Favorite Quotes:

Mrs. Fisher is a big, bosomy woman, with wild bushy eyebrows worthy of a cold war Russian president.

Grandma kind of scares me. She wears bright red lipstick like a hungry vampire, never smiles, and bathes in so much old lady perfume that even I can smell it. Her feet, if she has any, are always hidden under long skirts and dresses, but I think she levitates, never making a sound, able to appear from nowhere.

Loving a dog is not like picking up a remote and turning a TV on or off. You’re either into dogs or you’re not. The most useful thing Martha ever told me was, “Dogs are like herpes. Once you get them, you’re infected for life.”

I’m critical of those who live a so-called Facebook life, skewing the truth, letting the online world see only what they want you to see… That’s why I never post. I click “like” to be polite. I’d rather click “jealous,” “you’re killing me,” “I never thought I could hate you more,” or “No one gets to live like this.”

I follow her gaze to the little man lost inside an oversized blazer and the mutt who can’t take his eyes off him. “They’re an odd couple,” I say. “Not at all,” says Alice, taking them in. “Just different shades of beautiful.”


My Review:

This book took me completely by surprise and was only a thousand times better than I was expecting. I was immediately taken with the high quality and deft craft of Dr. Trout’s writing and instantly fell into the vortex of Jasper and Kate’s challenging world of CF. I adored Jasper and while I had great empathy for her struggles, I often wanted to give Kate a good pinch.

Written in my favorite dual POV, the story was well paced, multi-layered, and expertly textured. While often moving and highly emotive, the emotional tone was well balanced with unexpected pockets of levity as well as providing Jasper with a comedic wit in addition to breathtakingly profound perceptions and awareness beyond his years. The storylines were engaging and engrossing and plucked relentlessly at the heartstrings while sparklingly entertaining with thoughtful insights, colorful descriptions, and humorous observations and inner musings. Dr. Trout cleverly cast his tale with vibrant and uniquely clever and quirky characters who were more than worthy of attention.

This was one of those exceptionally rare books that held captivated and held my interest, was first class entertainment, and chaste enough to recommend to my elderly mother’s church ladies’ book club yet still garners a Bedazzled Five-Star rating from me. Which are about as common as hens’ teeth. ;)

This book had me at boy and dog on cover! I am a dog mom of three and I can't help but love a book where a dog can more than rescue a family and help them recover from whatever it is that is bothering them.

Dr. Kate Blunt is a veterinarian and works at a shelter where the hope is to get each dog adopted within 14 days. While holding down a full time job, she is also a single mom to Jasper who has been battling cystic fibrosis since a very young age - medications, treatments and hospital stays rule their lives in the hopes that he can keep fighting the disease well into his adulthood.

With alternating chapters between Kate and Jasper, I loved seeing their lives through both sets of eyes. I especially loved Jaspers because seeing the world through kids lenses is always entertaining. I loved reading how Jasper viewed his disease and how it impacted his daily life and his thoughts about his own future at such a young age.

Without the epilogue, this book wouldn't have been half as good for me. I appreciated the author including the epilogue so the reader gets the satisfying ending - no spoilers!!

I have not read all of Nick Trout's books, but I need to get caught up!

I am a dog lover so I was drawn to this book. It was a sweet story of the relationship between a dog and a person. Dog lovers will enjoy this uplifting story.

What a wonderful book about the power of "seeing" someone for the special being they are, and about families, risking chaos to step outside one's comfort zone to grab something better, and trusting one's child. Dog lovers will automatically love this book about a child with a life threatening disease, a big, goofy, and perceptive dog, and the bond they share. A must read, feel good kind of book.