A Heartbeat at My Feet Summary: A Dog, a Ghost & a Second Chance in Italy
Introduction
Josie Ballard’s life in Gardner, Kansas, follows a familiar rhythm.
At forty-two, she works as a library assistant, manages a household, and carries the quiet weight of past fears.
Her marriage to Mark has settled into routine, and a long-planned trip to Italy is meant to fix that.
Three days before departure, she finds a note meant for another woman.
Mark admits the affair.
Instead of canceling the trip, Josie boards the plane alone.
In the ruins of Pompeii, she meets a terrier named Cicero.
He is grieving his owner, Giorgio, and he can see Giorgio’s ghost.
Kristin Judd’s A Heartbeat at My Feet weaves these two lonely paths into a single story about rebuilding a life after everything falls apart.
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TL;DR: The Core Arc
Josie discovers her husband’s infidelity and travels to Italy alone.
She meets Cicero, a terrier mourning his owner Giorgio. Giorgio’s ghost stays behind to guide Cicero and repair his estranged son Hugo’s heart.
- Josie and Hugo form a bond through shared grief and quiet understanding.
- Cicero acts as the bridge between the living and the dead.
- A family emergency forces Josie back to Kansas.
- Hugo follows her, and the story ends with a new life in Italy.
Who Will Enjoy A Heartbeat at My Feet?
Readers who appreciate gentle magical realism, dog-centered narratives, and later-in-life romance.
Best suited for those seeking a character-driven story with moderate pacing and alternating perspectives.
Fans of The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, or the warm whimsy of The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.
Beneath the Surface: The Novel’s Big Ideas
| Theme | How the Book Presents It |
|---|---|
| Love as life itself | Cicero’s narration and Giorgio’s final words frame love as the only thing that endures beyond death. |
| Betrayal and self-discovery | Josie’s journey to Italy forces her to stop living as a supporting character in her own marriage. |
| Grief and second chances | All three main characters mourn losses and rebuild through unexpected connections. |
| Parent-child complexity | Hugo and Giorgio’s estrangement stems from pride and silence, while Josie’s family pushes her toward freedom. |
A Heartbeat at My Feet Summary: Full Story
Spoiler warning: This section includes the ending.
Josie Ballard has spent two decades putting others first. She left college when she became pregnant with her son Charlie. She worked a low-paying library job while Mark built his career.
Charlie survived childhood leukemia, but the experience left Josie hyper-vigilant about loss.
After her mother dies, she inherits enough money to plan a two-month Italian trip with Mark. Then she finds the roses receipt and the note.
Mark admits he has been seeing a local realtor named Jen. He asks for a divorce. Josie’s father, Howard, tells her to live. She takes her suitcase and flies to Italy alone.
In Campania, Cicero’s story unfolds. The terrier lives with Giorgio, a retired gentleman who reads poetry to him. Giorgio dies suddenly from a heart attack. His son Hugo is meant to take the dog, but Hugo crashes his car near Pompeii. Cicero escapes and joins the wild dogs among the ruins.
Starving and flea-ridden, he sees Giorgio return as a shimmering ghost. Giorgio cannot feed or shelter Cicero. He tells the dog to find a living owner.
Josie visits Pompeii to prove she can be independent. Cicero attaches himself to her. When a drunk tourist harasses her and tries to kick Cicero, the dog bites the man and Josie punches him. She smuggles Cicero out in her tote bag.
In Sorrento, Josie meets Hugo Caruso, a reserved bookshop owner and furniture maker. He recognizes Cicero as his father’s dog. Cicero growls at Hugo but loves Josie. They agree to share custody of the dog through the summer. Hugo becomes Josie’s tour guide.
They explore the Amalfi Coast, Positano, and Capri. They share their histories—his mother left, his brother died, his father sold the family estate. Josie tells him about Mark and Charlie’s illness.
Mark arrives in Sorrento unexpectedly.
He sleeps on Josie’s couch and begs her to come back. Josie feels torn. Her friend Bettina urges her to choose her own happiness. Howard tells her the same over the phone. She continues her plans with Hugo.
On Capri, Giorgio’s ghost slashes their Vespa tires so they must stay overnight. Josie and Hugo finally admit their feelings. They call each other home. Returning to Sorrento, Josie finds threatening texts from Mark. Then Charlie calls—Howard has had a stroke.
