Doug isn't your normal rescue Pug - he's also very caring and very smart.

If only his owner Julie could listen to his advice. She's still in a secret relationship with her very married boss and isn't happy at all. Doug does everything he can to drive him away, but he knows unless she realises she can do better she'll keep going back to him and his empty promises of a future together. In fact, even his V-E-T, Tom, is a better match for Julie. And seeing as he's newly divorced, Doug thinks maybe they could be happy together despite his problematic choice of career.

Doug may not know much about relationships - but he knows a lot about love, so nothing is going to stop him.

I've been a fan of Matt Dunn for quite some time, so when you add an adorable rescue puggo into the mix I of course had to read it right away. Silly, utterly adorable, and with quite a few wrinkles (haha) - this story definitely had the cutest hero I've read in a long time. This story manages to capture the very real frustrations and drama that comes with dating and mix it with complete silliness into one gloriously funny story.

For me, I loved Doug but I spent most of the book shouting at Julie to get it together and listen to her dog for once! Did I know where this story was going? Of course - but this book is made for pure fun and it's definitely worth the read.

Okay, I requested this book from Netgalley because it’s about a pug - I am a bit pug obsessed!

In fact, the book is not about a pug, but it’s a pug’s view of a romance story. Bear with me…

Julie is in a relationship with a married man. As is to be expected, she isn’t really being treated with the respect she deserves and her pug, Doug, notices this. Doug doesn’t like Luke, doesn’t like the way Julie sits around waiting for him, and believes that Julie needs to ditch Luke and find someone better.

The book is ‘narrated’ by Doug and is his efforts to remove Julie’s blinkers and help her find her true love.

I loved Doug. He was funny and I can see a pug thinking and acting the way he did. Julie is a bit frustrating, but I think this was because she was ignoring all the flaws and problems in her poisonous relationship and oblivious to ‘the perfect man’ who is just in front of her.

Yep, it’s a romcom and, whilst I enjoy these and often give them a solid 3, the fact that this was from a dog’s point of view made is slightly unusual and gave it an edge. And maybe I’m just biased because it was a pug ….!

A fun, enjoyable read.

This was a really enjoyable entertaining light read for me.
At first I was a little unsure as the narrative was through the voice of a pug dog named Doug.
I really wasn’t sure if this was for me but after getting in to it a bit, it was a fun read.
Loved the characters & the way Doug tried to protect his owner Julie from making the worst mistake in her choice of boyfriend.
The detestable Luke and Doug the pug have a definite dislike for one another .
Luke is a married man who is stringing Julie along & Doug the pug is doing his utmost to split them up.
Really cleverly written story with humour & wit that was an entertaining uplifting read.

With thanks to #Netgalley and #HQdigital for an ARC of #PugActually by #MattDunn in return for an honest review.

Doug is a Pug. Doug is a rescue dog who now lives with Julie. Julie is in a relationship with her boss, who just happens to be married.
Doug wants his mistress to meet someone who will treat her well and give her the love that she deserves.

The whole story is told from Doug’s point of view.
This book is unique, funny and quirky. I loved it!
An easy read, fast paced and charming…. Enjoy.
5 fun stars from me.
🐾⭐️🐾⭐️🐾⭐️🐾⭐️🐾⭐️

Brilliant, so funny. Romance from a pugs-eye view. Doug knows his owner is involved with a married man and makes plans to get rid of him from her life and to introduce a new man - even if he is a V.E.T. ! Loved it.

This was a really enjoyable experience with possibly the most entertaining point of view I’ve ever read.

The voice of Doug was so believable and so loveable. He really is a little pug Cupid and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his attempts to match Julie and Tom together. I felt everything he did, from wanting to comfort Julie to being frustrated when she couldn’t see what Luke was really like. He brings so much humour, love and innocence to the story.

Julie started off stuck in her ways and quite annoying but as the book went on, I was rooting for her and really wanted the best for her. I wanted her to see how much she deserved love. Even when she was making frustrating choices however, Doug’s love for her made it impossible to hate her as you see everything through his eyes.

I think that Tom is a great love interest and also really enjoyed the romance between Julie’s dad and Dot. It was so sweet and I love the reminder that no one is too old for romance.

