Monday, April 26, 2010

LOVE IS THE BEST MEDICINE: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
LOVE IS THE BEST MEDICINE

BY DR. NICK TROUT

ABOUT THE BOOK:

From instant New York Times bestseller, Dr. Nick Trout comes another touching and heartfelt story from the front lines of veterinary medicine—the story of two dogs who forever changed the way he thought about life, death, fate and love.

Helen is an older cocker spaniel found neglected and abandoned in a restaurant parking lot one rainy night. Despite her mangy condition and terrible smell, Ben and Eileen fall in love with the pitiful creature and decide to take her in. But just as Helen is rescued from a sad life on the streets and enveloped in a loving home with all the creature comforts an old dog could ask for, a tumor is discovered and she's given a devastating prognosis. All Ben and Eileen want is for Helen to beat the odds and survive for one more summer so that she can have one chance to swim in the ocean on the family's annual trip to Prince Edward Island. In short, they want a miracle.

Meanwhile, fourteen-month-old miniature pinscher Cleo keeps breaking one leg after another which devastates her poor owner, Sandi. While Cleo is visiting Sandi's daughter, Sonja, in Bermuda, she succumbs to yet another fracture. Distraught that the injury happened on her watch, Sonja makes a plan to fly Cleo to Boston to get the specialist care she needs before Sandi even finds out. Enter Dr. Trout who presides over what should be a fairly routine surgery. What happens next forever links two families, their dogs and a beloved veterinarian and teaches them all a lesson about grace that resonates to this day.

Love is the Best Medicine
immerses you in the true life drama of beloved pets whose lives hang in the balance. Every page underscores the profound bond we have with the animals in our lives and the incredible responsibility Nick carries as their healer. Certainly Dr. Trout has an impressive array of fancy equipment, training and skills at his disposable, but his most important tool (as he persuasively illustrates here) is a fundamental belief in the power of hope, humility, and grace.

Wry, charming, and intensely affecting, Love is the Best Medicine is a one of a kind story only the winsome Dr. Trout could deliver and is destined to become a favorite for animal lovers.

LOVE IS THE BEST MEDICINE CAN BE BOUGHT HERE IF YOU WANT A COPY NOW!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Nick Trout graduated from veterinary school at the University of Cambridge, England, in 1989. He is a diplomat of the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Surgeons and a staff surgeon at the Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, daughters, and two dogs: Meg, a yellow Labrador, and Sophie, a Jack Russell terrier. You can find Dr. Trout on Facebook at
www.facebook.com//DrNickTrout

REVIEW:


Dr. Nick Trout‘s LOVE IS THE BEST MEDICINE is a dog lovers book, and if you aren‘t a dog lover, you will quickly become one thanks to this delightfully tender story the author presents. It is mainly the story of two dogs that are patients of Dr. Trout. The two dogs are Helen, an older cocker spaniel that was abandoned, and Cleo, a young Miniature Pinscher, and both of them have some significant health issues. The story is mostly told from their two viewpoints by alternating the chapters. The dogs become remarkably connected but amazingly never meet.

The story shows how the connection and unselfish love between a human and their pet can result in poignant as well as valuable lessons. Dr. Trout writes from the heart and you can tell that his dedication to all the animals he cares for are important to him. He not only treats the animal, but the owners as well. The relationship he witnessed between Cleo and his owner taught Dr. Trout about that special unselfish connection that a human and their animal can have. This knowledge allows the doctor to go on and treat Helen and thus provide her with more years to support, and be with, those who love her. Although this is really the story of Helen and Cleo, Dr. Trout also writes about other animals that are his patients thus granting the reader even more inside advice and insight into animal care and behaviors.

LOVE IS THE BEST MEDICINE is a story that I think everyone will love and is also a quick read. I finished it on a rather short plane ride recently and while my plane soared to bring me home, this story made my heart do the same!

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO JENNIFER AND THE
FINE FOLKS AT RANDOM HOUSE BOOKS,
I HAVE TWO COPIES OF THIS
WONDERFUL BOOK TO GIVE AWAY!
HOW TO ENTER

+1 ENTRY:
COMMENT ON THE INFORMATION, OR REVIEW, ABOVE THAT YOU FIND INTERESTING AND MIGHT ATTRACT YOU AND MAKE YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK

+1 MORE ENTRY:
GO HERE TO READ AN EXCERPT OF THE BOOK AND COMMENT ABOUT IT.

+1 MORE ENTRY:
COMMENT ON ANY ONE OF THE "REVIEW/PRAISES" THAT ARE WRITTEN HERE AND COME BACK AND TELL WHOSE YOU LIKED THE BEST

GIVEAWAY ENDS
6 PM, EST,
MAY 9!
GOOD LUCK

47 comments:

traveler said...

The Dr. writes from the heart and treats the owner as well as the animal as it is directly related. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

Melanie Sue Bowles description is accurate and great. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Sandra K321 said...

I'm a sucker for animal stories and always hope for a happy ending. And it's always good to hear of someone adopting an older dog who otherwise wouldn't have the type of life a senior dog deserves.
seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

Sandra K321 said...

The dog already had a new home waiting for it even before the husband went back to the restaurant, and he knew it.
seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)Com

traveler said...

