Short Synopsis
From the bestselling author of An Unexpected Grace comes a richly insightful novel of matters of the heart—both human and canine—in an uplifting story of love, loyalty, and new beginnings.

Full Synopsis
Earnest. It's the perfect name for a sweet, eager-to-please yellow Labrador retriever. Anna and her boyfriend Jeff fall for him the minute they see those guileless eyes gazing up from behind his gate at Seattle's Best Friends Shelter. In no time at all, they're a pack of three, with Earnest happily romping in their condo on Gamble Island.

During the day, Earnest keeps Anna company in her flower shop, located in a historic gingerbread Victorian on the island's main street. Anna hopes to buy and restore the house, once owned by her beloved grandmother. But when that dream is threatened by Jeff's actions, Anna's trust is shattered. For so long, the house has encompassed all her ideals of security, home, and family. Yet Earnest's devotion to his two people, and theirs to him, make it impossible for them to walk away from each other. And when a crisis hits, it's Earnest—honest, stubborn, and uncannily wise—who will help Anna reconcile her past and embrace what the future can bring . . .

"Three main characters --- two human and one canine make up Romy Nordlinger’s narration. . . . Nordlinger very effectively expresses the emotions that each of the three is feeling: disappointment, despair, sadness, pain and heartbreak --- adding to all that a generous dose of anger." ---Sound Commentary