Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About: A Memoir

by Isabel Klee

From the social media superstar behind @SimonSits, Isabel Klee—known for her heartwarming tales of dog rescue—comes an utterly winning memoir about a twentysomething woman’s search for true love in New York City and the dogs who helped her find it.

A Jersey girl by birth, Isabel Klee had always wanted to live in New York City. At age 20, she got her chance, ditching her college upstate for Marymount Manhattan and moving into a tiny basement apartment on the Upper East Side. Dog-obsessed since childhood, her first post-grad job was managing content for the mega-popular account The Dogist, and something clicked into a career focused on helping dogs was the new dream.

Isabel quickly found a passion for using her own growing platform to help rescue pups find their forever homes. At the same time, she was caught up in a whirlwind of friendships, parties, fickle boyfriends and grand romances, which she recounts in honest, tender, and sometimes devastating chapters about the search for love and belonging.

Isabel’s first true love, though, was Simon, a fluffy puppy who’d been saved from the meat trade. As the highs and lows of this classically-turbulent decade hit Isabel in wave after wave, it was Simon who kept her grounded. Together, Isabel and Simon created an online community of dog-lovers, fellow foster advocates, and girls just trying to get through the trenches of their twenties.

In this adorable and moving memoir, Isabel weaves together the stories of her foster dogs—and the challenges she helped them overcome—with tales of bad dates, hard decisions, and great loves in New York City, all leading to a happy ending not only for the rescue pups, but for Isabel herself.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography, Dogs, Animals, Biography Memoir

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 2026

About the author

Isabel Klee is a writer and content creator. She documents her experiences rehabilitating dogs on social media through her writing and storytelling. She lives in Brooklyn with her fiancé, Jacob, her dog, Simon, and a rotating cast of foster dogs.

Reviews

[lana]

the cover alone has me crying... LIKEEE what do you mean tiki is on it 🥺🥺🥺... it's really over for me (positively)

[❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been following Isabel on TikTok for a while now and completely fell in love with the stories of all her fosters. I’ve loved watching each dog find their forever home and I’ve admired everything she does for them. This book was no different.
I was so excited to be approved for an ARC and I ended up finishing it in a day. This memoir is beautiful, heartbreaking, and full of so much strength. Isabel takes us through her young adulthood in New York City as she navigates friendships, relationships, and the messy, confusing parts of figuring out who you are, all while changing the lives of dogs in need. I loved how Isabel’s writing shows the way dogs anchor us when everything else feels unsteady. How they’re a constant when it feels like the world around us is falling apart.
My only tiny quip was the format in a few places. The timeline jumped around in a couple of places which briefly threw me off but it took nothing away from my experience or my five star rating.
As someone who loves dogs and works with them every day, Isabel’s story was very touching and it was an honor to read this memoir before it officially enters the world. I admire Isabel and everyone like her so much for the work they do.

[Lauren W · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Dogs are everything.🤍 What a special book. Highly recommended for any dog lover or memoir enthusiast.


“That's the magic of dogs. The simple unrelenting magic is that they don't even have to try. They heal just by existing. Reminding us to live life to the fullest, because, what is life but taking long walks, eating good food, and spending time with the people you love the most.”

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited to get this ARC — I’ve been following Isabel’s journey in dog rescue for years and really enjoy her content.

Overall, I found this book to be pretty uneven. She writes well about the dogs that have shaped her life and I found those parts moving. The romance felt kind of shoe horned in and the writing about relationships just felt young and immature.

Overall, I think this book will appeal to readers who know and love Isabel and Simon. Maybe I’m just a little too old to be charmed by her love stories. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Silvy (silvylinings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“other things i’ve cried about” includes EVERY CHAPTER OF THIS BEAUTIFUL AGONIZING WONDERFUL BRILLIANT BOOK. so grateful to live in a world where there are isabels. so grateful to live in a world where there are dogs.

a bazillion stars. full review coming when i regain non-crying use of my eyeballs

[Afton]

Fans of “Simon Sits” will love this memoir! Isabel is raw, real, and down right relatable. She was much more open than I was expecting and it was really refreshing. Absolutely adored the audio version of this book!

[Rachel Morton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had a really tough time getting into this which is disappointing because I was really looking forward to reading it. Timeline felt choppy and difficult to follow.

[Lisa Cianci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanted to love it, but didn’t

I’m being generous giving this book a three-star review, and that’s because I have been following the author on TikTok for a long time, and I love her commitment to fostering dogs. I really fault her editor(s) for the problems in this book. Only a few pages in was the most used and mocked cliche in books: I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. At that point, I knew this was going to be a rough read. Cliche after cliche, excessive (and unimportant) descriptions, and — most problematic — time jumping back and forth with no clear pattern that made it impossible to get onboard with a narrative. It was also a bit dishonest. Although not explicit, the parts about fostering dogs were interspersed in ways that made it align with what was going on in the author’s life. For example, the book made it sound like she was fostering Tiki, probably her most famous rescue dog, when she was alone. But her followers know she was with Jacob. As I said, in the hands of a good editor, this could have been an amazing book. But it really fell short, unfortunately.

[Charles Binion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for an early edition in exchange for an honest review.

I picked up this book because of its beautiful cover and irresistible title, but what kept me turning the pages, and brought me to tears (more than once!), was Isabel Klee’s heartfelt story.

Having recently lost my family dog, Harper, her reflections on the profound impact dogs have on our lives hit incredibly close to home. Isabel’s experiences with Simon and her many foster pups made my heart swoon, break, and swell with joy as they found healing and new homes. As someone close in age to Isabel and also living in New York City, her stories about friendship, love, and navigating the city in your twenties felt strikingly familiar and deeply comforting.

This memoir is a reminder of how dogs steady us through life’s chaos and how love, whether from a pet, a partner, or a friend - shapes who we become. Brava, Isabel. You’ve gained a new fan! And on a personal note: I’ll be running the 2026 NYC Marathon with PAWS, in honor of Harper and all our beloved fur babies! 🐶🐕🐾❤️

[imogen · Rating 5 out of 5]

things ive cried about: this book. isabel writes a wonderfully full world, taking us through her fosters, her relationships, her connection to new york, her memories growing up, and all of it was beautifully written. i genuinely teared up so many times, especially when she spoke about losing her childhood dog, and the change she felt in herself as she experience real tangible grief for the first time. if you love dogs you should definitely read this!!

[Samantha (ladybug.books)]

Like many other people on the internet, I fell in love with Tiki the second Isabel shared him on her TikTok. But it was actually Simon's journey that captured my heart the most. I have my own dog with lightning in his brain. My family's journey with our dog Kota closely resembles what Isabel has shared of her experience with Simon. Dozens of pills at specific times, clusters of seizures that break through regardless, blood tests to see if the pills that he needs to survive are putting too much strain on his liver, and so much more. To see another dog with such a similar experience, to see him live such a full life with so much love and joy, resonates deeply with me. It has always made the videos that Isabel shares about Simon and his many foster siblings feel that much more personal. I was incredibly grateful to be able to read an early copy of this. It was lovely to be able to hear Isabel share her journey with us via audiobook.

Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About was a touching memoir. Though there were more boys and fewer dogs than I expected, this is a beautiful exploration of love, growth, change, and the unique role that dogs play in our lives. Love, in its many forms, ties every moment of Isabel's story together. She perfectly captures what it feels like to be loved, wholly and unconditionally, by a dog.

There is so much vulnerability and care in the way that Isabel shares her journey of self-discovery. The anxiety and loneliness that come with growing into yourself. My mom and I cried many times listening to this book and hugged our dogs extra tight.

I do not rate non-fiction reads.

Thank you so much, William Morrow, for the ALC.

[b. ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this one’s for the lover girls who cry watching pet-owner reunion videos online and browse shelter adoption sites knowing damn well another animal will not fit into their modest apartment in the city

[Karla L · Rating 3 out of 5]

too much about boys and not enough about dogs

[Jennifer Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heavy sigh. This book reminded me of why I don’t read memoirs. I have followed Isabell for a while
And highly adore and respect the work she does with dogs……. BUT….. this book actually made me like her less. It made me feel like I was listening to the life story of a spoiled girl with a trust fund. She ran from every hard thing. And listening to her talk about relationships was insufferable. I’m shook that she broke up with Jacob for an entire year because he wasn’t obsessed with her. Seriously????? What job did she have besides a part time pet photographer to afford her lifestyle? This isn’t real life. I actually wish I hadn’t read this. The only Parts I enjoyed were about the dogs. I’m truly astounded this is going to be made into a tv series.

[Morgan]

What a lovely debut!

I've been a huge fan of Isabel and her work with foster dogs. This was entirely too relatable, extremely tender, and an emotional ride.

