3ish stars
This had the beginnings of an interesting idea- the resurrection of a company and woman spurred on by the rescue of a stray dog. The premise of a woman digging in and saving herself and the company was possible but didn't quite make a hit for me.

Read if you like: a heartwarming story about the love of animals.
-
The book follows Suzy, a wo an who takes over a distillery business on a Scottish Island after her partner takes off, and Ricky, who is trying to balance caring for his young son as a single parent, and taking care of his dad on a lonely Scottish island. Suzy finds a stray dog on the island, and through Scout, she is introduced to Ricky and others on the island, and is able to build lasting relationships.
-
I really liked how Suzy really stepped up to the challenge of running the distillery business, and how Ricky tries to balance being fun for his kid, but also taking care of him. I wish there had been more of the dog in this book; did expect there to be more focus on the dog, but I get that the author had to spend some time developing the characters as well.
-
CW: divorce, abandonment.

Really enjoyed this, the dog named Scout really knew what he was up to getting involved with the people within the village, he had people running around after him, but he was able to join lives together. Very well written and thought about. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this early ARC

This is such a beautiful and heart-warming book. I adored reading it and I'm not even a dog fan (this shows how good the book is!)

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free e-book copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to receive this book - Fiona Gibson and dogs should be a great combination.
Suzy, the joint owner of a distillery heads off to the Hebridean island of Sgadansay to rescue the distillery from ruin.
Ricky, a music teacher from Glasgow, returns to Sgadansay with his young son, to visit his father.
Beautiful location descriptions and a warm storyline follow, but for me the dog element of the book was minimal. I was hoping for a few more dog-related antics which resulted in my review score dropping.

Suzy had everything in hand, or at least as in hand and trouble-free as possible until her latest relationship fell apart, leaving her with a mountain of issues, a distillery that she now had to rescue and plenty of questions about why she hadn’t seen problems sooner with her relationship. Never really being ‘career minded’, unlike her much touted (by her mother) sister, she’s built a niche workspace – writing obituaries for several newspapers. But when a trip with her former partner to the Hebrides island of Skagdensy brings her no end of challenges, particularly when he decides that he must buy the distillery, make changes, and eventually make plenty of enemies on the island. Now Suzy, after realizing that she can take over and make a difference to the island that she found enchanting, and perhaps turn the business around – she's determined to do so.

But that first meeting was horrible, and the isolated little cottage that she’d rented is without wi-fi and complete with the rainstorm and no mod-cons, she’s wallowing. Until a scratch at the door reveals a little dog who instantly captures her heart. Having no options but to find him a home, she brings him to the mainland intending to surrender him to the shelter, when she changes her mind and brings him home. Funnily enough, Ricky and his son Arthur are back on the island to celebrate Arthur’s eleventh birthday with his grandfather – and the dog is one that Arthur tried to get Ricky to bring home to Glasgow. A busy schedule as a traveling music teacher in several schools, and with Arthur’s sport schedule and no garden – the dog idea was kiboshed, much to Arthur’s distress.

A bit of a weird mix of personal revelations and challenges, history and attraction, as well as the lovely little dog Scout who seems to capture hearts and imaginations allow him to spend ALL his time on walkies and playing with people that Suzy has met during their walks. From Cara – a new resident who had just lost her older dog, to Ricky and Arthur – the connections and times spent with and around Scout allow Suzy to finally feel a part of the island, the people and slowly the changes to the distillery’s business become welcomed. A bit slow to start – the story does work out in ways not unexpected but wholly welcomed, and the lightness provided by a dog who, without prejudice, loves and appreciates everyone is lovely and sweet.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aSd /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

A story about stilted people on a Hebridean island centred on a distillery doesn't sound very promising .. but do read on

Suzy is so natural and where a bedraggled stray us concerned kind and loving.
She's on the rugged island to see how bad the debts are at the business her partner wanted to own, but then lost interest in.
Suzy already has a job writing in York, hardly a handy commute.
We also hear the story from the perspective of Ricky, a former islander with a dog-mad son.
The story encompasses much more when both narrators past lives and associates are involved.
The isle of Sgadansay also a major character. Whether wind bludgeoned or bathed in sun it's beauty and natural colours also feature greRlyt in the story.
It's really well written and has so much more depth than a simple love story. The character traits and idiosyncrasies of people make it come alive - then add such a loveble little dog and it becomes really enjouable

Well as you know Fiona is a true hero of mine 😂 this one did not disappoint either, brilliant and funny and just the usual Fiona style I enjoyed it immensely and raced through it at 90mph, and was devastated at the last page and just wanted to go read it’s all again, sheer genius I just love everything about her books! More please!!!!

