sara_m_martins's review
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
lesbians and animals . had high hopes...
I simply didn't vibe with the stories. The first was okay but nothing special. second one had a "character development arc" that was just wild to me and grated me. third one starts with, frankly, animal abuse and i was at a point with the book where i didn't care to go through with it
1st story - 3stars
fun.
2nd story - 2stars
being a lil' snarky doesnt warrant an AA like transformation.
3rd story - dnf
very much disliked how the MC agreed fostering when she was completely not able to grasp basic concepts of being responsible for an animal.
I simply didn't vibe with the stories. The first was okay but nothing special. second one had a "character development arc" that was just wild to me and grated me. third one starts with, frankly, animal abuse and i was at a point with the book where i didn't care to go through with it
1st story - 3stars
fun.
2nd story - 2stars
being a lil' snarky doesnt warrant an AA like transformation.
3rd story - dnf
very much disliked how the MC agreed fostering when she was completely not able to grasp basic concepts of being responsible for an animal.
stvlas's review
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
I really enjoyed the premise of the story from the beginning. saving pets and exploring sapphic love along the way? sign me up!
whereas the first half of all three stories had me hooked, I slogged through the second half of the first and third stories.
the second was definitely my favourite with the best mix of character and plot
thank you to netgalley and bold strokes for providing me this ARC
whereas the first half of all three stories had me hooked, I slogged through the second half of the first and third stories.
the second was definitely my favourite with the best mix of character and plot
thank you to netgalley and bold strokes for providing me this ARC
baileysbear's review
4.0
An adorably wholesome trio of sapphic short stories. It's a cosy and comforting read.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.
claire60's review
4.0
Three short stories all set around the Lonely hearts animal shelter, the first was the best for me about the rescue of a cat following an hurricane. I found it interesting to read about the logistics of a rescue and what that entails, also lovely to read about it going well. The other two stories focussed more on the couples meeting through their dogs, both slightly tropey of people taking on dogs without really knowing what's involved. Which did get slightly irritating by the third story, my least favourite perhaps because it was the shortest and therefore had less space to develop interesting characters. Overall, this book is a delightful easy read, although you may want to allow space between stories.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
whatrhi_isreading's review
4.0
Being the owner of a rescue dog, I couldn’t resist reading a short story collection centred around an animal rescue centre. Even better when each story is a sapphic romance!
Each story in this book is written by a different author but they all have the same setting of Fairhaven, which is where the Lonely Hearts Rescue is based. We watch three different romances unfold, all of which involves its very own central rescue animal. This book shows just how animals bring people together, and how sometimes animals really rescue us as much as we rescue them.
I absolutely loved reading this book. It felt so warm, fuzzy and wholesome throughout. I loved that even though each story was written by a different author, we see some of the characters involved with the Lonely Hearts Rescue pop up in more than one storyline. Each story was totally different: one was a childhood team mate to lovers, one was fake dating and the last was polar opposites to lovers. They all brought me so many smiles, and laughter too. I could definitely see myself coming back to read this again as a comfort read.
I have to say my favourite story in the book was Test of Faith - the fake dating story. I haven’t read any other fake dating romances but that one short story has made me want to read many many more
Each story in this book is written by a different author but they all have the same setting of Fairhaven, which is where the Lonely Hearts Rescue is based. We watch three different romances unfold, all of which involves its very own central rescue animal. This book shows just how animals bring people together, and how sometimes animals really rescue us as much as we rescue them.
I absolutely loved reading this book. It felt so warm, fuzzy and wholesome throughout. I loved that even though each story was written by a different author, we see some of the characters involved with the Lonely Hearts Rescue pop up in more than one storyline. Each story was totally different: one was a childhood team mate to lovers, one was fake dating and the last was polar opposites to lovers. They all brought me so many smiles, and laughter too. I could definitely see myself coming back to read this again as a comfort read.
I have to say my favourite story in the book was Test of Faith - the fake dating story. I haven’t read any other fake dating romances but that one short story has made me want to read many many more
creativelifeofliz's review
4.0
A cute collection of sapphic novellas surrounding an animal rescue.
The Lonely Hearts Rescue is more than just an animal rescue; it's a secret matchmaker. This book is a collection of 3 sapphic novellas all centered around the rescue. Something About You by Morgan Lee Miller is the story of Hannah adopting a timid cat named Apollo and reuniting with her high school teammate turned crush Reese. Force of Nature by Missouri Vaun follows Rebekah adopting a challenging dog and getting assistance from dog trainer Rory. Test of Faith by Nell Stark follows Faith proving that she can "commit to commitment" and also fall for the rescue vet Del.
