Rosie by Bill Whiting is a most beautiful and touching account of life, loss and love.
Following the death of his wife, Bill Whiting felt lost and alone. Grief "hit me like a bursting dam." The hole left by his wife consumed. He realised that little irritations over the years and "working for tomorrow's happiness" meant nothing when your life partner is gone. "All the gold in the world could not buy her back." Rosie is an account of very raw grief.
However hope reached out beyond the grave in the form of a small Schnauzer puppy called Rosie. "Utter helplessness meeting total hopelessness." Bill Whiting's wife knew that he would need a new purpose after she was gone.
The book tells of Bill Whiting's new found bond with Rosie. She becomes the love of his life, establishing that rules are there to be broken. The account is very beautiful and very touching. Have the tissues close by. I certainly needed them.
Bill Whiting shares some of his life with the reader. We hear about past events and present predicaments. What shines out from the book is love. A love that lasts a lifetime. A love that cannot be replaced. Loss is helped by the love of and the love for a little dog called Rosie.
Perfect for pet lovers. Perfect for those who have loved and lost. Perfect for anyone.
A beautiful love that does not die.
I received this book for free from Net Galley. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Will is 65-years-old and a recent widower. His beloved wife, Rosemary, recently passed away and his two children are living in Germany and the States. He's all alone in his grieving, except for whiskey.

A few weeks after Rosemary's death, a woman knocks on his door with a Schnauzer puppy named Rosie. Rosemary had ordered Rosie to be delivered after her death so Will wouldn't be alone. Will has never been a dog lover ... in fact, Rosemary had always wanted a dog but Will always said no. He agrees to keep Rosie for three days and then return it to the breeder. The afternoon of the third day, Will decides to keep her just a bit longer and never does give her back. Will and Rosie grow attached and though Will grumps about how Rosie hogs a lot of the bed, he loves her and she helps him with his grieving process.

I love reading books about pets and animals and that's what attracted me to this book (the face on the cover is so cute!). It's written in first person perspective in Will's voice and reads like a memoir. I liked the story of Will and Rosie and their interactions with each other ... it was nice to read how Will got over his dislike of dogs in general and Rosie became such a big part of his life. I found it got bogged down at times, though, when Will started analyzing what I thought were mundane things. As a head's up, there is swearing.