In the Northern Hemisphere, July 3rd through August 11th mark the Dog Days of Summer, traditionally considered the hottest and most humid days of the year. During July and early August, Sirius, the Dog Star, becomes visible above the eastern horizon at dawn just before sunrise. Many ancient civilizations believed Sirius’s dawn rising played a role in extreme weather and unbearable heat, as well as general unrest and bad luck– leading this time of the year to be known as the ‘Dog Days.’ 

Though modern science has proven that Sirius has no effect on Earth’s temperature or weather patterns, the idiom ‘Dog Days of Summer’ continues to live on in our popular imagination as the hottest and muggiest times of the year. If you’re looking to avoid the heat and humidity of Nashville in August (I know I am!), try cooling off inside with some of these canine-themed reads.

Newly widowed, retired, and in infrequent contact with her adult children, seventy-nine year-old Missy Carmichael believes that her best years are behind her and that she will live out the rest of her days alone. The last thing she expects is that a series of events will lead her to become responsible for a rambunctious rescue dog named Bob– or that Bob will show her how much love she still has to give to herself and to the world. A lovely, uplifting read, I’d recommend this one for fans of Frederik Backman’s A Man Called Ove, Elizabeth Berg’s The Story of Arthur Truluv, or Beth O’Leary’s The Switch.

When a down-on-his luck factory worker finds a stray dog, Tamon, outside a convenience store after a devastating earthquake and tsunami, he decides to adopt the dog, becoming one in a series of owners. As readers follow Tamon’s journey, they see his role as an agent of fate, benefitting everyone who has welcomed him into their life, ultimately culminating in his reunion with his beloved first owner, Hikaru, a young boy who has not spoken since the tsunami. I think this one will appeal to readers who enjoy novels about the special bond between humans and dogs and about how points of connection can bring us all closer in a fractured world.

Looking to save her foundering doggie daycare business, Ashanti has a brilliant plan– create buzz through content that features the friendship between her French bulldog, Duchess, and poodle named Puddin’. The only trouble? Convincing Puddin’s new owner (and self-professed dog-hater) Thad Sims that this partnership will benefit them both, as she teaches him the ropes of dog ownership and he helps her business get on surer financial footing. When all this time together leads to unexpected sparks, Ashanti and Thad must decide whether they’ll be able to take a risk on a new venture– a future together.

Set in a not-too-distant alternate future, protagonist Lark and his family know their time is running out in an America ravaged by country-wide fires and the ever-increasing grip of fanatical religious nationalists. Seeking their freedom on a refugee boat bound for Ireland (rumored to be the last country accepting American refugees), Lark is devastated when he emerges as the only survivor from this boat’s wreckage– and when he learns that the purported safe harbor of Ireland was only a mirage. Lark, now running for his life in the Irish countryside, teams up with two unexpected companions: a beagle named Seamus and a mysterious, fierce woman named Helen searching for her lost son. As this makeshift family attempts to flee to a reported stronghold in the valley of Glendalough, they must contend with the encroaching darkness that threatens their safety (and their shared humanity).

Nina Askew is 40 years old, newly single, and ready to break free of the stultifying suburban existence she lived with her ex-husband. Turning over a new leaf, she decides to live solely for herself– adopting a rescue basset hound-beagle mix, re-entering the dating scene, and having some fun in a friends-with-benefits relationship with 30 year-old E.R. Doctor Alex. When Alex tries to convince Nina that he’s permanent-relationship material, Nina has to determine whether she’s willing to take a chance on a match that might not make sense on paper.