This book is just...bland. It's not a bad book, but it's so okay, I couldn't really connect with the characters and consequently I didn't care for the romance. I don't think there's anything terribly wrong with it, it's just not a great read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is the 8th book in Radclyffe’s “Rivers Romance Community” series. Each book introduces us to another new member of the community. In this book we meet Tally Dewilde, the new veterinarian at the Upland Veterinary Hospital. She comes from a wealthy family whose members are always concerned about what people think. They feel that Tally should have been working at a boutique veterinary clinic instead of this country clinic. So, she moves to this community to find a safe and accepting home. On her first day of work, she is confronted with the last person she ever again wishes to see, Roman Ashcroft.

Roman Ashcroft has just retired from the Army after serving two tours overseas in a war zone as a medic. She accepts a position as a PA at the Rivers Hospital and looks forward to being very busy so she won’t think of her personal and military past. However, when she finds a bag of six abandoned puppies and brings them to the clinic her past slams into the present when she sees Tally.

I have read all the books in this series and found this one to fall a little short. The story is good but lacks the intense medical drama which Radclyffe often has in her series. Unlike Radclyffe’s other books, the romance between the two main characters seems to be rushed.

I really enjoyed the interaction between Roman and the puppies. This is where the emotional side of Roman shines. I also liked the military names she gives to the puppies and the group of teenagers who volunteer to help care for them.

This is a good, light read. It can be read as a standalone book. I recommend Finders Keepers and give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I received this ARC from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

With Radclyffe's Rivers Community series, you always know what you get - great characters and a sweet love story. This is #8 in the series, where everything revolves around the Rivers Hospital and the small-town community. It's like going on vacation there again and seeing all your friends again.

This time we meet Rome Ashcroft, the new PA at Rivers Hospital, and a military buddy of Brody, and Tally Dewilde, the new addition to Val's (Brody's wife) veterinary clinic. Rome and Tally share a painful past, and both thought they would never see each other again. But as chance, or fate, would have it, after ten years they meet again, in this small town in upstate rural New York, where they both want to make a fresh start.

As always, the MCs are likable and interesting characters. I liked them both from the beginning, and they also fit seamlessly into the Rivers community. A small town that is obviously a magnet for LGBTIQ+ members. They both have interesting pasts that I would have liked to know more about. While it becomes clear where Tally's rejection and anger towards Rome come from, I did wonder why Rome didn't fight back against the accusations at the time.

The romance was sweet but from Tally's rejection of Rome, to "I love you", it went a tad too fast for my taste. Of course, the adorable puppies, abandoned and rescued by Rome, helped melt hearts faster, but a little more story development and background wouldn't have been bad. Especially because their upbringing and their families, contrast with the small-town life they both now seek. Also, the event that led to Rome's accusations is never properly explained.

I liked how the Rivers family accepted both new members without any prejudices and how the younger generation helped out with the puppy's duties. And of course, the puppies were the (not so) secret stars of the story.

Something I love very much about series is, that I keep seeing old acquaintances from previous episodes. All comes well in the end and it was a fun couple of hours with an entertaining and light summer story.
3.5 stars

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for receiving an ARC for an honest review.

Vet rom-com are a fav of mine and this one is good and entertaining. Well plotted, well developed characters, entertaining.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Talia and Roman are surprised to see each other in the same town when Roman who driving down the road finds six abandoned puppies in a trash bag and rushes to nearest vet clinic. Talia doesn’t want’s reminder of the past and that’s what Rome represents because she blames her for what her family went through. Rome who just wants to start a new life after having to give up dreams but it’s doesn’t means she didn’t have good life despite what happened in the past. Tally and Rome have to overcome the past if they want to have a future or even have relationship or friendship but as they spend more time together Tally starts to see that maybe she misjudged Rome and learns something that put everything in perspective. I enjoy this read I like visiting the Rivers clan and how they just open their home to anyone who need it. I really hope this author would do a crossover with PMC Hospital series.

ank you, Bold Strokes Books, Inc., Radclyffe, and NetGalley, for the ARC.

