Tag Archive | A Forever Home

Keeping Bailey by Dan Walsh

Jan25

Heart Warming

Keeping Bailey by Dan Walsh is the most heart-warming contemporary Christian novel that I adored. It is the fourth and final book in A Forever Home series but can be read as a stand-alone. I recommend reading the previous books first for continuity of characters. I enjoyed meeting up with familiar faces. All the books are most charming and the characters are wonderful.

As with the previous books, we ‘hear’ Bailey’s voice. Dan Walsh has perfectly captured her hurt and confusion following the death of one of her owners and her other owner having to go into residential care. We see a dog who is depressed and in need of a rescue. We also see a human character who needs rescuing from her loneliness. What happens next is beautiful.

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Saving Parker by Dan Walsh

Jan23

Trusting Kindness

Saving Parker by Dan Walsh is the most delightful contemporary Christian novel that I loved. It is the third book in A Forever Home series but can be read as a stand-alone. I loved meeting up with familiar faces and would recommend reading the previous books first.

Saving Parker is about a rescue. There are the physical rescues of a mistreated dog called Parker and also of a boy from the bullies. The reader is reminded that God rescues us from our situations. We can trust His leading. We learn about empowering ourselves to defeat the bad guys but it must be in self-defense and not to seriously wound.

The book is about trusting too. Parker had learnt to be afraid of humans, now he must learn to trust that humans can offer kindness too.

Parker repays kindness with loyalty. He steps in to rescue those he loves when he senses danger. We are reminded that God also steps in to protect us when life comes knocking.

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Finding Riley by Dan Walsh

Jan11

Relentlessly Searching

Finding Riley by Dan Walsh is the most heartwarming, contemporary Christian novel that I read just one sitting. It is the second book in A Forever Home series but can be read as a stand-alone. I enjoyed meeting up with some familiar faces from book one.

Spaniel, Riley, is definitely the star of the show. Part of the book is written through his eyes. Dan Walsh has perfectly crafted his words so we believe that it is Riley who is ‘speaking.’

We see how dogs interact with people and brighten their day. They also cause previously closed up characters to open up and let in love, in the canine form.

We also witness the devastation in lives when pets are lost. We see the lengths to which some will go, relentlessly searching for their dog. This reminds us of God, who relentlessly searches for us if we have strayed from Him. 

Prayer is important. God hears all our prayers. “Prayed ‘Jesus, save us.’ “ Jesus loves to rescue us from our situations. He longs to restore that which is lost. We must keep the faith, listening for His reply and remembering to thank Him, whatever the outcome.

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Rescuing Finley by Dan Walsh

Jan4

A Gift From God

Rescuing Finley by Dan Walsh is a simply beautiful contemporary Christian novel that I read in just one sitting. It is the first book in A Forever Home series and I cannot wait to read the subsequent books.

The novel is written from three main points of view – an army veteran, a young girl in prison and a dog called Finley. All three of them are beautiful souls in need of rescue. Each one of them is a rescuer too.

There is a beautiful relationship between Finley and ‘his’ people. Finley loves unconditionally. He is always excited to see ‘his’ people. He heals and he calms.

The reader is reminded of the character of God in Finley. God rescues us from our situations. He loves unconditionally. He is excited to see us, and God heals and He calms. God is the God of restoration and second chances. We see Him at work within the novel.

There is the theme of PTSD. We see it in the Afghan war veterans. Service dogs are trained to recognize when their person is becoming stressed and to calm them down.

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