Senza lode, senza infamia. ( )

Megan and Ian became puppy foster parents, training Helper Dogs puppies. But after fostering two dogs, they decided they wanted their own for keeps, and along came Taffy. ( )

http://iwriteinbooks.wordpress.com/2011/11/18/the-puppy-that-came-for-christmas-...

Writer Meg Rix has a lot of love in her heart, these days. With an adoring husband and an adventurous pup, her life has never been better.

Of course, to get to such a point, she had to go through some darker years. Most of her sadness stemmed from her home remaining childless despite everyone’s best efforts. Even if we haven’t personally gone through the traumas of infertility, we all know someone how has. Meg’s story instantly tugs on the reader’s heartstrings as it taps into the unwillingness so many of us have to accept defeat on the conception front. These days, we rely so heavily on the success of science and forget that chance factors in so often.

It was chance that brought Meg’s heart the opportunity to heal, though, albeit in a less human form. On a whim, she and her husband, Ian, signed up to parent a puppy through a group with a specialty in training companions and helpers for people with limited senses, limited mobility and many other challenges. Though they would only be parents for six months before the puppy passed on to the next stage of training, the two decided that it might give them a rather cute distraction from their trials in the doctor’s office.

For a pair of would-be parents, it might have seemed ill-advised to take on such a thing as it would ultimately constitute yet another loss at the end of the half year. When their first puppy, Emma, moved on, they chose to live for the good times they did have and though it was indeed hard to part the first time, they put their names in the hat for another puppy when they found their nest empty once again, this time opening their hearts to Freddy. Through the year that they were actively, parentally involved with Helper Dogs, the Rix family continued to seek out ways to expand their family on the human side. In the end, as the title tells, it was a puppy, not a person, who was able to warm their hearts and fill their home.

Though Meg and Ian would probably not consider themselves to be in the numbers that Helper Dogs and other like organizations serve, it is safe to say that their canine companions, however fleeting, did them both a world of good.

As I said above, the heartbreak and sadness caused by infertility is not something that each person must go through physically in order to understand just how devastating it is. I can tell you, first hand, that though we did not go through troubles conceiving, I felt Meg and Ian’s story deeply. Now, maybe that’s because I’m just a sucker for a dog book but I’m also a sucker for a good story. Meg’s writing is simple and to the point but it carries the emotional weight of someone who writes for a living and who writes from the heart. Though the ending is pretty much plastered on the cover, leaving very little suspense or guesswork, the book is not really about getting from Point A to Point B. It’s much more focused on the journey which is ultimately, what Meg and Ian learn to focus on as well.

I know I’ve mentioned this in other dog book reviews but I have this funny quibble with the category. Because they are most often memoirs and very rarely written by “real” writers, I often find them cut and dry, a little lacking, if you will. This often fit into that boat, but, as with others, a bit of choppy writing doesn’t totally discount a puppy story for an avid reader and dog lover. This is ultimately, a feel good story and will definitely delight around the holidays. ( )

Like another reviewer pointed out, it's easy to read memoirs, not so easy to critique, especially when it involves a sensitive subject like infertility. For Megan to be able to discuss it in such a public way is pretty brave, on her part. Unlike some folks that choose to dwell on this though, Megan and Ian were able to channel their heartache into something else.

It's a sweet, easy read. Nothing overly dramatic or intense. They recount their joys and trials and furry heartaches as they help raise and train puppies to be service dogs. I can't imagine how hard it would have been if I had to give up my dogs after only a few months. In the end, they were able to bring home their forever puppy, and the book ends on a happy note.

It's a good book to curl up with one day, and well worth the time. It's well written, and has a good steady flow throughout. ( )

Finding love and having a family was something that Megan Rix had all but given up on, but when she met Ian suddenly one night during her early forties that all changed. When complications arose from the struggles of trying to have children shortly after their quick marriage they found they could never replace their want of a child, but could certainly fill the void by helping others. As Megan and Ian embark on a effort to help train service dogs though they quickly learn that what they’d really love is a dog of their own and then, along comes Traffy.

For one reason or another I find myself reading memoir after memoir after memoir when in reality it’s about my least favorite thing to review. The idea of critiquing someone’s life experiences is not only absurd to me, but very judgmental. So when I began reading The Puppy That Came for Christmas I was weary because of the issues it dealt with, specifically infertility. Having suffered from it myself I can hardly imagine reading someone’s review of my own personal feelings on the subject, so I applaud Megan for having the courage to come forward with her story because it was incredible! Not only did I love her story, but her writing was amazing and perfect for a quick glance into the lives of this not-so-ordinary couple.

Obviously the readers who will be immediately drawn to The Puppy That Came for Christmas will be dog lovers as well as those who may have experiences with infertility, but that doesn’t mean others won’t enjoy it. In quite a few books the issues of infertility can sometimes overcome the entire story line. Not to trivialize those experiences, but it’s nice to have a story with a good balance. In The Puppy That Came for Christmas Megan Rix is concise in her writing but also has a depth to it that allow you to share her experiences in such a way that you are able to feel her heartbreak with not only infertility, but in having to give up her trained dogs as well. When Traffy comes along you can’t help but be attached to this wonderful couple and hope they will be able to enjoy a long life with their newly found puppy.

The Puppy That Came for Christmas by Megan Rix is a delightful read and one I’d easily recommend for the holidays. Dog lovers will appreciate the stories of the dogs that come into Megan & Ian’s home with their rambunctious ways, the training that occurs and the heartbreak that follows their moving on. Other readers will also love Megan’s journey to find her happiness with not only Ian but their lovely new puppy Traffy. This was such an enjoyable read for me! As someone who has struggled with my own fertility issues I found it comforting but didn’t find myself feeling like I was dwelling on the subject for the length of the book. Megan Rix knows how to write a compelling memoir, one that will tug at your heartstrings and have you turning the pages to the very end.

Originally reviewed and copyrighted at my site, Chick Lit Reviews and News. ( )