Genie turns 30, gets a magical wish from her psychic grandmother, and accidentally transforms her loyal golden retriever Rory into … a man. Cue chaos, hilarity, and all kinds of heart. 🐕➡️🧍

With help from her childhood friend Miles, Genie races to reverse the wish, but along the way, she has to face loss, loneliness, and what she really wants in her life. A romantic comedy with bite — silly, sweet, and surprisingly emotional.

As a long time dog mom/person this absolutely sparked my interest. Light, sweet, friends to more, slow burn and some magical realism. Genie's grandmother gifts her a “wish” for her 30th birthday. After a painful dinner she returns home to her beloved dog Rory. There isn’t a dog parent who hasn’t once thought “I wish I knew what you were thinking or saying” or “I like you better than most humans”. When she awakens, Rory is now a human. It’s a sweet, funny romp in which she enlists the aid of her friend Miles to help figure it all out and get things all back in order. This kept reminding me of the old adage “Never wish for what you want for you just might get it”. A fun read.

This book was hilarious, quirky and so heartwarming!

I really enjoyed this! I will definitely read more by Stella Hayward.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Genie is not where she wants to be in life. She does have great friends, great family and the best dog in the world. But one misplaced wish in the middle of the night sends her into a race to undo the wish. Miles has been Genie’s friend forever. He loves her but he’s not sure how to tell her so he is always just available. When he finds out about the misplaced wish, he is ready and willing to help in any way he can. Can they find a way to reverse the wish? Will they finally figure out that they belong together?
This story is silly, charming, heartwarming, funny and a little bit sad. Each of the main characters has something in their lives that makes them a little sad. Each character has to work through the sadness to the other side. The silliness in this story is used to great effect in showing readers how the characters are working through their issues. This story is about seeing the potential happiness right in front of you and grabbing it with both hands. I am not going to say anything about the wish gone wrong but it’s something done in drunken innocence that leads to an amazing miracle. Each of the side characters (including a cat) play a role in advancing the story forward and helping the characters see their way to happiness.
This book is a pleasure to read. It made me smile and laugh out loud. If you like friends to lovers romances you’ll get that here but be ready for some magical silliness mixed it. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

If you had one wish, what would you wish for? When Genie's grandmother gave her a wish for her 30th birthday, she thought it was metaphorical. So when she wished that her canine companion, Rory, was a human, she did not expect it to become a reality. Imagine her shock the next morning when she found a naked man on her couch. Imagine Rory's feelings to no longer being a golden retriever. While this is a love story, the focus is on two best friends finding their way together, not a human/dog romance (thankfully). This is Stella Hayward's first novel and I look forward to reading the one she has scheduled to publish in spring of 2026.

The Good Boy is a sweet and lighthearted read with a really fun premise—a dog magically turned into a man! Rory’s golden retriever energy made me smile while reading, and I enjoyed seeing how his presence helped Genie work through her struggles and slowly open her heart again. The setting and romance added to the charm. Overall, it was a warm and uplifting book that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys cozy, feel-good reads!

The premise of this book was amazing! So different and unique. I loved every minute of it!! I will definitely be recommending it to family and friends in the future!!

Such a cute silly read! This book did have some serious topics. I was entertained and this book was also really quick!

This bookmwas trying too hard to be a rom com, but dealing with some serious loss. The FMC got tedious pretty quickly. I did like the dog , the cat and the hero, they were cute and supportive and played their parts well.

Overall I am going to say it was a 2.75 stars

#netgalley #TheGoodBoy

This was such a super cute, silly, goofy book.
It opens up following Eugenie on her thirtieth birthday, who is ok with life being "just fine", claiming having dreams is just a gateway to disappointment. For her birthday, she is granted a midnight wish from her psychic grandmother, and in a drunken stupor, she wishes her dog was human. She then has to go on a "quest" to figure out how to turn Rory back into a dog and, along the way, figure out her true self as well.

This book was so funny and unserious. If you go in wanting a fun time, you'll probably really enjoy it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This story is gripping and unsettling, with sharp writing and complex characters that explore morality, power, and the fragile line between innocence and corruption. It balances tension with moments of tenderness, making it both thought-provoking and emotionally raw. It’s not always a comfortable read, but it is unforgettable and lingers long after the last page.

