Individuals who have had the pleasure of loving many dogs in their lifetime know that sometimes one pup can capture the human heart more than all the others. In NOT ALWAYS HOME BEFORE DARK, bestselling author Brooke Newman tells the engaging and often humorous story of one such pooch named Cajun. Found in 2005 wandering the flooded streets of St. Bernard Parish during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, this extraordinary yellow mutt was fostered and then adopted by an Aspen, Colorado-based family, which also included a 150-pound female Newfoundland named Rousseau and a mini dachshund named Lucy among the ranks.

As the years passed, this once filthy and malnourished dog blossomed into a world-class buddy with a magnificent soul who even had the good fortune to drive every summer with his pack the 2271 miles from his Rocky Mountain home to his Massachusetts beach house on Cape Cod. Though indeed gregarious and delightful, Cajun also had serious vulnerabilities. As Ms. Newman deftly describes in the book, Cajun's early years made a lasting impact throughout his life as he was terrified by thunder and other loud noises, and he also had severe abandonment issues. That said, ironically, he had no problem whatsoever with wandering off He knew where his home was, and so he simply concluded that it was not at all unreasonable to meander when and where he wanted.

Due to his wanderlust, Cajun was fondly known by both locals and tourists as "the wedding crasher" and the "uninvited party guest," and this independent, amusing though serious, proud male dog made friends wherever he went. From chasing snowmobilers for miles up a Colorado mountain trail, to joining strangers as a surprise "best dog" for their summer wedding vows on the water's edge, Cajun consistently won the hearts of strangers and family alike.

Insightful and beautifully written, throughout the book Ms. Newman revels in the glories of the human-canine relationship, and along the way wonderfully describes the beauty of the enchanting natural world in which Cajun resided and played, and all the while lovingly reminding readers that a life with a dog is a blessing.