Woodrow on the Bench by Jenna Blum ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

“For anyone who’s ever loved an old dog.”

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

November 2021; Harper; 978-0063113183
audio, ebook, print (208 pages); memoir

Jenna adopted Woodrow (a black Lab) as a puppy and he changed her life right from the beginning.  As the book begins, Woodrow is 14 years old and beginning to have health problems  Twelve years is the normal life span for this breed so Woodrow was definitely a 'senior citizen".   When she took him for walks, they always ended up on a bench on Boston's Commonwealth Mall across from her apartment.  She and Woodrow made lots of friends on that bench - both humans and other dogs.    Helped by an amazing group of old friends and new friends that she'd met on the bench, she was helped by their support during Woodrow's final days.  The story of the love between Jenna and Woodrow will break your heart but it will also make you feel good about other people and their pets.

I have never had a pet so I wasn't sure that Woodrow on the Bench: Life Lessons from a Wise Old Dog would resonate with me.  Growing up, there were too many kids and not enough room for a pet and after I got married, we both travelled too much to add a pet to our family.  After reading about Woodrow's life, I think that I need to look into adopting a rescue dog.  This book shines with the unconditional love between Jenna and Woodrow.  It made me laugh - especially during the "conversations" between them.  It also made me cry - not just tears but sobs.  This book is a must read for people with their own fur babies but it's also a book that needs to be read by anyone who doesn't understand the love between a person and their dog.   Thanks to Jenna for sharing her story about the lessons that you learned from that wise old dog.

Buy Woodrow on the Bench at Amazon

Susan Roberts lives in North Carolina with her husband of over 50 years.  She grew up in Michigan but now calls North Carolina home. She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. She reads almost anything (and the piles of books in her house prove that) but her favorite genres are Southern fiction, women's fiction, and historical fiction. Susan is a top 1% Goodreads Reviewer. You can connect with Susan on Facebook.

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