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beate251 's review for:
The Good Boy
by Stella Hayward
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for this ARC.
On her thirtieth birthday, Genie's present from her Nonna Maria, a fortune teller, is a wish, to be made at midnight. Genie doesn't believe in her Nonna's magic so when she later wishes that her Golden Retriever Rory was a man, she is not prepared to find a naked man in her flat the next morning.
Miles next door is one of her oldest friends and together they try to help Rory in his new form, but he just wants to be a dog again. Nonna Maria's explanation that the wish is permanent is not taken well by all parties but then she thinks that if Genie works at herself and gets her mojo back after some at first unexplained trauma, it might happen. To be frank, that just sounded like manipulation to me.
Miles and Genie dance around their feelings for each other, with Genie strenuously denying them. She gets jealous though when Claudia-from-work who is called Claudia-from work so persistently that she starts calling herself Claudia-from-work, starts showing interest in Miles.
The book is quite funny and the best scenes all have Rory in them, the typical hole digging, shoe chewing, ball chasing, endlessly hungry man-dog with Golden Retriever energy. However, Rory is also kind, loving and gives unexpectedly deep and sound advice. He really is the goodest boy!
The magical realism and the side characters are fun, although the ending felt a bit like cheating. However, I liked how Genie had to work on herself, practice forgiveness and restart her dreams. I also cheered when the animal abuser was taken down!
I was a bit annoyed with Genie though for taking so long with Miles. I'm also not too fond of breaking the fourth wall by addressing the reader. Also, Stella Hayward, the pseudonym for Rowan Coleman, is an English author and I would have therefore expected British English to be used. I have rectified that in the quote. All in all, it's a cute, non romance-centred story about healing, friendship and love for pets.
"You have never been styled until you’ve been styled by a dog with an eye for colour."
On her thirtieth birthday, Genie's present from her Nonna Maria, a fortune teller, is a wish, to be made at midnight. Genie doesn't believe in her Nonna's magic so when she later wishes that her Golden Retriever Rory was a man, she is not prepared to find a naked man in her flat the next morning.
Miles next door is one of her oldest friends and together they try to help Rory in his new form, but he just wants to be a dog again. Nonna Maria's explanation that the wish is permanent is not taken well by all parties but then she thinks that if Genie works at herself and gets her mojo back after some at first unexplained trauma, it might happen. To be frank, that just sounded like manipulation to me.
Miles and Genie dance around their feelings for each other, with Genie strenuously denying them. She gets jealous though when Claudia-from-work who is called Claudia-from work so persistently that she starts calling herself Claudia-from-work, starts showing interest in Miles.
The book is quite funny and the best scenes all have Rory in them, the typical hole digging, shoe chewing, ball chasing, endlessly hungry man-dog with Golden Retriever energy. However, Rory is also kind, loving and gives unexpectedly deep and sound advice. He really is the goodest boy!
The magical realism and the side characters are fun, although the ending felt a bit like cheating. However, I liked how Genie had to work on herself, practice forgiveness and restart her dreams. I also cheered when the animal abuser was taken down!
I was a bit annoyed with Genie though for taking so long with Miles. I'm also not too fond of breaking the fourth wall by addressing the reader. Also, Stella Hayward, the pseudonym for Rowan Coleman, is an English author and I would have therefore expected British English to be used. I have rectified that in the quote. All in all, it's a cute, non romance-centred story about healing, friendship and love for pets.
"You have never been styled until you’ve been styled by a dog with an eye for colour."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Mental illness, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment