by Susan Wilson
First published 2013
Rick Stanton had everything mapped out: a baseball career heading toward the major leagues and a future with his wife Francesca. Then World War II derailed those plans. He comes home with a damaged body and destroyed dreams. The war took more than his health. Rick and Francesca had donated their dog Pax to the Army's K-9 Corps, never certain they would see him again. Keller Nicholson fought alongside Pax and formed an unbreakable bond with the animal. Pax represents the only family Keller knows, making it impossible for him to surrender the dog to the Stantons. Rick and Francesca refuse to let Pax go. The solution puts Keller in their home as Rick's caregiver. This creates an unexpected household with Pax connecting them all. Francesca and Keller fight their growing feelings for each other. Rick sees his limitations and believes Francesca deserves better, so he considers drastic action. Three broken people search for healing while Pax offers the loyalty and love that might bring them together.
Genres: romance, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, adult-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Period: World War II
Hardcover · St. Martins Press
Content warnings: war