The Book
Title: THE THING IS
Genre: General Fiction/ Contemporary Fiction/ Women's Fiction / Romantic Comedy
PRINT Price: $14.99 USD
ISBN-13: 978-1940215587
ISBN-10: 1940215587
Can a woman mired deep in the throes of grief have her heart and soul rallied by a therapy dog named Prozac who possesses supernatural wisdom and a canine Mensa IQ?
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 even love—along the way.
THE THING IS—a perfect read for fans of General Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Romantic Comedy, and Dog and Pet Lovers!
The Author
Kathleen Gerard writes across genres. Her work has been awarded many literary prizes and has been published in magazines, journals, widely anthologized and broadcast on National Public Radio (NPR). Kathleen writes and reviews books for Shelf Awareness. Kathleen's woman-in-jeopardy novel, IN TRANSIT, won "Best Romantic Fiction" at the New York Book Festival. To learn more, visit www.kathleengerard.blogspot.com
The Review
Sometimes life throws things at us that we are not sure we know how to handle or if we are suited to do so. And such is life for Meredith, who, one day, suddenly finds herself responsible for a four-legged furball for the foreseeable future.
The thing is…she’s not a dog person.
In her latest novel, The Thing Is, Kathleen Gerard spins a delightful tale of humor and suspense, with a little bit of dog hair and drama. Meredith, a reclusive best-selling author, is chosen to care for Prozac – his person, Helen Hendrix, is convalescing in a home, recovering from a foot injury.
Meredith has absolutely no desire to take care of a dog, after all – she’s not a dog person. She doesn’t have the experience, the time, the ambition, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. She attempts every excuse she can muster until all attempts fail and she finds herself stuck with a five-pound terrier who has seemingly taken over her life.
After losing her fiancé one tragic evening a few years prior, she is resistant to even welcoming the pooch into her home, let alone her heart. Meredith quickly discovers that she is to not only feed, bathe, walk and care for a dog, she is to also adhere to his strict schedule as a therapy dog – Prozac spends a large portion of his life visiting and soothing the residents at Evergreen Gardens, a church turned assisted living facility.
Quickly finding herself amidst a whirlwind of octogenarian drama, suspense, and a lot of really good humor, she discovers that Prozac has a very rigorous schedule he must adhere to, for these residents take it very seriously. Weeks pass, hilarity ensues and then tragedy strikes – Prozac escapes.
This heartfelt novel is a definite page turner for anyone who has ever had the pleasure of loving a dog. There is something to be said for the unconditional love animals share with their human – even if it is unrequited. Prozac and Meredith find each other in depressing point in both their lives – Meredith, who has lost her person, her soulmate, her love. And Prozac, who has found himself alongside a self-proclaimed dog hater and is missing his person, his caretaker.
While it is often difficult to pick up a novel about animals – seeing as how most end in tragedy and leave the reader sobbing over the loss of a fictitious pet – this novel is a must read. Gerard has painted such a lovely story – the reader is tempted to laugh and cry all at once. Besides, Prozac tells part of the story, so we finally get to hear it from the dog’s point of view.
Guest Review by Kate Kelly
A copy of the book was provided for review purposes.
