Monday, 24 November 2014

Waiting for Doggo

Waiting for Doggo by Mark Mills
            Published by Headline Review
20th November 2014
Hardback Edition

 
No-one ever called Dan a pushover. But then no-one ever called him fast-track either. He likes driving slowly, playing Sudoku on his iPhone, swapping one scruffy jumper for another. He's been with Clara for four years and he's been perfectly happy; but now she's left him, leaving nothing but a long letter filled with incriminations and a small, white, almost hairless dog, named Doggo.

So now Dan is single, a man without any kind of partner whether working or in love. He's just one reluctant dog owner. Find a new home for him, that's the plan. Come on...everyone knows the old adage about the best laid plans and besides, Doggo is one special kind of a four legged friend...and an inspiration.

 
Take one ugly dog (sorry Doggo) and one newly single male and you have the ingredients for this new novel by Mark Mills.  Dan has been dumped out of the blue by his girlfriend Clara.  Only she's taken all of her stuff, and gone away to a mysterious location, which sort of takes some planning, so maybe it wasn't out of the blue for her?  What she has left behind is Doggo, her dog, rescued from Battersea dogs home.  Dan is a working man, high up in the world of advertising, he doesn't have time to take care of a dog, therefore the only available option is to take him back to where they got him from.  Unfortunately for Dan (or fortunately if you are Doggo), Battersea will only take Doggo back when he has been castrated so now Dan is stuck with him unless he can bring himself to take Doggo to the vets - which he can't.  There is nothing for it but to take Doggo into work with him - causing issues all of it's own.  Add to the mix, Clara's flirty younger sister  and Dan's stunning colleague Edie, and you have all you need for Dan's life to suddenly become a lot more interesting.

Having previously written crime novels, this is a change of direction for Mark Mills which I think firmly puts him into the Nick Hornby genre.  Waiting for Doggo isn't a long book, it's not a taxing book, but it is an enjoyable read about man's best friend and the bonds he can create with those around him.  I read it in one afternoon, and it was very pleasurable too!

Happy Reading

 
Miss Chapter x

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