Jennifer Huston Schaeffer’s memoir MOMMY’S BOY: How My Doggie Soulmate’s Love Rescued Me is a tender exploration of the extraordinary bonds we forge with our animal companions—how the unconditional love of a rescue dog can mend a broken heart and redefine the very meaning of family. The book follows the author’s journey through loneliness, love, and loss, anchored by the steadfast presence of her canine soulmate, Benny.
MOMMY’S BOY begins with Jennifer in her forties, her heart bruised from dating and longing for a family of her own, when Benny enters her life. From the moment she meets this sickly, scruffy dog, it’s as if “the wall of frost built up around my heart instantly thawed.” What follows is a journey filled with the everyday joys and the heart-wrenching challenges of loving a pet: Benny’s chronic allergies, separation anxiety, a Napoleon complex, and later, more serious health scares like bacterial and fungal infections, surgeries, and declining health. Through it all, even as Jennifer finds love with her human partner, Brad, Benny is her rock—her “doggie soulmate.”
Schaeffer’s voice throughout is open, vulnerable, and disarmingly honest. She beautifully captures her instant, life-altering connection with Benny, who is not just a pet but a constant companion and source of emotional support: “He ignited a spark in my heart that had been dormant for years, and he brought so much light into my life that I felt like I was Dorothy Gale, stepping from the black-and-white of Kansas into the vibrant technicolor world of Oz.”
Caring for a pet with chronic illness—the blur of vet visits, the confusing medical jargon, the constant hum of worry—can be a rollercoaster of hope and fear, filled with difficult decisions and moments of helplessness. Schaeffer lays bare the emotional toll of Benny’s health struggles, from the initial diagnosis of a plasma cell tumor to the later, more complex issues like pancreatitis and a gallbladder mucocele. The author’s fear and dedication are palpable as she recounts emergency vet visits and difficult medical decisions, like consenting to surgery despite the risks, knowing it was a “ticking time bomb, just waiting to go off.”
MOMMY’S BOY is a poignant love letter to a dog who was much more than “just a dog.” Schaeffer reminds readers that sometimes the deepest connections come on four paws. For anyone who has ever had their heart stolen by an animal, this book will speak directly to the soul and leave a gentle reminder, as Jennifer so beautifully puts it, that “Losing Benny has made me keenly aware of how precious life is—and it’s even more so for our beloved pets.”
Jennifer Huston Schaeffer’s memoir MOMMY’S BOY: How My Doggie Soulmate’s Love Rescued Me is a poignant exploration of the transformative power of human-animal bonds. It offers comfort to grieving pet owners while examining broader themes of love, identity, and chosen family with emotional honesty and vivid detail.
~Edward Sung for IndieReader