Forever Home

Forever Friends #1

by Allyson Charles

LOVE UNLEASHED
 
Isabelle Lopez has never been a dog person. Raising her daughter alone and building a real estate career leaves no time for four-legged furballs. When she finds an abandoned mutt and litter of pups in a foreclosed apartment, Izzy intends to drop them off at a shelter and walk briskly away. Instead, her “heroic” deed makes her a local celebrity. Her boss is thrilled. Commissions are up. And thanks to gorgeous shelter owner Bradley Cohen, Izzy’s disciplined life is suddenly much, much more complicated.
 
He’s got a sexy smile, a wicked sense of humor, and a big, noble heart. Even as Izzy tries to get her libido to heel, boy, Bradley sets out to convince her there’s more to life than padding her bank account. But Izzy knows a trade secret that puts Brad’s beloved shelter at risk, and she can’t warn him.
 
Their relationship was barely getting started; suddenly it’s in the dog house. Now Izzy and Brad need to figure out what matters most, and whether this could be much more than animal attraction…

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Humor

208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 10, 2018

About the author

Allyson Charles writes small-town, contemporary romances with heat and humor. A former attorney, she happily ditched those suits and now works in her pajamas writing about men’s briefs instead of legal briefs. When she’s not writing, she’s probably engaged in one of her favorite hobbies: napping, eating, or martial arts (That last one almost makes up for the first two, right?). She also writes steamy historicals as Alyson Chase.

Sign up for Allyson’s newsletter at www.allysoncharles.com/newsletter.
You can find her at www.allysoncharles.com, on Twitter @1allysoncharles, and on Facebook at facebook.com/AuthorAllysonCharles.

Reviews

[Linda Langford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Dog rescue owner falls in love with a realtor who has a young daughter. He’s barely making ends meet, and she’s saving every penny possible for her daughter’s college fund. Very steamy love scenes. Adult language. I enjoyed all the dogs, and, of course, the happily ever after ending.

[Ann Lorz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for Romancing the Readers Blog: https://romancingthereaders.blogspot....

I was pretty excited to start this new series by Allyson Charles. I really enjoyed her last one Pineville and was hoping that Forever Friends would be just as good.

I wasn't disappointed.

Forever Home has everything I like in my romance. Men friends, men who love animals and children, single mom fighting for her kids, funny charcters.

I really think that this series started out with a bang. I always love how non-animal people become crazy animal people. We need more people to fall in love with animals and treat them right. I couldn't life without mine. And I'm sure when they are gone from my life I will be getting more. Pets make a house a home.

Right away I liked Brad, mostly because I could not what with him taking in dogs and helping them find homes. But...I really wish he had more ambition. He could have made a lot more of his place if he only tired but he didn't. That didn't sit right with me. Yes, I know it worked for the book, but for a hero...

I'm not saying I didn't like him, I said already that I did. He's a great guy but who need focus to be even better.

Isabelle is pretty great too. She's very driven and I like that to a point. You still have to live and be there for you family. Otherwise yes you might help your kid go to college but you also don't really know them.

Together they learned how to balance their own flaws (not terrible ones) and be better people. As a whole this is a wonderful story and I was so glad that I read it. I was glad the author added a few of the characters that I really loved from the first series and introduced us to some new ones that I can't wait to learn more about. Those would be Brad's friends.

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[Book Lover · Rating 2 out of 5]

Isabelle Lopez moves to a small town to raise her daughter. She is embroiled in making her real estate career successful, missing more and more time with her daughter. She is putting her financial goals ahead of what's important - raising her daughter. When she rescues a mom dog and her pups, life begins to change. At the Shelter, she meets the easy-going owner, with a completely opposite look on life than her own.

Brad had a life altering childhood that caused him to want to enjoy and live life to the fullest. Isabelle struggles with his outlook, to the point she irritated me a few times. Brad works hard to get her to focus less on work and enjoying life.

