Seven Perfect Things

Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde

Publisher: Lake Union Press

Release Date: May 4, 2021

I would say this is one of the best contemporary books I have read in a long time but that isn’t completely true. This is one of the best overall books I have read in a very long time!

Abby Hubble has had to deal with a difficult home life. She is thirteen and her dad does everything he can to make her life miserable. Her mom, Mary, tries to help Abby have a nice childhood, as much as she can. As Abby is walking home from school one day, she sees a man dump a bag full of puppies into the river. She doesn’t hesitate to jump in and save them, but she knows that there is no way she can take them home. Taking them to the pound isn’t much of an option either so she takes them to an abandoned cabin in the woods and a promise to return to them. What Abby doesn’t realize is the cabin isn’t abandoned, the owner, Elliot Colvin who just lost his wife decides to return to the cabin and spend some quiet time thinking about his future. When he arrives to find seven puppies and a young girl with a lot of spunk, his future becomes even more uncertain. Abby starts to imagine how great her life would be if her mom was married to Elliot instead of her dad. How long will Abby and her mom stay unhappy and what would happen if they set out to find true happiness?

Every time I pick up a Catherine Ryan Hyde novel, I am reminded why she is one of my favorites. It is an odd thing for me to say because Contemporary is not my go-to genre, I am more of a suspense lover and will usually pick a suspense over contemporary any day, except when it comes to her. the way Hyde writes these stories pulls me in and has me turning the pages as if I am reading a thriller. Seven Perfect Things is by far my favorite of her novels, it didn’t take more than two pages to pull me into the story and keep me hooked the whole way through. It didn’t matter if I was in Abby’s or Elliot’s point of view, I enjoyed reading either storyline. Abby is a strong, capable young girl and uses everything she can think of to help her in the rescue of these innocent puppies. Her drive and determination are an example to her mother and actually helps her mother find strength. I loved the way the story unfolded and each character grew and melded into the perfect blend for the story to be what it was meant to be. This was a perfect blend of a great plot, wonderful characters, and puppies. Gotta love the puppies! I recommend this book to everyone, even if you don’t normally pick up contemporary novels give this one a try. I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher.  The views and opinions expressed within are my own.