This is a love story between… desperately trying to free itself from a hopeless situation.
She almost kept walking by. She had her own problems and besides… no one had ever stopped to help her.
Who we’re ultimately meant to be is a journey without end, but there’s always a defined start…
Hazel had no idea the dog would be her beginning, her second chance, the miracle she never saw coming. She named him Atticus. He grew up to be a very bad—and completely awesome—dog. He took Hazel on a life-changing journey filled with mischievous adventure to find her happily ever after. In the end, Hazel grew up to be completely awesome, too.
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This book, you guys, this book is a MUST read! It is so real; it gives you all the feels; and it is so relatable!
We meet Atticus, an amazing dog who saves his owner, Hazel. Atticus is ornery and gets into all kinds of trouble, but that just makes him even more loveable! As a dog owner of a crazy dog, I was so glad to know I wasn’t alone in the dog antics department!
I love the entire cast of characters in this story – Hazel, Oley, Bernand, Charmin, Jack, and all of the extended family. I adored watching Hazel become her own person – a strong, independent woman.
If you are looking for a book that will make you feel every emotion, then this is the book for you. Make sure you have tissues handy! You will laugh, cry, and smile like a loon. Ms. Bennett has proven yet again that she can write in any genre that she wants and I will devour it! (5 stars)
Sawyer totally out did herself with this wonderful, warm, heartfelt read about a girl, Hazel and her dog, Atticus who helps her find herself and her confidence. I had my fair share of tears and laughter with this book. Such a beautiful read that I absorbed in one sitting.
Hazel Roundtree adult life has not been easy. She dropped out of high school with 2 months left to follow some guy she thought she was in love with to only have him dump her shortly after. Too ashamed to go back home, she spends her life working in a bar, and getting drunk and high. At the bar she meets a guy and they end up getting married, only to be dumped by him after almost 7 years so he could move his new, younger girlfriend in. Luckily, her friend Charmin is letting her crash on her couch. While walking along one night drunk, Hazel sees this puppy in a ditch caught in barbed wire, scared and all skin and bones and knows she needs to help him. She walks to the vet in town and sits outside the door until the morning when Dr. Oley W. Peele shows up. Oley agrees to help the puppy they named Atticus, but Hazel has to pay the bill. Since she has no money, Oley agrees that she can do things around his business to pay off her debt.
Just as Hazel is thinking her life is looking up, she finds herself homeless again and sleeps at the vet office on the floor. When Oley realizes what is happening, he agrees to let her stay at his farm in an old apartment over the garage and she can work every day at his office for pay. This is the start of a wonderful and new friendship.
Together the two of them build this wonderful friendship and realize that they are a lot similar than they both originally thought. Over time they become closer and form their own unique family. Along the way they open their lives up to more people. Who knew a crazy, huge, NOT well behaved dog could give two people a second chance at living a normal life.
I really enjoyed Hazel and Oley. They were two very withdrawn people who slowly came out of their shells and really started to live their lives. I also really loved Bernard. It was interesting seeing why a homeless person lives the way they do. Then there is Atticus…..OMG….I was cracking up with some of the things this dog has done. Such a big personality for such a big dog. Overall I really enjoyed this book. Make sure the tissues are around for the last third of the book because it will get very emotional but keep reading, because it was so worth it.
You will hold this story dear to your heart. Is not the typical romance, It’s a story of self worth and self discovery. Of finding family. It is very genuine and beautiful. Makes you love reading how everything comes together at the exact time it needs to happen. The appreciation and gratitude that the characters show for each other is something to envy. There is acceptance of people’s mistakes because there is love in abundance. More than anything, it is refreshing to read Atticus point of view. He gives a simple kind of love and will teach you to regret nothing. Same as he does with these characters. This story will make you smile and your eyes water. Maybe more than water… I would call this a cleansing book. One of those that is special in every chapter because it is just written wright.
AMAZING – I absolutely loved this book!
I wasn’t really sure what I was going to get going into this book, I mean, it’s about a dog. But boy oh boy, I was so wrong and so glad I decided to read this book. It just blew me away.
