The dog dies, which is nothing you don't know about from the jacket. The cat's chapter, which Pam Houston read at the Tattered Cover, was not only the funniest but also the best and realest chapter, and the dogs' chapters were also exactly right. I expected to cry, but I didn't. I think that means she avoided tawdry sentiment and that's a good thing.
I do wonder how it would read for someone who doesn't live in Denver. Does the name "Chop House" convey enough about the restaurant so that you know what she doesn't show with more words? Do intersections mean anything to the non-resident, give the book a sense of realism, or they just scream Autobiographical?