Gone to the Dogs [Paperback]

Mary Guterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 7, 2009

Rena never meant to steal her ex-boyfriend's dog. She was just casually driving by his new house, taking stock of his new life, when the dog invited himself into her car...Okay, so she stole the dog. But how could Brian, her boyfriend of seven years (not to mention “unofficial” fiancé), have done this to her? Fallen off the face of the earth, only to resurface with a gorgeous, live-in girlfriend and live-in dog? Honestly, a girl can only take so much. Besides, how could a yellow lab as great as this one be happy living with those two very bad people?
Unfortunately, being a dog-napper is the least of Rena's problems. Her mother’s dating a “potential” serial killer, her sister’s having an identity crisis and she’s the target of one hopeless fix-up after another—most recently, the highly moral Chuck, who just happens to know all about Rena's dog-napping escapades. If Rena wants to straighten things out, she'll have to face up to the choices she's made, the dreams she's put on hold, and the man who broke her heart.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After being dumped by her fiancé over the phone, dissatisfied waitress Rena retaliates by stealing her ex's dog in Guterson's amusing but forgettable second novel. If the break-up with Brian wasn't bad enough, Rena's mother is getting serious with a new guy Rena is unsure about, her sister's seemingly happy Orthodox Jewish marriage is in trouble, and her family is on a mission to fix her up with a new man. The someone they settle on is affable Chuck, who encourages her to return the dog, settle her issues with Brian, and find a job that really makes her happy. But when Rena makes a big mistake, she wonders if she's screwed up her chances to move on with her life for good. Guterson (We Are All Fine Here) is familiar with the chick lit formula, so the neurotic and insecure Rena immediately garners her sympathy. While Rena's family functions as a surprisingly rich comic buffer, fans won't find many memorable moments in this breezy read.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Guterson’s latest (following We Are All Fine Here, 2005, delivers another wacky chick-lit heroine, twentysomething Rena, part-time Jew and full-time waitress, depressed and moping after being dumped for another woman. In a mad moment, she steals her ex’s dog, and in the process of caring for Big Guy, she starts to recover from her depression and realizes it’s time to move on from her college apartment, job, and lifestyle. Stealing someone else’s dog and not responding to the lost posters may be too much for some dog lovers to stomach, and the book’s lack of resolution may bother those otherwise committed to the story. At the same time, there are many zany and refreshingly realistic characters, from big sister Aviva—a dope dealer turned both stay-at home-mom and Orthodox Jew—to possible love interest and amateur moviemaker Chuck. Suggest this one to Jennifer Weiner’s many fans and to readers of Julie Powell’s nonfiction Julie and Julia (2005) about another young woman struggling to find a life that works. --Jessica Moyer

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Original edition (July 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312541791
• ISBN-13: 978-0312541798
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,219,883 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hello and thanks for clicking on this page, whoever you are. This is the part where i'm supposed to tell you something interesting about myself, something that will make you think, gosh she's really cool, i think i'll buy her book! But you know what? I'm not going to do that. Because i have more respect for you than that. You don't need me to tell you that my new book Gone to the Dogs is fabulous, or that it's going to be one of your favorite books EVER, or that you're going to want to buy it for every one of your friends. That would be rude and uncouth of me, and one thing i know for sure is that i am never rude or uncouth. Last thing people say about me--that mary guterson, man, she is rude and uncouth. So, no. Decide for yourself. You can do it. And remember, my book isn't all that expensive, even in these nasty economic times.
but i'm not going to say anymore. i leave it up to you.
Reader, you are the best.
xooxoxo mary guterson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious and breezy, July 12, 2009

By 

Seattle Reader (Washington) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gone to the Dogs (Paperback)

I loved Guterson's first book. GONE TO THE DOGS is even better. The main character, Rena, is a total delight. She's a wisecracking, disorganized, and kind of lazy waitress who just got dumped, so she steals her ex's new girlfriend's dog. If you need to know more, there's a wacky mother who's newly in love, a sister who's recently thrown herself too far into Judaism, and a sweet, moving father. Plus various love interests along the way, although I won't ruin that part for you. The story is riveting, the dialogue hilarious-- it's a book you won't be able to put down. I can't recommend it highly enough!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious, July 7, 2009

By 

Marilynn Gottlieb - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gone to the Dogs (Paperback)

A totally entertaining read that had me laughing out loud. The author's voice is so convincing, with a great knack for dialogue that you feel like the people are real. This would be a fabulous movie.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gone to the Dogs Lover, July 18, 2009

By 

Ama C. Quao (New Haven, Connecticut) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gone to the Dogs (Paperback)

Loved, Gone to the Dogs. I picked it up, expecting to read for 30 minutes at most, but I ended up reading the whole book! It was so good! I laughed out loud, which is something I rarely do when reading. I love how this is not the usual "girl gets dumped" book. She does not live a beautiful apartment in Manhattan, she doesn't work in advertising, publishing, or fashion. Her ex-boyfriend is not a lawyer/doctor/billionaire. She lives a real life that makes the whole story refreshing and enjoyable. She has money problems, a dead-end job and lacks most housekeeping skills, making her a character that I can actually feel for. This book is a must for anyone who wants to read a book about normal people and the not so normal things they do.