I participated in the blog tour for this one and thought it might be one I would like, but it just wasn't for me. I appreciate the opportunity to participate in the blog tour.

Constance was not looking to completely change her life when she walked in the door of the gym. She just wanted to get her sister off her back for a bit, and keep working the dog rescue. Rhett didn't want to be drawn in by the way the new girl didn't give up, he just wanted to keep himself safe by not connecting too deeply to anyone. Fate steps in however, and begins to turn both of their lives in new directions.

Rescue You is a book that hit home for me on several fronts, and I absolutely adored this tale of two sisters who couldn’t be more different yet the share a common goal in dog rescue. Older sister Constance Morrigan is still out of sorts after the death of their father, whom she was taking care of during his battle with cancer and even earlier when he came back from the Vietnam War having lost his hearing . She’s stopped running, which was her passion before taking care of her father took precedence, but it lead to her fiancé finding someone else. Now Constance just gives massages to her clients–both humans and dogs–and sits home alone. That is until she decides to join a CrossFit gym on a whim, and it only takes a few classes for her to be hooked–and sore. But she keeps coming back to the different classes offered, and she tells herself it has absolutely nothing to do with the handsome and gruff owner Rhett Santos.

Rhett Santos is a veteran who came back from overseas with more than PTSD, he also has a leg injury that’s left him with a limp. Living with the pain and giving up on it ever getting better, he’s intrigued by the woman who stumbles into his gym and starts working out–way out of her element–but doesn’t give up or back down. And Rhett is even more interested, even though he won’t admit it to himself or anyone else, once Constance shows him what she can do when she is in her element and massaging his leg into usability again.

Younger sister Sunny Morrigan deals with her feelings by being outwardly positive, teaching spin classes and running Pittie Place, her animal rescue. She can’t leave a mistreated animal behind, whether she has to steal it or not. And that has gotten her in trouble with the law a few times and even made her a few enemies. She thinks that she can handle these threats on her own, even when she can’t stay away from the animals. But Sunny has bitten off way more than she can chew, in both the animal rescuing and men department.

I really loved how Rhett and Constance push each other out of their comfort zones, and in turn, they both can really see the other one more clearly than anyone else can. Constance has the sixth sense about people and dogs auras, so she can easily read people and their pain. Rhett can see bits of the old Constance that wants to peak through, and he tries his best to get those bright bits to come to the forefront by challenging her physically and emotionally.

I give Rescue You a five out of five. I loved the gym aspects, and it certainly made me miss the comradery and support system that places like that offer since I’m away from my kickboxing gym due to an injury right now. Rescue You explores how you can find a supportive family in strangers, and even though your life isn’t going the way you expected it to, it will get better if you work at it. The plot was delicately woven and evenly paced so I just kept reading and didn’t want to put it down. There’s plenty of room to explore the other characters more fully, so I can’t wait to see who will star in the next book!

I was hooked after page one, but seriously how can you not love a story with a dog rescue? Constance and Sunny were the cutest sisters ever, and a perfect compliment to each other’s personality. Their compassion for others is proven time and again with each dog they rescue, even if the risks are greater and greater. I found it refreshing that they were written as very down to earth and relatable characters, especially with Constance’s struggle with self-image and finding herself. I think learning to be happy with yourself is one of the biggest struggles for young women in our current society and Elysia wrote it better than I could have hoped for! I really enjoyed the slow burn romance, and found it tasteful and absolutely heartwarming. I feel that it’s really hard to write about veteran’s struggles, especially mental health, and this was accurately but mildly portrayed in the story. Rhett is a character that is hard not to fall in love with, so ladies watch out! I’d definitely want him to be my coach! I rated this 5 out of 5 stars and will definitely be reading this amazing story again! If you’re looking for a heartwarming, light romance, overall feel good story then Rescue You by Elysia Whisler is definitely the book you want.

