Rescue Me audiobook

4 ½ stars – Contemporary RomanceRachel Gibson is one of my go-to, comfort contemporary romance authors when I need a light, fun read with a good dose of humor and emotional substance that’s not too fluffy or overly angsty.Rescue Me returns to Lovett, Texas, population 10,000, and pairs former Navy SEAL Vince Haven, who’s the brother of Autumn from Any Man of Mine, and Sadie Hollowell. Vince and Sadie have hot chemistry but there isn’t enough time devoted to their actual romantic progression/relationship development. It just seemed like most of the revealing of their characters was done independently, and I wanted a bit more of them actually together.Still, I really enjoyed Vince’s and Sadie’s characters, the humorous, clichéd Texas references, and the colorful secondary characters, and the estranged relationship between Sadie and her father was realistically portrayed and heartfelt. The ending was much too abrupt with a somewhat hasty HEA, especially since I’m always greedy for an epilogue, but I’m hoping that means we haven’t seen the last of small town Lovett, Texas.

Rescue Me by Rachel Gibson (Audio Edition)Narrated by Kathleen EarlySeries: Lovett, Texas #3 This is the first book I have read by Rachel Gibson and it won't be the last! I laughed, and sighed and was intrigued enough to keep listening till it was over. Vince and Sadie were a great match together, both looking for nothing and found something. Their banter was terrific right from the start and I loved how Sadie kept adding more texas slang to her vocabulary the longer she stayed. The narrator was easy to listen to and had enough voices that I could differentiate between the characters, I would gladly listen to her again.

As much as I enjoy Rachel Gibson's books, I was growing bored with her Hockey sports series, so I was delighted that Rescue Me appeared to be a stand-alone. Okay, it does tie loosely into the series, but only peripherally, so I'm okay with that. This isn't quite like the books Ms. Gibson wrote before her sports series. Her early books, like the ones set in Truly, Idaho always made me laugh out loud. The humor from those books wasn't so evident here. This was more straight romance than rom-com. Still good though.

Sadie Hollowell left Lovett, Texas at the age of 18 and has only been back for the occasional holiday gathering with her father who she has never gotten along with very well. A young cousin’s wedding is what has Sadie coming back to Lovett this time around. Forced by familial obligations to stand up in a wedding she plans on driving in and driving right back out ASAP. When Sadie helps Vince (Autumn’s brother from Any Man of Mine) with a ride into town after his truck breaks down, she discovers paybacks are sometimes sexy and her stay in Lovett is suddenly looking up.Both Sadie and Vince have their issues, but their chemistry with each other is never in question. They have an easy friendship, a hot sex life and a relationship that is fun to read without all the games and drama that usually bogs down the road to happily ever after. Sure their road to HEA isn’t all paved with sunshine and roses, but the bumps they do encounter are more normal and true to life.The book ends with a hint at the next story and heroine and I am ever eager to get my hands on that book!Rachel Gibson has been on my automatic buy list since I discovered her writing many years ago. This book only further cements her place on that list. I laughed, I cried and I flew through this book in one afternoon. I simply couldn’t put it down, nor did I want it to end. This is one of those books I will probably read and reread over and over.Cherise Everhard, May 2012

** spoiler alert ** First off this is book is not exactly for the modest. However as a now 30yr old mom,who grew-up in the south, and have known a few Naval men I thought the book was a great read (or in my case, a great audiobook to listen to on long drives). My only complaint is I wanted more from Sadie and Vince: I wanted to know if they stayed together, if he took her to his sister's wedding, if he learned to rope cattle. I just read "Any Man of Mine" to get more info. on Vince and his family and I realized that Rachel strings a reader along by connecting her books. So I am hoping Sadie and Vince show-up somewhere else. Though I do truly feel this one could be part one of two as hot blooded as both of these characters are.Just to add more...I think it's a better version of Rachel's books. I get that it doesn't have quite the same flow as some of her earlier works, but it's my favorite by far! In the course of a week I have read 5 of her books (I was sick and on bed rest, Ok!) And though a hot hockey player is nice...a Navy seal is HOOYA good! If anything I just wish this story was longer. Where in other books we knew the characters got a ring at the end this one not so much. It's 'figured', but not a given. I like that. What guy really sells his house/condo, comes to find you, tells you he does love you even though he's been a d***head, and plops a HUGE ring on your finger? If that would have happened with Vince I think I would have been disappointed. As it is, I just am left hoping I see more of Sadie and Vince in more books as the "Lovett" book series grows.