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River Love: The True Story of a Wayward Sheltie, a Woman, and a Magical Place Called Rivershire
Set on the banks of the Boardman River, just south of Traverse City, Michigan, River Love is a compelling memoir about a dog named Sheldon and his remarkable journey to his true home. Tricia Frey shares her deeply personal story, starting from the day she and her sister co-purchased the river property in 2005. The following spring, Tricia spotted the skittish, frightened little Sheltie she eventually named Sheldon. A shed was transformed into a house for Sheldon and a bond of love began. It took Tricia two years to establish the trust needed to touch him for the first time and eventually get him into her home on this special piece of land known as Rivershire.
Rivershire is a magical place, beckoning in lost souls in need of transformation and safe harbor. In this place, a wayward Sheltie finds his home, a stronger sisterhood emerges, and Tricia comes to trust and believe in herself once again through the love of a dog and the nurturing powers of nature.
Simply stated, River Love is a story of resilience, healing, redemption, and—most of all—love. With humor, grace, touching narrative, and an unforeseen turn of events, River Love will draw you in, never letting go of your heart.
Editorial
This is not a typical dog story of love or heartbreaking loss. Quite the opposite, in fact, it’s about challenging beginnings and joyful endings. For anyone who has struggled to heal a damaged soul, River Love is an absolute must read. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. And in the end you’ll be better off for spending these pages with Sheldon and Tricia. ~Keith Gave, author, The Russian Five
Cat lover? Dog lover? Or simply a casual observer of the human condition? River Love shows us how pets, people and place come together to foster recovery, redemption and love. Wonderfully written with passion, Tricia Frey has a way with words. She can take the simplest of situations, turn a phrase and offer the reader a magical experience. Don ‘t miss this read! ~John Wemlinger, author, Winter’s Bloom and Before the Snow Flies
Tricia’s Frey’s River Love is a heartwarming tale of her love for a lost dog named Sheldon, which tugs at the reader’s heart-strings both as a memoir and a mystery.
On a spring day in 2006 the author noticed a Blue Merle Sheltie wandering in the woods near her home, Rivershire, along the Boardman River south of Traverse City, Michigan. Therein lies a mystery as the frightened, hungry, bedraggled dog comes and goes over the next two and a half years to Rivershire—during which time a house was built for him and food provided—always keeping his distance as Frey gradually earns his trust. It would be a crime to reveal the surprise ending of Sheldon and Tricia’s story, but animal-lovers are sure to shed a tear or two at the conclusion of this uplifting slice-of-life memoir. ~Robert Downes, author, Windigo Moon, Bicycle Hobo, and Sandy Bottom
In River Love, Tricia Frey seamlessly interweaves themes of thankfulness, loss, epiphany, self-discovery, hardship, natural beauty, & literal puppy love to create a memoir timeless in its effect. The reader is swept along by her story, much like the current of Frey’s beloved Boardman at the end they, too, may find themselves changed.~Scott J. Couturier, author, The Mask of Tamrel, poet & short fiction writer
Rivershire is a magical place, beckoning in lost souls in need of transformation and safe harbor. In this place, a wayward Sheltie finds his home, a stronger sisterhood emerges, and Tricia comes to trust and believe in herself once again through the love of a dog and the nurturing powers of nature.
Simply stated, River Love is a story of resilience, healing, redemption, and—most of all—love. With humor, grace, touching narrative, and an unforeseen turn of events, River Love will draw you in, never letting go of your heart.
Editorial
This is not a typical dog story of love or heartbreaking loss. Quite the opposite, in fact, it’s about challenging beginnings and joyful endings. For anyone who has struggled to heal a damaged soul, River Love is an absolute must read. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. And in the end you’ll be better off for spending these pages with Sheldon and Tricia. ~Keith Gave, author, The Russian Five
Cat lover? Dog lover? Or simply a casual observer of the human condition? River Love shows us how pets, people and place come together to foster recovery, redemption and love. Wonderfully written with passion, Tricia Frey has a way with words. She can take the simplest of situations, turn a phrase and offer the reader a magical experience. Don ‘t miss this read! ~John Wemlinger, author, Winter’s Bloom and Before the Snow Flies
Tricia’s Frey’s River Love is a heartwarming tale of her love for a lost dog named Sheldon, which tugs at the reader’s heart-strings both as a memoir and a mystery.
