Rescued

In an effort to cope with her mother's abandonment when she was a child, Alex Ramsey has put all of her time into rescuing stray animals and running her no-kill shelter, Harley's Haven. That kind of dedication doesn't come cheap, and she struggles to fund her passion with a limited budget and part-time work at her uncle's restaurant. It's there she has a less-than-wonderful first encounter with Evan Whiting, who has come to Mississippi to escape everything he lost back in New York—his job as a renowned chef, his wife, and his good reputation. They soon find themselves clashing over the purchase of an old lot—Alex is hoping to use the space to expand her business and save more animals, while Evan is eager to redeem himself by starting a new restaurant. At the story's heart is Walter, an instantly endearing shepherd-collie mix who further keeps the two in each other's orbit.