The only thing fun and fluffy about this story are the dogs. There are three stories here, only connected loosely. An old man coming to terms with the death of his wife, a young man discovering love for the first time, and a woman and her son in a women's shelter, all have healing to do and issues to resolve. The dogs are the ones who are healthy and give comfort and support in return for a pat, food and a walk. Just shows how mixed up humans are, and how dogs may have the right idea after all!

This book left me in tears, in awe, and in fits of giggles - sometimes all at the same time. Waller gets under the skin of each character, so we almost know them better than they know themselves. Even the dogs have a voice - especially Fitz, who knows more about what he wants from life than his owner does. I loved it.

George is a lost soul. Bereft when his wife Ellen dies suddenly leaving behind a dog, Poppy, he neither asked for nor wanted and a friend who tries to care for him, despite his temper and bad manners.
Lizzie is bottled up in a shelter for abused women with her son Lenny, refusing to face her past or to prepare for her future. Alongside her walks Maud the shelter dog.
Dan is a counsellor, training to be an Iron man with his cousin Luke and helping others, whilst failing to deal with his own issues. Dan too has his companion Fitz.
Ericka Waller has produced a story which weaves the lives of her main protagonists with the lives of their dogs. I found it an interesting and enjoyable read. I write this with my Spaniel, Hattie, asleep at my feet and enjoy my own dog days.
(Review appeared on Good Reads)

This book took me through a whole host of emotions, imprinting on me yet again, how humans are such a tenacious, confusing and altogether complicated bunch.
First impressions are not always what they seem, people have stories locked deep inside themselves, sometimes, they do not even know where their own stories came from. Alongside all of this, there is the purity of a loving dog!
This story outlines the connections made between people and dogs, people and people, dogs and dogs.
I loved the swearing, the guilt, the secrets and the human/dog pairings.
A book every dog lover, or prospective owner should read, giving them a dogs eye view of the world, and their crazy human companions

Thank you to Netgalley, RandomHouse and Ericka Waller for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dog Days follows the stories of three different people, George a ‘grumpy’ old man, Dan a therapist and Lizzie who lives in a shelter for women who have escaped domestic abuse. The novel supposedly focuses on how dogs can teach us what it means to be human, and how to deal with love and loss. We start by focusing on the characters all in the same place, seemingly making it seem that by the end of the novel we will find out how they all know one another.

To be totally honest, I really did not like this book. I think it just didn't meet what I had exppected it to be based on the description and the cover. Starting out I immediately did not like the first character we’re introduced to, George. I love the Grumpy old men trope, I really do but to me grumpy old man does not mean just plain unlikeable, rude and homophobic. I really struggled to feel for his character at all and disliked him more and more as the book went on. I liked Dan’s character at the start and he was the saving grace for me, until he became extremely problematic in having a relationship with his patient. And not only a relationship, but it was instalove, whirlwind and made him completely oblivious to everything and everyone (meaning he forgot all of his training also).

There was supposedly a focus on the dogs and how they can teach us to be human, but I did not find that at all. To me, George learned how to be ‘human’ mainly from Betty and the letters from his dead wife, yes I think the dog helped as he had something depending on him but at the same time it wasn’t as clear as I would’ve liked, and by the end of the novel he had become even more unlikable than the beginning. With Dan, there was a clear and more relatable relationship with a dog but it seemed to have more focus at the beginning of the novel and then lose it as he began his whirlwind problematic relationship. In the case of Lizzie there was some clear dependence on the dog as a means of escape, and she did reflect on how the dog saw the world but it just wasn’t as well developed as I would have expected.

I liked the setting, as it is from near my hometown and my hometown was mentioned, so I could vividly imagine where they were and what the settings were like. I loved the exploration of Brighton. Especially in comparison to what George had remembered from the years prior.

The writing was okay, it was easy to read and I was able to read it quite quickly. As I said above, I liked and was familiar with the setting so it was really easy to place myself there. I also liked the way Waller wrote about mental health issues, I could really understand how the characters were feeling even if I didn't necessarily like them at all.

I liked the ending in a way, but at the same time the beginning of the book made it seem as if we would actually see the characters know one another, and in the case of Lizzie and Luke (and therefore Dan) this was clear, however this was not as clear for George who seemingly did not know the others (unless you count actually committing a hate crime against one character). All of the issues that had come up throughout the course of the novel seemed to be water under the bridge, from abuse to hate crimes. I liked the tie back to the beacon and everyone being there, but it did seem a little unnecessary.

Ultimately, this book was not for me. I really didn’t gel with it and found a lot of aspects of it extremely problematic, and some things were just glossed over and forgotten about in a way I just couldn’t ignore. There should have been some serious consequences for some of the characters, professionally and not that just didn’t happen, and it wasn’t realistic to me. I guess some aspects were realistic as often things are not followed up in the specific cases of Lizzie and George, but ultimately all of the main characters managed to be awful without any consequence.

This is one of those books that left me thinking "mmm what did I think of that then?".

Dog Days is about three main characters - Lizzy; a seemingly abused wife living in a shelter with her young son. Dan; a therapist who suffers from OCD and is struggling to come to terms with his sexuality and finally George; a widower who is struggling after the death of his wife.

I started off not really liking it. I found there was a lot of characters (& dogs!) and I didnt really find many of them likeable. However as their stories progressed I warmed to them. George in particular is hard to like at the begining as he is so rude, but scratch the surface and understand that he is acting this way because of his grief and you really start to feel for him. Similarly with Dan, who I thought was a bit cold and boring at the start but when he meets Atticus and you see him struggling to accept his sexuality, then I started to warm to him. With Lizzy I actually liked her from the start however I did think that there was going to be a twist to her story as it just never seemed as straightforward as it sounded. I actually found myself really disliking her the more her story unravelled but again when presented with all the information and seeing how she corrects herself, I was happy that she seemed to get her happy ending.

I actually found that the most interesting characters were the three that were the accompanying characters. I would have loved to hear more about Luke, Betty and Atticus as there seemed to be much more to discover about them.

Although I wouldnt say I loved this book it kept me interested all the way through and left me thinking, what if..., I wonder what happened to.... and it shocked me on a couple of occasions which I think is enough to earn it four stars.

I was given this book via the publishers and Netgalley.

I found this book a little slow going. Although I am a dog lover and I could enjoy the love these dogs shared with their owners I was rather frustrated with how the story was written. It follows three individuals who all have mental health issues affecting them in different ways. They live in the same locality and there are tenuous links between them. I found that just as I was interested in following one person, the writer switched to another character and so on, jumping back and forth as the book progressed. This annoyed me, although I can see why it was perhaps presented this way. The story developed slowly and the the outcomes for each character were different and somewhat unexpected. I won't spoil it for others by saying too much.

It took me a while to become involved but one into the story I really enjoyed it. This book brought out great sadness as well as much humour. There were complications with wanting to be seen as people expected you to be but at the same time inside feeling a complete turmoil of conflicting emotions. George gave the impression he did not care and challenged everything, often in a very unpleasant but at times extremely amusing way. However slowly little things slipped in to show his softer kinder side. The turn of events in Lizzie’s life took me by surprise.
A relationship between humans and dogs is brought out strongly in this book. I felt the writer brought a clear understanding of the importance the dogs had by incorporating their fantastic bond with the three main characters. It also focused on the support of dogs to those with mental health and life struggles with how each of them gained a great deal by having the dogs in their lives.

I thought this would be completely about dogs and was pleasantly surprised to find that the author understands dogs and people. This is a gentle’ish story about mental health in its many forms and superbly linked with dogs and the benefits this friendship between humans and canines brings. As a long time dog lover and dog owner (sadly my best friend died, a very good age for a german shepherd) I am well aware of the physical and emotional benefits dog owning has. Now with the crisis in depression and obesity issues many people now have perhaps if government ministers read this all dogs and their upkeep cost would be on the National Health. Thank you ( I thank! i now feel the urge to replace my friend ) Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book, I have an affection for all dogs and dogs were certainly a central theme for the novel. However, the characters and individual situations of George, Lizzie and Dan were very different and interestingly described and told, being woven together in a very thought provoking way, making this a much more interesting read than I first thought it would be. It was a bit of a page turner as the three stories running at the same time kept you wanting to know the outcome. Not necessarily a happy ending for each character, but an understandable one and one which can be accepted. The character's dogs all played their part in giving their owners unconditional love and support, helping to alleviate their unhappy times. Owners of dogs know just how stress relieving a dog can be!

Dog Days - Ericka Waller

From the cover I was expecting a light hearted read, but this book definitely still packed a punch. I liked the way the writer splits the books chapters between the three main characters, as it helped me to flow through the book easier. I did find George a little too rude on occasion but his personality did grow on me eventually. Being a huge dog lover I was super excited to be approved for this book, and enjoyed how it focuses on how helpful and important our relationships with our furry friends are to our mental health.

Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for letting me give this one a go

I absolutely loved this book so much. The characters are wonderful, the settings are brilliant and there are a few twists that you won't spot until you're almost on top of them.

The story follows several different -very different- characters who all know of each other or are all slightly linked in some way. Some of these connections strengthen and for others, the characters flit in and out only briefly.

Dogs feature hugely in this book and the author has written them and their personalities with as much care and detail as the human characters.

The characters are wonderful and I was frequently reminded of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows, because of the incredible way that both books contain such distinctive individual characters. I was also reminded of another favourite book of mine, Brideshead Revisited, by two of the characters.

A huge part of this book is the humour, which is a considerable achievement when you realise how much grief and sadness is in this book. I would challenge anyone not to laugh, cry and laugh again at George's chapters.

This is a beautiful, funny, sad book and I highly recommend reading it.

This is a superb read, one that is amusing and life-like in many ways, and also tinged with sadness - quite a lot of it, in fact.

Essentially, the novel has three strands: the story of cantankerous, curmudgeonly George, who is on a self-destruction journey as part of the grieving process for dealing with his wife, Ellen's, death; Lizzie, who is living at a women's shelter with her young son, Lenny, after running away from an abusive relationship; and Dan, an in-the-closet counsellor who falls madly in love with a client, Atticus. What links all three stories, aside from connections they unknowingly have, in Rottingdean, near Brighton, is that each has a dog companion - and each dog has a significant role to play in the characters' lives.

Waller balances funny incidents, such as the way George's neighbour, Betty, muscles her way into his life and shrugs off his insults and humiliations, alongside some horrific tragedy. All characters are traumatised, in different ways, and this is a story about rising above it, of letting others into your life to help, regardless of whether one wants this or not.

'Dog Days' is a perfect novel for our troubled times. I don't want to say it's 'feel good' - in many ways it isn't - but it does give one plenty to think about, as well as distractions, and I feel sure it will be a spring-time success when it is published. Thank you, Ericka Waller!

I absolutely adored this book, it wasnt what i was expecting at all but it got me from the beginning. I loved all the characters and found myself not wanting to wait to find out what happened to them. I also didnt want it to end, i could have read about them forever

What a lovely book. I really enjoyed this as it had the right amount of amusement with some serious background, it felt a breath of fresh air to me, sometimes I felt I was out walking a dog. The author has created each of her main characters as lonely or sad but this did not overwhelm the story, from the beginning I had no idea how this book would develop, I tried to think out different scenarios, almost as though I was writing it.
I couldn't really predict how things would progress, or whether there be a happy ending but I always felt that I wanted to come back and read some more. I think this is a time in my life when my reading habits and tastes have changed. Somehow this book ticked all the boxes, a serious thread, spread with some humour and everyday occurrences. I am not a 'dog' person having had cats all my life, so I was surprised that I could relate so easily, thank you Ericka Waller

After a fairly slow start to this book - I blame Christmas! I finally got it finished.

It was a fairly slow starter but the end was great.

Following the lives of Lizzie, Dan and George through heartbreak, love and moving on made the start of 2021 much more bearable.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC

This is a beautifully written book full of very human and flawed characters who are both interesting and likeable because of these natural flaws that make them all the more human. At times sad and often perceptively funny the story flows really well and is very readable. An exploration of relationships between the most unlikely of people which is bridged by their relationships with their dogs. A very well deserved 5 stars.

Dog Dogs by Ericka Waller. The book was interesting. However, as it was regarding different people you had to remember what had happened previously. I enjoyed reading it in the evening, it was entertaining what the people got up to, and there was twist in the story lines. Looking forward to reading more books from Ericka Waller in the future.

This is a beautiful book, covering themes of love and loss, life and death, accompanied by a whole cast of man’s best friends.

I chose this as I am a dog lover, and the story reflected the kindness of our four legged friends, supporting us through our best, and worst moments.

I felt thoroughly invested in the characters, at first it was hard to love some of them, particularly George, a cantankerous widower who, caught up in grief, doesn’t have a good word to say about anyone, and who isn’t kind to his daschhund puppy.

We also meet Lizzie and her son, who have fled to a women’s refuge. But what is she running away from?

And we can’t forget Dan, and his burgeoning feelings for the sophisticated and flamboyant Atticus.

I loved this book, was captured within its pages and would definitely recommend it. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I requested this from NetGalley expecting quite a light-hearted, warm tale of how dogs improved the lives of the three people in the blurb; that's not quite what I got. Don't get me wrong, the book wasn't bad or anything, but I do think it should come with a trigger warning of some description. It goes a lot deeper than you expect it to and for anxious readers like myself, the topics may touch an unanticipated nerve.

The book felt well-written to me, which is the reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 2. The language kept me interested at points where the characters were struggling to. The flow between the three character stories (one chapter for each on a loop) was handled well and I didn't struggle to switch between the storylines because the chapters were kept short enough that it was only a handful of pages since I'd last read about that particular character.

Given the title of the book, I expected the dogs to play a very central part in the story, but this only really rang true for me in George's story. I genuinely felt that George's dog Poppy changed his life in some way, whereas for Dan and Lizzie they were just in the periphery while their main stories played out.

It was an interesting enough read, considering that it's not the type of book that I normally go for, but it didn't keep me gripped, nor was I sad when it ended.