A Man of His Own - by Susan Wilson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Rick Stanton was a promising professional baseball player with dreams of playing in the major leagues and starting a family with his young wife, Francesca, when World War II changed everything. Rick returns from the war with his body broken and his dreams shattered. But it was not just body and spirit he sacrificed for the war. He and Francesca volunteered their beloved dog, Pax, for the Army's K-9 Corp, not knowing if they'd ever see him again.

Keller Nicholson is the soldier who fought the war with Pax by his side, and the two have the kind of profound bond that can only be forged in war. Pax is the closest Keller has to a sense of family, and he can't bear the thought of returning him to the Stantons. But Rick and Francesca refuse to give him up. Instead, an arrangement is made: Keller will work as Rick's live-in aide. And thus an unlikely family is formed, with steadfast Pax at the center. As they try to build a new life out of the ashes, Keller and Francesca struggle to ignore their growing attraction to each other, and Rick, believing that he can no longer give Francesca what she needs and wants, quietly plans a way out.

All three of them need healing. All three of them are lost. And in Susan Wilson's A Man of His Own, Pax, with his unconditional love and unwavering loyalty, may be the only one who can guide them home.

"Touching and heartfelt." --Modern Dog magazine

Review Quotes

"With deft brushstrokes and an earthy delivery, Wilson develops strong characters caught together first hand and afar through years of confrontation and frustration. And through Pax, that bond and feisty spirit is magnified in a refreshing manner that connects powerfully to the reader." --Seattle Kennel Club

"With her latest novel, Wilson offers up a sort of War Horse for dog lovers." --Booklist

"A Nicholas Sparks-ian romantic drama, with an "everyone loves a dog" twist." --Kirkus

"The last few pages bring an unexpected ending that will call for a few tissues as readers smile through tears." --Best Friends Magazine

"Susan Wilson dishes up another captivating story that will keep you hooked until the last page is turned." --Modern Dog magazine on The Dog Who Danced

"I would unhesitatingly recommend this book to dog lovers and "non-dog" people alike." --BellaDog on The Dog Who Danced

"The Dog Who Danced simply can't be missed." --The Augusta Chronicle on The Dog Who Danced

"An emotion-packed story. As with Marley and Me and The Art of Racing in the Rain, it's hard not to like a book where a dog is a major player." --Kirkus Reviews on The Dog Who Danced

"Superior. A moving tale about canine healing power." --Booklist on The Dog Who Danced

"Multiple hankies, dog lovers...this is an emotional read." --Library Journal on The Dog Who Danced

"Real people, real dog--real life." --Cesar's Way on The Dog Who Danced

"Fans of Wilson's One Good Dog, or new readers looking for a heartwarming tale of the bond between human and animal, will find plenty to enjoy." --Publishers Weekly on The Dog Who Danced

"A wonderful novel: a moving, tender, and brilliantly crafted story." --Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain, on One Good Dog

"A finely wrought story of second chances and also of the power of the human/canine bond." --Bark Magazine on One Good Dog

"One Good Dog will make you cry, will make you laugh, will make you feel things more than you thought possible--and it will make you believe in second chances." --Augusten Burroughs, New York Times bestselling author, on One Good Dog

"[One Good Dog] evokes both laughter and tears, but the ending assures you that humans and dogs are capable of redemption." --Library Journal on One Good Dog

"Fans of Marley and Me will find a new dog to cheer for in Wilson's insightful heart-tugger...Old Yeller's got nothing on this very good man and his dog story." --Publishers Weekly on One Good Dog

About the Author