Well……I wasn't expecting that! I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting from Dog Days but I think it was the depth of emotion and the lack of sugar-coating that surprised me.

We begin with three very separate stories. George has just lost his wife, Ellen, and without her to keep him upright he is on the verge of collapse. Dan is a counsellor who meets someone in a session who is about to change his life forever. Lizzie lives in a shelter with her son, wondering how she can move on with her life when she has lost everything. With Ericka Waller's expert guidance, these three stories become very gently intertwined, sometimes in an obvious way and sometimes more on the edges of the characters' narratives, but either way I thought it was executed brilliantly.

Maybe one of the things that surprised me about this book was that some of our main players are not actually that likeable. George, in particular, is actually a rather unpleasant man, and yet Waller had me sympathising, empathising, and welling up over him. Lizzie is not always easy to take to, despite her back story, but I felt there was more to her than met the eye. Dan, however, is the antithesis of this. I thought he was a delight in every way, although his story had me sobbing quietly to myself whilst reading in bed at night.

I must mention the doggy element. There are so many dogs in this book and the author ensures that each one has its own distinctive personality and purpose. Every one is there to help to heal their owner and I loved them all.

Dog Days is a beautifully written book and it's very hard to believe it's a debut novel. It's full of feeling, emotion and tenderness, it made me laugh and cry, it made me despair and it made me happy. Ericka Waller peels back the layers of life and delves deep into the highs and lows of mental health, of loss, and of love. I thought it was simply pawfect. ( )

This is a delightful story revolving around three very different people, Lizzie, Dan and George, and their various friends and dogs. Lizzie is autistic and living in a shelter for abused women, Dan is a psychotherapist and hiding a secret of his own, and George is just a grumpy and angry man who has recently lost his wife. All their lives interconnect in some way.

The characters are wonderfully depicted. The author has done a great job with the way she has created them and making them feel so realistic. I’m sure we all have a Lizzie, Dan and George living near us in some form or another. The story itself is beautifully written, it’s quite an emotional read as well as having humorous moments which did make me chuckle. It’s not all sweetness and light as there is quite a dark side to the tale, some of which is heart wrenching. The dogs play a small but significant part in the story and they add a big note of hope. A dog truly is man’s best friend. Their intuitiveness, loyalty and joy for life really shines through here.

All in all a fabulous read which I would have no hesitation in recommending to anyone who enjoys a character based, optimistic and feel good read. I loved it - I was so sad to turn the last page. ( )