I can't say enough about how much I loved this book. Genie is hilarious and relatable. Miles is logical and tenderhearted. Rory is, well, a golden retriever. The banter is sharp and dry, and I highlighted half of the dialogue in the book. Genie's arc is sensibly paced and very touching without bogging down the plot. Rory manages to learn a lot and teach everyone else a lot. I could go on, but I will sum it up like this. Before I was even halfway through, I recommended this title to a friend, and we have already quoted it to each other while laughing about our dogs. Now that is a terrific book.

A silly, fun romcom where a girl doesn't believe in her family's generational magic and accidently wishes her dog to life.

While fun and fluffy, this book was very unserious. It read like a middle-grade book, almost slap-stick in everyone's reaction to the dog-turned-human. It would fit better as a Hallmark-esque romance (Hot Frosty, anyone?).

Genie is so oblivious to everything around her-- case in point, her neighbor Miles. Literally the Boy Next Door since childhood, she actually refers to herself as his sister when we first meet. Later, when Miles no-so-subtly mentions liking a girl and hoping she'll realize it, Genie goes on a panic spiral about who this could possibly mean. You, Genie. It's You.

While this book wasn't unbearable, it was definitely something you could zone our reading and not miss anything important.

The premise of this book is admittedly ridiculous, but story itself is really so sweet, charming, and beautiful! It's really funny and fantastical but also heartfelt. It is such a testament to Stella Hayward's writing that everything about this book shouldn't work and yet it absolutely does. I couldn't put it down!

This book was like nothing I’ve read before. The previous dog owner getting his karma and our main characters creating a hodge podge found family by the end made my heart swell. Even after reading this book, I think I’d still wish for my dog to be human because Rory was the goodest good boy even when he was a man.

I wanted to like this book, I really did.

Unfortunately, I felt like right from the beginning the book was incredibly cringey. Breaking the fourth wall (sort of) isn't necessarily a bad thing but I feel like it needs to be done in a certain way with a certain voice and Hayward just didn't have it.

To me, it feels like this would make a much more interesting movie (Hallmark, honestly) than it does a book.

The Good Boy by Stella Hayward is a sweet, entertaining, heartwarming romance that I wholeheartedly recommend!
The characters are sweet and likable.
I really enjoyed this book. It was entertaining, fun, and sweet! I absolutely flew through this one.
A perfect book to put in your pool or beach bag!
This is a perfect comfort read for romance lovers!

Stella Hayward’s The Good Boy is a delightful blend of sweet romance, family bonds, and a sprinkle of fantasy that makes it a truly engaging read. The story’s warmth and charm are evident from the start, drawing readers into a world where love and family take center stage, accompanied by just the right dash of magical intrigue.

The romance is tender and genuine, filled with heartfelt moments that feel authentic and endearing. The characters are well-crafted, with relatable emotions and dynamics that showcase the importance of connections—both romantic and familial. The fantasy elements are woven seamlessly into the narrative, adding an enchanting layer without overwhelming the core storyline.

THE GOOD BOY – Stella Hayward
Avon
ISBN: 978-0063416888
July 8, 2025
Contemporary Fantasy

United Kingdom – Present Day

On the eve of Genie’s thirtieth birthday, her grandmother gives her an unexpected gift: a wish at midnight. Genie doesn’t really believe in magic, though her grandmother has an uncanny knack for telling fortunes and talking to the dead. So, she doesn’t put a lot of thought into what she should wish for. Instead, Genie goes home and snuggles in her bed with her beloved golden retriever, Rory. With no man in her life, she mumbles to her dog that she wishes he were human. She wakes up the next morning with a naked man in her kitchen—and he says he is Rory. Genie and Rory are not happy with what happened. Rory is having issues adjusting to human life, while Genie frantically tries to contact her grandmother on how to reverse the spell. Along for the crazy ride is her next-door neighbor, Miles, whom Genie is secretly attracted to. Can things go back to what they were before, or is Rory going to be a human for the rest of his…dog life?

As you can pretty much conclude by now, THE GOOD BOY is a crazy, outrageous, and fun read. Genie lives alone with Rory and feels like the dog is the one constant in her life. Her best friend…get it? Miles has a crotchety old cat named Matilda, and Rory, in both dog and human form, is scared of her. He also has a ferocious appetite for just about anything. Just don’t give Rory alcohol because it might make him sick. Genie is trying to hide Rory from people and taking him out simultaneously. Of course, Rory likes the dog park, where he can chat with both dogs and humans. Rory is friendly and the women like him. They don’t even seem to mind when he tells them that he is a dog. Only a few know the truth. Rory is a dog.

The more you get into THE GOOD BOY, the crazier it seems to get. Genie eventually finds her eccentric grandmother, who tells her to embrace the magic within her. Genie really doesn’t care—she just wants to get Rory changed back into a dog. Miles is a good friend. Can he see her as more than a friend? He takes the whole Rory thing in stride and helps Genie as much as he can. They have to keep an eye on Rory, or he will do just about anything, especially since he found out how to use a debit card and go to the nearby store. Did I mention that Rory has a huge appetite?

Will Genie get Rory changed back? Will Miles end up becoming more to her than her next-door friend? Does Rory want to return to his dog form when he has unlimited access to food (in his mind) with that nice little debit card? In the end, will everyone be happy? You will have to read THE GOOD BOY to find out.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

This book is warm, weird, and wonderfully chaotic, as Genie's birthday wish turns her golden retriever into a endearing human. A queer romantic comedy about second chances and complicated crushes, it's playful, tender, and delightfully offbeat.

A light, sometimes silly friends to lovers rom com that sees Genie and Miles bond over the fact that she accidentally turned her dog Rory into a human. Implausible to say the least but this might be the novel you need at the pool, the beach, or a rainy day. Know that you won't learn what the darkness in Genie's background is until deep in. Know also that this is as much about her sorta growing up as it is about learning that there's more to her friend Miles than she's been willing to acknowledge. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. My favorite character is.....Rory.

This is a weird book and I kind of fell in love with the dog. Everything Rory did was just so endearing. I kind of wish this was dual pov because I wanted to know what Miles was thinking. They clearly loved each other and I just wanted to shake them and make them admit their feelings.

I received an arc through netgalley.

I would way rather be a dog than have to do human stuff like have a job and pay bills too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an eARC of The Good Boy in exchange for this honest review!

Release Date: July 8 2025
Tropes/Topics:
• Magical Wishes
• Boy Next Door
• Golden Retriever Energy
• Grief and Animal Abuse

I just don't know if I would call this romance? If I get over 80% in and they haven't kissed, or even talked about liking each other... What the heck man! I read romance for ROMANCE!

At first I was terrified the dog would be the love interest (big ew) but right away it is clear that will not be the case (yay!). Instead, we spend the entire book trying to figure out why Genie and Miles weren't ever together, and also why Miles is given such a one-dimensional personality. He's so unbelievably flat. Actually everyone is except for maybe Rory, the DOG. Which is wild??

Rory is by far my favorite character here, even with the eye-roll inducing squirrel chasing, cat hating, over-eating nonsense. He is a golden retriever personified, duh, and yeah he is just that loveable. He has just as much personal growth as Genie which again, he is a DOG guys!!

This is primarily a book about coming to terms with grief and learning to forgive those that hurt you in order to free yourself from that pain. Romance is tertiary to that followed by "haha silly magical elements!". So, maybe not your first choice if you want romance first.

📖 Book Review 📖 “Shoot for the stars. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” Stella Hayward’s endearing novel is a reminder to all that life should be anything but a fine existence; we all deserve our happiest ever after. Listen, turning a new decade is never easy but Genie is doing her best to usher in her 30’s with a smile. Her life may not be where she expected it to be but with hope for a new year ahead, she quickly learns to be careful what your heart desires for. When she mistakenly uses her birthday wish to turn her beloved dog into human form, her whole world becomes anything but ordinary and fine and the dependable geologist next door is there for the ride. The Good Boy brings a delightful serving of magical realism to a comical and light read that is a much-needed escape from reality.

This book literally had me laughing out loud, and reading parts out loud to my husband, while also cracking up again. (he did not seem to find them as funny as I did, or perhaps, he just was annoyed that I was reading my book out loud to him)

Rory was easily my favorite character, he was so unapologetically honest while also being the most loyal. His commentary was perfectly executed and I wish there were more characters like him in other books!

The rest of the book was okay, the quest and quest-adjacent were meh - I was just waiting for Riley and Genie to actually just blurt out that they liked each other. It was so drawn out with so many missed opportunities that I got rather bored and frustrated quickly.