This was an ok read with a couple good laughs, but not a particularly memorable one. However, I am curious about Gabe. I liked the side characters.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brad just thinks highly of himself, “that was a while ago. Trust me, I’m fully recovered and have plenty of stamina. Now, turn over.” He grinned." The man is like the energizer bunny, “babe, you have an empty house for the next twenty hours. I hope to spend at least nineteen of those going again.” He brushed his mouth against hers and gently sucked on her bottom lip until she gave a breathy moan. “And again. Any objections?” I liked this book, I loved Brad but I loved the dogs more.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Forever Friends #1, First time author for me, Allyson Charles, writes an adorable Rom-Com about a driven Real Estate agent/Mom who finds an abandoned dog and her litter of puppies and how her life is forever changed after that. Isabelle Lopez is a hard working mom trying to support her daughter and save enough money for Anna's college education. Izzy works so hard she often feels guilty about choosing work over her daughter especially when the Mom Mafia aka PTA president guilt trips her. (The whole Mom Mafia thing reminded me of the movie Bad Mom.) Brad is a fun loving guy who runs an animal shelter/rescue and lives paycheck, or in this case fundraiser to fundraiser kind of guy; he's content where he is and doesn't worry about the future. The romance was a fun opposites attract kind of thing, Izzy and Brad balance each other out well. Because Brad is the way he is I kept thinking he was a lot younger than he was he acts like he doesn't have a care in the world and that made him seem really immature to me as opposed to Izzy who life is nothing but stress.

Izzy's newest client is curious about selling his property, but wants to know if anyone is interested in buying it before listing it. Izzy is out scouting the property when she hears an animal whining from inside an abandoned apartment complex. After breaking in she finds a mother dog and her six pups starving; Izzy never owned a dog or even considered herself a dog person but she knew she couldn't just leave these poor guys to fend for themselves. After getting them in her car she drives down the street to the animal rescue place, but worried about the fact that she broke into the apartment and she was just going to drop the dogs off in the back. Bradley Cohen catches Izzy before she can leave and after explaining what she did Brad sees a great chance to bring in some extra money for the shelter. Brad wants to honor Izzy with an award but she's against the idea. Brad gets her boss in on it and her boss, Liz, sees free advertising for the real estate agency.

Izzy's daughter Anna flips when she finds out about the dogs and as much as Izzy keeps saying she's not going to adopt one; she ends up adopting two, the mother and one of the babies. Brad likes Izzy from the start but getting her to go on a date is even harder than getting her to agree to accept the award. Izzy is attracted to Brad but she doesn't think she has time for a relationship on top of everything else, not to mention she doesn't trust men very much. After one very steamy kiss Izzy agrees to a date. Everything seems to be going well except for that one looming secret that Izzy knows but can't tell Brad and when he does find out Izzy left to pick up the pieces of her heart. Unless Brad gets his head and his heart on the same page.

Overall, it is an adorable read, between Anna and all the dogs, the amusing side characters, and the easy romance between Izzy and Brad this was a very enjoyable read. Being a new author to me Allyson Charles definitely made an impression, her writing style is easy to follow and easy to get sucked into. I will definitely go out of my way to read the next books in the series; especially if it's Gabe.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Forever Home is the first book in the new Forever Friends series by Allyson Charles. It is currently scheduled for release on April 10 2018. Isabelle Lopez has never been a dog person. Raising her daughter alone and building a real estate career leaves no time for four-legged furballs. When she finds an abandoned mutt and litter of pups in a foreclosed apartment, Izzy intends to drop them off at a shelter and walk briskly away. Instead, her “heroic” deed makes her a local celebrity. Her boss is thrilled and thanks to gorgeous shelter owner Bradley Cohen, Izzy’s disciplined life is suddenly much, much more complicated. He’s got a sexy smile, a wicked sense of humor, and a big, noble heart. Even as Izzy tries to get her libido to heel, boy, Bradley sets out to convince her there’s more to life than padding her bank account. But Izzy knows a trade secret that puts Brad’s beloved shelter at risk, and she can’t warn him. Their relationship was barely getting started; suddenly it’s in the dog house. Now Izzy and Brad need to figure out what matters most, and whether this could be much more than animal attraction.