[Sara Scheie]

Ååååååååååååå❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“That’s the magic of dogs: The simple, unrelenting magic is that they don’t even have to try. They heal just by existing, reminding us to live every moment to the fullest. Because what is life other than taking long walks, eating good food, and spending time with the people you love most?” ❤️

One of my favorites from 2025! This book is for people who love dogs, people who have lost dogs, and people who are figuring out their purpose in the world. Isabel Klee seamlessly tells her story intermixed with lessons learned from fostering dogs and my heart felt like it was being squeezed and I had tears on my face through each chapter (both in a good way). I will be purchasing a copy for myself when it is released, and I’m also interested in the audiobook which Isabel will be narrating.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an eARC!*

I found Isabel through her instagram account simonsits, and it’s one of my favorite follows. I was thrilled to get her first book because one of the reasons her social media is so great is that she is a very compelling storyteller. Her memoir chronicles her young adulthood, navigating relationships finding her place in the world (namely NYC which is basically another character), interspersed with stories of dogs she’s fostered. The format threw me a couple of times, but overall this was a really lovely read, cozy without being cloying. Isabel is a strong writer and really brings both the people and the dogs in her book to life. Her big heart shines through!

[Emily Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About by my friend Isabel felt like sitting down with someone who truly understands the kind of life that revolves around dogs. I finished the book in two sittings, laughing at some parts and quietly crying through others. It’s been a long time since a book felt this relatable.

What Isabel captures so beautifully is something that’s really hard to put into words: the way adopting your soul dog in your twenties becomes intertwined with everything else in your life. Your relationships, your heartbreaks, the process of figuring yourself out. She writes about fostering in a way that feels so honest and familiar, the deep fulfillment that comes from opening your home again and again, even when it’s hard, and the way those dogs shape you just as much as you help them.

If you’ve ever loved a dog so deeply it feels like they’re stitched into your story, or if you’ve navigated dating and life while also trying to save a few dogs along the way, this book will hit home. It perfectly captures the messy, emotional, funny, and incredibly meaningful life that so many of us in the rescue world live.

More than anything, reading it just made me incredibly proud of Isabel. She managed to put into words something so many of us feel but struggle to articulate. This book is heartfelt, honest, and so deeply real—and I already know it’s one I’ll think about for a long time. 🐾📚❤️

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love Isabel and Simon ❤️🥹

[Gennean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cried so many times listening to this audiobook. As a mid-30s gal who adopted her own dog at the beginning of the pandemic and has followed @simonsits (Isabel Klee) for years now, this was such a delight to dive into, and I loved that she self-narrated the audiobook. I also loved the way she so intentionally wove her stories of growing up & dating throughout her twenties in NYC alongside her heartwarming experiences with her dozens of foster dogs and, of course, adopting Simon. Hearing so much of her story made me reflect a lot on my own experiences, and admit that I wish I’d lived a bit more in my 20's like she did. I will absolutely be recommending this memoir to all of my friends!

Thank you to Netgalley & Harper Collins for the ARC 🐾💚

[Kat Harron · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think it will make a fine TV show, unfortunately though, it’s littered with poor grammatical choices, tired metaphors, and glaring inconsistencies.

Did her childhood dog, Ruby, live until Isabel was 16 or 17? (Page 162- ruby died when I was 16. Page 163- I was 17 myself when ruby died)

I love Isabel’s content and really wanted this to be a win. Unfortunately it teetered to being a DNF because I found it hard to get through. A more tight edit would have helped this book find its feet, instead it flails.

[Hailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually read the dedication before I start the book, it gives me a bit of insight about the author. Isabel’s dedication was beautiful and SO relatable (to me).

There is clearly a certain demographic for this book about a woman in her 20s-30s, dating in a city, figuring out her life. Fortunately for me, I related very much to the author. At times this book really annoyed me, but I think it’s because this woman and I clearly lived very similar lives and it was like listening to my own terrible dating stories again and again. If you’re having relationship issues and wondering if you should pour your hear into adopting a dog instead of dating, this book will convince you to do so (the answer is yes, you should do it). But also, you should go to therapy, which is what I thought a lot through the author’s stories (girl, you have an avoidant attachment style).

This book has so many “quotable moments” that it kind of felt fake at times. With the way this author writes, she should probably consider writing romcom type books, this style of writing is perfect for it. For example, “Loving a dog is proof alone that actions speak louder than words.” Great quote, but a bit cliché.

This book had me reflecting a lot of Pepperjack and my time together. We too have had several scary moments at the emergency vet and had a rocky start due to the way she was treated prior to being adopted. I’m happy to report, 8.5 years later, she’s the love of my life, my soul dog, and honestly, perfect.

