Published: 29 October 2020

Author: Anushka Fernando & Bertie the Pug

Published by: Mirror Books

Genre: True Story

Length: 304 pages

Reading dates: 6-9 November 2020

Bertie the pug had an unlucky start in life.
Diagnosed with Hemivertebrae and unable to walk, his owner decided to open up a dog-friendly cafe where he could meet friends and have fun.
The Pug Cafe quickly became a very special place for all dog owners to meet and have a drink.
But when the cafe faced closure, it was brave Bertie the pug and his friends who came to the rescue.
Inspired by true events, Happy Dog Days at the Pug Cafe tells the heart-warming story of one little pug and his beloved cafe.
Help yourself to a pugaccino, put up your paws and get your nose into the heartwarming tale of Bertie and friends.

What a lovely book! Inspired by true events, this book is told from the point of view of the gorgeous Bertie but also by his owner Anushka, and is a wonderful feel good book.

Anushka always wanted a pug and along with her boyfriend James, they adopted Bertie. Needing a life saving operation when he was just a puppy doesn’t stop him enjoying life to the full. Anushka suffered from shyness and anxiety but knowing Bertie needed pug friends of his own inspired her to set up a park meeting for pugs and their owners.

But once the weather started getting colder, Anushka decided to try and set up a meeting in a café instead. A lovely café owner in Guildford saw it was an amazing idea so agreed to host it and provide dog friendly treats and drinks. So many people loved the idea, that Anushka decided to quit her job and run pug events in cafes all over the country.

Not without problems, Anushka is contacted by a vet who tells her she is worried it will encourage people to want pugs of their own when pugs can often suffer from ill health. And a rival pug café event is set up which isn’t as well run as Anushka’s but is often associated with her company.

A heart-warming story of friendship and positivity, this is a lovely story and although I don’t have a pug (or even a dog) I would love to attend one of these events! My son is a huge pug fan and also a reluctant reader but I’m really hoping he’ll read this.

Since launch in 2017, the PUG Cafe’s events have brought over 15,000 dogs and around 60,000 owners together.
The PUG Cafe and featured pugs collectively have over 174K followers on Instagram and 30K Facebook fans.

Many thanks to Mel at Mirror Books for the finished copy and for inviting me on the blog tour. You can check out the other bloggers who are shouting about this book below

About the author

Anushka Fernando and her pug Bertie set up the UK’s first real-life Pug Cafe, the perfect place for pugs to relax with their human buddies and socialise. The cafe has worked with animal charities including the Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Organisation and made numerous appearances across national media.
This is Anushka and Bertie’s first book based on their real-life adventures together.