What a Dog Knows is the second book I've read by Susan Wilson, and also my favorite so far!
It is the story of Ruby, a psychic who is losing her ability when she finds a dog that makes her realize that she now can read animals. The dog won't leave her, so she names the dog Hitch, short for Hitchhiker, and starts advertising her services as an animal communicator while also trying to figure out her past. She was raised in an orphanage and desperately wants to find her birth mother.
What a Dog Knows is the story of love: both of the animal and family kind. I was interested through the entire book, and as someone who has often considered hiring a dog medium, the entire novel was intriguing to me. Great job, Susan Wilson! Looking forward to your next book!

As a dog lover, I really enjoyed this story. I love he idea of being able to communicate with animals through touch & believe people have this gift. I found this a heartwarming story filled with hope despite a rough beginning for Ruby. Great characters & highly recommend reading this book.

What a Dog Knows is a charming read. Ruby is a wanderer and a woman who doesn’t like to stay in one place too long. Harmony Falls and a lost dog have other plans for her. I liked how she could read what dogs and other animals were saying. I liked all the characters in the story, even Cynthia. It’s such a sweet story, unlike any that I have read for a long time. Getting to know the animals and their angst, but also Learning more about Ruby’s past, a gently unfolding story. Don’t miss out on some great dogs and equally mesmerizing characters.

I always enjoy Susan Wilson’s books. It took me a little bit to get into Ruby’s character; she’s a bit different and a traveler with a special talent of telling fortunes. She grew on me and I really enjoyed the various dogs stories and characters in the book. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC

Ruby and Hitch are the perfect team. I loved Ruby, she found her source to live her best life and used it.
Ruby grows up in a Catholic orphanage. She has been there since she was dropped off as a newborn by an unknown person with no explanation. She develops a sense, she can see things when she touches people. When she she’s a future for one of the Nuns she is called evil and sent into isolation. In fear of her future there she climbs out a window and sets out into the streets where she learns to survive as a young teen. Hungry, scared, alone, she meets a woman who will change her life. This woman teaches her to use her talent to tell fortunes and make money. This season is a lifesaver. Ruby finds her way to a traveling carnival, where she trusts a mother like figure, one who will let her down in such a heartbreaking way. Later is the story fate takes a turn when she meets an adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Hitch. From that moment on she can talk to the animals. <3
Her story will break your heart and make you want to throttle several of the characters. Don’t fear there is a HEA ending.
Trigger warning, rape.
I received a copy of this from the publisher for an honest review

Another Entertaining And Touching Book By Susan Wilson…And A Likely “Must Read” For Dog Lovers”

I've been a big fan of all of Susan Wilson's books since reading One Good Dog, and her latest book, What A Dog Knows, continues this author's streak of touching tales of the bond between human and animal, and readers will find plenty to enjoy beyond this bond.

I won't take your time providing a plot summary, as this can be read about in the Amazon and Goodreads Book Descriptions. What I hope is important to prospective readers is that while What A Dog Knows is not my favorite of Wilson’s books, it is a very nicely-paced, compelling and emotionally impactful book.

My overall favorable opinion of What A Dog Knows pertains to the following combination of factors: Wilson's strong writing style that enables the reader to feel that they are "right there" with what is taking place, her ability to develop multi-layered plots and multi-dimensional human and, in particular, canine characters (you'll love Hitchhiker), and her ability to build upon threads of underlying, slow-building tension that keeps readers anxious to find out how the plot is resolved.

What A Dog Knows is not, however, without a few notable factors that I think readers would want to know about — these are that the plot developments, while entertaining, are mostly predictable, and its sense of mystery/suspense is rather tepid. These factors, however, did not significantly weaken my enjoyment of What A Dog Knows, nor do they hinder me from recommending What A Dog Knows, and especially to dog lovers.

#What A Dog Knows #Net Galley

I thoroughly enjoyed this charming and heart warming book. The story follows Ruby Heartwood, an itinerant psychic who adopts a lost dog at a campsite one night after a storm. From her relationship with the dog she names Hitchhiker - an adorable King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, she discovers that she can communicate psychically with animals. Little does she know that her new canine friend will lead her to important changes in her life as well helping her in the search for her mother. Through back flashes of her childhood, we learn what brought Ruby to her present situation and of her search for her birth-mother who had abandoned her as a baby.
The characters are well developed, the plot and tension in the story is well paced, the situations are believable, and the dialogue authentic.
Even if you don't believe in psychics, this is a great story and Ruby's encounters of "reading" her animal clients is fascinating. I would rate this book as 5 out of 5.

Ruby Heartwood grew up in an orphanage and at a young age took off to make a life of her own as a traveling psychic. After a stormy night, she finds that she can talk to animals. From there this story takes off and is very enjoyable. Follow Ruby and discover, with her, who she is and what paths life can take you down.

Thank you NetGalley, Susan Wilson and St. Martin’s Press for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

Don’t you wish you could actually talk to your dog? Psychic Ruby Heartwood discovers she can talk to most dogs and it all started with a terrible storm and a tiny voice asking her to let it in…enter Hitch, and let another of life’s journeys begin!

WHAT A DOG KNOWS by Susan Wilson is a delightful tale of mystery, suspense and a woman who learns to accept and embrace who she is and what she can do. Will it help settle her wanderlust or will she find trouble in the town she wants to call home?

Cute, fast-paced and perfect for those of us who wish they really could hear what their dog is thinking! A quick read that could make a dog lover out of everyone!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from St. Martin's Press! This is my honest and voluntary review.

The characters, especially Ruby, are so authentic in What a Dog Knows by Susan Wilson. I felt like I was walking with Ruby and Hitchhiker as they took this journey to completion.

I could not put this book down. The author did a fantastic job of making the characters come to life. Ruby seemed so real as well her ability to communicate with the animals. The conversations of her "canine clients" sounded just like what I imagine my dogs would say. I usually don't like mystics and talking animals but his book was so different. Loved it. I often say I wish I knew what my dog is thinking

This is an absolutely beautiful book about love. Love between a mother and a child and love between a dog and it’s person. I have three rescue dogs and reading this book made me smile and snuggle with them. My heart was full and I had a smile on my face when I finished this book. I would like to thanks NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the chance to read this delightful book.

Ruby is a character that I instantly liked and I wanted nothing more than for her to fulfill her deepest wish. When Hitchhiker shows up at her door and she asked to be let in I was so excited. I’m sure every pet owner would love to know what there pet is thinking and this book allows us to live out this fantasy while reading the book. It shows people the deep love that a person has for their dog and their dog for them. The storyline rolls along smoothly and quickly, keeping you enticed and wanting to continue reading. The supporting characters are easy to like, especially Sabine and Hull. This is just a wonderful book that will leave you feeling good about the world. Hopefully it might also make you want to adopt a rescue dog and give it a loving home.

What a Dog Knows by Susan Wilson is a touching, heartwarming, and delightful story of hope, family, friends, love and dogs. Wonderful gem of a book featuring Ruby and Hitch. Their dialogue as physic and canine is spot on and fun to read.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This was such a wonderful story about life and the amazing love of a dog.

Ruby has been alone her whole life. From being abandoned on the steps of a convent, to the transient carnival life; she has had to fight her way through all manners of difficulties and strife. With all this, Ruby came out the other side as an amazingly strong woman with a good head on her shoulders.

One night while talk refuge in a date park to wait out a spring storm, Ruby takes in a hitchhiker in the form of a cute little dog that, quite literally, speaks to her.

I loved the psychic abilities and references in this novel. I’m a huge believer in people having premonitions and feelings about the world around them. The author does a great job in writing both the sceptics and the believers in this book, all the while keeping Ruby a very realistic character.

Hitchhiker quickly became a huge part of the novel (obviously with the title). She had great thoughts and I loved ‘hearing’ them. I really looked forward to the separate paragraphs with Hitch’s thoughts.

I also really enjoyed all the different personalities that the author put into the dogs that Ruby helped communicate with. Every dog has their own personality and each breed is categorised as having a certain type as well. I’m so happy that the author took all this into account when writing the dogs, as well as not fall into the general stereotype.

The journey of the novel is primarily a search for self, while searching for family. Knowing where your roots lie is such a huge thing for people. It’s the reason there’s so many DNA trackers, find-my-phone apps, and social media’s. Everyone wants to feel connected.

I greatly enjoyed this novel and I am so glad that I was approached by NetGalley to read and review this novel.

What A Dog Knows by Susan Wilson was just wonderful. I have read a lot of books by Ms. Wilson and this was so good. I stayed up late reading to finish it.
Ruby Hartwood is a traveling psychic who has never stayed in one place for too long. During a terrible storm she finds a small dog who she can understand. She is now hearing the feelings from animals.
She stops in Harmony Farms where she finds friends and helps many people and their animals.
I loved the story as it slowly unfolded throughout the book- the little glimpses in the mind of the Hitchhiker the dog.
I love the way the author writes. I recommend this book highly- plan to tell all my friends I went and looked at her other books and discovered there is a book about Ruby’s daughter written years ago. I plan to find that one to read.
Thank you, Net Galley, for an advance copy for an honest review

Ruby Heartwood spent her first fourteen years at a Catholic home for girls when she runs away to live life on the road as a psychic. Now fifty-five years old, in her trusty VW van that's her home, she's sheltering from a storm when she hears a voice asking to come in. It's a small dog who she can communicate with, a skill she didn't know she had.
The dog becomes her soulmate and she starts 'reading' dogs' minds as part of her job as a psychic, staying in the town, Harmony Farms, for a lot longer than she usually does. She's moved on from place to place all these years, but can't seem to leave this place. Plus, Hitch, the dog, doesn't want to leave.
She then decides to find her mother, to find out who she is and why she was given away.
I loved, loved, loved this book! There were parts when my heart was in my mouth and I wanted to read faster and faster, just to know that everything was going to be OK, but I'm glad I paced myself; it was such a beautiful, moving story. As a dog lover I'm so grateful I had the chance to read this eARC, thanks St. Martin's Press and Netgalley.
Highly recommended 5+++

I adore Susan Wilson's novels, and this one is no different. Getting to see pieces of the story through the eyes of dogs is tremendous, and the entire book is extremely well written. I was captivated from the very beginning all the way through the last page. Definitely recommended reading!

What A Dog Knows by Susan Wilson

Another heartwarming novel about humans and the dogs that change their lives.

This was a warm, cozy story. If you are an animal lover, you must read this book. The bonding between Ruby and the hitchhiker dog is wonderful.. Ruby can hear what dogs have to say. I enjoyed this book and recommend it.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for my review.

A must read if you love dogs. I laughed, I cried, I petted my dogs. Truly an easy recommendation to friends and family, especially to those that love their dogs.

I know this is not really a typical mystery but it has mysterious elements to it as well as a search, so yes, it does belong on my cozy shelf. It is a fun, clean read that will appeal to many, even if you do not have your fortune told, read your horoscope, read tarot cards, or have a dog.

However, elements of this book that DID call to me included Ruby being psychic, feeling rootless, enjoying ( well many days) working faires, and, of course, the canine element.

Ruby had a rough start in life, the portion of it she remembers. She doesn't know who left her at a convent orphanage or why. For fifty years she just accepted her lot in life and kept moving. But her dreams are getting more persistent and she now wants answers.
Happily, she acquires a traveling companion, named the Hitchhiker. Conversely, Hitch is doing her best to convince Ruby that this is where they should stay. She also has instincts and knows things. She also encourages Ruby to be satisfied with the present moment, the good found in here and now.

I won't lie to you -- there is a section of the book fraught with tension that will give your emotions a workout. I was tempted to page forward to make sure things would work out as I wanted. I resisted, but it was hard.

I am declaring now that this will be among the top five books I read in 2021.
The story, although bumpy, flows smoothly. The author is a skilled storyteller.
I appreciated the details which drew me into the locations and settings,
Some made me nostalgic for experiences in my own life.

If you see that we have similar tastes in books, TRUST ME and do not miss this book.
If you think you don't care for psychics or talking dogs, relate to it on a human emotional level.
You are truly missing out on a wonderful book if you don't experience this one.
Adventures of the unknown, gentle romance, friendships, and much more populate these pages.