Book review: ‘Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About’
Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About: A Memoir by Isabel Klee. William Morrow, 2026. Hardcover, 282 pages.
The title says it all. In Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About, memoirist Isabel Klee invites readers to spend her 20s in New York City with her. In alternating chapters, she explores dating and relationships short and long and how her love of dogs helped keep her centered amid the whirlwind of online dating, sharing apartments with girlfriends, and searching for something elusive she felt was lacking in her life.
While Mr. Right doesn’t factor into Isabel’s story until the third part of the book, dogs were always an important aspect of her life. From her family’s golden retriever Ruby to her rescued dog Simon, the author always had a fierce and loving commitment to canines. In addition to her work as an assistant to a dog photographer, she fostered dogs from shelters, helping them along the path to adoption.
Truthfully, I was much more drawn to the animal stories than I was to the chapters about her social life. Admittedly, I am almost old enough to be Isabel’s grandmother, but the tales of casual hookups and one too many bottles of wine with friends left me cold. Not so with the dogs from shelters who responded to Isabel’s love.
After a particularly difficult breakup, the author does some serious soul searching as she turns 30 and finds herself facing some hard truths. This brings her to finding love with a man who loves Simon as much as she does.
Are you the author or publisher of a book about animals that you would like considered for review? Please send the details to editor@bestfriends.org.
Let's make every shelter and every community no-kill
Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets.
Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.
You can help save homeless pets
You can help end the killing in shelters and save the lives of homeless pets when you foster, adopt, and advocate for the dogs and cats who need it most.
Saving lives around the country
Together, we're creating compassionate no-kill communities nationwide for pets and the people who care for them.
Get inspiring animal rescue stories delivered straight to your inbox
Never miss a feel-good animal story. When you give us your email, we’ll send you inspiring animal rescue stories each week, along with tips on different ways you can help save homeless pets in your community and beyond.