After reading and enjoying a cat-centered book last month, I kind of felt like I owed the boys this one. And seriously, you all know there is no way I could resist an adult book told from a canine POV right?

Teddy has lived with his "girlfriend" Maggie for almost a year. During that time, Maggie as worked from home, so she and Teddy spend every waking moment together. But suddenly, Teddy's perfect life takes a turn for the worse. Maggie's "friend" Charlie who Teddy despises has moved in, and Maggie gets a job, and he finds himself in Doggy Daycare every day. Then one day Maggie vanishes. Teddy is sure Charlie has murdered her and sets out with his daycare friends and his other best friend Patrick to find out what has happened. Along the way, Teddy makes a few discoveries which shake him to the core including some animal instincts which he didn't even know he possessed.

While this book sounds really darn cute, don't be fooled. Even though told from Teddy's POV, the author handles some serious topics and manages to delve into the lives of Maggie's found family. Clearly the author is highlighting how important pets are to so many people but also looks at it from the dog's POV showing just how extreme some people can be (yep, me, I'm one of those extreme ones 😂).

But let me share one of my favorite things about this book - Bo. Bo is an abused pit-bull that attends Teddy's daycare. Bo and Teddy get off on the wrong paw and despite numerous warnings, Teddy continues to get on Bo's bad side. However, Teddy learns over the course of the book why Bo is so negative and why he is so skeptical of the humans Teddy holds so dear. At one point I thought Teddy was a goner because he was a stubborn little thing and kept asking Bo how to get rid of Charlie. And by get rid of, I mean kill.

Overall, this was a wonderful read, and I recommend it to anyone who loves dogs and loves to spoil their four-legged family members. It may be too much to ask but I really hope the author continues with this writing style and gives us a book featuring more of Bo's story.

Great fun for dog lovers everywhere! A likely true take on what they might be thinking and saying, and their perceptions of us and the world around them. Yep, not sure mine knows she's a dog either - but either way loved and spoiled and part of the family. A fun and light read for sure.

Meet Teddy and his girlfriend/soul-mate Maggie. They have a loving and close relationship, cohabitating and spending all of their time together. But...Ted not only doesn't know he's a dog, he also doesn't know he's a pet. Add Maggie's human boyfriend/interloper Charlie into the mix, and Teddy has a hard time controlling himself. And poor Teddy's emotions are completely upended when he learns Maggie is returning to office work and destroying their previously idyllic work-from-home codependent existence. Then it's just one existential crisis after another for Teddy as his life keeps changing without warning and he tries to make sense out of his world. This was a cute premise and a quick read that was cleverly done, written almost exclusively from Teddy's POV. It was easy to get swept up in Teddy's version of events, there was both humor and angst and I felt for him in his confusion and worry over what happens to Maggie. I will say it was darker in parts than I expected, and it got a little unsettling at one point as Teddy really struggles with his feelings. (Pay attention to any content warnings.) While I do think it was clever to switch perspectives from a "two-legger" to a "four-legger" POV, the "non-human-but-thinks-he's-a-human" gimmick started to wear a little thin over the course of the book, although I did generally enjoy Teddy's perspective. I think this is a great book for dog lovers, or for those who have ever wondered what dogs really think of their lives and those around them. 3.5 stars. Publishes June 13, 2025. This review was based on a complimentary eARC, all opinions are my own.

3.5/5 Stars

Okay, this book?? Hilarious, surprisingly emotional, and way deeper than I expected.

Unnatural Selection is told entirely from the POV of Teddy—a dog who is very convinced he's not just a dog. He drinks puppacinos, wears outfits, and honestly thinks he’s just a short, hairy human with an excellent sense of style. He's also dramatic, overanalyzes everything, and has major main character energy. I adored him.

But when his beloved owner Maggie disappears, Teddy is suddenly stuck with a very shady man he knows is up to something. So, he decides to solve the mystery himself—which goes about as well as you’d expect for a dog with no thumbs and a flair for the dramatic. Along the way, he starts questioning everything from his identity to why he even likes puppacinos. (Seriously, that existential puppacino crisis had me wheezing.)

The story is both funny and genuinely heartfelt. It pokes fun at the way we treat pets like little humans, but it also explores some pretty real themes—loyalty, love, trauma, and what it means to belong. And the best part? Teddy is an unreliable narrator, which makes everything 10x more entertaining.

Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for something heartfelt, weird, and unexpectedly brilliant.

Thank you to Victory editing and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my review.

This book had me feeling all emotions, I laughed and I cried. Any dog lover and owner will have their heart strings pulled while reading.

This book is told from the perspective of Teddy (a dog) as he goes through life in New York. The author captures the thought process of a dog so clearly- it’s exacting how I imagine my dogs perceive everyday life and how confusing it must be to them.

I wasn’t sure what I would think when I first started reading but this really is a great read for animal lovers and a very unique take on a dogs life!

Teddy is a dog but not just any dog, he a very special boy that portrays traits that are much more human and engaging than just doing normal doggy activities of daily walks and fetching balls. Teddy’s love for his owner Maggie goes much deeper, his insights into Maggie’s world are truly remarkable. When Maggie disappears Teddy's life is thrown into chaos and he is determined to find out the truth behind her disappearance.

To enjoy this book, you just need to go with it as it will be completely different to anything you have ever read before, and you need to open your mind and heart to enjoy it. A light-hearted that I do recommend if you are looking for something different. 3.5 stars rounded up

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to Victory Editing (part of NetGalley, who I also extend a sincere thank you to) for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Unnatural Selection is absolutely adorable and sure to be a hit amongst fellow dog lovers. Told from the perspective of Teddy, a teddy bear of a puppy, but interspersed with communications (text, emails) between the humans in Teddy’s life, this book did a great job of imagining a dog’s point of view while having a plot that had plenty of tension from the human’s as well.

Teddy is the pampered dog of Maggie, who he is in love with. Like actually in love since he believes dogs are partners with their humans and in fact not dogs, but one species. He has a best (dog) friend Patrick who is wise, but even Patrick can’t help him when he goes through a series of traumatic events, from his nemesis Charlie moving in with Maggie, Maggie getting a non remote new job that places Teddy in doggy day care, and Maggie disappearing one day - at the suspected hands of Charlie, just to name a few. Teddy starts to experience dissociative episodes and in his search for the truth stumbles upon even bigger discoveries that will change the course of his life.

As mentioned, this was a treat. Imagining a view point of a dog has been tried before but not to this level of cuteness and ingenuity. Teddy isn’t alone but surrounded by his dog friends, so we get to see what they think of their lives and the happenings of their ‘partners’ along with the mystery that surrounds poor Teddy. I absolutely loved how Coco Cooper wrote a story that was both believable for pets and human, funny and emotionally fulfilling, and wrapped up so perfectly.

i was smiling and surprisingly emotional in parts through this book. not because it made me cry in a bad way. but just how overwhelmingly lovely it was. and i think being a dog lover of epic proportions it just felt like coming home to a book and a dog. and every time Teddy did something it reminded me hugely of the love for my own and how truly beyond in love humans can be with their dogs and in return the dogs with their owners. the friendship, best friendship and love is just the same if not better than any human one. and so this book has me smiling all the way through. not only because of what Teddy was saying and doing but also it bringing up what i often thought my own dog or other dogs might be thinking lol.
Teddy loves his owner. he likes even more that she works from home. but what Teddy isnt so sure of is his owner Maggie's boyfriend. ugh Charlie. when Maggie goes missing Teddy world is turned upside down. where, why, how is she not here with him anymore. and grrrrr what has Charlie got to do with it? so with the help of both other dogs and other human characters we delve into Teddy need to find Maggie. it takes Teddy on a life questioning and learning journey through both people and animals.
this is thought provoking and thoughtful book. i was taken in by all the characters and just wanted to sit down and take in this snuggly hug of a book.
there was a lot behind this book. it felt like it could open up lots of questions in a book club or amongst friend, or even like me when the covers closed you sit and ponder things for a while yourself.

Teddy dotes on his human mom, Maggie. He loves that she works from home as she is always around. Life is comfy. But Teddy doesn't feel the same about her boyfriend, Charlie. Life circumstances change and Teddy meets other dogs with whom he can communicate in their special way. Suddenly, Maggie disappears leaving Teddy reeling, confused and questioning life. He seeks love in other things and discovers more about himself, other animals, and humans on his journey. He discovers the meaning of family and home. To me his search is allegorical.

The adorable story is narrated by Teddy interspersed with chapters told by human characters, including hilarious email and text exchanges which made me chuckle out loud. The HR emails killed me! I'm giggling just typing this. What stands out to me most as a passionate dog owner is the depth of love and adoration and loyalty between humans and their dogs, a very special kind of relationship. As Teddy says, his people chose to love him. That hit my heart. This was a fantastic book which would appeal to animal people in particular. My only quibble is unnecessary language which felt out of place. Otherwise, the writing is gorgeous and thoughtful with an excellent balance of light and deep topics, simultaneously heartwarming and thought provoking.

Wow, what a book. Upon starting it, I wasn't really sure what to expect. Unnatural Selection focuses on the point of view of a dog, Teddy, who has a wild (and somewhat realistic) imagination. The book is the personification of a dog, allowing the reader to indulge in what it may be like to be one. While certain elements are unexplainable to them, Teddy has an abundance of somewhat misguided information. When his owner Maddie disappears, Teddy begins to question the cause and indulges in wild conspiracies. As the reader, you have an omniscient perspective and understand why everything is happening. It was a fun and wild ride to witness Teddy work it out. All in all, Coco Cooper creates a funny story with characters with distinct personalities, making an enjoyable read. I finished the book in two-three days, found myself giggling, and didn't feel bored once.

If you ever wonder what it would be like to be a dog, I definitely would recommend! A silly story, with a fascinating premise, from a silly narrator.

Thank you for the ARC! It was a pleasure to read it :)