In Rescue Me by Sarra Manning, Margot has been rejected by both her boyfriend and her cat, and decides to get a dog from the rescue centre. She falls for Blossom the Staffie but can’t take her home right away. Will is only looking to volunteer as a dog-walker on the advice of his therapist, but agrees to take Blossom until Margot returns. This is where the trouble starts; they both want to keep her but agree to share, taking turns looking after her.
The pace is quite slow to begin with, allowing the main characters to get to know and like each other before they become romantically involved. Rescue Me also features a large cast of supporting characters who are well written and easy to differentiate. He may not always appreciate them, but Will has family behind him. Margot, on the other hand, feels her lack of family keenly, having been completely on her own since the death of her parents many years before.
Both Margot and Will are suffering – just in different ways – and the serious issues are dealt with sensitively, and seamlessly worked into the narrative. It is only as they become comfortable in each other’s company that they are able to gradually open up about their past experiences.
The story is told in alternating chapters by Margot and Will. This gives us a more rounded picture than if we only saw the world through Margot’s eyes, and helps to make the growing attraction between them more believable.
Towards the end, I felt the ‘miscommunication’ trope was taken a bit too far to be believable. Several times Margot cut Will off before he could explain how he felt, and this dragged the ending out unnecessarily. Right from the beginning I found Margot harder to like than Will, and just when I had started to warm to her, she reverted to being all prickly and brittle again.
I chose to read and review Sarra Manning’s Rescue Me because I had enjoyed several of her earlier books (Unsticky, It Felt Like a Kiss, 9 Uses for an ex Boyfriend), and not because of Blossom the Staffie – I’m more of a cat person. Having said that though, Blossom is a very endearing character – not to mention fairly integral to the plot – despite being such a handful.
Overall, I really enjoyed Rescue Me, and plan to catch up with the other Sarra Manning books I have not read yet. Neither of the main characters are particularly likeable at the beginning of the book, but having to communicate with each other while sharing responsibility for Blossom brings about a change for the better; Blossom really is the star of the show.
Thanks to Hodder and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

After reading what this book was about I entered into the world Sarra Manning created with an expectation of what will happen next.

What I was greeted by was a wonder staffy called Blossom who had such character and really drove the story from the beginning til the very end.

The use of a dog to define the narrative in this story was pure brilliance.

You get to know Margot and Will through Blossom the dogs eyes. And their characters keep on developing til the end of the story.

I loved getting to know Will’s family and Margot’s friends they really brought this story to life and created well rounded characters as we get to know each one.

This is where we saw the lead characters brought to life as we find out more about them from who they surround themselves with.

Rescue Me is ultimately about how Margot and Will become friends while sharing custody of their joint rescue dog Blossom.

But we also learn their struggles and triumphs as they are navigating their way through London life in their thirties.

Blossom brings two lonely people together but will she succeed in her quest for a happily ever after? You will have to read to find out!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I have not loved a book this much since I first read The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

Romance, a gorgeous storyline and dogs....what more could you possibly want in a rom-com.
This book was beautifully written from the start. The characters were portrayed in such a way you could connect with them instantly. They were both likeable, yet each had their own lives and personalities which really added to the story.
And then of course we meet Blossom, a beautiful Staffie who captured my heart completely.
Full of moments that make you laugh out loud, to those that bring tears to your eyes, this book is certainly a must read for all romance lovers.

After the break-up of her two-year relationship and having to give up her cantankerous cat, Percy, Margot Millwood, 36, decides to adopt a dog from the local rehoming shelter. She goes there with her friend, Tracy, originally from New Zealand, who she’s known for 18 years since they were at fashion college together.

Will has spent the last 20 years working in Boston, Berlin, Paris, Hong Kong and New York for a couple of investment banks but takes a year’s sabbatical from work after the pressure gets too much and moves back home to help with the family florist business in Muswell Hill. He’s been having therapy for the last year but hasn’t had a panic attack for months and has stopped taking antidepressants and feels a lot happier. After an off-the-cuff comment about his avoidance of emotional connections by his therapist, Will decides to volunteer at a rescue kennel.

