Tuesday's Promise: One Veteran, One Dog, and Their Bold Quest to Change Lives

by Luis Carlos Montalván, Ellis Henican

As timely as it is heartwarming, Tuesday’s Promise is an inspiring memoir of love, service, teamwork, and the remarkable bond between humans and canines.

Following the success of his New York Times bestseller, Until Tuesday, Iraq War veteran Luis Carlos Montalvan advocated for America’s wounded warriors and the healing powers of service dogs.

In this spectacular memoir, Luis and Tuesday brought their healing mission to the next level, showing how these beautifully trained animals could assist soldiers, veterans, and many others with mental and physical disabilities. They rescued a forgotten Tuskegee airman, battled obstinate VA bureaucrats, and provided solace to war heroes coast-to-coast.

As Luis and Tuesday celebrated exhilarating victories, a grave obstacle threatened their work. Luis made great progress battling his own PTSD, but his physical wounds got so bad that he began using a wheelchair. He needed to decide whether to amputate his leg and carry on with a bionic prosthesis. Even as he struggled with dramatic emotional and physical changes, ten-year-old Tuesday was lovingly by his side through it all.

Luis’ death in December 2016 was another terrible tragedy of the invisible wounds of war. This book was his last letter of love to his best friend, Tuesday, and to veterans, readers, friends, and fellow dog lovers everywhere.

Genres: Dogs, Nonfiction, Memoir, Animals, Military Fiction, Biography Memoir, Autobiography

305 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 9, 2017

About the author

LUIS CARLOS MONTALVÁN is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and advocate. TUESDAY is Montalván's beloved service dog and the recipient of the American Kennel Club (AKC) Humane Fund Award for Canine Excellence (ACE) - Service Dog.

A 17-year veteran of the U.S. Army, Captain Montalván served multiple tours abroad and was decorated with numerous awards including two Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal for Valor, and the Combat Action Badge. In 2007, Capt. Montalván honorably departed the military and in 2010 completed a master's of science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.

Recently, Montalván's inspirational memoir won the 2012 USA Best Book Award in the Autobiography/Memoir & Audiobook Non-fiction categories. He was a finalist for a 2012 APA Audie Award beside four other nominees including Tina Fey and Michael Moore. Until Tuesday was also a 2012 International Latino Book Awards finalist. Luis is the recipient of a 2011 Voice Award and the 2011 Invisible Hero Honors Award for his efforts to educate the public about trauma and the real experiences of veterans and people with disabilities.

Montalván is a vocal advocate. His work has been published in outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle and Military Review, and regularly appears on local, national, and global media. Among the outlets that he and Tuesday have been featured on are NPR, CNN, National Geographic and The Late Show with David Letterman.

Tuesday Tucks Me In, their first children's book (Macmillan), was selected by Amazon.com as the "Best Nonfiction Children's Book of 2014." Most recently, the Children's Book Council (CBC) and the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) selected Tuesday Tucks Me In a "2015 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People."

Luis & Tuesday frequently lecture and offer dynamic programs about their work and are advocating extensively during travel this year.

For more information, please visit www.until-tuesday.com or www.tuesdaytucksmein.com

Reviews

[Mischenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

To see this review and to learn more about Luis & Tuesday, please visit www.readrantrockandroll.com

Tuesday's promise is the final book written about Luis Montalván and his service dog, Tuesday. I recently read the previous book Until Tuesday and one great thing about this book is that people who haven't read Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him can go right into this one as he covers a bit of his story again for new readers. I didn't mind the repetition at all and it never became boring to me.

I found this second book to be even more heartbreaking. I already knew the outcome beforehand, but there was so much more that happened with Luis from the last book until now. Luis, broken by war, became even more courageous and started traveling more and putting himself out there for others who needed him including the wounded, those suffering from PTSD, and others. As he healed even more, he wasn't 100 percent, but he was changing and learning to live his life in the best way possible, even with the trials and tribulations of his mental illness and injuries. The most heartbreaking part of the book for me was chapter 22, thinking about aging Tuesday. Luis had said more than once that he would outlive Tuesday. Let's face it, dogs don't live as long as humans do. It seemed as if he was having a difficult time coping with the thoughts of losing Tuesday and I wonder if this was something he just couldn't take.

