Review: Rescue You by Elysia Whisler

Author: Elysia Whisler
Publisher: MIRA
Publication Date: October 2020

After a year of heartbreak and loss, the only thing keeping Constance afloat is the dog rescue she works at with her sister, Sunny. Desperate for a change, Constance impulsively joins a new gym, even though it seems impossibly hard, and despite the gym’s prickly owner.

Rhett Santos keeps his gym as a refuge for his former-military brothers and to sweat out his own issues. He’s ready to let the funny redhead join, but unprepared for the way she wiggles past his hard-won defenses.

When their dog rescue is threatened, the sisters fight to protect it. And they need all the help they can get. As Rhett and Constance slowly open up to each other, they’ll find that no one is past rescuing; what they need is the right person—or dog—to save them.

Rescue You is the first in a the Dogwood County series.  It involves Constance and her sister Sunny whose passion is rescuing dogs.  Constance is a massage therapist who volunteers her time at the dog shelter helping rehabilitate the dogs.  Constance had a bad break up the year before and has been in a funk and depression ever since.  Rhett is a wounded veteran who owns a gym in town that is his sanctuary.

This is a very slow burn romance.  Constance and Rhett spend a lot of time fighting their feelings for each other.  Neither one has a lot of trust. Both have a lot of baggage that they need to unpack.  I really enjoyed watching them develop a friendship and love for each other.  This more than a romance though. Sunny and Constance have always had kind of a tentative relationship.  Watching them work through that was endearing to watch. 

 There is a side kind of  love triangle with Sunny and two other men.  I wasn't surprised at who she ended up with.  However, I felt like that story line was kind of an after thought. I would have liked to have her maybe get her own book so it could be explored a bit more.  The next book, Forever Home,  featuring the loser of the triangle comes out later this year.  I'm looking forward to reading it. I definitely recommend this one!