When one door closes … second chances open another … Ethan was lost after a major accident abruptly shifted him from a military life to a civilian one, from working with dogs to odd jobs … In that time, he’d spent months healing from his physical injuries. When he connects with Badger and the rest of his Titanium Corp. group of former SEALs, Badger offers Ethan an opportunity he can’t refuse. A chance to do the work he used to do … with a twist. Cinnamon works from home as a project manager plus is heavily involved in global dog rescues—dogs of all kinds. When Ethan walks into the next door’s vet’s office with an injured shepherd in his arms, she sees another lost soul—just like the canine ones she helps.Ethan knows he’s about to take a dangerous step, but he’s on the job, and no one—on the job or not—hurts animals while he’s around. This poor shepherd has taken enough abuse, and Ethan fears she is only the tip of a nightmare he’s determined to uncover. But he knows she’s going to lead him in the right direction. He has his sights set on saving one dog in particular, Sentry: K9 File 01.
Just because helping out is the right thing to do doesn’t make it easy … Pierce is on the hunt for Salem, a K9 military dog that belonged to Pete, a veteran, who can no longer look after himself or the dog. So the dog has been handed from owner to owner—until she’s become too much to handle—and now the law is involved. No one has Salem’s best interests in mind … and they definitely don’t have Pete’s either. Pierce is about to change all that … whether they like it or not. Hedi, a young deputy, has lived in Arrowhead, Colorado, all her life and knows Pete and Salem but was helpless to do much when greed overtook his friends and family. She recognizes in Pierce the same qualities that Pete has, and, by Pierce’s actions alone, she knows a corner has been turned. She also understands the locals won’t take it lying down, and this means war … Pierce served his country overseas for many years, and seeing another veteran in trouble makes him realize the fight isn’t over, even after life in the navy ends. In fact, this battle has just begun. But … this one … Pierce will finish. And he plans to win.
Going home wasn’t part of his plan … Agreeing to travel home to Maine to hunt down Ketch, a K9 dog the system had lost track of, wasn’t an easy decision for Zane. It meant facing his drunk of a father, his cold older brother and, worst of all, Holly, his kid brother’s widow—who used to be his girlfriend.Finding Ketch looked to be the easiest part of this dysfunctional homecoming. Only he wasn’t the only one hunting Ketch. Holly has been through a whirlwind of emotions in the last few years. But the good thing in all of this was the hope that Zane would finally come home again. They had a history to clear up and a future to forge … she hoped. A call for help brings the injured shepherd to Holly’s doorstep, plus a hunter looking to finish what he started. All thoughts of a future with Zane are threatened now and forever as the hunter decides two-legged prey are just as good as four-legged ones.
Blaze had planned to go home to Rockfield, Kentucky, some day. He just hadn’t expected it to be this soon ... Until Badger offers a reason to head in that direction. As a longtime animal-rescue volunteer, hearing about the plight of Solo, a shepherd with severe dissociative issues from her military days, Blaze knows he has to see this through. Camilla, on her way to an event she’s planning, tries to avoid hitting a dog as it runs across the road. Blaze witnesses the accident and stops to help, realizing this could be the shepherd he’s looking for. Even better, Camilla is a hoot, and it’s been so long since Blaze has had anything to smile about. But memories run long and insults cut deep, and someone isn’t happy about their blossoming friendship. Or maybe even several someones … How far will they go to stop it? And who will still be standing when this all ends?
The world of dogfighting is an ugly place … When Tophat, a missing K9 dog, is accidentally sent to Canada as part of a group of rescued dogs looking for adoption, Lucas knows he’s the natural pick for this job. Plus he has another reason to be in the country. His sister lives there, and … so does his ex-fiancée. But when he arrives, Lucas finds Tophat was handed over to a trainer who deals with aggressive dogs. The news isn’t good, especially after Lucas arrives at the trainer’s property and is thrown into the dark underworld of dogfighting. Tanya used to share her home with her two best friends, until one was killed in a hit-and-run and the other badly injured. Now living alone in a small apartment, Tanya realizes how much she’s lost—including Lucas. Unexpectedly seeing him flips her world once more … As Lucas digs deeper into Tophat’s disappearance, the dogfighting ring rises up to protect their own …
Heading back to Iraq was never in Parker’s plans … But, when his brother is killed in action, he makes the journey to bring his brother back home to his final resting place.When one of the K9 War Dogs disappears at the military airport in transit, and all attempts to locate him fails, Parker agrees to investigate during the few days he’s there. Sandy is making the same journey as Parker—both of their brothers were killed in the same incident. Both brothers had been the best of friends, but this is the first time she’s met Parker. From that initial moment, she realizes something odd is happening in his world. When they find a K9 dog in a rebel stronghold, she’s sucked into a much more dangerous trip than one of compassion and grief. There’s a reason why the first investigation didn’t turn up anything. … As Parker rattles cages and shakes up a ring of thieves, the bodies start dropping, one by one.