"When it happens, it will feel like a piece of my heart has been ripped out and handed to me. You're never supposed to see your heart. It's in your chest. Being handed your own heart is a thoroughly unnatural experience, so vulnerable. But it will be real, and nothing in the world can change it."

I think about my own dogs who are considered family and the thought of losing them makes me very sad, even though I understand this is part of life. The thought of Luis losing Tuesday is almost unfathomable because Tuesday is the reason Luis was able to live again. He helped him heal and was his best friend for many years. You can feel the emotion and fear Luis is experiencing as the words pour out of him in the book.

As far as the writing and structure, the book is written well just like the first, the added photos were great, and I appreciated the afterward by Ellis Henican. It was, for the most part, told in chronological order this time. I loved the title, and readers will learn about the true meaning of the title as they read on in the book.

If you haven't read about Luis & Tuesday yet, I suggest you read this book, or read them all. I can't even express how much this story has touched me. I even enjoyed the children's books. I've spent the last few weeks living and breathing Luis and Tuesday and they've been on my mind a lot. It's a story I'll never forget. I'm sad that the journey has ended, but I know that Luis is in a better place and I pray that he is at peace.

*Our veterans are important-they need our support, and service dogs like Tuesday are integral in order for them to carry on with life.*

5*****

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am heartbroken. I had the pleasure and honor of hosting Luis and Tuesday at my library. It was one of the highlights of my career. I was incredibly moved by his brave story about working to overcome his PTSD and his and Tuesday's mission to advocate for those with PTSD and mental illness, Veterans, and service dogs. Sadly, after working tirelessly to overcome his mental and physical challenges (he underwent an above the knee amputation due to the injuries he sustained while fighting in Iraq), Luis took his own life last December leaving his beloved Tuesday. Luis, a decorated soldier, is another casualty of the invisible wounds our men and women face once they return home. My husband and I still talk about the many things we learned from Luis. Patrons still mention how much they were affected by his words. Finishing this book, Luis' final words, is even more poignant today (Memorial Day weekend) as we remember those who have died in service to our country. Luis is now added to this very long list. It is imperative that we, as a nation, recognize these invisible wounds. The suicide rate of soldiers is staggering. Moreover, we, as a nation, need to do so much better in how we help and treat our military and all those with mental illness. This was Luis' message. 😢

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Luis Carlos Montalván and Tuesday touched so many lives. They were amazing together and did much to advocate for Soldiers with PTSD. I enjoyed listening to Kevin R. Free narrate their story.

[Lindsey Gandhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so heartbroken as I write this review. This book is such a great example of how our system is broken. We send brave men and women off to war (and in many cases they are still kids) to fight for our country, to protect us. To stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. They see and experience things no one should ever have to in their lives. But when they come home we write them off as somebody else's problem. While the war may be over for us, it's not for them. They have a war raging in their minds and bodies. And instead of laying out a red carpet and taking care of them, we make them suffer through attempting to get some form of help at the VA. Too many aren't able to find that help.

Luis was a decorated war veteran. The work him and Tuesday did made a difference and brought awareness. I am in awe, inspired and hopeful of the impact they made in this world. So many lives were touched and changed through their work and books. Mine included. The energy Tuesday has comes through in these pages. You will learn so much reading this book - how much a service dog can change a person's life, about amputees, about the holes in the VA system and how we need to step up and help our veterans. About the difference one man and his dog can make in this world.

Luis was and is a hero in more than one way. So is Tuesday. I feel honored to have read this book. They were on a bold quest to change lives, and I feel mine was definitely changed from reading this book. I'm having my son read the children's books he wrote. I want him to understand that we never leave a man or woman behind, even if our government doesn't understand this very basic military concept. We take care of our veterans, no matter what the cost.

Luis, I know you are waiting on that big green meadow for the day when Tuesday crosses that Rainbow Bridge. I'm sorry the war never ended for you, but I hope you know your life made a difference in this world and continues to do so.

