Such a powerful and heartwarming story about how a dog can touch so many lives in a positive way. I loved watching the relationship between Madison and Duke grow as the story went along. I really enjoyed this book!

A beautifully written book that captures your heart from the beginning. I shed tears at points, which to me emphasises how wonderful the authors writing style is.

This is a sweet story about how a golden retriever puppy changes the lives of small-town residents. Madison, a nurse practitioner, and her daughter, Abbie, arrive in Millbury, where Madison assumes the position of nurse practitioner in a small-town senior center. Madison knows her daughter is struggling with hidden issues within and hopes the new job and community will help her adjust to life’s ups and downs better. A chance encounter with a playful lab puppy, Duke, changes everything. Initially, Madison agrees to help the puppy’s owner, a community revered retired judge, Arthur, who has just lost his wife, the love of his life, with basic training of Duke. Soon, however, this turns into much, much more, as the trio get pulled in to a life together by Duke. They begin to bond as a “family” around this puppy, something each needs and is seeking, as the days and weeks pass. Still, it seems as if Madison is holding back on something, though no one can figure out what. Only time will tell if the trio can find answers to and resolve their own questions and issues.

This is a fantastic story for dog lovers everywhere. It also is just a plain, old good-time story for anyone looking for a nice, uplifting, easy read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I realized, early on, that is no mystery, with clues and red herrings the author (and reader) will wade through along with the chief character, Madison. The story flowed well while holding my attention, despite the fact that there was little anticipation of what was coming next. Sometimes I think we just need a book like this one, to sit back and realize not all of life is filled with deep mysteries and strange happenings. I enjoyed the way the authors all blended together so well, each with his/her own personalities and characteristics. The setting, a small town in the Northwest, fit the story quite well. I especially enjoyed the way the author made Duke the center of the story, showing just how much a dog can help a difunctional group come together for the betterment of all. I highly recommend this book. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

I loved this one so much! I did find it longer than it needed to be but only because there was some repetition. It didn't bother me enough though, I thought this story was just so sweet and heart warming while also being heart breaking at the same time. I would recommend this for any dog lover out there. Thanks so much for the copy of this book!

“If humans used all the time they wasted worrying and, instead, enjoyed what was right in front of them, they’d be much happier. They’re far more capable than they think. Dogs never worry and that’s why we’re always ready to play and have fun.”

A Dog’s Chance is the second novel by American author, Casey Wilson. The four-month-old golden retriever has been dumped at a gas station in Millbury, Oregon. He is the runt of his litter, but his mother has taught him well and he quickly finds the one person in the town who needs him as much as he needs them. Recently widowed, Arthur Patterson tells the pup it’s just for one night, but soon he has named Duke, seen the vet and bought pet supplies.

With her teenaged daughter, Abbie, Madison West arrives in Millbury to take up the position of nurse practitioner at the new Millbury Life Centre. Arthur and Duke are checking the place out for suitability as a weekly card game venue when Duke enthusiastically connects with Madison, who is clearly better at obedience training than Arthur.

Young Abbie has difficulty making friends, resorting to pacing or obsessive behaviour whenever she is anxious. When she encounters Duke, his calming influence is nothing short of amazing. While Madison is reluctant to get to close to anyone, this foursome seems like a match made in heaven. Could she stop running and finally settle down?

While this is quite a nice story, it is a little repetitive and quite predictable. As the victim of a gaslighting con-man, Madison’s reasoning is likely deranged, but it seems incredible that it takes her two years to realise that Abbie’s anxiety issues clearly stem from the fact that she uproots her daughter every few months in an effort to remain under the radar. Duke is definitely a wonderful dog, although his very insightful narrative is more that of a dog-shaped furry human than a canine. Feel-good fiction for dog-lovers.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Bookouture.

I am a dog lover....so I was excited to read this book. It was such a positive uplifting story about how dogs can help people and bring people together. I enjoyed this book so much and will purchase it for the library.

Such a sweet and heart warming story that is centered around Duke, a golden retriever. He is a delightful puppy whose view is expressed through several chapters. Between Duke and Madison, you will fall in love with Millbury and the wonderful characters who call it home.

If I have a complaint, it’s the fact that Madison continues “thinking” about her “situation” without letting us know what it involved. I finally suspected what had happened, but it drove me nuts the way she kept being troubled but wouldn’t “think” about the details.

I fell in love with Duke and could imagine living with such a sweet and caring dog.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I received this book "A Dog's Chance" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. A cute dog story. A nice heartwarming book that dog lovers will enjoy.

This book was just so so lovely! It’s one about building friendships, family and how important and life changing pets are to some of us!

First up we meet Duke, he’s the little puppy in the book, I found it so fascinating to read the chapters from his POV, it really was just so heart-warming. He gets abandoned and he talks about how he feels, what his mother taught him, what he should have expected from a family and how to be a good dog! Unfortunately he was the runt of the litter so it took a while for him to find a home!

Once he’s dumped by his current owners he goes walking and stumbles across a man called Arthur crying on a bench while reading a letter from his late wife who he recently lost, and Duke just knows that Arthur needs him! It turns out Duke was right and Arthur quickly takes him in! It turns out that Arthur needed some company!

