I have so many things to say, but first, let me grab a tissue.

It broke my heart reading about how Oliver was taken. My interest in this book actually came from my own yorkie, also named Oliver, and so it was really cool to read this book about someone who also has the same type of dog with the same name.

Going into the book, even knowing that Oliver would be found, I was still sad. Seeing Steven's despair over losing his dog broke my heart. Stevens response and reaction just after Oliver was taken resonated so much with me but it was hard to get through that part of the book. I kept having to pause it and come back to it later.

I also think that this book is an important read for people who think that 'emotional support' animals are bogus, because this story is one incredible example about how helpful and essential an emotional support animal can be for those of us who need them.

Reading this also made me wonder if Steven might be autistic. So many of the experiences he had and the way he explained life, both with and without his dog seemed to resonate with me, and I've learned over the past few years that a lot of the reason that is, is because I'm autistic. I related to Steven on a very personal level, even down to having an interest in memorizing the presidents when I was in 2nd and 3rd grade - I could also name all of them off in order, just like Steven.

Perhaps that's another reason why I was left wondering if Steven was maybe autistic. Even though that's not the main focus of this book, it really stood out to me and made the connection that Steven and Oliver had feel a lot closer because I was able to draw a lot of parallels between Steven and myself, and Oliver and Oliver. It felt more like I was reading a book about a potential version of myself than anything.

This story is about more than a lost dog. This story is about family and friendship, emotional support, trauma, despair, and not giving up when it feels like all hope is lost. If you're up for the tears, then this is definitely worth the read.

Oliver is a true story about a man's search for his stolen dog. The story highlights the strong bond between animals and their owners and also that most people in the world are good. The author narrates the audiobook which I think made the story feel more personal. This read was sweet and uplifting.

Steven J. Carino writes a light-hearted true story fit for any slot on the Hallmark Channel. When Oliver is stolen from Carino's van on Valentine's Day, Carino's world falls apart. Carino has no other family or close friends other than Oliver, and it's clear the amount of love this man has for his fluffy companion. While Carino sets out to get Oliver back, he thinks about what sort of person would have even taken his dog in the first place. What occurs is a story that allows Carino to realize that he has more friends than he believed and that forgiveness is better than any revenge. (And for those wondering, yes, Oliver has a happy ending.)

While this story is a simple one, it maintains a consistent light-hearted tone which is greatly appreciated. In a time where there are plenty of news reports, memiors, and nonfiction stories focusing on corruption, illness, and hopeless situations, Carino brings a nonfiction story full of heart. While not every person will relate to the religious segments in this book, there are plenty of moments readers can relate to. Carino is facing an impossible situation, which leaves him feeling alone and helpless. Readers will be uplifted to learn how community and a hopeful heart cann come together to reunite family members, even when the odds are against the two ever seeing each other again.

In the end, Oliver won't likely hit the best nonfiction lists any time soon. The endearing moments where Carino imagines what little Oliver is thinking remains endearing. The story remains simple yet impactful. Sometimes, what readers need is a simple story that promises a smile. This is exactly what Oliver and Carino's story promises and delivers. This delightful story will pull on any dog lover's heartstrings.

On his way home from an exhausting day working, Steven stops by the store, leaving his dog, Oliver, in the car. Unfortunately, in those 10 minutes, poor Oliver gets dog-napped. The book tells the story of the week that follows. During that week, Steven, disconsolate from losing his best friend, is buoyed up by known family and friends. He also discovers the kindness of strangers, and that human beings are really all just doing the best they can with what they're given.

As a dog lover myself, I am a sucker for stories about how much a human loves their dog. And this book gives you that. Narrated by the author himself, there were times when the emotion came through his voice, and that was really touching. That being said, because he's not a professional narrator, it was at times a rough listen.

The book had a strong Christian voice, which is fine, but the message was sporadic in the beginning, and I didn't understand how big of a transformation Steven was going to make at the end. I wish it would've been more evenly spread throughout the book.

I did get a bit frustrated with the author's "woe is me" voice throughout much of the book. That's not to say that's not how he felt, but it made it difficult for me to want to continue reading it. But I'm sure it's a very truthful read, and those who experience severe depression will be able to identify with it, and it did allow me to see depression through new eyes.

