What A Dog Knows

By Susan Wilson

ISBN: 9781250077264

Author Website: susanwilsonwrites(.)com

Brought to you by OBS Review jerjen

Synopsis:

From New York Times bestselling author Susan Wilson comes What a Dog Knows, another heartwarming novel about humans and the dogs that change our lives.

Ruby Heartwood has always lived a life on the move. As a traveling psychic, she makes her living working at carnivals and festivals and circuses around New England. It’s a life Ruby has made peace with–settling in one place has never been for her. She needs no one, and no one needs her.

Until one night, when she is camped by the side of the road in her trusty Volkswagon Westie van, a fierce thunder and lightning storm erupts. In the middle of the downpour, she hears a distinct voice telling her to let me in. In jumps a little black and white dog, and to Ruby’s astonishment, she can hear the dog’s thoughts. Has she been struck by lightning? Did the storm do this? Is she losing her mind?

It turns out, Ruby can hear many dogs’ thoughts. She decides to set up semi-permanent residency in the town of Harmony Farms, until she can sort out what is going on, and who the little dog, Hitch, belongs to. But some people in Harmony Farms don’t want her there. And it seems that events keep preventing Ruby from leaving. What secrets is this town keeping? Why was she meant to find this dog? And what has Ruby really been running from, all these years? (Amazon)

Review:

Ruby has not had an easy life.  She was abandoned as a baby in an orphanage and she lived many years there.  She eventually ran away and grew up on the streets.  She meets a lady who helps her and teaches her to read fortunes and make money.  She becomes very good at it and lives her life doing it. One night there is a lightning strike and things will never be the same.   She meets a runaway dog and Ruby realizes she can hear what the dog is thinking and the dog can hear her too.  Since she can now communicate with animals, she plans on adding that to her act.  Her and the dog become best friends.

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Throughout the course of the book we learn bits and pieces of Ruby’s life until we get the complete story. Ruby continues to grow and get a better handle on her life.  There are parts of chapters devoted to the dog’s(Hitchhiker) thoughts and feelings, and I really liked that.  

Ruby and Hitchhiker are a team and belong together, and it has been a long time since she felt that love and belonging.   

This book has a lot going for it: great characters, an intriguing plot and lots of animals and their thoughts.  I enjoyed  reading about Ruby learning, growing and becoming a stronger person.   She is stronger than she thinks and will eventually figure this out.  

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted women’s contemporary.  I will have to look at the other books that she has written, I am sure that they are good too.