The most important thing you need to know about Elizabeth Kelly’s The Christmas Rescue is that the proceeds go to Zoe’s Animal Rescue. Zoe’s Animal Rescue is doing great work in Alberta and is well worth your currency whether you want to buy this romance or not. Elizabeth Kelly, in addition to being an author of steamy romances, is also a foster to mom to a number of cats and kittens. She also has some permanent residents including a handsome, cat loving, medically challenged Great Dane and another dog who lurks in the Dane’s adorable shadow (I like big dogs, I cannot lie). The way she writes about the animals in the book feels very realistic.
Ivy West and her grandmother run an animal rescue in Alberta, Canada. Ivy is also a vet tech and works for Dr. Elias Hunt. Just so you know, I kept picturing Elias as Dr. Ted Mullins from Schitt’$ Creek.
Elias is absolutely goofy in love with Ivy and she has no idea. She has a crush on him, but is afraid of getting involved with her boss and is worried that if things go badly, she could lose her job and the discounted help Elias gives the Rescue. She has reason to worry because it’s happened before with an ex. When the books starts, things are quite dire – a boa constrictor is wrapped around Ivy, the rescue is deeply in debt to the vet clinic and no donations are coming in. Elias has put himself in a tricky situation because it’s almost Christmas and he lied to his family telling them that he was engaged to Ivy and bringing her to the family Christmas gathering. Seeing an opportunity, he unwraps the boa from around Ivy and asks her to pretend to be his fiance in exchange for writing off the rescue’s debt. He also promises no sexy stuff.
This is a romance though so we know that unrequited love, fake fiance, and only one bed equals lots of sex. Lots. Of. Sex. Of course sex is not the same as admitting feelings and trusting each other to build a future together. Elias and Ivy have to get past fears and learn to communicate. They get there though.
