning author Georgia Beers lives in Rochester, New York. She has been writing for as long as she can remember, and published her first lesbian novel in 2000.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
January 8, 2023
3.25 Stars. After reading a lot last week, I needed to take it easy so I decided to see what they had available to borrow for free audiobooks with my Audible membership, and ran in to some Georgia Beers books. Considering I have read 17 of her books, it was just dumb luck that they had a series that I had never gotten to read before so I happy scooped this one up. Unfortunately, I’m left feeling torn. There were parts of this I really enjoyed and then there were parts that I could hardly stand. It was such an odd book and at times it almost didn’t feel like a Beers book. And look, I know this is sacrilege to say against the great Craden, but wow was she bad in the first ¼ of the book. I think she was going for smokey and sexy, but instead her voice sounded like she swallowed a frog. ‘Hey, CROAK, you look CROAK, so beautiful CROAK CROAK, today’. Thank goodness Craden did calm down with the frogs because I was worried, I was not going to be able to listen to the whole book.
This is an older book, and you could see that it came out before #MeToo, with the way an attempted sexual assault is handled. I was a little frustrated that part didn’t have more of a resolve and actually that is part of the problem with this book as a whole. There are so many things that are left hanging that I felt a little unfulfilled. Now I know this is part of a series so answers still could be coming, but I’m worried the books to come will be staring new characters, so we won’t get answers to the old characters problems.
On the good side, there were some good emotional and relationship parts where the characters had to work things out. I thought the moments felt real and raw and listening on audio with the different voices, the characters in these emotional moments really came alive. Besides the good angsty moments, I really enjoyed all the animal scenes. If anything, I could have used even more dogs and cats to warm up the main characters.
While I need to get back to reading some ARC’s, I have already loaded book 2 of the series onto my Iphone. I think this second book will be the real test to see if this series is for me or not. Although, as someone who has now read 18 Beers books, it’s hard to imagine I will not enjoy book 2 enough to at least want to try book 3.
This is an older book, and you could see that it came out before #MeToo, with the way an attempted sexual assault is handled. I was a little frustrated that part didn’t have more of a resolve and actually that is part of the problem with this book as a whole. There are so many things that are left hanging that I felt a little unfulfilled. Now I know this is part of a series so answers still could be coming, but I’m worried the books to come will be staring new characters, so we won’t get answers to the old characters problems.
On the good side, there were some good emotional and relationship parts where the characters had to work things out. I thought the moments felt real and raw and listening on audio with the different voices, the characters in these emotional moments really came alive. Besides the good angsty moments, I really enjoyed all the animal scenes. If anything, I could have used even more dogs and cats to warm up the main characters.
While I need to get back to reading some ARC’s, I have already loaded book 2 of the series onto my Iphone. I think this second book will be the real test to see if this series is for me or not. Although, as someone who has now read 18 Beers books, it’s hard to imagine I will not enjoy book 2 enough to at least want to try book 3.
October 26, 2025
Second read...
*** 4.16 ***
I must have been in a mood not conducive for this book when I read it first, but this time around I found this book charming, sexy and well structured as a story. A solid read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!😀👍
*** 3.35 ***
I love this author! She has written some of my all time favorite romances, not just lesbian romances. And being such a poignant word and story smith, I have very high expectations when I choose to pick up one of her books.
This story is about two women who work and volunteer at a no kill animal shelter. They are very different, but something draws them to each other and this is the tale of their courtship. As always, the sexual attraction was palpable, the love making was sizzling, but something was missing from the story as a whole. It felt drawn out, sluggish for 80% of the book, and despite being given a ton of background, there was too much "telling" us what the characters were or were feeling instead of showing us through their deeds and actions.
As I said already, Ms. Bears is an incredible author, this book just happens to be one of her lesser achievements. I would personally start with some of her older works if I am to acquaint myself with her wonderful romances.
I wish you all Happy Reading and many wonderful books to come!
*** 4.16 ***
I must have been in a mood not conducive for this book when I read it first, but this time around I found this book charming, sexy and well structured as a story. A solid read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!😀👍
*** 3.35 ***
I love this author! She has written some of my all time favorite romances, not just lesbian romances. And being such a poignant word and story smith, I have very high expectations when I choose to pick up one of her books.
This story is about two women who work and volunteer at a no kill animal shelter. They are very different, but something draws them to each other and this is the tale of their courtship. As always, the sexual attraction was palpable, the love making was sizzling, but something was missing from the story as a whole. It felt drawn out, sluggish for 80% of the book, and despite being given a ton of background, there was too much "telling" us what the characters were or were feeling instead of showing us through their deeds and actions.
As I said already, Ms. Bears is an incredible author, this book just happens to be one of her lesser achievements. I would personally start with some of her older works if I am to acquaint myself with her wonderful romances.
I wish you all Happy Reading and many wonderful books to come!
February 1, 2016
I'm just going to write the last 10% of my review, because I really only enjoyed the last 10% of the book. In that last 10%, the characters did some pretty great things. They talked to one another, listened to one another, and generally behaved like adults trying to have a relationship. There were some lovely, romantic, personal moments.