I enjoyed this emotional and beautiful excerpt as it explored the relationship between Ben and Eileen and their affinity towards their own feelings and the meeting of the cocker spaniel. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Linda Kish said...

I have a min pin and my previous dog was a min pin also. They are truly loving little critters. Mine thinks he has to protect me from everything.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I want to rescue any dogs I find, too. but, since we have 7, I can't.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

Gwen Cooper who wrote homer's Odyssey because she also wrote an animal book.


lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Charleydog said...

I love stories written by veterinarian. I was an avid follower of James Herriot.
Please enter my name in the giveaway for the book. Thanks!

pboylecharley AT hotmail DOT com

Pamela Keener said...

I am a sucker for dog and cat books and this one sounds like a winner.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Pamela Keener said...

It figures that the chef of the restaurant would feed the stray but threaten any other employee feeding it. He sounds like a softie.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Pamela Keener said...

I loved Debbie Macomber's Bodie quote. I can just see him licking the tears off moms face.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

StephTheBookworm said...

Ooooh, I just saw this on Goodreads and have been reeeally wanting to read it because I am a huge dog lover and would be so interested to read about the life of this vet and how the animals have impacted him.

stephaniet117 at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I find it interesting that the author intertwines stories with actual tips on the care and training of animails. It would make me want to read the book.
debp
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

Vera said...

I love animals and I think it's great that Ben and Eileen found it in their hearts to take a chance on a homeless animal. If only more people would do the same!

vvperesk@gmail.com

Vera said...

I read the praises for the book and loved how some of them very written from dogs :)

vvperesk@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I love that this tells "Of the connection and unselfish love between a human and their pet can result in poignant as well as valuable lessons" - sounds like such an uplifting book- I wanna win!
june_spirit2628 at hotmail dot com

Anonymous said...

good writing
june_spirit2628 at hotmail dot com

Anonymous said...

Temple Grandin's review
june_spirit2628 at hotmail dot com

MRWriter said...

Seeing as how I'm a dog lover, the stories about two dogs he's treating would definetly interest me.
AlexDean03@yahoo.com

g.g. said...

I think the dog that is telling the story uses lots of descriptions

anjamie4 AT gmail DOT com

g.g. said...

I would like to win this book to find out what happens to Cleo and Helen

anjamie4 AT gmail DOT com

g.g. said...

I trust Jeffrey Zaslow's review because he wrote The Last Lecture and The Girls from Ames and I loved both of those books

anjamie4 AT gmail DOT com

Margie said...

I liked the scene where they find the dog...and the dog rolls over on her back asking for a belly rub.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

Any book that tells about bonding between a human and a dog has me hooked from the start.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

In her review, Gwen Cooper says "If you've ever loved a dog, this is the book for you!"
So I guess that settles it!
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Libby's Library said...

It's a book about animals and I'm an animal nut. Thanks so much for another wonderful giveaway.

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Wickdogg said...

I think this should be a great read especially since I am a dog lover for sure

wickdogg AT gmaildot com

Wickdogg said...

I think that Bodie, Debbie Maccomber's dog, writing a review is great..smart dog!

wickdogg AT gmaildot com

Wickdogg said...

I can just see the dog rolling over for tummy rub...mine does it all the time

wickdogg AT gmaildot com

Unknown said...

This book sounds facinating. I'd love to read it from the dogs point of view. I've always wished I could know what my pets were feeling. Should be interesting.

chirth7@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

In the excerpt I was wanting to read more. I'm going to assume they take the dog they found outside the restaurant home.

chirth7@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I liked all the reviews it's a toss up between two I pick this one: -Melanie Sue Bowles, author of The Horses of Proud Spirit and Hoof Prints: More Stories from Proud Spirit
The other is: Dr. Louise Murray, author of Vet Confidential
chirth7@yahoo.com

rubynreba said...

I really like to read animal stories and this one looks very touching.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

I like Bogie, dog of New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

The chef would deny knowing the dog thinking they were a health inspector.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Annmarie Weeks said...

I find books about animals just so enjoyable to read (altho so many times they make me tear up, too!) I know I would love this book!

Annmarie Weeks said...

I love the review by Bogie, dog of New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber...who says his owner laughed & cried!

Annmarie Weeks said...

I read the excerpt...and love this little cocker spaniel already!

Elise said...

What I thought was interesting was that the doctor not only treats the dogs but the owners as well.
caliblue7@gmail.com

Elise said...

I read the excerpt. I think everyone who sees a stray dog will want to feed it and help the dog. No wonder the dog was well fed.
caliblue7@gmail.com

Elise said...

I liked the review from the dog Bogie, dog of New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.
caliblue7@gmail.com

Kat C said...

While reading the details of this book I kept remembering all those precious animals from hurricane Katrina and how they were all connected too.
binthenow@gmail.com

Kat C said...

I am a email subscriber
binthenow@gmail.com

Kat C said...

Did a Tweet
http://twitter.com/oHIoKit/status/13627129646
binthenow@gmail.com

catss99 said...

I love any book about animals and I like that it's coming from a vet
catss99@yahoo.com

Betty: Reflections with Coffee said...

After going to the local Veterinary School Hospital several times last week with my cat, I'm interested in this book.
bmcbroom AT gmail DOT com

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