Cellan-Jones, Rory

21st century

Published on 11 September 2025 by Vintage Publishing (Vintage) in the United Kingdom.

Paperback | 320 pages
196 x 129 x 23 | 240g

Fills my heart with so much joy’ Niall Harbison, bestselling author of Tina’In a dark time, a daily dose of hope’ Jojo MoyesHow do you welcome someone new into your heart and home? A week before Christmas, newly retired BBC journalist Rory Cellan-Jones receives a special delivery that will change his life.

This is the story of rescue dog #SophieFromRomania.

In January 2022, the Cellan-Jones-Coyle family said goodbye to their beloved elderly Collie cross, Cabbage. She and Rory had become inseparable during daily pandemic walks, which alleviated his Parkinson’s symptoms. After a grief-stricken year, Rory and his wife Diane come across a listing for a kind girl who loves everybody and is just looking for her forever home’.

Bright-eyed, big-eared and trembling, Sophie arrives in London on 17 December 2022. Rory holds the Romanian rescue in his arms, excited for their first walk together but the road ahead will be a long one.

This book follows the real journey of Sophie’s adoption from her battles with anxiety, to the joys of play and her first time outside as Rory and Diane work with expert dog trainer Si to win Sophie’s trust and navigate Rory’s Parkinson’s disease.

This is a moving story of love, kindness and a lot of patience, paying tribute to rescue dogs and their tender community.