In the landscape of modern memoirs, few voices capture the specific, frantic energy of being twenty-something in New York City quite as earnestly as Isabel Klee. Known to millions online as the heart behind the viral @SimonSits accounts, Klee’s debut, Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About: A Memoir – A Tender Story of Fostering Rescue Pups and Finding Love in the Big City, is a vulnerable exploration of what it means to build a life out of “temporary” things that inevitably leave a permanent mark.

Synopsis

The memoir begins with Klee as a wide-eyed twenty-year-old ditching upstate college life for a grimy basement apartment in Manhattan. Driven by a lifelong obsession with dogs, she eventually finds herself working for the famed photography project The Dogist, a role that acts as a catalyst for her true calling: rehabilitating rescue dogs. As she navigates the “meat-market” of New York City dating and the dizzying highs and lows of early adulthood, Klee begins a fostering journey that introduces her to dozens of dogs, each with their own traumas and quirks. At the center of the narrative is Simon, a Jindo mix saved from the meat trade who becomes her “soulmate dog” and steady anchor. Through heartbreaks, career shifts, and the eventual arrival of her partner, Jacob, Klee chronicles how the act of saving animals ultimately helped her save herself.

The Strengths: Emotional Grit and Honesty

The book’s greatest strength lies in its unflinching emotional honesty. Klee does not romanticize the “rescuer” archetype. Instead, she leans into the “ugly crying” moments—the exhaustion of managing a dog with severe epilepsy, the devastation of losing a foster, and the anxiety of wondering if you’re enough for the creatures (or the people) you love. Her prose is “sisterly” and accessible, making her feel less like a distant influencer and more like a friend over coffee. For anyone who has ever felt “behind” in life, her parallels between training a reactive dog and navigating a “not-quite-right” relationship are both clever and deeply resonant.

The Weaknesses: Timeline and Transparency

However, the book is not without its minor hurdles. Some readers may find the non-linear timeline occasionally jarring. Klee often weaves stories of different dogs from various years into single thematic chapters, which can lead to confusion regarding her personal growth trajectory. Additionally, there is a curious lack of focus on her massive social media success. While she mentions the dogs getting adopted, she occasionally glosses over the fact that her platform—boasting over a million followers—is often why these “difficult” dogs receive hundreds of applications. This omission can make the foster-to-adoption process feel slightly more “magical” and less logistical than it is in her reality.

Verdict

Despite these pacing nitpicks, Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About is a masterclass in modern sentimental writing. It is a must-read for animal lovers and a comforting balm for anyone trying to find their footing in a big, indifferent city. It proves that while boys and apartments may come and go, the lessons learned from a wagging tail are forever.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

– The Moving Words Review