I was so excited to participate in the first series of Furever Yours stories for Harlequin Special Edition. I’m one of those people who get teary-eyed every time I go to an animal shelter, so a story about a pet rescue makes me want to run out and adopt all the animals.

In IT STARTED WITH A PREGNANCY, secondary characters Bunny and Birdie Whitaker reminded me of our long-time family friend, Patty. Patty loves dogs, cats, baby bunnies, wild birds, you name it. We joke that she provides her local veterinarian with so much business, they should name a wing after her.

But Patty doesn’t stop with animals, she has the ability to make every single person with whom she interacts feel important. As a kid, I adored Patty so much, I even tried to dress like her, usually in a matching pink track suit and headband. Going to her house for our girls’ only slumber parties always made me feel so special—even when Tootser, her crotchety schnauzer, constantly growled at me. I swear, Tootser had to be the meanest dog who ever lived and yet he was her baby.

But even dogs like Tootser need a home and their own Bunny/Birdie/Patty to love them. I’m hoping that IT STARTED WITH A PREGNANCY, as well as the first five books in the Furever Yours series, brings more awareness to all the wonderful animals out there looking for their forever homes.