While there are a lot of dog books out there, this is one of the best.

“If you're a dog lover who has been hankering for something in the spirit of James Herriot's books - combining great tenderness, an awe of the wondrous beauty of the natural world, and a fierce determination to advocate for any animal that needs a champion and a nurturer - this book will suit you well. While there are a lot of dog books out there, this is one of the best.” -The BookLife Prize, 9 out of 10 rating

Read full BookLife Prize review here

River Love is an absolute must read

"This is not a typical dog story of love or heartbreaking loss. Quite the opposite, in fact, it’s about challenging beginnings and joyful endings. For anyone who has struggled to heal a damaged soul, River Love is an absolute must read. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. And in the end you’ll be better off for spending these pages with Sheldon and Tricia.” ~Keith Gave, Author, The Russian Five

A magical experience

“Cat lover?  Dog lover?  Or simply a casual observer of the human condition? River Love shows us how pets, people and place come together to foster recovery, redemption and love.  Wonderfully written with passion, Tricia Frey has a way with words.  She can take the simplest of situations, turn a phrase and offer the reader a magical experience.  Don ‘t miss this read!” ~John Wemlinger, Author, Winter’s Bloom, Before the Snow Flies, Operation Light Switch, and The Widow and the Warrior

A memoir timeless in its effect

“In River Love, Tricia Frey seamlessly interweaves themes of thankfulness, loss, epiphany, self-discovery, hardship, natural beauty, & literal puppy love to create a memoir timeless in its effect. The reader is swept along by her story, much like the current of Frey’s beloved Boardman River: at the end they, too, may find themselves changed”. ~Scott J. Couturier, Author, The Mask of Tamrel, poet & short fiction writer

A story to warm any pet-lover’s heart

“Tricia’s Frey’s River Love is a heartwarming tale of her love for a lost dog named Sheldon, which tugs at the reader’s heart-strings both as a memoir and a mystery.

On a spring day in 2006 the author noticed a Blue Merle Sheltie wandering in the woods near her home, Rivershire, along the Boardman River south of Traverse City, Michigan. Therein lies a mystery as the frightened, hungry, bedraggled dog comes and goes over the next two and a half years to Rivershire—during which time a house was built for him and food provided—always keeping his distance as Frey gradually earns his trust.

Frey named the dog Sheldon early on and as the story progresses, we learn of her burgeoning love along with life’s ups and downs, including launching a business and a catastrophic flood that threatens Rivershire. This is also a story about the love and support of family during tough times, and the whimsical adventures of the pets in their lives, including Sheldon, Snickers the cat, and another pooch named Bandit.

Toward the end of the story a medical emergency requiring an X-ray reveals that Sheldon had been implanted with a microchip as a pup. To Frey’s surprise, this leads to a far-off contact and beyond, as the mystery of the lost Sheltie unfolds.

It would be a crime to reveal any more details of the surprise ending of Sheldon and Tricia’s story, but animal-lovers are sure to shed a tear or two at the conclusion of this uplifting slice-of-life memoir.” ~Robert Downes, Author, Windigo Moon, Bicycle Hobo, and Sandy Bottom