Atticus is really a story about Hazel and her journey and how she turned her life around. The journey in doing so brings us laughs, tears and hope and for me left me feeling wonderfully uplifted.
While this is a story about Hazel and her dog Jack, that simplistic take just doesn’t do it justice. The supporting characters all round are well thought out and developed and this character driven story really just gets under your skin.
I haven’t been as touched or moved by book for quite a while so I urge everyone to give Atticus a go, you won’t be disappointed.
Sarah G’s review May 28, 2018 · edit
it was amazing
Every time I think I’ve read Sawyer’s best book, she proves me wrong. I’ve often wondered what my dog is thinking, and then she goes and walks into walls.
I laughed, and swooned, and mostly just loved this story. It was so well written.
Ah this book- so many feels!! I absolutely adore dogs and my furry babies are my kids, so this story resonated with me in so many different ways. From Hazel’s need to rescue the clearly distressed pup to the shenanigans he got up to along the way and the personality he developed, flashes of moments from my last 15 years of dog ownership went through my mind every step of the way.
This story also embodies that adage of people coming into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. Hazel is down on her luck when the story opens. She is sleeping a friend’s couch after her husband kicked her out of their home in favor of another woman. She left home at 18 and has never had a real job other than bartending, and her current employment is tenuous at best. When she takes the injured pup to a vet’s office immediately after finding him, she meets Dr. Poole who will change her life in ways she never expected. Each person she interacts with from the moment we meet her fits into one of those categories I mentioned whether it is the homeless man she befriends at the bar, the jerk her roommate is seeing, Dr. Poole or one of many others along the way.
I knew this story would bring me laughter and tears, and there were plenty of moments featuring both along the way. Waterlogged and splotchy is not a good look for me but this type of love story is so worth it! It’s not a romance, but love in many different forms definitely exists in Atticus and I highly recommend reading this book- just be prepared with a box of tissues and don’t read in public!
I’m not sure that my review can do this book justice. First off, this is not really your typical romance book. Actually, romance plays a very small role in the book Yes, there is a HEA, but it is more about finding yourself. Hazel’s life has given her plenty of detours. This book is about how she responds to those detours. It is about finding yourself after you have almost hit rock bottom. It’s about facing your past and making amends to whom you need to make those amends. It’s about finding new friends that allow you to grow into a better person. And, acutally….It all starts with a puppy. Dog lovers will enjoy this book. You will grin when Atticus gets into trouble. The book is very heartwarming but at the same time can actually be a bit heartwrenching. The reader should feel a range of emotions as they read this book. So, if you only want romance..this book may not be for you, but if you want a heartwarming story where a woman betters herself then you should give this a try. There is a dual point of view, but it goes from Atticus to Hazel only. Women, or really anyone, who are lost could benefit from this book. Also, I feel that people who have had those type of difficult people that Hazel used to be could benefit as well. It gives a bit of a different perspective than the one you have. No cliffhanger.
this is such a heartwarming story.
this book is about hazel and her dog Atticus.
I devoured this book that’s how much I loved it.
I loved how hazel was so beaten and ready to give up on everything but here comes Atticus and she now has a reason to be happy.
the bond between a human and there animal is amazing.
I’m not sure I can express how this book made me feel……I had ever emotion now to man while reading this book. Happy tears, big ugly tears. It’s not just a book about a dog, it’s a book about how Atticus saves Hazel…..even while getting into as much mischief as possible….He can’t help it. Hazel thinks she saving Atticus from the ditch but really he saved her that day.
I admit I was scared to read Atticus and kept putting it off and picking up other books to read.
I’m incredibly happy I finally went for and incredibly sad that it’s over.
As well as Sawyer writes romance she excells at the real life fiction.
Atticus is a heartwarming and life affirming story of finding redemption not just from the people we surround ourself with but from ourselves.
A story of second chances, realizing our purpose, finding our tribe, and recognizing that small moments in our life are meant to lead us to bigger moments and where we are suppose to be in the end.
**ARC provided for honest review**
This book was nothing like I expected..
