Thoughtful and sweet memoir about an author and a dog who helped them through so many challenges in life.

This book deserves 10++++ stars!! I could not stop reading it!! An totally endearing and heartwarming story about a Edie who’s afraid of everything and her wonderful and loving “people” who will not give up on her! It’s a true and wonderful story about relationships and the love we give our dogs no matter what or who they are. Thank you for sharing your story!!

I absolutely loved this book! I found it hard to put down. I highly recommend reading it! You won’t be disappointed.

This book will appeal to people who liked John Grogan's Marley and Me or Willie Morris's My Dog Skip. It is not told from the dog's point of view, like The Art of Racing in the Rain, or A Dog's Purpose, or A Dog's Life, but readers who enjoyed any of those should also pick up this book.
This book could be subtitled Anatomy of Fear, but we never really discover the origins of Edie's fear. Some dogs (or people) are just "born that way."
I found it to be a thoughtful recounting of the lessons and mistakes made along the way by the humans in Edie's life. It is also a useful resource to other humans struggling with "less than ideal" dogs. That includes most of us.
It is a lesson in acknowledging and accepting others, human, canine, feline, etc. as they are.
It is a lesson in being grateful for differences and celebrating breakthroughs in those we are blessed to share life with.
It can also help open conversations with those who are involved with you and your own dog and your shared lives.

Fear is unpredictable. Just like depression it shows itself in various ways and not all methods, treatments or medications work the same for each biological unit.

Beyond the story about Edie and her fear, or Meredith and Jenn's coming to terms with the dog they share, this is a good story about life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love animal books. But I hate that so many of them involve the animal dying. I hope it’s not a spoiler to say that this is not one of those books—and that’s the first thing I love about this book!

I am an unabashed cat person, but I can definitely appreciate a good dog story. (I also appreciate that there was, in fact, a cat in this story as well.) This was a wonderful dog story—and also a wonderful people story. I’ve certainly heard my share of tales of pets with health issues, but not so much about those with psychological issues. It got me wondering—is there as much a stigma around animal mental health as human mental health? Everyone jokes about tricking their pets into taking pills—but what about when that pill is Prozac? So I guess the second thing I love about this book is that it sheds light on the emotional health needs of pets.

I think more and more people are recognizing that pets are as important to many people as their children. The women in this memoir are a middle-aged childless couple. They didn’t want children, and they got more than they bargained for when they adopted Edie. But while some might give up on a problem pet, they tried to solve the problem and keep the pet…and that is the crux of the story, so I’d better stop now before I really include any spoilers!

Just a couple more things I particularly loved/appreciated—a visit with a pet psychic, and the integration of the pandemic into the narrative.

To be fair, this book did not make me want to run out and adopt a golden retriever, but it did give me a new understanding of my “dog person” friends. If you are an animal lover, you will find much to love about this book.

Enjoyable heartwarming love story about trust and commitment. Couples adapt to change and learn about one another when challenged. Pets trust us to keep them safe, even when they are not easy to love.
Recommend.

This well-written memoir was occasionally hard for me to read. The author impulsively buys Edie, a golden retriever puppy, from a breeder. So many animals need loving homes; I am always saddened when someone chooses to buy a pet from a breeder. Worse, the author expects Edie to be just like her two previous golden retrievers. I don’t understand how someone can claim to be a dog person and not understand that each dog is an individual with their own needs and preferences. When Edie turns out to be highly sensitive with special needs related to her anxiety, the author describes her as “broken.” When she and her wife get frustrated at their inability to “fix” this sweet puppy, they actually discuss giving her up or having her euthanized.

On the plus side, the author shares her story in an honest and compelling way, including how she and her wife were both traumatized as children, and how that trauma may be affecting their relationship with each other and with Edie. The author keeps trying to help Edie and finds a team of people who can assist her. Eventually they learn to understand and trust each other, and that journey is an interesting and touching story.

Animal lovers and those who enjoy stories of personal growth will probably appreciate this.

I was provided an unproofed ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.

When experienced golden retriever owner Meredith adopts a new golden puppy named Edith with her wife Jen, she thinks it will be a piece of cake. She's owned two golden retrievers in the past, so what could possibly go wrong. But almost immediately, they notice that Edie is extremely anxious, fearful of many common objects and most situations outside of the house. Edie escapes in fear several times, when Meredith and Jen realize they have a very unique puppy on their hands. They do their research and try out all the tricks, CBD for dogs, puppy socialization, calming dog clothing, dog headphones, even a visit with a dog medium. But nothing seems to work.

This heartwarming memoir demonstrates the power of unconditional love, selflessness, and the bond between humans and animals.

After losing my beloved 14-year-old golden retriever, I was looking for a dog memoir to bring me comfort in my loss. I came across this memoir at the perfect time. I read this in two short sittings, and felt great comfort from it in my own loss. I appreciate Meredith's candor in sharing this story, even the parts that are unflattering and uncomfortable. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Edie is a golden retriever puppy who is afraid of nearly everything, including cars, sudden noises, thunderstorms, and doggy doors. Her puzzled owner, experienced with several raising golden retrievers, initially struggles to comprehend and empathize with Edie's bizarre behavior. Thankfully, together with her partner, they make the decision to stick it out and help Edie adjust to the world and in doing so are able to turn inward to change some of their preconceived notions about the moral obligations of animal companionship.