Staying away was harder than he thought … Recovering from an accident was hell on anyone, but, for a stubborn guy like Carter, it was worse. No way would he be a burden. So he stayed away from Montana, where his best friend lived … and his best friend’s sister. Until Geir and Cade ask Carter to check up on a dog delivered to a small town close by, but the dog never arrived. Considering this was one of the missing War Dogs that Titanium Corp was handling, Carter was happy to assist. Maybe even relieved as it gave him a reason to go where he’d been afraid to go before. Walking into her partner’s office to find his dead body on the floor had sent Hailey down a nightmarish path that never seemed to end. Then it had started with Carter’s arrival. What else should she expect from the man who she’d always loved and who had rejected her time and time again. She’d hoped the attraction to him would have lessened by now, but it was even worse. As the body count mounts, and the town takes sides, Hailey realizes that Carter was always the one to back her up, even when it meant he could die in this fight that’s gone to hell. Particularly when Carter finds the missing K9 dog, and his current owner is on the wrong side of the war … Only Carter doesn’t care, knowing he’d always stand on the side of right, but maybe—if he was lucky this time—he wouldn’t be standing alone …
Weston was at an impasse in his life, after hearing about his unknown daughter, who’d already been adopted by another family. Only the father had since passed away… So … accepting the mission to track down the missing, blind-in-one-eye, limping war dog named Shambhala—in Alaska—was exactly where he needed to be to sort out this other issue in his life. Finding the dog turned out to be easier than Weston had expected, but sorting out how and why this dog’s owners had been murdered was something else again. Now a widow, Daniela knew her daughter also needed a father, so she’d contacted Weston, not sure if he even knew of the baby’s existence. When he said he was on the way, she was concerned at what she’d started and that emotion then turned to terror when Sari’s birth mother showed up at Daniela’s doorstep, looking for her daughter again. Things turn ugly when Weston’s war dog investigation impacts his daughter’s life and her new mother. He must do something, or everything he’s finally found will be lost.
Combining a trip to see his grandparents with hunting down a K9 dog sounds like a good excuse at the time to Greyson. Somehow the K9 had been accidentally flown halfway around the world in the wrong direction and then lost. Finding the dog wasn’t easy, but Greyson follows the trail of destruction the same as the K9 does … and finds the female shepherd protecting a mother and child … So not what he expected. Jessica didn’t understand why the dog was always around, but the dog was plain scary. Although not as much as everything else going on in her life right now. Most things she blames on her ex-husband, but was he this mean? With her toddler son to protect, she knows she can’t make a mistake that will bring them harm. As the events escalate, it doesn’t take long to decide who was on her side and who … wasn’t.
Rowan hopes that the deep emptiness inside him might possibly heal—if he just finds the retired K9 Hershey, named after an old trainer buddy. Nothing can hold Rowan back from locating his old K9 friend. What he didn’t expect was his old friend had found a new friend, with puppies of her own. Brandi had just lost her grandmother, her home, and her best four-legged friend, Lacey, in a horrible forest fire that swept through town. Everyone said to not give up on Lacey, as dogs often disappeared only to reappear later. That one thought calls her to spend every spare moment she has at the site, calling for Lacey. When she realizes someone else has the same idea, she’s happy to join forces. When things get ugly, she’s glad to have someone at her side because she hadn’t seen what ugly could really look like … until now.
For Caleb, returning to his hometown for his brother’s wedding should have been cause for a wonderful celebration. However, since his brother is marrying Caleb’s ex-wife, Caleb doesn’t want to go anywhere near the event. Yet Caleb returns, as his best friend, Laysha, is in the same town, and they are overdue a reunion. Plus Caleb’s been asked to look into a War Dog adopted out but now missing. Having Caleb back in town, at her house even, Laysha couldn’t be happier, all the while knowing Caleb still had issues with his ex-wife. When Caleb and Laysha take a trip to the last known residence where the War Dog had been and instead find a human corpse, life takes a dark turn. Even worse, they are seen at the house and have both become targets … in a game Caleb has to win or will lose everything that’s important in his life.
