Book ~ "The Dogs Were Rescued (and So Was I)" (2014) Teresa Rhyne

From Goodreads ~ Teresa Rhyne and Seamus the beagle had both survived cancer once, so when Seamus develops yet another cancer, Teresa is devastated. 

She embarks on a massive lifestyle shift-embracing a more animal-friendly approach and trying to find her place somewhere between a hippie in a hemp skirt and a hypocrite in leather high heels. 

And then she realizes that Seamus wasn't the only beagle who needed rescuing.

This book picks up after The Dog Lived (and So Will I), which I enjoyed, with Teresa, her boyfriend, Chris, and their beagle, Seamus.  In that book, Teresa had chronicled her and Seamus' battles and triumphs over cancer.

In order to assure that their cancers didn't return, Teresa turns to a healthier lifestyle.  She becomes more aware of and knowledgeable about the cruelty and abuse of animals.  This leads her to eventually become vegan and stop using products that test on animals (cleaning products, make-up, etc.) or that an animal died to produce (leather, etc.).  Alas, Seamus passes away and Teresa and Chris adopt two rescue beagles, Daphne and Percival, and all doesn't go as peacefully or happily as planned.

As a dog lover, I liked this book.  I liked the writing style ... it was funny and sarcastic at times yet honest.  I liked learning more about the beagle rescue and the support system they have.  In the author's journey to figure out her place in the world as a vegan, she even visited some animal sanctuaries such as the Gentle Barn (I'd read the Gentle Barn's owner, Ellie Laks' memoir in March ... it's an excellent book!).

For the most part, I liked this book.  While I applaud the author for becoming a vegan (I love animals but could never become a non-meat eater), I found that she got too extreme in her zealous about it.  She's reading a lot of books and watching a lot of documentaries to become better informed ... that's all I needed to know.  I know the horrors that happen and didn't need her to give me the graphic and gory details of what she was reading and watching, which is what she did.  It's not what I was expecting when reading a book about rescue dogs and I skipped those parts.

Book ~ "The Dog Lived (and So Will I)" (2012) Teresa Rhyne

From Goodreads ~ The tale of a dog who wouldn't let go and the woman who followed his lead.

Teresa Rhyne vowed to get things right this time around: new boyfriend, new house, new dog, maybe even new job. But shortly after she adopted Seamus, a totally incorrigible beagle, vets told Teresa that he had a malignant tumor and less than a year to live. The diagnosis devastated her but she decided to fight it, learning everything she could about the best treatment for Seamus. Teresa couldn't possibly have known then that she was preparing herself for life's next hurdle -- a cancer diagnosis of her own.

She forged ahead with survival, battling a deadly disease, fighting for doctors she needed, and baring her heart for a seemingly starcrossed relationship. The Dog Lived (and so Will I) is an uplifting and heartwarming story about how dogs steal our hearts, show us how to live, and teach us how to love.

Teresa was in her forties and a twice-divorced lawyer who was hanging out every second weekend with Chris, who is more than ten years younger than she is.  Given her track record, she didn't acknowledge they were in a relationship because she figured it will jinx things.  As times goes on and he spends more and more time at her place, they were indeed a couple ... much to the disapproval of his parents.

Teresa is an animal lover and adopted Seamus, a one-year-old beagle with a mind of his own.  When it's discovered he had cancer, she did all she could to get him well.  Then when she discovered that she had breast cancer, she took all that she had learned getting Seamus well to get herself well ... she and Chris figured that if the dog lived, so will she (hence the name of the book).

I enjoyed this book.  It is a story of love (the love between Teresa and Chris and the love between Teresa, Chris (who was not a dog lover) and Seamus) and survival.

I liked the writing style.  Despite the nature of the story, it is funny, sarcastic but honest.

I liked Teresa (she and I are about the same age).  She is an animal lover (like me) and was willing to do whatever she had to do to get Seamus better, regardless of the cost.  She cut through the crap to get the answers she needed with both her and Seamus' recoveries.  Chris sounds like quite a guy ... staying true to his heart and being with Teresa despite fact that his parents didn't approve of her as his girlfriend when they first got together.  I loved that he supported her when she was going through chemo and radiation (and lost her hair) to wait to get a haircut so they would get one together.  Seamus sounds like a fun dog ... spoiled but devoted.

I'd recommend this book!