Reviews: Lost Dog (8)

Kate wants to change her daily routine of casual drink and drug use whilst writing the odd article for numerous lifestyle magazines. She lives with her partner Charlie in a fashionable part of London (but not so fashionable flat) and their relationship could be best described as tolerable. Into her life comes Wolfy a cross lurcher with shaggy dog features loveable and needy, the perfect companion for Kate to turn all her affections "what an unequalled joy it was to love and be loved with no conditions, even by a dumb animal" One day whilst leaving Wolfy in the watchful hands of her brother, Wolfy it would appear, decides he has no further need for his affectionate yet annoying(my opinion) owner and does a runner. The remainder of this "shaggy dog story involves Kate's 9 day search for her loveable pooch and the will she or wont she find him dilemma that ensues. There are some good characters introduced along the way most notable being the midnight runner (likes to train at night when the streets are empty) and Anna Twinney (the founder of reach out to horses...and it would also appear dogs) who for a price will make some "out of this world" contact with the missing pooch the hope being that Wolfy can be found. The excitement builds, the emotions are running high as the reader and Kate stumble from false sighting to false sighting...will she ever find him? You will need to read the story to find out. A pleasant enjoyable read with some tidy life observations...."Love isn't just neurotransmitters, is it? It's not just dependency. It is our route to something beautiful, mysterious and transcendent. Without it, life is a hollow set of functions and, frankly, pointless"....Many thanks to the good people at netgalley for a gratis copy in return for an honest review and that is what I have written.

Lovely book I felt part of the story. It was heartwarming and heart wrenching but so worth reading,

What an amazing book. Couldn’t put it down. Beautifully written. A real emotional rollercoaster which reveals the healing power of a dog. An absolute ‘must read’ for all dog lovers.

I rarely think of myself as someone who reads biographies but I had to pick up a cover of ‘Lost Dog’ after hearing so my great reviews from customers and I’m so glad I did. Lost Dog is hilarious, moving, inspiring and joyful and it instantly made me feel happier after reading.

Lost Dog is Kate Spicer’s biography of how she gave meaning to her life by adopting Wolfy an unwanted Lurcher. Kate is a successful writer with an active social life who has an epiphany during a night of intoxication and realises her life is going off the rails there’s more to life than drinking, drugs, and casual associates. Kate decides she will get a dog and it’s the best decision for her, it revitalises her life, gives her a reason to avoid substance abuse and the adjustments Kate and her partner make for Wolfy have a positive impact on their happiness for them both. Wolfy is the piece of Kate’s life she was missing and she is finally happy. They choose to leave Wolfy to attend a long-distance wedding and unfortunately Wolfy gets scared and loose from their dog-sitter. Kate searches high and low to find Wolfy using social media, dog psychics and more. Will she find her Lost Dog?

Lost Dog is a life affirming memoir that will stick with you long after reading. I felt the love Kate has for Wolfy shining from every page and I think any pet owner would understand how special bonds are between pets and owners and how hopeless and dark it can feel if you lose a beloved pet. I absolutely raced through this book at first because I was enjoying the writing so much but when I got to Wolfy’s disappearance you could not have prised this book out of my hands! A great read that will make you feel joyful, optimistic and happier for long after reading.

I defy anyone to read this book and not fall in love with Wolfy. I started reading this book and when I got to part two I had to keep reading without pause to the end. Kate is a journalist, disillusioned and somewhat lost. On a cocaine fuelled night she writes 'I am just enjoying the anaesthetic escapism from a non-specific discomfort that throughout my whole adult life I have never quite been able to escape unless I am high'. She decides that she will adopt a dog. Little did she know the effect Wolfy would have on her life 'Beauty without ego, love without conditions, regal without entitlement, packaged in fur and by my side'. He makes everything better. So imagine her heartbreak when he runs away whilst in the care of her brother. So begins the worst 9 days of her life as she is consumed with trying to find him. Social media campaigns, consulting psychics, hours pounding the streets, she is determined to find her lost dog. Read this book and fall in love. Truly beautiful.

(3.5 stars, rather than 4, but we can't do half stars here. I rounded up for the cute dog pictures.)

This is a great book, but I suspect the amount a reader will be riveted by the search and (spoiler alert) eventual discovery of Wolfie will be directly proportional to how much they love dogs and if they have a dog themselves. Saying that I raced through this book. It’s got everything: love, London life, hedonism, fashion and most of all, cute dogs. It restored my faith in humanity.

I was in tears, sometimes with laughter, sometimes with sadness, reading this book. I love Kate Spicer's prose, I would read a sentence twice or more because it made me smile or think more deeply. I just love the 'ladies who lurch'. Thank you Kate.

This book is a great one for dog lovers, and maybe a few who sit on the fence! It tells the true story of the author trying to change her life and bring some order to a rather drug and drink fuelled existence. When she adopts Wolfy, a lurcher, he provides the change she needs. But when Wolfy goes missing, she is devastated and does everything she can to find him.

I have to confess, I am not a dog lover (and expect that this will not go down well with most people reading this review!) so I while I couldn’t completely relate with Spicer’s adoration of her dog, I have lost beloved pets so the loss part definitely resonated. And the story, particularly the first part where Wolfy is adopted, is told with a good amount of humour.

I would definitely recommend this to dog lovers but not sure it would appeal much to others, even though I found it to be an entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.