The Pug List

The Pug List

Alison Hodgson

 Alison and her family lost their home to a fire on night. An arsonist entered their garage and their lives were changed forever. They made it out with their dog and the clothes they were wearing. Even their cars were destroyed. Now they must find out how to deal with insurance companies, changes in everything that was familiar, and a little girl asking for her own special dog. At first Alison and her husband refused. Now was not a good time. But after Alison sees "the pug list" one day she realizes that maybe this dog could bring healing to her hurting little girl. So the search for the perfect pug begins. What they bring home is far from perfect, but he somehow touches their hearts in the best possible way.

First, this is not a book about a pug. I noticed quite a few reviews by people upset by this. The pug list is about the list and what it means to the family. This was an enjoyable read for me, but also difficult. Our family experienced a fire in our home two years ago. I saw a lot of similarities between our situations and it was difficult for those memories to resurface. But despite that, I was blessed by the author's candor, humor, and faith. The overall theme of the book seemed to be resiliency and that resonated with me. If you read the book expecting to find a lot of pug stories, you'll be disappointed. If you read the book looking for a real story about a real family that faces trauma and comes out the other end stronger than you'll really enjoy this book.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.