Forever Home is a contemporary romance that had several moments I related to- being a mom and a pragmatic sort. However there were other things that just seemed out of character to me. I loved the set up- real estate agent stumbles on dogs and tries to drop them at the shelter without having conversation- something I can total get. Of course that does not go as planned and the first connection with Brad happens. I did like Brad's willingness to work for Izzy's affection, and thought that Izzy reacted in character. I also liked his reactions to Anna, and how flexible he was in finding his place in Izzy's life. However, there were a couple moments that I was surprised with her choices (from not dating at all to getting busy outside). I liked getting the insight into both character's minds, to see their worries and needs. I thought that the conflicts were easy to see coming, but well done. I did find the resolution and I love yous to be a little quick. However, one hysterical scene that had me laughing hard enough to wake up my daughter made many of the small issues like that become less important. I still am smiling just thinking about those pages.

Forever Home is a satisfying read, and I related and laughed at times. However, while it was good- aside from a few absolutely stellar moments, I was not wowed. It was a good, satisfying read, but not a must read for me.

[Cathy Geha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Forever Home by Allyson Charles
Forever Friends #1

Isabelle Lopez moved to a smaller town to raise her daughter Anna. She is a type A real estate salesperson who has monetary goals. Sometimes it seems she puts those goals before things that should take priority in her life – like her daughter. Her life begins to change when she rescues a mother and her pups, meets the no-kill shelter owner and begins to date him. Bradley Cohen has a much more laid back relationship to life and monetary issues. His focus is the dogs and providing for them even if it is only one month at a time.

This is an easy read with two likable characters, good friends for the hero and heroine, a charming daughter, wonderful dogs, a great supporting cast and the potential for other books in the future. There was not a great deal of drama but there were issues the couple did need to address before they could achieve their HEA.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington – Lyrical Shine for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

[Tracy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first encounter with this author, Allyson Charles, and it definitely won't be my last. This contemporary novel is a bit different from what I normally enjoy, but it didn't disappoint me in the least. If you don't mind a bit of off-color language and some highly charged, passionate scenes, then this romance is one that you might like to dig into. Any story that has dogs at it's core, also really appeals to me! I would highly recommend this tale to anyone who enjoys, pets, single parents getting by, and learning to jump in and fall in love. Happy Reading!

[Beth McLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very cute story, with characters that you really root for. Plus dogs. Lots of dogs. Glad this is the start of a new series, because that Gabe is a tough nut to crack and I want him to get his happy ending with a special lady, too, whether he wants it or not!

[Phillip Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I normally read mysteries. That being said I asked the publisher to review this book. It was a leap to even get my approval. Seriously most of the time my head is full of mystery. But this book started fast, and kept the momentum up. For a romance it was a great lighter tale. I don't do so much bad language that some romances do. This book was my kind of romance book If I had to read more romances.
The lead character Isabelle "Izzy" Lopez is a Real Estate dealer and seller for "Gold Star Realty". It was a chance encounter with a mama dog and her puppies that led Izzy to "Forever Friends". It is at this animal shelter that Izzy meets Brad Cohen. Brad was a great guy to Izzy. This is a romance after all and there has to be a hot guy. I loved the fact that Izzy wasn't taken by Brad at first. It sort of made it more believable. The only difficulty I had was would Izzy's nine year old daughter really be so opinionated. Ana, wasn't bratty, but very mature for her age. "Extra-Large" Pizza and a strong will.
The writing was light and good. It seemed a good fit for someone like me. Especially when the dogs in the shelter were named for detectives of classic mysteries. "Hercule" was great. Like a mystery Izzy lives in a smaller town/city. Crook County is made up of three suburban towns (Clarion Township, Marysville, and Pineville). Where I live there also is a Pineville, so that was a great story connection that stuck with me. Some things were not ideal, or picturesque and that was perfectly fine by me. Oh, and the whole gal pal theme was great. I was a little concerned when Lydia made a plan to hook up with Brad though. On that idea, I don't picture Michigan being the wine capitol, but the winery featured in this book was my kind of Riesling. I enjoyed reading about some of the other characters like Dax, and the computer whizzes who were granny aged characters Debbie and Eugenie. I kept reading to find out how all the plot twists would be handled. If this author writes anything else like this book I will be picking it up. Five stars for sure!

[BookAddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book cover with the boxer mix on it and the synopsis both piqued my interest when I had an opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. Then the book opens with Izzy the realtor climbing through the window of an abandoned building and rescuing a starving mama dog and her five puppies and I was hooked. Izzy may have been a bit misguided in how she handled getting the pups to Forever Friends shelter, but Brad quickly educated her in all things canine.

