What do you think?
Rate this book
Gone to the Dogs: A Novel
Rena never meant to steal her ex-boyfriend's dog. She was just casually driving by his new house, taking stock of his new life, when the dog invited himself into her car...Okay, so she stole the dog. But how could Brian, her boyfriend of seven years (not to mention "unofficial" fiancé), have done this to her? Fallen off the face of the earth, only to resurface with a gorgeous, live-in girlfriend and live-in dog? Honestly, a girl can only take so much. Besides, how could a yellow lab as great as this one be happy living with those two very bad people?
Unfortunately, being a dog-napper is the least of Rena's problems. Her mother's dating a "potential" serial killer, her sister's having an identity crisis and she's the target of one hopeless fix-up after another―most recently, the highly moral Chuck, who just happens to know all about Rena's dog-napping escapades. If Rena wants to straighten things out, she'll have to face up to the choices she's made, the dreams she's put on hold, and the man who broke her heart.
Unfortunately, being a dog-napper is the least of Rena's problems. Her mother's dating a "potential" serial killer, her sister's having an identity crisis and she's the target of one hopeless fix-up after another―most recently, the highly moral Chuck, who just happens to know all about Rena's dog-napping escapades. If Rena wants to straighten things out, she'll have to face up to the choices she's made, the dreams she's put on hold, and the man who broke her heart.
288 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2009
3 people are currently reading
260 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
July 10, 2009
well i wrote this book so what can i say? it was great!
July 11, 2009
While this book did arrive before I left for the beach, it is not going to make it there as I finished it in one day. I loved Rena, the casually Jewish protagonist. Guterson manages to make Rena's struggle to get over Brian (her fiance who moved in with someone else and let his dad break the news) in a way the felt very real. Told in the first person, I felt as if I could be telling parts of the story. The pacing was good, moving fast enough to keep me from wanting to slap Rena and yet taking the time for me to care about her and her family.
I have never stolen a dog, but I can understand the temptation. Anyone who has ever struggled to move on or to simpy figure out what in the hell to do with their life will find bits of themselves in this lovely, funny, and surprisingly touching story.
I have never stolen a dog, but I can understand the temptation. Anyone who has ever struggled to move on or to simpy figure out what in the hell to do with their life will find bits of themselves in this lovely, funny, and surprisingly touching story.
January 12, 2026
well….i read it LOL maybe i shouldn’t expect too much from a beach novel. still, the language was beyond dated even for 2009 and some of the jokes were tone deaf. 2 stars bc nothing bad happened to the dog
October 7, 2009
Rena's fiance's dad was the one to break the news about the new girlfriend, so she stole said new girlfriend's dog. Makes perfect sense. Of course, Rena lives in building that doesn't allow dogs and a friend of the ex is another tenant, but really what could go wrong? Then there's the whole bit where Rena's mom starts dating again and thinks Rena should too, her sister is in crisis, and her job pretty much sucks. It should be depressing, but it's really just funny.
March 5, 2022
I absolutely LOVED this book! It was the perfect light read and very hard to put down. It was packed with humor on every page and truly enjoyable from start to finish. I look forward to reading another of Mary Guterson's books!
July 12, 2009
This was a very easy and enjoyable book to read. Fans of Jennifer Weiner and Meg Cabot will love this book. The main character is Rena, a college-educated waitress with no motivation to live up to the potential everyone else thinks she has. Rena's fiance (together 7 years) finds a new love on a trip and doesn't have the decency to break up with her properly, instead allowing his father to tell her. Rena is obsessed with the fact that his new relationship seems to be moving faster than the one they had and drives by his new place to find out that the new couple has a dog now. Without thinking, Rena dognaps Tilly, who she renames Big Guy. She keeps the dog for some time in her apartment and develops a bond with him. Meanwhile, she realizes that following her break-up she ignored her family. Intent to start living again, she reinvolves herself with her parents and their new love interests and the crisis her sister is going through in her relationship to her husband. This all occurs while she is trying to avoid being set up with another guy. However,one of these set-ups, Chuck, does interest her. As Rena struggles to right her life and find some meaning in it, her exploits and relationships will make you laugh and shake your head at her. This was a wonderful summer read.