I believe that everything that happens in your life has an affect on your future. Constance and Sunny have been through more than most. With their father being a Vietnam veteran, the girls were born later in life. When their mother dies when they are still quite young, Constance steps up to "mother" Sunny. Their father is almost deaf and has his own demons to deal with. He recently died and Constance's two year relationship has ended. Both women have baggage and have taken a role that keeps them set in their ways. Sunny owns a dog rescue called Pittie Place and Constance is a massage therapist for humans and dogs. When Constance walks into Semper Fit looking for a change, their lives will not be the same. Rhett, the owner of Semper Fit is a wounded warrior, both physically and emotionally. From their first meeting, there is a pull between them that they both try to ignore, but it is too strong for them.

There is a lot going on in this story that pulled at my heart. The relationships between the sisters, Sunny and her employee Roger, Pete, Sunny and Constance (best friends growing up), Constance and Rhett and even Sunny and Callaghan are all wonderful and play different roles in this story. This is a character driven novel that had me loving these characters and rooting for them to find what they needed to grow and change. The dogs were amazing characters. From 3-legged Fezzi to the little family that Constance finds and the dogs that Sunny and Pete steal from the puppy mill, my heart broke for them. They also had an important role to play in the healing of the main characters, as well as their own healing. Constance and Rhett are a wonderful couple. There was instant attraction, but not insta-love. Elysia Whisler took her time bringing them together. I enjoyed learning more about them and watching them begin to trust each other. There were several real-life issues dealt with in this story such as: rescue dogs and puppy mills, sibling relationships, grief, divorce and PTSD which are all well researched. This story is emotional, enlightening and enjoyable, all written in a way that was easy to read, with some humour. I definitely recommend this story to those who enjoy romance, animal stories, stories about veterans and lovers of women's fiction. I am already looking forward to the next book in this series.

This is a book that I really enjoyed. Constance has recently lost her father and her fiancé has left her. She has neglected her health and her life has fallen into a rut. Constance’s sister Sunny is always after her to get out of the house and to begin to enjoy life again. Constance unexpectantly joins a gym and her life begins to change. She starts a relationship with the gym owner and slowly gets her life back. Rhett has PTSD and injuries from his years serving overseas and he is impressed with Constance as soon as he sees her determination in his gym. It was wonderful to see these characters learn to trust each other. Sunny meanwhile is busy running her dog rescue
center and realizes she has some important decisions to make in the relationship department as well. It was heartbreaking to read about how horribly dogs were mistreated before coming to the dog rescue. Between Constance’s dog massages and Sunny’s rehab it was great to see these dogs improve. Overall this was an engaging book with a great storyline and interesting characters.

Elysia Whisler blends heart, hope and healing in her emotional and uplifting debut novel, Rescue You.

The last year had been absolutely terrible for Constance. Having endured unimaginable loss and heartbreak, the only thing giving Constance a reason for getting out of bed each morning is working at the dog rescue with her sister Sunny. Taking care of the dogs at the shelter has acted as much-needed balm to soothe the troubled and restless mind, however, Constance knows that she needs to shake things up. She cannot allow herself to continue to wallow in grief and sadness and, deciding that the time has come for a much-needed change, decides to join a gym where she meets cantankerous owner Rhett Santos who has his own demons to contend with.

For Rhett, his gym is not a mere place of business or somewhere to work out, but it’s his salvation and his refuge and sanctuary from all the horrors he had suffered during his time serving on the front line. Rhett is more used to hanging out with his former military squadron than with fun and pretty redheads like Constance. As the two begin to spend more and more time together, sparks soon begin to fly, leaving them both surprised by the attraction that flares between them. As their attraction towards one another intensifies with each passing day, will Rhett and Constance find themselves taking a chance on love? Or will they continue to let their fears and insecurities get in the way of the best thing that has happened to them in a very long time?

When the dog rescue is threatened, Constance and Sunny vow to do whatever it takes to save it. With Rhett pitching in to do anything he can to ensure that the shelter’s future is not jeopardized, will him and Constance realize that hope springs eternal? And that it’s never too late for a second chance?

Elysia Whisler’s Rescue You is absolutely delightful! A fun, poignant, emotional and feel-good read that sparkles with humor, warmth and romance, Rescue You is a brilliant tale of renewal, salvation and redemption that touches the heart and tickles the funny bone. Elysia Wheeler has written a book that is a joy to read from start to finish and readers will find themselves completely and utterly enchanted by Constance, Rhett and the plethora of beautiful dogs that make up this wonderful page-turner.

An engaging and emotional contemporary tale perfect for fans of Susan Mallery and RaeAnne Thayne, Elysia Whisler’s Rescue You is a compulsively readable novel readers will not be able to resist.

Constance Morrigan and her sister Sunny are very busy when it comes to rescuing dogs from puppy mills, even if it means taking illegal actions when they deem it necessary. Meanwhile, Constance has joined a new gym, and this brings her into contact with the owner, Rhett Santos. The two soon find that they have a lot in common, despite Rhett's reticence to become involved.

Keeping the dog rescue afloat is Constance's ultimate goal, even it involves risk and danger. This book most certainly touches on the serious subject of puppy mills. The sisters have no trouble stepping over any lines when it comes to barging in and dealing with the owners of these despicable mills, focusing on one woman named Janice Matteri in particular. Constance and Sunny work together quite well, and all the while romance begins to bloom for for Constance.

This story by Elysia Whisler deals with issues both serious and light. Readers get to see the efforts behind rescuing and training dogs, while romance is developing behind the scenes. It was not easy to read of the cruelty behind puppy mills, so the romance that was forming was a nice distraction when it came to this story. I liked the fact that the romance was secondary in this book and that the focus of the dogs took the main part of the story. This excellent story is one that I enjoyed throughout and was more than pleased as the ending proved delightful for both the dogs and the people involved.

Many thanks to MIRA for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

As soon as I started this book I was immediately sucked in by the writing and the introduction to the sisters. I was almost instantly invested and really had a hard time putting the book down. There was so much that was both heartwarming and heartbreaking in this book as the characters worked through their own personal struggles. You could really tell that Whisler either heavily researched what she was writing about or has personal knowledge on some of the subjects. The characters were full of depth and fleshed out really well, so I definitely found myself cheering for them through the ups and downs of the book.

Extra points for talking so in depth about animal rescue and the difficulties/events that can happen with it, it's something I have a soft spot for. Based on the writing style and how three dimensional this story was I will definitely be checking out more of Whisler's writing in the future!

This story took a bit for me to work out in my head. I was about a quarter of the way through before I could tell the voices of the sisters apart in my head. It was around the same point I felt the segues smoothed out. Of course, with any new-to-me author I have to get used to their writing style. After I finished this book I found out this is the author’s debut published novel, so she’s not just new to me…she’s new to everyone. For a debut novel, I was impressed.

Constance’s back story unfolds slowly, so we get to know her as we also get to know her hang-ups. Rhett is a bit harder to figure out, but I felt that was by design. We, as the readers, don’t need to know his details. We get his basic story of how he came to be where he is at, physically and emotionally, and that’s really all we need to know for the story to work. That way the story is not bogged down in details that are insignificant to the journey these characters are on.

While Constance (aka Red, aka Cici, aka Stanzi) and Rhett are the central characters to this story, there are other stories occurring at the same time. It felt like Constance’s sister, Sunny, was supposed to have equal billing in this book. Her story is interesting, to be sure. It’s also important to the overall story arc. But I found myself more immersed in Constance’s story and often annoyed with Sunny’s parts. I like Sunny, but her habit of wearing blinders and being too laser focused could grate on my nerves. I really found myself interested in Pete, the childhood friend of these sisters, and wish we would have gotten more about him and his service dogs. The same can be said for police detective/Rhett’s friend Callahan. Both of these men are important to the overall story, but we got some teases about them that left me a bit empty…wanting more.

