The Thing Is

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Pub Date 09 Feb 2016 | Archive Date 16 Mar 2016

Description

Ever since the death of her fiancé, Meredith Mancuso has shrunk from the world. Even with her successful writing career, she's not motivated to work. When her sister, Monica, begs for a favor, Meredith wants nothing more than to say no. But she's ultimately roped into pet-sitting an orphaned Yorkshire terrier named Prozac.

Blessed with spiritual wisdom and a high IQ, Prozac is an active pet therapy dog. To heal broken-hearted Meredith, he rallies his fan club at Evergreen Gardens, an independent living facility, where he visits each week.

Prozac and the community of resilient older folks challenged by losses of their own propel Meredith, often against her will, back into the land of the living. Meredith learns that most people carry some sort of burden, but it's still possible to find meaning, purpose, and joy--and sometimes, even love--along the way.

Ever since the death of her fiancé, Meredith Mancuso has shrunk from the world. Even with her successful writing career, she's not motivated to work. When her sister, Monica, begs for a favor...


Advance Praise

"A story brimming with humor and heart, and an ending that's as unexpected as it is satisfying." -- Claire Ashby, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the novel, When You Make it Home

"Great story! Unexpected, delightful, uniquely creative...Kathleen Gerard not only understands the canine brain, but she gets people too. The Thing Is reminds us of how intricate and interwoven relationships are--and Prozac teaches us about grace and unconditional love." -- Melody Carlson, author of the novels, The Christmas Joy Ride, Finding Alice, and The Christmas Dog

"Everyone could use a little Prozac. Kathleen Gerard's heartwarming and uplifting book will have you heading to a pound as soon as you put the book down (if you can ever manage to do it). An absolute pageturner, The Thing is provides all the proof you'll ever need that dogsare truly nothing less than Four Legged Angels." -- Mary Curran Hackett, author of the novels, Proof of Heaven and Proof of Angels

"Kathleen Gerard captures the powers of caring, connection, and resilience in her wonderful novel, The Thing Is. Prozac, the book's funny and wise canine hero, helps humans of all ages overcome their losses and grief, find happiness and adventure, and renew their joy in love and life." -- Susan Sipprelle, award-winning documentary filmmaker, Tree of Life Productions (Over 50 and Out of Work; Set for Life; Soldier On: Life After Deployment)

"A truly humorous twist on the issue of human frailty interacting with animal charm...offers a new take on grief recovery, which is both lighthearted and insightful!" -- Trudie Barreras, Amazon"Vine Voice" Top Reviewer

"Kathleen Gerard is a sterling storyteller who held my heart in her hands from start to finish. I recommend The Thing Is to everyone who is a pet lover (or not) and to anyone who is grieving or facing the unknown. The Thing Is brings hope, happiness, and new beginnings. This is my BEST read this year...kudos to Ms.Gerard. You nailed it!" -- Fresh Fiction (Pat Pascale, Book Reviewer)

"A story brimming with humor and heart, and an ending that's as unexpected as it is satisfying." -- Claire Ashby, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the novel, When You Make it Home
...


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781940215587
PRICE $5.99 (USD)

Average rating from 33 members


Featured Reviews

After Meredith’s fiancée was killed in a random act of street violence, she retreated into her apartment and stayed there. Her career, her life and her personal hygiene are on hold. Then her sister dumps a temporarily orphaned Yorkshire Terrier on her. Prozac isn’t just any dog though, he’s a highly intelligent, very intuitive therapy dog. And it’s not just the seniors at Evergreen Gardens that Prozac helps. Slowly the determined little dog pulls Meredith back into the world of the living. I love animals and believe they can help heal the most broken of hearts so I really liked this book and Prozac stole my heart

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I was given an ARC of The Thing Is from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
When I first started reading this book I kept asking myself what was I thinking? I mean a book about a dog named Prozac who is a spirit guide that comes back over and over again as a different dog to help people who are hurting I must be nuts. Well, the only thing that would have been nuts would have been not giving this book a chance because even if it sounds a bit out there it was an excellent read.
Prozac was a loveable dog that had me cracking up with some of his antics and by the end of the book he had me tears with how the book ended. As for Meredith the person that he is with I felt her pain throughout the book and kept hoping Prozac could help her. To loose the person you love the way she lost her fiance was just plain cruel. As for the rest of the characters in the book the were all special in their own way as well because they all had a story to tell that made this book all that more special. Some of those stories were for Prozac to help ease a bit of the pain from others were to help make things a bit easier for Meredith, but whomever the story related to it was beautifully written and added a deeper dimension to this story.
I would highly recommend The Thing Is because is is a beautifully written story about getting over loss and stepping out of your comfort zone. I have no choice but to give this book five out of five stars.

