This book is an absolute gem! Genie’s chaotic journey from wishing for a human dog to navigating the complexities of love and friendship is both hilarious and heartwarming. The transformation of Rory into a man brings all the playful charm of a golden retriever, endearing yet utterly clueless. Watching Genie and Miles work together to reverse her wish unfolds with delightful banter and unexpected chemistry. It’s a captivating reminder that sometimes the solutions to our problems are right under our noses or in this case, in our hearts. If you’re looking for a magical romance that’s as funny as it is sweet, this one will leave you grinning from ear to ear!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Good Boy reads in its blurb as a lighthearted rom-com-fantasy and while it’s largely that it also has its very intense and emotional moments. While I’m not a spoiler I think it’s critical to include trigger warnings for those topics that are very sensitive. For that reason I’m including in my review that if you have experienced infant loss and are not close to ready to reading about it, even when included in a funny book, or if you are upset by this, give this a miss. I can see readers gravitating towards The Good Boy for the escapism promised in the blurb and you should know that your enjoyment will be soured if you’re not ready for this.

Outside of that, this story was often times funny and had a witchy streak I didn’t expect, but enjoyed. Genie has shut herself off from the world following some hard times in her past and her closest companion is her dog, Rory, and her neighbor, Miles. When a wish goes awry and Rory turns into a human adult man, Genie is forced to come to terms with her past and her arrested future as well as her feelings for Miles.

I enjoyed the comedy which was sure to come with the premise around a dog turned human (and said dog’s feelings towards the cat next door). That said Rory the human was infantilised. He’s a 5 year old dog but a 35 year old man so that’s a weird mix (personally I always imagine my dog as a baby even if he is 60 or so years old in dog years - I’d want him to become a human NOT at his dog year age). There were parts that dragged a bit but they were offset by charming parts of the book as well (largely driven by Rory and the magic in Genie’s family).

If you’d like a very comedic and fantasy book this will give you a sample of the genre before more serious fare, but be aware that it’s not all light and breezy, as it does contain a seriously triggering subject to those looking to pick this up to get away from real life.

This was pure fluff at its finest and I absolutely had such a good time reading this! This is exactly what you think it is but more adorable lol