I appreciate the author’s dedication to fostering dogs and admire her ability to emotionally let go when it is adoption time. She’s doing an amazing thing that I’m sure is often underestimated in the impact it truly makes for these dogs and their future owner’s lives. 3-3.5 stars. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of this book and audiobook. I ended up reading pieces of the book and also listening to pieces of it since I was traveling.

[Izzy⁷♡•° · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for providing an ALC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

"When you lose a dog it's impossible to imagine ever loving again, but then one day you stumble across another dog who needs you and it just makes sense [...] they were going into it knowing how much it would hurt one day and doing it anyway because the loss is excruciating, there's no way around it but the in between is pure magic."

This review is extremely biased and coming from a place of loving dogs and experiencing the grief you feel when they pass away. I have been doing volunteer in a dog shelter for almost ten years. The most informative years of my life have been shaped by my love and dedication for all the dogs I had the pelasure of meeting, the joy and tears of seeing them go to their forever homes, the happiness of spending time with them and the heartbreak and grief that inevitably comes when they pass, specially without having their one family and the rage of seeing some of the worstside of humanity. In that time I have adopted three dogs (that joined my already adopted dog) and I had the highest honour of meeting my soul dog or heart dog whatever you want to call it. Lara was the most special and sweet thing in the world, she liked exactly 5 people in the world and I was (as I like to think, and with some strong proof) her favourite person, my biggest regret is that people will never actually know how sweet and silly she was due to her fears, how perfect she was in adapting to every single dog, how she was the best sister to my other two dogs, how she followed me everywhere and was so in tune with my emotions, how for many days they were the only reason I got out of bed. She was my whole world and will forever be my biggest joy and heartbreak. All that to say that I felt this book on a visceral level, it touched me and made me sob, but also reminded me that at the end of the day setting myself up for heartbreak is the best decision to make.

I have followed Isabel on social media for almost a year and I find her work so inspiring, logically fostering is absolutely wonderful I would like to think that someday I will be brave enough to do it. This book is also more that just about her journey with fostering and Simon and also about friendship, family, dating, being vulnerable and I found it extremely insightful.

Isabel is the narrator of the audiobook which I love for memoirs and you could definitely feel the emotion. I had a wonderful time with this book even when I was just lying in bed listening to it and found it hard to breathe because of my tears

[Taylor Penn]

Isabel Klee’s Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About delivers the kind of cutesy, dog-filled charm you’d expect from an influencer known for fostering pups with “issues. The memoir is warm, easy to read, and told through quick vignettes that feel conversational and friendly.

Quick disclaimer: I don’t love critiquing memoirs too harshly. Sharing your life takes guts. That said, let's get into it.

At its core, a strong memoir invites readers into not just what happened, but what it meant. Ideally, the author’s introspection will open a door for the reader to find relatable moments and draw their own lessons from there. Here, the emotional beats felt a little on repeat: boy meets girl, girl falls, breakup hits, loneliness creeps in, a foster dog arrives like a temporary patch, the dog finds its forever home, Tinder gets redownloaded, and the carousel spins again. The act of filling voids in your life instead of learning to be okay being alone is (at least for this reader) relatable, sure, but Klee's introspection often stays near the surface.

Where the book really shines is, unsurprisingly, the dogs. Those pieces have teeth and tenderness. They’re the moments where the story slows down, breathes, and actually lets you feel something deeper. The relationships with the dogs feel more fully realized than many of the human ones, which… might be the point, but still.

There is also a soft, affectionate thread running through Klee’s life in NYC and her friendships that add texture, even if it doesn’t always get the depth it deserves.

Note: A friend here on Goodreads, Syd Hunnicut, read this book earlier this year and in her review, she mentioned looking back on Klee’s social media accounts to see posts of the dogs while she read. She was right, it did elevate the experience! Thanks Syd!

Overall, it's a cozy, emotionally accessible read that will shine with fans of her content. It's a warm, heartfelt, highlight reel.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the arc! Dogs, Boys and Other Things I’ve Cried About comes out this Tuesday!

