Head Over Paws

The heartwarming fifth entry in Burns’s contemporary Rescue Me series (after Love at First Bark) sees man’s best friend play Cupid. Olivia Graham gave up her dream of being a veterinarian for a career as a middle school math teacher, but she still volunteers as a driver for an animal shelter in the St. Louis suburbs. When her car breaks down mid-assignment, handsome vet Gabe Wentworth is sent to pick her up, and they wind up working together to free a dog trapped by a flood. The shelter takes in the dog, Morgan, who functions as an intermediary between the hesitant couple, bonding them together despite their romantic hang-ups . Quiet Gabe was hurt by his previous girlfriend, and Olivia broke off her engagement, leaving them both simultaneously eager to pursue a relationship but nervous about commitment. This staid but pleasant story features plenty of winsome canine characters and some realistic discussions about the compromises necessary to make a relationship work. Burns is sure to win over dog lovers and fans of Kristan Higgins and Jill Shalvis. Agent: Jessica Watterson, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (May)