Review: Rescue My Heart by Jean C. Joachim

This is the first book in a new series call the Manhattan Dinner Club by new to me author Jean C. Joachim. I saw this book on Netgalley and thought it sounded interesting. I don't personally have a pug, but my sister-in-law does and I know they are cute inquisitive creatures, so I requested it.

The book starts off with Rory Sampson walking her dog in Central Park.  She is almost knocked down by a bicyclist, and ends up bruised and shaken but mainly okay, after diving out of its path.  When a good samaritan gives her a snapshot of the biker who almost hit her, I thought this might be the Dr. Roberts in blurb.  Nope, just a set up to apparently show how rude the bikers are in the area. Then Rory does a bit of drooling on the nice gentleman who stopped, and she is busy being attracted and telling herself to stay loyal to her boyfriend.  Okay, I get that this turns out to be a foreshadowing of how she really isn't committed to him, but it just left a bad taste in my mouth.

Next Rory meets the members of what will become the series namesake, the Manhattan Dinner Club;  4 other women pug owners who get start getting together once a week to eat and discuss their pugs and their lives. The other 4 women seem very nice, but I did wish that they had a larger role in the book than they did.

We finally meet Dr. Hack Roberts in chapter 3 when he crashes into Rory, breaking both her arm and her pug's leg.  Luckily he is a veterinarian and offers to see to her dog while she goes to the hospital to be treated. At first Dr. Hack is an ass.  I mean a seriously unlikable ass. And I am not liking Rory all that much either. Here I am reading a book about 2 characters that I don't particularly like.  Yet the storyline itself was interesting enough that I kept reading wanting to know what was going to happen next.

I will be honest and say that I never really warmed up to Rory. I just couldn't connect with her and spent much of the book wanting to smack her upside the head and get her a cranial rectal inversion.  Hack on the other hand ended up redeeming himself with me. Overall, I gave this book 3 stars and look forward to the next book in the series.

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.

Available at the following retailers:
Amazon     BN     ARe