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The Two Dogs Who Stayed
Rusty isn’t anyone’s hero. At least, he doesn’t think so.
He runs a used bookstore in a quiet Alaskan town, walks his dog, and keeps mostly to himself. But when his memory begins to fade, the life he’s built starts to shift beneath his feet. He forgets appointments. Then names. Then things he was sure he’d never lose.
Except his dog.
Goober stays. Through the confusion. Through the silences. Through the end.
And maybe, somehow… beyond it.
The Two Dogs Who Stayed is a quiet, powerful novel about the souls we overlook, the memories we carry, and the rare companions who refuse to let go. Told in two parts, it traces a life lived simply, but not without meaning, and the quiet possibility that some connections stretch farther than we know.
Some stories don’t end. Some friends never leave.
He runs a used bookstore in a quiet Alaskan town, walks his dog, and keeps mostly to himself. But when his memory begins to fade, the life he’s built starts to shift beneath his feet. He forgets appointments. Then names. Then things he was sure he’d never lose.
Except his dog.
Goober stays. Through the confusion. Through the silences. Through the end.
And maybe, somehow… beyond it.
The Two Dogs Who Stayed is a quiet, powerful novel about the souls we overlook, the memories we carry, and the rare companions who refuse to let go. Told in two parts, it traces a life lived simply, but not without meaning, and the quiet possibility that some connections stretch farther than we know.
Some stories don’t end. Some friends never leave.
263 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2025
33 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Caldwell
4 booksLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 4, 2026
Rusty Callahan sees himself as a quiet, ordinary man who just blends into society in The Two Dogs Who Stayed by Matthew Caldwell. He lives in a small town on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, and he’s perfectly fine keeping to himself and having only a few people he associates with. But on his birthday, while walking home from the grocery store with a slice of lemon cake to celebrate his birthday and some groceries, Rusty swears he hears faint whimpering. Looking toward an old abandoned house nearby, he sees a dog in serious distress stuck between broken lattice and an old rusty pipe. He knows if he doesn’t do something, she won’t survive much longer in the cold Alaskan temperatures.
He does what he thinks is best in this situation. He frees her from the entanglement and carries her to his home to tend to her wounds. Both have lived a solitary life to this point, but can they learn to depend on the love and companionship of each other to fight what the world throws at them while they stand side by side with each other?
Liz is a chef, feeling she needs change in her life, but she isn’t sure what that exactly is right now. She’s tired of the demands on her life being a chef, and a few times she has thought about quitting. As she’s passing Kenai Peninsula Animal Rescue, something draws at her to go inside. There she meets a dog that has had a rough start. Something tells her that they could work together and possibly start a great friendship together. Does everything work out for Liz and her new canine friend, Ishmael?
This is one book that grabbed onto my heartstrings right from the start. We were immediately introduced to Rusty Callahan and saw how he lived a very quiet existence, almost like a recluse to a degree, after his mother died, in a remote small town in Alaska. You immediately feel compassion for him as to why he chose to live this way. Caldwell developed Rusty to be a relatable character to many readers on varying levels, so it was easy to want to befriend him early on in the book.
One of the delightful moments in this book was when the dog, later named Goober by Rusty, entered his life. You feel saddened that she was hurt and out in the extremely cold Alaskan temperature, fighting to stay alive because she got caught up between broken lattice and a rusty old pipe. Every reader will find themselves hoping that Rusty will be able to help her, and without a doubt, they will also hope that a true companionship will blossom between these two solitary beings. Again, Caldwell wrote purposefully, and his narrative builds along the way, never disappointing his readers as they continue on their reading journey.
When the second part of the book opened up with character Liz adopting a stray she named Ishmael, I wondered how her story would coincide with Rusty’s from the first part of the book. I won’t give any details away, but I loved the light references that were made throughout and how their lives did coincide to a degree. I loved how it was shown that both dogs stayed by their owners to provide love and support, no matter what was thrown their way.
Another thing worth mentioning was how the author masterfully wrote his scenes to be so descriptive, readers will not only feel the cold temperature outside, but they can see each scene play out for them as if they are seeing the story unravel before them firsthand. To feel as if you are another character seeing things through your eyes shows how well the author has written his story.
I also loved how the chapters were bite-sized. This allowed me to read as long as I could in one sitting and still feel like I was accomplishing getting through the story, even if I only had a few minutes at a time to read while doing chores.