Hugo drives Josie and Mark to the Naples airport. Josie says goodbye to Hugo, believing she must stay in Kansas forever. She ends her marriage to Mark.
Howard recovers. Both Howard and Charlie tell Josie to go back to Italy.
In Sorrento, Giorgio leads Cicero to take Hugo on their old walks. Hugo learns his father secretly bought and displayed his furniture all over the village.
Cicero helps Hugo find a satchel of unmailed letters from Giorgio.
The letters express regret and love. Giorgio uses the last of his energy to write “Go to her” on an envelope. Hugo flies to Kansas and declares his love.
One year later, Josie, Hugo, and Cicero live together in Giorgio’s old villa. Josie grows Mediterranean flowers and sells them to local shops. Giorgio’s ghost shares a final moment with Cicero before fading away.
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Summary by Chapter
Spoiler warning: This section groups chapters by narrative arc.
Shattered Hearts and Sudden Escapes
Chapters one through ten open with two separate losses. Cicero loses Giorgio to a heart attack and ends up stranded in Pompeii. Josie discovers Mark’s affair and flies to Italy alone.
They meet among the ancient ruins. Josie rescues Cicero from a hostile tourist. Giorgio’s ghost appears to Cicero and urges him to find a new living owner.
Unlikely Alliances and Bookshop Revelations
In the next section, Josie meets Hugo in Sorrento. He recognizes Cicero immediately. Because the dog prefers Josie, they agree to spend the summer co-parenting him.
Their conversations begin to reveal the hidden selves beneath their daily routines. Josie shares her abandoned dream of botany. Hugo shows her his quiet work as a furniture artist.
Guided Journeys, Intimate Confessions, and Intrusions
The middle chapters follow Hugo as he introduces Josie to his community.
They visit Signora Pisano, a ninety-eight-year-old widow. They confess their deepest wounds. Mark’s sudden arrival in Sorrento interrupts the growing romance. Josie, supported by Bettina, chooses to keep her plans with Hugo and goes to Capri.
The Capri Escape, Slurred Truths, and Heartbreaking Departure
Giorgio’s ghost intervenes again. After the overnight stay in Capri, Josie and Hugo return to Sorrento to face Mark’s threats.
Then Howard’s stroke forces Josie back to Kansas. She leaves Hugo at the airport, believing she will never return.
Hospital Resolutions, Magical Interventions, and a New Dawn
The final chapters resolve both family and romantic arcs. Josie ends her marriage. Howard and Charlie push her to live for herself.
In Italy, Giorgio helps Hugo find the unmailed letters. Hugo flies to Kansas. The epilogue shows them married and settled in the villa. Giorgio says goodbye to Cicero and crosses over.
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Characters in This Book
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Cicero | A literate terrier who narrates part of the story and can see Giorgio’s ghost. |
| Josie Ballard | A library assistant from Kansas who travels to Italy after her husband’s betrayal. |
| Giorgio Caruso | Cicero’s original owner who returns as a ghost to guide his dog and son. |
| Hugo Caruso | Giorgio’s estranged son, a bookshop owner and wood artist in Sorrento. |
| Mark Ballard | Josie’s husband who has an affair and later tries to win her back. |
| Charlie Ballard | Josie and Mark’s son, a biochem major and childhood leukemia survivor. |
| Howard Thompson | Josie’s father, a rancher who survives a stroke and urges her to return to Italy. |
| Bettina | A Sorrento local who becomes Josie’s friend and confidante. |
| Michelangelo | Bettina’s large Bernese mountain dog and Cicero’s temporary roommate. |
| Signora Pisano | A ninety-eight-year-old widow whom Hugo visits with books. |
| Berto | The village bar owner who tells Hugo about Giorgio’s pride in his work. |
| Jen | The local realtor with whom Mark has an affair. |
Story Snapshot
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Genre & Subgenre | Contemporary romance, magical realism, dual perspective fiction |
| Core Narrative Tropes | Second chance at life, only the dog can see the ghost, opposites attract, healing after betrayal |
| Tone & Atmosphere | Lyrical, warm, sun-baked, nostalgic |
| Primary Conflict | Character vs. self (trusting love again) and character vs. circumstance (divorce, illness, distance) |
| Pacing Style | Moderate, character-driven, alternating perspectives |
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