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The Dog I Loved

Review

The Dog I Loved

Susan Wilson’s books are about loss, betrayal, romance and, most of all, what the love of a dog can do to save us, to make us feel whole, to make us more human. Her latest novel, THE DOG I LOVED, is no exception.

Rose Collins is in prison. She killed her fiancé, Charles, while backing up his car after a wedding party. Although it was an accident, his very wealthy mother was not about to let her precious son's death go unpunished, and she used all of her influence to make sure Rosie got put behind bars.

Meghan Custer served in the military and came back to civilian life after losing the use of her legs and sustaining other injuries. She's confined to a wheelchair, dependent on her parents, and life seems unbearable. But then Meghan is accepted into a puppy-to-prisoner rehabilitation program and is assigned to work with Rosie, who is training a service dog named Shark, for two weeks. She learns how to continue with Shark's training, how to give commands and how to care for him.

"Although Rosie and Meghan are sympathetic characters, it's the dogs with whom we truly fall in love. We know that with Shadow and Shark by their sides, both women will be fine."

When Rosie is released from prison after having her sentence mysteriously vacated, she is hired by a family trust to oversee the renovation of an old house, even though she doesn't know anything about construction. Details about her estrangement from her Irish-Catholic family emerge slowly over the course of the novel. While she never served in the military, because of the abuse she endured during her engagement and her time in prison, she suffers from PTSD almost as much as any veteran.

Rosie’s new dog, Shadow, gives her the emotional support to face life, her family and, ultimately, her late fiancé's mother. Meghan also gains much from Shark, allowing her to live independently, get a job, travel and function like anyone else --- with no help needed. While our female protagonists have been loners, finding it difficult to make friends, they find in each other a kind of kindred spirit.

Although Rosie and Meghan are sympathetic characters, it's the dogs with whom we truly fall in love. We know that with Shadow and Shark by their sides, both women will be fine. The book’s prologue states, "Where we once guarded against predators, we now guard against loneliness." Susan Wilson knows that is what dogs do best --- they keep us company and show us the best of ourselves. That is why we love them so fiercely in return.

Reviewed by Pamela Kramer on November 15, 2019

The Dog I Loved
by Susan Wilson

  • Publication Date: December 1, 2020
  • Genres: Fiction
  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
  • ISBN-10: 1250078156
  • ISBN-13: 9781250078155