Moving to Kansas City with his dog, Clancy, JayB is hoping to prevent his lottery-winning father from blowing that new wealth on bad ideas. Offering to help his older neighbor, Helen, by walking her dog, Odin, JayB catches the eye of other dog owners and accidentally becomes a paid dog-walker. After Helen's passing, JayB keeps Odin until Helen's daughter, Alana, arrives, and unexpected sparks fly. Then there's the old classmate focused on money-sucking ventures and an offbeat lady who only hears what she wants, and Cameron (A Dog's Promise, 2019) lets the chaos roll. Clancy is the reliable narrator, reporting on all the human and four-legged shenanigans, using his canine senses for unusual insights into each relationship. A cozy-mystery vibe comes through as likable and unpredictable characters make choices that get them involved in difficult situations. The romantic feelings between characters are challenged by misunderstandings and confusion, but still seem to lead to the best outcomes for all. The best-selling Cameron's latest dog-centric novel is a sweet, charming story, easy to sink into, eliciting a few tears and smiles.

Clancy the dog narrates Cameron's (A Dog's Purpose) latest tale of humans and their animal companions. He resides with JayB, a Midwestern thirtysomething who's living off a workplace compensation settlement, and evil cat Kelsey. JayB falls into a dog-walking job when an elderly neighbor recommends him to her friends. He also contends with his feckless father, a best "friend" from his youth who constantly takes advantage, and a young woman he went out with twice who seems to think they are still in a relationship. The elderly neighbor passes, and JayB and Clancy take in Otis, her dog. When her daughter Alana comes to town to settle the estate, things start looking up for Clancy's human. Alana has a boyfriend back in L.A., but their relationship has issues. To Clancy's dismay, she also owns a cat. When the whole gang of people and pets pile into a van to meet the boyfriend in Vegas to pick up the cat, things quickly slide into absurdity. VERDICT Fans of Cameron's dog-centric storytelling will enjoy but might wish for more emphasis on the four-legged characters. Those who have always had a sneaking suspicion that dogs are better than people will find plenty of confirmation.--Dan Forrest