All 3 novellas had crazy pets at the center of the story and playing pivotable roles in matchmaking. As you might expect with 3 different authors, the tone of each book varied quite a bit as well. I think the first novella, the one by Miller, was my favorite. Hannah and Reese were so cute and awkward. The story by Stark was the hardest to read, since Faith and Del both had some pretty major issues that were only sort of worked through during the book.
Overall, if you enjoy stories with animals or sapphic novellas, I definitely think you should give this collection a try. It's a fun, quick read that's perfect to enjoy wrapped up with a blanket and a cup of tea.
Trigger warnings: loss of a loved one, emotional abuse by a parent, loss of a pet, hurricane damage, emotional abuse by a partner, cheating (not by a main character)
Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
The Lonely Hearts Rescue is more than just an animal rescue; it's a secret matchmaker. This book is a collection of 3 sapphic novellas all centered around the rescue. Something About You by Morgan Lee Miller is the story of Hannah adopting a timid cat named Apollo and reuniting with her high school teammate turned crush Reese. Force of Nature by Missouri Vaun follows Rebekah adopting a challenging dog and getting assistance from dog trainer Rory. Test of Faith by Nell Stark follows Faith proving that she can "commit to commitment" and also fall for the rescue vet Del.
All 3 novellas had crazy pets at the center of the story and playing pivotable roles in matchmaking. As you might expect with 3 different authors, the tone of each book varied quite a bit as well. I think the first novella, the one by Miller, was my favorite. Hannah and Reese were so cute and awkward. The story by Stark was the hardest to read, since Faith and Del both had some pretty major issues that were only sort of worked through during the book.
Overall, if you enjoy stories with animals or sapphic novellas, I definitely think you should give this collection a try. It's a fun, quick read that's perfect to enjoy wrapped up with a blanket and a cup of tea.
Trigger warnings: loss of a loved one, emotional abuse by a parent, loss of a pet, hurricane damage, emotional abuse by a partner, cheating (not by a main character)
Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
thewhisperingpages's review
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
megsreading5x5's review
4.0
This heartwarming little book was exactly what I needed in this gloomy weather. The Lonely Hearts Rescue contains three stories by three authors and they’re all delightful.
Each novella is set in Fairhaven and centres around adopting pets from the lonely hearts rescue. They’re about rescue pets bringing people together, people! What’s not to like?!
The first novella by Morgan Lee Millar is a little more fleshed out than the other two, which made me like that the most. Plus it’s the only one in which the rescue is a cat, and I’m a cat person before all else. The other two stories are pretty good too, but the first is definitely the star in terms of storytelling and characters.
This title will be released on October 11th (less than a week from now!), and if you’re looking for a cute, light read then I’d highly recommend The Lonely Hearts Rescue.
(Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC!)
Each novella is set in Fairhaven and centres around adopting pets from the lonely hearts rescue. They’re about rescue pets bringing people together, people! What’s not to like?!
The first novella by Morgan Lee Millar is a little more fleshed out than the other two, which made me like that the most. Plus it’s the only one in which the rescue is a cat, and I’m a cat person before all else. The other two stories are pretty good too, but the first is definitely the star in terms of storytelling and characters.
This title will be released on October 11th (less than a week from now!), and if you’re looking for a cute, light read then I’d highly recommend The Lonely Hearts Rescue.
(Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC!)
fairestofthestars's review
4.0
The Lonely Hearts Rescue is just the cutest, coziest book that's perfect if you're looking for something to pick you up. It's the book you need if you want to read three sapphic romances that feature rescued animals! All three stories were lovely, though the first one is my favorite! I'll be keeping everything brief so it's spoiler-free :)
Something About You by Morgan Lee Miller - 4.5/5
This story follows Reese, who after rescuing a shy, scared cat Apollo stranded after a hurricane, is determined to find him a loving home. Enter Hannah, Reese’s high school crush, who is looking to adopt a cat. It seems all of Reese’s feelings are back as the two rekindle their friendship.
This story was my favorite, possibly because it involves a shy tuxedo cat who just needed some patience and love. I also love that this was somewhat of a second-chance romance story, which I am a sucker for. I loved seeing Reese and Hannah reminiscing about their high school days while getting closer and closer.
