Dear Abby: Meet Elsie (A Rescued Pet Spotlight)

Dear Friends,

Something very exciting happened this past week!   I met a new friend.  My dear friend Dave (whom I have known since I was one year old) adopted a new pup.  Her name is Elsie.  Dave and Elsie live just 2 miles from me, so I will get to see her often.  We have already had two play dates.  We are just getting used to spending time together, but I am sure we will be good friends!   (And I hear she will be coming over to visit for a longer time when Dave goes out of town.) 

Dave has stopped by the blog to visit today, and to introduce Elsie.  I know you will love her too.

Elsie and Abby

Abby:  What is Elsie's background and how did she end up in rescue? 

Dave: Well, she is 4 now.  Elsie is a terrier mix, according to our vet.  She is mostly rat terrier (we think), and maybe a bit of chihuahua.    She lived with another dog, but her person decided he didn't have the time for her.  She spent her time alone, and in a crate at night.  But whatever her life was like, she was obviously cared for and well trained.  She walks like a little angel on a leash, she is house trained, and doesn't have a mean bone in her body.  She charms everyone she meets.

Her person finally decided he had to surrender her to Paws Atlanta.   She stayed there for two months before I met her.

Abby:  What were Elsie's first days like at her new home? 

Dave:  She walked (actually ran) inside, and all over the house downstairs and upstairs.  Elsie settled in immediately.  The bed is hers, the sofa is hers.  She loves to run around and chase her new toys.  She knew how to fetch from the start.  And when she's tired, she turns it off, and curls up with me.  She has a LOT of energy, but her manners are impeccable.

Elsie loves belly rubs!

Abby: What are a few of Elsie's favorite things?  

Dave: The toys she keeps eviscerating, and I keep taking away.

Abby:  Do you have any tips for people who want to adopt a rescue pet?

Dave: Take your time.  Look at different rescue organizations on line, see who has the kind of dog you're looking for with size, breed, age, whatever is important to you.  Go to the facility, and meet the dogs.  And remember, you will bond with the right dog.  You may meet ones first where you don't click with them, and they don't click with you.  But be patient, and remember you aren't seeing them at their best - they need some time and space to let their personalities come out.  Elsie seemed more quiet and sedate when we met.  We didn't realize she would be so outgoing.

Elsie and Dave

Abby: Is there a rescue group you want to send a shout out to?  

Dave:  Paws Atlanta, they are the best.  They are a no kill shelter with a reputation for taking wonderful care of the cats and dogs they foster.  Jasmin from PAWS helped with the adoption, and she was wonderful! www.pawsatlanta.org

Abby:   Thank you so much, Dave, for visiting today.  This adoption story is near and dear to my heart because I know how kind you always have been to me and to my late brother Barney ... and I know what a wonderful home you have to offer to a pup.   AND I am so happy to make a new friend -- Elsie!

Friends, if you would like to leave a message for Dave, you can do so in the comments.   

Thank you so much for visiting today!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

Book Review - A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White

Book Synopsis
Rosemary Gresham has no family beyond the band of former urchins that helped her survive as a girl in the mean streets of London. Grown now, they concentrate on stealing high-value items and have learned how to blend into upper-class society. But when Rosemary must determine whether a certain wealthy gentleman is loyal to Britain or to Germany, she is in for the challenge of a lifetime. How does one steal a family’s history, their very name?

Peter Holstein, given his family’s German blood, writes his popular series of adventure novels under a pen name. With European politics boiling and his own neighbors suspicious of him, Peter debates whether it might be best to change his name for good. When Rosemary shows up at his door pretending to be a historian and offering to help him trace his family history, his question might be answered.

But as the two work together and Rosemary sees his gracious reaction to his neighbors’ scornful attacks, she wonders if her assignment is going down the wrong path. Is it too late to help him prove that he’s more than his name?

Purchase Links

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My Review
A Name Unknown takes place in England in the days just before World War I.  Rosemary Gresham has had a hard life growing up on the streets on London after her parents died.  She was raised with a group of street urchins that she considers her brothers and sisters.  Because she is a skilled thief, she is sent on an unusual assignment:  to find out if nobleman Peter Holstein is actually sympathetic to Germany. She travels to Cornwall to work in the Holstein library and to gain his trust.  To both their surprise, a bond slowly forms between them and changes their lives.

This is such a lovely and unique historical novel.  I am interested in Edwardian England, and found this period just on the eve of World War I to be fascinating. The Cornwall setting was especially nice.

I love that books and writing and a mysterious home library figure into this novel.  There is a mystery involved, of Peter's lineage and family history, and it is really a page turner.

I did not immediately like the character of Rosemary, but I came to find her sympathetic as the novel went on.  Peter is such a remarkably kind, good character, and their friendship (blossoming slowly into a romantic interest) was beautifully written.

A Name Unknown is the first in a series, Shadows Over England, and I am eager to read the upcoming novels.  This is my first read by Roseanna M. White, but I plan to look for her other books.   

The combination of historical details, a slow building romance with a compelling mystery, and multi-dimensional characters makes A Name Unknown an engrossing read.  I recommend it highly to fans of historical fiction, Christian fiction, and anyone interested in Edwardian England.

Author Bio

Roseanna M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna’s fiction ranges from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new British series. She lives with her family in West Virginia.

Connect with Roseanna

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Giveaway
One lucky reader will win a copy of A Name Unknown.  The giveaway is open to readers in the U.S. and Canada, and will end midnight 7/21/17.   The winner will be notified by email, and needs to respond to the email within 48 hours.  The winner's book will be sent directly from the author or her publicist.
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I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Tours.