Allyson Charles is a new author to me, and thanks to Kensington Books/Lyrical Press and Net Galley I was able to read an early copy of this book. This is one author to keep your eye on in the rom-com genre. She snagged my interest quickly and then kept it easily with endearing, somewhat flawed and quirky characters, a fast paced storyline and an effortless style. Add in an adorable “I’m not a baby, Mom" nine-year old girl and a rescued boxer mix with a propensity for pilfering people chow, then sit back and watch the pup with a pooting problem take on the PTA. There was never a dull moment in this book, but even better than that was seeing two people who were seemingly so different figure out a relationship together while realizing things in their own lives that needed a little improvement.

I freely admit to being a sucker for a story with children or animals, but they have to be done well, as they were here. There’s plenty of light-hearted fun, a co-worker you'll love to hate, some laugh-out-loud moments, and a few tugs at the heartstrings in this delightfully entertaining read. I easily fell in love with these characters and can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next!

*I reviewed this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Animal rescue shelter owner, handsome, easy-going guy meets real estate agent, single mom, buttoned-up workaholic who is not a dog lover. Not exactly a recipe for love at first sight. Isabelle Lopez rescues an abandoned dog and her cute puppies from a vacant apartment building. She just couldn't leave them there to die so she gathers them up and plans to drop them off at the nearby rescue center. Drop and Go. No one the wiser. Not so fast though. Bradley Cohen, the rescue shelter owner catches Izzy dropping off the mama dog and her pups at the back door in the alley behind the shelter building. Yum! Izzy sees a handsome, sexy guy and is attracted to him. Brad sees a lovely, sexy lady and is attracted to her. Sounds like the beginning of a potential HEA. But wait, it can't be that easy! Izzy has a secret which could derail this love train in a big way.

Allyson Charles has an enjoyable story in Forever Home, the first book in her new Forever Friends series. She spells out the initial conflict in the story in an entertaining way and then proceeds to take the reader to the resolution of the conflict in a well-developed storyline. Along the way she introduces some truly delightful characters as well as some the reader won't be cheering for along the way. Izzy's daughter, Ana, is a charming nine year old who loves animals and has always wanted a dog. Does she get her wish? The volunteer vet, Gabe Moretti, is Brad's cranky best friend. He's a great vet but not so good with people. Other secondary characters pop up along the way and add charm and sometimes drama to the plot.

The characters in this story and their interactions make this a charming story. What puts the cherry on top for this book are the dogs and their interactions with the people they captivate with their antics. This is a very pleasant beginning to a series I look forward to following.

[Jin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love dogs...
Isabel, a real estate agent, was checking out one of the abandoned apartment when she heard noise. She was trespassing in the building and didn’t want to risk but she couldn’t just leave. When she found the litter of puppies and a skinny dog, she couldn’t just leave them to starve, so she decided to rescue. She was afraid she would get caught so she wanted to leave the dog at the back of Forever Shelter. But one of the puppies ran out of the crate and she had to search then she came face to face with Brad.
Brad couldn’t believe someone would leave the emancipated mother dog with litter puppies. But when he saw Izzy, he liked what he saw. He wanted to know more about her and rest of the dogs.
Isabel never thought she wanted to adopt any dogs until she met Brad. Izzy’s life goal was to 401K and college funds for her daughter.. All she saw was dollar signs whenever she had listing of homes and buildings.
Brad thought Izzy would be perfect for his feature fundraiser. Now he needs to convince her to attend his award/fundraiser banquet.
Now they are spending more time with Brad and seeing those dogs warm her heart and finally adopts mommy dog and one of the puppy. Those two dogs are giving her unconditional love and relaxes her hectic life.
Brad is warming up to Izzy through dogs and her daughter yet his shelter’s building owner has different idea for the future. Izzy is representing the owner so she can’t break the promise to her client but it will effect his shelter.
Will they find each other’s forever home???

It was cute and funny story.. Most funniest moment was when her doggy started farting during PTA election, I was laughing so loud. Dogs add another layer to the story (maybe I am biased because I love dogs). I can’t wait to read his partner story...

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing Lyrical Press for my ARC in exchange for honest review.

[Books and Spoons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forever Home is an entertaining, humorous, and a rather adorable story of dogs, friends, single parenting, priorities in life, and the opposite attracting each other.
Isabelle Lopez has one goal in life, and that is to provide the best possible life for her daughter, economically. That requires hard work, long hours, and cut-throat attitude as a real estate agent. She has no time for PTA and some of her daughter's soccer games, not to mention men and dating. Isabelle is not a bad person, her priorities even are not completely wrong. Yet she could be a bit more flexible and live more at the moment, enjoy what she has now, instead of planning and focusing solely on money and for the future.
Bradley Cohen loves his furry friends. He left the lucrative career as an engineer behind him to enjoy life and take care of the dogs in his shelter. He is the opposite of Isabella when it comes to planning and economics, and they surely could learn a lot from each other.
I liked the world the author had created, I like the main characters as well as their supporting cast and crew. They all were well thought out, had distinctive individuality, and were pleasant to be around. The story flows smoothly, it is easy to read without any major drama or angst. The chemistry between Bradley and Isabella was smoking hot. The passion was palpable and their feelings towards each other were believable.
Forever Home is a story that was easy to get lost in. It is a bit predictable, yes, but fun and enjoyable. It is a good, solid romance story with pleasant characters and great chemistry, a few life lessons, charming dogs, and amusing moments that made me smile.
A lovely and lively story to spend an evening with
~ Four Spoons

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one in A Forever Romance series and it is Bradley and Isabelle’s story and what a great start to a new series. Izzy and her daughter Anna has moved to a new town and as a real estate agent she is determined to work hard and make a name for herself while making money to put Anna through college even though it means she misses a lot of time with her daughter but she realised that sacrifices sometimes have to be made. While working she finds a dog and a litter of puppies that have been abandoned so she takes them to the local shelter and that is where she meets Brad and suddenly Izzy’s quiet life is more complicated than ever. Brad runs the local animal shelter and loves what he does even if he doesn’t have a lot of money but he is laid back and okay with his life as he loves the animals that he looks after and try to find homes for. The attraction and chemistry between Izzy and Brad was instant but because of the amount of work Izzy did it took her a while before she eventually gave in and went on a date with Brad and as they say the rest is history. I really loved this book and Izzy and Brad were so perfect for each other and great together and the storyline pulled you in and had you turning the pages to see what would happen next and what the outcome would be for them. I definitely recommend you read this book and you will not be disappointed.

[Becky Burciaga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read the author's Pineville series, and enjoying it, I was so looking forward to her new Forever Friends series. Dog, or any animal rescue is a hot button right so the story is quite relatable.

I enjoyed the story and characters tremendous, but did get a bit tired of Izzy's incessant need to judge Brad on his lack of forward financial planning. Not wanting to get involved with someone because they didn't have a 401k, of other securities such as CD's in place was a bit over the top for me.

Izzy's compulsive and harsh actions towards not only Brad, but other characters as well, when things didn't go her way definitely made Izzy seem shrewish. Regardless of all the great qualities she recognized in him, Izzy still found fault with Brad regardless, making her a less than desirable character at times.

Many other aspects of the story were fun, the characters were quite diverse in their personalities which came through in some of the most delightful ways...the humorous moments and witty banter were priceless. All in all, despite any issues I had with Izzy, the story was an enjoyable read and I look forward to more of the series.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

This was a nice quick read. The plot flowed nicely. The book was written in a dual POV which makes understanding the characters so much easier. Brad and Izzy couldn't be more different than black and white. It was nice to see how meeting each other made helped them to evolve. In Izzy's case, is more important to spend time with loved ones (especially her daughter Ana). Yes, it is important to save for the future college, retirement, etc. but not at the expense of quality time with her daughter. For Brad, yes living life to the fullest is important but saving for emergencies is also important.