One heartfelt thing that deserves mentioning is that Matthew Caldwell is donating a portion of his proceeds from now until December 2026 to his local shelter, Kenai Peninsula Animal Rescue, the very rescue where Ismael was adopted from. The Kenai Peninsula is the area the author now calls his home.
Overall, The Two Dogs Who Stayed by Matthew Caldwell is one story with a great storyline that pulls readers in immediately. The characters are well-developed and completely believable, making them feel like real people you could become friends with. This was a great read and one that comes highly recommended!
He does what he thinks is best in this situation. He frees her from the entanglement and carries her to his home to tend to her wounds. Both have lived a solitary life to this point, but can they learn to depend on the love and companionship of each other to fight what the world throws at them while they stand side by side with each other?
Liz is a chef, feeling she needs change in her life, but she isn’t sure what that exactly is right now. She’s tired of the demands on her life being a chef, and a few times she has thought about quitting. As she’s passing Kenai Peninsula Animal Rescue, something draws at her to go inside. There she meets a dog that has had a rough start. Something tells her that they could work together and possibly start a great friendship together. Does everything work out for Liz and her new canine friend, Ishmael?
This is one book that grabbed onto my heartstrings right from the start. We were immediately introduced to Rusty Callahan and saw how he lived a very quiet existence, almost like a recluse to a degree, after his mother died, in a remote small town in Alaska. You immediately feel compassion for him as to why he chose to live this way. Caldwell developed Rusty to be a relatable character to many readers on varying levels, so it was easy to want to befriend him early on in the book.
One of the delightful moments in this book was when the dog, later named Goober by Rusty, entered his life. You feel saddened that she was hurt and out in the extremely cold Alaskan temperature, fighting to stay alive because she got caught up between broken lattice and a rusty old pipe. Every reader will find themselves hoping that Rusty will be able to help her, and without a doubt, they will also hope that a true companionship will blossom between these two solitary beings. Again, Caldwell wrote purposefully, and his narrative builds along the way, never disappointing his readers as they continue on their reading journey.
When the second part of the book opened up with character Liz adopting a stray she named Ishmael, I wondered how her story would coincide with Rusty’s from the first part of the book. I won’t give any details away, but I loved the light references that were made throughout and how their lives did coincide to a degree. I loved how it was shown that both dogs stayed by their owners to provide love and support, no matter what was thrown their way.
Another thing worth mentioning was how the author masterfully wrote his scenes to be so descriptive, readers will not only feel the cold temperature outside, but they can see each scene play out for them as if they are seeing the story unravel before them firsthand. To feel as if you are another character seeing things through your eyes shows how well the author has written his story.
I also loved how the chapters were bite-sized. This allowed me to read as long as I could in one sitting and still feel like I was accomplishing getting through the story, even if I only had a few minutes at a time to read while doing chores.
One heartfelt thing that deserves mentioning is that Matthew Caldwell is donating a portion of his proceeds from now until December 2026 to his local shelter, Kenai Peninsula Animal Rescue, the very rescue where Ismael was adopted from. The Kenai Peninsula is the area the author now calls his home.
Overall, The Two Dogs Who Stayed by Matthew Caldwell is one story with a great storyline that pulls readers in immediately. The characters are well-developed and completely believable, making them feel like real people you could become friends with. This was a great read and one that comes highly recommended!
October 27, 2025
A Read To Touch Your Heart
Not many books today can catch on to your heart, imagination, and your soul. This is one that does it, and you the reader will not recognize that it has until it happens. It’s not just a story about a shop owner and his dog. It’s a story about how you live in the moment, until that moment is shifted and altered by hard reality. It’s just not a story of life lived. It’s a story about life experienced. Chanced, changed, and challenged by a hard reality few are ready to face. It’s a baring of a truth, of how a very real and insidious condition that strikes those we love, know, cherish, honor, and live with may have to suffer from, and through at some point maybe or not.
It’s also, not just a story about a shop owner, it’s a story about his dog too. One of being found alone and lost. Brought in and cherished and loved. About how by being a companion, they both navigate through the twisted reality of his living life the best he can. It also tells the tale of what can happen with those devoted companions. How they can and do slip through the cracks in what happens to them, when they are left behind in the end.
And it is also the story of how one of these, is rescued, then abused, then rescued again and loved. It’s just not a simple being rescued, but ultimately in the end, a fated and unexpected return to a place well known and loved.
