Reviewed by Caroline

TITLE: How To Save A Life

SERIES: Howl At The Moon Book 4

AUTHOR: Eli Easton

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 415 Pages

RELEASE DATE: August 28, 2017

BLURB:

Rav Miller looked into the terrified, intelligent eyes of the chocolate Labrador on death row, and knew he’d do anything to save him. When the dog, Sammy, escapes and heads to Mad Creek, Rav follows. Mad Creek. The town had become legendary in Rav’s mind after he’d met that bizarre group last year. Rav dismissed his crazy suspicions back then, but when he arrives in Mad Creek, he knows it’s true. Dog shifters exist, and apparently they all live in the California mountains. It’s enough to blow a bad boy’s mind.

Sammy has something in common with Rav—neither one of them trusts people. After Sammy’s abuse as a dog, he particularly dislikes tough-looking men like Rav. But when Sammy gets a chance to work with rescued dogs at the new Mad Creek shelter, his deep compulsion to help others overcomes his fear. Rav and Sammy bond over saving strays. If they can each find the courage to let someone else in, they might find their way to love.

Sheriff Lance Beaufort doesn’t like humans moving into Mad Creek, especially not the tattooed and defiant Rav. When Rav starts a rescue shelter, the town thinks he’s wonderful! But Lance isn’t fooled. He doesn’t buy Rav’s innocent act for one second. How much does Rav know about the quickened? What is his game? And why did he have to show up now, when Lance and the other town leaders are overwhelmed by all the new quickened pouring in?

Rav knows how to save a life. But can he save an entire town? Can he rescue Mad Creek?

REVIEW:

This was perfect!

We first met Rav Miller in book 3. He is the bad ass biker dude covered in tattoo’s who loves our four legged friends so much he rescues them from shelter’s that run with a kill policy. He takes the dogs that people don’t want – the less well behaved, the less beautiful and the seniors who deserve to be coddled as they live out their final days. These dogs have become Rav’s family as he much prefers their company to that of humans. He doesn’t like to talk or remember his own family too often as he doesn’t like to think about the person he could have become. Walking away from his old lifestyle, the money, the houses and the deceit has left Rav with a far richer life and a clear conscience.

On one such recue visit to a kill shelter he spots a dog that intrigues him. This chocolate lab known as Sammy reminds him of a dog he met last year and that still leaves him with an “odd” feeling. Sammy’s eyes show intelligence as well as a dose of fear and he knows straight away that he must take this one home with him. Sammy though is afraid of men, especially big men wearing heavy boots, and he escapes at the first chance he gets and makes his way to a town he has heard of called Mad Creek.

Sammy is traumatised. First his beloved human died. When he went to live with her sister he got stuck in the middle of an abusive relationship and abused so badly that he fears most men. He was left at a shelter for rehoming but his fear got in the way of finding a new family and his 90 day countdown is quickly ebbing away. A chance meeting with a dog called Rex, who could turn into a real person, gives him the name of a place that is safe and that is how Sammy finds himself at Mad Creek and walking on two legs instead of four.

Rav and Sammy’s love story is slow and sometimes halting as Sammy has to learn everything from the start. There is such humour in their situation and between them that I found myself laughing at their antics often. There is an innocence to the newly quickened but there is also a desire to learn and sometimes their inappropriate segues in a conversation is exactly what’s needed. Their relationship is perfect in its own imperfect way and when Rav’s background proves to be just what the town and pack needs it seems finally Rav has once again found his family and his place in the world.

I loved this book. I loved this entire series and I hope you do too.

RATING: 

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