27 Oct A Pug Like Percy by Fiona Harrison Blog Tour
Today I have the pleasure to take part in Fiona Harrison’s blog tour for her debut, A PUG LIKE PERCY. I dare you not to say ‘awwww’ after looking at the cover! Isn’t it amazing? Well, A DOG LIKE PERCY is out today so big, massive happy publication day to Fiona! That means that if you’re up for a cute, easy read involving a very cute dog, head to amazon to download a copy! I’m leaving you now with my review of the book. See ya later, alligators!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A Pug Like Percy by Fiona Harrison
Published byHQ Stories
Published on 3.11.2016
Genres:chick lit
Pages: 199
Format:e-book
Percy is homeless, abandoned by his owner at an animal rescue centre on a cold winter’s night. So when he finds a loving new home with Gail and her family, his deepest wish is that this time, it’s forever.
Gail hopes that Percy will be the little miracle that her family so desperately needs. Her young daughter, Jenny, is in and out of hospital and she’s only just holding things together with her husband, Simon.
With the family at breaking point, and Christmas just around the corner, is Percy the furry friend they’ve all been waiting for?
Now, before I start with my review let’s just take a moment to admire this wonderful, uber cute cover that just SCREAMS ‘Love Me’. I love you, beautiful cover! I’ve always had a soft spot for cute covers and is there anything cuter than a dog? And not just any dog but a pug! I remember my first reaction when I saw this cover…basically it all came to ‘awwwww’.
But what’s even more amazing is that the story isn’t told by a human but by this little, cute pug named Percy. Talk about stepping out of my comfort zone! I don’t know about you, but it felt a bit awkward and yet exciting to read a book told by a dog. But moving on. Percy’s owners are leaving for home (Argentina) after 3 years working in London (visa expires) and agree they can’t take Percy with them. They leave him at the dog shelter where little Percy-star meets some new dog friends and shares his experience on how he ended up in the shelter. He doesn’t know what exactly went wrong and why his owner has decided to leave him behind. Didn’t he love them enough? Wasn’t he cute enough? Didn’t he bark happily every time his owner was down, trying to lift his spirits? WHY did they leave him all alone? And the fear that no one will ever want to take him is unbearable, but thank god for friends who convince him everything will be OK and a family will appear to take care of him. This does bring certain comfort to Percy, yet the fear that he will never be loved again is constant. Until Gail appears. When they see each other for the first time it’s love at first sight. Oh the joy of being loved again! (Humans and dogs aren’t that different, e?) Gail is married and has a 12 year old daughter with severe heart condition. Seems Percy is the perfect addiction for Gail’s little family, bringing some much needed joy. Did they save Percy, or will Percy save them?
I have to say this book is definitely stepping out of my comfort zones. I loved the story and how warm and comforting it is. Percy is a dog, but it really could be a human as well. We all have our insecurities, we all feel loved, lost, not loved enough…just like Percy. Despite this book being obviously told by a dog, I tried to get pass that in order to finish it. It’s been years after I’ve read a longer children’s book and couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward while reading Percy’s story. But I wanted to see the big picture, and did my best.
While it’s certainly a warm, wonderful read full of hope I can’t give it more than 3.5/5 due to my brain who was constantly screaming that I’m too old to read it. So yes, a part of me enjoyed it and applauds Fiona for making her debut in literature with an absolutely original book (at least in my experience) but a part of me wanted some more action and less predictability. I’m sure dog lovers will read it either way and I have the feeling the younger readers would really enjoy it. It brings some lovely messages, and if you can get past the whole dog narrator thing and dogs rapping to get a baby to sleep, then this is definitely the book for you.
About Fiona Harrison
Fiona Harrison is a dog lover and writer from the West Country with fifteen years’ experience as a national journalist, frequently writing for all the women’s magazines and has also taken on ghost-writing projects. Now married to a fellow animal lover, Fiona lives in Berkshire and is focusing on her two passions; animals and writing. A Pug like Percy is her first novel.
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