Animal lovers will be delighted with this romance between a
dog trainer and an animal centre manager. In the first few
paragraphs we meet sheep, a llama, a peacock, a cat and
chickens. Hard behind them comes a cougar and pygmy goats.
We've almost forgotten that the new girl in town is hoping
to train hearing dogs for the deaf! In THE HEART'S REWARD
Rani has come for an interview, having previously trained
police dogs. Scott, sizing her up, feels that they have a
lot in common.
Scott supplies trained animals to act in movies,
commercials and TV shows. The Dogs for the Deaf programme
is a sideline which he hopes will return help to the
community. The dogs required are donated from a shelter -
small, non-pedigree, active and friendly. A dog can tell
its owner that the phone or doorbell is ringing, warn them
of a smoke alarm or a child crying. Dedication will be
required and Rani is prepared to give it.
Rani has a three-year-old son and a recent divorce. Little
Dean requires regular medication and she decides to bring
him to work. Scott's teenage son is a good counterpoint,
full of bounce and sass, but responsible. Scott groans
that there is more red tape in running a non-profit than a
conglomerate. With everyone working full tilt, fund-
raising and travelling, it's hard for the two adults to be
in one place long enough for romance. But that doesn't
stop them thinking about each other, and gradually they
fall in love. Rani's ex reappears, wanting to see his son,
but Rani can't handle the situation.
Vella Munn is the pen name of Vonna Harper and this book
was previously published in 1985, which makes it nicely
retro; before the internet and mobile phones started
running everyone's lives. Her characters have
responsibilities and issues which prevent them from jumping
into bed with the first attractive person to come along,
and this gives romance time to develop. An added dilemma
today would be whether it was right to cage endangered
orangutans and use them for advertising. But the world was
less environment-conscious in the 1980s, and there was more
rainforest habitat left for primates. Vella Munn writes
well about the outdoors and self-reliant people, and THE
HEART'S REWARD is a good solid romance for any reader,
especially animal lovers.
Scott Barnett needs an office manager to keep his Dogs for
the Deaf program running smoothly. Rani Lassen is the right
woman for the job—in more ways than one.
The two have so much in common, it’s almost beyond
coincidence. Like Rani, Scott is a single parent, and
hesitant to expose his heart after a failed relationship.
As their lives and emotions begin to intertwine—in and out
of the office—a small seed of panic grows in Rani’s chest.
Still hounded by guilt over an accident that, years ago,
nearly cost her child’s life, Rani isn’t sure she has the
courage to reveal her shame to anyone, much less the man
she’s falling in love with. And, if she does take that
step, will Scott forgive her…or shut her out of his heart
forever?
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