As a long term fan of Fiona Gibson, I was delighted to be able to read The Dog Share. I am also a big dog-lover!

The cover and title give hints of a romantic tale and the story starts right in the main place of the action, a tiny far flung Hebridean island, Throughout the book we see snippets of island life and meet residents and visitors. The story flips between the lives of Suzy, from York, who has ended up taking over a struggling business there and Ricky a Scottish music teacher and his dog-mad son, Arthur.

This book has a real story to it rather than an all-in romance. There are no startling firework moments, it is more of a bowl of nourishing soup which will leave you quite satisfied and content. It is encouraging to see that the characters are almost all over forty and all come with life experience and their own stories. It is an original idea brought to life by the author who lives in Scotland and has obviously spent time on small established islands and easily portrays different characters in a welcoming way.

A lovely book to while away a few hours. Not a page-turner but one that I happily returned to to finish the story.

An honest review in return for an ARC.

I really really wanted to like this as I was in the mood for an easy light hearted wad and I adore dogs so what more could I want?

Well apparently quite a bit more than this book. Unfortunately the book was very bland, and in my opinion really lacking in plot. It was in the romance category on NetGalley but the characters hadn’t even met each other until I was 60% of the way through the book. Despite the title there was no “dog sharing” until about 50% either.

After that the relationship development felt rushed and although the ending was nice I have to say unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend this book at all.

You can't go wrong with a book about a dog. This was super cute and a quick, enjoyable read. The setting was almost as fun as the story itself!

Looved it!
As a dog owner myself this is was a heart warming romance that was also very relatable!
I hope this one gets the hype it deserves!
The writing style reminded a bit of that of Hannah Sunderland's Very Normal People.

Okay, I'm a cat person, but even that couldn't prevent me falling in love with Fiona's new novel. The romance, for me at least, takes a bit of a back seat and that's fine as the setting of the Hebridean Islands would have been more than enough for me, even without the love interest of a rescue dog - well, maybe the man. What I particularly liked about this book is that the two protagonists weren't twenty-somethings, but in their forties. Well done Fiona! People will read about love in the over twenties. More please!

What a wonderful read. Full of genuine, relatable characters this book was a joy to read. The story of new beginnings told from the perspective of two people, Ricky and Suzy and through them you learn so much about the other characters, Suzy’s friends, Ricky’s dad and son, it makes the story feel like a lovely sense of community.

This was my first read by Fiona Gibson and I can promise you it won’t be the last, I’m excited to read what else she has written.

I give the dog share 5/5 stars, it made my heart feel warm and I loved every bit of the story.

*Audiobook review*
This was a cute read at times, but took a long time for me to get to grips with the characters and their connection to each other.
A book about a dog, but from a person who is totally obsessed with dogs, there wasn't enough mention of him, or any other dogs! I was hoping for cute and fluffy (basically, like dogs are to me) but this was very character driven and the dog was the side story!
The narrators were easy to listen to and I liked their accents, and they did well. I just expected more from this than what I got, unfortunately.
Many thanks to the publishers for the copy to review.

The dog share
By Fiona Gibson
Pub Date 4 March 2021
I love this book such a fun read you enjoy. I loved Suzie characters was fun and caring and loving even know she had so much drama going on in her life and a loving dog she loves so much. The characters were easy to follow and understand the plot of the story was funny a great rom com such a enjoyable read. I loved the small town by the sea vibe. I loved the friendship between the characters I would have loved to read more about the dog in this story even though it’s such a enjoyable read a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read from me.

I enjoyed following Suzie and her journey from someone who doesn’t believe in herself to a strong empowered person. Along the way she finds love, strength and happiness, all brought about by a scruffy lovable dog. I don’t want to spoil the story so go and read it!

This book was a delightfully cheery and reasonably realistic story. The characters were likeable - though I wish I got to know the side characters more.
The plot left something to be desired however. For the first half of the book, I felt it was moving extremely slow and the plot didn't really kick in until about half way through. After that, the story hit the accelerate but that made the romance and relationships seem too rushed and unrealistic.
The writing was enjoyable and amusing at times.
Can definitely see this being a beach read for middle-aged women.

This book did not turn out to be exactly what I was expecting initially – but I still enjoyed it and it was a fun, fast read for me. It brings up the question of genre again for sure – I know some felt it did not fit the ‘romance’ genre they thought it would. It was definitely a romance, but more of a contemporary UK romance that touched into what I would probably classify as Women’s Fiction with some of the themes rather than the romcom side of things. The book is one that reminds me of the writing styles of Jill Mansell and Jenny Colgan, so I believe fans of those two authors would definitely enjoy this read as well.

I found the story to be very interesting and heartwarming, I really liked each of the main characters and was rooting for them to find their way and a happier ending. I appreciated that the storyline covered starting over (and how that can happen at any age), friendship, tradition and family. I also adored how the little pup, Scout, brings everyone together.

The description made me long to visit Sgadansay – and I loved the whole distillery, small town story line. I think it’s important to realize and know going in that the book is not primarily focused on the pup or even a love story. Rather it is a story of having to start over and make the best of things later in life (for once the story wasn’t just a twenty something trying to figure it out), trying to save a local business and honor area traditions.
I found each of the characters to be well formed and relatable and I definitely recommend for fans of UK Romances and those who love stories of dogs and they’re people. Also a win for fans of the small town type story. I look forward to reading more by Fiona Gibson in the near future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to read this fun tale!

This is a sweet and gentle story. Suzy’s life has become complicated. Her boyfriend had used an inheritance to buy a small whisky distillery on Sgadansay, a Hebridean island, and he made her a director of the company although she put no money into the venture. Within two years he had destroyed it, and run away, refusing to take responsibility. Suzy travels from her home in York to the island to see if there is anything she can do, and is met with extreme hostility by the angry employees, who think they will lose their livelihoods. She has rented a tiny cottage for her short stay, and that evening she is disturbed by a dog scratching at the door. She assumes someone is out looking for him, but as there is nobody around she takes him in for the night, deciding she will take him to the police station the next morning before catching the ferry. The police station is closed all day, so she takes the newly named Scout to the vet, but he has not been chipped - they have no idea who owns him, and it seems he was abandoned. They arrange for Suzy to drop him off at a rescue centre in Oban, on her way home.

Suzy takes him to the centre, but Scout has grown on her, and in a last minute change of plan she takes him home with her.. Life starts to look up for her, Suzy, with the help of a financial expert who went to university with her sister, thinks of a way she can resolve the situation and save the distillery. It is time to return to Sgadansay and put things right with the workforce. She goes for lunch with Cara, an artist she met at the vet’s, where Cara’s dog sadly had to be put to sleep. Cara is very lonely, and Suzy agrees that she can look after Scout while she is busy at the distillery. So Scout now has two doting fans.

Ricky is a peripatetic music teacher in Glasgow, with an eleven year old son, Arthur. Arthur’s mother ran away six years earlier, and Ricky has not been able to find her. Ricky was born on Sgadansay, and returns there regularly to see his father. On this trip his girlfriend goes with them, but he finds out something very upsetting about her, and she leaves. Ricky and Arthur go for a walk at the beach and meet Suzy and Scout. Arthur has always wanted a dog and asks if he can take him for walks and Suzy eventually agrees as long as his dad goes with them. Scout is now cheering up three lives, and he loves them all!

As the story progresses we see all their lives improve, in some unexpected ways. There are a few dramas to go through before they all live happily ever after. The characters are well written. It is quite a realistic story, you see small town life where everyone knows everyone else and news flies round in no time. Very much a feel-good story, and all because of a little abandoned dog! I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, and am delighted to write an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.