Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Good book. Belle Fortune is a recent transplant to Rambling Rose, working as her brothers' office manager while they set up the new office. The book opens at the beginning of February when Belle is surrounded by all the trappings of romance and feels very alone. She has her eye on a certain man she thinks is perfect for her, and even though they don't know each other, she plans to change that. While cheering herself up with shopping therapy, she's bowled over by a runaway dog and rescued by the man trying to catch the dog. After a few awkward moments and the discovery that her cousin is married to his sister, Belle offers to help Jack with some purchases he needs to make.
Jack arrived home in Rambling Rose after leaving the army. He feels guilty for missing his sister's wedding and the birth of her little girl, hence the need for shopping assistance. He's still thinking about Belle the next day but reminds himself he's in no position to think about dating anyone. He has no job, and the things he's seen and done have left him feeling undeserving of happiness.
I enjoyed watching the development of the relationship between Belle and Jack. Their subsequent encounter is at the Valentine's Ball, where Belle hopes to catch her crush's eye. That encounter doesn't go too well, and Jack offers to pay attention to her in hopes of making him jealous. Instead, the kiss they share knocks them both for a loop, and Belle quickly forgets about the other man. Belle and Jack begin spending more time together. I loved the effect Belle has on Jack as he discovers that being around her eases the strain he feels.
I liked how Jack sees Belle as an intelligent and capable woman. As the youngest of seven, Belle suffers from being looked at as the baby of the family and not taken seriously. She has big plans for her future, and Jack's support gives her the courage to move up the timeline. I also liked seeing her stand up to her overprotective brothers, who love her but tend to forget that she's a grown woman.
I liked watching Jack and Belle grow closer while their attraction grows stronger. Jack appears to be settling in well with his new construction job, the rental house he is renovating for his boss, and his adoption of the dog that brought him and Belle together. But underneath the surface, Jack is being eaten by the guilt he brought home from his last deployment. Those feelings throw up a barrier between Jack and Belle because he refuses to discuss it with her. Belle wants to help Jack, but he won't let her in, so she starts digging on her own. Trouble happens when she comes on a little too strong, and Jack gets angry over her interference. I loved that Belle had the strength to stand up for her needs and refused to settle. I hurt for Jack, who knew he'd been a jerk but was afraid of her reaction if he told her everything.
It takes a phone call from Jack's past and a bit of a butt-kicking from the caller for Jack to see the truth. I loved seeing him finally take the needed steps to deal with his issues and their effect on his outlook. I liked his big moment with Belle and their agreement that they can handle anything as long as they are together.
I enjoyed the scenes of Jack with his three-legged pittie named Sarge. The dog had a significant impact on his life and his future. Jack's idea of matching older/special needs animals from the shelter with veterans was beautiful. I especially enjoyed seeing Jack match his friend Marcus with the black cat named Diva. I hope to see more of Pets2Vets in later books.
There was a little more about the series' overarching story of the mysterious gifts from the big wedding. In this book, Belle has a framed rose picture with a verse and the initials MAF. How is it connected to the previous book's horsehead statue and safe deposit key? I can't wait to follow along and find out.
My only quibble with the book was pretty minor. Jack is twenty-five years old but stated that he was a captain in the army. He quit college after two semesters to work construction, then joined the army. He would not have gone in as an officer without a college degree. Becoming an officer from the enlisted ranks isn't easy or quick, and you still need to have a college degree by the time you are commissioned. The average age of a captain who enters service after graduating college is twenty-seven. This did not hinder my enjoyment of the book, though it did pull me out of the story for a few minutes.
Jack arrived home in Rambling Rose after leaving the army. He feels guilty for missing his sister's wedding and the birth of her little girl, hence the need for shopping assistance. He's still thinking about Belle the next day but reminds himself he's in no position to think about dating anyone. He has no job, and the things he's seen and done have left him feeling undeserving of happiness.
I enjoyed watching the development of the relationship between Belle and Jack. Their subsequent encounter is at the Valentine's Ball, where Belle hopes to catch her crush's eye. That encounter doesn't go too well, and Jack offers to pay attention to her in hopes of making him jealous. Instead, the kiss they share knocks them both for a loop, and Belle quickly forgets about the other man. Belle and Jack begin spending more time together. I loved the effect Belle has on Jack as he discovers that being around her eases the strain he feels.
I liked how Jack sees Belle as an intelligent and capable woman. As the youngest of seven, Belle suffers from being looked at as the baby of the family and not taken seriously. She has big plans for her future, and Jack's support gives her the courage to move up the timeline. I also liked seeing her stand up to her overprotective brothers, who love her but tend to forget that she's a grown woman.
I liked watching Jack and Belle grow closer while their attraction grows stronger. Jack appears to be settling in well with his new construction job, the rental house he is renovating for his boss, and his adoption of the dog that brought him and Belle together. But underneath the surface, Jack is being eaten by the guilt he brought home from his last deployment. Those feelings throw up a barrier between Jack and Belle because he refuses to discuss it with her. Belle wants to help Jack, but he won't let her in, so she starts digging on her own. Trouble happens when she comes on a little too strong, and Jack gets angry over her interference. I loved that Belle had the strength to stand up for her needs and refused to settle. I hurt for Jack, who knew he'd been a jerk but was afraid of her reaction if he told her everything.
It takes a phone call from Jack's past and a bit of a butt-kicking from the caller for Jack to see the truth. I loved seeing him finally take the needed steps to deal with his issues and their effect on his outlook. I liked his big moment with Belle and their agreement that they can handle anything as long as they are together.
I enjoyed the scenes of Jack with his three-legged pittie named Sarge. The dog had a significant impact on his life and his future. Jack's idea of matching older/special needs animals from the shelter with veterans was beautiful. I especially enjoyed seeing Jack match his friend Marcus with the black cat named Diva. I hope to see more of Pets2Vets in later books.
There was a little more about the series' overarching story of the mysterious gifts from the big wedding. In this book, Belle has a framed rose picture with a verse and the initials MAF. How is it connected to the previous book's horsehead statue and safe deposit key? I can't wait to follow along and find out.
My only quibble with the book was pretty minor. Jack is twenty-five years old but stated that he was a captain in the army. He quit college after two semesters to work construction, then joined the army. He would not have gone in as an officer without a college degree. Becoming an officer from the enlisted ranks isn't easy or quick, and you still need to have a college degree by the time you are commissioned. The average age of a captain who enters service after graduating college is twenty-seven. This did not hinder my enjoyment of the book, though it did pull me out of the story for a few minutes.