And then there was all the stuff in the first 90% that wasn't any of that. The stuff where two not-particularly-likable characters play verbal and emotional hide-and-seek with one another for 150 pages. The part with cardboard-thin supporting characters (though I did like that my namesake in the book constantly referred to Ashley as "Ash-hole"). The part with a similarly cardboard-thin antagonist, whose only purpose in the plot probably could've been served just as well by an angry dog, or possibly a bad smell.
Even the last 10% wasn't flawless. Lisa's primary driving issue remained unresolved. The book lead right up to a pivotal scene, and then it just ended. The author tried to use Ashley to make the point that "things would be fine no matter what happened" so that the open-ended conclusion wouldn't read as incomplete, but that didn't really succeed for me. I needed to see that big conversation take place. It was such a heavily-weighted part of Lisa's emotional makeup that it felt like it needed to reach resolution for there to be any catharsis. As it was, if the last page hadn't had 'The End' written at the bottom, I would've assumed my e-book hadn't finished downloading.
Oh well, whatever. This wasn't terrible, but if you only read one of Georgia Beers' books, I'd recommend 96 Hours, which I genuinely enjoyed. This one? Well, I guess 10% is better than nothing. It had dogs, cats, and cupcakes (oh my!), as well as a character with my name who behaves rationally, so at least there's that.
And then there was all the stuff in the first 90% that wasn't any of that. The stuff where two not-particularly-likable characters play verbal and emotional hide-and-seek with one another for 150 pages. The part with cardboard-thin supporting characters (though I did like that my namesake in the book constantly referred to Ashley as "Ash-hole"). The part with a similarly cardboard-thin antagonist, whose only purpose in the plot probably could've been served just as well by an angry dog, or possibly a bad smell.
Even the last 10% wasn't flawless. Lisa's primary driving issue remained unresolved. The book lead right up to a pivotal scene, and then it just ended. The author tried to use Ashley to make the point that "things would be fine no matter what happened" so that the open-ended conclusion wouldn't read as incomplete, but that didn't really succeed for me. I needed to see that big conversation take place. It was such a heavily-weighted part of Lisa's emotional makeup that it felt like it needed to reach resolution for there to be any catharsis. As it was, if the last page hadn't had 'The End' written at the bottom, I would've assumed my e-book hadn't finished downloading.
Oh well, whatever. This wasn't terrible, but if you only read one of Georgia Beers' books, I'd recommend 96 Hours, which I genuinely enjoyed. This one? Well, I guess 10% is better than nothing. It had dogs, cats, and cupcakes (oh my!), as well as a character with my name who behaves rationally, so at least there's that.
July 18, 2022
This one just wasn’t for me. They go on a couple of dates and hook up a few times and then they’re saying I love you and I just don’t get it. They barely know one another!
December 29, 2016
I didn't like either main character. One was a cheating player & other was a cold bitch. Even so I was going to give this 3 stars until the book ended the way it did.
heh. Glancing at some reviews. Most seem to be describing the baker as a sweet wishy washy doormat who and describing Lisa negatively. Lisa, despite being childish and cold in her 30s, had reasons. What exactly is Ashley's excuse for being a cheating player? Mmphs.
re: Ash-hole - with friends like these who needs enemies or something like that.
re: Ashley being a cheating player:
Rating: 2.6
Date: December 28 2016
heh. Glancing at some reviews. Most seem to be describing the baker as a sweet wishy washy doormat who and describing Lisa negatively. Lisa, despite being childish and cold in her 30s, had reasons. What exactly is Ashley's excuse for being a cheating player? Mmphs.
re: Ash-hole - with friends like these who needs enemies or something like that.
re: Ashley being a cheating player:
Rating: 2.6
Date: December 28 2016
March 25, 2016
I normally like Beers' work, but I didn't like this.
I know Beers is setting this up to be the start of a series, but as an individual book it doesn't work at all well. There are far too many characters who are named but never feature in the action. Presumably they will appear in the next book, but there is no reason for us to be introduced to them in the first book.
Even the main characters were underwritten. I didn't really get a good enough sense of them in the book to see how they could possibly work together as a pair.
Ashley Stiles works at a bakery, and is accommodating almost to the point of doormat. She volunteers at a pet rescue operation, where she fancies one of the full time staff. Lisa Drakemore is in charge of the pets, and the boss of Ashley. Lisa was thrown into parenting her younger siblings after her parents split, so won't engage anyone in a relationship as a result.
At least that's the story. Ashley is likable and has the capacity to change, but Lisa appears to be a selfish pain in the neck unless you're a dog or cat. Beers did a good job of giving me a sense that the two were very attracted to one another, but I never got the sense of why anyone would stay around to be treated like crap by Lisa. The blurb reads like this is a charming little romance, but if it is read in that light, it doesn't work at all well.
As a single book romance, this is a dud. As the start of a series, it needs reworking so that it has more depth, the characters are more complex and reasonable, and a reason to have so many characters in the first book. Go read her other books, which are vastly better.