[Toni Chanakas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I must admit, however, I initially picked it up because of the "eye-catching" photo of a golden retriever with his tongue hanging out. I brought the book home. I was immediately taken into the world of PTSD and how this mental illness affected Luis daily. He was indebted to his service dog, Tuesday that brought him relief and companionship. Tuesday (he describes in the book that he had no idea why his name was chosen and he just kept it) was with him every step of the way to all his book signings and visits with other veterans.

I kept thinking what Luis went through in Iraq and then coming home to the realization that the war is still invading his mind. Yes, PTSD is real. We send men and women off to war and then they come back and we wash our hands. I have so much respect for what Luis and Tuesday did to raise awareness for this dreadful mental illness, PTSD. I never witnessed Luis' presentations or talks but his writing told me what it must have been like. Bravo! Unfortunately, Luis didn't make it. Now, Tuesday is without his family, Luis. I'm saddened by the ending of a life that I thought was going well with the help of Tuesday. Now, I see Tuesday wondering where is Luis.

Thank you Luis for bringing your story to the forefront that I had the privilege to read. I don't know what you went through but you are my hero.

I highly recommend this book.

[Colleen Lahey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sequel to Montalvan's first book "Until Tuesday". I fond the book to be very positive and uplifting. It appeared that Montalvan had overcome 'his hump' and was well on his way to recovery. Additionally, Montalvan was an inspiration to others and dedicated to helping other people who suffered with similar conditions. Tuesday was an integral part of that recovery. The shocking part of the book, however, was the afterword ... to learn that Luis committed suicide in 2016. What an absolute shame. This book reflected such high hopes & dreams. I can't begin to imagine what happened. The world has lost a good soul when Luis left this world. Tuesday is now living with his former trainer for his remaining years. A very sad ending to a wonderful person's life.

[Jackie Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I sit here to review this beautiful book, tears roll down my face. Luis and Tuesday's story ends. Usually it's the dog that dies in a book, but in this life the author dies. This true book is the life and times of a young man damaged by war and is mission to help others suffering with ptsd. His service dog, Tuesday, is also on this mission. The two are as one in their journey. As Tuesday ages and another service dog is in the future, Luis is hopeful. Is a book I couldn't put down as I love dogs and came to love Luis too. Please read this book! Is encouraging and uplifting in content. Am grieving that Luis couldn't face the future for his own reasons. My heart aches. Thanks to Goodreads.

[Elaine Deschamps · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is poignant, heartbreaking, inspiring, full of hope and grace. Luis's legacy of educating people about visible and invisible disabilities, of the plight of veterans and health care, and of the incredible impact service dogs can have in improving lives, through Tuesday's Promise, will live on.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Luis's books and was lucky enough to meet him and Tuesday. I miss them both. May Luis rest in peace. Much love to you Tuesday!

[Maureen DeLuca · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 star read and adding 1 more for the dog and for our Veterans! Amazing read xx

[Natasha Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my dreams has been to be involved in training dogs to assist people with disabilities, both mental and physical. I was walking through Barnes and Noble one day and picked this one up because anything that has dogs is something I’m interested in but I was not expecting this book to be as touching and motivating as it was. The stories Luis tells are incredibly inspiring and throughout the book I would be sitting there thinking to myself how amazing it would be to meet a man like Luis. Unfortunately, I was not aware of what had happened, so when I reached the end of the book I was very surprised. This truly shows that PTSD is not something that can just be fixed overnight. It’s not something that we can just make go away by changing the perspective we have. It’s constantly there, some days it’s worse and some days it’s better. I truly hope that people can learn from his story and the experiences he went through.

[Merlene Neville · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Tuesday; what a wonderful dog. Extremely interesting book, but I wonder what triggered the author to end his life after all the good he did.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THE ENDING. #rightinthefeels

[Cyndie Adamski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about a veteran with wartime injustices and PTSD. Dog to the rescue!! Tuesday a trained service dogs comes to the rescue. They are like family to each other. Books are written and a cross USA tour about the books that are written takes them on a journey.. A Family rift is healed and there is total acceptance about deciding to amputate a leg. I won’t spoil the book but just let me say I did not see the ending coming.. This one will tug at your heart if you are an animal lover..

[Di · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read, and I think about Tuesday and Luis every Tuesday!

