This book deserves all the ⭐️s and then some. Being a dog person, I simply had to read this and I am so glad I did. This is a heartwarming tale of life, friendship, love, loss and healing. The story is told from the point of view of Harold, an elderly dog who is hands down the best narrator and companion. The connections that are made throughout the book are ones that I will hold close to my heart as this easily made it’s way into one of my top favorite reads. It is clear that author wrote this story from the heart. I felt all of the emotions the characters were feeling and I loved every second of this book. I highly recommend this not only dog lovers but to everyone, especially those who believe in true connections, companionship and happy endings.

I've read all of Camille Pagan's books, and this is by far her absolute BEST. I started at 11 AM this morning and just finished. 5 PM. Bawling.

Told from a dog's perspective, in the vein of Art of Racing in The Rain, DOG PERSON captures the richest emotions --love, loss, found families, healing, and the warm wit of a precious dog...all set at a bookstore! I don't think it gets any better than this, and Pagan effortlessly nails every single trope. A special shout out to firecracker Amelia who at 12 deserves her own novel.

Kudos, Camille! I laughed. I cried. I rooted for these complex characters. Love stories don't come any bigger than this. Five furry tails for this extraordinary tale that's sure to win readers' hearts.

Wow, just wow. I was nervous reading this book as it does have some sadder topics but I'm so glad that I did. I loved how the perspective is as the dog and I didn't feel like it was completely inaccurate to how a dog would think/act. I loved the main story and the pacing. I felt like the topics of the book were really well done and the side stories were also really well done. I felt like the "plot twist" wasn't really necessary but I was able to understand why it needed to be in the book so I think that's a good thing. The ending was a bit predictable so I thought I would be emotionally ready but I still cried like a baby. Overall a really solid read and I can't wait to pick up a physical copy once it releases.

Really wanted to love this one. Got up to the point where they decided to get the author and I had to stop. Maybe I’ll pick it up another time and try again. The dog was super likeable.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/238226951

Review of the ARC, which I got from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved, loved, loved this novel narrated by Harold, a dog trying to fulfill the dying wishes of his deceased mistress. Harold's voice is delightful as he schemes to get his depressed and grieving owner back to the real world after the death of Harold's owner/Miguel's partner Amelia Mae. Miguel wasn't into dogs when Amelia, a true dog lover, brought Harold into their home. It was only after her death that Miguel became a dog person.

Saving Miguel's bookstore and finding a new love for Miguel drives Harold into many great but only sometimes successful schemes. The big conflict that separates Miguel and Fiona while they are falling in love is frustrating because Fiona has good reasons for hiding the truth and his reaction is so hurtful.

Be warned, the epilogue is a real tear jerker. It is telegraphed because Harold is not a young dog but it is still heartbreaking. (view spoiler)

If you liked The Art of Racing in the Rain, you should definitely check this out.

What a fresh and unique rom-com. This is a story about love, loss and second chances. Don't think that Pagan told a story through a dog, Harold (Harry) and it's going to be silly or childish. The author struck a wonderful balance of charm, soulfulness and believability with Harold. She mad the book a wonderful balance between laughter and true sadness. The book is set in a charming Michigan town and is centered around a bookstore - what's not to love? She developed the characters that needed to be developed and wrote just enough about the back-up characters to give the story depth and community.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

*Dog Person* by Camille Pagán is a warm, witty, and heartfelt story that balances humor with genuine emotion. Pagán’s writing is easy to sink into, and she creates characters who feel real and relatable, making you root for them from the very beginning. It’s a quick but meaningful read that touches on love, connection, and the unexpected ways life can change, all with a light touch that makes it both entertaining and uplifting.

4.5 ⭐️
I just finished this book and had to give myself a moment for the tears to dry from my face before I could write this. I was not expecting to uncontrollably sob at midnight tonight but here we are.

As a dog person, I was hooked from the start. Getting the story from the point of view of a dog was such a joy. Pair that with a cozy bookstore setting and it felt like this book was written just for me. On the surface, it is a heartwarming, feel-good story, but it also an emotional deep dive into grief, loss, and what it means to find family in unexpected places. It’s about love, resilience, and the determination to make things better.

Harold, the dog, absolutely stole my heart. Seeing the world through his eyes made me laugh, cry, and want to reach through the pages just to give him a belly rub and tell him he was the best boy.

Miguel, our main character, felt so real to me. His personality was layered and believable. I could feel his pain and his joy, and I loved watching his flaws and redemption play out.

I loved the community and found family that put their arms around him when he needed them the most.

This book is full of unforgettable characters and moments that will stay with me long after I turned the last page. I cannot wait to share this one with all my dog loving friends!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I adored this story. I love how it was told from the dogs perspective. A sad, but bittersweet story of grief and moving forward. I really enjoyed the storyline and found it easy to follow along.

I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Dog Person through NetGalley. This book was incredibly well written. It explores life through the perspective of an old dog. If you enjoy a book with deep moments, and comedic relief I would recommend giving this book a try. Whether you consider yourself a dog person or not this was a wonderful read.

DOG PERSON is an absolutely saccharine book, in the best way possible – that takes place from the POV of our canine hero, Harold. After his person, Amelia May dies, Harold makes it his mission to make sure that her partner, Miguel, can finally learn to live again. Such a light and easy read that will touch the heart of not just dog lovers, but all animal lovers.

Despite being a self-proclaimed cat person, I fell in love with Harold, the aging and utterly wise dog who narrates the novel. I admired how Camille Pagan made him come alive through his canine senses at the same time she gave such humanity and compassion. Told with warmth and humor, Dog Person reminds us that grief doesn't have an expiration date but moving on doesn't mean we're forgetting those we've lost. I found myself tearing up at the end of this story and I'll miss these characters.

If you love stories about writers and bookstores, you'll adore this heartwarming tale. Caution: May make you run out and adopt a dog.

What a sweet book! So many times when a book is shorter the characters don’t have time to develop - not in this case. I got a real sense of lived-in people who had full lives outside of the story I was reading. Seeing the world through the dogs perspective was unique. I liked that it felt like a dog, and not just a person who they said was a dog. There were little moments sprinkled throughout the book to remind us that we are looking from a dog’s eyes, and that showed in how they were perceiving human interactions, how they’d miss conversations due to lack of access (no dogs in the shop!) or because they’d be napping.

I took off one star because the ending felt a little too neat. I saw the ending coming from a mile away. (SPOILERS AHEAD) The author did a great job in setting it up, in that way, however, adding little touches like the toxic mother showing up at the rebranded bookstore opening? That was random and unnecessary. There didn’t need to be a resolution there, they could just remain horrible people, because many times those types just remain that way.

Overall, this was a sweet read that kept me up late to make sure that Miguel got his happy ending. Thank you to NetGalley for the early access copy!

First, thank you, NetGalley for this ARC. I think this was the first Dog POV I’ve read since The Art of Racing in the Rain and it confirms to me that dog POVs are a positive form of storytelling.

This book was extremely sweet. I felt like a I was reading the equivalent of a Hallmark movie. There was even a little twist in there! This book reads pretty fast (if you don’t find yourself bored). And honestly, I found this book quite boring. The characters are almost all likable, and the setting is cozy, and the fmc’s daughter is very clever and funny, but…I was just so bored.

Spoiler:

I did not like the main love interest for Miguel. A woman who doesn’t like dogs, but then turns around and adopts a puppy? And the way she immediately victimizes herself when she reveals the twist and Miguel doesn’t immediately comfort her and say “aw it’s okay.”

Dane was the best character in this book, hands down.

Dogs make the world a better place. Even if you are not a 'dog person'...this story just showed it. Thank you for the opportunity to read it, I really enjoyed it!!

This one took me a little bit to get through but I’m glad I read to the end (even though the epilogue was unnecessary). I also should’ve read the fine print more closely as I didn’t realize I’d be reading a book from the perspective of a dog 🙈. Overall it was a good, not great, read, but I’m going to stick to human narrators.

I read the summary before reading the book and was uh oh I’m gonna cry. I did shed a few tears, but it was written in such a beautiful way that the sadness was really a lovely sweet feeling instead of sadness. I loved how the book was written from the perspective of a dog. I forgot a few times until the dog had to relieve itself in the yard. Hahaha. I loved this book so much and I have to go find more books to read from this author. My heart will never be the same after reading this and I will sleep right next to my dog tonight and give him extra pets!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I wasn't expecting to cry over a book, but here I am. Maybe because I lost my own pup only 3 months ago. This had an incredible amount of heart. It dragged a bit, but the heart made me bump it up a star.

Dog Person
By Camille Pagán

I did not realize I’d be crying my eyes out by the final page. Dog Person takes a fresh and unexpected approach to romance — the entire story unfolds through the eyes of Harold, the dog. It’s an inventive choice that makes the book stand out, though I’ll admit it occasionally pulled me out of the romantic thread and left me wishing for alternating POVs to deepen the emotional connection.

Even so, I was swept up in the story. The plot is lively, the characters’ grief feels raw and real, and the emotional beats hit hard. By the end, I knew this wouldn’t be a perfectly happy ending — but it still broke my heart in the best way. I closed the book with tears streaming down my face.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the advanced copy of Dog Person.

Dog Person was such an emotional and completely charming read!

Camille Pagán blends humor and heart beautifully in this unique story told from the perspective of Harold, an elderly dog determined to help his grieving human, Miguel, find love again.

Harold’s voice is endearing and surprisingly insightful, and his efforts to bring Miguel and Fiona together are both funny and touching. The relationships feel real, the emotional beats land, and the writing strikes a perfect balance between lightness and depth.
It’s a story about love, loss, and second chances with a dog’s view that somehow makes it all hit harder.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!