This is definitely a book for people who love their animals. They'll be able to identify better with how Steve felt when he lost his dogs. I know I was in tears at times while listening, especially if I considered this happening to my own dog, Roscoe.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for a copy of the book. All the opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book, I was attracted to the cover because it it reminds me of my Yorkie Inspector Gadget. What I got from this book was a touching story I could totally relate to , to have a dog is to be owned by them, they become your child, your life , you miss them when you’re not with them , I felt the connection with Stevens feelings for Oliver. I was totally engaged. Thanks NetGalley for providing this book for an honest review.

I listened to the audio version of Oliver by Steven Carino.

Carino is a driver in NY. On Valentines Day he brings his dog, Oliver, along with him. On the way home he stops for cigars and forgets to lock his car. Someone takes his dog and Carino is crushed and full of despair. Oliver is his whole life. This book is about the seven days after Oliver is taken

First thing - get a professional narrator. The author does his own narration. I'm sure he thought he could tell his own story but the performance is choppy and uneven. This was supposed to be about people coming together and there is some of that. But it's mostly stream of consciousness from Carino with flashbacks about how awful his life has been and how he's only gotten unconditonal love from his dogs and his life is now over because his precious Oliver is gone. The incessant crying got to be a bit much.

I had a different expectation for this book and that may be why I didn't like it much. The last five minutes almost redeems it but can't make up for the other 97%

If you were a fan of Lily and the Octopus you will probably enjoy this.

I've just finished this book and I have a great smile on my face!
I knew from the blurb that it was going to have a happy ending, no suspence here, but a beautiful journey. The writer himself narrates the story and you can hear in his voice his feelings, I found that extraordinary.
Super, super cute audiobook!

Reading Between the Wines book review #18/115 for 2021:
Rating: 3 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: Oliver
Author: by Steven J. Carino; Alex Tresniowski
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Release Date: Available Now!!! Released on January 26, 2021

Sipping Synopsis: Steven is a huge dog lover and uses his dogs for love and therapy due to some childhood issues. So, when his dog, Oliver, was taken right out of his car, Steven thought his life was over. Follow Steve’s journey to find Oliver and how he found the kindness and thoughtfulness of complete strangers.

Final sipping thoughts: This was a feel good, happy ending book that was a good break from my usual psychological thrillers. I felt Steven’s despair and sadness. Not because I too have had a dog stolen but through his words and actions. While I knew Oliver was going to be found, according to the blurb, it did not prevent me from waiting with abated breath each time he got close to finding Oliver. “Stee’s” reliance on his faith in God and the reciting of Bible verses was also a nice addition to read. Steve reads this book himself and you could feel and hear his passion throughout the whole story. One thing that I did not like was the choppy back and forth of the timeline that left me confused at times. Oliver is a good book for those that want to read something that lifts their spirits and leaves a smile on your face.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @ThomasNelsonandZondervan for an advanced copy of @Oliver

#Oliver #ThomasNelsonandZondervan #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #Biographies #memoirs #BiographiesAndMemoirs

🐕Book Review🐕
☝️ Synopsis is in the next picture. I want to thank @netgalley for this alc copy of Oliver.
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This book is a very emotional book, is based on a True events. Steven goes thru the events of his life to the moment, someone stole his pup Oliver. It was very heartfelt, not for everyone, so if your not a true animal lover you wouldn't know how he felt and what he went through.
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Overall:🐕🐕🐕🐕
Narration:🐕🐕🐕🐕
Storyline:🐕🐕🐕🐶

This was a really cute audiobook that made me happy, and sad. A beautiful retelling of a man looking for his best buddy and being scared of never seeing his dog again. A true tale of love and friendship between a man and his dog.

I was expecting to read a book about how a stolen dog made his way home again, but this book was so much more! The audio version is told by the dog owner, himself, Steven Carino. When his dog is stolen from his car on Valentine's Day 2019, Steven feels that his life has hit rock bottom. During the next week, as he starts to look for his missing dog, Oliver, Steven is discovering so much more! He sees how much he is actually loved by family, friends, and strangers alike! Listening to Steven tell his story was exciting. He puts so much feeling into his voice. My eyes often watered.

