Never Say Never Chapter 5: A Stray Dog, a New Beginning

⚠️ Spoiler Notice

This summary covers Chapter 5 of Never Say Never by Danielle Steel. If you haven’t read it yet, proceed with caution.

Summary (Complete and Chronological)

The day after being fired, Oona goes riding and takes a long walk, trying to clear her head. She cannot eat and goes to bed without dinner. The next day she calls headhunter Nancy Green, who tells her that many Hargrove editors have been let go and that Oona’s imprint is being shut down because it is not commercially viable. Nancy advises Oona to shift into commercial fiction when she returns to New York, though no one is hiring during the pandemic.

Oona dreads returning to a city where she now has no job, no man, and an empty apartment. She eventually tells her children: Meghan via email, Will by phone. Neither can lift her spirits. She ignores calls from her friend Gail, who knows Oona tends to disappear when times are bad. A week after the firing, while driving in the countryside, Oona discovers a lake. She sits on the sand in the May sunshine and feels herself slowly coming back to life. She realizes she must move forward and find something new.

As she prepares to leave, she hears whimpering from bushes and finds a small white dog tangled in branches. She frees the dog, which has a cut on its paw and bald patches. Oona takes the dog home, feeds and bathes her, and plans to find the owner. The next day Marie gives her the name of a local vet. The vet finds no microchip, says the dog is about a year old, neutered, and housebroken. He gives Oona the dog to keep, providing a rabies shot and a microchip using his address. Oona names the dog Florence after the mistress of the house.

Three days later, the French President announces deconfinement. Oona drives to Paris, enjoys shopping at outdoor cafés, and buys supplies for Florence. She also buys a collar, leash, toys, and sweaters for the dog. Florence’s fur begins to grow back. Oona decides to stay in France since the U.S. is still unsafe and she has no reason to return.

Two days after that, while buying groceries, Oona stops at a café in Milly-la-Forêt. A tall, striking man with a Caribbean accent speaks to her. He asks about La Belle Florence and says he would love to see it. Oona invites him to visit. He introduces himself as Ashley Rowe, a major Hollywood actor staying at a nearby château. Oona only realizes who he is on the drive home and laughs at herself. She tells Florence about the encounter and looks forward to telling Meghan.

Key Events

Oona calls headhunter Nancy Green and learns the publishing industry is in turmoil; she is advised to move into commercial fiction.
Oona breaks the news of her firing to her children, Meghan and Will.
After a week of depression, Oona rediscovers a small lake, sits in the sun, and turns a corner toward healing.
She finds a stray white dog trapped in bushes, rescues it, and names it Florence.
The vet confirms no owner can be found; Oona officially adopts Florence.
France declares deconfinement; Oona goes to Paris and buys dog supplies.
She meets actor Ashley Rowe at a local café and invites him to see La Belle Florence.

Character Development

Oona: Moves from the depths of despair after losing her job to a fragile but genuine hope. Her discovery of Florence forces her to focus on something outside herself. The moment by the lake marks a conscious decision to stop mourning and start living. Her willingness to open her home to the stray dog shows her capacity for love and care, even when her own life feels shattered.
Florence: Though a dog, Florence serves as a mirror for Oona’s own wounded state. She is bedraggled, injured, and abandoned, yet immediately trusting and eager to love. Her recovery parallels Oona’s gradual emotional healing.
Ashley Rowe: Introduced as a charismatic, warm figure who shares Oona’s love for old houses. His easy manner and celebrity status hint at new possibilities and a potential romantic interest.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

New Beginnings: The entire chapter is about endings that become beginnings. Oona’s job ends, but she adopts Florence and meets Ashley. Even the deconfinement of France symbolizes a fresh start.
The Stray Dog as Omen: Florence is explicitly presented as an omen. Oona wonders if the dog represents “new beginnings, recovery, healing.” The moment she frees Florence, Oona also begins to free herself from grief.
The Lake and Sunshine: The lake where Oona sits and feels warmth on her face is a turning point. It provides a quiet space for reflection and rebirth, much like the dog does later.
Parallels Between Human and Animal: The vet gives Florence a shot for “the rage” (rabies), a humorous mistranslation that also points to the “rage” Oona might feel after her losses. Both are given a chance to be made whole again.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 5 is the pivot point of the novel’s first act. Oona moves from passive grief to active recovery. By rescuing Florence, she accepts responsibility for another creature, breaking her isolation. The chance meeting with Ashley Rowe introduces a romantic subplot and a connection to the glamorous world she never expected to enter. The chapter also establishes the post-pandemic setting and the theme of seizing new opportunities when old ones vanish.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Oona decide to keep the stray dog despite initially planning to find its owner?
The vet finds no microchip, no owner comes forward, and Marie cannot take the dog. But more importantly, Oona feels an emotional connection. The dog is a symbol of healing, and keeping Florence allows Oona to care for something other than her own pain.

2. How does the deconfinement of France affect Oona’s mood and decisions?
The end of lockdown gives Oona a sense of freedom and joy. She goes to Paris, shops, and actively engages with life again. It also removes her primary excuse for staying in France; instead of fleeing her problems, she now chooses to stay because she sees no reason to return to New York.

3. What does the meeting with Ashley Rowe suggest about Oona’s future?
Ashley is charming, interested in Oona’s home, and easy to talk to. His celebrity status hints that Oona may find unexpected doors opening in her personal life. The invitation to show him La Belle Florence suggests a developing relationship, possibly romantic, that could lead her away from her past losses.