Rescuing the Receiver by Rachel Goodman is a good fit for readers looking for an uplifting story about second chances, personal growth, and the unexpected bonds that can form between humans and animals.

I really enjoyed the way the author wrote this story and found they had a really great writing style creating a realistic story. I loved the way that the characters were different from each other but how they were perfect for each other at the same time. I loved the dog aspect thrown into he story creating a really fun and cute read.

Rachel Goodman's Rescuing the Receiver was such a cute and witty book that I couldn't put it down! I can't wait to see what Rachel comes up with next!

This was a cute story and I liked the characters. However, the writing was not great, and detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.

Rescuing the Received is sweet and funny, but I had a hard time getting into the story. It dragged, and I struggled to keep reading. I really enjoy this series, but this one wasn't for me.

After the media crucifies him for poor life choices, wide receiver Chris Lalonde needs a way to get back in the public's good graces. He thinks by adopting a dog and volunteering at an animal shelter, he can do just that, but he wasn't expecting to cross paths with the owner of the shelter.
Hazel Grant doesn't have time for cocky athletes, her sole focus is on saving the shelter and animals she loves. The more time they spent together, the head-butting turns into an unlikely friendship and possibly more. I enjoy this serious and love any story involving animals!

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

While the book is a romance book, it was also the journey that Chris and Hazel took to move beyond their pasts that were stunting their present behaviors and relationships. While each had a negative role model for their fathers, their response to that upbringing was different.

Chris struggled with anger management and put on a show while Hazel strived for security and routine. Fortunately, Chris not only brought her out of her routine but he helped her feel secure. Hazel really struggled with the cocky armor that Chris wore and was able to see beneath the surface and challenge him.

It was a slow process and just when you think that things are going to work out for them, a devastating event sets them back. If they did not have such good friends in Penny and Logan, I don't think they would have realized the right path and that they could have a chance at a relationship.

Some of the football stuff went over my head, and I did skim it as I was more interested in their romance, and how can you not love a story with such cute animals in it??! Great epilogue as we see new side of Hazel and Chris as they have progressed in their relationship.

Hazel, the owner of the Rescue Granted dog shelter, is underwhelmed when she first meets the Colorado Blizzards wide receiver, Chris, saying.” A stray just ambled in off the street, . . .And judging by his comically wide swagger, he probably needs to be neutered.” Of course Chris is cocky, charming and larger-than-life (i.e. full of himself), and as you can see, they’re not off to a great start. Chris needs to play nice, because he’s been ordered by the team owner to put in community service hours at Rescue Granted. Hazel isn’t sure what to make of Chris, but Olive, the timid King Charles Cavalier rescue, likes his rendition of Disney movie tunes enough to peek her nose out of her hiding place.

This is a new author for me and I was glad to try out her work in an early copy of this book. It definitely won’t be my last book by Goodman, because I loved Rescuing the Receiver! These two were an interesting combination. Hazel was so afraid of getting hurt that she wouldn’t take chances, and Chris came across as shallow, selfish and irresponsible. You can always rely on a dog's judge of character, though, and there was a lot more to Chris than what the surface showed. In full disclosure, I'm a sucker for a book with an animal in it and this one has several, all named for some kind of food. The setting of the dog shelter was delightful, but then pair it with a bunch of big, tough football players and, well that could very well be romance heaven.

This book is a great mix of serious and humorous, sweet and infuriating, and lighthearted and deep emotion. A job well done on the relationship between Hazel and Chris with the ups and downs and twists and turns. Both characters were endearing in their own way, and both strong and accomplished yet vulnerable. I really enjoyed this book and will be looking for more in the How to Score series!

*I reviewed this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.

I did enjoy this book. I thought it was well written and I liked the story.
I liked the story and the characters.

I recommend this book

I just loved this story. Football and puppies yes please. Hazel and Chris are the perfect match and a certain lovable dog brings them together. They have some issues that have to be worked out but overall they rescue each other.

Cute and fun
This is my first book by Rachel Goodman.

What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Dual POVs
Part of a series: How to Score
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue

I look forward to reading more from this author.

I read the first book in the How to Score series and have been anxiously awaiting this second book. RESCUING THE RECEIVER is the next standalone book in the series and it is a heartwarming story with characters that are honest and real.

Chris Lelonde, a wide receiver with the Colorado Blizzards football team meets Hazel Grant when he volunteers at Hazel’s dog shelter. Chris’ boss insists he volunteer at the shelter and Chris is not happy to be there and isn’t shy about sharing how he feels. He doesn’t like anyone telling him what to do or what charities he should be helping. When Hazel meets Chris, she is not impressed with him or his bad attitude. No one has ever called Chris out on his behavior and he has never thought twice about his actions. Hazel makes Chris see how how selfish he has become and he realizes he needs to make some changes in his life.

I found Chris and Hazel easy to like despite their flaws and insecurities. Even though they are total opposites, they bring out the best in each other when they are together. Where Chris is impulsive and arrogant, Hazel is inflexible and cautious. I enjoyed reading this funny and sweet story.

I’ve enjoyed all of Rachel’s other books, so I’m at the point where I don’t even read the synopsis before starting them.

I really liked Hazel and Chris. They’re both really good people and I loved how their differences complemented each other. Their relationship advanced naturally and it was refreshing to see that they got to know each other before succumbing to the chemistry.