3.5 stars I’m rounding up to a 4

I wanted a fun, light-hearted, quick read and this is exactly what this book was. It’s so charming and sweet with humor sprinkled in just the right exact amount.

Genie’s family is magic, actual magic, but she doesn’t believe in it. When her grandmother grants her a wish - one single wish - for her 30th birthday, she doesn’t think anything of it and doesn’t listen to the very strict rules around it. So she wishes for her dog Rory to become a human so her friends and family will stop worrying about her being alone. She goes to bed thinking nothing of it.

Except Rory does, in fact, become human and the fallout of that wish is the premise of this book. Along with her grandmother, her best friend, and her boy-next-door neighbor/friend from childhood/guy she’s actually in love with but doesn’t realize it yet Miles, Genie has to learn to navigate life with her dog-turned-into-a-man Rory.

The book takes a bit of a serious turn when it’s revealed why Genie is the way that she is, and she’s forced to deal with her past, but it’s dealt with in a very delicate way, and felt very organic to the story.

If you’re looking for a cute story where you have to suspend reality for a bit, this is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. Stella Hayward is a new author for me, but you put a dog on a cute cover and I am all in! This story is a little zany: a dog turning into a human? That premise alone had me instantly intrigued—and I’m so glad NetGalley allowed me to read this in advance of the publish dated. This book made me laugh, cry, and then laugh and cry all over again. It starts with the heroine making an accidental wish that turns her beloved dog into a man… and from there, the story unfolds into something far more tender and introspective than I expected. Though there’s a touch of magic, the heart of the story is a deeply emotional, character-driven romance. It is about self-discovery, forgiveness, and learning what truly matters in life.
I always love a friends-to-lovers trope, and this one hit all the right notes.

Charming, hilarious, and full of heart. This whimsical romance had me grinning from page one. Genie’s accidental wish turns her loyal golden retriever into a human, and the chaos that follows is pure magic equal parts laugh-out-loud funny and tenderly sincere. Rory as a man is exactly what you’d expect: lovable, clueless, and overflowing with Golden Retriever Energy. But it’s the rekindled spark between Genie and her childhood friend Miles that truly grounds the story, giving it emotional weight beneath all the enchantment. A delightfully original tale about love, second chances, and letting the unexpected rewrite your story.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

The concept of this book sounded like it could be really fun. A woman makes a wish at midnight on her 30th birthday, and it comes true. Her dog turns into a man. The dog does not want to be a man.

Unfortunately, the writing made this almost completely unreadable. Everything was unbearably awkward, childish, and stilted. I find myself wishing NetGalley had included a sample of the first few pages, because I knew from the first paragraph that this wasn't going to work for me.

3.5 Stars. Genie’s grandmother tells her that on the night of her 30th birthday a wish will come true and after a few too many drinks Genie wishes her loyal golden retriever was a person. She wakes up and finds her dog Rory is now a very confused man. With the help of her cute neighbor, Miles, Genie must figure out how to get Rory to be a dog again and learn about herself along the way.

I have been intrigued by this book since I first saw it on NetGalley and it is just as bizarre as you would think based on the premise. I’m not going to lie, getting Rory’s thoughts and feelings was sometimes downright hilarious. For such a silly plot the book had some very serious and surprisingly dark moments (TW past pregnancy loss, animal abuse) that left me feeling confused about the tone of this book. The romance between Genie and Miles was also one of those blatantly obvious they’re in love with each other but neither wants to make a move but there was never really tension so it was just kind of unsatisfying especially because the book was fate to black types. To be honest this book feels more like Chick-Lit rather than a true romance. Overall I did have a good enough time with the book and would read something else from Stella.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This was super silly and I had a blast. I was a big fan of the man-dog not being the love interest (could get really concerning) and I liked how often the FMC would redirect anyone who flirted with him. The worry about how to navigate that situation if the dog were to stay human was also an interesting concern. I also really enjoyed how he would talk about the difference in how the FMC treated him (cuddles, love declarations, general affection) changed as he became human and how that felt.

The romance between the childhood friends/neighbors who are still friends and neighbors was sweet yet fraught with tension (and a minor love triangle) and it felt based in reality (despite the insane plot). Friends to lovers is such a good trope for yearning and tension. Not wanting to effect a lifelong friendship for the potential of something more is a real concern and that was illustrated well here.

My only reason for dropping this rating down slightly was just how much the FMC refused to believe her family was magic despite having her dog turn into a man. Like this was a fluke or something?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!