This was a cute book. It is a slow burn. Rome and Tally are perfect for each other. I loved that the puppies were the central part of the book and not just a sweep under the rug. Puppies are the best. The small town is fun to read about the relationships within the town and how everyone rallies together.

Slight spoiler: It is kind of a miscommunication trope, but it happened when they were teens, and it was just how a scene was interpreted. This was done well. Usually, I wouldn't say I like miscommunication tropes, but this wasn't bad.

I recommend reading this book.

Finders keepers was a really enjoyable, quick read. Containing a litter of puppies and a small town second-chance romance, what more could you want? I enjoyed learning snippets of Tally and Romes past throughout the book, and being able to piece it together bit by bit. It was quite a shock to learn the real truth about what went on all those years ago.
The tight knit community feel really helped with the story line, and there was so many characters to love. I didn't realise this was part of a series, meaning many characters have been introduced before. I will be reading more of the series now for sure.

Lots to like here because the Rivers series is always a delight. Plenty of familiar characters and the kids are growing up nicely too. Throw in a litter of puppies and a feel good book is created. The two new leads have an interesting back story. I would have like to have had more scenes in Manhattan to up the drama. Seemed like a wasted opportunity to not include the parents and to only have a paragraph to cover the sister’s involvement. The story gets a bit bland. It’s ok, but with more effort it could have been a lot better.

This 8th novel in the Rivers Community Romance series can be read as a standalone. Of course, the Rivers family is present but for this one is not necessary to have read any of the previous books. It’s also less medical that most of the books in this series. The action here is focused on puppies. Yes, puppies. Roman Ashcroft finds a duffel full of puppies on her first day at Rivers Community Hospital and so she ends up facing the past when the vet door is answered by Talia DeWilde. Rome and Tally share a past that changed Rome’s life and it looks set on messing with her present as well. It’s a quick and enjoyable read.

Free ARC via NetGalley.

I only wish that Radclyffe could write their books faster! Another wonderful Rivers Community novel. When Tally decides to go into veterinary medicine in rural New York despite her family's protests she finds herself thrust into the world of the Rivers community. Enter Rome Ashcroft who is also new to the community and the hospital and you've got the makings of a great novel.

Tally and Rome meet again in small town New York after many years since they’ve last seen each other. The last time they saw one another things ended and major life changes ensued. Now Tally is starting a job as a veterinarian working at Val’s practice and Rome is working at Rivers as a Physician’s Assistant.

I enjoyed the relationship that was developing between the two women amid their past history. The puppy storyline was also highly entertaining. However, I am deducting a star ⭐️ due to very quick ILYs and a rushed ending. 3 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Radclyffe returns to her Rivers Community Romance series with an 8th novel. This one can easily be read on its own but other MCs from previous books show up at the local bar or high school basketball games. Two newcomers are arriving to the small upstate rural NY town. Dr. Tally Dewilde is a veterinarian and joining the practice of Sydney Valentine (Love to the Rescue Apr 2019). Roman Ashcroft is fresh out of the Army after completing two overseas tours as a medic. She will be a new PA in the ER at Rivers Hospital.

Roman while driving on her first day to work finds a bag in the road and discovers it full of puppies. She takes it to the closet veterinary clinic and runs into Tally. But this isn’t their first meeting. Roman was friends with Tally’s older sister and there was a big scandal that cost Roman her college scholarship causing her to enlist. They are both from wealthy upper east side NYC families and they bond over how they are escaping that life.

For a Radclyffe novel this is light on her normal ER medical drama. Instead we have puppies and sweet high school friends that help Roman care for the abandoned animals. The developing romance is running into each other getting coffee or concerns about the pups. But you get glimpses of sparks which switches quickly to declarations of feeling if only thing they can move past the stumbling block from the past.

