Rescue Me is the story of two late-thirties singles, Margot and Will, who meet at an animal shelter and become 'co-pawrents' to a staffy named Blossom. Margot, aged thirty-six, has been in a string of relationships that went nowhere and is afraid for both her prospects of finding love and her fertility, especially as all of her friends are now married with children. Will, meanwhile, is cool, career-focused, commitment-phobic, and tries not to get too close with anyone outside of his tight-knit family.

I liked the author's sense of humour — this book made me smile more than once — and I especially took to Margot, who began to feel like a real person in all her joys and sorrows. While I can't personally relate to the desire to have children and am therefore more of a bystander in conversations about biological clocks, I appreciated her unwillingness to compromise on the subject; she knew what she wanted and she wouldn't give it up. I'm always glad to see a heroine (or a real-life woman) who sticks to her guns regarding her dreams! I also enjoyed reading about the ins and outs of dog ownership, particularly when that dog is a rescued Staffordshire Bull Terrier with a penchant for being babied, and as a certified romance fan, I had fun following along as romance began to bloom between the characters.

Both Will and Margot have been through trauma in their early lives, and as the story progressed, they confronted their respective pasts and thawed to one another, albeit still pretending to be 'friends with benefits'. However, towards the end of the novel, the author employs the 'miscommunication' trope in a frustrating manner — the characters seemed intent on self-sabotage, and I wanted to sit them down and give them a proper scolding for it! Margot, a character who prided herself on being upfront, suddenly forgot that aspect of her personality for at least fifty pages, and I can't help but think this story could have done without that particular plot element. I know that tropes are tropes for a reason, but this one seemed at odds with who the heroine fundamentally is!

On the whole, though, Rescue Me is an easy, escapist romance with a fun premise — could you share the dog of your dreams with somebody else? In these days of endless lockdowns, sometimes it's nice to slip into a world where the characters have never heard the word "covid-19"!

Delightful read. Will, Margot and Blossom,.a very unlikely trio. This book is a perfect tale of the trials and tribulations of owning a rescue, dog, overcoming your past (Will) and trying to find love and the perfect man to be the father of your children.
Really enjoyed this one...lovely characters..who were very believable,, Blossom who had everything under control, living between Margot and Will and gentle humour throughout.
Thoroughly enjoyable read.. haven't read any other books by this author but will certainly be doing so now. Highly recommend

Well I apologise in advance because I am going to sound like a proper fangirl with her first crush but this book is delightful. I cannot put into words how much this book has made me happy.
The story of Will, Margot and of course the most important character - Blossom, is heartwarming and just the perfect tonic for these grey January days.
All of Ms Manning's characters are gorgeous and just perfectly written but I do adore Margot the most and her positive affirmations though I can't deny I'm a teensy bit jealous of her many dresses with pockets. I think even my spaniel has got rather jealous of my cooing about how adorable Blossom the rescue staffie sounds.
If you need a book that takes you away from lockdowns and bad news, that lets you escape to Hampstead Heath and Primrose Hill in your wellies and indulge in a tale of romance and doggos, then this book is perfect for you. I cannot recommend it highly enough and I defy anybody not to smile stupidly at the end. I also rather fancy a flower crown too. Thank you so much for my advance copy Netgalley.

I was given this book by Netgalley for free to provide a review of it. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author.

This story is a fairly simple girl meets dog, boy meets dog, they meet each other, fight and fall in love but it is written well with a plot that keeps on moving and doesn’t feel slow at any point and cast of secondary characters that make it really enjoyable.

As with a lot of modern rom-coms it is written in alternate chapters by the two main protagonists and this really works in this story. Will would otherwise seem unapproachable and distant, as it is we get an insight into the workings of his brain and when he first feels attraction to Margot it seems believable. Margot is a typical 30 something woman who wants a family and a partner, feeling her biological clock ticking down, possibly a bit of a cliché these days but nonetheless engaging. Perhaps a little too much is placed on this aspect? Especially in the world of adoption and IVF – her terror of the latter and complete lack of consideration of the former ring a little false. Her motivations for this behaviour - the author perhaps understanding that some of these ideas are a little old fashioned - are clearly developed throughout. Margot is not a character out of the ordinary – she has a lot of the traditional rom-com heroine about her: ditsy, desperate, etc, but she is not a doormat and she does know how to stand up for herself. I do just question why someone with such a driving need to be part of a family is still on her own at 36, when she could easily have adopted a dog, at least, before this juncture.

