Earnest

Kristin von Kreisler

Feb 2016 · Kensington Books

About this ebook

A friendly rescue dog saves a couple from heartbreak as they navigate troubling times in this novel by the bestselling author of An Unexpected Grace.

Earnest. It’s the perfect name for a sweet, eager-to-please yellow Labrador retriever. Anna and her boyfriend Jeff fall for him the minute they see those guileless eyes gazing up from behind his gate at Seattle’s Best Friends Shelter. In no time at all, they’re a pack of three, with Earnest happily romping in their condo on Gamble Island.

During the day, Earnest keeps Anna company in her flower shop, located in a historic gingerbread Victorian on the island’s main street. Anna hopes to buy and restore the house, once owned by her beloved grandmother. But when that dream is threatened by Jeff’s actions, Anna’s trust is shattered. For so long, the house has encompassed all her ideals of security, home, and family. Yet Earnest’s devotion to his two people, and theirs to him, make it impossible for them to walk away from each other. And when a crisis hits, it’s Earnest—honest, stubborn, and uncannily wise—who will help Anna reconcile her past and embrace what the future can bring . . .

Praise for Earnest
“Be prepared to fall in love with Earnest, a yellow Labrador retriever adopted from a shelter who teaches his humans a thing or two about resilience, loyalty, and forgiveness. Von Kreisler goes beyond depicting Earnest as a catalyst and instead deftly portrays him as an actual character with a point of view and feelings. A truly charming story sure to please dog lovers everywhere.” —Amy Hill Hearth, New York Times–bestsellingauthor of Miss Dreamsville and the Lost Heiress of Collier County and Having Our Say

 “If you’ve ever wondered whether animals were smarter than humans, Kristin Von Kreisler’s Earne

Ratings and reviews

Earnest by Kristin Von Kreisler is set on Gamble Island, Washington. Anna and Jeff are looking to adopt a dog. They go to the Seattle’s Second Chance Shelter to check out their selection. They see Earnest (well, his name is listed as Moonbeam). He is a beautiful wheat colored Labrador Retriever. He was found tied to the shelter’s doorknob (poor little thing). Earnest is a great addition to the family. Earnest goes to work with Anna during the day to her flower shop called Plant Parenthood. Her shop is housed in a beautiful Victorian home that she lived in with her grandmother when she was a child. After her grandmother’s death, the home was sold. Anna and her two friends, Joy and Lauren (who also have shops in the house) are saving up to buy the gorgeous home from their landlady Mrs. Blackmore (who they called Mrs. Scroogemore). One day a fire breaks out in the house, but thanks to Earnest everyone made it out. Earnest, though, suffered some damage from the smoke and is rushed to the vet. When Anna calls Jeff to tell him about Earnest, she finds out that he is working to tear down her beloved Victorian (he is actually down the street turning in paperwork for the permits). Anna does not understand why Jeff did not tell her about the Cedar Place project (she had to hear about it from his office assistant). Anna does not even want to hear Jeff’s side of the story. Anna asks Jeff to move out. This leads to a custody battle over Earnest. As well as a fight for Anna’s beloved Victorian. Can Jeff and Anna work out their differences? What will happen to Anna’s Victorian house? How will Earnest get his owners back together again? Earnest is a cute novel, but I thought it a little over the top (the feud over the Victorian home). I give Earnest 3 out of 5 stars (which means it was okay). I have to admit to skimming a little through the middle (during Anne’s thinking periods). My favorite character was Earnest (sounded like such a cutie and smart cookie). Earnest was the dominant character in the book. Earnest is an easy book to read (the author has a nice writing style) and can be finished in a couple of hours. I just thought everything was a little exaggerated and the story was basically frustrating (because of a lack of communication). Earnest is a simple story. I just felt it lacked depth. The novel felt more like a rough draft than a finished book. I received a complimentary copy of Earnest from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

About the author

Kristin von Kreisler writes articles and bestselling books about animals. To get her stories, she followed a grizzly bear for a week, went hang gliding to see how an eagle felt soaring through the sky, and watched in awe as millions of bats emerged from a cave at dusk like clouds of smoke. After writing three acclaimed nonfiction books, Kristin made a smashing fiction debut with the bestselling novel An Unexpected Grace. Kristin's books have been translated into twelve languages. She lives on an island in Washington with her husband and their rescued German shepherd, Bridget. From her desk she watches ospreys and seals, and every day an otter wanders through the yard to go for a swim. Visit her on Facebook or at www.kristinvonkreisler.com.