Book 2

Walking In Circles Before Lying Down
by Merrill Markoe

I thought this was a cute, quick read. I finished it in two evenings (although it probaly could have been a Satuday afternoon read as well). I cried twice, which is something that books really don't do for me. I think it was due to the subject matter of a beloved dog though.

The story is about Dawn who is more then unlucky in love. Don't I know that feeling. After a string of bad husbands and bad boyfriends, Dawn finds a stray dog tied up in front of a store and left behind. She adopts this dog whose only identifier is the name on a tag, Swentzle. (Horrible name for a dog BTW, don't do it.) Swentzle gives her comfort and starts her on a path that includes house sitting for the quasi-famous and working at a vet's doggy daycare. After Swentzle leaves her life, she adopts a cute pitbull puppy named Chuck. It's during this time she is dating a loser that thinks dogs should sleep in the hallway. If a man ever came into my house demanding that my dogs sleep anywhere other then the bed where they have been sleeping their entire lives he would need to hit the road. My dogs were here before him and will be here after he's gone, yet I digress. After being dumped by said loser, Chuck (and all dogs) begin communicating with Dawn. (I wish this would happen to me!) Dawn's conversations with Chuck are hilarious. Chuck takes it upon himself to be the alpha and find Dawn a new man. Chuck also thinks that all problems can be solved by throwing the ball for him. Chuck and company's antics make for some funny moments. This was a fun book. I give it 8 out of 10.

So now everytime I'm feeling down and my pup puts her ball in my lap to play, I'll know she just wants me to smile. :)