The Thing Is

Meredith Mancuso is depressed. Ever since the death of her fiancé, she has shrunk from the world. Even with her successful writing career, she's not motivated to work. When her sister, Monica, begs for a favor, Meredith wants nothing more than to say no. But she’s ultimately roped into pet-sitting an orphaned Yorkshire terrier named Prozac.

Blessed with spiritual wisdom and a high IQ, Prozac is an active pet therapy dog. To heal broken-hearted Meredith, he rallies his fan club at Evergreen Gardens, an independent living facility, where he visits each week.

Prozac and the community of resilient older folks challenged by losses of their own propel Meredith, often against her will, back into the land of the living. Meredith learns that most people carry some sort of burden, but it's still possible to find meaning, purpose, and joy—and sometimes, even love—along the way.

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

Dogs have always seemed like part of the family to me. I've had at least one pet dog since I was a little girl and my parents bred Dalmatians. However, I tend to stay away from pet focused novels because they seem to end in tragedy and tears. The Thing Is by Kathleen Gerard may certainly bring tears to a few readers, hopefully the reaction will be caused by the uplifting and heartfelt storyline.

 

Meredith and Prozac are the main characters of this novel. Meredith is a woman who lost the love of her life to a one-in-a-million situation and now she can't move on. She's incredibly depressed, has no idea who she is anymore, and hides herself from the world. Readers will sympathize with Meredith undoubtedly. It's heartbreaking to hear about those things happening, even more so when you get all the details. Readers will definitely be praying for Meredith to find peace with what has happened and move back into the world of the living. And Prozac will certainly help with that.

 

Prozac is a cute little terrier who works as a Therapy Dog and some of the book is written from his point of view, which was quite a new perspective for me. Prozac is an intelligent dog who has been around the block for the last thousand years or more. He's been reincarnated so many times it's hard to keep track, but he works hard to complete his missions, even if he doesn't know what those missions are exactly. Readers will certainly like Prozac's personality, they may even laugh a little at his antics. They'll also see how much good Meredith is getting from Prozac, though she doesn't know it herself.

 

The novel begins with the night Kyle is killed and then jumps forward a few years to Meredith's depression. When Prozac's owner hurts her foot, Meredith is inadvertently volunteered for the job of taking care of him. Though she doesn't like dogs and is much too busy, Meredith does end up taking care of Prozac, who guides her back to her life. The book as a whole is quite inspirational and an easy one to read. The only thing I didn't like was how a few of the characters treated each other, especially Judge Thea. Though, I suppose the story has to have a villain. The ending was also a little sad, but with more focus on the good than the bad. It definitely made me hug my dog a little tighter afterwards and made me want to share a picture of her with all of you.

 

 

 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

What's Next, Wednesday (3)

 

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

 

I'm looking forward to...

 

Tessarae: A Memoir of Two Summers by Mathias B Freese

 

Freese is writer of beautiful prose and ironic mischief. I've reviewed one of his books before and this one just came out so of course I want to get my hands on it. Encompassing distance and time and friends and family this book promises to share a deep understanding with its readers.

Teaser Tuesday (210)



Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm/Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers



The Thing Is (Kindle 72%)
     - Kathleen Gerard

My life with Meredith had been no picnic, but how could she do that to me? How could she let Helen down and cast me off into the surrendered dog system--only to be snatched up someday and cared for by a perfect stranger?

Mabel Crowley: Book One

Mabel Crowley, the only child of a wealthy English banker, wants nothing more than to be rid of her last name and wed her first love, stable-boy Charlie Archer, whose own hopes reside in becoming a partner in his father’s livery yard. Her parents forbid the union and whisk the impulsive child away to Bath so that she might forget her troubles. Distraught and vowing that she will never love again, Mabel impulsively accepts a teaching position while on vacation in Bath, certain that this will ensure her spinsterhood and prove her undying love for Charlie.

Irene Hartley, a five-year-old student desperately in love with her new teacher, persuades her parents to offer Mabel a position as governess to their growing brood. Her father is Theodore Hartley, the obscenely wealthy and renowned railroad tycoon. Theodore sees how his daughter has grown attached to Mabel, and after his wife dies in childbirth, he makes Mabel an offer of a permanent nature to make his eldest daughter happy. Still madly in love with Charlie, Mabel returns home to find out whether he has carried the same love in his heart in the years they’ve been apart. She finds him boarding a train, in uniform, ready to serve his country in World War I. Will she act once again on impulse, or will she make her decision based on hope for her future?

 

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

E.H. Nolan begins an epic tale of love and sacrifice with Mabel Crowley: Book One. Finding one's first love is always a life changing experience, but when it's true, that love never ends. Mabel and Charlie grew close as children and fell in love shortly thereafter. The differences in their social stations stopped them from joining their lives and each of them regret that decision every day.

 

Mabel Crowley is an emotional young girl at the beginning of the book. She has fanciful whims that often lead to passionate focus. She falls in love with Charlie and fears it is unreciprocated while her parents push her to understand that he's beneath her in social status. Readers will witness Mabel's growth into an intelligent young woman in this first book. Through heartbreak, Mabel finds that teaching is a respectable and fulfilling position. Readers will enjoy her love for children and understand her decision to remain unmarried, though we all hope she'll end up with Charlie in the end. As Mabel turns from teacher to governess, readers see her blossom into a loving and deeply caring woman. This lays a strong foundation that book two will surely build upon.

 

Since Charlie fell in love with Mabel, he's had eyes for no one else. Charlie is the heir of Archer and Sons, a business that boards horses and offers riding lessons. Charlie is a down to earth gentleman, focused and level-headed. Mabel is the only woman he has ever wanted but he's convinced himself that she's married and happy and has forgotten all about him. Readers will understand this line of thinking as it offers Charlie a chance to move on, but we know the truth. It seems that Mabel and Charlie are meant to be but will Nolan write them together or are the next installments filled with more heartache?

 

The love story of Mabel and Charlie seems doomed at the end of book one, but readers will be hoping for a miracle. After tragedy strikes, Mabel is offered a position to inherit a fortune and three children. It seems perfect but it comes with heavy stipulations. Meanwhile, Charlie is off to war to defend his country. Surely if there are four more books then Charlie doesn't meet death like everyone believes he will. The cliffhanger ending certainly adds an air of mystery and nervousness to the novel. The only thing I didn't like about the story is that I felt like it was being told to me instead of making me feel like I was part of it. The writing style is clear and concise, without a lot of flair or dramatics. Readers who enjoy easy reads with simple semantics will like Mabel Crowley as it has just enough action to keep readers engaged and a love story that resonates with many.

 

Rating: 3/5 Cups