A Story of Hope

Rosie Collins, imprisoned for a crime she didn’t commit, finds solace in training service dogs. One of the dogs she trained goes to Meghan Custer, a wheelchair bound veteran, who feels confined until her service dog, Shark, helps her find independence. Both women struggle with feelings of being imprisoned either behind high walls of an actual prison, or a prisoner of a damaged body.

Rosie gains an early release from prison and gets a job near Dogtown, On the Massachusetts coast near the town of Gloucester, where she is helping to restore a crumbling mansion. She’s doing well until her history comes out.

Meghan’s life changes completely when with her service dog, Shark, she finds that she can live on her own and rebuild her independence. She connects with Rosie through Shark and the women become friends.

I loved this book. Rosie and Meghan are strong women who face and overcome obstacles. It was emotionally gripping to see them finding hope and the role their dogs played in their growth. The setting is perfect for the story, particularly as Rosie learns more about Dogtown, a town where women lived alone with their dogs for protection.

I didn’t particularly like the chapters where the dogs shared their opinions. I felt it was distracting from the women’s stories. However, that’s a small criticism. I highly recommend the book.

I received this book from Macmillan for this review.