Saving Sarah

Gold Coast Retrievers #1

by Melissa Storm

A shy girl, a social guy, a second chance to get their stories right…

Sarah Campbell loves living vicariously through the residents at the Redwood Cove Rest Home. But when a surly patient insists she can’t die before “setting things right,” Sarah finds she may end up taking on far more than she ever bargained for… especially since all signs point to murder. Have she and her therapy dog Lucky stumbled upon the key to solving the most famous cold case in Gold Coast history?

Despite creating the world’s most popular social network, Finch Jameson lives a life of ashamed solitude. The last thing he wants is to draw attention to himself, but that’s exactly what happens when a distant relative delivers an earth-shattering confession in her dying days. Soon he finds himself more intrigued by the shy and beautiful nurse who’s committed to helping him solve his great-aunt Eleanor’s mystery than in the mystery itself. But will she ever let her guard down long enough to let him in?

Can Finch and Sarah work together to solve Eleanor’s big mystery before time runs out? And might redeeming Eleanor’s legacy somehow save them both in the process?

Find out if Lucky can help these two humans get to the bottom of this mystery and get a head start on their own love story. This sweet tale of suspense, secrets, and second chances is one you won’t want to miss... Order your copy and start reading today!

Saving Sarah is book one in the Gold Coast Retrievers series. Each book stands completely on its own, but you'll have more fun if you read them all together!

Genres: Romance, Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Suspense, Contemporary, Ebooks

184 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 6, 2018

About the author

Melissa Storm is a New York Times and multiple USA Today bestselling author of Women’s Fiction, Inspirational Romance, and Cozy Mysteries.

Despite an intense, lifelong desire to tell stories for a living, Melissa was “too pragmatic” to choose English as a major in college. Instead, she obtained her master’s degree in Sociology & Survey Methodology—then went straight back to slinging words a year after graduation anyway.

She loves books so much, in fact, that she married fellow author Falcon Storm. Between the two of them, there are always plenty of imaginative, awe-inspiring stories to share. Melissa and Falcon also run a number of book-related businesses together, including LitRing, Sweet Promise Press, Novel Publicity, Your Author Engine, and the Author Site.

When she's not reading, writing, or child-rearing, Melissa spends time relaxing at her home in the Michigan woods, where she is kept company by a seemingly unending quantity of dogs and two very demanding Maine Coon rescues. She also writes under the names of Molly Fitz and Mila Riggs.

Reviews

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saving Sarah by Melissa Storm is the first book in The Gold Coast Retrievers. Sarah Campbell is a hospice nurse at Redwood Cove Rest Home where her therapy dog, Lucky works along side her. Sarah has always been a rule follower and never had adventures of her own. She enjoys getting to know her patients and taking their memories as her own while they are with her. One of her most cantankerous patients is Eleanor Barton.

Finch Jameson is surprised when he receives a letter from Eleanor Barton who claims to be his great aunt. Eleanor states in the letter that she is dying and asks Finch to visit her. As far as Finch is aware, he has no other family, but Eleanor’s letter intrigues him. Finch is put off by Eleanor brusque manner and insults, but he is captivated by Sarah’s beautiful eyes. He is shocked by Eleanor’s startling confession and its implications. Sarah feels a spark of attraction when she meets Finch and surprises herself when she volunteers to help Finch unravel a decade’s old mystery. Eleanor provides them with scant details. Finch and Sarah set out on their quest and hope they can get the necessary answers before Eleanor passes away.

Saving Sarah is a story about guilt and the struggle to forgive oneself. I like Melissa Storm’s conversational writing style which makes for an easy to read book. It did take me longer to get engaged in Saving Sarah. I had a hard time with the main character. Sarah Campbell comes across as a lackluster individual. An incident that happened with her grandmother when she was twelve has influenced her whole life. Instead of living her own life, Sarah becomes involved in her patient’s lives. She takes their memories and stories as her own while she cares for them. The best part of Sarah is Lucky, her companion and therapy dog. Wherever Sarah goes, Lucky goes with her. Sarah needs to overcome the past (to forgive herself) so she can live a fulfilling life. Finch Jameson always wanted to be a photographer, but then he came up with a great idea for a social media network. He made it big and sold too soon. Finch then became a joke in the industry which has made him a hermit. Finch also needs to find a way to move forward with his life and to grow as an individual. He also has a poor moral compass. The pair come together to help Eleanor with her last request. I was surprised by how their investigation progressed (I do not want to spoil it for you) and I wish the mystery had been done differently. It is a story about uncovering the past to help a woman die peacefully. Saving Sarah is also about these two lost individuals helping each other become interested in life and starting a new chapter. I admit that this is not my favorite book by Melissa Storm. It lacked the charm or magic of her other stories, and I missed the humor and lightness she normally injects into her books. Saving Sarah has a sweet ending.

[Ann Omasta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightfully sweet read that left me smiling. Sarah and Finch were both so damaged by past mistakes that I couldn't help but root for them. Sweet, comforting Lucky was the perfect companion. The author beautifully portrayed the calm and loving presence a great dog can provide its humans. The intrigue of grumpy Eleanor's mystery kept me turning the pages late into the night, so I could see what really happened. No spoilers here, but it's a great read that I can wholeheartedly recommend!

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

How could an unsolved murder from 1950 connect a nurse, an old woman and a failed media mogul? Their guilty consciences have weighed them down so Sarah and Finch both shield themselves from connecting with anyone, and Eleanor turns everyone away with her bitterness and nasty tongue. Lucky, Sarah's golden, will lead them to a realization of new possibilities.
Stolen babies, a poisoned doctor, a pod of whales...what? Always something unexpected pops up. This is one reason I love Melissa's stories. They aren't as much about whodunit, but about people, their relationships, and how their lives interact and intertwine, and why they are who they are. Old friends and new dot her pages, so flawed, so human, so real. And her scenes are painted so well, I feel like I have hiked those trails, admired the woods. And within them a furry friend, whose affection unites, frees, forgives, welcomes, and loves wholeheartedly. And they grow.

[Isha Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life is an ever changing classroom that we never outgrow. The lesson plans may change, but our thirst for knowledge remains the same. Saving Sarah is a reminder that the quest for knowledge can be brutally honest, heartrendingly painful, but still remain fulfilling in the most surprising of ways. Through the eyes of one woman's courage, Storm takes readers on a unpredictable ride of half -truths, hidden secrets and long overdue answers. Sarah falls into a mystery and emerges better for it.

[Jasmyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finch and Sarah are a great couple. Both are hiding from what they see as mistakes in their past. When they first meet they are super hesitant about each other. Neither one willing to really open up about anything. But when Finch's long-lost relative, Eleanor, a resident at the rest home Sarah works at, drags them into a mystery almost as old as she is, they are thrown together trying to fix mistakes from Eleanor's past.

A lot of this story seemed to revolve around past mistakes and guilt, sometimes well-founded, but not always. As Finch and Sarah team up to solve the mystery, they grow close and learn to lean on each other, opening up about their pasts and coming to terms with their so-called mistakes.

Sarah's emotional support dog, Lucky, was present but didn't overtake the story. He was there to do his job and helped to highlight Sarah's progress with her emotional issues. He made a great secondary character that I got to know and love, but I was very glad that he wasn't used in a way that overshadowed the brewing romance and sleuthing.

Saving Sarah was a great introduction to The Gold Coast Retrievers series, and I look forward to seeing more of the Retrievers and their people.

*I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book*

[Dixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this story of emotional self-discovery and growth. At the onset Sarah and Finch both have a very one-sided view of themselves; each is focused on a specific personal failure that they have allowed to direct their life choices. As they are thrown together (by an end-of-life request by one of Sarah's patients) to solve a decades old mystery, their attraction grows. But in this case, romance gets put on a back burner while each one must pursue their own journey to emotional wholeness.
I liked the clean and wholesome romance and that love didn't fix them or complete them. Instead, love showed them the weak places that each needed to work through before they could be a strong partner to the other.

[Lucinda Race · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Gold Coast Retrievers book and I'm glad it started with a mystery and romance.
It was well written and I felt like I was watching the orcas break the ocean surface with Lucky the golden retriever by my side, nudging my hand sharing the moments.

Well written and looking forward to book 2.

[Candylynnbluegmail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great mystery. Two people who have a terrible blight on their past, meet up due to a one of their great-aunt’s dying wish.

The two work together to figure out a decades old mystery, and themselves. Lucky, the golden retriever goes wherever they go.

[Elsbeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three people coming to right with the, various, mistakes they made in the past. Three people finding love and family. Two dogs loving them.
Beautiful story! Interesting characters. And a mystery from the past.
I received a copy and chose to review it.

[☆☆Hannah☆☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read. Sarah was asked by a patient to contact their nephew Finch. She wanted to share something with him. Basically she send shim on wild goose chase in order to figure some mystery out. Thankfully he has Sarah to help him and of course they fell in love along the way.

[Shonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this a 10 if I could! I loved the characters Finch and Sarah but really enjoyed Lucky. Sarah works in a nursing home and Lucky is her therapy dog there. This story has romance but also has a mystery to solve that leaves you wanting to turn pages to find out how it all goes. The story draws you in from the beginning and with a golden retriever in it you can’t go wrong!

