Book Challenge: Read a book with a one word title.

Fender is a dog and Fender was the best thing about this story. In fact, for me he was the only good thing about this story.

Brennan is a man who has had tragedy strike his life twice and both times, his salvation has come in the form of a male beagle named Fender. A friend's suicide found Brennan weeks later in a drunken stupor. On the porch in the rain, accepting a pizza delivery, he sees a shadowed movement under a nearby bush. Upon inspection he finds a small, bony and scared young beagle. He takes the pup in and finds a purpose in life again.

Twelve years later finds Brennan again in a drunken state as he mourns the accidental death of his wife and daughter. The one constant in his life amid yet another human disaster is his ever faithful friend, Fender.

Two of Brennan's friends take him and Fender on a road trip in hopes of finding hope and vision for the future. I'm sure the road trip, which consists of flashbacks of past experiences, was meant to be full of heartfelt moments, but it just didn't take for me. The journey was sad and sweet, joyful and tearful, and yet felt out of kilter.

On a positive note, I did walk away with a few positive lines:
"Sometimes we have to get away from all we know just to find our way home again. "

"Find a way to live the life ahead of you instead of the one behind you."

I've had many dogs in my life and in the last 3 years have had to help a 16 year-old and a nearly 18-year old cross the rainbow bridge. I still have another ailing 16 year old at home. Two of these dogs were rescued, saved from certain destruction -- one saved from the street and another after losing her caretaker. In actuality it is never us who save the dogs, but the dogs who save us and bring us comfort, companionship and unquestioning devotion. Who doesn't need a "Fender" in their lives?