Sophie From Romania: A Year of Love and Hope with a Rescue Dog

(Hardback)

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The heartwarming true story of adopting, befriending and learning to love a shy rescue dog from Romania. How do you welcome someone new into your home and your heart A week before Christmas 2022, former BBC journalist and award-winning podcaster Rory Cellan-Jones received a special delivery that changed the course of his life. This is the story of #SophieFromRomania, told in full for the first time. In January 2022, the Cellan-Jones-Coyle family said goodbye to their beloved elderly Collie Cross, Cabbage. Newly retired, Rory had become inseparable from her during daily pandemic walks which alleviated his Parkinson's Disease symptoms. After a grief-stricken year, Rory and his wife Diane contemplated opening up their hearts again and came across a dog listing for 'a kind girl who loves everybody and is just looking for her forever home'. Bright-eyed, big-eared and trembling, Sophie arrives in London from Central Europe in a van on 17th December. Rory holds the Romanian rescue in his arms, excited for their first walk together - unaware it is more than a year ahead. Sophie from Romania follows the journey of her adoption - from her battles with anxiety, to the joys of play and her first foray outside - as Rory and Diane work with expert dog trainer Si to win Sophie's trust, and navigate Rory's Parkinson's diagnosis. This is a moving story of growing together through love, kindness and a lot of patience, revealing how adopting pets can be challenging but also full of rewarding moments. It's also a celebration of rescue dogs, and community as Rory uplifts fellow Romanian dog owners and his new friends from the #SophieFromRomania hashtag.

Reviews

Olive and Mabel are fascinated by Sophies journey, firmly believing that sofas are to be slept on, rather than hidden behind and are excited to hear her story being read to them by their human assistant. * Andrew Cotter, author of 'Olive and Mabel' *
I am one of the many who has followed the story of Sophie from Romania. Those of us who adopted traumatised rescue dogs know that their story is one of patience, perseverance, and frequent setbacks. But what Sophie, Rory and Diane have also shown is the utter joy and reward that comes with every step forward. In a dark time, their story has given all of us a daily dose of hope, and a reminder of the importance - and endurance - of kindness. * Jojo Moyes, author of 'Me Before You' *

Author Bio

RORY CELLAN-JONES was the BBC's principal technology correspondent until 2021. He now writes an influential Substack column on medical innovation, tech and his beloved Romanian rescue dog, Sophie. Through this and his Twitter following @ruskin147 he spreads awareness of technological developments in the fields of medicine, health care and - more specifically - Parkinson's. Together with Jeremy Paxman and several others he has begun a new podcast on Parkinson's called Movers and Shakers. He also shares the progress of #SophiefromRomania on @ruskin147.