When a wounded marine shows up at Ruby's facility in Colorado to get and train with a service dog, he can't believe that she picked out a frou-frou standard poodle with a French Cut for him. But as he starts training with Oscar, he finally realizes that Oscar is superintelligent and picks up on his distress, saving him from falling. In the end, the tough Marine falls in love with Oscar...and Ruby ( )

Terrific book. Ruby and her family own and run A New Leash on Love, a place that takes rescue dogs and trains them as service animals. They don't charge for their service dogs, instead working on a donation basis which often leaves them scrambling for the funds they need. When Ruby gets the chance to win a contract providing service dogs for veterans, she jumps at the opportunity. Her "try-out" is to provide a dog and training for a wounded former Marine.

Aaron doesn't believe he needs a service dog, but his superiors have ordered it, so he'll obey. He was wounded while saving the life of one of his men when an IED exploded. He has a brain injury that sometimes causes temporary confusion and can affect his balance. He has lung damage that makes some activities impossible and pain from shrapnel still in his body. All of this led to early retirement from the Corps, leaving Aaron with no idea what to do with his future.

Aaron and Ruby got off to a rough start. He arrived with a chip on his shoulder, bluntly informing Ruby that he's there under duress. It gets worse when he discovers that, instead of a "manly" dog like a German Shepherd or a lab, he is paired with a poodle! How can he hold his head up with a frou-frou dog named Oscar? Ruby has never dealt with someone who doesn't want a service dog. All of their previous clients came because they wanted the help. Ruby must find a way to break through Aaron's wall of denial.

I loved Ruby's strength of will as she refused to back down on her choice of dog for Aaron. She knows what Oscar can do if Aaron will give him a chance. Aaron isn't very cooperative until he finds out about the contract riding on his success. He then approaches the training as though it were a military mission. I ached for Aaron because, without his career as a Marine, he feels adrift. I liked seeing him begin to bond with Oscar, though the learning curve was a bit steep at first. It took a little time for Aaron to accept that Oscar could and should go everywhere with him, but once he did, their progress improved. I loved Aaron's surprise when he realized that they were now a team and that he was happy with his frou-frou dog.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Ruby and Aaron. After witnessing the effects war had on her father and her high school boyfriend, Ruby never intended to get involved with a military man. However, she couldn't deny either her attraction or her growing admiration for Aaron. While he was on active duty, Aaron never planned to marry, believing the Corps was all he needed. Once he got out, he thought he was too broken for a wife and family. But the more time he spent with Ruby, the more he grew to like her. I loved the time they spent together, not just working on the training but also doing other things. Ruby helped Aaron see that there were many options for him if he let go of his fears.

Neither Ruby nor Aaron looked forward to the end of the training cycle. Ruby realized that she'd fallen for Aaron but didn't want to say anything to him. Aaron felt the same, but he wasn't ready to commit without a plan for his future. I loved what he came up with, both for his "side hustle" and a regular job. His desire to help his brothers and sisters in arms was fantastic and was showcased brilliantly in his demonstration for the person from the VA. I loved Aaron's big moment at the end, especially with the "trick" he taught Oscar. The epilogue was great, and I loved the surprise that Aaron had for Ruby.

I've never read this author before but was drawn to this book because of the title. The Marine Corps has played a significant part in my life, with my father, husband, brother, son-in-law, and nephew all "bleeding green." That said, I must point out a major quibble with this work, and that is the lack of proper capitalization of the words "Marine," "Marine Corps," and "Corps." The term "marine" has to do with the water, such as "marine life." When referring to the United States Marine Corps, it is always capitalized. Harlequin books are notorious for ignoring this.

P 151, The Associated Press Stylebook, 2004

Marines: Capitalize when referring to U.S. forces: the U.S. Marines, the Marines, the Marine Corps, Marine regulations. Do not use the abbreviation USMC.
Capitalize Marine when referring to an individual in a Marine Corps unit: He is a Marine.
Do not describe Marines as soldiers, which is generally associated with the Army. Use troops if a generic term is needed.

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