"The Smiling Dog Café: Healing Fiction, Vol 1 By Neil S. Plakcy: Review/Giveaway

Review by Lorie Lewis Ham

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase it. 

I am a big fan of Neil S. Plakcy’s Golden Retriever Mysteries. This time he has written something just a bit different in The Smiling Dog Café: Healing Fiction, Vol. 1. While this book also includes wonderful dogs, it really isn’t a mystery story—except perhaps the mystery of how this magical café exists.

This book is actually made up of two interconnected novellas that bring the Japanese tradition of healing fiction to the streets of Brooklyn, where The Smiling Dog Café holds more magic than meets the eye. The café uses the special dogs in the portraits on its walls to guide those who need its help to their door

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The first novella, Code of Silence, tells the story of Jeff Hodges, who spent his life afraid to speak his truth because of abuse he experienced as a child. It isn’t until his silence causes him to lose everything, that the heartbroken Jeff follows a Golden Retriever to a magical café. The café’s owner, Betty Martinez, serves up coffee that tastes like memories and her wall of dog portraits hold secrets that could help Jeff heal from his heartache and finally be brave enough to truly live. We also get glimpses into Betty’s life and how and why this café came to be.

In the second novella, A Mother’s Heart, we meet Sophia Greenwood, whose young daughter has been diagnosed with the same heart condition that claimed Sophia's mother. As she tries to deal with what that diagnosis might mean, she finds herself guided to The Smiling Dog Café by an Irish Setter who seems to know exactly what she needs. With the guidance of Betty’s gentle wisdom and the magic of the café, Sophie finds her way to a brighter future for herself and her daughter.

As the book’s description states perfectly, The Smiling Dog Café explores how we heal from past wounds, find courage to face our futures, and learn to trust love again. Through Betty's carefully crafted coffee blends and the watchful eyes of her painted dogs, these stories remind us that sometimes the path to healing requires a little magic, a lot of courage, and the perfect cup of coffee.

If you are in need of an inspirational story that blends the magic of coffee and dogs (what could be more magical than that) then The Smiling Dog Café is for you! And there are more stories coming. At a time when the world seems filled with darkness, I think we could all use a little of this kind of magic in our lives!

To enter to win an ebook copy of The Smiling Dog Café: Healing Fiction, Vol 1, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "smiling dog,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen September 26, 2020. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter.  If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out our mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! 

You can click here to purchase this book.

Lorie Lewis Ham is our Editor-in-Chief and a contributor to various sections, coupling her journalism experience with her connection to the literary and entertainment worlds. Explore Lorie's mystery writing including her latest mystery novel One of You, the latest Tower District Mystery, at Mysteryrat's Closet.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.