Hazel is down on her luck when she comes across a puppy trapped in barb wire. She frees him but realizes he is hurt.. She brings him to Dr. Peele who is not very kind but helps the pup and has Hazel work in the office to pay the expenses. This is the story of the unlikely friendship of an old ornery vet and a young woman down on her luck brought together by one crazy little pup named Atticus
A story of life!
**I received an early copy of this title in exchange for an honest review**
I honestly am not sure that I can do this book justice by simply doing a written review of it. I read a lot and this is one of the most refreshing books I’ve read in some time. It’s not exactly a romance book, but I think I’d call it more a relationship book in the sense that it is all about finding out who you are and who you are meant to be.
Hazel Roundtree is about as low as you can get. Her husband of six years has been cheating on her and throws her out of their house so he can move his mistress in. She ends up sleeping on her friend’s couch and continues to bar tend, but her life is anything but fulfilling and she feels like she’s a loser at life. A chance meeting with a stubborn, yet adorable puppy that she finds trapped in a ditch might just be the thing to change the trajectory of her life.
Hazel realizes she needs to get the puppy some help and so she finds herself at a vet clinic near where she found the puppy. She ends up meeting the older, surly vet that seems to be in a perpetually bad mood, but ends up helping her out in more ways than she can count when he finally figures out her situation. With the help of her new pal, Atticus, Hazel learns to navigate an entirely new path in her life.
This book is about new beginnings. Finding new friends, finding a new direction for your life and even righting wrongs that you may have made earlier in your life. It is a true testament to the fact that people, and zany animals like Atticus, come into your life at just the right time. You may not understand it when it happens, but the best thing you can do is embrace it and go along for the ride.
I always enjoy Sawyer Bennett books, and I thought that The Hard Truth About Sunshine was my favorite of hers, but Atticus just took that coveted first position. This book made me laugh, it made me smile, it made me hurt and it made me sad, but because I experienced all of those emotions, it was just right. I highly recommend this book and I dare you not to fall in love with both Atticus and Hazel!
Oh my word. Not quite sure where to start. What a story! So many feels. The journey begins with down on her luck Hazel Roundtree, who has no home after her cheating husband threw her out. She’s living on a friend’s couch, bar tending, drinking, smoking and generally wasting her life away. After coming across a puppy stuck in a ditch with wire wrapped round him, her life changes very much for the better. Finding a vet and helping him to help her, befriending a homeless man, getting thrown out of her friend’s apartment and losing her job. Whilst the latter two might not seem like good things, they are in fact the push that Hazel needs to sort herself out. Hazel discovers that life with Atticus is much better, more fulfilling and so worth living. A story of self discovery. A story with so many emotions. I swear I don’t think I’ve laughed out loud so much whilst reading, Atticus was so so funny. There were of course some extremely emotional scenes and I did spend the last 10% of the book in tears. What a wonderful heartfelt story. Most definitely one of my favourite reads of 2018. Sawyer Bennett you never cease to amaze me. I received an advanced copy of this book from the author. This is my honest honest review.
Favorite Quotes:
“I call it killing them softly,” he says, his voice so gentle and tender I can barely hear him. “It’s a beautiful and peaceful way to die. It’s an honor for me to help them make that transition.” My head snaps to the right where I stare out the window, furiously blinking back the tears from my eyes. For all the grouchy, assholish ways this man has treated me on most occasions, I just realized he may have one of the kindest hearts I’ve known.
I realized my dog would always be an unruly child.
I wouldn’t put it past your dog to be interested in the news… He’s smart, that one. Like deviously smart. Sometimes I find myself watching what I say around him so as not to be a bad influence.
My Review:
I’m feeling a bit stunned after reading this heart-squeezing and evocative tale, much like a deer in headlights. I’ve never read a book quite like it as it was written with a dual POV (my favorite), although one POV was from a mischievous canine named Atticus, whose POV was just as compelling and insightful as his human guardian’s. The premise was captivating and original and the storylines were ingeniously crafted and well paced. The rag-tag grouping of characters were not always admirable yet I adored them as each had an impressive tale that had made them persuasively appealing, realistically flawed and world-weary. The writing was devastatingly insightful, cleverly amusing, and easy to fall into. I frequently smirked at the colorful depictions of the dog’s antics, motivations, and wit, while the human storylines often plucked at the other end of the emotional spectrum and stung my eyes and put a hot rock in my throat a few times. I seldom shed actual tears but will also confess to a blubbering meltdown during the last few chapters before reaching the oh so satisfying and sweet conclusion. I zipped to Goodreads and double-checked to be sure, but I was appalled to realize I had never read Sawyer Bennett’s work before picking up this dear and delightful treat. An error on judgment I plan to rectify with regular redress.