On a spring day in 2006 the author noticed a Blue Merle Sheltie wandering in the woods near her home, Rivershire, along the Boardman River south of Traverse City, Michigan. Therein lies a mystery as the frightened, hungry, bedraggled dog comes and goes over the next two and a half years to Rivershire—during which time a house was built for him and food provided—always keeping his distance as Frey gradually earns his trust. It would be a crime to reveal the surprise ending of Sheldon and Tricia’s story, but animal-lovers are sure to shed a tear or two at the conclusion of this uplifting slice-of-life memoir. ~Robert Downes, author, Windigo Moon, Bicycle Hobo, and Sandy Bottom
In River Love, Tricia Frey seamlessly interweaves themes of thankfulness, loss, epiphany, self-discovery, hardship, natural beauty, & literal puppy love to create a memoir timeless in its effect. The reader is swept along by her story, much like the current of Frey’s beloved Boardman at the end they, too, may find themselves changed.~Scott J. Couturier, author, The Mask of Tamrel, poet & short fiction writer
- GenresNonfictionMemoirDogs
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2020
21 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Tricia Frey
3 books2 followersTricia Frey was raised on a farm in Northwest Ohio where her love of animals began. Over the years, pets in need of rescue—several cats and one wayward Sheltie—found their way into her home and heart. Early on, Tricia developed a love of reading and writing that she continued to pursue throughout her high school and college years, culminating in a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations and Professional Writing from Capital University, Columbus, Ohio. Tricia has since made a career in sales and marketing. Her love of Northern Michigan brought her to Traverse City in the late 1990’s, where she now lives at her beloved Rivershire, nestled on the banks of the Boardman River. Tricia spends her free time nurturing her gardens, walking the many nearby beaches and hiking trails, and kayaking the beautiful Boardman.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 20, 2020
In a time of COVID, lockdowns and intense politics, as a reader you might be ready for a book like River Love. Tricia Frey relates a marvelous story that brings people, pets and place into a wonderfully warm perspective. Written with compassion, humor and a love that can only come from a deeply personal experience, Frey's story is uplifting and certainly comes at a time when we can all use a dose of "uplifting"!
May 28, 2021
Sometimes we don’t pick our pets. They pick us.
🐕 River Love: The True Story of a Wayward Sheltie, a Woman, and a Magical Place Called Rivershire by Tricia Frey is a beautiful, deeply personal memoir. This story is a well-written, direct, concise, and impressively honest account of a woman’s journey to self-acceptance after she meets a little lost dog. It’s also a story about her relationships with family, friends, and the beautiful strip of paradise she lives on, Rivershire. This book is a great summer read to savor. It is cathartic to other lost souls seeking redemption, happiness, peace-authentic self.
For animal lovers, this tender, authentic story will pull at your heartstrings in the same way “Old Yeller” does. Learning Sheldon, the Sheltie’s history of how he came to be in Rivershire will delight and relieve those who enjoy solving a mystery.
This story is particularly poignant for me because I grew up near Rivershire. It pulled every nostalgic heartstring I have. I know and deeply love the wild yet gentle, magical beauty that is northern Michigan. The breathtaking beauty of the land is an unspoiled, pristine secret. I know that wet, musky, sweet earthy smell of the river. That fragrance is heady and intoxicating, especially in the spring when everything comes alive with bursts of color or in the swelter of a verdant but humid long summer's day. I know the gorgeous but somehow sad flame of fall colors accompanied by the scent of wood-burning stoves. I know the brutal prick of winters cold to the eyes, nostrils—while seeing snow-devils blowing in the moonlight of a clear, starry night. This book brought all of that and so much more back to and alive for me.
As an ode to nature and relationships, the story is a spiritual journey of perseverance through adversity. It speaks of faith, patience, compassion, and love. It is a positive example of how to be fully present in a moment in the best way possible. This story gives the reader permission to grow and understand they are truly enough.
If you are searching for an uplifting, positive experience to savor, this is it. I recommend you pick up a copy of “River Love” by Tricia Frey. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, you will too (nostalgic sigh with a dreamy smile).
🐕 River Love: The True Story of a Wayward Sheltie, a Woman, and a Magical Place Called Rivershire by Tricia Frey is a beautiful, deeply personal memoir. This story is a well-written, direct, concise, and impressively honest account of a woman’s journey to self-acceptance after she meets a little lost dog. It’s also a story about her relationships with family, friends, and the beautiful strip of paradise she lives on, Rivershire. This book is a great summer read to savor. It is cathartic to other lost souls seeking redemption, happiness, peace-authentic self.
For animal lovers, this tender, authentic story will pull at your heartstrings in the same way “Old Yeller” does. Learning Sheldon, the Sheltie’s history of how he came to be in Rivershire will delight and relieve those who enjoy solving a mystery.
