First published 2017
Lucas Ray cannot believe his luck when an adorable puppy leaps from an abandoned building straight into his arms. He names her Bella and smuggles her into the apartment he shares with his disabled veteran mother, despite the no-pets policy. Bella adores Lucas completely, even when she must learn strange games like No Barks to stay hidden from neighbors. Lucas starts bringing Bella to the VA hospital where he works, and she brings comfort to patients who need it most. Their secret life ends when Animal Control seizes Bella because Denver bans pit bulls. Lucas sends her to a foster home while he searches for solutions, but Bella refuses to wait. She escapes and begins an epic trek across four hundred miles of treacherous Colorado wilderness. Bella faces mountain predators, harsh weather, and human dangers as she follows her unshakeable instinct to return to Lucas. Her journey tests every survival skill and reveals the true depth of the bond between dog and person.
Genres: animals, family-life, adventure, contemporary
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: found-family, survival
Setting: Colorado, Denver
336 pages · Hardcover · Forge Books