[Ash Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Go say ‘hi’, Tuesday. Go say ‘hi’.” - Those are the final words of Luis’s final book. There should have been many more words. There should have been many more books about many more adventures taken by Tuesday, Luis and eventually, Promise. And although Tuesday was ten years old at the time of the writing, the heartbreaking untimely passing at the end of this dog book for once was not the dogs.

As I finished the last page of the Acknowledgements and shut the book, I thought to myself, “that is the most beautifully tragic book I have ever read in my life.” Obviously a blubbering mess lying in a pile of tissues with my very concerned and always loving pup curled up against me, I felt a gaping tear in my broken heart among my many other roller coaster emotions.

I was actually halfway through reading Luis’s first book, “Until Tuesday” when I found out that Louis had taken his own life in December of 2016. It obviously changed the entire tone of everything in the stories for me after that. I kind of wish I hadn’t found that out until I had finished the book.

Obviously, going into this book, I was well aware of the whole story, including the many negative pieces such as the many military officials and comrades of Luis’s who feel that he over-embellished and sometimes flat out fabricated some of his military stories.

I do have to say that this was a major struggle for me, personally, too because I can see some merit in that. A Sergeant who knew him was quoted as saying that Luis was “A bit of an exaggerator and he does (did) have that sort of all about me attitude”, and I could always see that some about his personality just in his tone in both books.

I was skeptical of what could be some exaggerations and mistruths in both books. And obviously both books were written by Luis and only Luis and his recollections, perceptions and HIS truths.

But he did sometimes come off as having a ‘woe is me’ attitude and he did seem to feel that most everyone besides Tuesday had done him wrong. In his first book, Luis described himself as a “headstrong, opinionated, type-A personality”, and that definitely clashed with me at times. Honestly, it’s the only thing that kept me from giving a perfect rating to “Until Tuesday”.

While I respect the hell out of his service, sacrifices, struggles, beliefs, opinions, stories, and all I clearly didn’t and still don’t understand about the complexities of PTSD, there were still things he’d say and do that rubbed me the wrong way. That was true less in this book than the first, but it was still there at times.

Such as a few times throughout this book when I feel that he tested my patriotism. Which is a very thin line for me with little to no grey area. I am a huge military advocate and I don’t want to think any negative thoughts about them, although I am certainly not blind to military beurocracy and politics as well as the glaringly obvious problems with the United States VA system. And Luis often shined bright media lights on discrepancies and what he saw as unfair treatment of himself and many other veterans from the military, which even I know would not please most higher ups. Corrupt or not. It goes against the often unspoken military code, the grain, etc. So his consistency of going head to head with military personnel on what he perceived as gross injustices could explain some of the higher ranking members dislike for him and disagreements with him.

But he also told what I felt to be an anti-police slated story from the Manhattan VA, which if it was fully true, is one of the worst stories I have ever heard about gross mistreatment in the VA system, but again, I was somewhat skeptical of his telling of it.

Although they bothered me to a degree and I therefor had to mention them, they should in no way take away from Luis and Tuesday’s love story to anyone and this was, without a doubt in my mind, a 5 Star book! There is zero evidence of any kind of fabrication in Tuesday and Luis’s love story. It is one for the ages. And Luis obviously was a patriot, a good man, and the biggest dog lover I’ve ever read. This last book was truly a love story to Tuesday and all other dogs everywhere and that was beyond beautiful and amazing.

The first thing I actually thought of when I finished the book was Tuesday himself. I had a very similar thought process immediately after finishing the first book, “Until Tuesday”. Although he’s in the best care with the best people whom he has known all his life, does he know that Luis is dead? What went through his mind when Luis never came back to get him? Did he feel abandoned? Like he’d done something wrong? Did he just instinctively know what had happened? Does he live with that sadness and pain every single day? Does he understand at all? These questions are so prominent in my mind because Luis and Tuesday were truly soul mates. Their bond is SO much more deep than a veteran and his service dog.

