So I thought I would read what I thought was going to be a light book that features dogs in some way. Instead I just got 2 of the most unlikable characters ever and another one that had no sense of boundaries at all. Yes there are dogs, but pretty much as asides through the whole book. The only story-line that really did feature a dog and show how a dog kept someone sane was George's I thought. The other two (Dan and Lizzie)...not so much.

"Dog Days" starts with a group of people in the park with their dogs. We don't know exactly how everyone is connected, but the book then jumps to different people throughout.

We follow George, recently widowed. We also follow Lizzie and her son Lenny who are staying at a shelter for abused women. Lizzie is walking the director's dog Maud which she doesn't really like and is slightly afraid of. And then finally we follow Dan who is a therapist, and has a dog named Fitz. Dan has his own problems and fears until he meets a new client called Atticus.

George's storyline is that his wife got a dog she named Poppy before he passed (he hates it) and now George is left not knowing what to do since his wife took care of the house and dinner. Before you have any sympathy for George though, know he's nasty and rude to everyone and at one points calls two men "F" and I just hated him. He's nasty. Frankly his poor wife sounded like she was in an emotionally abusive relationship with the guy. At least that is how I read it. She could not even tell him she was ill because she knew how he was.

I won't spoil Lizzie's storyline, but man is it a doozy and just messed up. Will leave that there.

I also didn't like Dan's storyline. I don't know about the UK, but here in the states I don't think therapists are allowed to get involved with patients? I don't know. The whole storyline felt so off and I didn't feel engaged. And how that all ended up...another doozy.

The other characters we get to know in this one, Lenny's teacher Luke, the supposed Smurf-Girl, etc. don't feel real at all. The only secondary character that Waller actually develops is George's neighbor who won't allow him to sit around in filth and makes sure that she stops by to keep an eye on him.

The writing was fine, the flow was pretty bad. I think shifting to three different characters just didn't work in this one.

The ending I think was supposed to be a happyish sort of ending. I don't know. I was definitely glad to just be done with this one.

I did not finish this book. Three unrelated stories- a bitter, angry widower, a gay therapist who falls for a client, and a domestic abuse survivor living in a shelter, each with a sad tale. Evidently they all have a dog. That seems to be the only connection they share. The dogs are not featured in any of the stories. Disappointing.