Rescue My Heart by Jean C. Joachim

While walking her pug in Central Park, Rory Sampson is run down by a bike. She presses charges against arrogant biker, Dr. Hack Roberts, veterinarian. Horrified at the surprising sentence from the judge, Hack plans revenge, only to find himself attracted to the sharp-tongued, soft-hearted writer, who rescues pugs. Will he ignore a previous commitment and go with his true feelings or will he guard his heart?

The judge turned the tables on Rory, thrusting the unwanted, smug Dr. Roberts into her life. Wary after a breakup, she protects her wounded heart from the handsome doctor with a barrage sarcastic come-backs, designed to keep him at arm’s length. Does she remain aloof or will loneliness force her to give in to her desires?

Meet the members of the Manhattan Dinner Club, four women, all pug owners, who meet for dinner once a week. This is the first book in the series.

Sometimes you need a fun and lighthearted read that makes you laugh and think about how not to take life so seriously.  This is totally a book for that kind of reading mood.

Rory was minding her own business, walking her dog when she is run down by a bike.  Instead of being repentant, she’s faced with an arrogant and jerkish biker, so she presses charges.  She comes to learn that Dr. Hack Roberts is the arrogant biker.  He’s a vet and is sentence is as much punishment for her as it is for him, it seems.  Hack wants revenge, but he finds himself in Rory’s presence and drawn to her wit and kind heartedness.  She also rescues pugs, which is a definite plus in his book.  The problem is, he’s not in the position to pursue Rory, and Rory isn’t in the mood to be pursued by someone she’s labeled as a jackass.  Will they give into their mutual attraction, or will they let sleeping pugs lie?

This is the first in a series about women who are members of the Manhattan Dinner Club.  It’s comprised of four women who are all pug owners and meet for dinner once a week.  I have to say that this is a promising start to a new series, and I’m looking forward to the next book!

I found Rory to be delightful.  Though, I have to say that I always find when writers make the heroine of their novels writers, they are always endearing and wonderful characters.  I’m guessing that’s an extension of the writer’s ego, and I love it!  Rory is a sharp tongued and sassy thing, and she gives as good as she gets.  But she’s kind without being a pushover, which is also endearing. I wasn’t sure I was really going to like Hack too much.  Sure, he’s a good looking vet, but dude needed to have his head pulled out of his backside.  Lucky for him that he literally ran into Rory that day.

Overall, I thought this was a fun and fast read.  I loved the pugs, as well as the other characters, and it actually had a thought provoking and endearing plot that pull at my heart a little.  It was a bit predictable in its conclusions, but I think there’s always room on the bookshelf for a read that isn’t too taxing or heavy.  3.5 stars.

     

 Jean Joachim, wife and mother of two sons, is owned by Homer, a rescued pug. She’d been writing non-fiction for what seemed like forever until she got up the nerve to try fiction. It was love. Now she spends her days in New York City in the company of her characters, with a cup of tea and a secret stash of black licorice.

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