Then we meet Madison and Abbie. Madison is a practice nurse and Abbie is her teenage daughter! Madison is a single mum trying to do her best by her daughter but the moving so often is taking its toll on Abbie who suffers from awful anxiety and obsessive traits!

When Madison starts at her new centre, Abbie tags along on certain days and this is where they meet Arthur and his new beloved pup Duke! They turn up at the centre one day when Arthur is feeing unwell, and they talk about Duke needing some training! And well who other than Madison volunteers to help!

From this moment on a friendship builds between the 4 of them! Maybe they can all help each other to be happier and live a fuller life… and well, the rest is history!

This book wasn’t only heart warming, at times it was heart wrenching!

I honestly really enjoyed all of the characters, they are all so loveable and also relatable but I could most relate to Madison, where she is trying to do her best for Abbie, but also Abbie with her anxiety!

Duke made such a huge difference to all of their lives and really brought them all together! My favourite parts were the chapters which came from Dukes POV, I’d love to think my dog thinks like duke!

This book is so heart warming, with some beautiful quotes, lovely characters and the true meaning of friendship !

I give this book 4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️!

I’d love to read the others from this author!

I LOVED A Dog’s Chance! I have to be honest... Though I kept hearing about this book and how great it was, I had reservations about reading it. I was expecting a cutesie juvenile genre, something I would read along with my eleven year old daughter. Well, the funny thing is, it IS a book I would read with my eleven year old daughter, but it wouldn’t be reluctantly, it would be because I absolutely love it and would love to discuss it with her! Yes, parts of it are told from the dog’s point of view, but it was so deep and insightful, yet with the exact right touch that you would expect coming from a dog. I have never been a dog person, until this past January. We got my daughter a purebred boxer puppy and I love this pup more than I could ever imagine I would. Could that have something to do with why I loved this book so much? Probably. My dad, who lives next door, has a dog who truly is my dad’s best friend, his companion. Though my mom lives there, too, it is the dog that my dad talks to all day long non-stop. It reminds me of how Arthur was with his dog and it tugged at my heart whenever I caught myself picturing my dad in Arthur’s position. I absolutely loved this book and I am absolutely eager to read A Dog’s Hope next!

This was an absolutely charming, delightful novel about real people with real problems. I love that one of the main characters was duke, the dog and that he got to narrate several of the chapters also. I found the entire story to be realistic, uplifting, and heartwarming.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A dog's chance is an utterly delightful read that will have you smiling and crying.

The story is told by Duke, a golden retriever, and Madison, a nurse practitioner who moved to a small American town with her teenage daughter Abbie. Abbie has some severe anxiety issues and I suspect is ASD.

Duke finds himself a new home with widower Arthur and the two families' lives become entwined. Madison becomes involved with the local community but there is a secret looming that means she will have to move on again from a place she finally feels a part of.

It is written with an almost childlike simplicity but so much wisdom, you will learn a lot from this book.

It is certainly not the sort of book I normally read but it is so heartwarming and compassionate and full of kindness I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author clearly understands dogs and the needs of humans. The positive impact that multi-generations can bring to each other was clearly covered in this lovely book.

This review will be featured in a blog post about books that feature dogs in the storyline.

Arthur has lost the love of his life. His wife's death has knocked him for six. As he sits in the park reading her last letter a boisterous puppy bounds up to him. The pup seems to know that Arthur needs someone to care for, just as the pup (who has escaped from an abusive owner) needs someone to look after. Arthur decides to call him Duke.

Madison & her daughter Abbie move into the area. They move every six months or so. She is a practise nurse & is taking up a temporary position in the health centre. Abbie is an anxious child. Pacing seems to help but when Duke bounds into the health centre dragging Arthur behind him she is soon petting & playing happily with the dog. Madison & Arthur hit is off straight away & when she sees how Duke is helping Abbie she suggests that she help train Duke & so a new circle is formed. Madison has a reason for moving so often but for the first time she begins to wonder if she & Abbie could settle.

Told through various narrators- including Duke, this is a lovely story of the way dogs enhance & make our lives complete. I loved it! Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read this heartwarming book.

Sometimes the dogs we rescue also rescue us! How true. Our little rescue, Lucky brought so much joy and clarity in our lives. Pablo too. So it was not hard for me to completely love A Dog’s Chance!

The book really tugged at my heartstrings. I found the unique inclusion of a part of the story from a puppy’s point of view to be so sweet and enjoyable.

The characters were charming with each one struggling with different challenges. And their common love for a helps them not only overcome these challenges but also to become a family unit.

An emotional, yet easy to read book, which all dog lovers will enjoy!

A beautiful book of a dog’s chance to love and bond with his new family.

Author Casey Wilson wrote this beautiful tale of strangers becoming friends then a family through the strings of the heart. Family was whom the heart chose. Sometimes destiny…or perhaps a puppy would lead us to a second chance at finding all that we had lost.

Madison and Abbie changed town every six months. Until they reached Millbury. And the town and its residents changed her life, especially Arthur and his puppy Duke.

Told in dual POVs, Madison and the puppy Duke, it was brilliantly weaved to show the thin strands of caring between people. The characters were delightful, well developed. The author made the prose so welcoming that reading about them felt delightful.

A golden retriever with great instincts along with easy ways to live life was a joy to read. Humans spent their days worrying about the future when they should be enjoying today. Well said by Duke. Twists and unpleasant characters added a spice.

Duke held a special place in my heart as he could gauge the emotions of his humans and help them. I loved how he helped Abbie with her issues. It warmed my heart to read about this new family, who came together with the love in their hearts.

Overall, small pleasures in a dog’s life were amplified when they echoed in my heart. A wonderful way to begin the day.

Oh I loved this! I absolutely love golden retrievers and the dogs' narrative was just how I can imagine a golden would think.
This story is gentle, sweet and heartwarming, I can imagine it as a Disney film! If you love dogs and enjoy gentle romantic warm and fuzzy feelings, this sweet book is for you.
Written alternately from dog and female protagonists pov, this book was a relaxing read and so warm, I found myself smiling while reading.
The writing is (sorry but its the best word!) sweet and gentle, I would have this book on my bookshelf to reach for any time Im feeling down.
Lovely book! Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC I really enjoyed it.

Favorite Quote:

That’s the beautiful thing about sharing the love in your heart— it doesn’t mean you have less of it. Love is the only thing that grows the more you give away.


My Review:

I relished this tender and sweet story. Duke’s tale squeezed my heart, stung my eyes, and caused my lips to quiver, and more than a few times. This lovely story included a rescued puppy’s point of view and Duke’s observations were my favorites. The characters were endearing and highly likable, realistically flawed, and each struggling with significant personal challenges. However, they found their burdens were easing once their paths had crossed - which was all due to the exuberant introduction and interventions of Duke. The writing style and storylines were easy to follow, emotive, relevant, and quite moving. I am an animal lover and adore stories featuring clever animals almost as much as the precious animals themselves.

Arthur finds Duke, a puppy, who comforts him in his grief. Madison and her daughter are also pulled in and the 4 become a good group. A wonderful story and was hard to put down. Loved this book. Highly recommend this book and author.

After a few months of pandemic isolation, true crime books and podcasts, mystery/thrillers, and a double binge of Ozark (yes, all three seasons TWICE through), I needed a break. I needed something that wouldn’t require much if any intellectual exercise, and hopefully didn’t have any major characters with cancer…okay, that last one was a bridge too far. And when I saw this book compared to Marley and Me, I feared the “heartwarming” story A Dog’s Chance by Casey Wilson was going to be a downer. – a super tearjerker.

Let’s not bother with analysis or in-depth psychological examination of characters’ motivations and actions. This is a straightforward schmaltzy story about a single mother named Madison, her fourteen-year-old daughter Abbie, and an orphaned golden retriever puppy named Duke.

Madison has been sort of on the run, moving from one nurse practitioner job and town to another every six months, dragging her daughter (who seems possibly on the spectrum but definitely suffering from deepening anxiety). They move to an idyllic small town in Oregon where a recently widowed (here’s the bridge too far) gentleman in his 70s comes to Madison’s clinic, and before you know it, the four of them (Madison, Abbie, Duke, and Arthur, the old guy) have become a family.

Duke is a typical golden puppy, full of energy and totally untrained. Madison offers to train Duke so that Abbie will get to see more of him, as he calms her anxiety… and TA-DA! we now have a family of choice. All they need is a hunky single man to come and sweep Madison off her feet and be a father figure for Abbie – and here comes Arthur’s nephew, a single lawyer with muscles and just the right amount of stubble, just in time!

Will Madison finally feel like she has a second chance at life and a reason to stay in town? Will her mysterious past catch up with her, putting all of them at risk? Will Duke be able to unite this family, and keep them together, saving a life or two along the way? It’s a Hallmark movie in print, it’s really sappy and written at a level for Abbie and her friends, and it’s so sweet it may be too much for some people. But, thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley, I enjoyed a copy in exchange for this honest review. Perfect for Dog lovers and fans of sweet romance novels that don’t require much effort, but provide a nice warm feeling. Four stars.

A Dog's Chance is the second dog book by Casey Wilson. This is a newer author for me to read but I have since purchased the first book, A Dog’s Hope. Heart touching story of the role animals play in our lives. As well as the positive differences that they can make in bringing people together, families that are made not born are often as strong or stronger. All the characters have needed and that includes Duke that are met so that they begin to thrive. What a beautiful lesson for us all.

This story is told very effectively in dual perspectives; one by the dog, Duke and one by a human, Madison. I enjoyed Duke’s point of view as much as Madison’s. However, I would have like to have heard from Madison’s teenage daughter, Abbie too.

This is an author on the rise, who is not a one book wonder but will be entertaining us with heart warming and heartbreaking stories for many years to come. Any book she writes will be on my future TBR list. Duke, Arthur, Madison and Abbie won my heart!

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.