I know Beers is setting this up to be the start of a series, but as an individual book it doesn't work at all well. There are far too many characters who are named but never feature in the action. Presumably they will appear in the next book, but there is no reason for us to be introduced to them in the first book.
Even the main characters were underwritten. I didn't really get a good enough sense of them in the book to see how they could possibly work together as a pair.
Ashley Stiles works at a bakery, and is accommodating almost to the point of doormat. She volunteers at a pet rescue operation, where she fancies one of the full time staff. Lisa Drakemore is in charge of the pets, and the boss of Ashley. Lisa was thrown into parenting her younger siblings after her parents split, so won't engage anyone in a relationship as a result.
At least that's the story. Ashley is likable and has the capacity to change, but Lisa appears to be a selfish pain in the neck unless you're a dog or cat. Beers did a good job of giving me a sense that the two were very attracted to one another, but I never got the sense of why anyone would stay around to be treated like crap by Lisa. The blurb reads like this is a charming little romance, but if it is read in that light, it doesn't work at all well.
As a single book romance, this is a dud. As the start of a series, it needs reworking so that it has more depth, the characters are more complex and reasonable, and a reason to have so many characters in the first book. Go read her other books, which are vastly better.
September 20, 2016
I just couldn't get into this one. Neither of the major character appealed to me, Ashley was too wishywashy, although she did sort of grow a backbone towards the end. Lisa was too... I don't know, boring? Cold? Aloof?
They didn't spend much time together for the first quarter of the book, and unfortunately things did not improve once they were in each other's space. I couldn't see that there was any chemistry between them, despite the attraction we're supposed to believe is there.
All in all, can't say as I found anything redeeming about this one, Georgia Beers doesn't usually disappoint, but this one's a dud.
They didn't spend much time together for the first quarter of the book, and unfortunately things did not improve once they were in each other's space. I couldn't see that there was any chemistry between them, despite the attraction we're supposed to believe is there.
All in all, can't say as I found anything redeeming about this one, Georgia Beers doesn't usually disappoint, but this one's a dud.
September 13, 2019
Oi oi oi, what happened here, people? My first DNF by a normally solid go-to author for me. Even Abby Craden's narration couldn't save this one, though I gave it a solid chance, getting as far as about 70% before throwing in the proverbial towel.
The story was just really slow, I'm sorry to say. Nothing made me want to discover what happened with the MCs. There was no spark, no drama, no lead up, it was just ......... yeah. I did not connect with Lisa at all and had no idea why she drew in Ashley so hard. She was cold and aloof except around animals (I'd say her brood of animals was the best part of the book). And Ashley's lack of ambition and "oh whatever...." attitude got annoying. I could see that she was putting things together to shake herself from this mentality but it was too little too late.
I don't really know what else to say except that I am in shock at my DNF. Looking back at my recent reviews though, perhaps I've been too saturated with "too many Beers" at once.
The story was just really slow, I'm sorry to say. Nothing made me want to discover what happened with the MCs. There was no spark, no drama, no lead up, it was just ......... yeah. I did not connect with Lisa at all and had no idea why she drew in Ashley so hard. She was cold and aloof except around animals (I'd say her brood of animals was the best part of the book). And Ashley's lack of ambition and "oh whatever...." attitude got annoying. I could see that she was putting things together to shake herself from this mentality but it was too little too late.
I don't really know what else to say except that I am in shock at my DNF. Looking back at my recent reviews though, perhaps I've been too saturated with "too many Beers" at once.
October 1, 2021
Wow what an abrupt ending... I guess Ashley and Lisa are cute, but I feel like their relationship only advances when one of them is doing out-of-character things, even though I do enjoy listening about bold Ashley.
But this is my first book narrated by Abby Craden, and I’m pretty happy with her performance! Definitely won’t have to worry about the quality when Craden is the narrator!
But this is my first book narrated by Abby Craden, and I’m pretty happy with her performance! Definitely won’t have to worry about the quality when Craden is the narrator!
December 13, 2016
When Lisa’s Mum left her dad and siblings, responsibility fell to her and had to give up her education and her life to become a ‘mum’ herself to her family. She avoids relationships so she doesn’t become a carer for someone else and works at Animal Shelter and that’s where she meets a volunteer Ashley. Ashley is the sort of person that falls in line, doesn’t speak out and does what she’s told… In other words her life is pretty passive. When she meets Lisa something in her changes and she begins to understand if you want something or someone you have to go ahead and get it… But can she be strong enough to care for herself and Lisa?
I am a massive fan of Georgia Beers but I was unsure about this novel before I read it. I though it might be a bit too cutesy… I couldn’t have been more wrong. The story line is clever and I like how you know that even at the end there is more to look forward to in the next book in the series.
When a line like “You make me brave” makes your heart jump and you get even more invested in a story and the main protagonists, you know you’re on to something great. Georgia Beers has a way of writing one liners that make you smile, arch a eyebrow, laugh and sometimes make you sad for the character… I guess what I’m saying is that she brings out emotions in her readers and that’s a trait that some Authors just do not possess but Beers does it with poise and confidence when she writes. It’s why I should never doubt her books before I read them and it’s the reason she is my favorite Author.
Anyway back to the novel… I like Lisa a lot. She’s a character that grows on you the more you read about her and that was good because in the beginning her personality was one of seniority and negativity but as you get to know her back story you know that she has emotional armor that has been protecting her for years. I have to say I loved Ashley, she was everything that makes a good character great. Ashley really showed that with a little courage, sometimes in life you’ve got to take a chance and her transformation throughout the book was beautiful to watch and in turn it showed the attraction and love that she had for Lisa.
The sex scenes in the novel where great and I was left a little hot under the collar after the scene in Lisa’s entry hall in her house… It was very sexy!
Great start to the new series and I expect great things from the next two books.
5 stars.
https://lesreveur.com/2016/12/13/resc...
I am a massive fan of Georgia Beers but I was unsure about this novel before I read it. I though it might be a bit too cutesy… I couldn’t have been more wrong. The story line is clever and I like how you know that even at the end there is more to look forward to in the next book in the series.
When a line like “You make me brave” makes your heart jump and you get even more invested in a story and the main protagonists, you know you’re on to something great. Georgia Beers has a way of writing one liners that make you smile, arch a eyebrow, laugh and sometimes make you sad for the character… I guess what I’m saying is that she brings out emotions in her readers and that’s a trait that some Authors just do not possess but Beers does it with poise and confidence when she writes. It’s why I should never doubt her books before I read them and it’s the reason she is my favorite Author.
Anyway back to the novel… I like Lisa a lot. She’s a character that grows on you the more you read about her and that was good because in the beginning her personality was one of seniority and negativity but as you get to know her back story you know that she has emotional armor that has been protecting her for years. I have to say I loved Ashley, she was everything that makes a good character great. Ashley really showed that with a little courage, sometimes in life you’ve got to take a chance and her transformation throughout the book was beautiful to watch and in turn it showed the attraction and love that she had for Lisa.
The sex scenes in the novel where great and I was left a little hot under the collar after the scene in Lisa’s entry hall in her house… It was very sexy!
Great start to the new series and I expect great things from the next two books.
5 stars.
https://lesreveur.com/2016/12/13/resc...
September 20, 2016
This supplied so much fluff that when the end came, I was a sad little cupcake. Rescued Hearts has doggies, push-and-pull romance, and humor. Basically, I smiled stupidly throughout the story. I further realized settings surrounded by furry friends is a plus on my list.
The sexy bits were the right amount of sex. Wonderful balance there. Lisa's house full of animals amused me and something about their dates together was so adorable to me. Good adorable, not condescending adorable. I can't recall the characters' specific ages, but it was refreshing for me to relate to them on an equal level. I enjoyed the young-ish (twenties, early thirties) feel.
The sexy bits were the right amount of sex. Wonderful balance there. Lisa's house full of animals amused me and something about their dates together was so adorable to me. Good adorable, not condescending adorable. I can't recall the characters' specific ages, but it was refreshing for me to relate to them on an equal level. I enjoyed the young-ish (twenties, early thirties) feel.
December 21, 2020
I liked this for the most part. Since this is Georgia Beers, there were many swoon-worthy scenes. The MC’s could both be pains in the ass though, and I waffled between liking them and feeling tired of them. Also, for a series that is called “Puppy Love Romances,” I felt like there weren’t nearly enough animals; the animal scenes in this book were on par with any other Beers novel. Also...I love that adorable doggo on the cover, but there are no small fluffy white dogs in the book...
February 14, 2016
I loved this one, but I think it because the relationship doesn't come easily. Lisa is so flawed, and her arc really did it for me. It may have ended more abruptly than I would have liked, but I can forgive that because it's the first book in the series so I know I'll see these characters again.
Full review here: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/rescu...
Full review here: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/rescu...
November 13, 2018
Gosh, it took me ages to finish it and only my stubbornness is to blame. I couldn't care less for the MCs.
Lexxi Kitty's review says it all...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Lexxi Kitty's review says it all...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
September 13, 2019
Not bad at all! I feel like as a dog person that putting a dog on the cover of your book is cheating. Anyways, 'Rescued Heart' has everything one could need for a rainy day, puppies, humor, steamy sexy times and more puppies. We follow Lisa, an employee at a dog shelter and Ashley who volunteers at the shelter.
I have previously read some of Georgia Beers work and do favor her more intense work (or as intense this genre gets) but fortunately I was in the mood for some fluff and my God do we get some fluff.
I really enjoyed Ashley as I always do love the “aloof, head in the clouds” fem lesbian trope.. sue me, I’m an easy girl to please. I enjoyed exploring both hers and Lisa’s love for the animals in their care. Both characters have family drama and even though I would call this a fluffy romance novel it does involve family situations that need be resolved that have little to nothing to do with the relationship between the MC’s (until it did) which I appreciated.
It didn’t blow me out of the water but you know what, it did what you expected it to and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This book also made me feel stupid for never volunteering at the no kill dog shelter down the street from me when I was in high school, extra credit for snuggling with doggies, such a fool I’ve been.
3.75/5.00
I have previously read some of Georgia Beers work and do favor her more intense work (or as intense this genre gets) but fortunately I was in the mood for some fluff and my God do we get some fluff.
I really enjoyed Ashley as I always do love the “aloof, head in the clouds” fem lesbian trope.. sue me, I’m an easy girl to please. I enjoyed exploring both hers and Lisa’s love for the animals in their care. Both characters have family drama and even though I would call this a fluffy romance novel it does involve family situations that need be resolved that have little to nothing to do with the relationship between the MC’s (until it did) which I appreciated.
It didn’t blow me out of the water but you know what, it did what you expected it to and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This book also made me feel stupid for never volunteering at the no kill dog shelter down the street from me when I was in high school, extra credit for snuggling with doggies, such a fool I’ve been.
3.75/5.00
October 23, 2021
I just finished my first audio book with this one and I don’t know how people do it. How do people listen to books while driving or walking or whatever? I need my full attention to follow the story, it’s rather enjoyable but I need lots of focus for it.
So ok, Abby Craden is the reigning queen of lesfic audiobooks and I can understand why. It’s a pleasant voice to listen to.
As for the story, it’s enjoyable, typical Beers I’d say, although it’s lacking a bit of special touch. The characters only get together because one of them does something out of character (multiple times). I don’t feel the connection. They are sweet, but I just don’t feel it.
I will continue with my audiobook journey for this Puppy Love series. Let’s see how I get on.
So ok, Abby Craden is the reigning queen of lesfic audiobooks and I can understand why. It’s a pleasant voice to listen to.
As for the story, it’s enjoyable, typical Beers I’d say, although it’s lacking a bit of special touch. The characters only get together because one of them does something out of character (multiple times). I don’t feel the connection. They are sweet, but I just don’t feel it.
I will continue with my audiobook journey for this Puppy Love series. Let’s see how I get on.
August 25, 2019
I had a really hard time staying engaged with this story. The two leads trade off being cowards and it made for an uncomfortable read on my part. Ashley is the worst. She's a coward in everything. This is most painful with the semi-relationship she starts the story with. Poor Crystal is obviously more attached to Ashley than is reciprocated and it was so sad seeing how desperate she was to pin Ashley down. I was worried we'd be in cheater territory with how passive Ashley is, but Beers avoided going that far. Barely. But Ashley isn't any better in her day job where she has been coasting along for a decade and just sits out obvious promotion opportunities as they come up. So very frustrating. The only place she isn't a complete coward is in her pursuit of Lisa. Which was nice, but everything else irritated me enough that it didn't feel like enough.
Lisa, on the other hand, is a take-charge kind of woman and one who goes after what she wants. Except when it comes to relationships. And particularly when it comes to a relationship with Ashley. Seriously, I wanted to smack her with her "I don't know why I did that" malarkey and passive emotional cues. I did like her interactions with others and she kept me going through much of the story. Until the last bits where I got really impatient.
Two story elements felt way off, too. Lisa's non-relationship with her mother felt contrived for maximum pathos and I found it annoying. This was bad enough on its own. But when I groaned at the hackneyed story contrivance. Worse, we never got any closure for this aspect of the story. We just ended and how they're going to tackle the situation as a couple was just dropped. That's some major emotional overhead that went nowhere.
Second, the whole creepy creeper creeping on Ashley similarly dropped off inexplicably. Which was majorly frustrating. We're talking lawsuit-worthy hostile work environment stuff, here, with Lisa as eventual witness of serious wrong-doing. And it just went *poof* it was gone and we have no idea what is going to happen. Now, reading cover-copy for the next book, it's apparent that this is how Beers is going to pull the creeper's sister into the next story. But there's no need for that to interfere with pursuing (and, by preference, resolving) that thread in this book.
So some serious miscues in this story with dropped emotional payloads and lots of cowardice that hurt my engagement. So this is 2½ stars but for the life of me, I can come up with no excuse for rounding up. I really hope the next book in the series is better.
A note about Steamy: There are two explicit sex scenes in the story putting this between the low and middle of my steam tolerance. The first was interesting in illustrating their emotional dynamics and I appreciated that, actually. And the second wasn't gratuitous, either, as it was short and I liked seeing their growth and connection.
Lisa, on the other hand, is a take-charge kind of woman and one who goes after what she wants. Except when it comes to relationships. And particularly when it comes to a relationship with Ashley. Seriously, I wanted to smack her with her "I don't know why I did that" malarkey and passive emotional cues. I did like her interactions with others and she kept me going through much of the story. Until the last bits where I got really impatient.
Two story elements felt way off, too. Lisa's non-relationship with her mother felt contrived for maximum pathos and I found it annoying. This was bad enough on its own. But when I groaned at the hackneyed story contrivance. Worse, we never got any closure for this aspect of the story. We just ended and how they're going to tackle the situation as a couple was just dropped. That's some major emotional overhead that went nowhere.
