My Rating ~ Four and a half stars

4half-gold-stars copy

RELEASE DATE: 1 May 2018

Publisher: Forge Books

Format: E-Book

Pages: 333

Source: Received from Forge Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Blurb

Lucas Ray is shocked when an adorable puppy jumps out of an abandoned building and into his arms. Though the apartment he shares with his mother, a disabled veteran, doesn’t allow dogs, Lucas can’t resist taking Bella home.

Bella is inexplicably drawn to Lucas, even if she doesn’t understand the necessity of games like No Barks. As it becomes more difficult to hide her from the neighbors, Lucas begins to sneak Bella into the VA where he works. There, Bella brings joy and comfort where it is needed most.

After Bella is picked up by Animal Control because pit bulls are banned in Denver, Lucas has no choice but to send her to a foster home until he can figure out what to do. But Bella, distraught at the separation, doesn’t plan to wait. With four hundred miles of dangerous Colorado wilderness between her and her person, Bella sets off on a seemingly impossible and completely unforgettable adventure home.

Review

Thank you to Forge Books for providing me with a copy of A Dog’s Way Home via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I must admit, I didn’t read this book anywhere near as quickly as I should have, because I was under the mistaken impression that it was part of the “A Dog’s Purpose” series and I hadn’t yet read all of the other books. I only recently realised it was a separate story altogether.

This beautiful, sad and funny story of Bella losing her person, Lucas, and making one incredible journey to try and find him again gave me all the feels. Not only was this book sweet, especially the way it was told from the dog’s point of view, it touched on so many important issues. The unfairness of breed discrimination (something close to my heart), the complicated issue of feral cats, homelessness, mental health, the wonderful effect service and companion dogs can have on people in need and the pure love between a dog and their person. So many of the characters in A Dog’s Way Home were just so loveable. Lucas and Olivia, Gavin and Taylor and of course Big Kitten.

I absolutely adored Bella’s constant attempts to understand the world around her and words she heard from humans. To learn what it meant to Do Go To Work, Do Your Business and especially to Do Go Home.

I read this whole book in one day and managed to make it halfway through the story before I cried for the first time. I’ll hug my own dog a little tighter tonight, but I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a sweet doggy read.