This post marks the first time Another Year of Books has covered a local author. This book was a gift from my aunt, who bought it at a book festival in Beaver. The author is from Beaver, the story takes place in Beaver, and having been born and raised there, I love Beaver. I also love Pride and Prejudice, particularly the 2005 film (I mean the hand stretch - come on!). Immediately, this book was off to a good start.
Book Read: Love, Chocolate, and a Dog Named Al Capone
Author: Abigail Drake
2020 Book Count: 42
Capone, a black labrador puppy, has been given as a gift to Josephine St. Clair, the owner of Bartleby’s Books, by a close friend. Capone thinks a bookstore is the perfect place to call home; he loves books and is trying to be a gentleman. Specifically, he is trying to be a Mr. Darcy, not a Mr. Wickham or a Mr. Collins.
When Capone arrives at Bartleby’s, things do not start smoothly. He pees where he shouldn’t, eats what he shouldn’t, and requires a lot of trips to the vet. Meanwhile, Josie is trying to figure out what happened to the missing books in her shop while butting heads with the new coffee shop owner, Nate.
As Josie and Capone adjust to each other, Capone is determined to help Josie find her Mr. Darcy and the missing books. But, Josie keeps meeting Wickhams, Churchills and Willoughbys. Can Capone, with the aid of his canine friends and a semi-friendly cat, help Josie find her Mr. Darcy and the missing books? Read Love, Chocolate, and a Dog Named Al Capone to find out.
You will never hear me complain when a book reminds me of all the great things about Beaver - things like Cafe Kolache, Kretchmar’s, Waffles Inc., a great library (with a great annual book sale), numerous stores, and the general feel of the place. The general feel could be anything the friendliness you feel when walking down any street or the fact you can manage to eat every meal there without ever leaving the main street.
The one thing Beaver doesn’t have is a book store, although it has a great library, but I did see some books for sale in the yoga studio when my mom and I were walking around town last week. See - Beaver is great. This book does it proud.
Love, Chocolate, and a Dog Named Al Capone is a cute story, modeled after the classic Pride and Prejudice. I enjoyed that Capone was the narrator and you could read his conversations with other animals. This is only the second book I’ve read where the dog tells the story. It fits the story well each time.
There’s nothing to complain about with this one. It didn’t slow down, it was funny, and it was likeable. Once I finally sat down to focus on it, I enjoyed every page. If Pride and Prejudice is your thing, Love, Chocolate, and a Dog Named Al Capone is for you.
Next Read: All Adults Here by Emma Straub
