“[One Good Dog] is a finely wrought story of second chances and also of the power of the human/canine bond, the amazing and myriad ways in which dogs can touch and make better people’s lives. As Chance himself so aptly puts it, ‘What else could I have done? I’m only canine, I had to help’.” —Bark Magazine
“[One Good Dog] evokes both laughter and tears, but the ending assures you that humans and dogs are capable of redemption.” —Library Journal
“Susan Wilson’s evocative and deeply moving novel reminds us that even the most unlikely human can also find redemption, sometimes, with a little help from a canine friend.”—Melissa Jo Peltier, New York Times bestselling co-author of Cesar’s Way
“One Good Dog will make you cry, will make you laugh, will make you feel things more than you thought possible—and it will make you believe in second chances.”—Augusten Burroughs, New York Times bestselling author of Running with Scissors and A Wolf at the Table
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Susan Wilson is the bestselling author of books including One Good Dog, Cameo Lake and Beauty, a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast, which was made into a CBS-TV movie. She lives on Martha’s Vineyard.
To read more about Susan's life, visit her website HERE. You can also follow Susan Wilson on Facebook and Twitter.
GUEST REVIEW:
Today's Guest Reviewer is Carol Wong. Thank you, Carol, for another great review! I am amazed at how much you read and can still write such lovely reviews. My readers are in for a special treat on this one. Carol lives with her husband in Texas and among other things, loves to read! She is also a loyal internet friend, animal lover, and all-around good person!
I usually cry when reading a book about a dog. This time, tears were cascading down my face. Those were tears of happiness instead of sorrow. I don’t know how Susan Wilson did it, but she created the perfect ending!
In ‘The Dog Who Danced’, the dog, Mack has his share of telling the story but it is as the author could get inside the dog and know he perceives the world. Most importantly through the sense of smell and without the benefit of some abilities like place orientation, Susan Wilson excels at portraying a dog's thoughts.
I fell in love with Mack and wanted him to come out of the book and be my dog! I have always admired shelties. I have seen freestyle dancing with dogs in competitions but these books takes you inside what it means for the dog to do this.
This book is more than a dog book though; it is one of mystery, sorrow and forgiveness. There are two central women. Justine Meade is the first one we meet. She lost her mother at a very young age, so young that she couldn’t remember very much about her. Her father married the woman next door, the evil step mother and her life felt snuffed out from then on. She lost an emotional connection with her father; her father now loved Paul, her step brother. Paul was the son that her father always wanted and never had. Her step mother, Adele, was cold and demanding. She talked all the time but never said the important words that a step daughter craves.
Justine got married very young and had a son, Tony. She hasn’t seen him for years either. Why did this relationship fail?
When Justine gets a call that her father, who she had not seen for so long, is dying, she doesn’t want to go but her friend persuades her to go. Since she is broke, she cannot afford to fly there and pays $300 to a truck driver to go from California to her parent’s home out east. When she has to go to restroom to wash the dust out of her hair and body, the truck driver takes off. He has her dog, Mack in the back but he doesn’t realize it. Justine panics and is desperate to find her dog. Her dog is her only companion, her only close friend.
An elderly couple find Mack and though they didn’t intend that, established a bond with Mack who they called Buddy. Their marriage was lifeless. They had a daughter in the past. What happened to her? The description of their life is done through their actions and lack of actions. They really need this dog to help them learn how to continue with their lives. You will want to push this couple together as Mack/Buddy did.
Mack/Buddy is the sheltie that you will love. He is polite, gentle, intelligent and loving. He even knows how to dance.
‘The Dog Who Danced ‘is a page turner and emotional wringer, especially at the end. Who will live/love this book? Anyone who loves dogs has had a broken family relationship or enjoys a great story. This book will make you look at shelties with wonder and think about ways to heal broken relationships.
Carol received this book from Amazon Vine, but that in no way influenced her review.
145 comments:
This sounds like it might be a story of healing. I would like to read that type story right now.
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I would love to read her book One Good Dog.
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I would love to see what happens to the dog, and if they get reunited. This sounds like a great story.
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I see the dog changed the lives of two elderly people whose marriage needed a boost.
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Any dog story captures my interst! I love the cover too. Thanks for the giveaway.
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I read One Good Dog and loved it!
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I love books about dogs and if this one invokes tears of happiness, I'm hooked! Please enter me.
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Wonderful story. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
I would love to read One Good Dog. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
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I would enjoy this book greatly. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
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First and Foremost I am a dog lover so this is what attracted me to the post and then Carol says she wants Mack to be her dog and I didn't have to read further to know that I need this book Lol
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I just can't pass up a book with a dog in it.
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I thought it was funny that she called her dog her "terrierist" rather than terrier. Sometimes that's how I feel about my crazy dog, too.
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I love stories about animals and The Dog Who Danced sounds like a great story. Dogs just seem to have that healing touch when some one needs it. Their loyalty and love can heal a broken heart when nothing else can. I can't wait to hear the entire story.
Thanks for the opportunity to enter giveaway.
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Susan has written a number of books that I would love to read but Hawke's Cove would be my first choice. I love stories written during WWII.
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I enjoy stories showing the bond between animals and humans.
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I'm always interested in any bood about the relationship of dogs and humans---I'm a real dog lover.
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I like that the dog plays a big role in the book.
I found it interesting about the elderly couple which found Mack/Buddy. Sounds like an intriguing thread. joleehamlin [at] comcast [dot] net
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