Review | Dashing Through The Snow

Title | Dashing Through The Snow

Author | Debbie Macomber 

Publisher | Random House, Cornerstone 

Publication Date | 19th November 2015

Purchase | Amazon

Source | Review Copy 

A Page of Fictional Love Rating | 4/5 

The new romantic Christmas story from New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

Ashley Davison is desperate to spend the holidays with her mother in Seattle. Dash Sutherland has an interview for the job of a lifetime in Seattle and must arrive by 23 December. Both frantic to book a last-minute flight out of California, Ashley and Dash collide at the airport to learn that there are no flights and only one rental car available. After a rocky start, the two reluctantly agree to drive to Washington together. But their journey isn't without obstacles, and a misunderstanding with the law threatens to ruin their holiday plans altogether.

Will Ashley make it home in time to surprise her mother? Will Kevin report to duty as expected? And most importantly, will they both have the opportunity to discover the greatest gift of all?

If you're a regular reader then you will know by now that I am such a HUGE fan of Debbie Macomber and would (if I could) rate all her books 5/5 by just looking at them. But we're here to be truthful in our own opinion, and we're here to read and share the love of the books we read, and sometimes we spread a little love of our favourite authors.

So when I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of Debbie's latest book Dashing Through The Snow, I was beyond thrilled. I even went and bought a paperback copy when it hit the shelves on publication day. I read Debbie's last festive novel in August so I savoured this one during December (hence the late posting). 

I'm going to address a couple of things that shocked me with this book first and then I'll share the good stuff. Firstly, a christmas book that brings up topics such as terrorism, and more FBI car chase than carol singing really struck me as odd. But then I had to remind myself, it's a sad aspect of our lives now that we actually do have to bring up topics such as terrorism now, we shouldn't have to, but we do. And moreover, we need to take back control of the situation, and the one way we can do that? Talk about it more, don't treat it as the forbidden 'Voldemort' of today's society. I'm actually glad Debbie included terrorism into her story, it was a brave move, but it was a wise one. 

Secondly, I think it could have done with a tad more romance, but then again i'm a huge fan of romance and maybe it was just what I needed to read at the time in my life.

So now we get onto what I really loved about it. I loved how the characters worked together, they melded and blended so well. As with all of Debbie's books, they are believable and they suck you right into the plot and you become so gripped that you want to reach the end, but you also want to linger in the presence.

I also have to mention a particular scene where Dash and Ashley are at a services station and there are the cute puppies the war veteran is trying to find good homes to. The whole symbolism here of tying in with the terrorism theme is spectacular. I love the nod to all the war veterans and what they symbolise and the innocent act of finding good homes for abandoned puppies, vs the FBI chasing Ashley & Dash as they believe that Ashley is in fact one of their MOST WANTED terrorists, is just ... well I am speechless. It is pure art in words. 

The blossoming romance between Dash & Ashley is beautiful, especially the camaraderie between them during the shared car journey. It really was a beautiful read, and one that I highly recommend. I haven't gone into much detail on the plot because it's one that needs to be read by you and you alone. You are more than welcome to pop back and share your thoughts on it if you've read it as I love to read your thoughts and comments. It's one of those books that needs to touch you without too much of my opinion affecting your experience with it.