Kugler was the youngest of a blended family with six step-siblings. When his parents divorced, his mother retained custody and Kugler found a father figure in his older brother, Mike. Mike encouraged Kugler to follow his footsteps and join the marines for a better future. Before deployment to Iraq, Kugler and his then-girlfriend, Charli, adopted a chocolate Lab puppy they named Bella. Bella became Rob's best friend, his traveling companion, his inspiration, his healer, his everything. Twelve years later, learning that Bella had terminal bone cancer, Rob knew they had to share one final, epic road trip. Traveling cross-country, the pair met with marine buddies, participated in veteran-support-group events, and learned to appreciate living in the moment. The author expertly balances his personal journey through past trauma and to finding inner peace with Bella at his side with inspirational insights all readers can appreciate. Kugler's interactions with other veterans throughout his journey feel like a tribute to our armed forces. This sweet story honoring the bond between animals and their people is a must-read for fans of A Dog Called Hope (2017) and Travels with Charley (1962), and anyone open to a good, cathartic cry.--Stacey Hayman Copyright 2019 Booklist

In this emotionally wrought memoir, marine veteran Kugler writes of his eight-year-old chocolate Lab Bella, who was diagnosed with bone cancer and and helped Kugler through a difficult time in his life. After a deployment to Iraq in 2008, Kugler was forced to retire for medical reasons. Back home in Broken Bow, Nebr., he battled depression and contemplated suicide, yet Bella was his rock: "She is my one constant. She loves me unconditionally." After Bella was diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and had her left front leg amputated, the two set out on a trek across America. "She's helping me find something I so desperately need," Kugler writes. Through flashbacks, Kugler recounts a poor but loving childhood, and stories of his brother, Mike, who was killed while they were both serving in Iraq. As Kugler and Bella travel, Bella's unassailable enthusiasm inspires Kugler to cope with his depression while she instills passion in those they meet. "She's spreading happiness and inspiration.... This dog with three legs and terminal cancer still loves life," he writes. Bella lives months beyond what doctors thought ("These adventures are keeping her alive," says her vet), and it is through Bella that Kugler meets a woman and forms a relationship that lasts after Bella's death. Kugler's heartfelt and uplifting story reveals the transformative power pets can have. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

A man and his dog travel the country after a grave diagnosis.When Kugler, a photographer and former Marine staff sergeant received the diagnosis, he was shocked: Bella, his beloved chocolate Lab, had advanced osteosarcoma that had spread to her front leg. The cancer was predicted to kill her in 3 to 6 months even if they removed the leg. Still, the author rejected the vet's suggestion of euthanasia. "There's no way I'm going to put her down," he writes. "Bella means the world to me. She's stuck with me through everything. She models the components of what it means to be alivehappiness, freedom, service, purpose, pleasure, joy. She prizes the very act of being. No, as long as there are viable options, I will not take this dog's life." As he recounts, Bella was there for him during the toughest moments of his lifee.g., when he found out his brother had been killed while on duty near Baghdad. Determined to make Bella's last moments the best he could, Kugler set out on a trip across the U.S., visiting family and friends and staying with strangers who connected with him via social media and invited them into their homes in order to visit with Bella and hear their inspiring story. Throughout the narrative, it's abundantly clear how much loving attention he gave to Bellaand vice versaand while much of the book is reflective and poignant, the author also captures the silly moments. Kugler made heroic efforts to make their last days together as memorable as possible, knowing he would never have another dog quite like Bella. His tale is engaging and sometimes heart-rending, and it will be a certain tear-jerker for dog lovers.Love, devotion, and slobbery kisses abound in this heartwarming story of a man and his treasured chocolate Lab. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.