I am delighted to be closing the blog tour for ‘Happy Dog Days at the Pug Cafe’ by Anushka Fernando and Bertie the Pug – many thanks to Mirror Books for inviting me to take part and for supplying me with an ARC to review.
Bertie the pug had an unlucky start in life.
Diagnosed with hemivertebrae and unable to walk, his owner decided to open up a dog-friendly cafe where he could meet friends and have fun.
The Pug Cafe quickly became a very special place for all dog owners to meet and have a drink.
But when the cafe faced closure, it was brave Bertie the pug and his friends who came to the rescue.
Inspired by true events, Happy Days at the Pug Cafe tells the heartwarming story of one little pug and his beloved cafe.
Help yourself to a Puguccino, put up your paws and get your nose into the heartwarming tale of Bertie and friends.
What does TWG think?
Goodness me – I really wasn’t expecting tears to fill my eyes reading this! Who would have thought a book about a bunch of pugs socialising in a cafe would have made me cry?!
Well, there was a lot more to this book than socialising pugs – something which completely blindsided me if I’m totally honest!
You see, Bertie the pug wasn’t very well when he was small and he needed to have an operation that came with a warning regarding his life. One of his owners, Anushka, was so frightened by what potentially could happen, and rightly so!
‘Happy Dog Days at the Pug Cafe’ is written in the voices of both Bertie and Anushka, with Anushka taking on the role of letting readers into the mind of the pug…as best as she is able, obviously! Because the narration of the book is so unique and cleverly done, I truly felt as though little Bertie was talking to me. Seriously, dog owners – we have all done it. We have all spoken for our dogs, or our other pets, but never have I ever read a book like that. It was so cute!
Like I said before, there was a lot more to the story than pugs going for a cuppa on a Saturday morning. The Pug Cafe ended up being a lifeline for some. Somewhere where they could be themselves without worrying about whether they would be liked or not. A place where they would get support should they, or they beloved pooch, would get poorly. It was that which made the tears fall. I won’t delve into the details as to what exactly happened or who was involved, but it certainly caught me because we don’t like to think about that sort of thing, but of course we have to.
I thought it was a brave thing for Anushka to do regarding her confidence issues, and I really do think that a lot of readers will be able to relate to her in various different ways. I know that I ended up nodding my head multiple times whilst reading this.
As emotional as this way, ‘Happy Dog Days at the Pug Cafe’ made me chuckle and left me grinning from ear to ear. This is really such a joyful, heartwarming novel which highlights the trials and tribulations of being a pet owner, not having much confidence, as well as finding the strength to go for what you want. That takes a lot of courage.
Getting to know Bertie was an absolute joy – what a hilarious, firecracker of a pug he is. A truly lovely, lovely read.
The Writing Garnet 