I got a little way into this book and thought, "What a swindle this isn't a dog book at all!" But I stuck with it and I am so glad I did, because it blossoms into a very beautiful dog book indeed.
Jacqueline Sheehan has an incredible gift to see and imagine things from a dog's point of view. More than once I had tears in my eyes. It was probably more poignant for me as a lot of the time I was reading I had my own black Labrador snuggled against me, but I loved Lloyd the Lab in her story. His relationships with his people, his insights into their world, and his care and protection of them are touching.
The book starts with the main character, Roxanne, being widowed, and though it deals with some heavy subjects it is never depressing. The variety of issues touched on ensure the reader is engaged all the way through, and has you firmly rooting for a happy ending not only for Roxanne, but also for Lloyd. Our lives are wonderfully intertwined with the animals we live with and love, and this book is a celebration of that fact.
Sheehan did not initially intend to give Lloyd such a prominent role in the book, but as she says, "Much as dogs do in real life, this dog brazenly walked into this novel and persistently revealed his personality until I paid attention." I'm glad she did!
Review by Julie Hill