"Griffin gracefully answers questions and solves mysteries, leaving us with hope and a smile without making things falsely shiny and bright." — The New York Times
* "A haunting story of love and heartbreak. Bittersweet, stellar, with genuine dialogue and drama, this book will appeal greatly to teens, especially dog lovers." — School Library Journal, starred review
* "Unique and genuine. This is romance but also true tragedy. Heart-wrenching." — Horn Book, starred review
* "Heartbreaking . . . extraordinary . . . vividly depicted through affecting prose and believable dialogue. Remarkable characters abound. Achingly, authentically emotionally resonant, this sad, never-saccharine tale will have absorbed readers reaching for the Kleenex. An outstanding love story." — Kirkus, starred review
* "Sweet, sensual, utterly engrossing, drawing readers in with engagingly authentic dialogue and fully realized characters." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review
"Exquisite, unforgettable, an intense portrait of first love, family ties and the bond between man and dog." — The Sunday Herald Sun
"Realistic underlined. Will find its way to the 'favorites' shelf right next to S.E. Hinton's classic The Outsiders." — VOYA
"Authentic, painful, heartfelt. Griffin's gift shines in this moving novel of loss, acceptance, and the possibility of redemption." — Publishers Weekly
" . . . a strong title in the competitive teen romance genre. With tragic Romeo-and-Juliet elements, this is a fast,paced, refreshingly honest, and surprisingly realistic urban love story." — Booklist
Official selection — Junior Library Guild