The ending of the book was great and I really like how it wrapped up! I hope Dunn writes more books from the perspective of a pet as I believe he’s really onto something with this style and I know it’s something so many people will love! It was so cleverly written and the point of view is just so adorable. From Doug’s naivety to his mischief to his hatred of the neighbour’s cat, you can’t read this book and not fall in love with him!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the chance to read the e-ARC.

Doug the pug is a very clever pet dog and understands humans better than they do themselves. Funny, clever and witty and well worth a read especially if you want a good laugh it is well written and from a dogs point of view. Well worth 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

This book sounded really cute and unique so I was excited to pick it up. It definitely is fluffy and light-hearted so if that is you're kind of thing then you might enjoy this!
For me, it fell quite flat. At first I enjoyed the story being written from the dogs perspective but it quickly became completely unbelievable -not that it's not unbelievable anyway but it just seemed way too self aware to be written from a dog's perspective. In fact the pug understood human emotions better than any other character in the book and he at one point I believe translated/wrote in Chinese which just left me very confused and frustrated.
I did not connect with any of the characters or feel anything for them (other than complete hatred towards Luke). Because of this, I didn't find myself particularly invested in the plot or the romance.
I also felt that this moved very slowly considering it's only 300 ish pages and that there were a few pointless or dragged out scenes. Overall, this one just wasn't for me.

‘Pug Actually’ is the latest book by Matt Dunn.

Loyal rescue pug Doug wants his adoring owner Julie to find unconditional love and happiness – and he knows she won’t find either in the arms of Luke, her married boss. Doug is terrified that Julie will become a lonely cat-lover if she stays single too long, but he can’t let her fall for any more of Luke’s empty promises. Julie needs to move on – and Doug is convinced that Tom, a newly divorced V-E-T, is perfect for her (despite his questionable occupation). There’s just one problem: Julie and Tom can’t stand each other. Doug doesn’t quite understand the quirks and complexities of human relationships, but he won’t let that get in the way of his mission to bring Tom and Julie together. After all, being a ‘rescue’ works both ways.

It’s been a while since I’ve had the delight of reading a book by Matt Dunn. So when I was offered a chance to read his latest book, I jumped at the chance.

The story is seen solely through the narrative of Doug, a rescued Pug who has a good instinct and sense of smell. He loves his owner Julie and dislikes her boyfriend, a married man called Luke who’s just stringing Julie along and when they finally break up. Doug is delighted as this is the perfect time for Julie to find someone else and uses his match making skills to pair Julie up with a man called Tom and even though he’s a V-E-T, Doug thinks they’re perfect for each other.

I adored this book, it’s a cute and quirky love story that instantly brought a smile to my face. Having the narrative seen through the eyes of a Pug made for adorable reading as we saw the world through this tiny dogs’ eyes and how he wanted to put his owners world to right. He’s witty, fun and always up for a walk even when his little legs are tired. I loved how he saw the goodness in Tom and confronted his fear of the vets as well as getting himself attacked purely for Julie to spend some time with Tom.

I liked Julie, she lacked confidence and didn’t see herself worthy of love or full time relationships and was content with the short morsels that Luke threw at, she finds solace in drink and it was lovely to see her grow in confidence and begin to warm to Tom. Luke was extremely dislikable and I loved Doug’s interactions with Luke as their dislike was evident from the very start. The story doesn’t just focus on Julie’s relationships but also her dad’s, who’s also still grieving the wife he lost many years ago.

It was lovely to sink back in a book by Matt as his books always bring a smile to my face and they are so cleverly written. upbeat story about love, moody cats and a kind Pug called Doug, ‘Pug Actually’ is a pawsome story that was deliciously fun and filled with warmth and wit.

You can buy ‘Pug Actually’ from Amazon.

Buy this book! This story is a rom-com, told from the perspective of a pet dog, Doug. He’s so cute in this story, I found myself wanting to get a Pug!
Doug is faced with challenges to deal with, each of which involves many humorous moments, which made me laugh frequently!
The author deals with various topics in a sensitive, thoughtful manner. His books have given me moments of reflection on a number of occasions. I have read many of his books, and I hope to read many more! Thanks Matt Dunn!

Thank you HQ for sending me a pre-approved link to read this book.

I must admit the dog on the cover picture persuaded me to download the book. I started it last night and enjoyed hearing the adventures of Doug the Pug.