It may not seem like it after that last paragraph, but I really did enjoy this story. At least after that first bit, when I was able to be fall into the story fully. I understood Constance on so many levels and feel like she is one of those heroines that all women will be able to see themselves in some way or another. She’s tough and determined but lost herself after some huge setbacks. And honestly, I think I was partial to her because there were things about her that reminded me of my older sister. She’s very intuitive and compassionate. My sister is much more of a warm and welcoming person, but her inner workings are similar to this character’s.

I’m hoping to read more by this author in the future. She’s off to a great start.

Rhett has some remaining issues left over from a war wound, inside and out. He struggles to overcome so many challenges. Enter Constance… she just shows up at his gym one day and Rhett cannot stop thinking about her.

Give me a good romance with dogs and I am hooked. I enjoyed so much about this novel. I love Rhett and Constance. Rhett has had a rough time of it. Constance is hurting in her own way as well. These two find each other through a gym and tough workouts. They develop a bond and it just gets stronger as the story unfolds.

And don’t forget about Sunny. Sunny is Constance’s sister. She is tough as nails and steals dogs to save their lives…she is a character I truly admire.

Need a good, soul searching romantic interlude….this is it! Grab your copy today! Plus…it has dogs!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

First, a warning...you can’t read this book without a few tears, or at least I couldn’t. The puppy mills portrayed were so very sad, but not as heart-wrenching to me as the situation that Constance and Rhett are in. Constance is trying to work through the emotional problems caused by a devastating loss and the resulting depression. Rhett owns a gym called Semper Fit (clever name) in which he pours all of his frustrations from PTSD into intense, extreme exercise routines. Both main characters find out that you cannot run from your problems, and since this is a romance, they both eventually find solace in each other. The getting there to understanding that they are better together is told masterfully in this wonderfully written romance. There is lots of emotion between the humans in the story as they interact with each other, and there are also plenty of emotional scenes between humans and dogs. My heart went out to the dogs being rescued by Constance’s sister Sunny. Those scenes were so realistic that I wanted to jump into the page and help the pups myself. Since both of the main characters are injured in their hearts and their heads, it may take a dog to actually rescue them...the best part of the story was finding each other!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

4 all of the dogs stars!!

I’m not even sure what’s not to like about this book, dogs, heros, strong female protagonists… I loved every single one of these characters and I wanted a happily ever after for all of them. Even though I knew some of them would get it in this book I’m kind of hoping others will get their own book????

The main characters we start off with are Constance and Rhett, and I have to say I LOVED the old fashioned names. Constance is going through some things, and is definitely in a rough patch. Then she happens upon Semper Fit Rhett’s gym and it’s almost like it was meant for her. I’m not exactly familiar with CrossFit even though I work out but now I kind of want to try it. Rhett had some obvious problems and some not so much however I loved how he worked with each client differently, so he knew just the right push to give everyone.

Sunny was Constance’s sister and she seemed super duper happy go lucky all the time for a dog thief and even though I thought her story was going one way it went a completely opposite direction. I’m happy her story turned out the way it did even though it felt a tiny bit rushed for me, but that’s okay. I enjoyed every minute we were with her because we got to see multiple personalities of each dog. I do enjoy dogs or pets in books because I am huge dog lover.

There were so many side characters that I’m really invested in this little dog rescue and family. I’m glad that the author set up the story that working out wasn’t to get “skinny” it was to get healthy and strong. The idea that bully breeds aren’t bad was also a huge hit with me as I work with these types of breeds and own one. I hate that they are portrayed as bad in books or movies its such a stereotype when they are big babies.

RESCUE YOU (Dogwood County Book #1) by Elysia Whisler is the first book in a new Women’s fiction series that had me hooked from the very first chapter. This is a new author that I will definitely be following into the future.