Not many books today can catch on to your heart, imagination, and your soul. This is one that does it, and you the reader will not recognize that it has until it happens. It’s not just a story about a shop owner and his dog. It’s a story about how you live in the moment, until that moment is shifted and altered by hard reality. It’s just not a story of life lived. It’s a story about life experienced. Chanced, changed, and challenged by a hard reality few are ready to face. It’s a baring of a truth, of how a very real and insidious condition that strikes those we love, know, cherish, honor, and live with may have to suffer from, and through at some point maybe or not.
It’s also, not just a story about a shop owner, it’s a story about his dog too. One of being found alone and lost. Brought in and cherished and loved. About how by being a companion, they both navigate through the twisted reality of his living life the best he can. It also tells the tale of what can happen with those devoted companions. How they can and do slip through the cracks in what happens to them, when they are left behind in the end.
And it is also the story of how one of these, is rescued, then abused, then rescued again and loved. It’s just not a simple being rescued, but ultimately in the end, a fated and unexpected return to a place well known and loved.
January 19, 2026
I stumbled on this book by accident during a search for something heartfelt to read. It completely delivered. This book was published in October of 2025 but only has fifty ratings. I will be sharing this one with everyone I know to help correct this.
This book completely surprised me. The storyline is simple, but the emotional impact is intense. At its heart, this is a story about loyalty, love, and the deep bonds we form — told through two dogs whose lives unfold in different but connected ways.
I’ll be honest: I didn’t connect with the second part of the story quite as much as the first. That said, I really appreciated how the author tied the two parts together and showed how those connections matter, even across different experiences.
It’s a short, straightforward read, but it packs a punch and sticks with you long after you finish. If you love dogs or stories that quietly hit you in the feelings, this one is absolutely worth your time. I read this book in less than 24 hours with my dog, Stella, curled up by my side.
This book completely surprised me. The storyline is simple, but the emotional impact is intense. At its heart, this is a story about loyalty, love, and the deep bonds we form — told through two dogs whose lives unfold in different but connected ways.
I’ll be honest: I didn’t connect with the second part of the story quite as much as the first. That said, I really appreciated how the author tied the two parts together and showed how those connections matter, even across different experiences.
It’s a short, straightforward read, but it packs a punch and sticks with you long after you finish. If you love dogs or stories that quietly hit you in the feelings, this one is absolutely worth your time. I read this book in less than 24 hours with my dog, Stella, curled up by my side.
October 11, 2025
This is a book about two dogs told in two different parts. A bookstore in Alaska, and some dogs tie it all together.
Rusty finds Goober under an abandoned house injured and saves her. She saves him right back. Goober becomes more than a companion as Rusty's memory starts failing him she is his one constant and proof that some bonds outlast everything else.
The second part of the book is told from another dogs perspective that some connections stretch farther than we know. Some stories don't end and some friends don't leave. Sometimes we need a push and someone to believe in us at just the right time.
This was a great book. It all tied together beautifully. Wonderful characters and even better dogs!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Rusty finds Goober under an abandoned house injured and saves her. She saves him right back. Goober becomes more than a companion as Rusty's memory starts failing him she is his one constant and proof that some bonds outlast everything else.
The second part of the book is told from another dogs perspective that some connections stretch farther than we know. Some stories don't end and some friends don't leave. Sometimes we need a push and someone to believe in us at just the right time.
This was a great book. It all tied together beautifully. Wonderful characters and even better dogs!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 16, 2026
An unexpected treasure
I wasn’t expecting much from this book because it was a free read. But the premise sounded interesting so I started it last night and found myself instantly immersed. I finished it in a few hours. What a joy to read. Good prose, good plot. Sad, yes, but extremely satisfying. The writing was interesting - creative and unique. Sometimes I think the author tried too hard, but he hit the mark more often than not. For those who appreciate the bonds between people and dogs, this book is definitely for you. But it’s about so much more than that.
I wasn’t expecting much from this book because it was a free read. But the premise sounded interesting so I started it last night and found myself instantly immersed. I finished it in a few hours. What a joy to read. Good prose, good plot. Sad, yes, but extremely satisfying. The writing was interesting - creative and unique. Sometimes I think the author tried too hard, but he hit the mark more often than not. For those who appreciate the bonds between people and dogs, this book is definitely for you. But it’s about so much more than that.
January 14, 2026
Wow just wowzers!!
What a beautiful tale to tell!
Excellent debut
The characters are exceptional
The scenery vivid
Looking forward to reading more of Mr Caldwell's work
What a beautiful tale to tell!
Excellent debut
The characters are exceptional
The scenery vivid
Looking forward to reading more of Mr Caldwell's work
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews