A Marriage in Dog Years: A Memoir by Nancy Balbirer

When Nancy Balbirer learns her beloved eleven-year-old beagle has kidney failure, she’s devastated. She and her husband had gotten Ira as a puppy—a wedding gift to each other, and their first foray into “parenthood.” Now, her dog is terminal, her marriage is on life support, and Nancy is desperate to save them both (whether they want it or not). In a single year, she loses her two best friends, but Nancy’s life is about to take yet another unexpected turn.

With humour and heart, Nancy Balbirer shares her story of relationships, loss, and canine friendship in this illuminating memoir about the lengths people will go to keep love alive…and the power of finally letting go.

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[I am driving in the middle lane on the 10 Freeway in Los Angeles, headed east, when my car, which has inexorably begun to slow down, comes to a full stop]

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(Little A, 1 June 2018, 224 pages, ebook, Amazon First Reads)

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BUY

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I wasn’t expecting much from this memoir. I chose it, by default because all the other Amazon First Read titles were a thriller of some sort. I’ve gone off thrillers again. A consequence of reading so many. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed A Marriage in Dog Years.

I was moved to tears by Nancy facing the death of her beloved dog Ira. You need to be a dog person to get it. A dog is more than a pet. A dog is part of your family. I remember how devastated I was when I was thirteen and my family’s ancient dog had to be put to sleep because he was riddled with cancer. I could complete relate to Nancy’s feelings.

I really didn’t like Sam, Nancy’s husband. His actions don’t show him in a good light. He wants their marriage to work but while attending counselling he starts sleeping with another woman. WTF? The couple struggle to run two business and he decides he needs to ‘work on his music’. He shows no love or respect for her. I wanted to give him a black eye and give Nancy a good shake.

I could relate to a lot of Nancy’s experiences. She loves her dog and is willing to do anything to prolong his life. She loves Sam and keeps hoping that if she sticks around something will change and their marriage will be ‘fixed’.

A Marriage in Dog Years is an emotional tear-jerker.