by Casey Wilson
First published 2020
Toby Fuller walks alone through the farming town of Riverside, Washington. His father has left forever, and nothing Toby ever did satisfied the man anyway. His mother struggles alongside him, but Toby feels more isolated than ever. Then a scruffy golden retriever limps after him from school one day. The dog can barely walk, but he matches Toby step by step, never looking away. Toby names him Buddy. The retriever shows Toby a devotion he has never experienced. Buddy stays by his side constantly, offering the loyalty his father never gave. But disaster strikes their small town, changing everything Toby knows. His world collapses again. Now Buddy must somehow give Toby the strength to continue when all seems lost. This is a story about how love arrives unexpectedly, bringing light to the deepest darkness.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, family-life, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Setting: Riverside, Washington
Period: 21st-century
220 pages · Paperback · Bookouture