List Maniac # 2 - Dogs!

Okay, so I’m a huge fan of dogs in books – of animals in general – and so I decided to make a list of my top 5 favorite books that feature dogs!

5. Saving Grace by Julie Garwood – Dumfries the Hound (I’m pretty sure he’s a wolfhound but I don’t have my book right here so I can’t check). Dumfries is the hero’s dog. Gabriel McBain is a big, strong warrior and Dumfries is a big, strong dog, full of bluster and growls, so it’s understandable that Johanna, the heroine, is a bit wary of both of them (especially since her previous husband was physically abusive) but soon she learns that just as Gabriel is a teddy-bear at heart, Dumfries isn’t terrifying at all. There is a great scene when Dumfries gets hurt and Johanna takes care of him. Very heartwarming. 

4. The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt – Jock the Mutt. Jock is a big, scary and kind of ugly dog, not unlike his master Edward de Raaf, Earl of Swartingham; but, unlike its master, Jock is a silly sweetheart not-so deep down. In The Raven Prince, Jock indirectly serves to show a lot about Edward that one might not know otherwise – Edward has quite a bad temper, and no one but his heroine, Anna Wren, and his closest friends Simon and Harry ever stand up to him – like his kindness. Memorable scene when Jock – whom until that point was simply called Dog – picks his name and decides to answer Anna’s summons and in the process foils Edward’s plans (read the book, you’ll understand).

3. Love and Other Four-Letter Words by Carolyn Mackler – Moxie the Chocolate Lab & Dogma the Jack Russell Terrier. Moxie and Dogma belong to Sammie and Phoebe respectively, and their friendship goes hand in hand with that of the girls.

In Love and Other Four-Letter Words, Sammie has just moved to Manhattan when she and Moxie meet Phoebe and Dogma at a dog run and the four of them become fast friends. Moxie, Phoebe and Dogma become Sammie’s sanity line in a crazy summer of changes and new beginnings.

Memorable scenes: any time Phoebe talks about her sixth sense to know what kind of dog a person would be.

2. To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt - Sir Mouse the Terrier. Sir Mouse is, as his owner calls him, a Gentleman Dog. He belongs to Melisande and has been her dearest friend since she saved his life when he was just a puppy. Sir Mouse has a temper, loves cheese and is incredibly protective of Melisande. A memorable scene in to Seduce a Sinner is when Jasper, Lord Vale (Melisande’s husband) first meets Mouse, who introduces himself by stealing Vale’s bacon right out of his hand.

1. Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie – Fred the B&B. There is a reason why Anyone But You is often known as Fred’s Book, and that is because Fred, as his owner describes him, is part Basset, part Beagle and part Darling. Now, don’t let that fool you into thinking Fred is a perky, cute little thing, in fact Fred is a middle aged, overweight dog who’s depressed or morose most of the time. Fred’s owner, Nina, goes to the pond to adopt a perky little puppy as a birthday present for herself to celebrate her turning forty and the finalization of her divorce, but she gets Fred instead. Why? Because she sees a lot of her self in Fred: both of them are pass their prime and both of them need love.

Special mentions for To Beguile a Beast also by Elizabeth Hoyt, Kristan Higgins’ books, and Meg Cabot’s Boy Next Door.

Well, there you have it! And remember that, as Phoebe would say, God spelled backward says DOG!