"Shea's page-turning prose and loveable, curious, and kind protagonist keep the heart at the center of this tragically gorgeous novel." - Booklist, STARRED REVIEW For fans of Claire Keegan's Small Things Like These and Karen Joy Fowler's We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves comes this unforgettable and fiercely compassionate novel Immediately upon his release from a 25-year prison sentence, former veterinarian Trevor Westmore gets his first surprise as a free man: A guard gives him a German shepherd puppy. While Trevor anxiously tries to build a new life, his dog, Libby, provides the routine and responsibility he needs to navigate his re-entry into society. All Trevor wants is to earn a living, to stay out of trouble, and to be left alone - until he meets and falls for local veterinarian Laura Fenway. But they both have their secrets. When she learns the truth of Trevor's past will she consider a future together? And when he discovers the lengths she'll go to rescue dogs, will he jeopardize his long-awaited freedom? Weaving together major environmental and political issues of the mid- to late-20th century that remain urgent today, Dog Days of Planet Earth asks what we're willing to risk for our personal convictions in a world where powerful and unjust forces often oppose them.

Marie finds herself unexpectedly pregnant at 39. Meanwhile, her best friend, Elizabeth, has never been able to conceive, despite years of fertility treatments. In a genetic test routinely offered to older mothers, Marie discovers that the child she is carrying has Down syndrome. Intertwined throughout the novel is the story of Margaret, a woman who gave birth to a daughter with Down syndrome in 1947, when such infants were considered to be "unfinished" children. As the novel shifts through the decades, the lives of the three women converge, and the story speeds to an unexpected conclusion.With skill and poise, debut novelist Theresa Shea dramatically explores society's changing views of Down syndrome over the past 60 years. The story offers an unflinching and compassionate history of the treatment of people with Down syndrome and their struggle for basic human rights. Ultimately, The Unfinished Child is an unforgettable and inspiring tale about the mysterious and complex bonds of family, friendship and motherhood.