On the last Friday of every month, Carol at Reading Ladies Book Club hosts Captivating Characters where you can share your post about the most captivating character (real or fictional) you encountered in the past month.
This Month's Captivating Character: Harold the Dog
Published by Delacorte Press on April 7, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction
Rating:
Goodreads
In this delightfully heartwarming novel, an elderly dog is determined to help his grieving owner find a reason to go on after loss. Now, if only he’d stop getting in his way by being so very . . . human.
Harold may be an aging mutt—but Amelia May, the romance novelist who adopted him, taught him a thing or two about the human heart before she died. And she also left Harold with a final to help her partner, Miguel, find love again.
Trouble is, the grief-ridden recluse rarely goes out, not even to the bookstore he and Amelia owned together. Now it’s in danger of going under, and when a renowned author doesn’t show up for his event, it pushes the store’s already precarious finances into the red. In a final attempt to save the bookstore, Miguel and Harold set out to find the no-show and insist he fulfill his obligation. But instead, they’re greeted by Fiona, his sunny yet secretive sister.
Fiona is intent on protecting her brother’s privacy—and to Harold’s horror, she doesn’t like dogs. But her precocious eleven-year-old daughter, who's also named Amelia, immediately befriends Harold . . . who can’t help but wonder if his Amelia was right when she said there are no coincidences in life.
Harold’s quickly running out of time to accomplish his mission, but if he can just convince his infuriatingly stubborn person to let Fiona in, he’s certain Miguel will find something far more important than a missing his own happy ending.
Uplifting, smartly observed, and hilariously insightful, Dog Person is as undeniably charming as its beloved narrator, Harold, and offers a much-needed reminder that while not all love is unconditional, it is still always worthwhile.
I always find it delightful to get a bit of a different POV in a story. Dog Person was told entirely from Harold's point of view. He was an aging rescue dog who was grieving the loss of one of his humans while trying to care his remaining human. I fell in love with Harold and adored him and all his doggie goodness. He was the best boy who loved big and made so many keen observations.
Let us know in the comments!
I have to admit, I'm not much of a dog person, but a story from a dog's POV does sound interesting!
ReplyDeleteIt was adorable. A fun way to tell the story.
DeleteThat sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteIt was sweet and fun
DeleteKind of reminds me of Marcellus in Remarkably Bright Creatures!
ReplyDeleteMarcellus was definitely a captivating character. The only difference here is that Harold is the only narrator. We only hear from the other characters via dialog.
DeleteThis is a fun idea!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to see what someone thinks their pet is thinking. Very cute
DeleteWhy do I feel like this one would make me cry?
ReplyDeleteThere are moments, but the author made those tough moments very sweet and touching.
DeleteThat reminds me of The Aty of Racing in the Rain! I loved having the story told from the dog's perspective!
ReplyDeleteI knew there was a dog in the story, but I did not know the dog told the story. Hmmm, may have to peep that one.
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