With a heroic-sounding name like his, Axel Hammerstone naturally made all the “most likely to succeed” lists in his high school yearbook. So it comes as no surprise to his friends and family when their favorite defensive tackle player returns from Afghanistan with a Purple Heart for an injury sustained while saving three fellow soldiers during an ambush. He’s the only one who blames himself for … for the one man he failed to rescue from their burning vehicle before it plunged over a cliff. Despite his own injuries, he’s determined to atone for the loss of his battle buddy, Marcus, by devoting the rest of his career to search and rescue operations.
Kristi Kimiko was first called the “dog whisperer” on her sixteenth birthday when she coaxed a wounded Boston Terrier from their burning apartment complex. Seven years later, she’s living her dream as an expert search and rescue trainer in Disaster City, Texas. Unfortunately, it leaves her little time for dating or any sort of social life, for that matter. When the hunky Axel half-limps and half-swaggers his way into her renowned dog training course with his beautiful golden retriever, she senses her life is about to change — especially after he somehow manages to coax her into serving as his Plus One at a big family birthday bash the following weekend.
If she’s learned anything in her line of work, where there’s smoke, there’s a fire; and this particular hunky firefighter has a way of making the sparks fly every time he looks in her direction!
Step into the world of Disaster City Search and Rescue, where officers, firefighters, military, and medics, train and work alongside each other with the dogs they love, to do the most dangerous job of all — help lost and injured victims find their way home.
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This left me emotionally exhausted!
By far the best of the series, this book hooks you from page one and you are living every minute of the journey with Kristi and Axel. I sobbed through the first third of the book, with the occasional unexpected giggle bursting through the tears, courtesy of Marcus and Kiera. The way Marcus’s family embraced Axel warms your heart but again had me sobbing for everything they had all lost and everything they are determined to gain.
Kristi and her grandmother are a delight, they look sweet and dainty but are little rockets full of fire and sass!
This is a book you will want to read again and again, so it is a bonus it is on Kindle Unlimited! Thank you Jo for this amazing read!
I could become addicted to the Disaster City Search and Rescue books, okay maybe I already am. I was excited to find one I hadn’t read, perhaps missed in the hubbub of Covid. I knew Axel from other books but I was glad to get his full story and his romance with Kristi. Jo Grafford never fails to bring interesting characters, exciting story lines and all with humor and romance.
I have a soft spot in my heart for first responders – my son is an EMT and former volunteer firefighter. I understand just a little what these people do when they put others before themselves so I am always happy to read a book that puts a face to first responders. Jo Grafford has done that with her Disaster City Search and Rescue series. The Plus One Rescue is book four in that series and you do not have to read the series consecutively in order to enjoy it. Axel is a Marine returning to his hometown without his best friend, whom he couldn’t save during an attack. While things seem to move almost too quickly, he finds healing and recovering when he reconnects with his friend’s family. There are several instances of “OMG” spread throughout the book which may be offensive to some. The Plus One Rescue is a sweet romance and a quick read.
While this clean romance is written for the adult audience, I do not see any problem with adding it to a K-12 Christian school library (if you can get past OMG), Older middle school and high school girls would probably enjoy the book.
I received a complimentary e-copy of The Plus One Rescue. This is my honest review.
Wonderful story that had me in tears. I didn’t want it to end! Must read!
So good! Loved reading Axel an Kristi’s story. I gasped several times while reading. Loved meeting Kristi’s Grandmother and the Zanes. If you like clean stories with heart, I highly recommend ‘The Plus One Rescue’. I received this book from the publisher. The thoughts and comments are my own.
As Axel is military with some baggage it doesn’t take him long to find the right woman. Kristi was looking but soon realized he was for her. A little bit of K-9 in the story but more about their developing relationship. A good story.
I really enjoyed reading this book! The firefighter in the story is just back from war having lost his best friend in battle. He meets the girl in the airport as he is getting home, having sat by her grandmother on the flight home. I will leave you there and let the author tell you the rest. This is a great story and I recommend it highly!
Loved Axel and Kristi’s story!! I especially love that they didn’t date or kiss until after his time at the academy was over!! Reminded me of the old Harlequin stories I used to read, especially the ones by Sue Peters!! From beginning to end, the banter between the two was wonderful, and the feelings were spot on!! Another great read by Jo!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, was not required to leave a review, and the opinion expressed is my own.
This is a truly fantastic story that will have you laughing one minuet and crying the next. I loved it! I didn’t want to put it down, but I had to. I couldn’t wait to finish my mundane activities so that I could finish this story.
Axel didn’t understand why anyone would think he was a hero, it should be more like: “Local guy joins Marines, gets shot, barely survives, fails to save his best friend, and returns a broken man.”
A touching story full of emotion and a wounded hero in more ways than one that pulled at my heart.
Axel had grown up as a foster kid but he and Marcus have become best friends in school. They played football together and served together and when he died it seemed he would always carry that guilt.
But when he came back home, at least where he grew up, life was about to change for him in the best of ways!
Kristi Kimiko loved her job! She was working under the senior K9 Search and Rescue Handler at the academy and she helped train new recruits. She could not believe it when Axel’s name was on the list! She had met him at the airport when she picked up for grandmother (great story that!)
I want to just tell you the entire story but I will stop there. Jo Grafford is amazing as she pulls you in making you feel like you know the characters by her descriptions and dialogue.
Fall in love with Axel and Kristi as they find their way together while training and working for this great team of heroes who save lives everyday! Sigh…..
This is another great addition to this series! Axel Hammerstone (don’t you love the name?!) is such an endearing character. Not only was he a foster kid growing up but he joined the military and was such a hero, doing a heroic job there until the last campaign when he saved everyone in his group except his best friend and he can barely live with himself, even though he was injured badly. Axel is home now following his recuperation from his injuries and doesn’t quite know what he’ll do. He happens to meet this darling grandma on his returning flight on his way home. I adored his cute little lady! This meeting puts him in the sight of her granddaughter, Kristi. They can’t know that their paths will cross again when Axel attends the Disaster Search & Rescue place and Kristi ends up being his instructor! Both these characters were awesome! They fit together so well and I love stories with search dogs in them! Another great story from this author!
God’s ways are not our ways, and this story personifies that. Why does one person who has everything to live for, die? And, then why does a person who seemingly has little to live for, live? Only God knows. This story made me cry, and it made me laugh. And, it has a happy ending. I love it!!
The story was really good.
I loved the characters, especially the family members.
The banter was fun, too.
The typos and missed edits were distracting, though.