Loving Edie is an entertaining memoir with a heartfelt message of learning to overcome ingrained expectations to accept and help others through their struggles.

**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley**

We had a golden retriever who was terrified of thunderstorms. She destroyed doors trying to get through whenever a thunderstorm happened when we were not home.
The book Loving Edie is about another golden retriever with multiple fears. The author and her wife, themselves, had difficult childhoods. They searched many ways, people, medications, therapies to help Edie. Such a challenging emotional situation.
Thanks to Netgalley and Park Row Books for permitting me to read this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had some issues with this book. First, the book summary says they adopted Edie. To me there's a huge difference between adopting and buying from a breeder. I'm a huge proponent of adopt, don't shop.
Ok, now that I have that said, I was very put off by the author's feelings about getting basically a broken, defective puppy. All dogs are different, even those of the same breed. She expected quick fixes and I felt like she was trying to hard to make her puppy perfect, like her previous Golden's.
So the first half of this book was difficult for me to get through. I had to take breaks from it because it was making me so mad.
The second half of the book has its redeeming points and I started to really enjoy the book. I'm so happy attitudes changed and Edie could adapt to life at her pace. I'm also happy they didn't give up on Edie.

When Meredith finally convinces Jenn that it’s time to get another dog, they find Edie, a golden retriever puppy. Meredith expects Edie to be outgoing and adventurous just like her previous golden retrievers, but Edie is her own unique being. Edie is fearful of almost everything. As they seek answers to what’s “wrong” with Edie, they learn just how all consuming Edie’s fears are, but also learn ways to help her cope and become brave. Edie teaches them too, about acceptance and loving unconditionally. Edie is the luckiest dog on the planet to have Meredith and Jenn as parents! I don’t know how I would handle a dog with so much fear - especially if I didn’t know what was going on. The story was well told and kept my interest all the way through, and I hope I learned a few things from Edie’s story.

I love dogs and find I am more patient with them than with humans. This puppy suffered from horrible trauma, leaving him afraid of everything. The love and eternal patience in working with this dog. and of course, the family is wonderful. Stories like these affirm my love for animals and how much we can learn from working with them, when its easy and when its not.

What a wonderful read. What wonderful people. As someone whose dog has mild issues, I appreciate so much the patience and love they have for Edie. The book itself is well written, well-paced, informative and honest. Highest recommendations!!!

Loving Edie is about a dog who is deeply fearful in life. Her owners do everything they can to help Edie overcome her fears. This is one of those books where it was me and not the book. I didn't hate, but I also wasn't drawn into it. Having a fearful dog is also very relatable to me, as I have a very fearful mastiff that we have done a lot of work with. I also have another dog who we adopted from a shelter who had a very traumatic past who has come a long way. I really appreciated the dedication to Edie and trying to find her the best help that they could. There are also some very emotional sections of this book. Sadly, I just wasn't drawn in by the narration style. Again, I think it was me and not the book, as many people have already loved this book.

I would like to thank Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC.

I think it would be very tough for anyone to give this a low rating. It's about a very challenging situation and emotional throughout. I enjoyed this and deeply admire Edie's owners for their dedication and love. Recommended.

The cover photo alone got me. Who couldn't help but fall in love with Edie, the adorable dog. This book takes you on a journey of just how far the author and her partner will go, and are willing to sacrifice for this very anxious dog. Her fear is so intense that they will stop at nothing to fix Edie. This is truly about unselfishness and unconditional love. .

I, too, have adopted a dog with PTSD from her “prior life.” Like the author, I too chose to learn and do everything I could to help her thrive. It certainly wasn’t the easiest (or cheapest!) road, yet 12 years later she was worth every bit.
I loved this book. The dedication and heart that went into this lovely story are evident. I enjoyed the author’s writing, and it felt great to know that there are others out there willing to go many extra miles for a pet they chose as family.
Well worth the read. Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Loving Edie: How a Dog Afraid of Everything Taught Me to be Brave by Meredith May is, at once, a hard read and a wonderful one. Even though we all know the warnings about books with adorable dogs on their covers (and I have read enough of those books to know this urban legend developed honestly), I promise you can read Loving Edie without fearing how it ends.

That is not to say Edie’s story is an easy one to read. The description itself says, “Edie is an unusually anxious dog…Edie’s fears become so intense that Meredith and Jenn can’t leave the house.” If you love dogs, you will turn pages with trepidation. But the incredibly difficult days of many, many months make the loving and trusting family this threesome becomes so much more heart-melting than it would be otherwise.

Many thanks to @netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for granting my wish to read Loving Edie. I read it start to finish on a recent long plane ride, and my mask was definitely damp from happy tears. And while I get lost daily in books, they rarely bring me to actual tears. This one did. I can’t wait until it is published next April to add it to my shelf.

What a sweet girl, little Edie is. I've always had a dog in my life, and felt for this sweet girl who had so many fears. True dog lovers do what we need to do in order to make our fur-babies comfortable and secure, and Meredith May is a true dog person.