July 28, 2009
This book caught me with the first paragraph. It takes you on rides that are funny and at the same time heart wrenching. Females around the world will relate with the main character. Like most females at one time or another, Rena gets dumped. The difference being that Brian had been her boyfriend for seven years. Rena takes you through her bouts of anger and depression. You walk with her through moments of insanity--like when she decides to steal the dog that belongs to Brian and his new girlfriend Anna. And Rena doesn't particularly like dogs. Her life is chaotic not only with the breakup and now having a dog to take care of, but being a college graduate still living in her college apartment and waiting tables in a diner. Her mom has a new young boyfriend, and her sister has become orthodox in their Jewish religion. Her dad is pressuring her to join him in the family plumbing business. Simply, Rena's life has gone to the dogs, and we go with her on her journey to see if she can find her way in life. This story is an easy great read and would make an excellent "chick flick".
July 12, 2009
This was a nice, light, quick read. Great for the beach. I have been reading so many intense books this summer, that I really enjoyed a break. However, even tho it was light and fun, it was well written. Kind of reminded me of Jennifer Weiner's books...which I always enjoy in spite of myself! The main character of the story is Rena, who is broken up with her long term boyfriend and is having trouble getting over him. I'd probably diagnose her as depressed. Her well meaning family tries to help her by fixing her up with Mr. Super Nice Guy. But meanwhile she is in possession of her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend's dog, who she dognapped from their backyard. There are a lot of funny twists and turns to the story, and it is all wrapped up in one satisfying package. I don't think you will be disappointed.
May 12, 2011
LOVED this book!! It was such a fun read, honestly, I don't think I've enjoyed a character this much since Jennifer Weiner's Good In Bed. I just felt that Rena was so down to earth, so disorganized, confused, etc. at times, that you couldn't help but love her!! The story was one we can all relate to I feel, getting dumped and then doing something stupid....I even enjoyed the peripheral characters like her sister & mother- and ESPECIALLY Chuck!!
June 6, 2010
Happy, funny, light....great dialogue, and engaging characters with just the right blend of two versus three dimensionality to let you really enjoy the dissing that the jerk of the story gets, and totally believe in the happy-ever-after ending for the main characters. Fun summer read!
August 16, 2021
This was a fun, quirky read. Very enjoyable!
January 18, 2010
Totally entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny. Rena is the endearing narrator in this wonderful Jewish satire. Rena, the younger of two daughters, has earned graduate school credits but, she has spent the last too many years with Brian and waiting tables. And she cannot understand how her main supplier of recreational drugs, her older sister, has become an Orthodox Jew, replete with wig and all-things-kosher, at the behest of her husband. Brian, Rena's long-time boyfriend who actually proposed marriage, returns from a white-water trip with a new girlfriend who is both a vet and the owner of a dog, and flat-out dumps Rena. Rena, heartbroken, steals the new girlfriend's dog! This presents several dilemmas, including the fact she lives in a "no pets allowed" apartment. There are many amusing relationships such as Rena's divorced mother who has fallen in love with a much younger man who may be converting. Rena's mother and sister believe what Rena needs most is to meet a nice Jewish man. Who, of course,Rena is set up with, at a dinner at her mother's house. Troubles abound but so does laughter in this delightful book
March 3, 2010
The pages of Gone to the Dogs are dripping with sarcasm thanks to the story's main character, Rena. She is a hugely sarcastic, witty, albeit unmotivated and somewhat confused Jewish girl.
After being unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend/fiance of seven years, Rena decided to steal his dog. The decision isn't made out of revenge so much as it's an event that sort of just happens for lack of anything better to do while Rena is angry and hurt by the break-up.
