"Love Saves the Day" is a beautifully expressed story; I won't reiterate the basis of it since other posters already have. Suffice it to say I was drawn in immediately and was literally unable to put the book down. I began devouring it as quickly as I could and of course when I got close to the conclusion, I slowed down because I just couldn't bear for it to end. The pace of the story is absolutely perfect from start to finish, and that makes it so compelling. It made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me smile and chuckle, it made me think and feel. Prudence's thoughts are so charming and humorous, but make no mistake....this isn't another sappy cat story. It's a tale about the true meaning of family, and how the love of a cat can influence generations. The story is also about loss, grief and healing. As a hospice/bereavement volunteer of many years, I can honestly say that Ms. Cooper knows all the fine points of loss and expresses them in the most touching ways. Some of Prudence's thoughts and feelings are painfully tender and sad, yet so very honest; nothing was held back, which is how it should be. The pain of loss is real. On a personal note, my kitty Isabel was given to me by one of my patient's families many years ago, and now I know exactly how she felt when she had to leave her home. Also, my dad was a musician long ago and spent time in the Lower East side, which brought back a flood of wonderful memories. The material was obviously well researched, and that led to a few unpredictable happenings in the story, which gave it that much more meaning. It seems as if it would be difficult to express the inner thoughts of a cat but through Ms. Cooper's descriptive gift with words, it seems like the most natural thing to read Prudence's ideas. I cannot say enough about "Love Saves the Day"! What a remarkable, well written book. I can't wait for the next one!

I was not going to write a review as this book was so poignant and touched me so much that I felt I could not do it justice with my limited vocabulary. After reconsidering it a while, I decided I had to share my thoughts as this is truly one of the best books I have ever read. Gwen Cooper knows the ways of cats and also knows how to express this through her writing. If you have read "Homer's Odyssey", you know what I mean.( and if you haven't, you should) Prudence is a typical cat, set in her ways and with a certain attachment to her human. Her world is turned upside down one day when her human does not come home. As she both tries to preserve the memories of her human and forge a relationship with the new humans in her life, we get insights into , not only, Prudence and all her humans, but relationships, love and moving forward. Yes, I shed a lot of tears reading this book, and will when I read it again, but that is what great writing is supposed to do...move you. There is one part of this story that some may feel was hard to read, and it was, but in the end , it also helps bring everything into perspective. I love the way the story is told from different points of views so that we get to know all the characters, including , Prudence,on a personal level. You must read this book!

I just finished reading this book this morning, down to every last word, including Gwen Cooper's acknowledgements at the end of the book. I was sorry to have it end. This is a book I will never forget (same with Homer's Odyssey). Prudence steals your heart from the very first, and so do the humans who share the story. I must admit that Chapter 13 was VERY difficult to read, even more difficult to comprehend that something like that could actually happen in this day and age (I have since read an online account of the actual tragedy on that day in January 1998). I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't yet read this memorable book, but let me say it is magical and haunting. It will make you laugh and cry. Gwen Cooper has the ability to take you to the very heart of a circumstance by her gift of words (as she did in Homer's Odyssey when describing her firsthand experience during 9/11/01 and those harrowing days after when she was trying to rescue her cats). And few people understand our feline friends as she does. Bravo, Gwen! I am going to buy two more copies to give as gifts.

I read Homers Odyssey right when I adopted a little black kitten from the Michigan humane society. The way Gwen Cooper told of Homers adventures was stupendous!! So I was very excited when I learned that she was publishing another book. I bought Love Saves The Day for my kindle, and read it within 2 days!! It was a very comical, touching story of a young female cat named Prudence who's owner, Sarah, passes away, forcing Prudence to live with sarahs daughter, Laura. Prudence is afraid she will forget Sarah, so Prudence entices Laura to relive her childhood with Sarah in the lower east side of Manhattan. what Prudence doesn't know is that something happened in lower east side between Sarah and Laura that makes the memories painful for Laura. That's as much as I'm going to say. I don't want to give away the whole essence of the story. This story had me alternating between laughing and crying. Love Saves The Day was beautifully written, with so much cat-itude that you can't help laughing at the things Prudence does and says even while crying over Lauras sweeter or sadder memories!!

