Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts by Lucy Dillon

Thirty-nine year old Rachel is having a really bad year. After losing her job and breaking up with her boyfriend, Rachel has inherited her late aunt's house, her beloved border collie, and a crowded rescue kennel, despite the fact that she knows almost nothing about dogs. Still, considering her limited options, she gamely takes up the challenge of running the kennel. And as Rachel starts finding new homes for the abandoned strays, it turns out that it might not just be the dogs that need rescuing.

Ever since reading Jojo Moyes' Me Before You, I've craved romance and love stories. On a shift in the library bus I came across a bestseller book (which can only be borrowed for 14 days, rather than the usual 30 days) and instantly knew this was a must-read. Already on the bus that day (8 hours and just about no "customers"). I ate over half the book. I finished it the very same evening.

Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts is in one word summarized cute. It has about 3 main characters from whom you get a point of view and several more important supporting characters. And then there's all the dogs of course. The setting is a cute little village of sorts and the whole atmosphere is pleasant.

Spoiler: absolutely nothing dreadful happens. Without being downright plastered with a big happy face, this is a happy book. Yes there are heart aches and annoying situations and frustrations and battles to be fought. But it's all just so damn pleasant and nice and dear God I want to live in this book and have life be this simple and nice.

*ahem*

So what I'm trying to say is, this is a very good book, but I suppose some might find it too simplistic and lovely (spoilsports). I loved it though and recommend it to anyone who needs a cheer-me-up read or something nice and uncomplicated for the holidays.

	Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts (read in Danish: Ensomme Hjerter og Herreløse Hunde) by Lucy Dillon ISBN13: 9788771160154 471 pages / published in 2009
	Review by Iben Jakobsen, BoB, 2014