Lawyer for the Dog...read it as soon as possible!

TITLE: Lawyer for the Dog
AUTHOR: Lee Robinson
PUBLISHER: Thomas Dunne Books
PUBLISHING DATE: July 7, 2015

FROM GOODREADS: One of the sharpest attorneys in Charleston, S.C., Sally Baynard isn’t your typical southern belle. She’s certainly not what her mother hoped she’d grow up to be, especially since she divorced her husband, Family Court Judge Joe Baynard, and his historic family with their historic wealth and historic houses. Maybe Sally was never going to be a proper society lady, but her success as a public defender and family lawyer have been enough for her. She’s represented murderers, burglars, drug dealers and lately has taken on some of the thorniest divorces, all cases closed with her Sally Bright Baynard wit, charm and brains.

Or have they? One case she’s never successfully closed is her marriage. And when Judge Joe assigns her to one of his divorce cases by appointing her as the Lawyer for the Dog -- Sherman, a miniature schnauzer-- she’s forced into close quarters with him again. Juggling the needs of the dog, the angry owners, her amorous but uncommunicative ex-husband, her aging, Alzheimer’s-ridden mother, and the expectations of the court is more than Sally could have imagined. And as rascally Sherman digs his way into Sally’s heart, he brings along his charming vet Tony, a man who makes Sally question her views on love and marriage.

MY THOUGHTS:  I absolutely loved everything about this book. I anticipated it from the moment I first saw it and was thrilled to receive an eARC from Netgalley (which does not influence my review). But let's talk specifics. First of all, the cover is great. What a cute, adorable dog. And guess what? The dog on the cover matches Sherman's description. You would be surprised the books with dogs on the covers which aren't even close to accurate or perhaps do not contain a dog at all.

Our main character Sally, is a lawyer and is appointed as Guardian ad Litem for Sherman during his parents' divorce. My degree is in criminal justice and so much of what was discussed in the book rang true to my experience with courts. Robinson either has experience in this area or did some great research. Sally is a strong, independent, middle-aged woman and it is refreshing to see that type of character for a change. The struggles in her day to day life are not far-fetched and I enjoyed reading about her triumphs and tragedies.

Before you thing this is automatically a "feel good" dog story, think again. Sally is not a dog lover and basically gets thrown into a position she initially sees as ludicrous. There are great side characters, some minor love interests and some family drama.

I can't say enough good things about this book. If you like contemporaries, dog stories or just great writing, please pick it up and give it a chance. I devoured it in less that 2 days and my only regret is that I can't enjoy it again for the first time!

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

COYER SCAVENGER HUNT # 29 - Read a book with no magical or futuristic elements.


BOOKER T's THOUGHTS:  I loved Sherman.  Mom showed me his picture from the cover and he is very cute, if not a tad bit small. Sherman's parents are divorcing in this book and I think he is a pretty well-adjusted little pooch all things considering.  On top of that, his parents are a bit neurotic even on good days.  Sherman is very lucky to have a Guardian ad Litem to look after him (Mom keeps calling it a GAL though, too much time working with lawyers if you ask me).  He also has a very attentive vet, but probably not as good as mine.  Please considering reading about Sherman because I definitely thinks his story needs to be shared.  

RATING: I give Sherman 5 doggy paws (although I tried explaining to Mom that's not physically possible).