A Heartbeat at My Feet

by Kristin Judd

Fate has a sense of humor in this witty, heartfelt tale of love and second chances told in two perspectives—a woman in midlife desperate for something new, and a lost dog seeking his purpose.

After years of dreams deferred, Josie Ballard’s life is about to change. She and her husband are off to Sorrento for a summer adventure, but on the eve of their departure, Josie discovers his infidelity. Devastated, she leaves her faithless husband, heading for the sun-drenched Italian coast. Alone, future unknown.

Five thousand miles away, Cicero, a rather snobbish terrier of indeterminate breeding, is likewise living an upturned life after his beloved human’s passing. Heartbroken, he wanders the wilds of Pompeii. When a flustered tourist with a kind smile appears in the ruins, clutching her tote bag and map, Cicero and Josie collide like the two lost souls they are.

In a series of turns as twisty as Sorrento’s streets, Cicero leads Josie to her second Hugo, a charming and somewhat contrary local bookseller. Against a backdrop of quaint villages, sun-dappled olive orchards, and the shimmering Mediterranean Sea, Hugo and Josie embark on a friendship that just might tiptoe into romance, with little Cicero to help them along the way—for dogs, he reasons, are nothing if not experts when it comes to love.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Italy, Animals, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Dogs

277 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2026

Reviews

[Kate Quinn]

Read for a cover quote! A HEARTBEAT AT MY FEET is at once a sumptuous travelogue, an irrepressible dog's tale (tail?), and a voyage of self-discovery. Empty-nester Josie finds herself in Italy alone and broken-hearted when her husband leaves her for another woman and a long-planned romantic vacation becomes a solo trip. Impulsively adopting a scruffy terrier named Cicero from the ruins of Pompeii, Josie begins picking up the pieces of her heart as she journeys from Sorrento to Naples to Capri, unaware that Cicero is trailing the ghost of his former owner...who has his own plans for Josie's future, and sets Cicero to matchmaking. Josie's lovable warmth contrasts delightfully with Cicero's acerbic commentary—I would have happily followed this adorable duo all over Italy. Pour yourself a prosecco, put the pasta on to boil, and lose yourself to the Tuscan delight of Kristin Judd's latest.

[Karen.J.]

4.5 ⭐️

For me the main character in the book was Cicero 🐾🐾 a snobbish terrier which definitely made the story such a pleasure to read. The other characters to the story just fit right in to this fun, heartwarming and very entertaining story. If you are a dog lover as I am I guarantee you will enjoy reading this.

[Nancy McIntyre]

I’m not crying…. Oh what a lovely lovely story. I got this kindle ebook as part of first reads on prime. What a beautiful story about love and heartbreak and believing. It’s told through the alternating viewpoints of a dog, Cicero and a woman named Josie. I truly enjoyed this. Josie experiences unexpected heartbreak which takes her on an experience to Italy where she discovers more about herself along the way. It’s an easy read and well written. You will fall in love with Cicero the dog and it may leave you with a full heart and a few tears. Highly recommend

[Laura]

Josie feels like a real-life friend who I was rooting for throughout the entirety of her wonderfully delightful adventure. A Heartbeat at My Feet made me cheer out loud, laugh out loud, and nearly adopt a dog! The hilarity of the story as told from Cicero’s four-legged point of view still has me in stitches. A lovely story of resilience, bravery, and above all else - love.

[Cindy P Huntington]

One of my favorite books I have read in a long time!! I could relate to this story in more ways than I could have anticipated or imagined when selected it as my “next read.” Highly recommend if prepared for an engaging intertwining of people plus countries with many emotions. Highly recommend.

[Kayleen Burns]

“And this, my friend, is what humans miss, again and again. They get so lost in all the details of life that they don’t see what’s right before them, right there every second they breathe air in and out of their lungs.”

My first 5 ⭐️ of the year. I truly can’t express the love I have for this book.

[Amber (amberreadsitall)]

Rating: 4.25/5
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Format: Audio 🎧
Release date: August 1, 2026 Out now!

Josie Ballard is an empty-nester who flees to Sorrento, Italy, after discovering her husband's infidelity.

Cicero is a heartbroken terrier wandering the ruins of Pompeii after the death of his beloved human owner.

When Josie and Cicero cross paths, it changes both of their lives for the better.

I adored this book! I don’t want to give too much away, but this was a very cozy heartwarming story. It is told in dual- perspectives: Josie’s and Cicero’s. The audio is outstanding. It was performed by Lauren Ezzo and Malcolm Hillgartner. Both voices felt perfect for the characters.

Read this story if you enjoy:
🐾 heart-warming stories
🐾 sweet romance
🐾 inner monologue of a pet
🐾 a helpful ghost
🐾 self-discovery
🐾 characters in their 40s
🐾 witty dialogue
🐾 beautiful setting
🐾 familial love and legacy

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

[Mary Dykstra]

My July Amazon First Reads pick - I didn’t expect it at all but this book had me sobbing it was so heartwarming. The first part took me a little bit to get into but it was worth it. It’s like if Remarkably Bright Creatures met The Wedding People.

[Erika Bazzle]

So much goodness! Loved having the back and forth POV of our leading lady and her beloved pup. Great story about family, fate and true love.

[Le An]

4.5 the perfect beach read!

[Ellen Shaffer]

5+⭐️'s....This heartwarming read was fabulous. If, readers aren't aware of this book, I would highly recommend it. It reminded me a little of the book "Theo Of Golden." A woman who was married for 20 years finds out her husband is having an affair. She has a vacation planned to live on The Amalfi Coast for 2 months. She sets off by herself and finds a dog who narrates part of the story (he is hilarious.) And the dog's previous deceased owner who appears as a ghost to help his son find peace. I don't want to give anything away. But, this story is my favorite of 2026!

[Jennifer Bohnhoff]

A dog, a ghost, and the meaning of life

A lovely, sweet tale, half told by a woman who has devoted herself to others while denying herself, and half told by the dog who loved her and helped her find herself. If you liked Incredibly Bright Creatures, you're going to love this book.

[Edie]

The perfect vacation read! A Heartbeat at My Feet has two narrators, a woman in Kansas staring down her empty nest and midlife, and an arrogantly snobby dog in Italy dealing with his change in circumstances. Both lose their way and find each other. I laughed, I cried, I was entertained. Will this book change your life? Probably not. Will it make you glad you brought it along on the plane? Absolutely. Thank you to the author, narrators, Brilliance Publishing, and NetGalley for the audioARC.

[Yvonne (It's All About Books)]

Finished reading: August 14th 2026


*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

REVIEW

WARNING: it's time for another unpopular opinion!!

Oh boy, I didn't expect this to happen... I admit that it was coverlove at first sight when I spotted A Heartbeat At My Feet; both because of that dog silhouette and the scenery reminding me (correctly) of the Italian town of Sorrento. I always love an Italian setting in the first place, but actually having been in Sorrento myself years ago added even more charm to this setting and it brought back great memories. The premise sounded excellent as well, but then again I always have a weak spot for any story with an animal POV. Sadly, despite a promising start somehow A Heartbeat At My Feet just wasn't the book for me. I'll try to explain what did and didn't work below.

First things first, and there is no denying that the blurb itself is very enticing. As I already mentioned, I loved the Italian setting of course, but it was also the promise of a dog POV and two heartbroken souls finding each other in an unlikely encounter. Cicero sounded like such a fascinating character, and his unique POV definitely took this story to the next level. It was honestly the main reason I kept reading... I was charmed by the fact that he only spoke Italian, and his bond with both his old (deceased) owner and Josie was one of the best things about this book. I wasn't sure what to think of the whole ghost element though...

Now, where things went truly wrong for me. I confess that I'm never a fan of a cheating angle in my stories, but the blurb made it sound as if it was mostly an afterthought and the main focus would be on Josie rediscovering herself, the unlikely friendship between Josie and Cicero and even a new romance. WRONG. I was SO wrong about the cheating only being an afterthought... Instead, it was very much present throughout, with Josie constantly mentioning it, her husband being very much present in the plot and to make things even worse, his presence turning the romance into a dreaded love triangle as a consequence. If there is one thing I hate in a romance, then it's a very present love triangle, and if I had known, I would have immediately passed up on this story (especially since it's combined with the very present cheating).

While I did love Cicero as a character, I truly disliked Josie. She wasn't too bad in the beginning, but everything in how she handled her cheating husband and the whole situation just made me SO extremely angry. I started to dislike her more and more, and I honestly almost threw my phone at the wall in frustration more than once. Hugo was likeable enough as a character, and Cicero's feud with him actually quite funny at times... But Josie's behavior really put a damper on things for me. I also wasn't a fan of the cursing, which really didn't fit the tone of this story... Especially in Cicero's chapters, and especially since the dog claims to be a 'gentleman' in the first place.

