Book review: ‘Sophie from Romania’

Sophie from Romania: A Tale of Love and Hope with a Rescue Dog by Rory Cellan-Jones. Vintage, 2025. Hardcover, 304 pages.

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When BBC journalist Rory Cellan-Jones and his wife, Diane, said goodbye to their beloved senior dog Cabbage in 2022, they knew it would take some time before they could open their hearts and home to another dog. The following year, however, they decided the time was right and began searching for their new canine best friend at various rescue organizations.

They learned of a local couple involved in bringing adoptable dogs from their native Romania to new homes in the U.K. That’s how Rory and Diane came to welcome a small and anxious dog they named Sophie into their home just before Christmas.

Rory, in particular, had special plans for Sophie. Retired from his work at the BBC due to Parkinson’s disease, he had been looking forward to morning walks with his new dog to help keep his Parkinson’s symptoms at bay. But it became immediately apparent that would not be the case — at least not at first. Sophie took up residence behind the couple’s sofa and was terrified of even the smallest noise or movement.  

In Sophie from Romania, the author chronicles their first year with the anxious puppy with doleful eyes. Working with an animal behavior expert, they decided that the best course of action would be one based on letting Sophie proceed at her own pace and comfort level. Positive reinforcement and patience slowly helped Sophie to acclimate to her new life. Often, the author wondered whether the little dog would ever be able to go for a walk to a nearby park, but, as the book ends, Sophie has begun to venture out into the world beyond her new home.

What is so striking about this book is the level of the couple’s commitment to helping Sophie feel safe and loved in her new environment. Interspersed in the book are stories of other Romanian dogs adopted by individuals the couple came to know, making Sophie from Romania an even more tender look at what love can bring about in a dog’s own time.

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