A fun read, as Doug tries to find happiness for the human who adopted him and gave him the opportunity to live his best life

As an adopter of two dogs, I did giggle my way through the story. Happy to recommend to anyone looking for a fun and uplifting read

Pub Actually
By Matt Dunn
Pub Date 29 Jun 2021

I loved this book it was funny full of Witt I smiled and laughed all the way through the book. The characters amazing . Anything with dogs in I love and the writing style was amazing such a good book I’m glad I read. I loved Julie character she was amazing in the book it like brilliant banter between Luke and Julie and Julie and Tom it’s like friends to lovers romance like a love triangle brilliant

When I started this book, I wasn’t sure having an animal for a narrator in a book for grown-ups was going to work.

But now, after finishing Pug Actually, I can confirm it works a treat.

This heart-warming, funny tale kept me turning the pages and wondering if Doug would succeed in finding a worthy partner for his beloved owner.

The author, Matt Dunn, clearly relishes writing through the eyes of Doug. In fact, maybe he was a pug in a previous life? He writes with real warmth, so the characters feel like your friends, while the ‘villain’ Luke had me ‘booing’ under my breath.

There’s lots of humour, and it’s safe to say Doug steals the show from the ‘human’ characters.

This book is perfect as a holiday read or simply if you need cheering up, because it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face. And my only criticism would be that I felt the book was longer than it needed to be.

So, if you’re single, perhaps you should think twice before signing up for a dating app. Instead, consider letting your four-legged friend play Cupid for you.

I`m a dog lover and loved the cover so just had to read it. A great romantic story.
Doug the pug wants Julie to be happy but Julie is in a bad relationship with a married man who vows to leave his wife, the usual story with married men.
Then Tom comes along a local vet who`s mother Dot runs the Park Cafe and has the hots for Julie`s dad Jim.

The story is told between Julie and Doug the pug, it flows very easy between them and doesn`t confuse you as some books do narrated by dogs. It is very funny and has laugh out loud bits at Doug`s antics.
A great read definitely recommend it to cheer you up.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

Reviewed on Goodreads

Cleverly written, far better than I expected.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for supplying me with one of the funniest books I've read in a long time, this review is my honest opinion and completely unbiased.

Written completely from a dog's point of view, well, that's certainly unusual.

Rescue pug Doug is settled into his new home and wants his adored owner Julie to find love and happiness. Doug has a Mr Right in his sights for Julie, but being a successful matchmaker is a tough job for a dog. Especially when he first needs to remove Mr Wrong, Julie's married lover Luke from her life.

Anyone who has shared their home with a dog knows how it's capable of understanding every word being said, so this book will be entirely plausible. Even readers who've had the misfortune not to live with a dog should still be able to enjoy Pug, Actually.

Very, very funny with sparkling repartee from Julie and Tom who, both having trust issues, constantly misunderstand each other.

I have to say that I was drawn to this book by the fact that an adorable pug was on the cover. As soon as I saw that it was a story told from a dog’s point of view, then I knew that I just had to read the book as soon as I could. I am a huge dog lover too and I am currently owned by two lovely but loopy Labradors. I couldn’t wait to start reading and so without further ado, I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed my Kindle and settled down for a fun afternoon of reading. Oh my word, ‘Pug Actually’ was superb and I loved every single second of it but more about that in a bit.
What can I say about Doug the Pug? He is just adorable with a capital A. He was rescued by Julie and her Dad and now Doug sees it as his mission to rescue Julie. Julie is having an affair with a married man, who seems to have promised her the earth but has done nothing about it. Doug doesn’t think much of Julie’s boyfriend and lets him know in no uncertain terms. Some of his antics had me literally laughing out loud. Doug wants to see Julie settled with a nice lad, who treats her right and he makes it his mission to do just that. What happens? Well for the answer to that question, you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
This book really was a delight to read from start to finish. As soon as I started to read this book, I knew that I wouldn’t be budging from my reading spot for the rest of the day. The book seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn’t willing to break. The pages seemed to fly past in a blur as I worked my way through the story. I loved reading about Doug’s antics and the way in which he interprets things. ‘Pug Actually’ wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I just couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. I through enjoyed every single thing about this book. Reading ‘Pug Actually’ did more to cheer me up than any medication possibly could have done.
‘Pug Actually’ is brilliantly written. In Doug, Matt has created an adorable character, who is impossible to dislike. As I mentioned above, I am owned by two Labradors and I often wonder what they would say to me if they could talk. Well Doug has given me a fair idea of how a dog’s mind works. I love the very vivid and realistic way in which Matt tells the story. He makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action. I have to say that I started chuckling out loud when I started to read the book and I was still chuckling away long after I had finished reading the book.
In short, I absolutely adored reading ‘Pug Actually’ and I will definitely be recommending this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Matt’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

