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Jack of Hearts
Jack of Hearts
Jack of Hearts
Ebook356 pages12 hours

Jack of Hearts

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Jack of Hearts is a novel of literary fiction told from the point of view of a small, aristocratic dog named Shimoni. This imaginative first novel explores themes of fidelity and honor and offers a fresh perspective of Italian culture and amore.

Shimoni's passion for Italian cuisine and Elvis are rivaled only by his devotion to his masters, a Roman Count and Countess. However, his discovery that Il Conte is having an affair imperils his comfortable life and plunges Shimoni into a quest to rekindle his masters' love and preserve his home.

The path to reconciliation leads Shimoni from the bustling streets of Rome to his owners' rustic villa in the Italian countryside, where he outwits man and beast to save his family, all while making time to fall in love and sample the local Chianti. Shimoni's (mis)adventures yield poignant observations about the nature of love and longing, and the soul's ability to find satisfaction.

An intoxicating blend of adventure, romance, and joi de vivre, Jack of Hearts will appeal to literary devotees, Italophiles and dog-lovers. Author, Robin F. Gainey dishes up a sensuous story with plenty of heart, and empathy for the human, as well as the canine condition.

“A wonderful, funny and touching novel.  Shimoni is not simply a dog, he is our guide; he is our friend.   Stay by his side, stay with his heart, and he will take you places you haven’t been, and show you things you haven’t seen: after reading Jack Of Hearts you will understand the true depths of love and devotion.
 –Garth Stein, The Art Of Racing In The Rain

“This novel has freshness, originality and a huge heart of gold. Shimoni is one of the most unforgettable narrators I’ve ever read, and does he have a story to tell! I loved everything about this book.”
–Susan Wiggs, NY Times Best-Selling Romance Novelist, Just Breathe

“This is a most heartfelt and extraordinary work for a first novel.  Ms. Gainey moves easily out of the realities of our everyday lives into an unexpected turn of canine spirit.  It is an intriguing and wonderful read.”
–Lynn Andrews, NY Times Best-Selling Author of Medicine Woman
LanguageEnglish
PublisherUntreed Reads
Release dateJun 28, 2012
ISBN9781611873672
Jack of Hearts

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    *Book source ~ Many thanks to Untreed Reads for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.Shimoni is the noble dog of an Italian Conte and Contessa. Given to the Contessa as a present in happier times, Shimoni is now witness to the Conte’s affair and the Contessa’s discovery of it. He does not want to end up like his friend Greta and her woman who were reduced to poverty when she and her man divorced. So Shimoni is doing his doggy best to keep his Conte and Contessa together. This story is told entirely from Shimoni’s point of view and confirms what I’ve always said, that dogs are highly intelligent and if they could talk we humans would find that out. Ok, I know this is fantasy and we’ll never know what goes through a dog’s head, but this story is so believable that I’m looking at my own dogs (and cats, for that matter) in a whole new (and possibly suspicious) light. What are they plotting, eh? In any case, the writing is superb, the plot keeps me turning the pages to see how it’s resolved, the characters are fully fleshed out and the ending… What, you thought I would give away the ending? The only problem I had with this story is it seemed to be overly long. But I loved Shimoni, his daily ruminations and machinations and everyone he came into contact with was fuel for his story. If you ever wanted to experience what it is like to be a dog, then this is about as close as you’ll get.

Book preview

Jack of Hearts - Robin F. Gainey

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