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Harper Audio and Netgalley for the ALC <3

"The dog who was the sole reason you got out of bed in the morning and simply sat with you, made the world seem not so scary ….. who now has white hair sprinkled around their eyes …." - The dedication alone.. PAIN

"The comfortable silence between a girl and a dog who'd never had a true conversation but loved each other very deeply. Loving a dog is proof alone that actions speak louder than words. You exist together, a back and forth, a give and take, as fluid and reliable as the lap of a wave along a shoreline. You sleep together, eat together, walk together, love together, and your commitment to each other never has to be stated; it just is. You get to know each other through living, the careful observations of two beings who want to understand. It's why you know exactly when your dog is hurting, their gait is off, they won't eat their favorite treat, they're sleeping more, their paws sensitive to the touch. You know this without words because you paid attention. "
- THIS QUOTE oh my lord

"That's the magic of dogs. The simple, unrelenting magic is that they don't even have to try. They heal just by existing. Reminding us to live life to the fullest, because what is life but taking long walks, eating good food, and spending time with the people you love the most."

"Just because a guy is kind to you doesn’t mean he’s the love of your life"

This book is the epitome of being a girl in your 20s, navigating love and friendships, and having your soul dog there for the ride. What an amazing memoir. I saw myself so much in Isabel and the audiobook, narrated by the author herself, was an amazing experience.

[Marielle Genovesi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to "Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About: A Memoir" as an Advanced Listener Copy from NetGalley. I enjoyed every moment of this memoir. Isabel Klee is a masterful writer, both immersive and articulate - the reader immediately feels in tune with Klee's stories.

What I loved so much about this memoir is that it is not a memoir about the wild experiences of a world-famous someone, but instead a recollection of memories that any millennial woman might have gone through. I related to Klee's search for herself throughout her teens and into her twenties, so many young women are unsure of who they are and find themselves at points of tension, change, and transition that have forged the paths of their lives. Klee recollects moments she took a different path, such as leaving college after freshman year or ending a serious relationship in which she found herself back in her childhood home, and triumphs, like when she snagged her dream job working for a well-known dog photographer or her innate connection with a foster dog deemed un-adoptable.

Klee expertly weaves stories from her previous relationships and larger life moments, with those about the dogs she has fostered, adopted, and fallen in love with. You will love and remember this memoir as a story about girlhood, finding and loving oneself, and seeing the best in any and every dog.

Note: I am very particular about narrators of audiobooks, and Klee was an EXCELLENT narrator/storyteller.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC!

[sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up!

i absolutely adored this book. i've been following isabel for years now and i have always been so moved by her words and knew when she announced a book that it was going to really touch me, and it definitely did. this book really felt like i was talking to a friend and i could not put it down. my 20s were completely different from isabel's but i still connected deeply with the stories and feelings she shared, especially because i have worked in the animal rescue world and am also a foster mom for cats. i really loved how each chapter was able to connect a story from a past relationship to a story of one of her foster dogs and was able to show how deeply connected emotions of grief, love, and growth are. there were so many chapters where i couldn't help but cry my eyes out.
truly my only "issue" with the book was how the timelines jumped around between chapters. the past and present timelines in the specific chapters didn't confuse me, it was more how one chapter would take place a year or two before the previous chapter. but other than that, truly an amazing read and i really hope isabel continues to write because she really has such a beautiful way with words and stories.

thank you to netgalley for the arc!

[Anna Allaire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been looking forward to this release for months after discovering Isabel on TikTok last year when she was fostering Tiki. I found her during a time when I really needed a story of hope and recovery, and I’ve followed her and her fosters ever since. Sometimes the world makes the right person famous.

This book felt like both a love letter to dogs and their significance in our lives, and a love letter to our younger, messier selves. I connected to her experience of being a woman in her 20s, building independence, success, and identity while also over-romanticizing dating and men she barely knew. I was struck by how vulnerable she was in how she portrayed her flaws and taking accountability for her growth. The way she interweaves stories of her foster dogs to mirror different periods of her life is done well although sometimes it made the timeline confusing if you didn’t know that her fostering of those specific dogs came a few years after.

[Savannah Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must start off by saying I had no idea who Isabel Klee is. I don't have TikTok and it's been, well, forever, or maybe I should say since NEVER that I was popular, or in on what was popular.
So for me, this book was read from a different perspective than most, I would think.

Ahh, to be young again...

That is how this book felt for me; the joys of being young and carefree was the main vibe of this memoir, even with a few minor hurdles in the way. I was insanely impressed by Ms. Klee's love for dogs and wanting to help them. It was inspiring and caused me to tear up on several stories. The funny thing is, I never really felt that Ms. Klee lived up to the title, because I didn't get a depressing vibe or mood that she "cried about" things. She came across as strong and a fighter, not afraid of taking a bull...dog, by the horns.

I also enjoyed the way the story was told, not too much and not too little detail about her life and the stories of the dogs.