What a literary treat! Gwen Cooper's newest book, Love Saves The Day, is an amazing tour de force, blending a poignant portrait of human relationships of various types which have gone off track along the way, and the wisdom of the cat named Prudence who with humor makes sense of it all in a way humans never quite can. Exploring lost love, broken dreams, love, friendship, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, through human eyes is the main story, but the human tale is interspersed with chapters by Prudence, the leading lady cat of the story, who is a wise observer and participant, trying to make sense of the chaos that humans make of their lives until they remember that love is the saving grace that binds them all back together again, heals hearts and souls, and rewards faithful kitties and their various lost humans. This is a beautifully crafted, imaginative novel which demonstrates the author's understanding of human hearts and of the wisdom of cats and all they have to teach us. This is an absolutely wonderful book which I will read and re-read.

It's 2 AM and I just finished reading this engaging, warm, and well-written book. I experienced the pleasure of hearing Gwen Cooper read the entire first chapter of "Love Saves the Day" last September in Springfield, Virginia, months before the book was published. I paid such rapt attention to her reading that I could hear her voice as I read that chapter myself, as well as throughout the book. The intelligent thoughts and wants and feelings of Prudence the cat have made me take a closer look at my own cats, imagining their thoughts about me and our household; it's quite fun to do, actually, and I appreciate that this book has given me the insight to do this. As an avid reader, I'm always amazed at how a talented author can weave several subplots into a wonderful and interesting story. It was easy to care about the young couple in whose home Prudence lives. I highly recommend this story that tugs at our hearts as cat-lovers, and gives us an idea of what it's like to live in New York City, to care about what happens to the people who live there.

I found this book to be sad, sweet, and happy. It made me appreciate how wonderful my two cats are. It was fascinating reading this story from the cat's point of view. I saw a lot of Prudence in both my cats, but especially my two year old abby-tabby. Prudence caught and kept my heartstrings the whole time, waiting for Sarah to come back for her. It really makes you wonder, how do our pets really perceive life changes when something happens that prevents us from coming home? It made me want to cry, thinking that some day, my time will come, and will my cats think I abandoned them? Will they miss me, the way Prudence misses Sarah? I also appreciated the backstory of Sarah, so I could see who she was, and why Prudence loved her. Then there was Laura's story, and slowly coming to understand Laura as she learned to understand herself. And all the time, there is Prudence. I realize she is a fictitious cat, but while reading this book, I think I loved Prudence as much as I love my two cats, and I love them alot!

I purchased this book because I was such a fan of Homer's Odyssey and was excited to read Gwen Cooper's latest piece. I must admit that I found the beginning of the novel a bit slow, but after a few chapters I simply could not put it down. I was completely mesmerized at how Gwen wove multiple themes and executed them brilliantly. This novel is told from three viewpoints - Prudence the cat, Sarah (her former owner) and Laura (Sarah's daughter). Grief, love, marriage, money, family, trauma, tenacity, hope, compassion and love are all told in a manner that left me completely enthralled. I was left speechless at most parts and this is the first book that has ever made me cry so much in one sitting. The tears I shed were not all out of sadness ... there are moments of poignancy for each theme that left me deeply touched and moved on every level. I just spent the entire day finishing it and this book has truly reignited my love for reading. I can't wait for Gwen Cooper's next book!

Love Saves the Day's Prudence is the oh so clever narrator who will have you glancing sideways at your own pets wondering "just what are they thinking!?" Prudence's observations, while filled with humor regarding the absurdities of human behavior, also possess a serious element for those who are reflective minded. If you aren't the big animal lover, stick with this one, about mid-way through you will see how astutely the author developed the equally engaging human characters and you will turn every page faster toward the end. And to echo another reviewer you will not see the emotional ending coming. You will finish it considering your own pets, relationships, and perhaps be a little more socially aware of the injustices in our own back yards. Not just a fluffy kitty story--this is a great read that you will tell your friends about and mull over for days after.

