Cover Image: Pug Actually

Pug Actually

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Member Reviews

A cute read, told from the perspective of Doug the Pug, who not happy with his owner Julie’s relationship with a married man, tries to set her up with his V E T, Tom.

A cute read but it didn’t really do anything for me.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for my review.

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I dearly loved this cute, relaxing love story where the dog was the narrator! What a fun concept and I could totally see this being a movie. I liked the innocent-ness of the romance, loved that I could feel comfortable recommending this to my mother - in - law and not be embarrassed by any parts of it. This was a feel good story that wrapped up nicely with a bow and sometimes those are the best summer reads! Three stars simply because it wasn't anything amazing or new from a literary perspective, but it was a fun, enjoyable read.

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A charming romantic comedy with a difference - it's narrator is a dog! And Doug The Pug is downright adorable. He's clever, opinionated, resourceful and full of snuffly, snorty character! His owner Julie, however, is involved in an affair with her married boss Luke and spends much of the book pining and making excuses for him, while snapping at her long-suffering friends who try to make her face reality. Doug decides to take matters into his own hands, ahem I mean paws, and matchmake Julie with the nicer and much more eligible Tom (even though he is a V-E-T!) Matt Dunn does really well to create situations where Doug can be present and influence things and there were some really quite funny moments. My main problem is that because it's told solely from Doug's POV, we miss out on any chemistry between Julie and Tom. I found Julie quite exasperating and maybe hearing her POV would have made me slightly more sympathetic to her. As it was, I just couldn't get invested in her. Doug though is absolutely the star of the show. He is super cute and embodies the quirks and characteristics of pugs perfectly!

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Doug the pug loves his owner but not her boyfriend. The adorable scheming pug in this light hearted story schemes to find her a boyfriend.

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Frothy stuff and nonsense. I get a bit fed up sometimes with books that seem to insist a woman must have a romantic partner to be fulfilled, as this does, but on the whole it's jolly and easy to read.

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A romantic comedy but also the story of a woman who’s afraid of living and how life is going to be changed by a dog.
I expect to be a lot of fun but I found some parts quite heartbreaking and, even we know there’s going to be a happy ending, some parts deals with some serious issues like grief, the fear of moving on and how we can hurt ourselves for fear of being alone.
The story is told by the point of view of Doug, a rescue pug, and his parts are absolutely funny and I loved him. He’s clever, witty and wants the best for Julie, his owner.
I felt for Julie and, even if she’s often a bit unlikable, I appreciated how she changed during the book and realized how she deserved something better and more satisfying.
My favorite characters were Julie’s dad and Pryia, her best friend. Luke is obnoxious, one of those man that makes wonder how can someone feel in love with them.
The plot flows and it doesn’t drag. The best part are those featuring Doug and he’s a great dog and a great friend.
I recommend this story if you are a fan of Bridget Jones.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

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I love this author and Pug Actually didn't disappoint! Told from the point of Doug the Pug, the story centres around his owner Julie who is embroiled in an affair with Luke, someone who Doug doesn't like! Doug believes Julie can do better and tries to push her in the direction of Tom, a V.E.T. (not to be said in front of Doug!).

Doug even has to go to a doggy weightwatchers exercise class run by Tom in the hope of getting them together! A light hearted comedy with much amusement from a doggy perspective!

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Having just got a puppy myself I was quite intrigued by the idea of a romantic comedy from the dog’s point of view. You do have to wonder just how many male pugs get called Doug? Back in the mists of time when I worked in an office one of the neighbouring buildings was a little more relaxed and allowed dogs in the office. I used to regularly see Doug the Pug out for his lunchtime amble round the lake.

In our tale Doug is a rescue dog and the only thing in the world that he wants is to see Julie, his rescuer, be happy and loved herself. Unfortunately she has thrown her lot in with her married boss Luke and Doug knows exactly what kind of man he is. Convinced that she can never be happy with Luke and that she might end up as a crazy cat lady Doug starts actively matchmaking to find Julie someone who will help her to forget the selfish and obnoxious Luke.

When Julie is introduced to her friend’s son Tom sparks fly but not in a good way. Doug, however, is prepared to persevere even though Tom is a V-E-T.

Pug Actually is a sweet summery escape and a nice easy read curled up in your back garden.

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A light hearted romantic comedy written from the perspective of Doug the pug. Slightly predictable but an easy sometimes humourous read. A book for when you don't want to think too much.

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I was really excited about the prospect of reading a story from the perspective of a matchmaker pet. I did really enjoy that aspect, but felt like there was no clear divide between what common human rituals and circumstances the dog was and wasn’t aware of. Like what he could and couldn’t name felt random. Nonetheless, the core concept as a perspective is still fun!

On the flip side, man is the main human character, Julie, insufferable! This is supposed to be a romcom, but it plays on the classic tropes of a woman who keeps getting reeled back into an affair with a married man, treats her bestie like her emotional garbage can and acts like a jerk to a potentially suitable love interest. So somehow despite all her selfishness, she’s meant to be likeable?!?

I think it’s written for fans of Bridget Jones, so if you’re a fan of that series, you may enjoy this book. Although it was an easy read, Pug Actually wasn’t quite for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for sharing this book with me.

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Pug, Actually is a light hearted romance written by Matt Dunn. The main character and narrator of the story is Doug the Pug, a 15/20lb dog who is determined to play matchmaker for his mistress (Julie). Julie rescued Doug and now he feels he should rescue her from Luke. Doug despises Julie’s current boyfriend, Luke who is married and also her boss. Doug decides Tom would be great for Julie, even though he is a V.E.T. and the storyline is written from Doug’s perspective as he tries to set them up.
This is an amusing light hearted Rom-com written from a doggy perspective. I especially enjoyed Doug musing about why there shouldn’t be lost cat posters because cats can’t read! This is one of my favourite books I have read so far this year. Loved it.



I received this book via Netgalley and Harper Collins in exchange for a honest review. #netgalley #gifted

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A perfectly light, amusing and quick read. Doug the Pug is very smart and cute and wants to rescue his owner Julie in the way that she rescued him. Doug can tell that Julie and Tom would be perfect for each, if only they could see what he can see. Can Doug be the perfect matchmaker? Will love grow? Or are Julie and Tom stuck in the past?
Whilst Pug, Actually is not my favourite of Matt's books, it is nice to see a book of this genre written from a dog's point of view! The book made me smile, I did not need to concentrate too much on the intricacies of the plot and although it sometimes seemed a bit twee, there were a couple of really good twists and turns.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Pug Actually is told from the perspective of Doug the pug. His owner Julie is dating someone he can't stand and isn't the right one for her.
Just she can't see that.

Will there be a happy ending?

Will she realise her mistakes?

A light hearted and funny easy read.

🐾🐾🐾🐾

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Although the conclusion was a foregone one (it IS a romance, after all) some of the twists in this book were unexpected.

Luke though was an utter cad, and the fact that Julie was oblivious to his smarmy nastiness for the greater part of the story made me want to shake her.

Doug was a sweetie and I'd love to think that dogs have all this going through their heads.

The only jarring note was the occasional Americanism (such as cell phone) that slipped into a British romance and took me out of the story for a while.

However, this was a fun read, so suspend belief for a couple of hours and immerse yourself in some lightheaded romance.

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You had me at pug-perspective, but lost me at the humans.
I did skim some parts, but overall the human characters weren't very likeable or well rounded. I did enjoy the humor and observations coming from the pug, but it was just not for me.

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An easy and quite enjoyable read. A novelty idea for the story to be from the dog’s perspective and Doug is a really likeable character. Sadly I can’t say the same about Julie who I really found rather irritating and in the end I wasn’t that invested in what happened to her.

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When I saw the cover, with that cute pug face, how could I refuse a chance to read? And, the title, Pug, Actually, made me giggle out loud, so, of course, it was a given that I would read this one!
We have Julia, stuck in a somewhat restrictive relationship with a married man called Luke, and a pug, called Doug (Yes, really!) who knows this man is not for his mistress, at all.
The book is all told through the large, sometimes bulging eyes of Doug, the pug, as he tries very hard, with the help of a few other humans, to manipulate situations, to make Julia realise exactly how bad this man is for her.
Knowing this Luke already has something called a 'wife, at home, Doug knows that Julia could do much better, as he steers her towards Tom, a V-E-T-, (not ideal, because, well, his job, but so much better than Luke with the dodgy smell that he leaves in his wake!)
A delightful romance with a canine twist!
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for an Arc in exchange for an honest review.

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A light hearted rom com written from the point of view of an opinionated pug with a strong moral compass and a cunning plan. It takes a pretty deft writer to take a storyline like that and make it relatable and not contrived. Not my usual choice of genre but an imaginative take on the boy meets girl plot line.

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A story written from the dog's point of view. You need to believe in yourself and see yourself as others do. A male author adds a different dimension to the book. A humorous tale that needs to be enjoyed.

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Doug the pug is fiercely loyal to Julie, his human. That's why he hates Luke, Julie's "boyfriend," aka her married boss, who always leaves her in tears. Doug is determined to split them up, but that's tough to do when you weigh 15 lbs (okay, maybe 20 lbs) and don't speak human. But Doug will find a way.

This novel is adorable. It took me a minute to realize it was told from the dog's POV—as it turned out, that device worked really well. The book is consistently funny throughout, but also full of heart. It's really more women's fiction than romance, because the focus is more on Julie disentangling herself from Luke and finding the courage to love again, than it is on the budding relationship with Tom. Julie and Tom were really cute together—I hope there's a sequel. I'd love to see more of them, maybe with a baby, and Doug adjusting to the new little human in the house.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

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