I had almost forgotten just how much I like T. R. Pearson. I read some of his work 20 years ago, and when Book Bub recently offered this little tale about a man and his dog, I looked forward to it like I would a reunion with good friends. This little gem is a joy to read. ( )

This is the story of what happens when a dog steals a man's heart.

Donald Atwell is a loner, living a rather isolated life as caretaker of a large Virginia mountain estate which is a second (or third or fourth) home to a pair of rich Texans who occasionally drop in and give Donald some elaborate renovation project to complete. One day when Donald's pickup truck is stalled by the side of the road, a battered blue Chevy Nova pulls up and deposits a skinny puppy before driving off. Donald intends to take the abandoned pup to the animal shelter after he gets his truck going and completes the errand for which he's already late. But he winds up making a trip to the vet instead for a puppy check-up and shots.

Nova (Donald named her after the car which dropped her off) is one charmer of a dog -- naturally well-behaved and even-tempered -- and she brightens Donald's world. Then the nearby nursing home loses its lawn service, and Donald agrees to fill in "for a week or two" until they find someone else to do it -- and Donald and Nova make a whole new set of friends.

I absolutely loved this gentle little book set in the mountains of Virginia. It was filled with quirky characters that I came to care about, and the setting was wonderful. I thought it was a really great read. I wasn't familiar with this author before, but I'd like to read more by him. ( )