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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review
3.0
Saving Sarah by Melissa Storm is the first book in The Gold Coast Retrievers. Sarah Campbell is a hospice nurse at Redwood Cove Rest Home where her therapy dog, Lucky works along side her. Sarah has always been a rule follower and never had adventures of her own. She enjoys getting to know her patients and taking their memories as her own while they are with her. One of her most cantankerous patients is Eleanor Barton.
Finch Jameson is surprised when he receives a letter from Eleanor Barton who claims to be his great aunt. Eleanor states in the letter that she is dying and asks Finch to visit her. As far as Finch is aware, he has no other family, but Eleanor’s letter intrigues him. Finch is put off by Eleanor brusque manner and insults, but he is captivated by Sarah’s beautiful eyes. He is shocked by Eleanor’s startling confession and its implications. Sarah feels a spark of attraction when she meets Finch and surprises herself when she volunteers to help Finch unravel a decade’s old mystery. Eleanor provides them with scant details. Finch and Sarah set out on their quest and hope they can get the necessary answers before Eleanor passes away.
Saving Sarah is a story about guilt and the struggle to forgive oneself. I like Melissa Storm’s conversational writing style which makes for an easy to read book. It did take me longer to get engaged in Saving Sarah. I had a hard time with the main character. Sarah Campbell comes across as a lackluster individual. An incident that happened with her grandmother when she was twelve has influenced her whole life. Instead of living her own life, Sarah becomes involved in her patient’s lives. She takes their memories and stories as her own while she cares for them. The best part of Sarah is Lucky, her companion and therapy dog. Wherever Sarah goes, Lucky goes with her. Sarah needs to overcome the past (to forgive herself) so she can live a fulfilling life. Finch Jameson always wanted to be a photographer, but then he came up with a great idea for a social media network. He made it big and sold too soon. Finch then became a joke in the industry which has made him a hermit. Finch also needs to find a way to move forward with his life and to grow as an individual. He also has a poor moral compass. The pair come together to help Eleanor with her last request. I was surprised by how their investigation progressed (I do not want to spoil it for you) and I wish the mystery had been done differently. It is a story about uncovering the past to help a woman die peacefully. Saving Sarah is also about these two lost individuals helping each other become interested in life and starting a new chapter. I admit that this is not my favorite book by Melissa Storm. It lacked the charm or magic of her other stories, and I missed the humor and lightness she normally injects into her books. Saving Sarah has a sweet ending.
Finch Jameson is surprised when he receives a letter from Eleanor Barton who claims to be his great aunt. Eleanor states in the letter that she is dying and asks Finch to visit her. As far as Finch is aware, he has no other family, but Eleanor’s letter intrigues him. Finch is put off by Eleanor brusque manner and insults, but he is captivated by Sarah’s beautiful eyes. He is shocked by Eleanor’s startling confession and its implications. Sarah feels a spark of attraction when she meets Finch and surprises herself when she volunteers to help Finch unravel a decade’s old mystery. Eleanor provides them with scant details. Finch and Sarah set out on their quest and hope they can get the necessary answers before Eleanor passes away.
Saving Sarah is a story about guilt and the struggle to forgive oneself. I like Melissa Storm’s conversational writing style which makes for an easy to read book. It did take me longer to get engaged in Saving Sarah. I had a hard time with the main character. Sarah Campbell comes across as a lackluster individual. An incident that happened with her grandmother when she was twelve has influenced her whole life. Instead of living her own life, Sarah becomes involved in her patient’s lives. She takes their memories and stories as her own while she cares for them. The best part of Sarah is Lucky, her companion and therapy dog. Wherever Sarah goes, Lucky goes with her. Sarah needs to overcome the past (to forgive herself) so she can live a fulfilling life. Finch Jameson always wanted to be a photographer, but then he came up with a great idea for a social media network. He made it big and sold too soon. Finch then became a joke in the industry which has made him a hermit. Finch also needs to find a way to move forward with his life and to grow as an individual. He also has a poor moral compass. The pair come together to help Eleanor with her last request. I was surprised by how their investigation progressed (I do not want to spoil it for you) and I wish the mystery had been done differently. It is a story about uncovering the past to help a woman die peacefully. Saving Sarah is also about these two lost individuals helping each other become interested in life and starting a new chapter. I admit that this is not my favorite book by Melissa Storm. It lacked the charm or magic of her other stories, and I missed the humor and lightness she normally injects into her books. Saving Sarah has a sweet ending.
smithsj123's review
3.0
3.5 stars 🌟 A sweet and charming romantic suspense
This was a heartwarming and emotional story of Sarah, a nurse at an elderly care facility, her support dog Lucky and Finch, a failed businessman who has just discovered a long lost great aunt.