As for the audiobook... I admit that it took me some time to get used to the narrators, as there was just something about their tones that didn't feel completely right for these characters. BUT. After a while I got used to their voices and things improved. I could appreciate the way they pronounced the many Italian words/phrases incorporated into the plot, and how Cicero's narrator spoke with an Italian accent. It definitely made you feel as if you traveled to Italy yourself... Although I do think they might be a burden for those readers without any knowledge of the language. The pace was also quite slow at normal speed, but this at least was easily remedied.

All in all it's clear that A Heartbeat At My Feet and me simply weren't a right fit after all. If you enjoy contemporaries with an Italian setting, a somewhat predictable plot and an animal POV, and don't mind a very present love triangle/cheating element and plenty of drama, this book will probably work better for you. It sure has been receiving a lot of very high ratings so far!

[Literary Redhead]

So charming, with a little terrier who helps a middle aged woman, betrayed by her husband, find a second chance in life in Italy. Highly recommended for romantics who love dogs ... isn't that all of us?

[Kristin Eoff]

I ordered this well-written and thought-provoking Kindle novel through Amazon Prime's First Reads program and loved its warmth, humor, realism and compassion. I have a lot in common with Jo and could really relate to her feelings and challenges. Also, the book was so timely for me because I was reading it on the same day my husband and I visited Pompeii! We just got back from a trip to Italy, so I could totally picture all the Amalfi Coast, Napoli, Positano and Pompeii scenery in my mind as I was reading the book. The Amalfi Coast is truly beautiful, and I would recommend visiting there to anyone who might be interested. When we were at Pompeii, we saw numerous depictions of dogs in the 2,000-year-old Roman artworks and even very sadly saw a plaster cast of a writhing dog that died in the historic volcanic eruption of nearby Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Like the humans in Pompeii that fateful day, animals suffered painful deaths as well. But although we saw several dogs in Pompeii's mosaic floors and painted wall frescoes, we didn't see any actual dogs at the historical site, which was good because we wouldn't have been able to take any back with us to the United States. Ironically, we did see a few live cats at Pompeii but no depictions of cats.

I thought the husband in this novel is absolutely horrible, and I'm glad that Jo achieves her happy ending without him. Interestingly, he's barely mentioned at the end of the book, showing how inconsequential he renders himself through his own spiteful actions. I was curious to know what happened to him at the end, but his omission shows he really doesn't matter anymore to either Jo or the reader. I also liked the book's cute cover.

[Megan Corley]

If you’re a dog / animal person please read this ASAP this was the most heart warming, smile inducing book I’ve ever read. The human characters were full and real and I was genuinely rooting for them all throughout. Zero cringe which is difficult for me in a rom com. Loved so much. And free on kindle unlimited!

[bookmarksandbarbells]

“Love who you are sent to love.” 🐕 🐾
This is just the sweetest of stories. So special and such a tearjerker. I’ve always been so amazed by Italy and dogs. This is a perfect little gem of a book.

[Sharon Weaver]

Sweet story!

[Linda]

I've always had a dog/dogs. Grew up with a dog and in my 20's I had my first rescue, this became a way of life for my husband and me. We have 3 rescues now 8,12 and 14, the payoff for us is unconditional love. All three rescued at 1 or younger. Losing them is so very hard but loving them is easy!

This book was a delight, once I learned a dog was involved I knew I had to read it. Cicero was my favorite character ❤️
A delightful book.

[Cathleen (Woven From Words)]

Heartwarming love story

Just a lovely book! The dog Cicero POV is very moving as he navigates the world around him. Will share more in a bit, but this was a good one!

[McKenzie Wilson]

This was chicken noodle soup for the soul- I didn't know how badly I needed this book.
All my Goodreads followers and lovers, go read this book so we can cry happy tears together.

[Tom Stamm]

This novel helped me grow!

In eighteen days I will have lived 86 years. I'm always reading at least one book. A Heartbeat at My Feet filled my days with a joyful presence every time I sat down to eat. I'm now getting ready to search for more of Kristin's creations. Thank you Kristin!

[Katie]

Amazon Prime free book, July 2026. Super cute!! The dog doesn’t die.