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I never know what to expect when I read a book by an author that is new to me, but I am so happy I came across The Thing Is by Kathleen Gerard. This book is just so beautifully written, with a plot we can all relate to. The interesting thing about this story is that it is told through two points of view...a spirit guide in the form of a Yorkshire Terrier named Prozac, and also Meredith Mancuso.

The story is about Meredith, a successful writer that has lost her motivation since her life was turned upside-down when her fiance died. Meredith is depressed, to say the least. Her sister, Monica, talks her into a job pet-sitting for a dog that just happens to be named Prozac. This leads to Meredith becoming his "temporary" handler at Evergreen Gardens. Prozac is a spirit guide that has been reincarnated many times to help people that have hit a crossroad in their lives. Prozac is definitely smart, and knows exactly how to deal with Meredith. He enlists the help of his friends at Evergreen Gardens, which just happens to be a retirement community. What better way to help Meredith get through her grief than to introduce her to others that have faced it and were able to heal and move on. The people she meets at Evergreen Gardens give her the strength to deal with it all, and they help her to find the strength to finally live her life once again.

I loved that the author told the story from both points of view, and especially loved every chapter in which the story was told by Prozac. What a unique and engaging way to grab hold of the reader and keep their attention! Kudos to Kathleen Gerard for this idea! It makes the story funny at times, as Prozac definitely has some witty dialogue and does some crazy things. I loved all of the characters in this book, as they each had their own heartbreaking story to tell, and that just added even more dimension to this beautifully written story. This story is about loss, but more importantly, it is about finding the strength and courage to move on. I strongly recommend reading this amazing and unique book!

I was given a digital copy of this book from Red Adept Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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I read this book because I love dogs and dog stories, and I'm very glad I did! This story is told from 2 points of view; Meredith, a romance writer who has been grieving the death of her fiance for 3 years, and a therapy and spirit guide dog named Prozac who has been sent to supposedly help an old lady named Helen, but ends up with Meredith when Helen breaks her foot. What ensues is an hilarious story with a bitter-sweet ending. Have the tissues handy when you read this book, as I hope you do because it is a truly wonderful story.

I received a copy of this book from Red Adept Publishing via Netgalley for an honest review.

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Gotta love a book about a dog and reincarnation! This is an easy, entertaining read written in a breezy light way. I only wish I had a friend like Prozac Thanks to NETGALLEY for the ARC.

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When I started reading this- I really questioned why. The viewpoint from the dog threw me off at first. BUT..... I must say that I a very glad that I kept going. After recently going a very difficult loss, it was exactly what I needed. The characters were believable and the story was very well written. I must say- I really think j need to get a dog now!!

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Prozac is a dog who is a spiritual guide and is reincarnated many times to help people heal from tragedy. Meredith is a woman who watched her fiancee get killed over a parking space. Meredith's sister brings her this tiny Yorkshire Terrier who draws her out of her funk and back into the living world. She continues to take Prozac to the local independent living facility and gets to know the residents and and staff. This book is not exactly Christian fiction but a wholesome well written book that is a perfect match for pet lovers and romance readers.

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A reincarnated spirit in a dog!! Talk about a fun, engaging, and utterly relatable story. Absolutely loved it!!

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Favorite Quotes:

“My mind felt like a shaken-up snow globe.”

“H&R Block was Monica’s pet parakeet. Only a twelve-year-old numbers whiz - a kid who used to keep ledger books on how much she spent on chewing gum and hair barrettes – would have named a pet after a retail tax service mogul.”

“The judge picked up her iPad and pressed it against her chest as if she were going to breastfeed it.”

“Annette laced her fingers together and said, ‘Hail Mary, full of grace, help us find a parking space.’ No sooner had Annette spoken that phrase than a car pulled out of a parallel parking spot on the street… Well, look at that! Even though I’m a dyed-in-the-wool Episcopalian, that tried-and-true Catholic prayer never fails.’”

“‘Oh, I can’t be bothered to learn all that.’ Mary flapped her hands. ‘I’m eighty-eight years old. Why don’t I just take up twerking!’”

“If you’re not carting around some baggage by the time you get to be our age, then you’re probably not living.”

