Review: Puppy Love (Forever Home, #1) by Lucy Gilmore

A brand new series from debut author Lucy Gilmore, featuring service puppies who might just be matchmakers in the making...
Sophie Vasquez runs Puppy Promise, a service puppy training organization. Sophie's always been treated as the frail baby of the family—a thing she hates but doesn't know how to change. Until, that is, she meets her newest client.

Harrison Parks is a wildfire firefighter who isn't allowed back in the field unless he finds a service dog. Reluctantly, he agrees, never expecting to be assigned a skittish Pomeranian and the equally skittish woman who's supposed to wrangle them both into order. As it turns out, they all have something to prove…and more than enough room in their hearts for a little puppy love. ~ Goodreads

Source: Library

Read for: DDoS (Dog Days of Summer) hosted by La La in the Library & Jo’s Book Blog Dog Days of Summer & book #2/36 for the Library Love Challenge – Angel’s Guilty Pleasures


Review:

Tamara Morgan for years. Her Winter Rescue series even centers around rescue dogs. I wouldn’t have realized it was her except for seeing the same author photo. Anyway – pen names baffle me sometimes and I’m glad I noticed it was the same person, because I quite liked her books under the Morgan pen name. Plus, I needed more books for the #DDoS reading challenge and I KNOW she would not harm a dog in her books.

The hype for this series kind of made me giggle when it first came out in May. It was being promoted as *debut author* Lucy Gilmore’s first book but I’ve been reading & enjoying her books under the name

But back to Puppy Love!

Puppy Promise is a service puppy training organization run by three sisters. Sophie Vasquez, who is in remission from childhood Leukemia, is still treated like a fragile child within her family, and finds the challenge she is looking for in grumpy wilderness firefighter, Harrison Parks. He goes to the service looking for a “manly” dog to train to detect his low blood sugar after being pulled off duty when he went into a diabetic coma.

Instead, he gets Bubbles the Pomeranian, who was rescued from a puppy mill and is afraid of fire. Harrison is SO not on board with this plan but needs to make it work in order to be allowed back to active duty. He’s sure his surly, intimidating nature will get the petite dog trainer to back down but nope – she and Bubble’s worm their way into his heart.

This is a low key kind of story but filled with heart and humor as the three prop each other up and overcome long held fears to move forward.

I always have a tough time reading about dogs (all pets really). Having worked for vets, shelters and training them, I get a little irritated about inaccuracies - but I will say that Gilmore handled it all well. Although I would not have matched a dog afraid of fire with a firefighter who needs a dog to be calm during dangerous situations - it does work out – and Sophie does use conditioning training so it all works out (mostly) realistically. I had to turn off that part of my brain a bit. lol

Both Sophie and Harrison are good people. A little hurt by life but with people helper cores. They seemed different at first (she’s small and timid – while he was big and grumpy) but they weren’t really. They’re a great match and I love how they stood up to and for each other whenever needed.

Bubbles was a key part of this story and Harrison learning to knit her little sweaters was beyond cute. So if you’re looking for something sweet, with a bit of humor and dogs that get their HEA along with the couple – check this one out.

* And I highly recommend reading Gilmore’s books under the Tamara Morgan pen name – my favorite is her Getting Physical series.