Shelter Me (Second Chance Ranch, #1) by Catherine Mann ~ Review & Giveaway

Source:  Received the paperback from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Shelter Me (Second Chance Ranch, #1) by Catherine Mann

From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Mann comes this beautiful, heartwarming novel about a returning military officer, the daughter of his fallen commander, and a very special dog with a mission. For fans of Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery.

Nestled in the sunny fields of Tennessee lies the McDaniel family’s Second Chance Ranch Animal Rescue. Two new arrivals are on their way, but only one is the four-legged kind.

Staff Sergeant Mike Kowalski wants only one thing after he gets home from Iraq: to sleep in a king-sized bed with clean sheets. But first, he has to hand off his fallen commander’s dog, Trooper, to his family without handing off his heart to Sierra…

Sierra McDaniel needs a break. Her family life is crazy, and when she’s not mucking out kennels, she’s slogging through grad school. Sierra certainly doesn’t want another dog, especially one that reminds her of her father. And she definitely doesn’t want to see Mike with that charming smile of his…

But Trooper has a mission of his own. Before too long Mike is moving to the ranch to lend a hand—and hoping for his own second chance with Sierra.

 Review...

This book is packed with emotions but it didn't stress me out.  I think it's important to say that straight off.

This family is hurting after the a huge lose.  And this story is about the family.  Yes, Sierra and Mike are the main characters and their story takes center stage but I was equally interested in the secondary characters.  Some books have secondary story lines have me counting the words till I'm back with the main characters but not this one.  I wanted a happy for the mom, Lacey.  I loved the vet, Ray.  I was worried about the brother, Nathan.  They were all important to me.  I love books that have real characters that I truly care about, like this one.

The story is complex and I knew where I wanted it to go but I was never sure it would get there.  It had me turning the pages to find out, and I read it in a day.

I'm not normally a third person reader but this author does a great job of making connections with the characters for me.  Perspective changes regularly and even falls on a dog with a mind and mission of his own.

The animals in this story add to and don't take away from the tale.  I loved Trooper.  Wanted to scratch his ears and lean close to comfort him.  He was so good at giving comfort and completing his mission.   I was pretty proud of the pup.

This is my first book from this author but it won't be the last.  I'm already looking forward to Rescue Me, the second book in this series.

If you enjoy romance books at all, then this is great choice. 

 

About the Author...

USA Today bestselling author Catherine Mann writes contemporary romance for Berkley, Harlequin, and Sourcebooks, with her work reprinted in more than twenty countries. A RITA Award winner, she lives on the Florida coast where she and her military flyboy husband have brought up four children. An active volunteer with her local Humane Society, Catherine enjoys writing while foster puppies nap on her feet.

 Giveaway...

I'm giving away my review copy! US only 

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