My Review:

The premise of this sweet and multi-layered story was unique and extremely clever. Written from a dual POV with one narrator being a repeatedly reincarnated dog, named Prozac, who enjoyed “a canine Mensa IQ and an extensive vocabulary.” What a brilliant concept! I enjoyed it, adored it, gobbled it up, and continued to ponder it long after I had finished. The writing was emotive, fun, humorous, heart squeezing, and well textured. While the plot initially felt slow to develop, I soon realized there were many things going on many different levels with tentacles extending out in several different directions. Prozac was a Spirit Guide Dog, which were defined as highly evolved creatures with specific placements and “explicit jobs and functions to perform during their limited time on earth.” The Canine Dispatch Board repeatedly transported him to earth, as vastly different breeds, after a quick briefing on his next assignment. Prozac was among the elite of his group and considered “something of a canine Sigmund Freud.” He had well earned the nickname of, “The Human Whisperer” after thousands of years of honing his craft. He personally defined his job description to be that dogs led people to other people. In his current placement, part of Prozac’s role involved being a therapy dog with a busy itinerary, which included visits to a senior living center, which his disgruntled handler once described as “an elderly version of Melrose Place.” He was temporarily placed, through force and ultimately blackmail, into the care of a popular romance writer named Meredith, who was struggling with her own set of issues. The story was exceedingly well plotted, highly entertaining, and craftily unraveled by the two narrators. This was my first Kathleen Gerard experience, but one I would gladly repeat into perpetuity.

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Meredith is a lost woman since the death of her fiancé 3 years ago. We find her wallowing in her grief and unable to jumpstart her life. Then along comes Prozac a "spirit guide" dog who's owner has been injured and is unable to care for him while recuperating. Neither Prozac nor Meredith are excited about their new living conditions; Meredith wanting to continue to wallow in misery, and Prozac unimpressed by Meredith's lack of interest in him. Adding insult to injury Meredith comes to find out that Prozac is a therapy dog with a very full weekly agenda. Meredith makes many attempts to offload the adorable little pooch with no success but in the end they both realize they were exactly what each other needed.

As a person who only got her first dog as an adult once my significant other pushed for having dogs in our lives, I could strongly relate with Meredith. I was not always a dog person, but having lost my first dog recently - I really loved the spirit guide explanation for dogs purpose in this world. I have always felt that dogs came here with a purpose, a mission, if you will, and reading from Prozac's point of view was just spot on - in fact, I currently have Prozac in the form of a Shih Tzu! I have always told people he is an old soul from the way he watches us silently judging and the way he likes to look out over the lake at our cabin. This story hit home for me and for anyone who has ever had a warm place in their heart for a dog, they will be reassured and comforted by this story. It was truly a wonderful mix of comedy, adventure, love, and dog love. I am so thankful this book came my way, I will be recommending it to anyone who will listen!

I received a copy of this book from Red Adept Publishing via Netgalley for an honest review.

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Merideth Mancuso has been hiding from the world since the tragic death of her beloved fiance′. In a whirlwind of circumstances deemed by fate Merideth is asked to watch cute little dog Prozac while his owner is healing from a broken ankle. Begrudgingly she takes on the task. Prozac is a therapy dog with commitments to Evergreen Gardens and independent living facility. Prozac's crazy antics and social commitments slowly draw Meredith out of the emotional fortress she has been living in for so long. Meredith finds surprising comfort as Prozac and his people reach out to her.

In an Oyster Shell - This was a cute but very emotional read that deals with grieving over the loss of loved ones.

The Pearls - The premise of this story was cute and imaginative. A mensa qualified dog? Are you kidding me? It was cute, funny and very poignant. I thought this was a clever way to deal with the subject of grief.

The characters were well developed. I don't often come across animal characters but Prozac the dog was a hoot. What was going through his mind at different times was just so funny. It is easy to imagine that pets might have an ulterior motive when they come into our lives. The residents at Evergreen Gardens were crazy and realistic.

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The Thing Is... Kathleen Gerard

I love stories where the animal characters take the lead and this is one of these. The aptly named Prozac is a Yorkshire terrier, in his current form, at least. Prozac is a dog spirit guide, who helps humans and when his current ‘owner’ is incapacitated, he is foist on the unsuspecting Meredith, with hilarious and often poignant results.
Meredith is depressed and grieving. She doesn’t like dogs and this leads to some inevitable posturing as dog and human come to terms with one another. The other stars of this story are the residents of the Evergreen Gardens care facility. They all have a story and a tragedy and Prozac as the therapy dog helps them all but will this still be the case when he lives with hermit like Meredith?
There is gentle romance, a curious mystery and lots of fun in this story, which is unusual and intriguing. It’s a story about acceptance, learning to adapt and not taking situations or people at face value. If you like your stories quirky with unique protagonists, then this one is for you.
I received a copy of this story from Red Adept publishers via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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The Thing Is by Kathleen Gerard is told from two points of view. Firstly we have Meredith, a rather depressed but up to now successful author, she lost her significant other in a freak accident, and since then life has gone downhill.

