Synopsis

He’d lost so much he wanted to die. But a stray dog changed everything.

Left for dead in the gutter, Rio struggles to his feet and lurches into the shadows for a place to hide. Life has always been brutal, thanks to a monster of an owner, but at least he’d had food, a bed, a place to call home. Now…?

Ben’s life ended when he lost his family. Drink no longer dulls the pain; therapy is a joke; friends have moved on. He’d had everything, yet now…?

But when the broken man meets the broken dog, they discover something neither had ever dreamed could exist… a reason to go on.

In a story as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking, Where the Echo Calls explores how hope can be found in the most unexpected of places if only we have the courage to look for it.

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Review

This is the third book in this series, and I have loved each one. Each story has tugged on my heartstrings, made me laugh, and even cry a little.

The story starts out with Razor (later renamed Rio) being shoved out of a car, and he doesn’t know what is going on or why his man left him behind. Razor is a fighting dog, and we get the impression he must have lost. It was hard to read because I hate when any dog is abused or neglected, or tossed aside. We watch Razor navigate the streets, tending to his wounds, finding things to eat, and just trying to survive.

The story is told from Razor/Rio’s point of view, and it is interesting how he thinks that if he isn’t abused that he isn’t loved. But I think those emotions probably hold true for various people in this world because they have been beaten down and don’t know to expect more.

Rio’s saving grace is when Ben adopts him. They need each other more than they can ever know. It takes time for both of them to adjust to one another, but when they finally do, it is so sweet. But it takes time for both of them to discover the strength that they gain from the other.

The book does have some humorous parts with the addition of Izzy and her chihuahua, Woofy. They are perfect to offset the seriousness of the book.

This book also deals with friendships and emotional attachments that are formed. I don’t think we give enough credit to animals and what they can experience and feel on an emotional level.

This is a lovely book, but if you have problems reading books dealing with abuse or abandonment, you might want to pass this one by.

We give this book 5 paws up.

About the Author

Apart from animals and writing, Steve’s passion is travel. He’s visited 60 countries and enjoyed some amazing experiences, including cage-diving with great white sharks, sparring with a monk at a Shaolin temple, and watching a turtle lay eggs on a moonlit beach. He’s explored Machu Picchu, Pompeii, and the Great Wall of China, yet for all that, he’s a man of simple tastes — give him an egg sandwich and the TV remote control, and he’ll be happy for hours!

He lives in the North of England with his partner, Ania, and two black cats who arrived in the garden one day and liked it so much, they stayed. Graciously, the cats allow Steve and Ania to stay in ‘their’ house.

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