This is a very sweet book. As a huge animal lover, I appreciated the dog's POV and fell in love with him and his emotional ride of a story!

This novel is such a breath of fresh air. I’ve been a longtime reader and fan of Camille Pagan’s work, and while this book definitely has a different style and tone than her usual writing, it’s possibly her best work yet.

First up: Dog Person is entirely narrated from the dog’s POV. GENIUS! It’s so adorable. While this definitely means some things are not present, like the direct emotions of the main human characters, Harold the dog does a fabulous job of intuiting what Miguel (his person) needs and feels, and he’s pretty astute about Fiona and Amelia Mae and the other characters. We get Harold’s perspective as an elderly dog who has lost his person (Miguel’s partner Amelia) and is trying his doggone best to help Miguel come back from his crushing grief to live a full life.

I absolutely adored Dog Person and will recommend it to so many book lovers in my life! It’s full of heart and emotion and the beauty of loving others (both dogs and people, of course). Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC of this novel.

I received this as an Arc from NetGalley. As with almost any book written from the perspective of a dog, I knew I would be teary-eyed at some point.

This story is told from the perspective of Harold, a 14 year old dog who is coping with the loss of his person while looking out for Miguel, his other owner who was also left behind. Amelia is who they are both mourning; Miguel’s partner for over a decade and Harold’s owner for nearly his whole life. She found Harold abandoned and adopted him, showing him how to trust humans again. Funny enough, she also showed Miguel how to trust. But Amelia passed away 18 months ago and now Harold has one final mission to see through before his time also comes to an end. Amelia tasked Harold with helping Miguel find love again, and that’s where this story leads.

Harold knows time is slipping away from him, but Miguel is letting life pass him by too. Miguel’s become a bit reclusive and he may lose the bookstore he and Amelia opened together due to increasing costs. Harold isn’t sure how to overcome this until the perfect opportunity arises. Miguel brings Harold to Chicago to track down an author who was a no-show for an event at the bookshop, leaving Miguel in a financial tight spot. However, Miguel doesn’t find the author he finds Fiona, the author’s sister. Harold knows almost immediately this is what his Amelia wanted for Miguel - someone to show him how to love and trust again.

This is a sweet book. There are moments where Harold is very wise for a dog, understanding what grief is and what it means to love in different forms. There are other moments where he is just a dog - to paraphrase Harold “You’re showing me words but I can’t read.” And that’s funny. There were many times I stopped to look at my own dog and wonder what thoughts he might have about me and my habits.

I appreciated Harold’s perspective as he navigated his role in Miguel’s journey. Harold knows he’s prepping Miguel to be okay without him. While I loved the perspective of Harold, I didn’t connect much with Miguel and I think that’s because we are only inside Harold’s head. Harold makes observations about Miguel, like “there’s color in his cheeks and a spring in his step,” but I didn’t necessarily feel that from Miguel, because we have no insight into his own thoughts. While it’s still a very heartwarming story about a dog dealing with grief and loss but still finding hope, the romance part of it was lackluster. Miguel and Fiona are solid characters and Miguel’s development was satisfying, but having only the dog be the narrator means we lost out on a bit of the nuance and complexities that would arise from Miguel and Fiona’s budding romance.

The epilogue was bittersweet. I had to hug my dog after I finished it.

3.5 rounded up to 4 ⭐️!!

This was such a sweet book about loss, grief, and finding love and passion in your life again. It’s told through the POV of a 14 year old dog named Harold as he goes on his purpose to help his owner Miguel find love again after the loss of his longtime girlfriend Amelia. It also follows the story of an independent bookstore trying to get back on their feet after going through some financial struggles.