Overall, the story of Rena's dog theft and subsequent attempts at return is pretty good. I enjoyed the sarcasm and humor, not to mention that the story being focused on a dog is a major plus in my book.
After being unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend/fiance of seven years, Rena decided to steal his dog. The decision isn't made out of revenge so much as it's an event that sort of just happens for lack of anything better to do while Rena is angry and hurt by the break-up.
Overall, the story of Rena's dog theft and subsequent attempts at return is pretty good. I enjoyed the sarcasm and humor, not to mention that the story being focused on a dog is a major plus in my book.
August 26, 2009
It is amazing what the green eyed monster can drive good people to do. After years of believing shes found "The One" Rena finds he didn't feel the same way when he goes and moves in with a tall, athletic, blond; what other choice did she have but to steal borrow what she sees as the symbol of this new relationship..... their dog.
This not so simple act leads the reader down a fast paced and cleverly written tale of learning to lift the veil of self deception and accept that things aren't really always how you see them, or how you want to see them.
This not so simple act leads the reader down a fast paced and cleverly written tale of learning to lift the veil of self deception and accept that things aren't really always how you see them, or how you want to see them.
July 13, 2009
Gone to the Dogs was a pretty easy read, and at the same time was funny and keep me interested. Overall I really enjoyed the book, and would definitely read it again! One thing I really liked, is how the author provided enough pertinent information about the Orthodox Jewish faith, without distracting from the main plot of the book.
July 30, 2009
I really enjoyed this book. I was caught up right from the opening paragraphs. It is a story about relationships and family and just how life and events can just start spiraling out of control.
The main character, Rena, is funny and real(and possibly in need of some therapy!)I will definitely recommend this book to my girl friends. A thoroughly fun and enjoyable summer read!
The main character, Rena, is funny and real(and possibly in need of some therapy!)I will definitely recommend this book to my girl friends. A thoroughly fun and enjoyable summer read!
October 28, 2009
Definitely a guilty pleasure, about as close to chick lit as I can bring myself, but very snarky and funny in spots, and how can you resist a book where, in the very first chapter, our heroine steals her exe's dog? I haven't had a romantic break up since the 1980s, but for some reason, strongly identified...maybe cos I love dogs?
Anyway, fun but lightweight.
Anyway, fun but lightweight.
September 21, 2009
Very cute story. All the characters were likable and the writing was funny and made it a hard-to-put-down kind of story, which are my favorite. This is a book I'll keep and read again when I need a good laugh.
October 12, 2009
I've been waiting for the next book by this author and I wasn't disappointed. It was funny and I read it in 2 days which is pretty fast for me. If you like Sandi Shelton then you will probably enjoy this author also.
May 2, 2010
Another Guterson and another enjoyable fast read. The author isn't trying for a Pulitzer but she creates characters that are real people in (unfortunately at times) real situations. Will continue to read her next book.
July 17, 2009
What a fun book! Lots of laughs at old boyfriends and revenge, our parents, our siblings, and ourselves. Great beach or lazy afternoon read for pure enjoyment.
August 26, 2009
Hillarious! Quick easy read. I enjoyed the charaters and the authors wit. If you want something to make you laugh out loud, read this one!
September 14, 2009
Very cute and refreshing!
October 10, 2009
Fun book...it would make a great movie
October 20, 2009
Fun, easy to read, and informative on the chick-perspective.
December 3, 2009
a fast, fun read
December 27, 2009
Very enjoyable, light reading about a woman who "accidentally" steals her ex-boyfriend's dog.
January 2, 2010
I actually really enjoyed this book. Its a cute coming of age book about a young Jewish woman in Seattle. Its a very fast and light read. Perfect palette cleanser or beach reading.
January 13, 2010
Fast, easy, entertaining beach read.
May 7, 2010
I laughed from the very first page! A hilarious, quick read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews