Eh. This book was like a Lifetime movie.. You get sucked in and are entertained for a few hours, but it's not a story that will stick with you for long. I LOVE dogs and wanted a light vacation read, so this sounded perfect and had great reviews. I personally found the writing style to be amateur (inconsistent tone), and found the story predictable. I think the frame of the story was OK, but the development lacked... At many times I felt like a teenager could have written this, which would have explained the immaturity in writing style. The adults (aged 30+) sounded like they were giggling adolescents. At one point, the novel even indicates that someone brought a camera to a costume party for a couple photo. For a book set in 2012, you would assume a smart phone camera for a 30 year old professional. This is just an example of how amateur the book seemed. Unfortunately, the book just didn't live up to my hopes; I can't say I'd recommend it to any of my friends. Disclaimer: I am not one to normally read books which center around animals… especially when it comes to man’s best friend. Books about animals, especially dogs, have a way of bringing out my emotional side. I end up worrying all through the read that the animal might end up hurt, or (horror of all horrors!) dead. So imagine my reluctance when a friend raved about a book she had just finished by a debut author by the name of Jackie Bouchard: WHAT THE DOG ATE. A book about a dog? My friend was insistent I would love the book. So I decided to treat myself to a few pages. What happened instead was that I ended up wolfing down the entire book, just like Kona the dog might with a box of treats. What a fun romp! What a delicious read!Jackie Bouchard has a talent for hooking readers right from the start, beginning with Maggie’s visit to the vet with her dog Kona, and her astonishing revelation as she discovers ‘what the dog ate’. Maggie is suddenly faced with a new reality: what do you do when your husband walks out? It’s not an easy journey, but with faithful Kona at her side, Maggie struggles through the humiliation and heartache as she goes about creating a new life for herself. Bouchard has a fabulous voice that keeps the reader right there with Maggie, turning the pages for the happily-ever-after each of us craves. This debut novel definitely delivers. Bravo, Ms. Bouchard, for providing such a delectable treat of a read! I’m looking forward to reading more from Jackie Bouchard!
