Stay

SomethingBorrowedmeetsMustLoveDogsinthisbig-hearteddebutaboutfriendship,love,andaGermanShepherdnamedJoe.Savannah"Van"LeonehasbeeninlovewithPeterClarkeeversincesheliterallyfellheadoverheelsinfrontofhimonthefirstdayofcollege.Now,sixyearslater,insteadofstandingacrossfromhimatthealtar,Van'sstandingbehindherbestfriendJanieasmaidofhonor,tryingtomaskherheartacheandguiltasJaniemarriestheonlymanVan'severloved.Before,Van'smotherdied,shetoldVannevertoletPetergo,butasthecoupleexchangesvows,Vanwondersifherfairytaleendingwillevercometrue.Afterthewedding,VandrownshersorrowsinKool-Aid-vodkacocktailsandrerunsofRinTinTin,anddoeswhatanyheartbrokenwomaninhersituationwoulddo:SheimpulsivelybuysaGermanShepherdovertheInternet.Thepocket-sizepuppyVanisexpectingturnsouttobeaclumsy,hundred-poundbeastwhoonlyrespondstocommandsinSlovak,andVanisattheendofherrope...untilsherealizesthatthisquirkygiantmaybetheonlylivingbeingwhowillalwaysbeloyaltoher,nomatterwhat.VanaffectionatelynamesherdogJoe,andtogether,theyworktomendthepiecesofVan'sshatteredheart.Anditcertainlydoesn'thurtthatJoe'svetisaruggedsweetheartwithfloppyblondhairandawinningsmile.Butwhenthenewlywedsreturnfromtheirhoneymoon,Vanisforcedtodecidejusthowmuchshe'swillingtosacrificeinordertohaveeverythingsheeverwanted,provingthatsometimeslifeneedstogetmorecomplicatedbeforeitcangetbetter.Warmandwitty,poignantandfunny,Stayisanunforgettabledebutthatilluminatestheboundlessnessofloveandmarksthearrivalofanirresistiblenewvoice.