This article first appeared in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Oct. 12, 2025

Early in the book “The Dogs of Venice” the protagonist, Paul, ponders his mother’s love of the Catholic Church and the origins of his first name, from Paul the Apostle. He wonders what Paul is the patron saint of, and how saints are given these things.

“Randomly upon canonization? Did they pick slips of paper from a bowl? Peter, you get premature baldness, cabbage, and sloths. John? Sandwich cookies with double the filling, dolphins, and adults who can’t tell time.”

The book follows Paul, who was recently dumped by his boyfriend, Darren. As Paul explores Venice at Christmastime, it allows him to reflect on his relationship and gain perspective.

Paul first sees a stray dog, who is never given a name, from a picture window in the loft he rents that overlooks one of the city’s canals. He admires the dog’s confidence and ability to be in the moment. This will resonate with readers who know that dogs explore with enthusiasm, and remind humans to stay curious and open to new perspectives.

He becomes slightly obsessed with finding the dog and traipses about the city to do so. As Paul looks for the dog he benefits from a journey of self-discovery.

Fans of Rowley’s previous work, such as “The Guncle,” “Guncle Abroad” and “The Celebrants,” among others, might miss the joyful chaos those books included as they jump from storyline to storyline among various characters. Comparatively, “The Dogs of Venice,” for all its well-intentioned contemplative meditations, could feel slightly more solemn than expected.

Yet this book, while mostly about one man and a dog, is about so much more. It reaffirms for readers that travel can open pathways to profound personal insight.

Based on an early Audible Original narrated by Neil Patrick Harris, Rowley expanded the story after he adopted dogs of his own.

There are laughs here too: “We are not compatible” he says angrily to his faulty espresso machine. It’s a metaphor for his relationship as well, he knows, as he starts to see the holes in his partnership with Darren that he was previously blinded to.

As Paul struggles with emotional turmoil and heartbreak “he was forgiving of himself,” Rowley writes and, in the days of 24/​7 social media scrolling and cancel-culture, readers might sigh at that simple phrase and wish they, too, could be the same.

There is something here for readers who are cat people too, as Paul’s ruminations on his time watching the cats in Rome lounge about the ruins where Caesar was murdered make for fun fodder.

Rowley is still himself here, writing with wit and with gentle openness, as his books so often do. As Paul has a sexual encounter with another man, Rowley writes with warmth and frankness about expectations and human nature.

Readers used to Rowley’s humor, heartbreak and wonder will welcome glimpses of that writing here, as he gives readers a svelte, engaging novella, weighing in at 60 pages, that can easily be read while cooking, waiting on a subway or sitting in a park.

This book is a delight for anyone who’s ever tried to sit in a nice cafe and have dinner by themselves while feeling self-conscious. It’s about how a person can still be lonely, even in a crowded city with people bustling all around.

But through melancholy and humor, “Dogs of Venice” teaches readers to learn to love spending time alone, sometimes even more than time with others.

As readers wait on Rowley’s next novel, “Take Me With You,” coming in spring 2026, this holiday-themed novella is a treat to tide fans over.