I have read more than one person who knew them say that if Tuesday had been with Luis that day, then he would have NEVER taken his own life and even never knowing them personally, I believe that to be one hundred percent true in my heart and soul. Had he not been separated from Tuesday, he would have never killed himself. But was that his choice? Did he leave Tuesday with a family knowing what he was going to go do? Or did getting there without Tuesday by his side trigger it? We’ll never know. But I do know that they had been separated for extending periods of time prior to Luis’s death, and in the first book, Luis wrote brutally honestly about how difficult even very short time periods away from Tuesday were for him and his PTSD. I think that part alone highlights the need for service dogs more than anything else in the world.

My next thought though was what else can we do? There’s obviously so much more for everyone to learn and understand about PTSD. But someone in Luis’s position was receiving the best possible care in the world, had the best service dog in the world, was financially stable, commercially successful, doing truly necessary, helpful and gratifying work actually changing the world in such positive ways, and the world seemed to really be looking up for him in his personal life too. For this book, Luis wrote one of the most uplifting, inspiring, optimistic book conclusions I have ever read and yet ... he still killed himself. What else could have been done? What signs, if any at all, were missed? These are important questions. This should have never, ever happened.

Knowing what we know now, there were definitely parts of this book that were hard for me to swallow, such as Luis honestly discussing the high suicide rates in veterans returning home with severe PTSD, or in his chapter about how difficult life would be for him to move on once Tuesday was gone. However, I did not honestly see any of the telltale signs others say they read throughout this book that something was amiss.

I found Luis’s head to seem to be in a much more positive, forward-looking place in this book than it was in the last. By the end of it, he was finally at a peaceful, wonderfully harmonious place in his oftentimes very difficult and dramatic relationship with his parents. Although he was clearly heartbroken at the prospect of eventually losing Tuesday, he also came off as extremely optimistic for Tuesday’s future as a therapy dog and pet and their adventures in bringing a girl into their pack and training Promise to be Luis’s next service dog. He seemed to be very fulfilled with his work and the prospects of what he could accomplish with it going forward in the future. He had worked SO hard and come out the other side sounding very optimistic about his future with his prosthetic leg and the running and playing he and Tuesday would someday be able to do. He had already had the amputation surgery, made it through the wheelchair-bound days, did all of the hardest physical therapy learning to walk again, made it through the prototype leg and now had his real prosthetic, which he seemed to love. I read no signs of impending suicide. Even the things he did seem sad about or to be struggling with - he always had an optimistic tone that was future looking to almost everything he talked about.

This book had a different co-writer than the first book and he seemed like the perfect fit for what would happen shortly before the books release. He seemed to genuinely love and understand Luis and Tuesday’s adventures and so specially unique bond and it seems that he has been a very vocal and public advocate after Luis’s death, promoting all that Luis and Tuesday had worked so hard to accomplish. As has Lu Picard, who Tuesday now once again resides with, as it should be if there has to be no more Luis in the world.

At times this book was a little repetitive, but always in a good way.

I was thinking the same exact thing in my own mind as I then read at the end of Ellis’s Afterword - I definitely know in my heart and soul that Luis is patiently waiting for Tuesday on the Rainbow Bridge now and that someday they’ll be forever together united again running, playing and always smiling. And although I am tremendously heartbroken that Luis isn’t here on earth as he still should be, I am also tremendously thankful that he chose to share with us his final, beautiful love letter to Tuesday.

[Amy Grossman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much from Luis’s strength, courage and fight with PTSD with his loving Tuesday by his side I am heartbroken to hear of Luis death.

[Kari Youngblood · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who loves dogs, this book is a great tribute to man's best friend and shares a lot about the service dog community and what goes into training these wonderful animals! There were several points during the book where I was tearing up and had to go pet my own pups! This book also sheds a lot of light on the problems with the VA and how our veterans are treated. The ending-absolutely heart breaking.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bittersweet read.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hopeful, then heartbreaking.

[Emily]

Spoiler alert
Luis gets another service dog since Tuesday is getting old and worn out so he gets a new puppy who is already trained to help when Tuesday dies.

At first, when I chose this book, I didn’t think it was going to be that good because it was an autobiography. I was drawn to the picture of a golden retriever on the cover of the book. I had never heard of Luis Montalvan and his dog Tuesday before reading this book, but when I looked up the book, I found out that this was the last book of the sequel meaning I hadn’t read the previous book. Luis is a war veteran who suffers from PTSD so he has a service dog to help him overcome any challenges he faces. He goes on to talk about how the government kind of disregards them and doesn’t look further into possible issues, “At first, government officials reacted the way government officials often do, by ignoring, denying, obstructing, and downplaying the problem” (Montalvan 61).