Will on the other hand seemed a little different: his motivation for his commitment-phob nature was given due consideration. Considering this is a long established trope in rom-com (and in masses of entertainment aimed at women, Mr Big, anyone?) it is well handled here. I found him a really interesting character and he is the one who changings and grows within the pages.

The concept that is utterly different though is the fact that they bought adopt the same dog and share her. Whilst adapting to their roles as ‘co-pawrents’ (yes that’s really what they’re called) then fall in love. Blossom is clearly adorable and makes everyone fall in love with her. I’d have perhaps liked more about her past, what happened to her to mean that she needed to be looked after but this is not ‘The Art of Racing in the Rain’ and we are not party to Blossom’s thoughts.

So whilst this novel may be, overall, fairly prosaic: the characters, the plot and concept work. This is a writer who enjoys rom-coms and knows how to write a good one. The tropes are there but they are tropes for a reason! Having finished another popular rom-com recently published that was on pretty much everywhere, and having been fairly disappointed, this persuaded me back into the genre again (as if, to be fair, anything could deter me long term!). It is not the best example of its genre but it is certainly a good one and better than a lot out there. I’d definitely recommend.

An easy read, with quite predictable but likeable characters. I didn't love this book but neither did I hate it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this uplifting and warm read. Any books that involve animals is right up my street. There happens to be a lovely dog called Blossom who is looking for a new home who has not had the best start in life, this tugged on my heart strings. When Will and Margot both need something to love and chance upon the same dog in the rescue center that they warm to, they both want her and Blossom can't believe her luck. Will Blossom get what she has always wanted or will "co Pawrenting" be an absolute disaster. A funny and uplifting story that will definitely pull on the old heart strings.

When I first read the synopsis for this book, I knew instantly that I was going to request it and I was so excited when my request was approved!
I will, however, confess that I was already more invested in Blossom (the dog) as opposed to any of the human characters and this did not change throughout the time I spent with this book.
Margot and Will did grow on me, as the possibility of romance started to blossom between them (pun fully intended), but for me, the actual Blossom really was the beating heart of this book.
Manning excels at capturing the reality of being a dog owner, the ups of the unconditional love and the downs of scraping up diarrhoea with a tissue. Lest we forget the midnight walks in sleet, snow and hail.
The misunderstandings between Margot and Will were well realised due to their respective pasts and personalities. However, I did find myself frequently annoyed especially in the final 25% when I just wanted to yell at both characters to "please just communicate properly!" due to their acts of self-sabotage.
It meant I was invested, but it didn't make for the most enjoyable reading experience and I frequently found myself putting the book down to shake my head.
There were also a couple of minor typos, the most prominent one being 'Msrgot' at 18% into the book, but these did not detract from the reading experience.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book for readers interested in both dogs AND romance. While, I liked, rather than loved this book, I am very grateful to have received an Advance Reader Copy, because I did fall head over heels for the sweetest Staffy- Blossom.

Funny, smart and full of laugh out loud moments, this book is a fresh breath of air that you need to read if you're looking for a quick, heartwarming novel.

This book was so good and was such an enjoyable read that had me hooked throughout. This is not your average romance novel. This book deals with a lot of different topics, so please be warned of trigger alerts such as grief, low self-esteem and abuse (if you want to know more then drop me a message either on here or over on my instagram @oncemorewithreading).

I loved the concept of two people falling in love with a dog at a shelter and co-parenting, especially when they are complete strangers at different stages in their lives. Now lots be clear these characters start off as somewhat unlikeable but you can't help but grow to love them as the story goes on and you learn more about them.

Margot is a strong character who has been burned in love. Having lost her parents at such a young age, she feels like her body clock is ticking away. She feels like she's running out of time, especially when all her friends are in established relationships and moving on with their lives. She's no longer looking for love but for someone who wants a family as soon as possible. I liked Margot a lot, even if she did frustrate me with how she was ignoring any connection she had with men in favour for if they were ready for a family. She was a very realistic character, one I could relate to especially in her times of loneliness.