This book HURT. Definitely read the author’s note at the beginning before going into this. This story focuses mainly on the relationship building between the MMC and the new FMC as well as the bookstore but a huge plot line is also Harold the aging dog as he slowly deteriorates. As someone who just lost their own dog who was the same age as Harold and had the same ailments this was really difficult to read. I don’t think I’ve cried this much reading a book before so just a heads up for anyone else who has a recent pet loss that this is likely going to be a very triggering book. However, Harold’s story is done very well and is very accurate to real life. It’s extremely sweet just very heartbreaking if you’re someone who has had to go through this before.

The story as a whole I really enjoyed. I loved reading from Harold’s POV, he was so funny and being inside a dog’s head was so pure and cute. The only drawback is that since we weren’t in the character’s head I couldn’t really connect with them as well. I felt a huge connection with Harold but not so much with the human characters. I also feel like the writing lacked a bit of imagery and descriptions of things but that is once again likely due to the POV being from a dog who isn’t going to pick up on tiny details like that.

Overall it’s a very cute and heartfelt story with a very sad but satisfying ending, anyone who loves dogs should give this one a read

Amazing book loved the characters and plot. I couldn't stop reading I stayed up all night. I loved the book so much thank you for the arc.

I never have read book by Camille and was so excited to have received this Arc from NetGalley!
This book was very different from others I have read as it was narrated by the dog's POV. I enjoy the journey of sadness and love that this book took me to. I did wish at part I got to know what the characters were feeling! Still a solid read!!

I'll let you in on a secret - I'm not a dog person. But, I am a Camille Pagan person, so I was excited to get my hands on this book even though it is narrated by a dog!

Camile pagan has such an effortless writing style that immediately draws you in to the narrative and the characters so you're invested from the very first paragraph. It took her two sentences to break my heart for all the dogs of the world who haven't found their person yet, and I don't even like dogs.

I loved the beginning of this book and how Pagan paints a heartbreaking portrait of a man and his dog grieving the loss of their person. It was beautiful and real and I loved all the characters that were trying to rally around this man to keep him afloat until he can make it to the other side of his grief. Although having a dog is a narrator is an extremely difficult trope to pull off, I thought Pagan did a great job with Harold the dog.

Unfortunately, by the end I thought Pagan was a little bit restrained by having only the dog to narrate. As characters are working through their big complex feelings, we aren't privy to their thoughts, so Pagan must resort to them talking to themselves or leaving voicemails or talking to dead people. It got to the point where I was finding the dialogue a bit forced and unbelievable. I do feel that this will always be a problem with animals narrating though.

Overall I thought this was a great read and I really enjoyed it, in spite of not being a dog person.

A warm hug of a book!

I can't resist a novel written from the point of view of a dog, and in Camille Pagán's Dog Person, the pup Harold is the protagonist in every sense of the word. Pagán does such a masterful job crafting the story from Harold's lens, it's easy to forget, while reading, that we're not in the POV of the other main character, Miguel, or any of the delightful supporting characters. Hector is simply there for it all, bearing witness to the human joy, heartaches, connection, and misconnections from his front row seat.

The backdrop of Dog Person, a delightful bookstore, only enhances the feeling of coziness and charm. This is a book that is unapologetically a champion of love, and I'm the better for reading it.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review

This was so fun! I loved the dog love and the characters

I hope my dogs see me and the world like Harold does! What a great read! Parts broke my heart. Parts had me laughing out loud. Parts had me rooting for love. I even had to share some of the lines with my husband. Thank you for the opportunity to read this early. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

First of all, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Ballentine Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Let me start out by saying, I am not the typical romance reader. I find a lot of the books to be cringe and eye-roll worthy. However, this book has NONE of that. I absolutely devoured this book. This is my first ARC from NetGalley and as a dog person, myself, this book was perfect. From the imperfect and flawed characters that embrace who they are to the beautifully written story, this book earned every single star I gave it.

This book is for anyone who has loved a dog or been lucky enough to have felt the love of a dog. Soul dogs are real and this book proves it.

"I should have figured out how to explain to him that love isn't just the answer. It's the whole point."

If you love books about bookstores, furry friends, and finding love again, then Dog Person by Camille Pagan is for you! This novel is in the perspective of Harold, an old dog who made a promise to his person, Amelia, and he's determined to keep it. Right before Amelia May loses her life to a terminal illness, she gives her loyal dog a mission to help her partner, Miguel, find love after her. But Miguel has become a recluse in his grief and now the bookstore that he and Amelia built is suffering financially. Harold's running out of time to complete his duty, but he's determined to make his stubborn human realize that love is the whole point of life.

I gave this book 4.25 stars overall. It was an enjoyable and heartwarming read, but it took me a little bit to really get into it. With an emotional premise like this, I expected to immediately be emotionally attached to the characters and invested in their happy ending. I expected to cry when they cried. However, I didn't start to truly feel this way until around 75% into the book. I think that the plot in the beginning was a little too slow for my taste, but if you enjoy a more laid-back build-up in a contemporary novel, then this book is probably more your style! I did enjoy watching a person cycle through emotions and interact with others through a dog's perspective, and Harold provided some light-hearted comedy to a rather glum character (for understandable reasons). Although this can be labeled as a romance, I think it is more so about working through grief, the importance of human connection, and, of course, the loyalty and connection to be found in a canine companion. Overall, it was a sweet and comforting story of loss, hope, and a very good boy.

Thank you Ballantine/Delacorte Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This review will be published publicly on my Goodreads account (linked), Fable account, and Instagram account (@okumura.reads) on March 24th, 2026, two weeks before the publication date, as well as a video review on my Tiktok account (@okumura.reads).

This was such a sweet and heartwarming read, I love reading books through a dogs pov. That’s what got my attention with this book and made me want to read it, I LOVE the book and movie a dogs purpose and this sounded cute and let me tell you, I was not disappointed. It’s absolut an old dog named Harold that Amelia adopted years ago and when she dies Harold wants to find Miguel someone else to love before his time is up too.

Just the concept and plot is so sweet and the ending and especially the epilogue broke me. That epilogue was not necessary that’s honestly what makes this a 3.5 instead of 3😭 all the characters are really likeable and I recommend this book to anyone that’s a dog person. Overall it’s just a hopeful and heartwarming read but sadly I just didn’t connect with the story that much, but I had a good time

Thank you for the e-arc Netgalley 💕

Thank you so much for the ARC! I was already enthralled from the get-go, enthused with the idea of watching a love story unfold from a dog's perspective. There's an added layer of romance, reading from a POV that is from neither involved parties. I had assumed that this would have been a meet-cute that involved two canine lovers bonding over their shared love for animals. Instead, I was met with themes of grief, love, and learning how to move on. There were several moments in this book where I wanted to cry. I resonated so deeply with Harold that it made me want a dog of my own, as it was a love story for him and his found family as well. I would love to buy this as soon as it's published, I can't wait! 3.5/5 for me :)

This was such a sweet and relatable read. It’s about how one little dog shows up and completely shifts the main character’s world—in the best way. It touches on relationships, grief, figuring out your life, and the unexpected comfort that comes from a furry companion. Funny, heartfelt, and a super easy read. Perfect if you’re a dog person (or just need a feel-good story).

Dog Person, By Camille Pagan
This is my first book by this author and it is safe to say it will not be my last. This is a fun, whimsical book, and yet it centers upon a heavy topic, grief. Our narrator Harold, is…well… a dog. Man’s best friend, who believes it is his duty to help his owner Miguel navigate the muddy waters of grief after the loss of his partner and fellow bookstore owner Amelia May. In the process of all of this is Miguel’s charming but failing bookstore. Miguel places his trust on an author event with his favorite writer, only for the author to mysteriously disappear. Miguel and Harold go on a search to find the author, JMB, only to find his sister, Fiona. To watch the relationship between Miguel and Fiona develop through the intervention of Harold and his partner in crime, Fiona’s daughter, (name is a spoiler!) was a treasure. Side characters are well developed and the grieving process was accurately portrayed and done in a way that the book still retained some levity, My one problem-and spoilers ahead- BEWARE, was Amelia May, yes, the dead woman. Amelia was portrayed as this loving paragon of goodness, but she was incredibly selfish. Miguel asked her to marry him no less than ten times, but she refused. Why, because she believed marriage changes people for the worst. The woman was a romance writer. Marriage is a promise of commitment that has not changed in thousands of years, BUT people change. Her parents were described as awful people, but perhaps they were awful on their own. Marriage would have protected her store and Miguel financially, allowing her writing royalties to keep her bookstore dream alive. But, it is her selfish insecurities that put her shared dream with Miguel and the lives of her employees. However, with that said, I am firmly in love with Harold the Brittany Setter with a heart of goal. Rating 4 out of 5 dog treats.

Dog Person by Camille Pagán is such a touching and heartfelt story about love, loss, and healing. The story is told through the eyes of Harold, a senior dog who loves his human parents. After Amelia, his beloved owner, passes away, Harold makes it his mission to help Miguel, Amelia’s partner, find happiness again. Miguel is struggling with grief and trying to keep their cozy bookstore running, and Harold wants to make sure he’s not alone when Harold passes away too. He wants Harold to find love again and live a happy life, long after his canine is gone.

Even though the story is told from a dog’s point of view, it never feels silly at all, and it felt very believable and realistic. Harold is wise, loyal, and funny and truly the most adorable dog. I wanted to reach into the pages and boop him and pet him. His voice brings warmth and comfort to the heavier parts of the story, which helped lightened the tougher subjects. I also absolutely loved how the author captured the deep bond between people and their pets, and how a dog’s love can be a powerful part of healing after loss. Most of us know that love and bond, and I could definitely relate to this story as someone who loves and adores my dogs.

While there’s a bit of romance, this isn’t just a love story and that is sort of a secondary plot to the main theme. It’s really about learning to move forward and letting people back in. With a cast of kind and quirky characters, a charming bookstore setting, and plenty of emotional moments, Dog Person is a beautiful reminder that even after great loss, love still finds a way. If you are a dog lover or someone who has gone through grief, this book will be something that you will really resonate with. I really enjoyed this book, and I know so many others will too.

Thank you to NetGalley, Camille Pagán, and Ballantine/Delacorte Press for the eARC of this book.

What a beautiful, heartwarming book. It’s told through the perspective of Harold, a senior dog who’s trying to help his owner’s partner find love again after her passing. All of the characters were great, and it definitely lifted my spirits in the hellscape that is this year.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

The author's note prepares us for the themes in Dog Person--grief and love and how to reconcile the two. It takes a minute to adjust to a dog's POV but once I suspended disbelief, I settled into the cozy bookstore setting in Michigan. Miguel is struggling with the loss of his young romance writer wife while juggling to keep their delightful bookstore afloat. Wrenches are thrown into the mix, a mysterious writer ghosts a big event, and Miguel meets a woman with a big secret. Throw in dear Harold, our protagonist/narrator, and there is a lot to observe and learn about from the dog's perspective. I am a dog person and love books with dogs written realistically. This author knows her dogs and approximates how Harold thinks and maneuvers through his world.

Camille Pagán's prose is deceptively simple while she creates a variety of interesting characters and weaves a plot that brings satisfaction in its resolution. Each main character has a secondary story arc while Miguel finds his center. Clever and keeps the action moving. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this advanced copy. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Dog Person by Camille Pagán is a wonderful contemporary fiction that is about hearts, healing, and the true love of our canine friends.

I am a dog person to the core, always will be, so I knew I had to read this book. It brought the full gambit of emotions: love, loss, emptiness, and hope. I love that it was told with the viewpoint of Harold, the very adorable, loyal, and insightful canine.

I loved everything about this story and hope that others will also come away with an uplifting feeling, one of promise and peace.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Ballantine | Delacorte Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 4/7/26.