When Nancy Balbirer learns her beloved eleven-year-old beagle has kidney failure, she’s devastated. She and her husband had gotten Ira as a puppy—a wedding gift to each other, and their first foray into “parenthood.” Now, her dog is terminal, her marriage is on life support, and Nancy is desperate to save them both (whether they want it or not). In a single year, she loses her two best friends, but Nancy’s life is about to take yet another unexpected turn.

“A Marriage in Dog Years is a stunning beauty of a book, a paean to love and the grace of letting go. With unfailing humor, Balbirer puts her heart on the page and shows us the brass tacks of how hard and brave parting really is. A terrific read!” —Christina Haag, New York Times bestselling author of Come to the Edge: A Love Story

“This funny, heartbreaking, spiritual book is a true love story, and once it has you in its grip it won’t let you go. Nancy Balbirer’s connection and devotion to her dog, Ira, her understanding of his role in her life—as a soul mate and a teacher—moved me deeply.” —Tamar Geller, New York Times bestselling author of The Loved Dog

“Memoirs become memorable when the voice of the narrator reaches out to create a relationship you don’t want to end. It took me all of about, say, eleven minutes to bond with the lovely, funny, and totally appealing Nancy Balbirer, author of the lovely, funny, and totally appealing A Marriage in Dog Years. If you have ever loved a dog or a person or had to say goodbye and somehow keep on going, this touching book will charm and move you. I enjoyed reading it very much.” —George Hodgman, New York Times bestselling author of Bettyville