Constance and Rhett are such wonderful characters. Both broken and yet when they meet, they know just what the other needs even as they work through obstacles of their own. It is not a relationship that comes easily, but I believe the author handled the speed and interactions realistically. The use of Rhett’s extreme fitness center, Semper Fit, as a place for physical as well as emotional change had me as intrigued as the dog rescue, Pittie Place which had all of the sisters’ dynamics playing out around it.

Constance and Sunny’s relationship as sisters, who love each other dearly, but have had certain roles forced on them evolves as both sisters change throughout this story. The relationships with the men in their lives adds to the dynamic, but does not stop their growth and love for each other. Every character in this book is fully fleshed and play a pivotal role in the overall story.

While emotionally dense with several real-life serious situations and problems, the author was still able to make this story easy to read with touches of humor. This book covers rescue dogs and puppy mills, sister relationships, depression after death of a loved one, divorce and PTSD all with an authority that never had me doubting the research and knowledge of any one topic.

I highly recommend this book and new author! I am anxiously waiting for the next book in this series!

Emotional and heartwarming. Comforting and raw. Healing and hurt. Elysia Whisler stole my heart with this gorgeous Romance filled with deep feelings and furry friends. Sisters Constance and Sunny have gone through a lot together. Now they’re both focusing on saving others, dogs in particular. Constance is a massage therapist but she doesn’t only work on two legged clients, but the four-legged variety as well. Sunny owns a dog shelter and is known to have “stolen“ a dog or two from a bad situation. When Constance finds herself in a hard-core gym owned by Rhett there is an instant connection. BUT the wounds in both Constance and Rhett run deep. What follows is a story filled with sweat, tears, anger, fear, regret, determination, healing, and of course dogs.

This was such an engaging Romance with so much substance and heart. The characters were so well-developed, multi dimensional with real and relatable emotion. Loved Constance as a character and was so interested in her job. I have worked all my adult life in gyms and I really enjoyed the fitness aspect of the story. And of course all the dogs added another heartwarming layer to the story. The romance was so quiet and patient, I really loved how feelings developed between Constance and Rhett in the story. There is a secondary romance going on in the story that I would love to see further explored in a future book. Lisa Larsen narrated the audiobook and did such a wonderful job. I loved the voice she gave each character especially that of Constance. You could just feel the compassion dripping from Constance when she was voiced through the narrator. If you like dogs, fitness, Romance, and emotion then this is a can’t miss.

This book in emojis 🐕‍🦺 🏃🏻‍♀️ 🏋🏼‍♂️ 🍲

*** Big thank you to Harlequin /Mira and Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

Massage for the soul

Constance Morrigan is a massage therapist. Most of her work lately has been on rescued dogs that have ended up at her sister's rescue shelter. Sunny, her sister, rescues mainly pit bulls but other types of dogs also, sometimes taking them from abusive environments. She adopts them out or they go to a friend that trains them to be companion dogs for Wounded Warriors, soldiers with physical or emotional damage, or both.

This past year has been extremely hard for Constance and she has been having a hard time with depression. One day she wanders into a gym that caters mostly to ex-soldiers and finds that Rhett, the owner of the gym, intrigues her and makes her want to use her empathetic massage skills to help the wounded ex-Marine.

I loved the main characters in this story, especially Constance and Rhett. And I loved the dogs we got to meet. The story takes place near Quantico, which is in Virginia and also near two Marine bases.

I highly recommend this romance to readers that enjoy stories about the wounded in spirit and body and those that like dogs.

I received this book from MIRA Books through Edelweiss and Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave a review or reviews on it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel… It was a whole lot more than just a plain old romance. The interesting aspect of rescuing dogs, and matching them with veterans added a whole lot to the plot and the storyline and the characters themselves. I especially enjoyed the energy between the two main characters. And the sisters’ relationship was well done also.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
There are times in our lives that when the hurt on the inside, it is much worse than the scars people see on the outside. That's what it's like for both Rhett and Constance. Each have suffered in ways that others can't see. Their friends and family are supportive but some pain must be worked through on their own.

Constance's world came crashing down when her father was diagnosed with a debilitating illness and she and her fiancé moved in with him to take care of him. As Constance's world began to revolve around her father's health, her fiancé’s lack of compassion and understanding only drove them further apart.

Rhett's wounds are both physical and mental. The day the bombs exploded, and two members of his squad didn't make it home, was the day that Rhett's soul was scarred as well as his legs. The doctors try to treat the symptoms as best they can, but he's tired of the pills and the physical therapy that doesn't work.

Something changes for both Constance and Rhett on the day she stumbles into his gym and into a class. He sees something in his eyes that call to him, calls him to push her out of her comfort zone, to challenge her to be the person she is in his eyes. Constance sees Rhett in a way that no one else does either. He's more than a Marine, a veteran, or a gym rat. He's a man in pain.

This book follows the pair along their journey toward self-awareness and each other. It's a book that kept me up late until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.

Happy Tuesday y'all! Thank you so much to MIRA Books for having me as a part of this blog tour for Rescue You by Elysia Whisler (and to Netgalley for giving me access to the eARC). I love dogs so much and I hate to think about them being neglected in any way at all, so I definitely resonated with that aspect of this book, and the romance in the book was adorable. All in all, I really enjoyed it!

Rescue You 4/5 Stars

Summary from Goodreads:

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.
I really enjoyed this book! Constance was such a great main character and I really liked Sunny as a secondary main character too. And I loved Rhett and Pete too! The dog rescue was a great backdrop for the book and it really shined a light on how terrible puppy mills are- I've read lots about them in the past, but I know not everyone reads about how terrible puppy mills are. I loved Rhett's gym and how he used working out as a coping mechanism and how Constance was able to get her confidence back by getting back into a gym (which is something I have definitely felt- shout out to the Sweat Lab! I freaking love my gym). Overall, I liked the plot of the story and I liked the characters- I thought there were some times where it dragged just the slightest amount and the "problems" didn't feel like they were big, climactic moments in the book, so those fell just a little flat (except for one, but to me, it felt like that one was just rushed through and it didn't seem like it impacted Constance as much as it should have since she was technically our main character). Overall though, this was a super solid book and I really enjoyed it!

Constance and Rhett’s emotional story in Rescue You by Elysia Whistler, book one in her Dogwood County series, was a story of two loss people unsure of what it would take to break through the walls constructed to protect themselves. During the past year therapeutic masseuse, Constance lost her dad to cancer and her boyfriend to another woman, feeling loss and adrift. Working at her sister’s dog recue helps keep her focus. Desperate for a change, Constance impulsively joins a new gym despite feeling unable to perform any of the impossibly difficult tasks and the gym’s broody owner. Rhett Santos runs his gym as refuge for his former-military brothers as well as to sweat out and work out his own issues. Rhett has no difficulty allowing Constance to join, but is totally unprepared for the way this funny redhead gets past the wall he built around himself. When the dog rescue is threatened by their unscrupulous neighbor, the sisters fight to protect it; calling in all the help they can get. As Rhett and Constance get to know each other and make themselves vulnerable, they discover that no one, person or dog, is beyond being rescued.

Rhett and Constance are attracted to each other from the beginning. They share a strong magnetism and off the charts chemistry that set the sheets aflame. Their attraction is strong enough to help them find a love that is soulful and fulfilling; matched together like puzzle pieces fitting together for perfection. There is a second love story between Constance’s sister, Sunny and their third Musketeer, Pete that is charming. Trigger Note: there is discussion of dog abuse, dog fighting rings, and puppy mills.

Ms. Whistler wrote an amazing, passionate, and emotional story that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sizzling chemistry, amusing banter, scary situations, and strong characters, giving Constance and Rhett a chance at true love and a forever together. I highly recommend Rescue You to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.