This book also shows just have important rescuing animals is. It is a thankless job but oh so important. As a Mommy to two rescues, I loved this aspect. This book was a nice escape of everyday life about real people. I was able to relate to these characters more than billionaires. Thank you for a nice enjoyable read.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book first grabbed my attention by the cover because just look at the cover! Then it has a single mom and a man who owns a dog shelter sign me up for this book.I was instantly hooked and I couldn't put it down. Izzy and Brad shouldn't work, but they balance one another. Izzy needs some more fun and Brad needs to better plan for the future. I loved Izzy's daughter. She's a cutie. I even loved the secondary character as well. You know you have a good book when you get invested in the main characters, but also they secondary characters. I can already tell you I'm a huge fan of this series. I love Brad's shelter and how he can find the perfect dog for someone. This book has a lot of heart and that's one of the things I liked best. It also delivers on the heat. Brad and Izzy have a lot of chemistry. Can Brad and Izzy have a future when Izzy is keeping something pretty big from Brad? Can Brad ever forgive her for it?

[Texas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forever Home - A fun, interesting romance with other stuff. The past, an unscrupulous co-worker, food stealing dog are just some of the things happening in this well written story. Interesting characters, both two- and four-legged, with their stories blended into an entertaining one-sitting read.

The only complaint is the use of vulgar language and cursing, which while not frequent, just messed up the flow of the story. The sex scenes were skipped, written sex is so boring, so if any interesting pillowtalk or thoughts occurred, it did not effect the story.

I would give this book a three-star rating but the story is not average, which is what three stars mean to me. If Gabe and Marla's story is next, I'll volunteer for that ARC, else I'm done. Source: Booksprout. 4*

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is this first in a new series, and this is Brad and Izzy’s journey.
Brad runs a rescue shelter which if full of misfit mutts, and Izzy is a single mom to her little daughter, and when she finds a dog and her puppies, she takes then to the shelter. The sparks fly when Brad and Izzy meet, and they have an intense connection. When Izzy find out a secret which could close Brad’s shelter down, will she choose between telling him, or save her career instead?
This is a well written east to read story, which has opposites attract, humor, witty banter, secret, and love, which leads to an entertaining, sweet, and steamy small town romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bette Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!! What's not to love with a hottie who cares for animals the way Brad does. The opposites in their personalities add to the fun in the relationship between Brad and Izzy. Brad is carefree with an "everything will work out" view which drives Izzy crazy. Isabelle is a single mom and takes her responsibilities very seriously. Especially her financial responsibilities. It's obvious that her daughter is Izzy's number one priority and keeping them financially sound is how she knows they will always be ok. Sure she's attracted to Brad but could she be with someone so fiscally irresponsible? All this and lots of cute puppies?? Yes please!

I highly recommend this one.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Forever Romance series. Brad owns a local dog rescue and shelter. He's all about saving dogs, especially those that have been deemed not savable or unwanted. He tends to learn toward fun and being fiscally sound is overrated in his book. Izzy is a single mom trying to provide for her daughter which unfortunately means sometimes she misses out and tends to choose work over fun. Brad and Izzy are great together, each balancing the other out but Izzy has a secret that could cause problems for Brad and his dogs. Their story is steamy and funny. Can't wait to read book two.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Laura R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a new series featuring a small-town and a dog shelter. This is the perfect summer read with lots of good humor that will tug at your heartstrings as you get introduced to the various dogs and the human characters. Isabelle is a single mother who is driven to be the best at her career so she can provide for her daughter. Brad grew up in a well-to-do family but with parents who were always arguing. While these two characters seem to be opposites, they both change and change their perspectives as they spend more time together. If you're looking for a mostly lighthearted story with adorable animals and some memorable secondary characters, this is the book for you.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Isabella Lopez rescues an abandoned litter of puppies and their mother and brings them to the local shelter, she never thought she'd become a local celebrity. Even worse, she can't seem to get the shelter's owner Bradley Cohen out of her head. Will Bradley be able to convince Isabella that there's more to life than work and making money or will they both walk away from their chance at happy ever after because they're too different?

What a very entertaining read Ms. Charles has delivered in this book where the main characters do justice to the term 'opposites attract' and drew me into this story immediately, as the heroine is a workaholic and needs to have fun and the hero is the right man for the job. Will Isabella give Bradley a chance, especially when he reminds her a bit of her ex? However, it was from the moment this couple are introduced to each other where things really get interesting, as the hero doesn't know whether to trust the heroine or not, especially with what he comes across her doing. Will Isabella's explanation be enough for Bradley?