Test of Faith by Nell Stark - 4/5
Here we follow Faith, who is looking to adopt a dog and ends up adopting Buffy, rescued after the hurricane (who she unsuccessfully tries to rename). When she takes the dog for a check-up, she finds herself positively smitten with the vet, Delphine. Faith and Del get off on the wrong foot, but soon enough there is a relationship being formed there.
I also really enjoyed this story, Buffy is such an adorable dog and the chemistry between Faith and Del is undeniable. I really loved reading about their relationship. It dealt with some more serious topics, mainly grief, and I think it was done very well, especially in such a short story. Faith is a bit of a mess, but one you can't help rooting for. Also, this story features fake dating which I also love so it was right up my alley.
Force of Nature by Missouri Vaun - 3.5/5
Rebekah is an event planner, and she offers to help with hurricane disaster relief. As a favor to a friend, she organizes a fundraiser for the shelter and actually ends up fostering a dog. She was entirely unprepared for that, and being a dog owner proves to be a much different challenge than her business ones. This causes her to ask for help from the shelter's dog trainer, Rory. Rebekah and Rory seem to be polar opposites, but soon both of them seem to be interested in more than dog training.
I will admit this one was maybe my least favorite, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it. I liked it well enough, it just had a few elements I don't particularly enjoy. As I mentioned, Rebekah and Rory are complete opposites, and Rory seems kind of overly judgemental of everything Rebekah does. On the flipside, Rebekah decides to foster the dog with 0 preparation, so you could say it's not completely unprovoked. Besides this, the miscommunication that happens later on in the story was a bit annoying to me. It does get resolved fairly quickly, however, I really don't like it as a literary device. Honestly, just talk. Please. Again, I did enjoy most of this story and the misbehaving dog was adorable, there were just a few details I didn't like.
All in all, I would highly recommend this, I thought it was super sweet and all of the animals really melted my heart. I really enjoyed all three stories, and if you're someone who loves reading about animals finding their forever homes and their humans falling in love, this is for you!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!
Something About You by Morgan Lee Miller - 4.5/5
This story follows Reese, who after rescuing a shy, scared cat Apollo stranded after a hurricane, is determined to find him a loving home. Enter Hannah, Reese’s high school crush, who is looking to adopt a cat. It seems all of Reese’s feelings are back as the two rekindle their friendship.
This story was my favorite, possibly because it involves a shy tuxedo cat who just needed some patience and love. I also love that this was somewhat of a second-chance romance story, which I am a sucker for. I loved seeing Reese and Hannah reminiscing about their high school days while getting closer and closer.
Test of Faith by Nell Stark - 4/5
Here we follow Faith, who is looking to adopt a dog and ends up adopting Buffy, rescued after the hurricane (who she unsuccessfully tries to rename). When she takes the dog for a check-up, she finds herself positively smitten with the vet, Delphine. Faith and Del get off on the wrong foot, but soon enough there is a relationship being formed there.
I also really enjoyed this story, Buffy is such an adorable dog and the chemistry between Faith and Del is undeniable. I really loved reading about their relationship. It dealt with some more serious topics, mainly grief, and I think it was done very well, especially in such a short story. Faith is a bit of a mess, but one you can't help rooting for. Also, this story features fake dating which I also love so it was right up my alley.
Force of Nature by Missouri Vaun - 3.5/5
Rebekah is an event planner, and she offers to help with hurricane disaster relief. As a favor to a friend, she organizes a fundraiser for the shelter and actually ends up fostering a dog. She was entirely unprepared for that, and being a dog owner proves to be a much different challenge than her business ones. This causes her to ask for help from the shelter's dog trainer, Rory. Rebekah and Rory seem to be polar opposites, but soon both of them seem to be interested in more than dog training.
I will admit this one was maybe my least favorite, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it. I liked it well enough, it just had a few elements I don't particularly enjoy. As I mentioned, Rebekah and Rory are complete opposites, and Rory seems kind of overly judgemental of everything Rebekah does. On the flipside, Rebekah decides to foster the dog with 0 preparation, so you could say it's not completely unprovoked. Besides this, the miscommunication that happens later on in the story was a bit annoying to me. It does get resolved fairly quickly, however, I really don't like it as a literary device. Honestly, just talk. Please. Again, I did enjoy most of this story and the misbehaving dog was adorable, there were just a few details I didn't like.
All in all, I would highly recommend this, I thought it was super sweet and all of the animals really melted my heart. I really enjoyed all three stories, and if you're someone who loves reading about animals finding their forever homes and their humans falling in love, this is for you!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!