Will is such an interesting character, having grown up in a bad environment that forced him to constantly be striving for more in life and having an incredibly low sense of worth. After the death of his Grandparents in a short time, he comes back home and helps out at the family floristry doing the accounts. I loved his family so much and how supportive they were of each other. It was also so good to watch as Blossom slowly helped break him out of his shell and I found that the two were very much alike.

Talking about Blossom, she was the star of the book and made this story so much more enjoyable. I loved how she pushed the boundaries and honestly just messed with both Will and Margot!

Overall this was such a fun, lovely and cute book that tugged at my heart strings. Sara Manning has a beautiful way of writing that draws you in and you never want to leave! I definitely recommend giving this one a read if you love a good contemporary romance!

I enjoy a really good romance novel and that, alongside my love of dogs, and this was a must read. I went into it expecting a lightweight, simple romance but this is so much more, and whilst most of the book is light-hearted and humorous, it is counter balanced by the fact the author addresses some difficult topics such as bereavement and abuse and also highlights the importance of adopting rescue animals. It is well written and compelling and I devoured it in a few days. Although the premise of the story sounds a little unbelievable, that of two strangers meeting at a rescue centre, falling for the same dog and agreeing to share custody, it actually worked quite well and made a great basis for the love story. The pacing of the book is good and it felt just the right amount of build up to the romance.

All of the characters are authentic and I don’t think there was any one of them I didn’t like. The main characters Will and Margo are still coming to terms with some deep rooted past issues. Will had an alcoholic father who was abusive and Margo is dealing with a recent relationship breakdown and she also tragically lost her parents early on in life. Polar opposites they initially irritated each other, but their relationship begins to grow and nurture and they come to respect and support each other as their feelings deepen. We realise early on where the book is headed but its lovely to see the character progression of these two lovely people along the way. The side characters are also delightful, Will’s family features quite a lot in the story, they are fun and energetic, but also have set family traditions such as regular Sunday lunch with all the family. They are full of heart and warmth and welcomed Blossom into their lives with open arms. Margo’s friends are equally as amiable and their loyalty and support shines through.

Rescue Me is an entertaining and heartwarming read. It portrays real life issues as well as some more light-hearted comedy moments and treats us to a slow burn romance. Blossom, of course, completely steals the show and the ending is adorably touching. Highly recommended to anyone who likes gentle romances with some more weightier issues addressed…..and not forgetting dogs!

PLEASE NOTE: Review will be posted on all my social media channels on my blog tour date of 29 January.

What a beautiful story!
This romance novel begins with Margot’s story. She’s mid thirties and really wants to settle down and start a family, but she hasn’t found the right man. So, she decides to rescue a dog for some company. When she goes to the rescue centre, she falls for Blossom, a staffy who has suffered and just needs a loving home. At the same place, she meets Will. Will has just finished therapy and is looking to make some meaningful connections, so agrees to help foster a dog. Margot and Will decide to “co-pawrent” Blossom and the fun begins here.

I love seeing people’s walls come down in romance novels and these scenes in this novel were beautiful. Both Margot and Will had some trauma that they had to work through, which they did together with the help of Blossom. Seeing their relationship blossom (pun intended) from friendship to family and romance was beautiful. And in the end, I was left wondering whether they rescued Blossom, or whether Blossom rescued them.

I highly recommend this novel and really enjoyed reading it. Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a gorgeous book and really has given me all the feels! I absolutely adore this book!
I have loved the dog in this book. I also love a good romance so put the two together and it is the absolute perfect read. I have stayed up far too late devouring this absolutely wonderful book. 
Will and Margot are wonderful characters, I adore them. They have made this book a great read and I cannot wait to read more by this author. 
I didn't expect to love this book as much as I have and have been super excited to get stuck in. This is definitely a book which exceeded my expectations. 
This is a charming and heart warming read which has really cheered me up after a manic day. The cover alone is enough to grab my attention and the story definitely doesn't disappoint. 
This is my first read by this author, I am now a converted fan! The read is one of the best books that I have read and I have laughed and cried reading this absolutely delightful read. 
A definite five star read which I highly recommend.