Steven and his siblings grew up with an alcoholic, dysfunctional father. His loving mother died early from cancer. The story switches back and forth from the search for Oliver to what life was like for Steven growing up. He shares about the abuses of his father, his college experiences, and how marriage and divorce lead him down a path of destruction and alcohol. Having pets along the way pulled him up from a life of despair.

Through the kindness of strangers and community, where everyone has your back, Steven learns about the power of love and righteousness in the hunt for his missing dog. He meets great people and even digs deep in his soul to find the power of forgiveness.

This book is a healthy memoir and could be used as a guide for people facing struggles in their lives. It is amazing how social media, television, strangers, lost dog signs posted everywhere, and community can interconnect to help find a dog and help discover inner happiness in one's life!

Steven is an average guy who loves his dog, Oliver, more than anything, so one day on his way home from work he stopped at a store to get a cigar and while he was gone for less than 5 minutes, someone took Oliver from his car. He unravels thinking that he is gone forever, but his sisters rally around him to help,him get Oliver back. Soon, through Facebook posts and posters around town, the whole community is helping to find him. For a week, Steven relied on his faith and his family to help him be strong and trust that Oliver would be found, and sure enough, a sweet couple find him and reunite them.
My only complaint with this was the stilted way the narrator spoke. I know it’s maybe his “New Yorker” way, but it made it a little harder to connect with the story than it should have been. At least for me. It was a great way to spend my afternoon listening to it though :)
Thanks to netgalley and Thomas Nelson publishing for this audiobook arc in exchange for my review.

What a heartwarming story that restored my faith in humanity! The author stops at a store with his beloved dog, leaves him in the car, and returns to find him gone! With no spouse or children, Oliver is his world.....his only family. With his sisters help , they begin the search to bring Oliver home, discover the sense of community, and find one is never truly alone.

My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the pleasure of listening to this audio.

Such a life affirming audio book that I enjoyed so much. Thank you, Steven for being so honest about your life. This book was so sad at first, Steven’s beloved dog, Oliver is Stolen and he is so heartbroken, but between his wonderful sisters and friends, a search is started for Oliver.

This leads to such an incredible journey for Steven. He knows he must seek his dog out, but do so in a way that is about caring, forgiveness, and understanding. He comes to learn that the world cares so much back.

As an animal lover and owner of a small dog, I was just crying thinking of how attached we get to our Fur Babies. So, it teaches us about trust, love, and compassion. Dogs Make us better humans, they make us better people.🐾 So, well said and true. Their kindness brings out the kindness is us and others.

Loved this book! Thank you so much for giving me an ARC NetGalley, Steven J. Camino, and Thomas Nelson Publishing. I was also given a copy of the book, too which was a great combination.

This is a story that really pulls at your heart strings. A man whose life has been affected by so much loss, and the love of a little dog, and the touching of so many lives.
Would I be able to forgive, I hope so, someone who hurt me so terribly by stealing my dog? Can or could I live my faith and offer forgiveness, that is what we hope Steven is able to do, and to come of terms with the loss of Oliver.
What I didn't expect was the out pouring of love and help that comes from such a loss. Family and friends, and strangers all take the loss of Oliver personally, and want to do all they can to return him to Steven.
This is a quote from Steven and it sure does apply to this story "As Steven says,'This is more than just a dog story. This is an everybody story. This is a love story.'"
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson and Zondervan, and was not required to give a positive review.

Oliver is an endearing true story of a small community pulling together to help bring the a family’s small dog is stolen from the front seat of their car.

I enjoyed getting to hearing stories from when Oliver first joined the Carino family, connecting the deep emotions of loss with the unconditional love developed over years of affection and loyalty. However I found these flashback to be a bit to frequent and tended to be to detailed oriented. It became distracting and in the end it took away from the story.

I was hoped for a light, heartwarming and inspirational story that would renew my faith in humanity and Oliver just wasn’t that. The over all feeling for me was depressing and a bit bleak. I love my dogs but in the end I feel like I just wasn’t the right audience for this novel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’m giving this 3 stars for an inspiring story told in a bit of a dreary tone. G rating

I am grateful to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for my Advanced Audio Copy.

