AN IMPROBABLE COMPANION

In Medlock’s novel, a romance is aided by a remarkable dog.

Lucinda Flynn, a newly minted Ph.D. graduate from Cornell specializing in architectural styles of the Colonial era, is the new caretaker of Rakeshill, a large New York estate near the Hudson River in upstate New York. While unpacking her belongings in the caretaker’s cottage, a large husky scratches on the door, comes in, and makes himself at home. She names him Rakeshill after the estate—Rake, for short. Rake is well trained, with an uncanny ability to understand what is going on; he even performs tasks like warming soup for her when she is sick. Through Rake, Lucinda connects with people in the area, including Max, a veterinarian at a clinic in nearby Gardiner; Ellen, another dog owner new to the area; and Jacob, a new vet at the Gardiner clinic whose “weird combination of muscled strongman, caring veterinarian, and broadly educated foreigner” she finds attractive. Sam Rakeshill, the entitled heir to the estate, shares her interest in the history of Rakeshill—which she is researching for a book that she hopes will jumpstart her academic career—but he raises both Lucinda and Rake’s suspicions. Lucinda’s anxiety and OCD tendencies threaten to upend her relationships and block her writing progress, but Rake’s extraordinary abilities help her cope. As her research unearths clues about Rake’s background and breeding, Lucinda learns to trust her heart…and her dog. In Lucinda, Medlock has created a smart, fully rounded hero dealing with major issues and holding her own. Class and wealth distinctions are illustrated deftly in scenes of Lucinda’s interactions with her own family and the wealthy Rakeshills. Chapters written from Rake’s point of view add an unusual perspective and depth of character to the story: “Rake went over and sniffed the vet for some time. Jacob stood very still, allowing, perhaps even understanding the reason for, this perusal. It was all very good. Rake perceived courage and…steadiness.” This satisfying read will appeal to those who enjoyed Talia Hibbert’s Brown Sisters books.

Readers will cheer on this likeable hero and the dog that chooses her.