This story is particularly poignant for me because I grew up near Rivershire. It pulled every nostalgic heartstring I have. I know and deeply love the wild yet gentle, magical beauty that is northern Michigan. The breathtaking beauty of the land is an unspoiled, pristine secret. I know that wet, musky, sweet earthy smell of the river. That fragrance is heady and intoxicating, especially in the spring when everything comes alive with bursts of color or in the swelter of a verdant but humid long summer's day. I know the gorgeous but somehow sad flame of fall colors accompanied by the scent of wood-burning stoves. I know the brutal prick of winters cold to the eyes, nostrils—while seeing snow-devils blowing in the moonlight of a clear, starry night. This book brought all of that and so much more back to and alive for me.
As an ode to nature and relationships, the story is a spiritual journey of perseverance through adversity. It speaks of faith, patience, compassion, and love. It is a positive example of how to be fully present in a moment in the best way possible. This story gives the reader permission to grow and understand they are truly enough.
If you are searching for an uplifting, positive experience to savor, this is it. I recommend you pick up a copy of “River Love” by Tricia Frey. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, you will too (nostalgic sigh with a dreamy smile).
Want to read
June 16, 2020I did not want this story to end. Tricia truly has a gift for storytelling. I found myself smiling and laughing many times; and other times I found myself crying. This book is a must-read, especially if you are a dog lover. It will make you love dogs even more and want to hear more from the author. Best book I have read this year!
January 24, 2022
A heartwarming story written by my moms friend (she’s in the book!).
November 20, 2020
A heart-warming story of love and rescue – both of the human and canine variety.
Rivershire sounds like an idyllic place to rest and recover from the busy world. When the author purchases a quiet riverside retreat little did she know she would also rescue a stray dog and finding healing along the way. I think that the person who rescues an abandoned dog can often find themselves rescued too along the way, and this is certainly the case with this endearing and charming dog story. The author’s patience and love for the rescued Sheldon shines through every chapter, and this is ultimately a story of hope for all concerned. A lovely read.
Rivershire sounds like an idyllic place to rest and recover from the busy world. When the author purchases a quiet riverside retreat little did she know she would also rescue a stray dog and finding healing along the way. I think that the person who rescues an abandoned dog can often find themselves rescued too along the way, and this is certainly the case with this endearing and charming dog story. The author’s patience and love for the rescued Sheldon shines through every chapter, and this is ultimately a story of hope for all concerned. A lovely read.
December 14, 2025
Our book club read and loved River Love, with author Tricia Frey joining us via Zoom. The story of an animal-loving (and persistent) woman and her beloved dog, along with supportive sisters and friends, living in Traverse City, MI, is delightful and a fun read.
May 5, 2021
Book Club pick
Nice story! I’m from Traverse City and I know some of the people and places in this book! Easy read, well written! Enjoyed this very much!! It was our book club pick for May 2021
Nice story! I’m from Traverse City and I know some of the people and places in this book! Easy read, well written! Enjoyed this very much!! It was our book club pick for May 2021
October 22, 2020
Enjoyable story
Quite the book about a stray dog with issues and the kind author who finally wins him over. If you like animals then this maybe your book.
Quite the book about a stray dog with issues and the kind author who finally wins him over. If you like animals then this maybe your book.
December 11, 2020
3 3/4 stars
This is a very heart-warming story of a woman and dog who rescue each other and the river that served to bring everything together. Good book for all animal lovers and pet owners.
This is a very heart-warming story of a woman and dog who rescue each other and the river that served to bring everything together. Good book for all animal lovers and pet owners.
Read
August 11, 2023Ugh. This reminded me why I don't read dog books 😭 but it was about a sheltie, so I couldn't resist. When else do you see books about shelties?
"River Love" was heartwarming in all the right ways and I hugged both shelties and my Collie tightly after finishing this. I think this book was a great reminder for me to enjoy them and give them the best life possible. Because when the day comes that they pass, I don't want to regret anything about their lives.
I don't want to rate this book. While I enjoyed the story, the writing was pretty sub-par, and in some areas the author bounced around quite a bit. Pet books always have that fine line where the author must balance personal anecdotes with stories about the pet, and I do think she did a fairly good job with that. Overall this is a book I would recommend to fellow Sheltie lovers if they're looking for a quick read.
"River Love" was heartwarming in all the right ways and I hugged both shelties and my Collie tightly after finishing this. I think this book was a great reminder for me to enjoy them and give them the best life possible. Because when the day comes that they pass, I don't want to regret anything about their lives.
I don't want to rate this book. While I enjoyed the story, the writing was pretty sub-par, and in some areas the author bounced around quite a bit. Pet books always have that fine line where the author must balance personal anecdotes with stories about the pet, and I do think she did a fairly good job with that. Overall this is a book I would recommend to fellow Sheltie lovers if they're looking for a quick read.
