He came to find his dog.

Has he also found a reason to stay?

 Former Special Forces soldier Mitch Sawicki’s mission is simple: find the dog who survived the explosion that ended Mitch’s military career.

Vermont farmer Aurora Walsh thinks Mitch is the extra pair of hands she desperately needs.

Her young daughter sees Mitch as a welcome addition to their family, whose newest member is the three-legged Sarge.

Can another wounded warrior find a home with a pint-size princess and her irresistible mother?

Titles in the Small-Town Sweethearts series include — The Marine’s Secret Daughter —♥— The Sergeant’s Unexpected Family —♥— His Unexpected Twins —♥— The Scrooge of Loon Lake —♥—The Sergeant’s Matchmaking Dog —♥— The Hero Next Door —♥— A Hero and His Dog —♥—

*I have read most of the titles in the Small-Town Sweethearts series although they were reviewed on a different website. To avoid link confusions I’ll only be linking titles that were reviewed here at Happily Ever After Romance*

This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Booksprout ARC

Title:  A Hero and His Dog
Series:  Small-Town Sweethearts #7
Author:  Carrie Nichols
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  December 27, 2022
Publisher:  Harlequin Special Edition
My Rating:  4.5 stars

A wounded dog, a wounded hero, a charming little girl, and a skittish mom unwilling to trust again — when you bring those things together in a well-written, relatable romance you have my immediate attention.  A Hero and His Dog tells the tale of Mich, a former Special Forces soldier who was wounded in combat completely changing his life, his dog Sarge who he had been told had died during the attack, and a family unaware that this man and dog had been separated as they brought Sarge into their lives as their forever companion, not caring that he isn’t as whole as other dogs.

Mitch is searching for his dog after learning that Sarge survived the attack that wounded them both.  Is it his fault that he was dealing with the changes in his life and blindly believed what he’d been told?  No, of course not.  But Mitch is taking that blame to heart as he tracks down his dog and considers only having his friend, his companion back at his side.  What he discovered is that Sarge is just as needed right where he is now.  And Mitch cannot disrupt this little princess in pink’s world by snatching back his dog.

Aurora makes an assumption when Mitch arrives at her farm.  She believes he’s there to apply for the help-wanted position that is desperately needed to keep the farm operating.  Yes, it’s odd that Sarge seems overjoyed to meet this stranger… but then Sarge loves everyone.  She’s recently gone through a divorce that has shattered her trust, she’s facing difficult choices on the farm, and this man seems the answer to those needs.  She didn’t expect to begin to fall for him, to trust him, or even to love him — and when the real reason he showed up at the farm is revealed, well, Rory goes back behind her protective wall.  Watching this couple go through so many emotional moments was a deeply moving journey.  I loved them and their story.

A Hero and His Dog will put you on an emotional roller-coaster and eventually heal those feelings far better than ever before.  If you love a romance that is heart-wrenching, believable, and relatable then you’ll want to grab this one right now.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or author’s team via Booksprout. The opinions expressed in this review are my own – good, bad, or indifferent.*

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