by Julie Klam
First published 2010
Julie Klam opens her memoir at thirty, single and clerking part-time at an insurance company. She wonders if she'll ever find lasting love. Then she meets Otto, a Boston terrier who changes everything. Through Otto, Julie discovers what it feels like to find "the one." She learns to share her space, her emotions, and her modest income with another being. Otto becomes her first authentic companion, but he's just the beginning. Julie's household expands to include a husband, a daughter, and more Boston terriers. Each dog teaches her something new about care, responsibility, and opening her heart. The 2 a.m. walks, emergency vet trips, and behavioral challenges surprise her with unexpected wisdom. Her canine companions prove better teachers than she ever imagined. Through caring for them, Julie becomes a better person and discovers that love comes in many forms.
Genres: animals, autobiography, dogs, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, personal-growth
Setting: Boston
228 pages · Hardcover · Riverhead Books