Plot wise, there was a fair amount of push and pull and a tad more drama than I would have liked. There was some good communication, yet at the same time, it felt like there was always something one wasn’t telling the other. The dogs were probably the best part of the story and I was fully invested in their endings, even more than the MCs.

Overall, it was a quite and cute story with characters who were easy to root for. I can’t wait to see what Rachel writes next.

**Huge thanks to Pocket Star for providing the arc free of charge**

I absolutely love Rachel Goodman's books and was excited to see what happened in this one. The book had her signature storyline two very opposite people working together and eventually falling in love. For some reason I could not get into Chris or Hazel as characters. Hazel became very annoying with her set ways and Chris was just not interesting. Even the scenes where they were finally together were very forgettable . Unfortunately I am disappointed in this book in total.

Rescuing the Receiver is a well written romance. I loved the plot, characters and the author’s writing. I definitely will be reading more of her books.

A fast and fun story of football player Chris, who is sent to help Hazel at her dog rehab center. Naturally sparks fly, with the two being so different, but that is part of the fun. At times Hazel comes across as a little uptight, and dwells too much on negatives instead of positives, and gets impatient with her mother. Chris was caught with a banned drug, and has a short temper. Both need to learn from each other and become stronger together. Would highly recommend this book. Fun story for quick and light summer reading.

You know, I really should have known better. I'm just not into romance novels that center around dogs. I couldn't tell you why. It's me, not you.

This is the second book in the series, being Intercepting the Chef the first. I have to say that this is the one where the second book is wayyy better than the first and that's usually not the case. I loved Chris Lalonde - he was arrogant, sexy and kind of a pain in the butt. Hazel is the all-around girl next door, with your average hang-ups. I fell in love with this couple right off the bat. They had some smoking chemistry.

Chris gets himself in trouble on national television when it's discovered that he's been doping...Even though, he stopped when they wrote it up in the bylaws for football that it was illegal. Here's the question though - He was doing it the previous year they did the Super Bowl, so should he be at fault because he was doing it and suffer the consequences of those actions? He doesn't think so and he's prepared to fight it. Hazel is the owner of the Dog Rescue where he's going to do his volunteer work and her motto is "You did the crime, so you need to face the penalty." What happens when you bring a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel together with two very damaged people? Dogs have a way of healing people and in healing people, they can help heal others. The author did an awesome job with this story and I was sorry to see it end. I wanted to see several epilogues and what happened to Rutabaga and Olive because I loved those dogs. I'm a huge animal (dog) lover and wanted more of them. That this was set in a dog shelter was even better. If you love romances that have a plot, slow burn heat to them and a cocky hero - this is your book because it had it all!!

An ARC copy was provided for free or at a discount by the publisher without expectation or any attempt to influence or manipulate this review. All opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect anyone else's.

I didn't know what to expect with this book, but it was really cute. It reminded me a lot of a Hallmark movie, but bumped up to something rated R. I thought that the plot was cute, and the dogs were adorable. I liked Hazel and Lalonde's relationship and that they played off of one another so well. I appreciated that this book wasn't just about the romance, it was also about each of their careers and family lives too. There was a wee bit much of football in it for me, but that's probably just because I don't really care for football. haha There is one book before this, but it's not imperative to read it first. I recommend if you like fluffy and a little steamy romantic comedies.

I loved the idea of a sports romance revolving around an animal shelter. I love animals and always get excited when there is one in a story. So it was a no-brainer that I would love a setting that consisted of a bunch of animals all looking for their forever home. Even though Chris is not an animal person, he takes to one of the shelter’s most difficult dogs, Olive. Olive is so fearful that she never comes out of hiding from under her dog bed. However, one of the first days Chris is there, she slowly noses her way out to check out who the new guy is. I think Olive was the one girl that Chris could always rely on. Why do I say that, especially when the heroine’s name is Hazel? Well, Hazel was a bit of a judgemental b*tch. She immediately takes a disliking to Chris, no matter the fact that he does everything she asks of him at the shelter. She’s always quick to think the worst of him, even though everything he did spoke of the opposite. I just couldn’t figure out what her deal was. I get that she had daddy issues and crappy relationships prior, but the way she behaved and acted towards Chris was completely uncalled for.

While I very much disliked the heroine in the story, I loved that the author wrote about their lives throughout the story. We get a lot of time at the shelter while Chris is mopping up the kennels. We also get to be in his head while he’s playing on the field. I very much liked that half the story is in his POV because he had so much going on. He was under a lot of pressure, and was doing all that he could to stay above water. I liked that the author didn’t skim over these parts because I loved getting to see the way the shelter ran as well as experiencing him running a play out on the field.

Rescuing the Receiver was a cute read. I loved that we got to hang out with the pups at the shelter. I loved how serious Chris became when it came to the dogs. Any time there was an opportunity for him to help out and build up awareness of the shelter animals, he did it. He even wrangled his fellow teammates to help with adoption events and to raise money. I just wish Hazel wasn’t so judgemental. Her talk of wishing people would give shelter animals a second chance, to give pit bulls the benefit of the doubt, and yet she can’t look past her own prejudice towards Chris. Someone who has done nothing to her, who has in fact showed that he’s there and willing to help not only her, but the animals as well. She just ruined the story for me in all honesty.