Oliver
By Steven Carino and Alex Tresniowski

I loved this incredibly heartwarming and powerful memoir about our love for our animals and how much joy they bring to our lives. I know that in my household, our pets are families and for many they are more than families when they bring so much to enrich and bring happiness to our lives. just imagine when Oliver was taken from Steve, he was so heartbroken, lost, in misery and has lost his faith in all of humanity. This is a story of how when something awful happens in your life, you see the miracles that happen and how it teaches valuable lessons not soon to be forgotten.. There are many things in life that is out of your control where faith and trust is all you have left. submitting ourselves to our faith is what this book taught me as well as many others about the power of love, the kindness of strangers, the support of a community and how much empathy, kindness and generosity there is in the world.

This was simply an incredible read I loved and enjoyed.

This is a heartwarming true story about a man and his dog.

Steven Carino, who drove people around for a living, was heartbroken when his Shi Tzu-Yorkie mix, named Oliver, was stolen from his van on Valentine's Day 2019. Steven had no spouse or children, and little Oliver was his best friend and cherished companion.

Dark thoughts assailed Steven as he considered the dog-napper. Was it someone who took Oliver on a whim? Someone who wanted a dog of their own? Someone who would harm the little pooch? Steven feared he might never see Oliver again, and could hardly bear to think of it.

Steven called his older sister Laura, who could always 'set a target, zero in on it, and blast through all obstacles to reach it.' Sure enough Laura knew just what to do. Laura made missing dog flyers - offering a $2500 reward - to post around the Mount Vernon, New York neighborhood where Oliver was taken; arranged for a TV reporter to interview Steven; and posted the story to Facebook. Pretty soon thousands of people knew about Oliver, and many left messages expressing sympathy and encouragement.

The search for Oliver went on for day after day, and came to involve a cadre of caring people. Steven's sisters joined him in Mount Vernon, to help look for the dog; Steven's uncle contributed $2500 to double the reward; children searched the streets calling Oliver's name; police, shopkeepers, and residents offered support; people called in tips; and so on.

Steven had trouble maintaining hope, and grew despondent many times, but his faith helped sustain him - and Steven talks about this a lot in the book. At times, Steven even imagined little Oliver's reaction to being taken, and thought Oliver would be bewildered, but would behave himself, waiting for 'Stee' to come get him.

The story of the search for Oliver is interspersed with flashbacks to Steven's past, which was difficult. Steven's beloved mother died of cancer when he was thirteen, leaving Steven with a father who drank, got into rages, and constantly criticized his son. As a result Steven grew up feeling worthless and insecure, and he failed in many business and personal relationships.

With shaky human interactions, Steven's best friends were always his dogs, all of whom he fiercely loved. Thus Oliver's disappearance was especially devastating. Still, the dognapping had a silver lining because Steven realized how much his friends and relatives loved him, and how kind the public could be.

I don't want to spoil the suspense, but books like this always have a happy ending, so the story is safe to read. There's a children's version as well, appropriately edited for content.

This is a touching story about Steven and his adorable dog Oliver. Recommended to animal lovers everywhere.

Thanks to Netgalley, Steven Carino, and Thomas Nelson Publishers for a copy of the book.

Oliver is the story of a stolen dog and his owner's journey to get him back. It's actually much more than that-- this is part memoir, search for religious faith, and the importance of community.
Steven J. Carino tells us more of his story- his past, his faith journey, his loneliness- than he does about Oliver. I understand there is also an edition edited for children.

People looking for someone's personal journey in faith and forgiveness are probably the best audience for this book. Most of this book has a sad tone to it.

Carino, himself, narrates the audiobook version. I felt the pace was a little slow, often with long dramatic pauses.

Some may love this book, but it wasn't really for me. It was a little too depressing and I'd wished it had focused more on hope and determination.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is not ground-breaking, but it is a feel-good story that could bring tears to some eyes. Plus, it's about a dog, so how could it not be good - especially about a dog that is stolen, and the hunt that follows to find Oliver.