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Worthy Paperback – June 2, 2015

by Catherine Ryan Hyde (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 17,319 ratings
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New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde tells the story of two strangers coming together and uncovering a shared tragedy that kept them apart.

They might’ve been a family.

Virginia finally had the chance to explore a relationship with Aaron when he asked her on a date. She had been waiting, hoping that the widower and his young son, Buddy, would welcome her into their lives. But a terrible tragedy strikes on the night of their first kiss, crushing their hopes for a future together.

Nineteen years later, Virginia is engaged, though she has not forgotten Aaron or Buddy. When her dog goes missing and it comes to light that her fiancé set him loose, a distraught Virginia breaks off the engagement and is alone once again. A shy young man has found the missing pet, and although he’s bonded with the animal, he answers his conscience and returns the dog. Before long, Virginia and the young man discover a connection from their pasts that will help them let go of painful memories and change their lives forever.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    321 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    June 2, 2015
  4. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1477830138
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1477830130
  7. See all details
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  1. Maybe when you put tears away uncried, everything you cry about from that day on contains a little of those tears. Whether you wanted them released or not.
    Highlighted by 555 Kindle readers
  2. Whether they admit it to you, whether they admit it to themselves, people know where they stand with each other.
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  3. Mostly, it turned out, he was more or less like everybody else. Maybe with the volume turned up.
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Catherine Ryan Hyde is the author of thirty-three published books. Her bestselling 1999 novel, Pay It Forward, adapted into a major Warner Bros. motion picture, made the American Library Association’s Best Books for Young Adults list and was translated into more than two dozen languages for distribution in more than thirty countries. Her novels Becoming Chloe and Jumpstart the World were included on the ALA’s Rainbow List; Jumpstart the World was also a finalist for two Lambda Literary Awards and won Rainbow Awards in two categories. The Language of Hoofbeats won a Rainbow Award. More than fifty of her short stories have been published in many journals, including the Antioch Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, the Virginia Quarterly Review, Ploughshares, Glimmer Train, and the Sun, and in the anthologies Santa Barbara Stories and California Shorts, as well as the bestselling anthology Dog Is My Co-Pilot. Her short fiction received honorable mention in the Raymond Carver Short Story Contest, a second-place win for the Tobias Wolff Award, and nominations for Best American Short Stories, the O. Henry Award, and the Pushcart Prize. Three have also been cited in Best American Short Stories.

Hyde is the founder and former president of the Pay It Forward Foundation. As a professional public speaker, she has addressed the National Conference on Education, twice spoken at Cornell University, met with AmeriCorps members at the White House, and shared a dais with Bill Clinton. An avid equestrian, photographer, and traveler, she lives in California.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lake Union Publishing (June 2, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 321 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1477830138
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1477830130
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 17,319 ratings

About the author

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Catherine Ryan Hyde

Catherine Ryan Hyde

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Catherine Ryan Hyde is the author of more than 40 published and forthcoming books.

An avid hiker, traveler, equestrian, and amateur photographer and astrophotographer, she has a published book of photos, 365 DAYS OF GRATITUDE: PHOTOS FROM A BEAUTIFUL WORLD.

She is co-author, with fellow author and publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen, of HOW TO BE A WRITER IN THE E-AGE: A SELF-HELP GUIDE.

Her novel PAY IT FORWARD was adapted into a major motion picture, chosen by the American Library Association for its Best Books for Young Adults list, and translated into more than 23 languages for distribution in over 30 countries. The paperback was released in October 2000 by Pocket Books and quickly became a national bestseller. Simon & Schuster released PAY IT FORWARD: YOUNG READERS' EDITION in August of '14. It is suitable for kids as young as eight. A special Fifteenth Anniversary Edition of the original PAY IT FORWARD was released in December of '14

LOVE IN THE PRESENT TENSE enjoyed bestseller status in the UK, where it broke the top ten, spent five weeks on the bestseller lists, was reviewed on a major TV book club, and shortlisted for a Best Read of the Year award at the British Book Awards. Both BECOMING CHLOE and JUMPSTART THE WORLD were included on the ALA's Rainbow List, and JUMPSTART THE WORLD was a finalist for two Lambda Literary Awards. WHERE WE BELONG won two Rainbow Awards in 2013 and THE LANGUAGE OF HOOFBEATS won a Rainbow Award in 2015.

New Kindle editions of her backlist titles FUNERALS FOR HORSES, EARTHQUAKE WEATHER AND OTHER STORIES, ELECTRIC GOD, and WALTER'S PURPLE HEART are now available. Also available is THE LONG, STEEP PATH: EVERYDAY INSPIRATION FROM THE AUTHOR OF PAY IT FORWARD, her first book-length creative nonfiction.

More than 50 of her short stories have been published in The Antioch Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, The Virginia Quarterly Review, Ploughshares, Glimmer Train and many other journals, and in the anthologies Santa Barbara Stories and California Shorts and the bestselling anthology Dog is my Co-Pilot. Her stories have been honored in the Raymond Carver Short Story Contest and the Tobias Wolff Award and nominated for Best American Short Stories, the O'Henry Award, and the Pushcart Prize. Three have been cited in Best American Short Stories.

She is founder and former president (2000-2009) of the Pay It Forward Foundation, and served on its board of directors for over 20 years. As a professional public speaker she has addressed the National Conference on Education, twice spoken at Cornell University, met with Americorps members at the White House and shared a dais with Bill Clinton.

For more information and book club questions for most backlist titles, please visit the author at catherineryanhyde.com (Note: The newer titles have book club questions included at the back of the book.)

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
17,319 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Janice L. I.
5.0 out of 5 stars A tremendously well written story!
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book is the fourth I have read by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Just when I can’t imagine another novel could be as good as the one I had just read, she surprises me again. Her novels have so much detail that I feel like I am standing in the story with the characters. The plot is great. Thank you, Ms Hyde!
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Deborah
4.0 out of 5 stars Heart Warming
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2024
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This was a heart warming and entertaining novel. Worthy is one of those books that just draws you in. The author made the characters feel real and as a dog lover with a Golden Retriever of my own, I was not surprised that Worthy brought Virginia and Jody together. Give this book a read. Its a great story of friendship, love, and a different kind of family.
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Ms. Susan G. DeLorme
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story!
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2024
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I loved the two main characters in this book. So completely different but they managed to forge a relationship to get through a rough patch for them both. How they built each other up made for a very interesting story.
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carol daniel
5.0 out of 5 stars What the World Needs Now
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2024
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This book was an easy read and in today's complicated environment it was quite a rewarding story.

I would recommend it to those who need an uplifting, caring, and hopeful story.
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genej101
3.0 out of 5 stars Not my favorite but
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2024
Verified Purchase
still worth the read. This one took far too long to get to the point for me. I’m glad Ginnie finally got to be Jody’s stepmother even though it took nineteen years. I suppose the story had to progress the way it did, it just had more bumps than I’m used to in Catherine’s stories. Again, a unique premise with a happy ending. As always, I’d recommend it to anyone.
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Dynatex
4.0 out of 5 stars Patient and Purposeful
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2019
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I don't exactly remember why I got this book, probably because it was a Kindle First Read and dogs have always been a huge part of my family. "Worthy" isn't really a dog story. Sure, it's a family story but not even exactly that, at least not only that. The story and the writing style both seem simple and really they are. However, there is true brilliance underlying the author's method. The story is a parable, up front and unabashed, teaching us that every one of us is valuable and deserving, in a word, "Worthy." This book could be easily accessible by adolescents in early self-discovery but is fair game for readers of any age. I really admire the way the author weaves her theme into every aspect of the story, always obvious but not heavy-handed or preachy. At first, the prose gave the impression of being simple, even amateurish, but as I read on I appreciated a purposeful mastery of style. I am now so intrigued that I must read more from Catherine Ryan Hyde hoping to explore her literary range while learning more about myself and others.

I won't give away the plot by recounting the story. There are neither true villains nor true heros, merely people dealing with all too common tragedies. The subtext is so heavy that one might almost consider this a self-help book. Please don't. Start this book when you are wanting something light, pleasant, and quick but be prepared for so much more.
10 people found this helpful
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White Dog * Black Tie
5.0 out of 5 stars Heartwarming novel
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2024
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A lovely book that will touch your heart! I loved it!!
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Brenda Williamson
5.0 out of 5 stars Worthy
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2024
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How can a dog change the lives of a young man and a middle aged woman? Circumstances disrupt peoples lives, but sometimes they put them back together. Jody and Virginia,s lives come together because of a dog named Worthy. Their love for this dog brought them together. Read a truly heart warming story.
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Top reviews from other countries

Linda Pfeiffer
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is so much more than about a dog called Worthy
Reviewed in Canada on June 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
The book begins when a young widower, Aaron, takes his son, Buddy, only four years old, and their dog, across a railroad bridge, to get to the other side where, Virginia, the woman he loves, is working in a diner. The trouble is Aaron hasn't even taken Virginia out yet, but little does he know how much she wants him to ask her out as she too has fallen for him. At this point, you may think you have mistakenly picked up a romance novel, but you would be wrong. I don't want to spoil it for any potential readers, so I will leave it at that. The book skips ahead by nearly twenty years and the story picks up with Virginia, who now owns the diner with her best friend Fern. She has never married or had children and is now engaged to a lazy, nasty man, Lloyd. A man who is even jealous of Ginnie's dog. That is when this story explodes with what seems to be a new storyline. I hope I have piqued your interest because, the next part of the book will bring the past to light, the present to change and the future to expect. I loved it all and congratulate Catherine Ryan Hyde on yet another big winner. She can pull your heart out and then replace it and you will thank her.
3 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A dog can bring people together
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 3, 2023
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Catherine Ryan Hyde produces stories about people who are often lonely, damaged, needy and most of all capable of love and kindness. Don't even try to put one of her books down.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Worthy enough to read
Reviewed in India on December 19, 2021
Verified Purchase
Read it on a cold winter day buried under my comforter. Couldn't put it down till I completed it. Always love stories with dogs in them. Beautifully written characters, Buddy and Virginia.
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Za dsanta
4.0 out of 5 stars A story of friendship
Reviewed in Italy on June 12, 2021
Verified Purchase
It s been a good read. Jody is an orphan, raised by his grandfather, who is unable to show affection and to express feelings.
As a young man he meets by chance the lady that should have become his stepmother when he was a kid. Worthy, her dog, is what they have in common and what will glue them together.
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Sarah Dunn
5.0 out of 5 stars heartbreakingly and beautifully real
Reviewed in Australia on July 12, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is a story that will strike a cord and feel so much more fr those that feel deeply, have true appreciation of dogs, always felt abandoned, misunderstood or different and alone. If you are like that then reading this will make feel lighter and breathe easier and possibly that you are you and that that is ok.
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