Book Two in The Ethan and Rusty Series Just when Ethan finally feels like he belongs, everything begins to change. Life is looking up. Ethan has found friendship, confidence, and something he once thought might always be out of reach—a place where he truly belongs. And through it all, Rusty, his loyal and endlessly devoted dog, has been right beside him. Then life shifts again. A new town means a new beginning. New faces. New challenges. New friendships. And feelings Ethan isn't quite sure what to do with. Suddenly, he must find the courage to step into the unfamiliar without losing the person he's worked so hard to become. Through laughter and uncertainty, friendship and first love, mistakes and growing pains, one thing remains constant: Rusty stays. Not to solve Ethan's problems. Not to make every difficult moment disappear. But to remind him that sometimes the greatest kind of love is simply being there when everything else is changing. The Dog Who Stayed is a heartfelt coming-of-age story about friendship, family, first love, belonging, resilience, and the extraordinary bond between a boy and his dog. Tender, emotional, and ultimately hopeful, it's a story about discovering that growing up doesn't always mean leaving things behind and that some bonds become stronger with every change life brings. Because sometimes, the ones who stay are the ones who teach us how to move forward. Book Two of the Ethan & Rusty Series. For the best reading experience, begin with Book One, The Dog Who Found Me.