Finch’s great aunt has a mystery for him to solve to put her demons to rest before she passes from this world; and Sarah and Lucky are there to help uncover the truth, as well as discover more about the growing attraction they are feeling.
A sweet and satisfying story.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
This was a heartwarming and emotional story of Sarah, a nurse at an elderly care facility, her support dog Lucky and Finch, a failed businessman who has just discovered a long lost great aunt.
Finch’s great aunt has a mystery for him to solve to put her demons to rest before she passes from this world; and Sarah and Lucky are there to help uncover the truth, as well as discover more about the growing attraction they are feeling.
A sweet and satisfying story.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
mlcreads's review
4.0
A mystery, an unsolved murder, regret for past mistakes and love are all part of this story. Sarah and Finch are both hiding from their pasts. An old woman throws them together to find the answers to a decades old mystery and along the way they find themselves and fall in love.
jasmyn9's review
5.0
Finch and Sarah are a great couple. Both are hiding from what they see as mistakes in their past. When they first meet they are super hesitant about each other. Neither one willing to really open up about anything. But when Finch's long-lost relative, Eleanor, a resident at the rest home Sarah works at, drags them into a mystery almost as old as she is, they are thrown together trying to fix mistakes from Eleanor's past.
A lot of this story seemed to revolve around past mistakes and guilt, sometimes well-founded, but not always. As Finch and Sarah team up to solve the mystery, they grow close and learn to lean on each other, opening up about their pasts and coming to terms with their so-called mistakes.
Sarah's emotional support dog, Lucky, was present but didn't overtake the story. He was there to do his job and helped to highlight Sarah's progress with her emotional issues. He made a great secondary character that I got to know and love, but I was very glad that he wasn't used in a way that overshadowed the brewing romance and sleuthing.
Saving Sarah was a great introduction to The Gold Coast Retrievers series, and I look forward to seeing more of the Retrievers and their people.
*I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book*
A lot of this story seemed to revolve around past mistakes and guilt, sometimes well-founded, but not always. As Finch and Sarah team up to solve the mystery, they grow close and learn to lean on each other, opening up about their pasts and coming to terms with their so-called mistakes.
Sarah's emotional support dog, Lucky, was present but didn't overtake the story. He was there to do his job and helped to highlight Sarah's progress with her emotional issues. He made a great secondary character that I got to know and love, but I was very glad that he wasn't used in a way that overshadowed the brewing romance and sleuthing.
Saving Sarah was a great introduction to The Gold Coast Retrievers series, and I look forward to seeing more of the Retrievers and their people.
*I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book*
aliceshepherd's review
5.0
Loved the use of therapy dogs in this book. It really made the story come together with dealing with things from the past.
There is a mystery in this book that really plays a big part.
There is a mystery in this book that really plays a big part.
mommasaystoread's review
3.0
Saving Sarah is an entertaining, sweet romance with a mystery to solve. Finch are Sarah are both troubled by things in their past and floundering about where their lives are going. Finch has become a bit of a loner, and Sarah lives through the memories and stories of her patients. While I did enjoy the read, it felt a bit rushed at times and the mystery, once we get the answers had me scratching my head. I don't understand why Eleanor didn't just tell her story rather than sending Finch and Sarah to find the answers. I did like Sarah's progression to forgiving herself for past mistakes and figuring out what she should be doing with her life. She and Finch were good together and we get the added bonus of Sarah's sweet Golden, Lucky to help brighten the mood.
missstarlamae's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book. I love how no one in the book is perfect except the sweetheart of a dog. I admit at getting pretty mad at the great aunt, but in the end I understood her actions, even though I didn't approve of them. The ending was so sweet it made me cry. I can't wait to read the next one!
This book was provided to me in exchange for my honest review.
This book was provided to me in exchange for my honest review.
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