I never heard of any stories firsthand from anyone who served in the army so I don’t have a full grasp on just how much they went through and the effects that the war had on them, I can only imagine. Although both my grandparents served in wars, neither wanted to talk about it but I could see the way it affected them. As I was reading Tuesday’s Promise, I started to realize that he was writing as if this was his personal journal which made me better understand everything he went through.

Luis had a bad leg and decided to get it amputated so he was left with a prosthetic leg. Making that decision couldn’t have been easy because he talked about having to research the best possible doctors to see and if there was anything he could do instead. He’s then faced with the issue of learning how to walk again with his new leg, “No matter how encouraging the prosthetic research sounded, this was an excruciating decision to make. I certainly didn’t want to lose a part of my body, especially a part as important as my right leg” (Montalvan 140).

The title Tuesday’s Promise didn’t make sense to me at first but when I got towards the end of the book, Luis gets another puppy named Promise. "Promise really was the essence of this new service dog, a perfect jumping-off point for what I knew would be a whole lot of love and a million adventures ahead" (Montalvan 246). You could tell this was a very emotional time for him because Luis and his dog had a family-like bond. I would recommend this book to someone who is also struggling with PTSD from war or wants to learn more about service dogs.

[Diane Stultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like other readers, I was drawn to this book by the photo of a happy-looking Golden Retriever on the cover. I had not heard of Luis Montalvan and his service until reading his book. I had not read his first book. I was immediately engaged as I read how his dog, named Tuesday, helped him deal with his PTSD from serving in Iraq. Montalvan sustained physical and emotional injuries during his service. His story made PTSD very real for me. He made a career out of giving talks to make people aware of the realities of PTSD and also how his devoted service dog helped ease the pan for him and many others. He worked to help others overcome their realities as well. Tuesday was a very intuitive gentle dog, he knew when someone needed the warmth of his paw or a soft nudge to their thigh to show he was there for them. He brought smiles to the faces of many and allowed them to open up.

Due to Montalvan's physical injuries, he made a decision to have his leg amputated and go to a top of the art prosthetic leg. He was making a great recovery and was eager to get back out on the road with Tuesday. At age 40 something, his PTSD got the best of him again.

Not knowing anyone close that has served in these recent wars in the Middle East, I was very enlightened and certainly much more aware of what service men and women and their families go through when trying to re-enter life as it was before. It seems like there are pieces missing to the puzzle that never quite allow the PTSD sufferer to put the entire picture back together.

I am grateful to the people out there that raise and train these service dogs for the military and others. These dogs are truly a gift from God.

[Suzie Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Until Tuesday, and I wanted to love this book as well. Tuesday is an incredible dog, and this is a wonderful story about him...... but I just can't get over what Luis did. He sounded so determined and hopeful, getting better all the time. Was he an even better liar than we could begin to know? How much, really, was this just him writing what he thought we would want to read to sell books? He had a fabulous dog that was so amazing, so loving, so smart, and full of personality. So much a part of his life. Why did he leave him behind for such an extended time when he went to Texas?
I have to admit that I read some things on line about the tragedy of his suicide before I read this book. Why did he really have the amputation?? Did it make for a better story? I know this sounds horrible -- how could I accuse him of this? But fellow soldiers who were with him in Iraq said he wasn't really hurt that bad and that he was milking the system. Some of his doctors said his injuries weren't bad enough to justify amputation. I don't know, of course, but I can't help but wonder.... what was really going on???
My heart goes out to Tuesday...

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A "sequel" to Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him, Luis continues to champion the veterans and works tirelessly to get them the help they need through the VA. The chapter on his personal treatment at the VA is blood chilling and I fail to understand how the government can treat our veterans in this manner. At a time when some people manage to gain entrance to various establishments, including airplanes, with their "therapy" dogs, Luis and Tuesday were not only welcome, they were taken to jail. You can't treat the veterans justly unless ALL personnel and employees at the VA are educated as to what constitutes a service dog and the laws enabling he to go anywhere with that animal. This is not the only chapter that will disturb you and I can understand the courage and dedication Luis exhibited in writing this book. Luis took his own life soon after the book went in for publication...and I honestly don't recall any press about it, more's the pity.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Until Tuesday and I saw this book from across the library while checking out a book with and for my youngest daughter and I instantly recognized Tuesday's picture on the cover from far away.