If there’s one area to improve, it would be tightening the pacing in the middle sections, as some passages felt slightly drawn out. Sharpening those moments would make the ending even more impactful.

Not believing her grandmother, FMC wishes for her dog to become human. Great humor and banter., lighthearted & magical realism.

3.75/5

An easy, lighthearted, cozy, hilarious, palate cleanser, closed door contemporary romance! Whoa that's a mouthful lol This is a friends-to-lovers romance with magical realism because the FMC's (Genie) dog (Rory) turns into a human, who helps navigate her unresolved feelings with her childhood friend/neighbor (Miles), and ultimately herself. I did wish there was a little more interaction between Miles and Genie although we could already tell how their relationship is from the beginning.

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November 25, 2024
just a silly, fun, cute little read. i don't really have a ton to say on it, but it was just a basic romcom where a ... dog turns into a man? it was so unserious and did make me cringe at some points, but it also had some deeper topics and touched on more serious subjects as well (check tw!). i didn't love the fmc and overall just thought this was a little too cringe, but it was entertaining and quick!

Ugh, how dare a book be this adorable. I came in thinking it was a Romance, but it’s more about self discovery and forgiveness and all around lovely little story. Rory is the cutest. Miles and Genie, so cute. It’s just so darn cute.

I picked up this book intrigued by its quirky premise—turning your dog into a human sounded like a delightful twist on the usual narrative. While I did enjoy the story itself, I found it strange that I didn’t have a strong emotional reaction after finishing it. It felt like there was a missed opportunity for the characters to just communicate better, especially considering they’re in their 30s! I really wished for a better approach to the situations they faced, particularly when it comes to confessing feelings. Sure, not everyone can do that in real life, but I think seeing it portrayed more often in stories could help readers connect on a deeper level.

Despite this, the author did manage to weave in a heartwarming, sweet theme throughout the book. However, I personally felt I didn’t come away with as much from the story as I had hoped. It was fun, but I came away wanting more depth and connection.

A charmingly quirky romance with heart, humor, and just the right touch of magic.

This whimsical romantic comedy delivers a heartfelt story about love, second chances, and the power of one truly ill-advised midnight wish.

Genie is a delightfully relatable heroine—skeptical, a little lost, and fiercely loyal. When her birthday wish accidentally turns her golden retriever into a human (yes, you read that right), chaos and hilarity ensue. Rory-as-a-human is every bit the lovable goof you'd expect, with the emotional depth of a Pixar sidekick and the charm of a rom-com lead with major Golden Retriever Energy™.

But the heart of the story lies in Genie’s rekindled connection with her childhood best friend, Miles. Their slow-burn chemistry and shared past give the book emotional grounding amid the magical hijinks.

If you enjoy cozy magical realism, adorable chaos, and sweet-but-swoony romance, this one’s for you.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

What a silly, heartwarming, cute story.
I went into it with no expectations but found it to be a quick paced read that I couldn't wait to pick back up. I laughed more than I thought I would and found the characters to be endearing.

While it touches on serious topics, I thought the author did a great job and the story was still a joy to read.

3.75/5 Stars (rounded to 4)

The Good Boy is a quirky, charming read with a premise that sounds ridiculous—but somehow works. Genie accidentally wishes her dog into a man, and what follows is a heartfelt, occasionally cringey, but ultimately sweet story about healing, friendship, and finding yourself again. Rory-as-human is hilarious and lovable, while the romance with Miles is a soft, slow burn. The magical realism serves more as a vehicle for emotional growth than logic, so suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride. While some parts could’ve used more depth (and fewer awkward moments), this was still a fun, fast, and surprisingly emotional read.

Would give this five stars if it wasn’t for all the cat hate included. Even the sweet neighbor cat gets written as a villain who randomly attacks. Kind of sad really. Plenty of people love both cats and dogs. If the cat hate was kept to human Rory lamenting about cats it could have been funny. But with Genie and others joining in it just reads as sad. Up until those bits I was laughing out loud at Rory’s antics.