Being a badass growing up had been fine for a while, but Kurt knew his life had to change. His best option? The US Navy. Fourteen years later a serendipitous request from Badger to check out reports of a missing War Dog hidden in the bushes and attacking people sends Kurt to the very place he couldn’t wait to get out of. When Kurt chose the navy over Laurie Ann so long ago, he left her with a gift she’d fought long and hard to keep. Plus she didn’t give up on her dream of becoming a doctor. When Kurt returns, it’s hard not to see the same person she’d loved in this older version. Yet the town has a long memory, and at least one person isn’t willing to see who Kurt is now. But, as always, he’s a trouble magnet. Was he capable of handling the nightmare they were in, or would he leave, just like he had last time?
Tucker is always ready to fight for the underdog. So when he’s offered a mission to save the life of a dog unfairly judged and slated for termination, he can’t let her go down without a fight. Plus the dog is in Miami, where his sister lives, and … no way he can refuse to attend her upcoming wedding. Addie knows her sister lied about being attacked by the dog, but Addie isn’t sure to what extent or how far her sister will go for revenge against an animal she hates. Yet Addie is determined to help the dog who she loves, even if no one else does. Finding a hero to champion her cause isn’t part of her plan, but she is quick to realize Tucker’s value when she meets him. Now if only he didn’t have a nightmare scenario of his own … one that threatens to take them all down, including the dog.
Returning to the town he was raised in was hard, except that Harley can once more see the only golden light of those days. He’d walked away from her because she’d been too young, and he would never be good enough. Harley was back to check on the War Dog Bowser, but Harley can’t help but feel like he never really left. But when Harley snags the War Dog from one of Bowser’s handlers, Harley knows he has to put a stop to this guy forever. Over all these years Jasmine awaits Harley’s return, but he won’t be happy with the changes she’s gone through. When he shows up out of the blue, she knows only complete honesty will be good enough. But it was rough and meant opening up memories of a horrible time in her life. Harley’s arrival prompts a hidden truth that someone will do anything to stop from coming out. And Harley will do everything he can to get justice for her …
Kyron swore he wouldn’t work with dogs anymore, but, when Badger asks him to go home to Aspen and to track a missing War Dog, who is missing her left leg—as he is—Kyron can’t refuse. Even if it means seeing his brother and his wife again. Not that he had anything against them. Kyron just couldn’t deal with his parents. Finding the dog seems like the easiest part of returning to Aspen, until Kyron realizes a rescue run by a fascinating woman is the one that’s spotted the missing dog, … only the dog isn’t alone … Miranda spends every waking moment working to keep her animals safe. Two jobs keeps them in food and shelter but not much more. Considering her miserable neighbor is always making complaints about her, she has considered moving, but it is too expensive to make that happen. She has seen a three-legged canine hanging around the back perimeter of her property and had been feeding it, quietly knowing it resembled the dog the neighbor had brought home, until it ran away. She had no intention of letting her neighbor or anyone else know about the dog, hoping to coax it onto her property, where she could look after it properly. However, then Kyron showed up, searching for the animal, and things got really ugly …
Heading to Ashland, Kentucky, where his ex-wife’s family lives, is not in Jenner’s plans anytime soon. But, given a War Dog is potentially in trouble, well, Jenner will even face his past. Arriving at a small bed-and-breakfast, he meets a woman more interesting than anyone he’d met in a long time. His job to find this missing dog seems like a long shot, until he learns about the B&B neighbor’s son and his pack of dogs, who have been scaring Kellie … Kellie loves her bed-and-breakfast establishment, as much as she loves meeting new people, particularly when she doesn’t have a great relationship with many of the locals, who judged her harshly for a past mistake. Determined to enjoy life regardless, she tries to move on but finds it hard to leave her past behind. And now there’s her neighbor … Having Jenner around makes Kellie feel more secure and gives her hope that maybe good people still exist in this world. Yet, before they can truly move forward, there is a canine issue, … and a neighbor with something else on his mind …
Rhys doesn’t expect a trip to Cottage Grove, Oregon, to start with a house shot up with bullets. If it had stopped there, it would have been manageable—a drive-by shooting that the cops chase down. But nothing is easy in Rhys’s world. And this case goes to hell right from the beginning … Taylor, an army vet herself, struggles to regain a normal life, after she was injured by friendly fire in Iraq. Taking on a War Dog appeals to Taylor, a connection that she relates to, but she first must pass an interview, before she can keep Tallahassee. An interview with someone with a prosthetic just like Taylor’s. Only he is far more capable than she is. Still that lack of self-confidence is the least of Taylor’s worries, as things go from bad to worse, and she realizes these attacks were very personal—and very close to home …
