The Thing Is - Kathleen Gerard

Small acts could become gentle nudges that had the power to plug the holes in the human psyche and fill them with a renewed sense of purpose. - The Thing Is by Kathleen Gerard

Rating: 5 Stars
Published: February 9, 2016
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
eBook provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon Goodreads

Synopsis: Meredith Mancuso is depressed. Ever since the death of her fiancé, she has shrunk from the world. Even with her successful writing career, she's not motivated to work. When her sister, Monica, begs for a favor, Meredith wants nothing more than to say no. But she’s ultimately roped into pet-sitting an orphaned Yorkshire terrier named Prozac. 

Blessed with spiritual wisdom and a high IQ, Prozac is an active pet therapy dog. To heal broken-hearted Meredith, he rallies his fan club at Evergreen Gardens, an independent living facility, where he visits each week.

Prozac and the community of resilient older folks challenged by losses of their own propel Meredith, often against her will, back into the land of the living. Meredith learns that most people carry some sort of burden, but it's still possible to find meaning, purpose, and joy—and sometimes, even love—along the way.

Oh my goodness, this book! I laughed so much, cried a little, and totally fell in love with the very smart Prozac. Told from the POVs of Meredith and Prozac, The Thing Is is a heartwarming tale of new beginnings. Both main characters were incredibly unique characters, one suffering through depression after the death of her fiance and the other a dog in the midst of his career as a Spiritual Guide Dog and taking a project he was unprepared for. If you had told me I'd love reading from Prozac's perspective, I might have laughed, but I found myself looking forward to his POV more than anything. Following the two main characters are some incredible secondary characters, each with unique history and exceptional dialogue. I really loved all the adventures Meredith and Prozac got into, the senior living facility definitely was the most entertaining I had ever heard of. I really loved that both perspectives read so differently, Meredith's mind thinking of her loss and her path forward in life, while Prozac's took a look at the past, showed his true knowledge, and his future plans. While both POV's intersected, they told completely different stories and I enjoyed that immensely.

Not an easy task. I knew Meredith Mancuso didn't want me in her life any more than I really wanted to be in hers. But life was like that sometimes.

The Thing Is was filled with emotions, from grief to happiness and love to loneliness. I think Prozac, as a main character, was such a huge addition to the emotional aspect of the story, not only in his career as a Spiritual Guide Dog, but in general dogs bring out different aspects of people. I loved watching Meredith try to pick her life back up and work on getting over her writer's block and her depression. It wasn't a neat and tidy story line, but rather one with several different plots taking place at a time that showed how everyday life really works, even in the midst of depression. I think the author did a great job of providing extensive detail to the emotions that brought everything to life.

The controlled modulation of Meredith's ice cream indulgence was surely a contradiction to the gluttonous way she wallowed in her grief.

The Thing Is ranks up there with some of my most enjoyable reads and we all know how I am about my five stars! The characters were relatable and easy to like, Prozac is the kind of dog I would love to have, and the general story of learning to live with what life gives you was so poignant. I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to readers, no matter your genre preference.