Ghosts are not to be feared, my friend. They are simply people who could not leave this world because their hearts were not quite finished with it.

“I think, ragazzo mio, you’ve known the meaning of life all along,” he mused. “Haven’t you?” Giorgio gazed at me for a moment, and bats wheeled through the sky beyond him, like bits of night, diving and spinning through the final colors of day. Soon, they would vanish into the coming darkness. “Perhaps that’s why humans need dogs, eh, boy? We have it backward. You don’t need us as much as we need you, because you show us the way.”

For the rest of my days on this beautiful, tragic, bewildering, swiftly spinning earth, I would show my humans the meaning of life. Remember it, won’t you? Love who you were sent to love. That’s it, my friend. That, quite simply, is all you need to know.

[Lisa Bono]

Well, this was a sweet story. A fantasy in many ways. I tend to dislike magical realism, but I was not bothered by the way the ghost was handled. It added something to the dynamic of it. The beginning half is a bit rough; there are a lot of feels. I love the way that the author describes Italy and the challenges of handling the travel alone when you’re used to relying on someone else or just the presence of someone else. That feels authentic. There are a lot of predictable elements, but you know what you’re getting when you start the book. I was less fond of some of the character development for Josie. She is supposed to have this huge growth, but throughout, she relies on men. There’s a part in the middle where you feel her starting to become independent. But then, she goes back to letting the man in her life make decisions. I get it—she experiences shock when her father unexpectedly has a stroke. I’m fine with her letting other people make decisions at that moment. But then it’s her father that says she shouldn’t go back to Mark and she realizes that he’s right. No! She should have come to that conclusion. From then on, Howard, Charlie, and Hugo tell her what to do. Even the male ghost is steering her life. Hell, the dog is a dude. There are only a few minor female characters—what about her best friend, Ellen? Where was she? Her father says something about her taking care of everyone else all her life and now it was time to let other people take care of you. Okay, I get that, but what about her learning to take care of herself? Isn’t that the message? The character did take care of herself in the middle of the story, which honestly was the most interesting part. I understand there had to be some resolution to her previous life, but I would’ve loved to see some more self determination from the character. I’ve ranted for a bit. I did enjoy the book. I wish it had wrapped up a bit differently, although the differences would’ve been minor in terms of effects but major for the character.

[Tiffany E-P]

Beautiful book. Anyone who has a cherished dog aka companion will enjoy this book. I loved seeing Josie’s evolution. So many women put everyone and everything ahead of themselves. Why does it take us so long to realize it and center ourselves?

[Anna Slejzer]

4.25⭐️
This was a super cute, quick book club read - granted the whole group of dog moms was pretty skeptical that we weren’t going to get our hearts broken by it.

Part romcom, part ghost story? Predictable in the best way. The audiobook was wonderful as someone who doesn’t speak Italian - it allowed me to be immersed in the story and feel the emotion of the sentiment without getting distracted trying to read those lines on paper.

I loved literally everyone in the story, and this was a split perspective (human and animal) that was done exceptionally well. Cicero is just the best main character - you will instantly fall in love with this grouchy guy. Was also a big ole fan of Josie’s dad 🥲

Would have been 5 stars if I had more closure - I want to know how Charlie handled the changes in his life and if her dad ever came out to visit them?!

[Phyllis]

This was a wonderful, heartwarming, second-chance romance with lots of little gems tucked into the story. It’s told with alternating points of view between likable main character Josie and opinionated yet loveable terrier Cicero. Loved all the Italian locations, the food, and plot twists that kept me turning the pages.

But here’s a heads up - in addition to a paranormal element from a matchmaking ghost, there are several coincidences that you’ll have to ignore in order to enjoy the book.

Part travel tale and part search for independence and self-discovery, I had fun reading this adventurous saga with a sweet and satisfying happily ever after.

[Jo Rawlins]

Very sweet story of a woman who seeks adventure in Italy following her husband's affair.

The dual narrative includes the thoughts of Cicero the dog which I quite enjoyed. Cicero offers a philosophical perspective on life and love.

A warm-hearted novel that explores the highs and lows and messiness of life with an idealistic twist. Uplifting.

[Colleen Cercone]

Started this book traveling Italy and I couldn’t pick a more perfect read for my holiday. I loved the little Italian words thrown in. If you are a dog lover and romance reader, you’ll enjoy this. Love Italy? This book was made for you!