Margot looks at a few dogs and then sees the timid and cowering Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Blossom, aged about three, and falls in love with her. She bursts into tears when told she can’t reserve the dog because she’s away with work for a week. This is where Will steps in and he offers to foster Blossom.

After a rather stressful week where Will wonders what he’s let himself in for, he realises that he can’t give up Blossom and him and Margot come to an arrangement whereby they’ll become co-pawrents and alternate looking after the dog for a week at a time.

At first, Will and Margot clash about Blossom’s care and try to outdo each other for her affections. Not helped by them both saying one thing and doing another with regards to her food, treats and sleeping arrangements! After one particularly traumatic walk, they decide to enrol Blossom in doggy training classes to sort out her behavioural issues as she’s basically acting like a small child and playing them off against each other!

As the trio get closer and learn more about other, what follows is a journey of discovery for them all, and they learn to trust each other, with Will and Margot eventually opening up about their pasts. The pair are both complicated characters and quite stubborn. They both had difficult childhoods but for very different reasons. It was emotional to read about what happened to them both.

Margot is a bit of a funny woman – she’s too chatty, interrupts people when they’re talking, analyses everything far too much and says her daily affirmations! But she’s lovely and kind and caring and always says the right things to people. She also has a great sense of humour and made me chuckle at some of the things she came out with. Margot has lovely relationships with her friends, who are very caring and protective of her.

Will was a bit harder to read and I wasn’t sure about him at first. It wasn’t until I got a bit further into the story that I realised why he acted the way he did. Will’s family are lovely, cheerful and welcoming, despite facing various traumas over the years.

Blossom is adorable! I’m not really much of a dog fan but she regularly tugged at my heart strings and I loved her antics! She’d obviously had a hard start to life but her bravery and lovely little character shone through!

Overall, I really enjoyed Rescue Me! It’s a lovely light-hearted story but also has some darker elements to it and a hidden depth. The novel was well written and engaging and I liked the way the story developed. It’s a heart-warming tale of a damaged little dog who brings together two people who are also damaged by their life experiences, and left me feeling all warm and fuzzy! A perfect antidote for these troubled times!

This was quite the cute tail (hah. get it. tail because there's a dog. no? nevermind)
I really liked that this was about a woman who was already in her thirties because romance so often revolves around people in their twenties so that was a nice bonus (also Margot carries herself so well and I loved being in her head).
I loved how her and Will's relationship blossomed and yes, okay, I was totally here for the dog, but the actual love interest was great as well!
Manning's prose flowed very easily and I am excited about future endeavors by this author!

Very much liked this rom com but a bit different with a dog involved in it.

Margot and Will meet at a rescue centre for dogs as Margot is there to rescue a dog and this is Blossom a staffy who has a lot of issues.

We then see Margot and Will decide to co-own Blossom have alternate weeks with Blossom. Margot & Will become friends.

The book has everything we have happy bits but also sad parts and also where Blossom exploits are funny.

I would recommend this book it is a bit different from the usual rom com.

RESCUE ME WAS SUCH AN ADORABLE BOOK OMG ! The story was cute and enjoyable, just like the book cover promised. A smile was literally plastered on my face while I was reading the book!. The book had such an exciting plot – I mean, the main characters, Margot and Will met each other for the first time at a dog rescue centre, and decide to foster a dog together. Can anything get better than that? 😍

Margot and Will are total oposites, so seeing them "co-pawrent" was such an enjoyable ride! I loved how they became friends by caring for Blossom. Their relationship had a rocky start, just like the book did ~ the plot was kind of slow in the beginning ; but after the first 100 pages or so, I got invested in the storyline. I really appreciated how the author made sure to include Margot and Will's background stories to make the messy pieces at the present time fit together. Their friendship, and ultimately romance, was just, perfect.

But guess what ultimately stole the show??? Blossom, the staffy ofcourse! I loved how she was the reason Will and Margot came together.

I've never visited London, but it's one of my dream places to visit someday. Rescue Me perfectly described London life, and it was honestly, the cherry on top of an already beautiful cake for me. :')

This romance novel was equal parts cheesy and heart-warming. Highly recommend! 💜

Big "I read this because there's a dog" energy from this book, but I was also gifted a very sweet romance to boot.

I really enjoyed this book, though at times I didn't love every character we meet. Indeed I much preferred Margot to Will. Margot may have been portrayed as Too Much, but for me Will was cold and calculated and clinical. It was so much, to the point I wondered if he really could find love for Blossom, never mind Margot

But, love prevails. There are also a lot of deeper themes to this story, such as parental death and alcohol abuse, which I didn't expect going into it. I was pleasantly surprised by how well they were handled.

Rescue me
By Sara manning
Pub date jan 21 2021

My review
I love the chemistry between these to characters will and Margot I love how they friendship blooms and love how they want two adopt blossom I’ve loved learning about they daily life they training with blossom and what Margot does the story brilliant such a fun read anything with dogs on the cover I’m in this book is brilliant. I loved how blossom was spoilt and how they look after blossom it was such a fun read that made you smile I didn’t want the book to end.

Wow, are dogs the new matchmakers? Quite fascinating to see two emotionally-struggling people bond over a furry friend. We have got two polar opposites; one who wants to settle down and start a family, and another who runs when the word commitment appears. But of course, the character development between the two, as we learn about the emotional baggage both characters carry, makes us fall in love with the characters. Love comes when you least expect it, but it seems like dogs can recognize it from a mile away.

If you love dogs, flower shops, dresses with pockets and a happy ending (and if you don't, what are you, a monster?), read "Rescue Me," this new charming novel from Sarra Manning. Root for Margot to not be so lonely, root for Will to not be so closed off, and most of all, root for Blossom, the loveliest staffie in all the land. It's just the warm hug we all need right now and a total joy to read.

3.5 stars

Blossom totally stole the show. How could a cute dog like her not?

This book a good quick read with romance and, of course, some angst, as a treat. You could see what the conflict was going to be about from page one, but the road until the end was pretty fun.

For me, though, I can't see how a topic like this could be resolved this way. Margot basically took a leap of faith because she's in love, but we got a cute couple out of it so I can't complain too much.

I absolutely loved this book! It was fun, flirty, easy to read, it was beautifully written, light, fluffy and warm. Would definitely recommend!

A warning about this book that if you’re a dog person yet don’t own one this book will make the need for a dog even greater.

Margot is a complicated character who needs someone preferably a baby and husband to love. Will doesn’t do relationships work always came first until he ends up back at home running the family florists and needs an escape enter Blossom a frightened Staffy into both of their lives they set up a dog share as they both can’t give her up. from their walks to dog training lessons Will and Margot slowly become friends and are maybe the answer to each other’s problems. A lovely read that I really enjoyed.

I blumming loved this book. Albeit a little slow to start in the first 150 page - much more so following Blossoms story than Margot and Will's - once it got going, it GOT GOING! And I loved it so much. Perfect amount of cuteness and smut. And Blossom just really added to the story. This story can get a little bit dark in places with both characters having been in therapy previously due to their pasts. But I felt this was dealt with really well and important issues were covered really well. I also loved that Margot is a plus sized woman and as a plus sized woman myself, I thought this was written brilliantly. Will definitely look out for more from Sarra Manning.

TW: Emotional abuse, Animal Abuse, Physical violence and emotional abuse against a minor, alcohol abuse, abandonment, loss of parents.

In the mood for an easy read, this book seemed like the ideal combination - a cute romcom, with a dog at the heart of the story. It proved to be that and more and I loved it - a truly heartwarming story that provided perfect escapism for a few hours.

When Margot and Will both choose the same dog, a Staffie named Blossom, when they visit a rescue centre, the agree to share custody, or "co-pawrent". But with two so apparently different people, is that really realistic? Forced to interact in their dealings with Blossom, they get to know each other and despite the inauspicious start, they begin to form a friendship which soon develops into something more.

Told in alternate chapters by the two main characters, we get to know and understand them as they confront issues in their past and warm to them both as the story develops. Manning does a great job of developing the characters, as well as introducing some strong supporting characters, and letting the romance blossom without feeling rushed. With the cutest dog on the planet with her very own personality in the midst of it all, I defy anyone not to smile their way through this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for and advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Sarra Manning for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Calling all romance reading dog lovers!! This one is for you! Margot is reaching her late thirties and her biological clock is screaming at her louder every day. She is desperate to settle down and start a family. She’s newly single, feeling lonely and in need of a change. Enter Blossom, the dog. While finding her furry friend she meets Will. Will is finally ready to move on from the past that haunts him and his first step to new connections is getting a dog. He didn’t expect the woman that came as a package deal.
These two weren’t very likeable at all at first and I thought I was going to have to give up. Thankfully I didn’t and what followed was a sweet, emotional friendship that slowly bloomed into something much more. Rescue Me is one of those romances that warms your heart and leaves you feeling good at the end!

Although it is right there in the tagline, this book was waaaaay more about dogs than I expected it to be. This book really is exactly as it says, two lonely people and one good dog and all three of them were truly wonderful, fully formed characters to read about.

Will and Margot are so much more similar than they realise and the most important things about them that is truly key to this story is how strong and stubborn both of them are, just like their wonderful dog blossom. I really identified with Margot, not just because she is 36 and worried about her biological clock just like me. There are definite care warnings when it comes to being childless and reading this book, I did find it tough at times. But I also really identified with the fact that she has been living alone so long she sometimes cannot see that it is OK to ask for help with things.

Will is such a cinnamon roll and so if you like your male leads like that you're going to love this book! He is so prickly and yet underneath it all he is such a family guy and Blossom really does help to melt that hard exterior shell. Speaking of loving male leads like this, there are some steamy moments in this book and when I say steamy I mean hot. I loved the romantic scenes in this novel, they were so well written and very female-centric and definitely got me hot under the collar-I loved that side of this book.

Now if you're not a dog person, like me, and you're worried that there are going to be too many details about treats and dog bowls and picking up poo then fear not. There are a lot of details like that in this book but that is not the be all and end all of the storyline and each poo bag comes with a meaning behind it that moves the plot on or leads to a description of another wonderful midi dress or pair of fancy shoes! I love that this book shows that one can be a dog a person or one can be a fashionista and it isn't the be all and end all of your life, it is just a part of you.

This book is also a love letter to London living. I so miss being able to walk out of my house or off a bus or a tube and get somewhere, I loved being able to get my steps in without having to walk on a treadmill and so I really enjoyed taking walks with these characters and exploring a part of my heritage at the same time. The description of their respective abodes and the changing weather was just stunning and so it was easy to immerse yourself in their world and just enjoy a really lovely story about some complex characters. Highly recommend!

If you are looking for a pick-me-up, enjoy a rom-com, and want the book equivalent of a warm cup of tea, this is it. If you like dogs, even better. This is a romantic comedy with a rescue dog at its heart. After two people both fall in love with the same rescue, they agree to 'joint custody' of the pup. The characters are fun and loveable, the dog providing a lot of opportunities for comic scenes along with several heartfelt ones. Whilst I wasn't expecting it, I read this book in two days as I was just enjoying the story so much. Would really recommend it to anyone who wants a lighthearted read to bring a smile to their face.

I loved the two characters so much, their snarky banter at the beginning that slowly develops into more.. their developing relationship is one of the best I’ve read in a romance. It isn’t rushed at all which I really appreciated.

If you’re after a really sweet & easy, quick to fly through rom com, then this is one for you! Plus, there is a dog!!!! What more could you want?!