December 5, 2025
This was light, sweet, and full of love. I knew what I was getting when I picked up this book, and it was still such a lovely story. Tricia's love for Rivershire and Sheldon is evident on every page, to the point where I will be exploring the areas she mentions on my next trip to Traverse City! Of course, I especially connected with her love for Sheldon, and the complexity and authenticity of having a dog companion with whom you feel a deep connection and a special bond. It's unfair they have to leave us so soon! I love that she took the time to write this book for him to live on, and for her to express the power of Rivershire.
What really took me for a loop was at the very end when Tricia meets a dog who she feels emulates Sheldon's personality, and the dogs name is Maisey. :)
What really took me for a loop was at the very end when Tricia meets a dog who she feels emulates Sheldon's personality, and the dogs name is Maisey. :)
February 13, 2024
Dear Readers - Well, I'm a tad biased, so my review shouldn't count, but Goodreads keeps asking me to review this book, so, what the heck ... I gave it 5 stars because the story is so near and dear to my heart. Yes, I'm the author. Sheldon was my dog. Snickers and Gracie were my cats. Rivershire is my home that I love and revere deeply. And I am "a Woman" in the title.
Recently I've read River Love again, this time aloud and into a microphone. The audiobook is coming out soon and I can't wait to share it with you! Stay tuned ... When it's available for listening, I'll certainly let you know.
Peace,
Tricia
Recently I've read River Love again, this time aloud and into a microphone. The audiobook is coming out soon and I can't wait to share it with you! Stay tuned ... When it's available for listening, I'll certainly let you know.
Peace,
Tricia
May 3, 2025
I couldn’t put it down and was sorry when it ended. Although my path has never crossed with the author, I am a Mennonite, love animals (cats and dogs) with a passion, know of the camp in Onekama, ( have been there several times myself), and live in TC. Her story had so many parallels with mine that it added a lot of connection to the story. I also have a rescue that rescued me (found from the Humane Society), and have another hyper nervous border collie. Great fun to read this and laughed and cried. Thank you, Tricia Frey, for sharing your story.
November 7, 2023
What a beautifully written book showing the love of an extraordinary dog. Tricia’s love and patience with Sheldon is remarkable and as I read this I felt the unconditional love and connection that these two had for each other. Tricia is an excellent writer and portrayed this story in such a remarkable way as though I was there experiencing River Love.
November 21, 2024
Awesome book
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Tricia Frey writes well and has a very engaging writing style. I always love reading books about animals, but this one definitely resonated with me because I have had 6 Shelties. I currently have one whose lineage is from Fox Point Farms which is mentioned in the book. I would highly recommend this book!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Tricia Frey writes well and has a very engaging writing style. I always love reading books about animals, but this one definitely resonated with me because I have had 6 Shelties. I currently have one whose lineage is from Fox Point Farms which is mentioned in the book. I would highly recommend this book!
February 23, 2022
This was one of the most emotional and lovely books that i have read in quite a while. I am partial to Shelties as i have many, and this book struck me and made me realize that there are people out there that will take the time to help a wayward Sheltie gain confidence again in his lifetime.
November 1, 2023
Exceptional book! I was so involved with Sheldon’s journey and my heart hurt for his struggles along the way but oh my, what character he was and what an adventure he lead Tricia, family and friends on! Warning…you will need Kleenex!
January 18, 2026
Just beautiful. I laughed. I cried. Man did I cry. I was born and raised in Traverse City so this was even more beautiful, seeing my surroundings in a new light. I always knew it was beautiful and magical, but reading this, I see it as heavenly.
April 17, 2022
A beautiful love story of a woman, a sheltie and how they healed each other.
April 14, 2024
I just want to say that this made me BAWL
July 23, 2025
Charming and heartwarming. About the healing that Rivershire offers. Loved staying here.
July 31, 2024
I decided to add a review after listening to the book this past week. I truly enjoyed the audiobook much more than reading a hardcopy, which I did last month. It is evident that the author brought so much true emotion in history to the reading of the story that I increased my Rating from a three star to a four star.
If you are a dog lover, this is a must read.
If you are a dog lover, this is a must read.
July 31, 2022
Great Summer Read, so enjoyed the journey of love with Sheldon, the wayward Sheltie. I have the honor of raising 6 Shetland Sheepdogs, 3 as pups and 3 as older Shelties from the MN Sheltie Rescue. She captures the true love, loyalty and amazing companionship they bring to your life. Thank you Tricia! So great to meet you when you were in MN!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews