Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Ginger Snapping All the Way

AUTHOR:  Gabbi Grey

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  304 pages

RELEASE DATE:  November 15, 2021

BLURB:

Maddox

I’m not a fan of Christmas. I’m happy to stay up in my mountain cabin and let the silly season pass me by. But when a friend asks for a favor, I can’t say no. Now I’m stuck in my cabin during a snowstorm, trapped with the most beautiful man I’ve ever met—who can’t wait to get away. He just might break my heart when he goes.

Ravi

I’m racing to get home for the birth of my goddaughter when mechanical troubles force my plane’s emergency landing. There are no beds at the inn due to a horrendous storm, but a friend says she knows a guy who won’t mind putting me up until the bad weather passes. Now I’m trapped with that man, and I must decide if I stay, hiding from the rest of the world, or go and face my past to earn a shot at my happily ever after.

REVIEW:

Sometimes it took one wounded soul to recognize another.”

Ginger Snapping All the Way is a sweet holiday romance full of hurt/comfort feels.

When Ravi’s plane is grounded during a snowstorm on his long journey from Manila to Calgary, he never dreamed his knight in shining armor would be a big, muscular, red-headed lumberjack. Yum! A grumpy lumberjack with little to say. Ravi’s traveling from his current home in the Philippines back to attend the birth of his godchild when his plane has mechanical problems at a small airport in British Columbia. As a favor for a friend of a friend, more or less, Maddox heads out in the storm to rescue Ravi and give him a place to sleep for the night.

Maddox lives a reclusive life in a remote mountain cabin. His life imploded five years ago when a devastating work accident left him injured and his boyfriend took off. Now, he keeps to himself with his dog, Sofia – his reason for living – and occasional visits with his sister. But emotionally, he can’t move past the accident.

The men are attracted to each other and as one night turns to several before the snow abates, they take advantage of the forced proximity to get cozy. In bed. Soon they must decide if the feelings that develop are strong enough to disrupt their lives over.

During Ravi’s stay, Maddox opens up to him about his tragic past but Ravi, who’s clearly hiding a painful secret, won’t reciprocate. He’s certainly puts no pressure on Ravi to share, but it’s upsetting to Maddox that Ravi doesn’t trust him. As readers, we’re not privy to Ravi’s secret, either.

Their time together serves as an impetus for each of them to forgive themselves and stop carrying so much guilt. They comfort each other and aid in the other’s healing. Maddox acknowledges that he’s not been living the life he should be. Ravi makes him want to be a better person. He learns to embrace what he has rather than continuing to mourn what he lost. In return, Maddox helps Ravi focus on what’s special in his life, and the joy that new life brings, rather than getting mired under pain and grief.

The story is heavier than most holiday romances, and not as fluffy as the title suggests. But it’s a nice change of pace from the usual Christmastime fare, particularly if you enjoy moderate angst. I enjoyed most aspects of the book with one exception. I love dogs and have two large Golden retrievers myself, but there was too much dog activity in this book, and by that I mean all the detailed trips to take Sofia out to pee, to poop, to squat in the snow. It just wasn’t necessary and after the umpteenth time, it grew beyond tiresome.

Overall, this is a solid book filled with Gabbi Grey’s usual strong storytelling. I’m happy to give it my recommendation.

RATING: 

BUY LINKS: 

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