5★ and a favorite ♥

Pure Joy was, well, a pure joy to read (couldn't help myself there lol). I'm already a big dog lover. Big time. My little 12 pound poodle (13 if her hair is a little too long) is very very spoiled. She has a raincoat and won't go in the rain without it. Danielle Steel would've laughed at me for that, but turns out she spoils her 2 pound Teacup Chihuahua, Minnie Mouse. So while she mentions the joy she's found in owning all her excessive dogs, my dog Peanut was right by me and all my other dogs I've had in my thoughts. So the book has brought me some smiles and some tears too.

First, Danielle mentions that she has 9 kids. And along with her 9 kids, at one point, her family had 10 dogs and a pig. The most dogs I had at one point was 2 dogs, so Danielle's life sounds like a circus to me (my mom's parent's had 8 kids, so I'm used to big families). But I'm glad she and her family is able to have so many dogs (she currently has 4 griffs and the teacup chihuahua).

It was fun hearing about a lot of the dogs Danielle and her family and friends have (and had). Her description of falling in love with a chihuahua was sweet and had me thinking of all the dogs I love of course. And a lot of Danielle's experiences she mentions are used as advice and lessons on owning a pet. The main lesson is that owning a pet can bring you joy and love (especially if you love that pet). And it doesn't matter what size they are.