This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
One of the best things about writing these posts – once I've thought of a theme (and it is often based on what is currently happening in my own life) – is the huge amount of books brought to my attention. I often end up buying many of those I've listed. This week I'm inspired by my new ten week old puppy currently lying at my feet as I write. I'm infatuated with her so couldn't help but wonder, are there any women's fiction books out there with animals? Yes! There are. As well as many childhood favourites (too many to list here).
1. Falling for Clooney by Catherine Alliott – It's chick lit for hens! As a chicken owner myself I just had to include this. A story just for chickens from Catherine Alliott. Brilliant. You can see the trailer here.
2. A Pug's Tale by Alison Pace – Whenever Hope needs a pick me up she makes her way to Pug Hill in Central Park. A place where pugs and their owners convene. (Although sadly Hope isn't actually an owner of a pug herself.)
3. Trust Me, I'm a Vet by Cathy Woodman – After finding out the hard way that love and work does not go together, Maz jumps at the chance to run a vetinary practice in Devon for six months. But she soon finds out the escape from London is a lot trickier than she anticipated…
4. Pictures of Lily by Paige Toon – Lily's teenage life is completely changed when her mum decides to live in Australia. She begins to work at the conservation park, where she meets her first love but alas, is left heartbroken. Ten years later, Lily is happy. And her current boyfriend has just proposed. But what about the one that got away?
5. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell – I remember watching the BBC adaptation of this in the 80's and loved it. I'm now re-watching with my children, along with reading the book. The book was supposed to be about Gerald Durrell's accounts of the natural history on the island of Corfu but actually become more about his family's comic experiences.
6. Escape by Barbara Delinsky – New York lawyer, Emily, decides one Friday morning that she's built the wrong life for herself. So she switches off her blackberry, takes off her watch and leaves behind her laptop. Then heads out of New York to Bell Valley, New Hampshire and the animal refuge.
7. Riders by Jilly Cooper – "Where the brave horses are almost human, but the humans behave like animals".
8. Animal Instincts by Nell Dixon – Clodagh has an animal sanctuary. The business is struggling financially and vandalism is trying to ruin her. Then her sister shows up drunk and a property magnate is showing interest…
9. Charlotte's Web by E.B White – A beautiful story of how Wilbur the pig is saved by Charlotte and a little girl called Fern.
10. 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith – Now known as a cartoon or film, this popular story comes from the same author of I Capture the Castle.