Book Review You’re With Me

book review you're with me main graphic - book cover + quote from review that says, "When life becomes less than ideal, it's especially important to have a dog at your side.

Book review You’re with Me

A while back, Timothy McHenry asked me to review his latest novel called You’re With Me. It’s about a teenage girl, her life, and her dog. Amid (gestures wildly) all the things going on, it took me a while to finish the book. It’s hard to review You’re With Me without giving too much away. So to start, I will share that I texted a couple of my writer / author friends mid-book to say the foreshadowing indicates some Big Sad ahead. One of them replied something like, “As long as the dog doesn’t die!” We all laughed about that because … right?! I can indeed report. The dog does not die in this book.

So Much Crying

That said. I cried a lot, over many days and many chapters. Granted, I’m in a particularly quick-to-cry time in life now, so you might not boo-hoo nearly as much as I did. We’re all grown-ups. We know that sometimes life really sucks and bad things happen. This other reviewer points out the funny and joyful parts too.

And, Yet …

You’re With Me reminds us that… when life becomes less than ideal, it’s especially important to have a dog at your side.

Lessons from You’re With Me

Amid the challenges Emily and her dog, Gretchen, face, they offer a view into and an example of doing what feels important no matter what:

  • Say what needs to be said
  • Keep working toward your goals
  • Reach out to others, especially new people of interest and of all ages
  • Know you provide inspiration, whether you realize it or not

The themes of You’re With Me remind me a lot of my friend Bobbye. If you click through and read the tribute I wrote for her in 2011, it might give away too much about the book. So maybe come back to read about Bobbye after you read the book.

Narrative Elements That Work

McHenry does a good job with symmetry throughout the narrative and certain word choices and patterns.

The foreshadowing helps you brace for the challenges ahead.

You’re With Me offers layered stories and a robust cast of characters.

In a world where many novels cling to archetypes or happen in rarefied situations, You’re With Me rings with painful truths and grittiness — often showing that likely everyone you know is struggling in some way.

Gretchen’s early fears will feel more than familiar to those of us who’ve lured a fearful dog anywhere with pieces of hot dog.

A scene early in the book reminds me of an essay I wrote for My Dog is My Hero about our original canine heroine, Lilly.

EXCERPT from that essay here:

Gibraltar Awash in a Sea of Class Clowns

When Lilly and I arrived at our first obedience class, she refused to get out of the car. I cajoled. I tugged. I begged, until she poured to the ground like overcooked linguini. Once there, she flung herself flat as if a powerful magnet held her in place. I cheered each movement while she snaked toward the door, belly flush to asphalt, refusing my attempts to coax her inside.

When Lilly landed over the threshold after one particularly vigorous flail, I pulled the door closed in victory. That’s when I realized everyone was staring. Everyone — people, dogs, the trainer I had not met — watched in silence, goldfish faces gaping. Through giant windows, they’d seen our entire tableau.

Pink-cheeked, I looked for an empty spot, but Lilly found a gap first and flew toward it, dragging me behind her. Oh, she finally wanted to move but only to hide under a chair. There she cowered, breathing labored, baring her teeth at anything that moved.

Yep, we were going to be popular …

A Few Gaps and Glitches

The book starts a little slow, compared to other contemporary writing and modern movies, where the hook happens right away. I share that so that you don’t give up too soon and miss the real beauty of the plot.

Here and there, I did spot a few inconsistencies in the story and little glitches with words, but I’m sure it’s difficult to manage the intersecting story lines and characters. Creating an entire world from nothing takes time and talent.

Hyper-vigilant me also cringed a few times when Emily lets Gretchen be off leash or interact with small children in situations that I definitely would not, especially with a recently adopted dog, but that’s me being hilariously careful with my canine loved ones and foster puppies.

All Told, I Encourage You to Read You’re With Me

Just be prepared for an emotional and (unfortunately) all-too-real story.