Second, the whole creepy creeper creeping on Ashley similarly dropped off inexplicably. Which was majorly frustrating. We're talking lawsuit-worthy hostile work environment stuff, here, with Lisa as eventual witness of serious wrong-doing. And it just went *poof* it was gone and we have no idea what is going to happen. Now, reading cover-copy for the next book, it's apparent that this is how Beers is going to pull the creeper's sister into the next story. But there's no need for that to interfere with pursuing (and, by preference, resolving) that thread in this book.
So some serious miscues in this story with dropped emotional payloads and lots of cowardice that hurt my engagement. So this is 2½ stars but for the life of me, I can come up with no excuse for rounding up. I really hope the next book in the series is better.
A note about Steamy: There are two explicit sex scenes in the story putting this between the low and middle of my steam tolerance. The first was interesting in illustrating their emotional dynamics and I appreciated that, actually. And the second wasn't gratuitous, either, as it was short and I liked seeing their growth and connection.
December 8, 2020
I usually don't have high hopes for series books featuring different main characters because somehow, some books will pale in comparison with the other books in the same series. I have realised that with a couple of lesbian romance novels I've read.
This one deserved a four star from me. It was enjoyable to read but somehow not as captivating as her other books.
This one deserved a four star from me. It was enjoyable to read but somehow not as captivating as her other books.
February 17, 2019
Lisa and Ashley both had their strengths and weaknesses. First the cheating, I wouldn't enjoyed the story more if Ashley had ended the relationship sooner than she did. Lisa kept mentioning she didn't want another person to take care of, running off when she got scared, hot and cold behaviour.
I really liked the scenes with one of the secondary characters, Lisa's aunt. I thought that she added to the story and helped move the story along.
Although this book is not my favourite from Georgia Beers, it was still a decent book to read.
Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Review also posted here: https://wp.me/p4Pp9O-Li
I really liked the scenes with one of the secondary characters, Lisa's aunt. I thought that she added to the story and helped move the story along.
Although this book is not my favourite from Georgia Beers, it was still a decent book to read.
Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Review also posted here: https://wp.me/p4Pp9O-Li
October 9, 2016
I really like Georgia beers writing style, world building and character development. However a few of her stories leave me very unsatisfied by ending too early, without really resolving everything. This book is another example. Though the protagonists say I love you and seem to be facing their fears, it happened basically on the last page. there was a lot of buildup and development then the story ends.
September 27, 2021
I liked the start ok … got really frustrated in the middle … quite enjoyed the end. A good romance story. Got very pissed off at the flippancy of the sexual harassment. Good writing.
July 21, 2020
I read these some time ago and decided to listen to them on audio because they are narrated by the uber talented Abby Craden. Of the three, I loved the second book the most, but since it's a series decided to give all three a go.
It's a rare day indeed when I write something like this about a Georgia Beers book, but wow - these are some of the weakest and least likable characters she has ever written. Especially Lisa Blakemore, the intake and adoption specialist at Junebug Farms. Ashley Stiles, who bakes for a living in addition to her volunteer work at Junebug, is more likable but irritating nonetheless. She's written as a woman who is as beautiful as Lisa, but whose serious self esteem issues make her walk through life like a deer caught in the headlights.
It could be that I was more disappointed in this now than the first time around because I recently read two beautifully rich, fleshed out love stories. By comparison, this was little more than two immature women who had a strong physical attraction for each other but whose baggage prevented them from being the best version of themselves. It never made sense to me that Ashley would want more with Lisa after the way Lisa treated her. Yes - you get glimpses of the "real" Lisa here and there, but those flashes weren't enough to convince me that she was somehow worthy of pursuing. I realize people have issues from childhood they have to resolve - who doesn't? But there's a difference between being cautious and just plain mean or unkind and that's what Lisa was. I could never really root for her - no matter how beautiful she was or how green her eyes were. And therein lies some of the frustration for me. I do appreciate reading about beautiful women, but it was all so shallow - so much focus on their physical beauty than on the people they were. When the I love yous came before they seemed earned, I said, REALLY?!? How?? The positives for me were the setting (Junebug Farms is a great no-kill shelter) and the patience and kindness Ashley showed to Lisa as Ashley started to come into her own. And certainly the narration by Abby. Her performance of the love scene alone made this worth listening to.
Off to book two - and I hope it's as good as I remember it being.
It's a rare day indeed when I write something like this about a Georgia Beers book, but wow - these are some of the weakest and least likable characters she has ever written. Especially Lisa Blakemore, the intake and adoption specialist at Junebug Farms. Ashley Stiles, who bakes for a living in addition to her volunteer work at Junebug, is more likable but irritating nonetheless. She's written as a woman who is as beautiful as Lisa, but whose serious self esteem issues make her walk through life like a deer caught in the headlights.
It could be that I was more disappointed in this now than the first time around because I recently read two beautifully rich, fleshed out love stories. By comparison, this was little more than two immature women who had a strong physical attraction for each other but whose baggage prevented them from being the best version of themselves. It never made sense to me that Ashley would want more with Lisa after the way Lisa treated her. Yes - you get glimpses of the "real" Lisa here and there, but those flashes weren't enough to convince me that she was somehow worthy of pursuing. I realize people have issues from childhood they have to resolve - who doesn't? But there's a difference between being cautious and just plain mean or unkind and that's what Lisa was. I could never really root for her - no matter how beautiful she was or how green her eyes were. And therein lies some of the frustration for me. I do appreciate reading about beautiful women, but it was all so shallow - so much focus on their physical beauty than on the people they were. When the I love yous came before they seemed earned, I said, REALLY?!? How?? The positives for me were the setting (Junebug Farms is a great no-kill shelter) and the patience and kindness Ashley showed to Lisa as Ashley started to come into her own. And certainly the narration by Abby. Her performance of the love scene alone made this worth listening to.
Off to book two - and I hope it's as good as I remember it being.
February 24, 2016
Georgia Beers had me from the first line of the synopsis: hook, line, and sinker. A story about lesbians and an animal shelter? Woof! Meow! How can I say ‘no’?!
In a similar fashion as other stories written by Georgia Beers, the progression of love between the characters is slow and sweet. Lisa has her own reasons for baby-stepping.. or not-stepping at all, really. Eventually, Ashley breaks through her barriers and gives her a reason to pick up the pace. Wow… when these two finally sync and step, they sprint to that finish line together like they’re the pair of legs that belong to Marion Jones. Georgia Beer certainly has a way of showing readers that foreplay is not overrated, and the pay-off at the end is definitely worth the wait.
Somehow, in the middle of reading this book, I completely forgot that the setting of the story is in upstate New York. If you didn’t review the synopsis before diving into the novel, you may get the sense that it’s set in a small-town because it has such a down-home feel. The characters in the story are very down-to-earth and interconnected in a way, that’s more often than not, a bit uncharacteristic in an urban setting. For me, it felt a little too cozy to be in the city, but this doesn’t detract from the exceptional writing and entertaining story from the author. It’s just a side observation.
We don’t seize opportunities that are presented to us often enough, especially when it comes to love and romance. The lesson that can be learned from this book is that we are not meant to exist as passive observers. In our own pursuit of happiness, we have to grab life by its horns and follow our heart without fear or reservation. This is Ashley’s journey in Rescued Heart, and it’s really a joy to see this transformation in her character.
Rescued Heart will pull the heck out of your heart strings and make you want to give a big hug to your pets at home. I wonder what Georgia Beers will write about next!
In a similar fashion as other stories written by Georgia Beers, the progression of love between the characters is slow and sweet. Lisa has her own reasons for baby-stepping.. or not-stepping at all, really. Eventually, Ashley breaks through her barriers and gives her a reason to pick up the pace. Wow… when these two finally sync and step, they sprint to that finish line together like they’re the pair of legs that belong to Marion Jones. Georgia Beer certainly has a way of showing readers that foreplay is not overrated, and the pay-off at the end is definitely worth the wait.
Somehow, in the middle of reading this book, I completely forgot that the setting of the story is in upstate New York. If you didn’t review the synopsis before diving into the novel, you may get the sense that it’s set in a small-town because it has such a down-home feel. The characters in the story are very down-to-earth and interconnected in a way, that’s more often than not, a bit uncharacteristic in an urban setting. For me, it felt a little too cozy to be in the city, but this doesn’t detract from the exceptional writing and entertaining story from the author. It’s just a side observation.
We don’t seize opportunities that are presented to us often enough, especially when it comes to love and romance. The lesson that can be learned from this book is that we are not meant to exist as passive observers. In our own pursuit of happiness, we have to grab life by its horns and follow our heart without fear or reservation. This is Ashley’s journey in Rescued Heart, and it’s really a joy to see this transformation in her character.
Rescued Heart will pull the heck out of your heart strings and make you want to give a big hug to your pets at home. I wonder what Georgia Beers will write about next!
December 15, 2016
A heartwarming story!
My heart melts reading about the dogs in the shelter. Especially Jax stole my heart and I wish I could adopt him. For all the animals I shed a tear or two but it also gave me warm fuzzy feelings. Both loves animals and cupcakes. The aroma was always around Ashley. As happy as Lisa is with her work, in her private live, she isn't. She has a past that she can't forget, a past that has hardened her and prevent her from a real relationship. A relationship she really wants. Can Lisa find the strength and courage to open up her heart, to give love a chance? Ashley, a passive person and not very brave, valiant, can't shake the image of her out of her head. But what can she do? Lisa is so standoffish, sometimes even a bit cold. Winning her over is not so easily and besides, Ashley has to do something about her feelings of quilt, she has to make a hurtfull decision before she can move on. This is a story full of emotions, friendship, family, strong feelings, passion and characters that are spot on. It was an incredibly entertaining read and I highly recommend this book.
My heart melts reading about the dogs in the shelter. Especially Jax stole my heart and I wish I could adopt him. For all the animals I shed a tear or two but it also gave me warm fuzzy feelings. Both loves animals and cupcakes. The aroma was always around Ashley. As happy as Lisa is with her work, in her private live, she isn't. She has a past that she can't forget, a past that has hardened her and prevent her from a real relationship. A relationship she really wants. Can Lisa find the strength and courage to open up her heart, to give love a chance? Ashley, a passive person and not very brave, valiant, can't shake the image of her out of her head. But what can she do? Lisa is so standoffish, sometimes even a bit cold. Winning her over is not so easily and besides, Ashley has to do something about her feelings of quilt, she has to make a hurtfull decision before she can move on. This is a story full of emotions, friendship, family, strong feelings, passion and characters that are spot on. It was an incredibly entertaining read and I highly recommend this book.
January 1, 2021
I enjoyed this coworker to lovers story. It was well written and had an interesting story and setting. I really liked the way the main characters both grew in positive ways as a result of their interest in each other.
The next time I read this I want to read the ebook instead of listen to the audiobook.
The next time I read this I want to read the ebook instead of listen to the audiobook.
December 26, 2016
Georgia Beers makes me smile, EVERY time! I am so excited this is a series. I can't wait to see who is next in the cast to find love. I hope we see more of Ashley and Lisa too.. Or maybe it's a continuation of their story,which would totally rock.
February 4, 2016
Ashley and Lisa do a great job of capturing your heart with glimpses of their vulnerability, both women struggle with their own insecurities which works to bring them closer together giving them a new strength of character. Really enjoyed it.
April 5, 2021
This is the first in the Puppy Love Romance series by Beers. I actually listened to the second in the series first but it really didn’t make a huge difference.
I really enjoyed this book. I’m actually pretty surprised by the lower ratings. If felt this book was very realistic. Maybe because I was able to empathize some with one of the main characters. Nevertheless, I thought it was sweet and typical of what you’ll get from Georgia Beer. She’s consistently solid in her writing and I’m always confident I’ll read a book from her that will be enjoyable.
As usual, Abby Craden, did a wonderful job and lives up to all her hype. I’ll listen to her read a phone book. It’s been enjoyable listening to Beers books with Craden narrating on Audible. Even better that they are free in the audible library.
I really enjoyed this book. I’m actually pretty surprised by the lower ratings. If felt this book was very realistic. Maybe because I was able to empathize some with one of the main characters. Nevertheless, I thought it was sweet and typical of what you’ll get from Georgia Beer. She’s consistently solid in her writing and I’m always confident I’ll read a book from her that will be enjoyable.
As usual, Abby Craden, did a wonderful job and lives up to all her hype. I’ll listen to her read a phone book. It’s been enjoyable listening to Beers books with Craden narrating on Audible. Even better that they are free in the audible library.
October 2, 2019
My favorite thing about this story was the animal shelter setting. Having characters who love animals will always elevate my opinion of a book. As for the rest of it, it was okay... I never warmed up to either of the two protagonists, and the story didn't really go anywhere.
November 15, 2021
This was a bit of a bummer for me. I rate like, most books a three, on average. I have to dislike a book quite a bit in order to rate it a 2 or lower, and I have to REALLY love a book, and even sometimes go back and re-read a book and make sure I loved it before I’ll rate it a five. But this is def on the lower end of a three, for me personally.
I’ve enjoyed pretty much every other Georgia Beers book I’ve read, and I like Abby Craden’s narration, and it’s well written, so I can’t really rate it lower, but this was kind of a slog for me to get through. I got a temporary lower price audible sub, and I’ve been listening to stories that are free/included in the plus catalogue, and this was one of them. There were a lot of things working against this novel, for me personally to connect with. It’s got a lot of animals in it, largely taking place at an animal shelter—I’m a terrible queer woman in that I’m not really a dog or cat person. They’re fine. But they’re not my fav. Largely though, I didn’t like either main character very much and thus, wasn’t really rooting for them to get together. Their flaws were on display on purpose, like they didn’t get away with their shitty behavior, but it just never quite flipped around enough to be growth that I connected with by the end of the book. And that’s def a YMMV kinda thing. I like this author usually, this one just wasn’t really for me.
I’ve enjoyed pretty much every other Georgia Beers book I’ve read, and I like Abby Craden’s narration, and it’s well written, so I can’t really rate it lower, but this was kind of a slog for me to get through. I got a temporary lower price audible sub, and I’ve been listening to stories that are free/included in the plus catalogue, and this was one of them. There were a lot of things working against this novel, for me personally to connect with. It’s got a lot of animals in it, largely taking place at an animal shelter—I’m a terrible queer woman in that I’m not really a dog or cat person. They’re fine. But they’re not my fav. Largely though, I didn’t like either main character very much and thus, wasn’t really rooting for them to get together. Their flaws were on display on purpose, like they didn’t get away with their shitty behavior, but it just never quite flipped around enough to be growth that I connected with by the end of the book. And that’s def a YMMV kinda thing. I like this author usually, this one just wasn’t really for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews