The Dog That Saved Stewart Coolidge by Jim Kraus

This is a delightful story about a special dog that turns out to be quite a match maker. But before he was a match maker, he was a criminal.

We first hear about the stray as he is swiping a chew bone from the local grocery store. The patient dog knows just when to sneak through the automatic door, trot down to aisle five, and snag a chew bone from the bottom bin. He's out the door in a flash midst the yelling of the manager.

Stewart Coolidge, political science college graduate but current grocery store employee, is assigned the dangerous task of chasing the dog. Day after day the clever dog outwits his would be captors. Imagine Stewart's surprise when he sees the dog by his apartment. Stewart takes him in. That helps him get to know, Lisa, the beautiful young woman in the apartment below. A journalism major now making lattes submits a story to the local paper. Soon the dog is famous and a reward is offered. Even as Steward and Lisa are getting to know each other better, their lives become quite complicated.

I love this well written dog story. Lisa names the stray Hubert and he is a dear. He likes to listen to Scripture being read. That's a good thing for Stewart who has abandoned the faith his grandmother taught him. Hubert is such an intelligent dog, he knows better what Stewart and Lisa need than they do. Stewart and Lisa are great characters. Stewart is kind of clueless about romance and life in general and Hubert helps him in so many ways. It is just sweet.

This is a great novel about damaged people being loved into wholeness by a stray dog, a dog with the scars of mistreatment on his back. It is a good reminder that God may have unusual means to get us where He wants us to be.

Can a dog understand faith and trust and who God is? I don't know, but it sure makes for a delightful novel. There's a Reading Group Guide so this would be a good choice for reading groups. I highly recommend it.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Jim Kraus has been a vice-president at a major Christian publishing house for the past twenty years. He has written more than twenty books and novels, many with his wife. He is also an award winning photographer. He and his wife have a son and live outside of Chicago. Find out more about his books at http://www.jimkraus.com/.

Faith Words, 336 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.