When I get several books from this publisher at the same time I choose what I think will be my favorite to read last as a reward. I chose correctly with this book. The cover is adorable and I’m happy to be in the Rivers Community again. During a recent publisher sell I purchased several of the early books in this series that I haven’t read. I now need to make time on my TBR pile to get to them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books Inc., for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

*2.5

I wanted to like this book but the writing was just not good. The two characters hardly talked but I was supposed to believe that they are in love. I felt like they had chemistry but the writing did not do them any favors. The pov would randomly switch back and forth for seemingly no reason. There was also a random chapter from a side characters pov that did nothing to move the story forward.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Another well written book by Radclyffe, I really enjoy this series of books, seeing the Rivers clan once again is always engaging. I liked the further involvement of the vet practice which also means we get to see more of Blake the young Trans man who wants to be a vet. The focus is on Tally new vet assistant and Roman who is arriving back into this community after a number of years of military service, who finds a bag of abandoned puppies by the side of the road which she brings to the vets. So there is history to be explored, some PTSD, small town life and puppies in this book, all presented by the safe hands of Radclyffe.

With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tally and Roman meet after a decade and not all is well. Tally doesn't trust Rome and vice versa because of something that happened long ago.

They meet by chance, again and pasts collide. Slowburn to earn trust back and see each for who they are now instead of who they were.

This wasn't my fav of Radclyffe's books. It seemed too fast paced and too quick before the MCs were in love and then it ended.

Overall not a bad book, but the chemistry seemed off and was really rushed.

I feel like I've been reading Radclyffe titles forever and was so glad to see this one available here on NetGalley. I enjoyed the quick, easy ready of Finders Keepers. I enjoyed the characters even if it seemed like there were an awful lot of queer folks in a small upstate town. I've always enjoyed second-chance books and this one was no different. Thanks, Netgalley for letting me get an early look at this title.

Rivers Community is getting a new PA in Rome Ashcroft. As she arrives in town she spots a bag a young puppies she takes to the local vet where she encounters Tally Dewilde a girl she new from her past.
They dance around their attraction remembering things that from that time that weren’t happy.
This story contains very little in the way of the Rome’s work at the Rivers Hospital and more about fostering the puppies. I was slightly disappointed in that.
Overall a nice building of the romance between the two.

Thank #NetGalley #BoldStrokesBooks #Radclyffe #FindersKeepers for this ARC

This was a fun story and typical Radclyffe that we all have come to enjoy with great characters and storytelling.

I liked Roman Ashcroft and her courage and humility. I always enjoy reading about female characters with a military background I wish that she would have fought back against the false accusations made against her. Tally Dewilde was so strongly influenced by her past and really struggled to overcome her suffocating parents and upbringing.

I thought the feelings and relationship needed more development. Seemed they each fell in love too quickly as they tried yo avoid each other for most of the story.

And the puppies were super cute and liked all their military names.

ARC received from Net Galley for an honest and voluntary review.

You know what you’re going to get with Radclyffe. Good storytelling, well developed characters full of angst and baggage, and a fair few coincidences. I’m not disappointed with this new addition to the Rivers Community. It’s a good plot with a friend of Brody’s joining the hospital at the same time a new vet starts with Val. Turns out they have history…

The problem is that they need to rewrite that history and Tally needs to accept that she might have the wrong idea about Roman. If you add in a few of our old friends and a load of cute puppies, then Radclyffe has another winner.

I worked in hospitals and they do have cliques and friends of friends joining and as a surgeon herself, Radclyffe knows of what she writes and it shows. I’ll keep reading what she writes as the books are enjoyable, entertaining and always worth a few hours of my time.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley

Tally and Roman have a history and it come to play in this book. Tally witnessed something with her sister 15 years ago which involved Roman being accused of giving drugs to Tally's sister. Ther plot was great and there was drama, passion and love. I recommend this book to all romance readers.