Book 2 in The Pet Loss Support Series

The First Year Without You

A Month-by-Month Companion for the Impossible Journey of Pet Loss

Available in Print and Kindle

You are holding this book because someone is missing

Not someone the world always knows how to grieve. But someone who was there every morning. Someone who knew the sound of your car, the rhythm of your footsteps, the particular weight of your sadness on hard days.

Someone who loved you in a way that never required you to be anything other than exactly who you are.

This book walks beside you through the first year after losing a pet. Not around your grief, but directly into it, at whatever pace your heart can bear. Month by month, from the raw first days through to the anniversary and beyond.

What's Inside

A companion for every stage of the first year

The First 48 Hours

Surviving the shock, the silence, and the first night without them.

The First Week

The empty house, what to do with their things, and returning to life.

Month One

When the shock wears off and the world expects you to be better.

Months Two and Three

The pressure to be better, the loneliness, and the waves that keep coming.

Months Four to Six

The long middle. The strange limbo of learning to live alongside loss.

Months Seven to Nine

Learning to carry it. The grief that remains and the approaching anniversary.

Months Ten to Twelve

The weight of a year. The first anniversary. And what comes after.

Plus

A dedicated guilt chapter, memory pages, letters from your pet, and a section for those who love someone grieving.

This book is for you if

You have recently lost a pet and the grief feels bigger than anyone around you understands.

You are weeks or months in and wondering why it still hurts this much.

You are approaching a birthday, anniversary, or holiday without them and dreading it.

You are carrying guilt about decisions you made or things you wish you had done differently.

You want someone to tell you that what you are feeling is normal, without rushing you to feel better.

You love someone who is grieving a pet and want to understand what they are going through.

"Your grief is valid. Your loss is significant. Your love was, and is, real."

From The First Year Without You

You do not have to carry it alone

Whether your loss was yesterday or months ago, this book meets you wherever you are in your grief. There is no right time to begin. There is no wrong way to grieve.

Not ready for the book yet? Start here instead.

Get the free 72-Hour Guide →

Common questions

My pet died months ago. Is it too late to start this book?

No. You can start wherever you are. The chapters are organised by time period but you do not have to read them in order. Many readers find the book helpful even well beyond the first year.

Is this a workbook with exercises or a book I read?

Both. It is primarily a reading companion with reflections, gentle prompts, and letters from your pet throughout. It also includes memory pages at the end where you can record the stories you never want to forget.

How is this different from the Guilt and Grief Workbook?

The First Year Without You follows the timeline of your grief month by month. The Guilt and Grief Workbook focuses specifically on guilt, what-ifs, and self-blame with over 90 structured exercises. Many readers use both together.

Is this book only for people who have lost a dog or cat?

No. This book is for anyone grieving the loss of a beloved pet, regardless of species. The love and grief are the same.

Can I buy this as a gift for someone who is grieving?

Yes. The book includes a dedicated section called "For Those Who Love Someone Grieving" which makes it a thoughtful and practical gift for anyone supporting a grieving pet parent.

Also in The Pet Loss Support Series

The Guilt and Grief Workbook

If guilt and what-ifs are the heaviest part of your grief, this structured workbook offers over 90 guided exercises to help you untangle self-blame and find a path toward self-forgiveness.

Available in Print and Kindle.

Learn More