Landon, after a tough couple years helping his navy buddy live out his last years, needs a break. Tracking a War Dog named Chica to ensure it is okay sounds perfect. Especially taking his three Chihuahuas with him. But finding War Dog Chica will be a challenge, particularly since Chica has a lame leg and half a paw. The War Dog had been part of a large shipment, heading to a rescue across the Canadian border. However, Chico went missing on the last stop before the border. Sabrina had spent years volunteering at a local vet clinic because all animals have a soft spot in her heart. Learning that Landon is tracking down a missing War Dog, well, how could she not volunteer to help him? Still, when her world flips upside down, she’s more than happy to have Landon close by. Now if only they find the dog and figure out who and what is responsible for endangering Sabrina’s life …
With his surgery postponed, Harper can finally take on a War Dog case to help out Kat and Badger. Harper knows it is short-term, a fill-his-time thing. Considering his stage of life, that is perfect. Finding out he needs to find two dogs is a surprise, but he doesn’t expect to track one dog in order to keep another alive. As Saffron works to keep Beauty alive, she knows how important it is to find Beauty’s bonded partner, Beast. The pair of dogs had come to Saffron for medical treatment. Beast had thereafter been released, supposedly taken to a huge training facility, while Beauty hadn’t been healthy enough to leave Saffron’s care. Finding Harper on Beast’s trail is both a relief and a distraction. Saffron can’t ignore the dynamic Harper, even as injured and as scarred as he is. Not to mention the work he’s doing is so close to her own. As Harper gets closer to Beast’s location, it becomes obvious that someone wants to make sure the War Dog doesn’t reach his destination. But why? And how far would this person go to take down the dog?
An overseas trip is a great idea, rescuing an American War Dog shipped overseas. When Badger tags Kascius for this job, he wants to visit his brother in Scotland at all costs—almost. Yet, at the same time, Kascius never wants to see the woman who he used to love. Arriving home for the first time in five years is a challenge, but nothing has changed. Liam, his middle brother, is warm, caring and still in love with the farm, and his younger brother, Angus, appears to still be a lightweight. Kascius can say nothing good about his relationship with his mother. But Ainsley? Now she’s a different story. She’s still the same beautiful woman he left behind. Ainsley hopes seeing Kascius again can help heal the rift that still stops her from moving forward in life. She’d been in a bad place back then and still regrets the way they split. However, finding forgiveness, although it might be possible, doesn’t look likely.
Doing a wellness check on a War Dog—now in the care of a woman who trains therapy dogs—Declan sees the aftermath of an attack. The trainer hopes for some assistance in how to work with the War Dog, Shelby, but apparently someone didn’t want Carly working with Shelby at all. Or was the attack connected to something else in Carly’s past? Carly has been through enough heartache for a lifetime. Her parents were murdered a few years back, leaving her alone in the world; even worse, the case was never solved, leaving her stuck in the past. She’d done her best to move on, … but this attack brings it all back. The situation goes from bad to worse, as yet another attack involves an old friend, as he tries to explain something about her parents’ case to her. It’s hard for Carly to believe, but is it possible that the attacks on her connect to her parents’ murders? From Declan’s point of view, how can it not?
Staying in town suited Bauer. Dealing with Kat and Badger’s matchmaking? Not so much. But, when a mutual friend calls to say an injured War Dog was dropped off at her clinic—only to then be stolen during the night after she completed surgery to fix his injured stump—well, Bauer is all over it. Mags always liked Bauer, but she kept her personal relationships short and sweet. After all, commitments were too often broken and the resultant pain horrific. However, Bauer refuses to leave her in trouble and is here for her every step of the way; plus they share the love of animals. How can she ignore all that? Plus he is a hell of a package. But is she willing to take a chance on being hurt again? The escalating danger—surrounding Toby, her injured War Dog—catches Mags and Bauer in a web of risk that can only end one way …
Delta is always eager to help animals in need, especially when the request comes from Kat and Badger. Learning the animal is a retired K9 dog, now serving as a comfort animal for other injured dogs, Delta’s determination only increases. However, arriving in town, Delta’s contact has now vanished, and Delta discovers the War Dog is missing as well. Although Delta had looked forward to dinner with the woman he’d spoken to frequently on the phone, he now finds himself entangled in a disconcerting theory that extends beyond just one War Dog. Rebecca has always had a soft spot for animals, and retired War Dog Gracie has effortlessly found a place in her heart. However, Rebecca’s attempts to adopt her from the center are consistently thwarted. As Rebecca seeks a solution, she stumbles upon something far more sinister, and soon realizes she is out of her depth. All she can do is hope that Delta comes through for both her and Gracie … before it is too late.