I honestly cannot tell you how much I loved this book. I was already a fan of Gwen Cooper and Homer's story {we have a little blind black baby that looks just like him} But this just further impressed me with this author. I'm not really sure what I expected from this book, but this wasn't it. This book was so much more than I had anticipated. Needless to say I fell in love w/Prudence immediately. I loved Prudence's take on life as well. I certainly hope we haven't heard the last of her yet. I loved how the story weaved together. In the beginning I wasn't sure I liked the daughter {which is odd since the relationship between my mother and I is very similiar} but the more I learned her reasoning and how everything came together, the more I loved her and wanted the best for her. You just can't help but be drawn to the characters.

No spoilers in this review! It is a wonderful story about hope and love and loss seen, partly, through the eyes of an observant cat, Prudence. The characters are so real that we follow what happens to each of their stories with hope, grief and laughter. There are many observations about how humans behave, seen through Prudence's eyes, and the writer's skill makes the people full rounded, not cardboard cutouts that 'dance' around the feline character. We also get glimpses of New York's recent past (the disco scene, Studio 54) that I found absorbing. This is not a story about a cute cat that conquers all - it is an adventure about Prudence, those she knows, those she loves, it is also - in part - a reflection on a true event in New York's past that should make City Corporate look to its conscience.

I don't really read a lot of fiction (except for sci-fi), but when a friend sent me the book link on amazon and I heard the audio clip, I immediately heard my own cat talking to me. She too is a brown tabby with "socks". Her personality was very much a match for Prudence, the main kitty character of the story. When I started reading this, I couldn't put it down. The book absorbs you; you really feel for the feline heroine, and the people that come into her life. I have a new aspect and respect for what my animals (especially my cat Faith) feel and think; about me, and the surrounding world. This book was really an emotional rollercoaster, having me laugh out loud at some parts, and crying like a baby in others. I truly highly recommend this book to anyone who loves animals, especially cats.

I read Gwen Cooper's novel about her cat, Homer, and loved it. This book, I knew, was going to be fiction and I assumed it would all be from a cat's perspective. A few chapters into the story, I was completely drawn in and found that this was not exactly what I was expecting...it was even better! All I can say is that a good writer can capture a reader's attention and keep the pages turning...a great writer evokes emotion and that is what this story did for me! I laughed, cried, stressed out a few times, uttered a few explatives out loud, felt both sadness and hope. Love Saves the Day: A Novel has really touched my heart and has stuck with me since I finished it. I definitely recommend this book! Looking forward to seeing what Gwen Cooper writes next!

I just finished reading this yesterday. I truly have no words for how profoundly............. this made me feel. While reading this book, I probably experienced every emotion possible. But the one chapter... I don't know what to call how I felt during that one. It was such a deep feeling, and will admit, still a bit shocked by it. I both cried and laughed while reading this book. I also found it interesting how the book was, during a few of the chapters, told from different points of view. Only the second book I've ever read like that. It's really hard to explain why I like this book in words. It's more of a feeling that something our mere vocabulary can express. Or, perhaps I'm not as good at it as the author of this book :)

Gwen Cooper has written two novels and a superb memoir of her relationship with Homer, a blind cat whom she adopted. This is her second novel. I admire her dexterity in using several narrators to tell the story of the difficult relationship of mother and daughter, and of a cat with each of them. Someone who has lived with a cat will admire her creation of Prudence, whose character rings true throughout the novel. Ms. Cooper has not written a mere cat book. She never has. She has examined how our pets help us understand ourselves and the other humans in our lives. As importantly, although she might smile at this, the overarching theme of her work is how we humans gain insight into ourselves and are transformed by love.