Kathleen Gerard - The Thing Is - Review & Giveaway

About the Book

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!



My Review

I never really thought about what the world must look like from a dog's perspective. But after reading the dog-centric chapters of Kathleen Gerard's new book, I now have a really good idea. Talk about living with all five senses turned up to the max. I don't know how they do it! Their noses are so sharp they can detect what we last had to eat. They feel every fiber of the carpet as they rub their backs across it. But it's a sobering reality that the majority of the time our furry, four-legged friends are at the mercy of us humans, as the surprise ending demonstrates. Thankfully, for the most part, they usually know how to outsmart us.

Especially when you're a doggie genius like Prozac the Yorkie. I laughed every time he'd run under the couch (or under the bed), thinking he was out of sight, even though his little tail would still be sticking out. But the kicker was that he always ran for cover whenever Meredith had to take him somewhere. The little bugger knew just what he was doing. Knowing how depressed she was, he wanted to get her to react to him in any way possible. I couldn't blame him for misbehaving. He didn't want to become yet another household chore on her to-do list. He wanted her to pay attention to him and love on him by giving him a pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears. He was out to wake her up and get her to see what was right in front of her face instead of living inside her head so much.

Being a dog owner myself it made me stop and think about how my dog may be viewing me (especially when I'm tired or in a hurry or not in the mood to play with him), and it made me strive to be better with him. Although I spoil him to no end, it made me want to shower him with as much TLC as I possibly can while he's still with me (and not with Galileo, Michelangelo, Joan Rivers or wherever he's going next … Not sure what I'm getting at? Then that's why you HAVE to read this book, just to broaden your perspective on what love is.) Thanks Prozac for reminding me that dog lives are short and I need to cherish every single moment with my little spirit guide while I have him.

***

The Thing Is can be purchased at:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
iTunes

Prices/Formats: $5.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Pages: 299
Release: February 9, 2016
Publisher: Red Adept
ISBN: 9781940215587
Click to add to your Goodreads list.


About 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.

Links to connect with Kathleen:
Web Site
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Blog
Blog Tour Site


About the Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway