I received an ARC of "The Dog Share" from NetGalley and Avon Books UK and I absolutely adored this book. The story was exactly what I needed to read at this time as it was uplifting, inspiring, and romantic. I was initially drawn to this book by it's cover design and description of the story and it did not disappoint. "The Dog Share" is the first book I have read by the author Fiona Gibson and I am now definitely interested in reading her other books.

Suzy Medley is struggling to get her life back on track. Her two children are now grown and moving on with their lives, her business is one step away from closing it's doors forever, and her relationship of seven years has just come to an end. As Suzy tries to make changes and move forward an unlikely stranger in the form of a dog is going to help her develop new friendships and relationships, and help her to move forward on a new life path. That dog stranger is Scout, an abandoned lovable terrier. Scout is a pure joy and he is sure to bring a smile to your face as he shows Suzy and her new friends how to move ahead, and shows them how to leave the past in the past.

"The Dog Share" is a must read for those who love stories about dogs and the happiness they bring to the people around them. I am so very honoured for the opportunity to have read this book and I highly recommend it to other readers. "The Dog Share" is sure to make you smile, think about your dogs, or your dogs who have traveled across the Rainbow Bridge; but not in a sad way. The story reminds us that the love of a dog can bring such joy into ours lives when we need a little bit of joy.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This is a lovely cutie story of romance, but just right amount, not too much or too little.

An abandoned dog, left to survive all by himself, on an island, which eventually brings so many people together. Loved the setting of the story and especially the dog.

A book with a feel good vibe.

I very badly wanted to like this book. As a dog lover, the premise was super cute. However, this was advertised as a romantic comedy, and it wasn't really much of either, but it definitely wasn't a romance. I've learned that "romantic comedy" apparently means something else in the UK than it does in the US, because this is not the first UK published book touted as a romantic comedy that I found neither romantic or funny. Arthur and Scout were great, the rest of the book fell really flat for me unfortunately.

I struggled a bit with this one. The first half was a bit slow, and I picked this up because I thought the premise was cute, who doesn't love books about dogs bringing people together, right? There wasn't enough of the dog. I think maybe I went into this thinking it was something like the flat share (perhaps, my own bias with the titles?) but it wasn't what I was hoping for. It was sweet in the right places and overall ok.

I love Fiona Gibson’s books and this one didn’t disappoint me! I think the idea that a stray dog can bring people together and they can share him to bring themselves contentment!
Set on a fictional Scottish island, the dog, who becomes known as Scout, is seen at first by Ricky and his son Arthur on the beach.
After that episode, we see him again turning up at Suzy’s cottage she’s rented for the weekend as she tries to sort out the ailing brewery bought on a whim by her now ex.
It’s lovely how Scout binds them all together and you find out their separate stories which then become connected.
I really enjoyed this book.

I loved the dog. Scout was my dream dog! He brought everyone together. Suzy desire to have a dog resembles my own. Incredibly light hearted and adorable story. Did feel it was a bit slow... and not a lot happened in the first half of the book. Not a ton of romance happened... when it did felt rushed. From synopsis thought this book was going to ooze love

I enjoyed this book a lot. The romance and build up was really fantastic. It has that feel good feeling that these types of books leave me with. Would definitely recommend!

i honestly had high hopes for this book since i really liked the happily ever after playlist, and i really liked how the dog brought them together, so when i saw a book kind of similar to it i was pretty excited. but, this just wasn't good, in my opinion. like, the writing went into so much detail about everything around them, yet i had no clue what was actually happening 99% of the time. and the dog had such a little part, when i really thought it would be the main driving force, when he really wasn't.

Just when Suzy feels alone and cast aside by her ex a four legged friend, who has also been abandoned, appears to comfort her. Her world is about to change for the better. A story of second chances unfolds for both Suzy and Scout. Does everyone have enough love to go around? Never give up on life taking on an unexpected turn. A thoroughly enjoyable read with lots of laughs along the way. You never know what life has in store for you.

Please see book recommendation site LoveReading.co.uk for the full review. The Dog Share has been chosen as a LoveReading Book of the Month.

The Dog Share

4/5

Synopsis: Set in a small island town where people are trying to escape from their busy city lives, the characters of this book learn that sometimes all you need is love from a furry friend. When two strangers fall in love with the same stray dog they have to decide how to move forward and do what is best for the dog.

Thought: I really enjoyed this book and how it shows that an animal does become part of the family and can bring love into your life that you never knew existed before. We have two furry family members that we have gotten in the past few years and I couldn't imagine life without them. This story had everything from romance to being a woman in a man's world. I highly recommend this book to any animal lover out there!

It was different from what I expected but definitely an enjoyable read. I think people with animals will really enjoy it, as Scout is the star of the book!

Suzy, the heroine of The Dog Share, finds herself in a pretty impossible situation. Her scoundrel partner has left her, not just in life but in the business world too, and Suzy has to save a Scottish distillery from potential collapse.

The Dog Share is a charming read, with multiple character storylines to follow and a brilliant will-they-won't-they twist. All helped along by the discovery of abandoned dog Scout, who binds everything together.

There are some great undertones to the story too. About finding yourself and your purpose in life, whatever age you are.

The Dog Share is another Fiona Gibson cracker, and definitely on my 'read again' list!

After reading a few books covering some heavy topics, The Dog Share by Fiona Gibson was the perfect warm and light-hearted read.