It is what you expect, a fluffy romcom type book that will entertain you and make you smile. We all need these sometimes.

Okay, so I had a love/hate relationship with this book. I LOVED the concept. Doug the Pug (yes, really 😂) narrates the entire story, and he's a very astute and hilarious narrator. I could do without his obvious cat hate, but I guess it's to be expected and to be fair, his snarks at Santa, the cat next door, are spot on. What I really didn't like was the theme of the first third of the book. I really, really hate cheating. And I tend not to have much sympathy for characters who knowingly have affairs with someone who's married. That's my big problem here. Julie seems like a nice enough person, is supposedly intelligent, at least according to Doug and her friend. She's apparently attractive, and her brief interactions (at the behest of Doug) with people of the opposite sex certainly suggest that she doesn't have problems at least meeting other men. So why oh why has she been putting up with her married 'boyfriends' BS for so long? It's not some ugly secret either. Her best friend knows. Her father knows! I just struggle to get my head around that entire concept.

Thankfully she finally sees the light, and the 'boyfriend' is given the heave-ho. It's Doug's constant razor-sharp observations and hilarious confusion at things like elevators and the words we use that don't always mean what they sound like they mean, that ultimately made me want to continue reading. And I'm glad I did. Tom the V-E-T, is lovely. But the star (other than Doug, of course) is Sanj, Priya's long suffering husband. It's his diatribe that had me standing and applauding.

All in all, I'd recommend this book, not particularly for the romance. Moreso for Doug and his comedic observations.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to give an honest review*

Review also posted on Amazon UK, but awaiting moderation

A lovely story and a great "narrator".
What really makes the difference in this book is that the main character, the one who tells the story, is a dog, a Pug, Actually.
The style is brilliant, Doug's POV (yes, Doug the pug) on the development of facts is hilarious, so fun and witty, a candid perspective on life and people that makes you smile, but also makes you think.
Enjoyable, funny and clever, exactly what you'd want from a relaxing, summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If someone had told me that I’d one day read a book about a matchmaking dog, narrated by said dog, I’d have rolled my eyes, pointed to my head and done that twirly thing with my finger. But guess what? I just have, and I loved it! It’s a crazy concept, but author Matt Dunn pulls it off with panache.

Pug Actually (pun clearly intentional) is a charming, warm and witty read. It has all the elements of a classic romcom, but with a genius twist: the MC has four paws and tail. And it’s Doug the pug who steals the show.

Doug is desperate for his mistress Julie to find love and happiness. There’s just one thing getting in the way: loathsome, smelly Luke, Julie’s married boss, with whom she’s having an affair. Doug much prefers newly divorced Tom the V-E-T but neither of them seems that keen. How can Doug get Julie and Tom to see that they’re perfect for one another?

It took me a few chapters to get used to the idea of a canine narrator. But once I did, Doug became almost human. His antics as he does his darndest to get rid of Luke and push Julie and Tom together are hilarious. And his voice! Well, let’s just say, if Doug is typical of other dogs, then our four-footed friends are one helluva lot smarter than we give them credit for.

The blossoming love affair between Julie and Tom (because, yes, Doug’s Cupid’s arrow hits its mark) is sweet and funny and peppered with false starts and misunderstandings that keep the will-they-won’t-they intrigue going until the end of the book.

I quickly found myself loudly cheering on Doug’s efforts, sympathizing with his frustrations, and joining with him in his loathing of Luke. I had to repeatedly keep reminding myself he was a dog.

A lighthearted and amusing read this certainly is. But, don’t be fooled! It is also subtly layered, which is something Matt Dunn always does so well. Sweet, definitely. Saccharine, never.

It’s four stars from me plus a bonus for Doug the pug, the pooch with attitude.