Conall is more than happy to head out after a War Dog has gone missing, leaving a wheelchair-bound military war veteran lost and alone. Yet what seems like a simple job takes an unsavory turn, when Conall comes face-to-face with darker undertones in that town. Bethany always wanted to have her own veterinary clinic, and she’s been doing a decent job of it, until so much of the town died that she finds it hard to get and to keep decent staff. Her temporary help suddenly embroils her clinic in a mess involving a missing War Dog, and then Bethany uncovers what else this young lady is involved in. None of it’s good. Conall refuses to back down or to walk away from the sudden hell Bethany’s life has become. No telling how ugly this can get …
The hurricane devastated more than just Baron’s world. It hurt so many other people too, including Baron’s brother, who died trying to rescue dogs caught up in the storm. One of the missing dogs is a War Dog, Kingston. Now Baron is put on the spot to see if he could find the War Dog again … Brittany’s grandmother’s house was destroyed in the hurricane, so Brittany has been searching for her grandmother’s little dog, Pocket. When Baron comes to her aid, Brittany remembers her grandmother’s warnings about those who take advantage during disasters … During the aftermath of the hurricane, these two people are looking for missing animals, yet are about to get caught up in the middle of something no one saw coming …
Walton Headly enjoys getting out and being as active as he can be, given his missing leg. However, playing soccer now is hard to adapt to, compared to playing soccer before his injury. He has been in rehab for a long time and now reaches a need to do more. Searching for a missing War Dog sounds like a great way to ease back into a working life. Chelsea Brown, a physical therapist, had helped get Walton back on his feet. He is one hell of a man but is struggling after that last soccer game. Her invitation to contact her older brother at his hunting lodge for any information on the missing War Dog yields more than expected. Together they head north to visit her brother and to check out the dog, who has just arrived with the new guests. Finding out the guests are not ordinary hunters—and the dog is not an ordinary dog—causes conflict from the first meet. And goes steadily downhill. When the dog’s owner turns up dead, all hell breaks loose. It’s all Walton can do to keep the two—no make that three—of them safe …
Finding a missing K9 dog is a great way to give back to both the people and the animals who have helped Cage over the years. He didn’t expect his actions to help someone else—maybe even himself. Yet that’s the likely outcome when he realizes the dog belongs to a little boy who suffers from spina bifida and who lost his parents in a car accident. Now Cage must save a little boy and his dog, who need each other more than ever. Risa never should have split from Cage years ago, and seeing the man he is now just accents all she has lost. Even harder is the realization that time did not change anything between them. He is still the one for her. Yet getting to a happy future looks less and less likely, as the two of them realize something sinister underlies this whole mess, and someone doesn’t want them to survive …
A trip home was always in the back of Trey’s mind, just with no date set, until he was asked to find a War Dog in his former neck of the woods. He was all about saving the dogs that kept him safe while on tour, so finding out Missy and her father and the War Dog were all missing adds a sense of urgency to the situation. Missy had gone fishing with her father, as she had done many times before. Not that she was as fishing crazy as he was but just that she loved spending time with her father. What she didn’t expect was to end up in a dire situation that had only bad news written all over it. When Trey found the missing trio, he was overjoyed. Missy was the same as always—still beautiful even years later. Silas, her father, was in a bad way. Schooner, the War Dog, was the hero of the rescue. Only after getting everyone safely home did Trey realize that this event had been no accident. This was sabotage. And only a few people had access to the equipment, which meant they couldn’t trust anyone any longer …
Austin hates to think that Kat had tapped into his inner psyche and had pulled out the one job he both wants yet is terrified to do. He’d walked away—or maybe had been chased away from Rox. He is no longer sure; he only knows that he needs closure on a marriage that had been heaven, until it turned to hell. And now the same family he’d married into had gotten, then lost, a War Dog. And, sure enough, Kat had found out about his entanglement, asking him point-blank if it was time to get his life together. Rox had sent Austin away in the red heat of temper, and he’d gone, as in gone and never to return. Now here he is, sitting in her kitchen as if they’d never had such a tumultuous past. Finding out he’d returned for the missing War Dog and not for her bit hard. Still, she’d called in about Cowboy, the missing dog, but hadn’t expected them to send Austin. It’s as if the gods weren’t done ruining her life. Finding the missing War Dog and sorting out the other unsettling issues on the ranch Austin had fallen in love with years ago isn’t going to be easy—particularly with Rox at his side—but he knows he is fighting for more than just peace and justice. He is fighting for his—their—future. One that, deep down, he never truly let go of.