5 Star Review of Atticus (A Woman’s Journey With The World’s Worst Behaved Dog) by S Bennett
They say dog is “man’s” best friend and the story of Atticus shows how true this is. Atticus is a story of love and hope. Hazel Roundtree has hit rock bottom, when she stumbles across an injured dog. Her decision to help the dog changes her life, a decision that saves Hazel from herself and brings joy and chaos into her life.
Atticus had me in tears, both happy and sad. It also had me snort laughing at times thanks to his antics and the mischief Atticus gets up to.
Hazel is living day to day, struggling to survive, often through a vodka induced haze. However with Atticus by her side, Hazel faces her life and together they explore the journey that is their life together.
As I have come to expect from a Sawyer Bennett book, it was well extremely well written and the story line amazing. I was invested from the start.
Atticus is a unique book about love and family, family that does not have to be related by blood, but family nevertheless. A story about how an act of kindness can change the course of your life forever.
Just when I think I have read the best book Sawyer Bennett has written, she blows me away.
This dog. This big, fluffy, gorgeous dog has stolen my heart through the pages. Atticus snuck up on me the same way Hazel found him in that ditch. There are so many words that I want to put down about this book and characters, yet the one that sticks out the brightest in my mind is – Masterpiece. This had everything you could want in a book: some strife, hope, wit, camaraderie, second chances, insight, love, and Atticus. Can we make sure he is in every book from now on? I adored his POV. It was well written and it flowed with the story in a way that made you really feel that if those big blue and brown eyes were looking at you, he would really be having those thoughts.
This entire ensemble of characters touched my heart. I cried, I laughed, I giggled, I smiled. I smiled reading this story even through the tears.
If you are wanting a feel-good read, pick this book up without hesitation. You will not be disappointed.
Atticus is a different side of Sawyer Bennett’s writing and the books that I have read from her.
I absolutely freaking loved this book!!! Atticus is a MUST READ!
It is an emotional & yes “heart-warming and deliciously funny story” but, it also brings out the tears. The kind of big ugly tears! I kept steeling myself because I knew I was about to cry and cry hard. Thank god there is an HEA. But, even that brought on more tears. At least they were happy tears.
I thought this book was a pretty original story. After-all we got to hear Atticus POV as well as Hazel’s.
Hazel Roundtree was a lost soul. Her life needed changing and she needed to change directions. Finding Atticus in that ditch, made Hazel grow and learn to live with a purpose. Hazel may have saved Atticus but Atticus saved her too.
You will find romance but, that isn’t what this story was about. I felt it was about healing, growing from within and growing up.
5++++ Stars and I would give more if I could.
It’s a wonderful book, that takes you on a journey of Atticus & Hazel’s life,
over a span 4 years or so.
It’s funny, emotional & heartwarming.
I found the beginning a little slow & a little tough to read, but it is an important part of the book.
Once the story got going,
you can not get enough of it.
Hazel has pretty much hit rock bottom
in her life. Barely able to keep a roof over her head or food in her stomach.
Till one day when she came across
a muddy little bundle of love.
You will love their story, & all the other
characters in the book.
A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE!!!
WOW did I ever love this book! I’d love to give it more than 5 stars. The parts written from the point of view of Atticus were definitely my favorite parts. This is an amazing story of a woman’s journey from a pretty bad place in her life to a very fulfilling life and her own HEA. Everything starts to turn around after she stumbles upon a little bundle of fur that would ultimately change her life. The story is packed with emotion. I laughed (a lot!), I cried (dang it Ms. Bennett), I cheered. Every character in this story is special but Atticus definitely stole the show.
This book needs to be on everyone’s must read list. I highly recommend it.