Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Seven Perfect Things: A Novel

Top positive review

7 Perfect Stars!

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2021

I had the privilege of reading an ARC of this latest book by Catherine Ryan Hyde, and found it to be truly wonderful and heart warming. It is a story of bravery, heroics, commitment, responsibilities and relationships. It is about love, creating a family, and the miracle of second chances. And it’s about seven perfect things which have the charms of youth, innocence, and sweet puppy breath. Could anyone possibly ask for a better read? I think not! Seven Perfect Things should get 7 perfect stars!

158 people found this helpful

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LooziAnna

Love Abby and her puppies

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2021

I love CatherineRyanHyde books; I've read nearly all of them! My three-star rating on this one is because I felt it not up to the caliber of others she has written. Some parts seem unrealistic. Elliot's much-loved wife has just passed away, but just days later he is showing interest in another woman -- an unhappily married woman. On their second meeting, and without much knowledge of their situation, he proposes that she and her daughter come and live with him. Abby and the puppies are delightful, but I was surprised that she was never urged to find homes for some of them.
Ms Hyde's books are always well-written and impeccably edited. I especially like her ability to express her character's thoughts and feelings. There is a lot of wisdom to be found in her writing.
I pre-ordered this book when I heard it was being released. The story held my interest and I finished in just a couple of days.

113 people found this helpful

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From the United States

Jan Crossen

7 Perfect Stars!

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2021

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158 people found this helpful

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GTeller

Perfect!

Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2021

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At first thought, after finishing this book, it would seem like a lovely story about a teen-aged girl and the seven puppies she rescues from the river, but it's oh-so-much more than that.

This story will clutch at your heart for so many reasons including loss, domestic abuse and the finding of redemption. I think I've used the word "redemption" for many of this author's books because she deals with redemption in so many ways.

Having read two of Catherine Ryan Hyde's books in a row, and in the space of just a few days, I've come to understand that there is no such thing as Hyde overload, and that's fortunate.

This story follows Mary and thirteen year old Abby, mother and daughter, as they navigate the destructive path their husband and father, respectively, has drawn for them. He is psychologically abusive to both women.

Abby sees someone throw a bundle in the river, and she jumps in to retrieve it, finding seven perfect puppies inside. She can't bring them home because she would never be allowed to keep them. She finds an empty hunting cabin with a shed and decides to house them there. When the owner, recently widowed Elliot discovers the puppies, the story unfolds.

Each of the main characters are emotionally damaged, and don't know if they will ever be whole. There are moments that keep you on the edge of your seat. Puppies can so often lessen the pain.

All the superlatives apply to this book.

128 people found this helpful

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Nancy Vincent Zinke

A Riot of Puppies

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2021

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(I was fortunate to have received an ARC of this book.)

There is a magic moment in reading when sometimes a word or a phrase enters my heart and mind at the same time, creating a mini-explosion of pure delight.

This book’s phrase “riot of puppies” is like that: you get exactly what it looks like and feels like and means.

That is what this book did for me on a larger scale, too.

Not every chapter of this book brings only delight, though. Like all good books, it offers us people who have hurdles to overcome. And Abby Hubble has her share of them. So does her mother, Mary. So does Elliot Colvin, who recently lost his wife.

Through a chance occurrence and her own strength of will, Abby is able to save and rescue seven puppies. And her journey of trying to keep and care for them—allows herself and other people in her life to be saved and rescued, too.

I’ll let you find the other “riot” phrase in this heartwarming, delightful story.

72 people found this helpful

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LooziAnna

Love Abby and her puppies

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2021

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113 people found this helpful

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Diane

Charming story.

Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2021

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As always Catherine Ryan Boss's stories are so lovely, emotional and about real events that people experience. I loved this story, it was so beautifully written.

43 people found this helpful

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John Buckeridge

Family Relationships

Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2021

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My spouse read this book and here's her review:

Another fantastic read from this author. It touches on marital abuse, loss and grief along with the determination of thirteen year old Abby to save helpless puppies.
Abby lives in a tense, unhappy home where her father is, at best, remote and cold and, at worst, threatening. Elliot is grieving the very recent death of his beloved wife. Abby and he meet when Elliot flees the city with its tragic memories to his old hunting cabin in the hills. Abby dives into a river to rescue some puppies that have been thrown from a bridge. She hides the tiny creatures in the shed of what she believes is an abandoned cabin. A tender relationship develops between the two and ends up including her mother Mary.
Gradually trust is built up between the three accompanied by the licks, snuggles and love from the growing puppies. When Abby's father discovers this relationship everything changes in a dangerous way.
As always, the characters are well-drawn and engaging. The novel moves along with great pace and pulls you right into the story. The relationships between the characters are very believable and you care about Elliot, Abby and Mary.

31 people found this helpful

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Amy Kearney

Read it too fast

Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2021

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Once again I read Catherine Ryan Hyde’s new book too fast and am now disappointed that it is over. Her characters are so real that you get invested in them and want the story to go on. This book is no exception. There is enough tension to keep the story interesting, and lots of great detail about the characters and their stories. But not too much. You never feel like she would hurry and get to the point. I found myself re-reading sentences and paragraphs just because of the way she words things. Fantastic book!

29 people found this helpful

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jill goodale

Seven little puppies that make a difference!

Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2021

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This is a heart-warming story. Years ago I saw seven kittens thrown (in a sack) into a nearby stream and I can feel for Abby wanting to rescue the puppies from the river. It’s also more than that; Abby (and her mother) are having to deal with a psychological abusive father. I think it’s clever the way she takes the puppies to an abandoned cabin in the foothills of the mountain range so she can look after them and avoid taking them back to the Pound to await their fate and It’s fortuitous that Elliott links into the story, a grieving husband having recently lost his wife and seeking solace back at his hunting cabin which he hadn’t used for years. Fortunately, he and Abby find friendship and mutual feelings for the dogs and her mother eventually meets Elliott because of her concern as to where Abby is spending so much time. Elliott gives them a lifeline if they ever need it, but their husband/father gets wind of what’s going on and promptly moves them hundreds of miles away.
Will they escape the abusive father to find happiness?? I’d read on if I were you!

One person found this helpful

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Shannon W. Ware

Author Forgot to Finish the Book

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2021

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This is an unabashed feel good story, one you know you signed up for. Yes, predictable but sometimes you just need a story like that. There are a couple of weak spots and careless details such as Mary waltzing into a widower’s kitchen able to make sour dough bread on the fly. Hmmm, guess the escape from her husband included taking the indispensable sour dough starter. But that and other little details weren’t the real issue. The author just didn’t finish the story. It was an abrupt ending ruining the book overall. Not worth the money.

14 people found this helpful

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A Review of Seven Perfect Things

Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2021

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Catherine Ryan Hyde has the ability to write so well that one can visualize the characters and the place they are in. This heart warming story certainly doesn’t start with warmth. It starts with the loss of a beloved spouse, and Elliots grief is easy to understand, and one can feel his sorrow in his thoughts and actions. Mary living in an abusive controlling, negative marriage is beaten down by constant verbal abuse. Her esteem is nonexistent her mean spirited husband has driven it out of her. Their daughter Abby is a light bouncing in the darkness, seeing the brightness of the world in spite of the dark situation she finds herself in with a father who shows no love, only criticism and negativity. Her days change when she rescues seven perfect things. A wonderfully written story that weaves these characters together and does have a good ending.

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