Thirty Days to Home: A Novel

A moving debut about second chances, Thirty Days to Home follows a grieving woman who rediscovers purpose—and unexpected love—through her connection with a stray dog she meets on the streets of picturesque Puerto Escondido, Mexico.

Following the death of her son, Marli May accompanies her husband, Nick, on a work retreat to Puerto Escondido, Mexico, in an attempt to put her grief behind her and repair their strained marriage. But Marli’s resilience is challenged once again when she receives an anonymous text message stating her son’s death was not the accident she has been led to believe. Nick says it is a sick prank, and to forget about it. Of course, he has other things on his mind: He’s having an affair with a coworker. Before the end of their trip he walks away from his marriage, leaving Marli alone in Mexico.

What can bring Marli back from despair this time? Mentally battered and 2,000 miles from home, she turns her attention to a stray street dog and a handsome veterinarian who harbors his own grief. She is told she must wait thirty days before taking the dog out of Mexico and into the United States. That’s thirty days to reevaluate her future, find her strength, and discover the true reason for her son’s death.

Filled with secrets, street dogs, and second chances, Thirty Days to Home follows Marli’s journey as she finds the courage to confront her grief and rebuild her life on her own terms.

Cathryn Rakich has been a writer and editor for thirty-plus years, working in the news and nonprofit world. She currently writes a monthly column on animals and animal welfare for a local magazine and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Sacramento State University. In the thirty years she has volunteered for local animal rescue groups and shelters, she has fostered more than a hundred homeless pets. Cathryn lives in Sacramento, California, with her husband, four rescue dogs, and four rescue cats.