As for the dialogue, I loved the main characters back stories, as the heroine has done it tough and it's understandable why she's such a workaholic. Providing for her daughter is important, but I liked how Brad did his best to make the heroine realize that money isn't everything. Moreover, the heroine is strong and brave by giving Brad a chance. Since to her he does things on a whim instead of worrying about money, which is proven by his barely-surviving animal shelter that he needs serious help raising funds for. I also liked her feisty side in the way she stands up to a colleague that thinks she can't handle everything she has going on. When, in fact, that couldn't be further from the truth. Yet, what I liked most of all about the heroine was the tight bond she shared with her daughter and that she would do anything for the little girl including what Brad persuades her to let the little girl do when it comes to the shelter.

While the hero, he's hard-working, kind, caring, doing good things for the clinic when it comes to the care he takes with the animals and I loved how determined he was to win the heroine over. She needs more fun in her life instead of always working and I loved how persistent he was in his pursuit. I also liked the growing bond Brad shared with the heroine's daughter because the young girl needs a father figure in her life. Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero was his friendship with Gabe, despite the fact that they're as different as chalk and cheese, especially with the way Gabe feels about relationships and Brad is fighting to have something with Isabella.

Overall, Ms. Charles has delivered a wonderful read in this first book of her Forever Friends series where the chemistry between Isabella and Brad was instantaneous the moment they come face-to-face for the first time, even though they get off to a rocky start; the romance was delightful and had me so happy that the hero won the heroine over; and the ending left me completely satisfied, especially because of what the heroine does for the hero. I would recommend Forever Home by Allyson Charles, if you enjoy the mysterious strangers trope, the friends to lovers trope, or books by authors by authors Melia Alexander, Jennifer Hoopes, Elsie Davis and Jenna Bayley-Burke.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story. I'm a sucker for a romance with a hero who loves dogs and especially with the cover showing a boxer. This story is hot and steamy with Isabelle and Brad bonding over her rescue of a mother dog and her liter of puppies. She's obsessed with work and caring for her daughter. He's busy keeping his no-kill animal shelter out of the red and finding homes for the abandoned dogs. They join forces to raise money and find find time for themselves. Very sensual. I received this free ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Realtor Izzy is trying to make as much money as she can to support herself, her daughter, and their future, while dog rescue owner Brad is getting by one day at a time not saving for a rainy day and suddenly it’s pouring. Brad struggled financially with his not for profit and seemed a bit disorganized. Izzy was pretty stubborn and missed out on so much with her daughter with her focus on making money. There were several funny moments with the dogs, Brad, Izzy, her daughter, and their friends. I loved that he used his engineering background to design mobility devices for dogs.

[Anne Donaldson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading stories where the dogs have a happy ending, and this is one of those. The humans have quite a good story too. Isabelle and her daughter were great characters, and her discovering there’s more to life than work – well that was fun! A combination of her drive and Brad’s love for animals = a great match, and the way they overcome their issues was a good read. I look forward to more in this series.

[Fleur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brad and Izzy are the cutest, I love how Brad pushes her buttons in a good way and also cares for Ana and I hate how Izzy feels pulled in so many direction while trying to balance being a single Mum and full time realter with an annoying co worker trying to best her. This has the perfect balance of laughter, falling in love and finding the balance in life.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story had me at the title...and the cover. Izzy is a Type A single mom who is doing the best she can trying to balance her career in real estate and as a mother to daughter who is growing so fast. She comes off a little abrasive at times, but you can't help for feel for her as she deals with being damned if she does, damned if she doesn't. A coworker is encroaching on her clients, the mom volunteers at school are dismissive of her failures to help out more at school, and she feels enough guilt when she misses some of her daughter's sporting events. She hasn't thought about dating in forever until she rescues a dog and her new pups and takes them to a shelter where she meets the owner Brad and some sparks begin to fly. Brad is smart and sexy and trying to keep the shelter open and soon Izzy's life is changing. Soon she finds herself the owner of a pup and her surly mother and a guy who wants to help her change her priorities. There are some bumps in the road, but Izzy and Brad find the HEA they weren't even looking for. I love Ms Charles Christmas series, and I loved this sweet and sassy story as well.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion

[BecReadReview · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you have dogs & children in the mix, how can you not melt? Brad & Izzy give us all the makings of fun, banter, arguments & lots of flirting to make us laugh & love. The dogs though do steal the show!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.