I walked over and picked up the book and checked it out on the spot.

The book is good. My wife and I own golden retrievers and we are on our third. Our first passed away in my arms at the vet, unexpectedly and prematurely. Our second lived to be fifteen. Our third is about to turn eleven and Luis is correct that they are part of the family. We own golden retriever's as pets rather than as service animals.

This book will pull at your heart strings and at times had me so choked up I struggled to breathe.

Upon starting the book I read the inside flap of the dust cover and I immediately felt like I had been punched in the gut. I will not divulge the reason behind this, I will only say read the book, especially if you read Until Tuesday, are a dog lover, or have a family member who is or has been in the military.

I highly recommend this book.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had "Until Tuesday" on my bookshelf for a little while and didn't know there was a follow up book, which prompted me to get it and then read them back to back. I must have literally missed all the news programming on Luis and Tuesday, which is unfortunate, as he and Tuesday did great stuff for PTSD awareness, bettering the treatment for our Veterans' and being a huge advocate for service dogs. I pretty much always had one of my dogs by my side reading his books, and would pet them and nod in agreement with the many things he said about dogs, what dogs can do and how great they are. The ending of this book (I didn't even read the back cover of the book), was a shock to me. It deeply saddened me and these 2 books will probably stay with me a long time. The bond he had with Tuesday and all the things they endured were not shocking to me, based on how much I love my own dogs, and my dogs are great and do and have done amazing things just competing for fun, the human-dog bond is really something amazing.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking. Hard to listen to (or read) if you already know what happened after he finished the book. I'm left with so many questions: WHAT HAPPENED?! He was so upbeat in this book! Why didn't he have Tuesday with him? His leaving Tuesday with someone & going off without him should've been a red flag!! I kept feeling angry with him about things he said in the book: he loved Tuesday SO much, best friends forever, etc. THEN HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO HIM?! It's unfortunate that what he did afterwards overshadows everything he says in the book. It would be best if a person could read this & remain ignorant of the author's subsequent suicide. But that's impossible, since it's revealed in the Afterword.

That said, I will say the reader on the audiobook is excellent.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had Tuesday's Promise since it was published, the knowledge and sadness of Luis' passing kept me from reading it. I knew it would be an emotional read. I'd connected with Luis through his Face Book page and shared some comments with him at times. Loving dogs, especially Golden Retrievers made Luis' story all the more interesting.
Tuesday's Promise doesn't disappoint, the continuation of their story to a very unexpected end was uplifting, informative, loving and yes sad.
I'm glad that I got to know about Luis & Tuesday and learn more about PTSD and service animals.
Everywhere I've taken this book people have asked about it and I've been able to further Luis and Tuesday's mission.
God speed Luis and we miss you both!

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me forever to complete this book - NOT because it's not well written, but because I knew this author wouldn't be writing anymore books. His story is so close to my own, but different too. His way of telling his story and relating all that he and Tuesday managed to accomplish is done in such a humble, comforting way that I just wanted to have it never end. Know that this is a book everyone should read, but especially if you're a veteran, active duty, family member of either, and particularly if you're a disabled veteran who deals with seen and unseen scars from your service. The story is uplifting, and full of information you're going to say to yourself "I never knew that!" I would suggest that you read Until Tuesday before you read Tuesday's Promise.

[Ruthbc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A veteran with PTSD writes about his relationship with his dog Tuesday Together they are working to improve things for veterans and support for service dogs. They travel all over speaking, Luis" leg is causing him pain and he decides to have it amputated. Most of the book is about the process of getting and learning to use a prosthesis. He really works hard at it and is doing well. He realizes that Tuesday is getting older and arranges to train a new dog, Promise while Tuesday is still alive. Things seem to be going so well for him and then just before the book comes out he takes his own life. Wow that was a shock.