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

New to me author Ms. Storm pens a story of struggle and guilt. A woman's fiction, this story starts out slow with Sarah Campbell working in a nursing home which is more like a hospice. Sarah is struggling with her life because she made a mistake in her teens that makes her feel guilty, as if she does not have the right to enjoy life or live. Therapy withstanding, she still is quite frankly, messed up in the head.

This story was hard for me to get through because I thought it was going to be a mystery. Whilst there is a bit of mystery, this is more women's fiction with a woman's self discovery to self forgiveness. Sarah is not particularly likeable or unlikeable. She's bland like a wallflower one would never notice. The only thing one would notice about Sarah is her dog. She does have an adorable dog. I couldn't connect to Sarah's character because she has little drive and her decisions are many times illogical. She's easily swayed to do wrong which speaks to her lack of character. Her romantic interest with social network failure, Finch Jameson is no surprise.

Finch's lack of moral fiber starts at the beginning of the story and pretty much stays consistent throughout to the end. His flagrant disregard for rules demonstrates his self inflated perception of how is his better than everyone else. He bought into the image that he was so great when he made a lot of money and the lost it all. He is the kind of man who is here to day and gone tomorrow - a man of no substance. This all ties into Finch's family history in a way. It begs the question of nature versus nurture. In some ways his familial influence seemed to have seep into his character because he is just as careless as his great-grandmother.

The way Finch and Sarah meet is over a woman under Sarah's care who claims Finch is a long lost relative. Learning about the past is interesting because it brings up the concept of "death bed confessions". Finch and Sarah working together to solve a cold case involving Finch's grandmother experiences several false starts. Detectives, they are not. The big reveal is not surprising and the conclusion is easily predicted. But this story isn't really about solving the case or uncovering Finch's past. It is more about how two lost souls can perhaps spark an interest in each other and may start a new and better chapter in their life. One can only hope so because neither have much meaning to live. Overall this story is well written just not to my taste. Recommended to readers who enjoy women's fiction.

* Arc provided by LitRing

[Antigone Walsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is a sweet if inane story. Sarah is a nurse with a therpy dog, a beautiful golden retriever named Lucky. eleanor is a bitter old woman confined to the nursing home where Sarah works. she reaches out to her nephew, a man with whom she has had no contact. He is a failed internet mogul., handsome, sexy but riddled with guilt. He and Sarah join force to solve the "mystery" the old woman has hidden all her life. Of course they fall in love.

there were things I liked about this book, namely the dog, the clean romance and the message to not let guilt and past mistaqkes define you. but they are outweighed by the things I didin't care for. the romance was not believable, the "mystery" was not mysterioius but predictable. I would have liked to see more of the dog and his training than insipid Sarah and her tepid romance. That being said it was a quick and easy unchallenging read.

[Maria Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another sweet story in this series.
I totally love the dogs in these books. They add a lovely dimension to the story.
There are lots of subtle lessons here. About being yourself, and not pretending, that everyone can be loved and forgiven, no matter what. that what God created us to be is the best. I really loved what the author wrote about her dog and family at the end of the book.

This is a great series. I would highly recommend.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cheesy goodness

I love me a good story that includes dogs. Lucky is a therapy dog and he is magnificent. Then Sarah and Finch (great name) meet and are on a quest to solve a riddle. Mixed signals, random clues and emotions run the game as they work towards an answer. Some of the writing was silly and the background baggage a bit over the top, but the actual storyline and ending were great!

[C.E. DeJoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

More romance than mystery

This mystery was more like a teen romance filled with angst and self doubt. The mystery portion was interesting or r could have been if better presented. Loved the dog!

[bex · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 star

The mystery elements expected from the blurb are significantly underused in the book. Much of it is quickly summarized in the epilogue instead of being part of the story. There isn't really an investigation. Just some half-hearted stabs at one that result in whining.

[Gladys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah and Finch's story was a good read. The story is sweet and suspenseful. I liked these two together and thought they made a good couple. Some solid feels and a heart melting pup help make this a quite entertaining read. This is my freely posted, frank review.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a cute story but there was LOTS of drama. The plot seemed to drag in places for me.

[Janice Bjonfald · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really not a page turner

As I read nothing was making sense the characters didn't make me feel like I wanted to know more about them.

[Suzanne Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book since it is written by one of my favorite authors. I will gladly tell everyone that this is another really great story by the amazing Melissa Storm. The characters are very realistic which makes it easy to put myself into their shoes and feel the frustrations, excitement, celebrations, and even just normal every day mundane as though I am standing there right along side them, or even in their shoes.
This book finds Sarah and Finch in depressing circumstances of their own making. They have felt loss and grabbed ahold of what they perceived to be their inability to do anything right and convinced themselves they deserve to be miserable, they are very good at convincing themselves. Throughout the book these two are able to learn to build meaningful relationships and move beyond some of the pain they have let control their actions. The lessons they learn are lessons we all need to learn. I really enjoyed sharing the learning process with them.
I enjoyed the sweet romance that developed throughout the story. Sometimes it came in spurts, sometimes it took a few steps backwards, sometimes it seemed doomed. Always it was based on real emotion and feeling, not lust or other superficial feelings.
I am not much of a dog person by nature, so every time I come across a book with a major canine presence I wonder how it will go. This book did a great job of balancing the positive influence of a dog, specifically therapy dogs, with very realistic human main characters. I appreciate that the dog(s) play major roles in the lives of the characters but don’t dominate the storyline.

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at Romance Reading Corner

SAVING SARAH is the beginning story in the multi-author series The Gold Coast Retrievers. To say that this story is an engaging romance is an understatement for it’s so much more. It’s layers of romance, discovery, self-healing, mystery solving and making the choice to live life looking forward not backward.

My heart broke for Sarah for she has been carrying such an unnecessary burden for so many years – one that her family could have helped her heal from but made the decision not to do so. And Finch, well, he made the choice to wallow in other people’s opinions, ones that didn’t really matter in the long run but ones that he let drive his life and his decisions. As they come together to solve a mystery they will discover that life has more to offer to them than the closed off ways they’ve been living. But it’s going to take a bit of bravery, some letting go of the past and the heartfelt emotions that they bring out in each other to bring them to their eventual happy ending. Throughout everything is the steadfast love and loyalty of one amazing dog, Lucky. Together they can heal each other and give one woman peace in her final days.

I enjoyed SAVING SARAH. It’s a story that will make you think, make you feel. Not every Romance needs to be flashy, some are subtle and understated but they speak truths to the heart just as strongly. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series which is eleven titles strong as of today’s date.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

[Valri Western · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two lost souls who feel they aren't good enough are connected to an old woman in a nursing home with a guilty conscience! The mystery begins and this book is so interesting! I really enjoyed the characters and the story. So much so that I read it in one day! I didn't want to put it down. I loved Sarah and Finch's story. I was rooting for both of them to find out "who they are" and get together. I really liked that the author didn't wrap it all up in a bow quickly but had the story develop over several months so that made it believable. Finch had a great aunt (Eleanor) that contacted him who he knew nothing about her and set him on a quest without giving him much information and Sarah, because she worked in the nursing home, decided to help him. What they find out during their investigation stuns them AND angers them! I didn't like Eleanor very much but her character was necessary to set in motion the development of Sarah and Finch's relationship! I really loved the Golden Retriever, Lucky, in the story too! I would definitely recommend this book.
I received this book from the author but wasn't obligated to write a review. My thoughts are my own.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful, clean romantic story. It’s always a pleasure to read a book without the f-boom and tons of sex. This book is written without all of that and has a great story line.

Sarah Campbell is a lonely young lady with a beautiful service dog that works in a home for the elderly. She is riddled with guilt believing because of her, her grandmother had passed away. She goes far from home and begins her life at the Redwood Cove Rest Home. Meanwhile, young Finch Jameson is living with his own issues. After starting up a social media site and becoming rich fast, he wasn’t happy. He sold his company and lost a lot of money with bad investments. He felt like the world laughed at him and he thought a move would do him good. Then the mystery comes. Finch receives a letter stating his is a long lost nephew and the old, mean and nasty Eleanor wants to clear the are and her mind before she passes on. So Finch goes to Redwood Cove Rest Home and mets Sarah and the hearts of both of them feel a spark between them. The story goes on about the mystery of Eleanor, a murder and two people who really need each other. A great story with a beautiful ending and add a dog it makes it perfect.

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet romance at its best!

This is the first book in the series, but it’s better to read book 3 Guarding Grace first; in this first book you read what happens at the end of book 3, so that’s a bit of a spoiler. But it was a wonderful book! I loooved it! By the end of chapter 1 I already knew this was going to be a winner!

I immediately felt a connection to Sarah. She lives vicariously through others, and she´s got to start living her own life. She lets the past define her, and so does Finch. He has had a huge business failure and can´t get past that. When he finds out he has a great aunt he never knew about, he visits her and meets Sarah and Lucky. A mystery is about to start. The beginning of something wonderful or a new nightmare to contend with?

Alternating POV’s make sure you get both sides of the story, which I always love. Although at times I was confused as to which POV I was currently in; it wasn’t always different enough. But the story really, really moved me! I loved the characters, I loved the story, I loved Lucky! The book is full of wisdom. Wisdom about life, about insecurity, about love. Recommend!

[Elda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who done it?
Sarah was trying to find herself since she had become lost ever since she was 12 years old when her grandmother had died. Sarah felt responsible for her death so she tried to make up for it by working in a convalescent home with her service dog, a golden retriever named Lucky. Sarah lived vicariously through her charges listening to their lives. It was almost a nail biting experience watching Sarah coming to a realization about what she needed to learn before she could have a healthy relationship with Finch. Furthermore, Finch needed to learn his life lesson before he could have a healthy relationship with Sarah. They were brought together by an angry patient in the rest home named Eleanor. She tasked Finch to solve the mystery she experienced as a young woman but would not give him many details he needed. I thought this was rather annoying but I suppose the reader needed this mystery to maintain interest in this story. Well it worked for me since I was glued to the pages until the end. This is an, as usual, well written book by Melissa Storm and I can easily recommend it to anyone.

[Susan Shearer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saving Sarah by Melissa Storm is a story that will make you cry, cheer, be frustrated and relate. I became involved with mystery that Eleanor Barton led Finch Jamison and Sarah Campbell on that brought two broken souls together to make one healed heart. Sarah was stuck in a job that provided her to put herself in the patients past lives as they died so she could be someone else instead of her insecure, boring self. Sarah’s only real friend and constant companion was her golden retriever therapy dog, Lucky who helped Sarah bring joy to those patients. Finch Jamison had disgraced himself publicly on a poor business venture and was stuck feeling sorry for himself. Through Finch’s great aunt, Eleanor Barton, they were sent to solve a mystery that took place in the 1950’s concerning his grandmother. Along the way they realized that you don’t have to be stuck where you are, you can be what you want to be. Life has its twists and turns but adding a fur baby for unconditional love and support can bring you to places you never dreamed would come true.

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Campbell works as a nurse at Redwood Cove Rest Home with her service dog Lucky. Finch Jameson made a mistake five years ago by selling his company Reel Life for less than he should have and making bad investment decisions. He receives a letter from a woman claiming to be his aunt Eleanor asking him to see her at the rest home where Sarah works. He is depressed and without direction in his life so he figures why not visit her. Eleanor sends Finch and Sarah on an adventure to solve the mystery of who Finch really is when she reveals that his grandmother was stolen from the hospital as a baby. They discover a mystery that involves more than just Finch’s family’s past. They both realize that they are not happy with their current lives. Sarah works at the nursing home because of guilt over her grandmother’s death and Finch needs to let go of his shame from his business decisions. They both need to let go of the past to move forward and discover what will make them happy in life. I loved that Lucky and Finch’s dog Waddles are service dogs. Nice sweet romance with plenty of mystery.

[Leslie Bakke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saving Sarah is the first book in a new series called The Gold Coast Retrievers. Although the series title implies that it is a series about dogs it is so much more. In Saving Sarah, the dog, Lucky, is Sarah’s earthly anchor. Sarah‘s life is stalled, neither going forward or backwards, because of something in her past. She lives each day as it comes, no hope for the future. Then she meets a man who has his own image problems. He was on top of the world, but crashed. Unfortunately, his degradation is broadcast to the world. Add a complex mystery and you have Saving Sarah.
Saving Sarah is a book in its own category. It is more than your typical romance, or mystery or self-discovery book. It is all three. I really like the book. It brings readers into the story as if they were part of it. Mrs. Storm did an excellent job of telling this story in about 179 pages. It takes a lot of talent to do that. I fell that most readers would enjoy Saving Sarah. I did receive an ARC [Advance Readers Copy] of Saving Sarah and I am thankful that I did. It is an excellent book.

[Tamra Delasalle Padgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

To let your past keep hold of you will not let you move forward in the present or the future. Sarah and her therapy dog Lucky have just been moving through life without letting anyone become a part of them.
Sarah feels responsible for her grandmothers death and that keeps her involved with Redwood Cove Rest Home. One of the residents needs Sarah's help along with her great nephew Finch to bring to light some truths before she dies. Sarah and Finch fall in love while trying to solve these mysteries.
Finch used to have everything he wanted until all is destroyed and he tumbles to the bottom. Can the love these two find with each other make their lives better even when the past comes full front. Will the past destroy them as they uncover the mysteries?
Dont miss reading this wonderful tale of Sarah, Lucky and Finch and see what they uncover and what life had in store for them
Melissa Storm has yet again given us another wonderful story including an adorable therapy dog as well.