When Margot, 36 years old and painfully aware of the ticking time bomb of her fertility breaks up with her latest in a string on unreliable boyfriends, she decides enough is enough and decides to adopt herself a cute little minituare dog. However when she gets to the adoption centre she falls head over heels with the staffy blossom. She ends up becoming a co-pawrent, with Will a stranger who is dealing with his own issues and things develop from there ....

This was almost a 5 star read for me. I didn't want to put it down and I loved the romance and how it blossomed along with the relationships that both Margot and Will had with their closest friends and families. I would have liked a few more sex scenes though! Also I really didnt like the tired trope of woman and her fertility clock ticking, its just a personal bug bear of mine. Also I felt it a little strange that Margot was described as a feminist and then remarked that she didn't want to look to slutty ... I just thought there was no need for that (Obviously I read and ARC, so not sure if this is in the finished copy)

All in all though I believe this was such a lovely tale about how adopting a pet can really change your life and I will be recommending it to my viewers when I am on the instagram tour!

A very interesting read about two clashing personality bonding over a cute rescue dog. Margot and Will are such intriguing characters that I could not stop reading until I had finished. The ending was very cute and wrapped up nicely.

What more could I want a romance with a dog as a central character. Follow Blossoms story. You will laugh and cry.
Another brilliant book by Sara.

Rescue me by Sarra Manning a five-star read that blooms to life unfurling like your favourite flower. I will be honest I picked this one up for the dog, I had read this author years ago, but for some reason hadn’t for ages and I cannot remember why, but I saw there was a dog and thought how bad could be? It was amazing. What surprised me most was I liked the humans as well as the Blossom, they were not perfect and they did upset each other and me the reader, but I loved it, it made me feel part of the family as well. But what the author did so well, was show us that it is okay to get help and help each other. This will bring a huge smile to your face, if only for the doggie wear that is described so well you can picture it, I am planning on asking my friend to make something similar for my German Shepard as he has a similar outlook to Blossom to his winter coat. This is the perfect read for any dog lover, and for any romance fans, but its also a great read for anyone looking for one.

A feelgood romance that ticked all those warm, glowing romantic boxes. The writing strong, those first few chapters spectacular at drawing the reader into the net. The perfect Christmas read.

Give me a love story about a rescue dog and give it to me in December 2020 and I will do nothing until I finish the book while sobbing into my dog’s fur. It is no surprise to anyone that I loved this book, but I very much did. Blossom’s personality was captured so perfectly, in a way that only true dog people will understand.

I LOVE Sarra Manning and have done since I was eagerly awaiting the next issue of Just 17 so I could see what happened next in Diary of a Crush. I was so excited for Rescue Me and it absolutely didn’t disappoint.
Margot is in some ways a typical SM main character- she is quirky and feisty, with a decided vulnerable side. However, her characters are definitely growing up, and I mean that in no way as a criticism of either this book or any that came before! Closer to 40 than 30 and completely financially independent, I loved how rounded Margot felt. I also liked Will a lot, in particular his florist owning family, who were again classic SM. I’m not sure that Will was as well written as Margot, but then I think that is more about me as a reader than Sarra as a writer!
Of course the true heroine of this story is Blossom- the staffie who brings them together and who is based on Sara’s late dog Miss Betsy. I genuinely think the way she writes about Blossom is some of the best writing that Sarra has ever done.
I found this a little harder to get into than some of Sara’s previous books- the beginning felt a little rushed and I initially struggled with the concept of the characters ‘dog sharing.’ But it really hit its stride about half way through, and I was very sad when it ended!
This is the perfect book to read if you’re feeling low- Blossom and her owners left me smiling even in the midst of the weirdest year most of us have ever experienced!

At first I thought Margot was going to be an unlikeable character but thankfully I was pleasantly mistaken. When she decides to adopt Blossom as a companion the last thing she expects is to meet a gorgeous guy who is happy to foster her for a week. As the story grows so does the friendship between Margot, Blossom and Will. A lovely story of love, hope and becoming a ‘family’.