Prozac - a dog is the other narrator. He has lived many lives, being reincarnated each time. He himself has his sights on becoming the dog in the stage show Annie, but this assignment is not the one. Perhaps if the mission he has been sent on this time is successful then maybe next time...! Prozac is wise but also just a dog, so he does what is innate to dogs. He also has a bit of a naughty side to him and loves to wind up those human people every so often. And when he lands with Meredith, well she is an open target.

Meredith is more or less forced into visiting Evergreen Gardens taking Prozac, the dog she has reluctantly ended up minding with her. There we meet a variety of characters, all of whom play their part and along the way some healing happens for Meredith and them. There is a bit of blackmail, a bit of drama, a bit of romance along the way.

This book feels like a mixture of genres to me, there is a definite 'chick lit' tone to it, ( not one of my favourite genres), some part women's fiction, some part romance. So I am calling it romantic comedy as I don't like the term chick lit. There is some wisdom dished out along the way and on the whole it is a fun story.

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Cute story. I love that one of the narrators is Prozac, the dog.
Funny, touching and interesting, The Thing Is was a quick easy read that kept me entertained.

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Sometimes life throws things at us that we are not sure we know how to handle or if we are suited to do so. And such is life for Meredith, who, one day, suddenly finds herself responsible for a four-legged furball for the foreseeable future.
The thing is…she’s not a dog person.

In her latest novel, The Thing Is, Kathleen Gerard spins a delightful tale of humor and suspense, with a little bit of dog hair and drama. Meredith, a reclusive best-selling author, is chosen to care for Prozac – his person, Helen Hendrix, is convalescing in a home, recovering from a foot injury.

Meredith has absolutely no desire to take care of a dog, after all – she’s not a dog person. She doesn’t have the experience, the time, the ambition, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. She attempts every excuse she can muster until all attempts fail and she finds herself stuck with a five-pound terrier who has seemingly taken over her life.

After losing her fiancé one tragic evening a few years prior, she is resistant to even welcoming the pooch into her home, let alone her heart. Meredith quickly discovers that she is to not only feed, bathe, walk and care for a dog, she is to also adhere to his strict schedule as a therapy dog – Prozac spends a large portion of his life visiting and soothing the residents at Evergreen Gardens, a church turned assisted living facility.

Quickly finding herself amidst a whirlwind of octogenarian drama, suspense, and a lot of really good humor, she discovers that Prozac has a very rigorous schedule he must adhere to, for these residents take it very seriously. Weeks pass, hilarity ensues and then tragedy strikes – Prozac escapes.

This heartfelt novel is a definite page turner for anyone who has ever had the pleasure of loving a dog. There is something to be said for the unconditional love animals share with their human – even if it is unrequited. Prozac and Meredith find each other in depressing point in both their lives – Meredith, who has lost her person, her soulmate, her love. And Prozac, who has found himself alongside a self-proclaimed dog hater and is missing his person, his caretaker.
While it is often difficult to pick up a novel about animals – seeing as how most end in tragedy and leave the reader sobbing over the loss of a fictitious pet – this novel is a must read. Gerard has painted such a lovely story – the reader is tempted to laugh and cry all at once. Besides, Prozac tells part of the story, so we finally get to hear it from the dog’s point of view.

Guest Review by Kate Kelly

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This was a cute emotional, funny story about a dog a grief. Prozac Is a spirit dog send in the firm of different dogs with specific assignment. His assignment this time is to be a therapy dog. Meridith is grieving the lost if her fiancé for a couple of years. Her sister brought Prozac into her life when his owner had an accident. Prozac Made such an impact in her life and introduced her to people who not only help her in her grief but became friends. She also found love. Really enjoyed this book. Recommended read.

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Everybody needs a Prozac in their life ....
Firstly thank you to the publisher for the free arc in return for an unbiased review.
Meredith is a writer living her life through her words but in reality her own life has been on the back burner for some time following the death of her fiance.
Little does she know what a big impact a small thing will make.
This book has been elegantly written, warms the heart and soul. The characters are beautifully drawn and it is a nice touch that the book is written from both sides.
A worthy read .....

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I found The Thing Is to be a sweet, gentle read, perfect for a lazy afternoon. The story is related from the viewpoint of the heroine and from a small dog! The device was entertaining. The story was easy to read, it engaged my emotions and I was a little sorry to see it end. I'm wondering if there's a series in the offing? I'd read more.
*I received my copy through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

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