The Dog Share tells the story of Suzy and Ricky, who are both narrators throughout the book. Suzy goes to visit the Hebredian Island of Sgadansay with her boyfriend Paul, who sees the local whiskey distillery as another get rich quick scheme. When it all goes wrong, Suzy is left to try to rescue the business alone.
Meanwhile, Ricky is juggling life as a father and a music teacher. He has been left to raise his son alone by the child’s mother and visits Sgadansay with his son and his new girlfriend to see his Dad.
However, the star of this story is the dog, Scout. He brings together so many different characters who are looking for support and love in the way only a dog can.
This is such a lovely and heart- warming story which has made me desperate to re-visit Scotland! I really loved all of the main characters - Suzy shows such spirit and determination, while Ricky is full of heart and quiet confidence. Although there is a romance element to the story, it is not its main focus. Instead, this is a story about togetherness, community, second chances and the joy a dog can bring!

Thank you NetGalley for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital arc of this book, all opinions expressed here are my own.

The Dog Share by Fiona Gibson is the first book I have read by this author.

Unfortunately it wasn’t what I was expecting. Tagged as funny and uplifting with a guy and girl sharing a dog on the cover I thought it would be very much a chick-lit/rom-com style book. It was much more do-over/fresh start with a very slow burn romance and the main dog sharing happening between two female friends.

Suzy and her flakey ex bought a thriving whiskey distillery which he ran into the ground, leaving her to pick up the pieces.

Music teacher Ricky and his son Arthur return to his island home to check on his elderly father Harry who worked at the distillery forever.

Told in dual POVs this is very much a family drama where Scout the scruffy lost dog helps heal hearts and join people together.

The story was nice, if not what I expected. The location and characters were well written and interesting. Overall 3 stars. The Dog Share by Fiona Gibson releases on the 4th of March.

Let me start by saying: I hate giving one star to a book that someone has worked hard on - normally I would DNF a book if I felt like it just wasn't doing it for me, but this was a netgalley book, and so I felt like I should finish it nonetheless.

I thought this would be a romantic story, with a dog bringing the two main characters together, but honestly, they hadn't even met over halfway through the book, and the romance felt 'meh'. I don't really like when we don't hear why characters fall for someone, I want to hear them gush, god-darn-it!

This book had so many subplots and some I'm not even sure was needed, and so: I've decided to give percentages for the various parts of the story:
- How to save a business: 35%
- How to adopt a dog: 25%
- Romance: 15%
- Family dynamics (3 generations of men): 10%
- Family dynamics (mum and her kids): 8%
- Friendships: 5%
- Family dynamics (sisters): 2%

I'm not even sure that's right, but it all adds up, so I'm going with it!

Anyways, I was disappointed with this book, and definitely didn't feel it was 'gloriously uplifting'. However! It did have people in their late 40's as the main characters which I liked; romance for all, even after divorce and failed relationships!

Once again, a lovely book is done in by poor marketing. The description of this book makes it sound like it's all about a woman, the dog she adopts when she's floundering, and the connections she makes thanks to the dog. The cover screams romance and cute pets. The problem is that although there is a dog, and there is an understated, very slow burn, low-key romance, neither of those elements are the primary focus of this book. In reading over some of the other reviews, it's clear that those readers were expecting something very different from what was delivered and they were disappointed. I was also expecting something different, but rather than being disappointed, I was utterly charmed.

This was a lovely story about how you are never too old to finally feel comfortable in your own skin and figure out the things that you are good at. Suzy is a sweet, well-meaning, uncomplicated woman. She’s a divorced mother of 2 college age students who, like many of us, has never really had a plan for her life, but rather has just muddled through, reacting to circumstances rather than actively shaping them. When her romantic partner of 6 years decides, out of the blue, to purchase a small whisky distillery in the Outer Hebrides, even though he has zero experience with whisky or indeed with running any kind of business, and has a history of jumping from one hare-brained idea to another, Suzy hardly raises a whisper of protest. Instead, as so many of us do with our romantic partner, she goes along with his plan.

Two years later, after her (now-ex) partner’s inevitable crash and burn, she is advised to liquidate, declare bankruptcy, and walk away, but all she can think about is the employees who will lose their livelihood, so instead of taking the easy way out, she resolves to try to save the business. This is where the true story begins, as Suzy finds unexpected strength within herself to persevere in the face of disapproval from the distillery employees. The abandoned dog that she adopts gives her an additional purpose and helps her to open up to others and to possibilities, new friendships, and romance that she otherwise would have missed.

The Dog Share is a light-hearted easy read that follows the lives of two characters - Suzy and Ricky - and how their separate lives come together in unexpected ways. It was not what I was expecting based on the cover or the title, but the blurb sets the scene well. The book is mostly character driven, with the growth of the two characters centre stage, but I did find myself wanting to know more about secondary characters. I enjoyed this book but it did feel quite superficial in parts. I would recommend it if you are looking for a light-hearted, uplifting read.

If you are looking for a light, feel good read to pass a couple of hours and escape from the world then this book will fill that gap. It has some likeable characters but not a lot going on, I think quite a lot of research went into the making of whisky and I found that interesting enough to pique my interest enough to google it.

Easy read, feel good book.

I really enjoyed this book and I know want a dog again having grown up with dogs, I got a cat though
This is the 1st book i have read by the author and will be looking out for more from her
This story is about suzy who is stuck on a small island her boyfriend leaves her and she finds a dog, the dog she finds helps her a lot.

With thanks to Netgalley & Avon Books for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review